The Impromptu Heroes

By David Haak

Ross and Jade Compton, along with their tour group, are vacationing in the tropical paradise of San Bellevue. Everything is perfect until the small country is overrun by a force of rebel soldiers working for South American drug cartels. The rebels are led by a ruthless mercenary named Raphael Ramon, who has a reputation of doing whatever necessary to achieve the goal. In a short time, the country is in complete turmoil.

Selena, the tour guide, wants to get her people out immediately, but two in her group are missing. Selena and Ward, a former cop, go looking for them and find themselves in the middle of the rebel stronghold. There they find their friends but end up confronting and killing two rebel soldiers, making themselves wanted criminals. The best way out of San Bellevue is cut off when the airport is captured, leaving them hiding and stranded. The resort manager, Michela, helps Ross, Jade, and Selena come up with a plan of escape. The plan is only partially successful with Ross and Jade being left behind.

In order to make it home, Ross and Jade will have to do things they never dreamed of, killing included. When they expose the rebels’ plan for the country to the world, they become the most wanted and pursued people in San Bellevue. With the rebel force closing in, they must help their new friends, take care of themselves, and elude capture if they ever want to see home again.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jul 19, 2022
• ISBN: 9781662434655

Book preview

Chapter 1

Agentle gust of wind blew across Selena Jorge’s face, causing her to stir. A second gust woke her up. The daily sea breeze was early this morning, and even though welcome, it was still hot air hitting her. Selena rolled over on her back, relaxing one more minute before she got up. Another day had arrived, four of seven. Three more days and this one would be complete. Out of instinct, Selena reached over to the other side of the bed, nothing. Now fully awake she remembered where and what she was, a tour guide, at work in the middle of a trip in the small country of San Bellevue in Central America. Hayden was two thousand miles away in Indianapolis dealing with the latest round of winter’s wrath. The thought of just three more days and she would be going home caused a slight smile. The thought of being reunited with Hayden brought a big smile. She really missed him and wished he was there. They had a great relationship that had been going on for almost two years, but it had never gotten serious. Which was enough for her right now in life.

Selena took a deep breath and relaxed a few more seconds, staring at the ceiling before starting her day. Then in one smooth motion, she rolled out of bed and threw a lightweight robe around herself. No need to sleep in anything; it was hot. She walked over and slid the patio door open more, letting more air in. The drapes were pulled all the way back. It would be hard to see in because the windows were tinted, so she left them open all the time to enjoy the view. Looking through the sliding glass door brought a smile to her face. There were a few morning clouds on the horizon, and a couple of people walking the beach. The waves seemed to make the sunlight shimmer across the water. It was going to be a perfect weather day, typical for this part of the world.

This destination was one of her favorites. The Capri Cay Resort was the finest in San Bellevue, Central America. It spread out almost twenty acres. Among its many features were a long white sandy beach, world-class food, and drinks that were second to none. Its rooms were all private villas, from studios to three bedrooms, and most were right on the beach, each with its own special view of the ocean. Each villa had an indoor hot tub, and some had a private indoor/outdoor pool. Selena’s room was just a studio, but it was larger and more luxurious than some five-star hotel rooms she had stayed in.

The beach was a soft white powder, great for sunbathing and walking. There was a sandbar about one thousand feet out in the water that kept it protected from a rough ocean, letting nothing but small gentle waves wash up on the beach and making it great for swimming. Dining was how you wanted it, when you wanted it. All you had to do was make a call, text, or make an online request—and it was a twenty-four-hour service. If you woke up at 3:00 a.m. hungry, all you had to do was call. You could eat at your own villa for your own private dining, or there were several places throughout the resort you could gather with friends. The resort was frequently written up in popular travel magazines for its world-class dining. There were also four bars, a world-class spa, two outdoor pools, a workout center, and about any kind of water sport, except parasailing and fishing. Had to go to Monavera, the country’s capital, five miles south for that. It was a resort oriented for adults, but children thirteen and over were welcome. After eleven at night, the north end of the beach was nicknamed Lovers End. It was past some rocks on the beach that made a natural barrier. Clothing rules were loosely enforced there, and couples could enjoy the night in their own special way.

All these amenities made it a popular place for the well-to-do. Many celebrities came down to have a vacation of anonymity and loved it. This resort had it all and was usually booked up a year in advance at least. Forty North Travel never had a problem selling the trips for it. Selena considered herself fortunate to be assigned to this trip. Fellow tour guides always tried to get this one, but she had beaten them to the punch all but one time.

A nice thing about this particular trip was there were only twelve guests to take care of, and she was the only tour guide. That meant fewer people to keep happy and less work. The average tour was twenty, which made it much busier. If the number got above twenty, they would send two guides. That made the work part of it easier, until you had a disagreement with the other tour guide about something. Selena, like most of the guides, liked it best when she was the only guide. This was turning into an easy week and kind of a vacation too, but very lonely a lot of the time.

A tour guide’s life meant traveling all the time, but alone. Her job was to make sure everyone was having a good time, and at night she returned to her room by herself. Not a popular rule since most of these places were some of the most romantic on Earth. Temptations were at every corner, from the local crowd to attractive men on her tours. In lands of beautiful scenery, abundant with alcohol and loneliness, there had been a few times that the rule had been broken. This trip was a man four villas down in 4C that had turned her head. However, he was married and kept very close to his wife. So she would leave this one alone, unless he said something to her. Her job meant too much to her to take a silly chance.

Forty North Travel was the travel company Selena worked for. The office sat exactly on the 40th parallel on the north side of Indianapolis. So the founders thought that would be the perfect name. It was a private travel club. The only way a person got in was through a reference from a member. Then after that there was a detailed screening process. The initiation fee was steep along with the dues, but there was never a complaint. The trips it offered were top of the line and expensive, but the members didn’t mind at all. First-class air travel, five-star hotels was the only way it traveled.

Forty North had flourished since the day it opened thirty years earlier and, despite the Internet revolution, managed to stay profitable. The personalized travel was believed to be the main reason. So the company expanded the tours and hired more guides. There was a high turnover in the guides, even with decent pay and luxurious travel. The burden of constantly being away, marriage, and the stress of keeping people happy kept the average tour guide’s tenure to about three years. Selena had been doing it for ten years and was the highest in seniority. This made her a popular and trusted employee of the company. Her name was often mentioned in the company’s brochures, and a huge picture of her greeted people as they entered the office. She was proud of her accomplishments at 40 North and had no plans to stop. There were too many things to see. She was thirty-four years old, right in her prime. The world was just too big and beautiful, and she wanted to see it all.

After ordering coffee and kiwi juice from room service, Selena sat down and got on her computer. Checking the plans for the day showed her having to do very little. One couple was taking a private tour they had booked on their own, and six others were taking a fishing charter in about an hour. All she would need to do would be make sure their transportation picked them up on time. Then just be at the lounge by the pool from one to three to see if anyone needed anything or had any questions. Usually this was simple questions and easy advice about the local area. She could enjoy piña coladas during the whole afternoon at the company’s expense and text Hayden if he wasn’t too busy.

Selena downed the kiwi juice and sipped her coffee as she got herself dressed. Just before walking out the door, she remembered she hadn’t checked her e-mails. There was still time, so she decided to look. She reached for her phone, but saw that that it was not charged. Aw shit went through her mind. Upset at herself, she plugged in the phone and headed to the computer. Taking way too long, the e-mails finally came up. Now short on time she scrolled through them as quickly as she could. She had e-mailed her boss George Philips back in Indianapolis about a conversation she had overheard at a downtown corner in Monavera the day before. As they were waiting for the bus to pick them up, she and some of the tourists in her group had overheard an animated conversation between some men, two who were wearing camouflage outfits. She wasn’t real close and only heard a few of the words. The words she thought she was hearing were about the airport, surrounding some center and stopping travel. It wasn’t unusual to have military training in the area. The mountains made a great natural training field. There had never been any kind of military exercise at the airport. It was always busy and was San Bellevue’s economic lifeline. So Selena was concerned about what she heard and e-mailed George to see if he knew anything. She was just about to give up then saw that the very last e-mail was from George. It had been sent that morning. It read:

Selena,

Hope you are having fun in the tropical paradise. 10 degrees and snowy here. As of the answer to your question. I checked with my friend at the State Department, he said they had no knowledge of any unrest in your country or any surrounding it. If I hear anything different I will let you know. So just relax, you are safe.

George

The e-mail gave Selena a sense of relief. She didn’t think there was anything wrong at San Bellevue, but now she was sure.

San Bellevue was known to be one of the most stable countries anywhere. It had never had any trouble in the past. The great year-round weather complimented by the lush vegetation and scenic mountains made it high on the list of most tour companies. Forty North had been sending trips there since they had opened.

There were two main drawbacks that prevented it from becoming a major vacation destination. First, there were only a limited number of resorts and hotels. The government wanted to keep it that way in order to preserve its pristine features. There had been several attempts to develop more land, but they had all been stopped. Second, there were really only two ways to get into San Bellevue—air and sea. There were two other remote border entrances, both by land. One to the north and one to the south. They were difficult to get to and not used much, especially for tourism. Air was the most common way in, and San Bellevue had spared no expense on building a world-class airport. The large airport was close to Monavera and allowed any size plane to land. People could fly in and start their vacations right away, which immediately became a signature selling point for them.

Security had always been 40 North’s top priority. Since 9/11 the company had been extra careful about international travel and didn’t send anyone if there was any question of safety. A stellar track record proved it too. George Phillips was one of the main reasons. A former military man with connections in the right places to have a heads-up on all the world’s hot spots made him a great asset to have. If George said it was safe, it was safe, period. Now much more relaxed, Selena looked up at the clock and saw she had two minutes to get to the bus pickup and get her group on it. Time had slipped away from her, but she could do it if she ran.

Chapter 2

Jade and Ross Compton were sleeping late today. At least late for them. Jade could barely get her eyes open to look at the clock, then couldn’t get it to focus. Too many margaritas the night before. The morning sunshine was creeping around the curtains of their room, signaling the beginning of a bright sunny day in San Bellevue. About the same time, her aching head was also reminding her about the beach party the night before. She turned her head away from the window to try to read the clock again. Finally, it focused and it said eight forty-seven. She looked over at Ross. He was still sound asleep with his pillow wrapped around his head. Jade forced herself out of bed, and the second she stood up she felt horrible. She walked from the bedroom to the living room and quickly sat down on the sofa to get her bearings. The night before they had stayed up until two in the morning, drinking with their good friend Carl Ray. One drink at 10:00 p.m. turned into multiple drinks, shots of tequila, and a long night of partying. Now the hangover she had was taking some of the luster off the night before.

Shortly after Jade had gotten up, Ross got up and went straight to the bathroom. Jade kind of laughed; at least she wasn’t throwing up. A couple minutes later Ross came out with two glasses of water and Tylenol in hand offering them to Jade, which she gladly accepted. They normally didn’t do this. Having a good time was always in the plan, but last night was an exception. How you doing? Ross asked.

I feel like shit, but I will make it, she said.

Ross stood up, walked over, and opened the drapes on the sliding glass door. The bright sunshine irritated both their eyes. At the same time, a thought struck him. We have that tour in less than an hour, he said. The day before they had scheduled a scenic tour that would take them deep into the mountains to see a beautiful set of waterfalls and breathtaking views. It was an expensive trip, and backing out at the last minute would mean forfeiting a lot of money.

Jade shook her head and said, I’m in no shape to be bounced through the hot jungle, not today.

Ross felt about the same but didn’t like the thought of throwing away three hundred dollars, even though he would never miss it. In another hour with a little a food and this medicine working, we will surely feel better. They say this is a beautiful sight to see. Okay? he asked. Jade thought for a minute and shook her throbbing head in agreement. They ordered a light breakfast and got cleaned up. When breakfast arrived, the Tylenol was working. The food was set up on their private patio, and they went to eat with dark sunglasses on. They had ordered a pot of coffee, orange juice along with poached eggs, and toast. At first it went down slow, then got better. Just as they had finished, Ross’s phone rang. It was the tour company cancelling the trip. The reason was mechanical trouble with the van. The only other day they could do it was Friday, which was their last full day there. He reluctantly agreed, because he had heard how beautiful the waterfalls were. They had tried to take this tour both times before when they were in San Bellevue, but it was full. Ross couldn’t believe the tour company didn’t have an extra van. They were disappointed, but they would have some time to recover from their hangovers.

Ross and Jade were not the average young couple. They defied about every stereotype for their age group. First was age: she was thirty-five, he was twenty-nine. They had been married almost six years and had traveled the world in their spare time, which was most of the time. Both were born and raised in Indianapolis. Jade was an only child, and Ross had one brother ten years older than him. They were from prominent families, but their paths had never crossed until they were randomly paired up for a charity golf event. By the end of the round they were both smitten with each other and didn’t care about finishing dead last. They started dating and in six months were married, then immediately began doing what they both wanted to do, travel. A six-week honeymoon in Europe was only the beginning. There wasn’t hardly a place on Earth that they hadn’t seen or had plans to see. This little trip they were on was just a short one-week escape from the Midwest winter, and to spend time with some friends they had met on other trips and, of course, Carl who was a longtime friend of Ross.

They were from wealthy families, and they had their own adequate trust funds. After college they had both started with jobs in their family companies. Jade’s family business was medical supplies and Ross’s was insurance. After a year of marriage Jade realized she didn’t need to work and quit. Ross stayed at his job another year, then branched out and started his own investment company. It was slow at first, but with time and hard work, it had become successful. He had installed good people he trusted, Carl included. That let him be away a lot, which was great for their lifestyle. They had a house in Indianapolis they called home, but were rarely there more than a month. No children yet; they were too busy. The irritating question frequently came up at family functions. Her answer would be Perhaps someday, then change the subject. The last year Jade had caught herself considering it more. The thought of being a mother intrigued her and frightened her at the same time. She was the only one of all her close friends who wasn’t a mother yet.

Despite the luxurious comfortable life they had, there seemed to be something wrong, and it always happened when they were home. Boredom and impatience would set in fast. They both had their quirks. Jade could be moody at times, and jealous. Ross was an all-business type of guy and could be impatient, especially about small matters. Arguments and fighting would become almost an everyday occurrence. The longer the couple stayed at home, the worse it would get. Every time it would get to the point of incompatibility, they would schedule another trip, usually with 40 North and things would get better. They had talked about it many times. They began to think that was the way it was and how they were meant to live. When traveling, no two people were closer or happier together. This repetitive pattern would most likely continue as long as the funds were available. Even though neither would admit it, they knew sometime this way would have to stop.

Chapter 3

The pickup point for tours was right outside the main gate of Capri Cay. Selena trotted up five minutes late, but no one said anything. They were all more concerned of why their bus hadn’t arrived, and she was too. Waiting for the bus was Carl Ray, still nursing his own hangover; his son Eric; and fellow 40 North tourists Ward Jackson, Jordan, Steph, and Molly Fontana. Is it still going to happen? Steph asked in an irritated tone.

Selena smiled and politely said, Central American time, my friend. I’m sure they will be here soon, and you will be reeling in fish within the hour.

Her response settled the unrest at least for the time being. Deep down she had not a clue why they were so late. Normally the transportation to these events was right on schedule. Ten more minutes passed, Selena reached for her phone, but it was back in her room charging. She borrowed Steph Fontana’s and called the tour company, but no one answered. Then she called the fishing charter and explained the situation. They said they were ready for them and had no answer as to the bus, but promised they would make sure they didn’t get shorted any fishing time. The last thing these businesses wanted was to get a tour company mad, especially 40 North Travel. She relayed this message, but impatience was rising. Finally, the bus came into view and pulled up to the gate. When the door opened Selena stepped on and asked the driver what was the problem. What problem? he asked.

You are thirty minutes late, these people have a fishing charter waiting. This can’t happen again.

The man looked her directly and rudely said, I was told ten thirty. Before Selena could speak, he backed down. I’m sorry, ma’am, that is what I was told, he said in a softer tone. By now the people were getting on.

My apologies, folks, won’t happen again, she said. With that Selena stepped off the bus at the same time, wishing them all good luck. As soon as she stepped off, she started back to the resort and had been thinking. She would need to put this in her report.

Walking back, there were several things that she couldn’t get out of her head. First, the accent of the driver. It didn’t quite fit in with the area. It was thicker and had a sharper tone. This was her fifth trip to San Bellevue, and this didn’t sound local. Second, the buses always picked people up at the top of the hour and were never late. He had said he was to be there at ten thirty. Both could be dismissed as miscommunication and someone who had a little different voice. Then the tour company didn’t answer when she called, which really sent up a red flag. A tour company not answering the phone was not only strange but very bad business. So she really didn’t have much to go on other than her own gut feelings. However, these feelings though hardly ever let her down. As she turned and started walking back to her villa, something else got her attention. There had hardly been any cars or anything pass the whole time she and the others had been there. Traffic had always been known to be light, but this was way below normal.

Chapter 4

Ross and Jade, spent the morning getting over their hangovers. They decided to go to Monavera in the afternoon for some parasailing and shopping. Taking a scooter sounded like the best way to town, so they rented one from the resort. A short ride and they could shop, explore, and parasail the whole afternoon.

Selena was on her way to the lounge for her afternoon duty when she bumped into Ross and Jade getting on their scooter. Seeing Ross made her light up. Ah, the man in 4C, she thought. "Hello,