So
far as he could tell, no one was inside the house, at least on his side.
There was light in one upstairs window, but the angle was wrong; he
couldn't see inside.

The two guards on the front porch stayed there. That was probably their
station. Another guard seemed to have the rear corner of the house. The
fourth also seemed to be assigned to the rear, but he moved around more
than his compatriot. Rick could see that the four were not soldiers. At
least they were not in uniform. Probably they were Guevara's personal
employees. Bodyguards, perhaps.

Scotty returned, silent as a wraith in the night. He sank to the ground
between the two and whispered, "I don't think there's anyone home. Just
the four guards. If the governor is here, he's in that upstairs room."

"What do we do?" Rick whispered.

"We'll have to take it from the rear. It will be tough, because there's
not much cover."

Scotty began to outline his plan, then stopped suddenly. Rick had a
strange feeling in his stomach again, and he realized that the earth was
trembling under him. The tremor grew in strength, and from close by
there was a snapping sound as a dead limb broke under the vibration and
dropped to the jungle floor.

"Now!" Scotty whispered sibilantly. "Come on!"

Instantly Rick and Montoya followed the ex-Marine's lead, withdrawing
into the denser brush, then rising and hurrying after him, crouched over
and careful not to make a sound.

Scotty led them in a wide circle that brought them finally to the rear
of the house. Rick sized up the situation and saw only two trees that
offered any cover. The ground was still trembling, although slightly.
Then, as he crouched, the temblor increased again.

The guards were disturbed. The two in the rear moved back, away from the
house, as though expecting it to fall on them. One of them spoke in
Spanish and the other replied curtly.

Montoya sucked in his breath. He whispered, "The first one asked if they
should not get the old man out, and the second said let him fall with
the house."

The two guards were well back from the house now, staring upward at the
second floor. If the stucco started to go, it would be high on the house
wall at the roof line.

Scotty touched Rick on the arm, then rose and moved like a dark ghost,
straight across the open glade toward the guards. Scotty reached the
tree nearest the house and slipped into its shadow.

Rick sized things up. The other tree was perhaps th