On the road again, she began to ask questions that he didn’t have the answer to. “Why do we have to leave, Ethan?”
“As far as I know, because some police sergeant was paid to get me killed. Also, that suburban contained a woman from my past. She’s been tracking me down ever since I left the army.”
“Does it have something to do with Wade?” Her eyes were pleading with him, hoping for a reply that would set her mind at ease.
“I’m not sure.” His body was shaking from exhaustion and the aftermath of the adrenaline rush. Before another question, he nearly slumped over the steering wheel and by the time the vehicle had rolled to a stop by the side of the road was out cold.
10
A group of men sat hidden from view of the road, warming their hands by a fire. Wade Waters was watching the travelers with a pair of binoculars. His free hand rested on a pistol, caressing it like it was a precious item. “We’re gonna get them, Commander.” Another man walked up, his body covered in tattoos. “I’ll have that British man fileted like a dying fish.”
“I’m sure you will, Dimitri. But be sure to make it painful and slow, preferably with my wife watching. She’s betrayed me and fallen for that…” There were harsh words exchanged as the men began to get rowdy, the bottle being passed around. After nursing their wounds, Gazini had directed the team out two hundred miles further along the road during the night. They’d traveled non-stop through the night, hoping to cut their quarry off before the next town.
“The Audi has left the hotel, they are leaving the state.” He said, his skin glowing as the fire hit his face. “What do you want us to do, sir?”
“Get geared up.” Wade smiled, a slow cruel grin accentuating the scar that moved up onto his jaw line. “I want them all dead.” Men leapt to their feet, dousing fires and grabbing up gear that lay scattered on the ground. Kevlar went underneath the jackets, knives and guns were attached to their proper places. They jumped into the rugged tan jeeps and sped toward the highway, exchanging cruel jokes.
“Sir, this is the same man that we turned over to those Koreans. He’ll be holding a grudge, watch out for him. Our training was the same.” Wade glared at the man across the seat, his mouth twisting in revulsion.
“Have you lost your strength, Gazini?” The large man stiffened, swinging the vehicle to the right along the dirt road.
“I have not lost my strength, my old friend. But my brains are working and this Major Ryde was a strong man with an honorable heart. He will not let you take the woman and children while there is breath in his body.”
“Then we’ll kill the wench first, make the man watch. You may have the pleasure, Gazini.” Wade laid a hand on the shoulder, which twitched as he began to laugh.
“Don’t try to bribe me with fancy promises, Mr. American.” They remembered the first time that their missions had crossed paths. Wade had tried to get the man to change shifts, even offering him money. He had spent the tour in the hospital, unable to stand up. When they had met the common enemy, their priorities had changed. Together they were a sadistic team, killing without discrimination or honor. Now they were a team again, prepared to do anything to revenge the wrong done to him.
A black car sped along the highway, the occupants were asleep except for the driver. Ethan woke suddenly, his mind flooded with the flames of the fire. His thoughts turned to the wellbeing of the rest of the family as a distraction. He looked at the woman driving, her eyes staring at the road with a bloodshot tinge to them. “Hey, why don’t you pull over and let me drive.” Amber didn’t argue, she was exhausted. As he got in the car, he stood looking out into the desert for a moment, involuntarily scanning the environment for danger. His eye caught the tan jeeps in the distant. “They found us.”
“How?” Amber asked, looking back at the children in a sudden frenzy of motherly concern.
“Training. Sit in the sand and wait it out, the mark will come to you eventually. Especially if he’s not prepared for being cut off from his destination, instead of being followed. I should have thought of it, no time to regret it now. You and the kids need to buckle up, but stay down away from the windows. They might not attack if there isn’t any sign of you in the vehicle.” Amber made sure the children were buckled in, waking them and giving them the whispered command. They nodded, eyes wide with terror and clinging to each other. She suddenly slid back with them, laying down and holding them. “Use that blanket to cover yourselves, they might not see you then.” Ethan cursed the fact that there weren’t any exits for at least another seven miles. They’re following textbook procedures, just like I would have done. Well, Ethan, what are you going to do about that? He pulled out the pistol, dropping it in his lap. They were still at least a few hundred yards away, not close enough to begin firing. Speeding up, the vehicle flew down the road forcing him to swerve and pass multiple cars.
The big man swore, attempting to get the jeep into a faster gear. “Pull over a car on the road. We need a car that can make the speed that traitor is making.” They brought out the trembling man from a grey Chevy Impala struggling and then shot him. The reverb made a terrible sound in the wide desert, but the vehicle was already pulling away.
In the Audi, Ethan was sweating from the strain, undoing the tie and laying it in the passenger seat. Every time they passed another car, was one step closer to the exit. He looked back, then saw the silver Impala catching up. “Well, the buggers don’t give up easily, I’ll say that for them.” There wasn’t any way to speed the car up anymore, it was going at nearly top speed. Coming alongside of a suburban van, he nudged the van into a spin that set up some blockage on the road behind them. It didn’t stop the Impala, but it slowed it down a couple of seconds. On the other side of the road, he caught side of an exit. He nosed the Audi down into the ditch and up onto the road on the other side. Hard left turn into the exit lane and they were speeding through a small town.
The Impala attempted to follow, but was cut off by a large truck that swung in their way. Wade brought his fists slamming down on the dashboard, screaming at the man beside him. “How can we lose him? One more disappointment that is unacceptable. Never fail the mission!” Sweat poured from his hairline, along with a thin trickle of liquid from his terrible eyes.
“I know, he’ll pay for this.” Gazini pulled out a sharp machete and laid it on his lap, assuring himself that it would be perfect for the task. His laugh filled the car with an echo that would have sent chills down Amber’s back.
Ethan pulled the car into park along the abandoned road heading out of town, getting out and picked up his gun. He bent down along the back end of the vehicle, using the trunk to steady his hands. If the men were able to follow, he’d be able to take them out from a safe distance. Rain began to pour on him, striking the hood with harsh sounding drops. Then a hand was laid on his shoulder. Startled, he whirled around with the barrel aimed at the person’s chest. It was Amber, drenched and trembling. She suddenly pulled him close in an embrace, laying her head against his chest. “Don’t let him get us, Ethan. Please. Not my children…not our children.” In the rain they stood there, both of them exhausted with shot nerves.
“Let’s get back in the car. We need to get out of here before they find us.” Ethan gently helped her back into the car, shivering from the cold. Her eyes were closed, head and arms limp in his arms. His own body was aching, begging him to stop putting so much strain on it. As they pulled back onto the road, he looked at the sleeping Amber and back at the kids. “You’re not putting another filthy finger on them. Not under my watch.” The whispered promise sat in the car, giving him back energy and the ability to keep going. Back on the highway the car’s motor hummed, pleased to be traveling at a decent pace on nice damp pavement. Lights shone on the driver’s face, revealing the hard look in his blue eyes and tightly held jaw muscles. A memory was flashing through his mind. His mother was sitting in the kitchen, lucid for once and handing him a plate of dinner. They were talking about school and life.
Suddenly she got serious and gripped his face in her hands.
“Ethan, never make a promise that you can’t keep.” Two days later, his father had murdered her in the kitchen with a chef’s knife to the heart. It had stuck with him, following him all over the world. This time, he was afraid that the promise was wrong. There were a lot of factors that could keep him from saving the woman and children.
Anger began coursing this his veins, making sweat begin to slide down his face from the hairline. Deep breaths didn’t abate the tension that was pressing on his chest. His lungs struggled for oxygen. Then everything came into clear, sharp focus in his mind. Wade would die for the abuse of Amber and the children. His men would die for coming after him. They’d tried to kill him, that was enough reason for him. But they had threatened the lives of innocent children without cause – a crime unforgivable in his mind. As the dawn fell on the hood of the car, his eyes were still staring at the road with a cold, inhuman glare.
“Ethan?” His eyes didn’t leave the road, barely acknowledging her words. “You should get some rest.”
“I’m not tired.” She looked at him, worried. His voice was dead, full of determination and silent rage. The eyes scared her, terrified her.
“Don’t do this. It’s not worth losing you.” He looked at her, eyes beginning to soften slowly.
“Amber. The man you picked up on the road was one without a memory. I’m starting to remember…everything. Men, in my profession, aren’t marriage material. We were trained to kill, destroy relationships. Not form them.” Don’t you see, my love? This isn’t going to work.
“No.” She said, turning back to the road and covering herself with a blanket. “You’re not like that. Besides people change, no matter what kind of job they had or have.”
“Even my superior officers called me a hard man, Amber. The things that I’ve done - don’t just go away. They defiantly don’t qualify me to be a father.” They both looked back at the sleeping children for a brief moment.
“Let’s just get to Los Angeles, then we can think about it with clear heads.” She leaned against the smooth plastic of the car, next to the window. The road began to blur from her tears that fell onto the floor. Ethan tried to ignore her, working out a plan of attack for the following days. He’d need some sophisticated weapons; these men weren’t fooling around with the artillery. As the thoughts flew through his mind, exhaustion began to weigh on his body and run through his system. Then he began to talk again, going straight to the heart of the subject that had been weighing on him for the last two days.
“A’isha. That was my wife’s name.” His voice broke the silence of the car, shocking the crying woman. “The man who killed her was declared dead in Afghanistan. He reappeared on the front line between north and south Korea. Good men suffered because of a betrayal that happened during a medical run. I’ve been looking for that man since the day of the fire.”
“Wade…your wife?” Amber sat in shock, her beautiful mouth open and tears again sliding down her face. “I’m so sorry. Ethan. Don’t hold yourself to the promise you made earlier. I can’t ask that of you.” He kept this from me. Wasn’t going to say anything for my sake.
“You didn’t. I promised you that unless he endangered your life or the children’s that…he would walk away without a scratch. That still holds. But the men who work for him, they’ll have to die. Without them, Wade will be powerless. Not enough man power.” She saw the exhaustion on his face, the weariness in his voice. There was a strained quality that told her that his body was beginning to run low on sleep and food.
“Let’s lay low for the day, get a plan in order. The children will want to stretch their legs for an hour or two. You need sleep.” He nodded, not having the will to argue with her. They pulled into the parking lot, but he remained in the vehicle. The toll of the emotions and actions had drained every reserve in his body and mind. Amber came back out, saw that he had passed out in the seat with his head lying on the wheel. She decided to leave him there, not sure if moving him was possible. Back inside the building, the children were begging to go to the swimming pool, excited to be out of the car.
11
Gazini stared at the blinking tracker on the monitor, sharpening his machete on block of cement. The large man couldn’t wait to get his hands on that British soldier and teach him the might of the Kenyan people. “Get in the van.” He climbed in the passenger seat, gripping the sharp weapon with a cruel grin. Every man was in their vehicle following the van down the long stretch of mountain road toward the hospital. Mr. Wade would pay good money to have them all alive when they reached the bunker. Then they would have their fun.
Back at the hotel, Ethan sat up and assessed his surroundings with a groggy mind. He opened the door and stumbled out, looking up at the balconies above him. Footsteps approached and a voice called out. “Hey, daddy.” The little girl leapt into his arms, nearly bringing them both to the ground.
“Hold on, easy there.” He smiled, holding her tight and walking back into the hotel. The rest of the family was sitting at the breakfast table, eating and drinking.
“You slept a long time.” Amber said, handing him a steaming cup of good black coffee and shoving a plate of eggs, sausage, and pancakes in his direction. They sat in silence for a while, neither wanting to talk about words that had been spoken last night. His eyes were a pale blue this morning, no trace of the cold icy grey in them. A soft smile kept playing at the corners of his mouth, especially when looking at the children who were arguing over the different cereals at the breakfast bar. There was something tender in his face that was a sharp contrast to the man that had driven the car to the hotel and made the threat against the men.
“I don’t know much about children, but these two have me wishing that…” A great sadness past over his face, washed away quickly by another sip of the coffee.
“Ethan. Losing someone that close…and a child…” She laid her hand on his, looking dead into his eyes. “I can’t imagine the pain and anger that you went through, that you are still going through. But surely losing everything that you have now by seeking revenge isn’t worth it?”
“It’s not just revenge, it’s honor-based. Every single man in a unit swears to protect and avenge the others to the best of his ability. There were men who were my brothers out on the field, they died because of my actions and Wade’s betrayal. If I sat here and let those men walk away…there’s no way I could look at myself in a mirror, much less have a life with you and the kids.” Besides, you deserve someone better than an ex-soldier, dearest Amber.
“Ethan, the children need a father, not a man who views every day as a mission.” The words sounded harsh, but the tone was pleading him to stay, to be a father. He met her eyes finally after staring at the coffee cup.
“I know, Amber, I know. That’s why I can’t stay with you in Los Angeles. The house is available for as long as you need it. Don’t get a place of your own until you’ve made enough money and are safe. I’ll head back here, finish the mission.” A tear slid down her cheek, dripping onto the table cloth. I’m losing him! He gently wiped the rest away with a hand, his own eyes beginning to water with emotion. “If I don’t come back, the house is yours and everything else.” No! You can’t die! That broke her and the tears began to flow to fast for him to stop. Without speaking, he took her into his arms and they sat there – their hearts aching for each other. “It’s alright.” His hand rested lightly on the back of her head. “Whatever happens, remember that…I love you.” It took all of his control not to break in front of the children who were staring at them, the argument over. Back in the car, they drove in silence and just enjoyed the proximity of the others.
Two hundred miles away, a large man strode down the hospital corridor and burst into a room where two beds were being stripped down by an orderly. Cursing as he walked away from the room, he pulled out a cell phone. “They’re gone!” His rage was carried out in the volume of the shout. “I’ll have all their hea
ds before they give me the slip again.” Outside in the sunlight, he scanned the vehicles and buildings close by. A jacket lay on the bench two doors down, red leather. Walking over, he picked it up and checked the pocket. His tracker lay exposed. Tossing the jacket into the trash, he threw the tracker into the fountain in a frenzy of rage. “They will regret this.” Inside the jeep, he held onto the machete tightly to calm himself down. The plans that were in his head would have sent cold chills down their backs, revulsion in their minds.
Morgen and Tessa crawled out from behind the trash bin, reassuring themselves that the men had gone. “You were right about that tracker.” Tessa shivered, clutching a lock of her hair and winding it around a finger. It was a nervous habit, designed to calm her down after an exciting or traumatic experience.
“All those years in the military weren’t spent sitting behind a desk.” Morgen said, pulling out the jacket from the trash can and handing it to the younger woman. They walked towards a local hotel, hoping to find out more about the whereabouts of the men or Ethan. Her mind went back to the skirmishes with the local police force in the North Korean suburbs. Their orders had been to kill on sight, no quarter. He had been the most recklessly intelligent man on the field team. There was no situation that the young major wouldn’t be the first man to volunteer. “Let’s get a vehicle, we need to his help to get these men off our trail.”
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