Safe House Under Fire

by Elisabeth Rees

  He vaulted the next wall, helping Lilly over and checking on Astrid. The teenager smiled weakly and he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

  “You’re doing great,” he said. “I’m proud of you.”

  Astrid’s gaze slid past his face to a point behind and she opened her mouth to scream. Yet no sound came. She seemed to be frozen in horror.

  David snapped his head to the right, seeing the armored vehicle come into view on a lawn about three houses away. Henderson had found a weak point to access the backyards and he was coming at them from another angle, determined to flush them out. The eight huge wheels of the military vehicle were easily able to crush the low boundary walls that divided the yards and he rode over them as if they were pebbles, crushing them beneath the black rubber tires.

  “Run to the street,” David yelled. “Stay together.”

  Goldie led the way, racing along the path at the side of the house, holding tight to Astrid. They emerged onto the street, deserted except for the undercover agents who had been stationed in the house opposite. The two men were on the sidewalk, guns in hand, anxiously speaking into their radios, obviously relaying the urgency of the situation to their superiors.

  “We need to get out of here,” David yelled to them. “Where’s your vehicle?”

  One of the agents pointed to the open garage of their house, where a van was peppered with bullet holes.

  “Henderson shot it up and destroyed the engine as soon as I opened the door,” he said. “I managed to get out of the way just in time.”

  This was not the news David wanted to hear as it took away their only means of escape. Outside their destroyed safe house was his SUV, hit by a grenade through the garage door. It had subsequently rolled down the driveway and was now a twisted mess of metal, smoldering and leaking fuel.

  “A SWAT team is two minutes away,” the agent said. “Where is Henderson now?”

  “He’s there!” Astrid screamed, pointing to the end of the street, where the armored vehicle was turning the corner, having doubled back on itself. “He’s coming for us.”

  David turned in every direction. Where should he go? How could he safeguard the lives of Lilly and her daughter? They had no vehicle and were sitting ducks inside these empty houses. He was all out of ideas.

  As he took a second or two to pray, someone tugged on his sleeve. It was Astrid.

  “Look,” she said, gesticulating to the street where a steady stream of gas was trickling from the car wreck on the driveway. “That’s really flammable, right? Will we explode?”

  Her words triggered an idea. “Astrid, you’re a genius!” he exclaimed. “Stay with Goldie and your mom out of sight while I deal with Henderson.”

  He pointed to the house, took Astrid’s hand and joined it to her mother’s, before pushing them away from the scene.

  “Help me shove this wreck from the driveway,” he said to the undercover agents, watching Goldie lead Lilly and Astrid behind the agents’ house, taking them out of Henderson’s line of sight. “I want it bang in the middle of the street.”

  The three men used their shoulders to push the vehicle from its position and it rolled easily along the driveway. The machine gunfire started up as Henderson neared and the men used the car as a shield, crouching behind it while they steered it into the street.

  “Go!” he yelled to the agents above the gunfire, watching the wreck pick up speed, leaving a trickle of gasoline in its wake. “Take cover.”

  He ran toward the undercover house, pulling his gun and firing repeatedly at the ground, waiting for one of the bullets to create the necessary spark. The fourth bullet was the charm and the line of gasoline ignited, sending the car up in a whoosh of flames. The ball of fire picked up more speed as it approached the armored vehicle, finally slamming into it hard and halting in its tracks.

  David smiled. There was no way forward for Henderson now, except to exit his vehicle. And so he waited. And waited. A military helicopter appeared overhead, flying low over the scene, a loud hailer ordering Henderson out into the open.

  The fire in the SUV was becoming intense, creating a wall of heat that prevented David from going near. He peered through the flames, looking for signs of movement, but Henderson was making no attempt to escape. Maybe he’d passed out inside, overcome by the smoke.

  The SWAT team screamed into view, closely followed by an Army combat vehicle and fire truck with lights flashing and sirens blaring. Surely this was the end for Henderson. He was surrounded by all manner of weaponry, both on the ground and in the air.

  Checking behind him to ensure that Lilly and Astrid were safely shielded from any last-ditch fight back, David’s hope increased as the firefighters doused the flames with water, while being protected by the armed SWAT team and a group of soldiers. Henderson was repeatedly ordered from the vehicle by the hovering helicopter, told to emerge with hands in the air.

  Still no movement came.

  Finally, one of the SWAT team members clambered on top of the vehicle and opened the hatch, pointing his weapon and shouting out a warning.

  “I think we got him,” David yelled to Lilly, punching the air with relief. “We finally got him.”

  “No, sir, we don’t,” the SWAT officer called out. “It’s empty.”

  David was disbelieving. “It can’t be empty. Check again.”

  “I’m sorry, sir, but he’s gone.”

  * * *

  Lilly washed her face and patted it dry, careful not to drag the towel across her puffy and tender eyes. This situation was becoming intolerable and the fear in her gut had settled into a dull and constant throb. When David had first informed her of the need to enter witness protection, she had had no idea it would be this terrifying. She’d been putting on a brave face for Astrid’s sake, but it was beginning to crack under the strain of constant attacks.

  There was a soft knock on the door, a gentle voice calling her name. She took a deep breath, checked her reflection and opened up. David stood in the hallway of this remote and peaceful cabin in a beautiful wooded area outside the city.

  “Astrid is worried about you,” he said. “I offered to come see how you’re doing.”

  “I’m okay.” Her voice wobbled, forcing her to repeat her words. “I’m okay.”

  “You’re clearly not okay,” he said. “You look like you just cried a river.”

  Mention of her tears brought more of them forward and she used the towel to dab the corners of her eyes.

  “How did Henderson get away again?” she asked. She had been euphoric at the expectation of his capture, and the bitter disappointment of his escape had been a gut punch. “I really thought this might be over.”

  “Me too.” His face showed as much tension as she felt. “He stole the Stryker from an Army base while dressed as a solider, and he later modified it by blasting a hole in the base with explosives. He must’ve slipped underneath the vehicle and blended in with the Army unit to escape. I just didn’t have my eyes peeled in the hive of activity. Next time we’ll get him.”

  “Will we?” Wasn’t that what they’d believed before and each time Henderson managed to flee from justice? “Or will I be stuck in witness protection with my daughter for weeks or months or years? I don’t know how much more I can take, David. He keeps finding us and we have no idea how. How do we know we’re safer here than the places we’ve already been?”

  “This cabin is really off the beaten track,” he said. “And it’s location is only known by Goldie and me. We decided to go totally off-grid this time. Even if there is a mole inside the FBI, he won’t be able to pass any location information to Henderson because he won’t have it.”

  Far from reassuring Lilly, this made her even more fearful. “That means we’re all alone here in the woods, far away from any help.” She started to gasp for air, panic setting in. “We could all die here.”
/>   “Calm down.” He took steady, soothing breaths. “Breathe along with me. In and out.”

  Lilly watched his chest rise and fall beneath his shirt and matched the rhythm, forcing herself to quell the fear. She didn’t want to spiral out of control.

  “I don’t want Astrid to see me like this,” she said when she was able to speak again. “Can you tell her that I have an upset stomach or something? I should be with her right now, but I can’t offer her any support.” A sob caught in her throat. “I feel like such a failure. My daughter needs me to be strong, but I’m here in the bathroom crying like a baby. I’m useless.”

  “You’re not useless, Lilly.”

  He gripped both her shoulders and she almost fell into his chest, resting her forehead against the white cotton of his shirt. He was a haven of safety in the chaos of a storm and she was too weak to put an emotional distance between them.

  David wound his fingers through her hair at the base of her neck and rested his hand there, warm and weighty on her nape.

  “Astrid is fine,” he whispered. “Goldie is great with her and they’re talking in the living room about what’s happened. She’s in good hands.”

  “That’s reassuring.” Lilly was relieved. “At least somebody is being strong for her.”

  “Listen to me, Lilly.” David pulled away to hold her face in his hands. “I know exactly how it feels to believe that you’ve failed at parenting. I’ve felt like a failure for the last five years, but I’ve just started to accept that parents can’t be perfect all the time. We’re human too, and we make mistakes, we get mad, we cry, we hurt and we regret things.” He smiled. “Parenting is messy.”

  “I’m so worried,” Lilly said. “What if I’m not leading Astrid along the right path? What if I’m subjecting her to experiences that will have a terrible effect on her later on? What if she ends up going off the rails and making bad choices...?” She trailed off, realizing that she was drawing parallels with David’s situation.

  He knew what she was referring to. “You’re worried she’ll end up like Chloe, right?”

  Lilly nodded, too shamefaced to speak. She was concerned that Astrid had a similar character to Chloe, hotheaded and defiant, liable to rebel and defy authority.

  “I learned something really important recently,” David said, continuing to hold her head in his hands. “Bad experiences don’t always lead to bad things. Sometimes they help us learn and grow, to make us better people. Chloe never wanted to be a doctor, but I was too stubborn to see it, and I’ve been judging her based on my own high expectations. She’s so much happier stocking shelves in a grocery store than she would be as a doctor.”

  Lilly was confused. “Do you think her accident was a good thing?”

  “Not a good thing exactly,” he replied. “But God worked it to her advantage. He turned something incredibly tragic into something very positive, and her life is great.”

  Lilly wanted to have as much faith as David did, but it seemed that God was so far away at that precise moment.

  “I wish I could believe everything will work out for the best, but I don’t feel it inside. I keep thinking of all the things that can go wrong.” Another sob caught her off guard. “I couldn’t bear to see Astrid suffer.” She stared into his eyes. “How did you cope when Chloe was suffering? How did you stand it?”

  “I didn’t have a choice,” he said. “I’d have done anything to switch places with her when she was in the hospital bed, but she had to learn to be strong on her own. It’s natural to want to protect your kids from pain but it’s unrealistic. They have to be independent.”

  This was a surprising change in David’s attitude. “You always say that parents should be strict with children and stop them being too independent.”

  “Yeah, well I kind of changed my mind, and I want to apologize for being so hard on you, Lilly. You’re a strong mother and you’re doing a great job with Astrid. You give her enough freedom to make her own choices and her own mistakes. You’re letting her grow up.”

  This praise was enough to bring back the tears. “I’m sorry.” She wiped her sore eyes. “Everything is making me cry right now, even compliments.”

  He drew her into an embrace. “That’s okay. Your body will run out of water eventually.”

  She laughed. “And I’ll end up like a dried old prune.”

  “But you’d still be beautiful.”

  “Thank you,” she said. “You always know how to make me feel better.”

  “Okay.” He withdrew from her, becoming more businesslike. “It’s getting late. You and Astrid need to get some rest. Come join us in the living room when you’re ready and we’ll get you settled into your room for the night.”

  He turned to leave, but she reached out and grabbed his hand, driven by a need to know how he felt.

  “Do you really sense something special between us?”

  Bringing her fingers to his lips, he kissed them softly. “I’ve haven’t felt this way since I met my wife twenty-seven years ago. But I respect your boundaries and I’ll keep my distance.”

  He released her hand and closed the door, leaving her alone with her relentless tears.

  * * *

  David cleared away the leftovers of their meager meal, rustled up from hastily bought supplies on their way to the cabin. He had insisted that this next safe house be a total secret, even from his superiors, putting control in his hands alone. Henderson had been able to decipher their location three times and the only explanation was a traitor in the ranks. David was taking absolutely no chances this time around.

  Goldie entered the kitchen. “Lilly and Astrid are unpacking in their room,” she said. “Astrid says a cosmetics purse is missing. She’s worked herself up into a state about it because she says it’s really important.”

  David pointed to a backpack in the corner, which he had filled with stray items from the previous safe house. The ferocious grenade attack had rendered the building unsafe and their belongings had been strewn into all corners, but he’d done his best to ensure that Lilly and Astrid lost nothing. Henderson shouldn’t be allowed to deprive them of one single thing.

  “Astrid’s purse might be in there,” he said. “Get her to check.”

  Goldie hesitated in the doorway. “You look dog-tired.”

  He stopped loading the dishwasher and leaned against the counter. “I think this might be the most difficult assignment I’ve ever worked. Not only are we being sold out by someone on the inside, but I have to battle with my feelings for Lilly and tread on eggshells with Astrid.” He ran a hand down his beard. “But I guess we’re all feeling the strain, not just me.”

  Goldie sat at the kitchen table. “I’m still investigating who our mole might be, but there are no leads. All the agents working our case seem to be squeaky-clean.” She sighed deeply. “It’s kind of a relief in one way, but it would help to know there was a bad apple somewhere.”

  He sat at the table opposite her. “This case has got me totally paranoid, especially about bugging devices and tracking signals.”

  “We’re clean, David. I checked three times.”

  Goldie smiled when his face clearly showed skepticism. “We’re clean,” she said emphatically. “I made sure to choose a cabin in a black spot. There’s no Wi-Fi, no cell phone signal, no GPS and no way of tracking us here.”

  “What about Henderson? Have any of his aliases given us a new lead?”

  “I’m afraid he’s disappeared. We’ve got all our trusted agents trying to trace him, but he’s a master of disguise and he’s vanished into thin air.”

  “So we’re totally in the dark here in more ways than one.”

  “Yes, we are,” she said. “But I won’t rest until we get a good lead. I’m determined to catch this guy.”

  “Thank you, Goldie.”

  She rose from the table. “I’m glad to
be able to help. I only wish I could solve your love problems so easily.”

  “So do I,” he said, remembering the sorrow on Lilly’s face in the bathroom, and how his heart heaved for her. “I sure could use some guidance.”

  Lilly and Astrid’s voices carried down the hallway, Astrid’s loud and insistent, Lilly’s gentle and appeasing.

  “I need it, Mom,” Astrid said, coming into the kitchen. “I know you think I’m being stupid but it’s really important to me.”

  “You’re beautiful as you are, honey,” Lilly said. “You don’t need the makeup.”

  “Yes, I do.” Astrid looked at Goldie hopefully. “Did you find my cosmetics purse?”

  “Check the backpack in the corner,” Goldie replied. “It might be in there.”

  David looked up at Lilly. Her hair was scraped back into a ponytail, highlighting the slenderness of her face, but her forehead was furrowed as she watched Astrid search in the backpack for her purse. David wanted to go to her and gather her in his arms, to whisper that he would take care of her and make everything right again. But it would be the wrong thing to do for both of them.

  She caught his eye and smiled faintly. “Astrid thinks she can’t live without lipstick and eye shadow,” she said. “I just can’t seem to persuade her otherwise.”

  Astrid stood triumphantly. “Got it,” she said, holding a gold purse aloft. “It’s here.”

  “Your mom’s right, Astrid,” David said. “Your natural face is beautiful and I’m sure Noah would agree too. That’s your boyfriend’s name, right? The kid with the curly hair?”

  She turned sheepish, staring down at the floor. “Noah likes me for who I am. I really miss him.”

  “You’ll see him soon enough,” David said. “Just hold on a little while longer.”

  “You think it’ll be soon?” There was hope in Astrid’s voice. “I want to go home so much.”

  David walked over to her. “I’ll do everything in my power to get you home in plenty of time for your sixteenth birthday in a week’s time. And if that’s not possible, I’ll throw you a party myself, okay?”