by Lisa Harris
Rachel shook her head. “But he couldn’t have counted on me meeting up with you and ending up with Charlie?”
“No, but he was able to use that to his advantage.”
“If you hadn’t hired Evan, Dr. Moreno’s plan might have worked.”
“It’s possible.” Aiden looked out at the red crabapple trees hovering above the layer of white snow blanketing the yard. “When Dad told Joel about a change of labs, Joel realized he wouldn’t have unlimited access. So he planned to make it look like an ambush and run with the virus.”
“At least he didn’t get the virus. I never imagined Moreno being behind all of this. He wasn’t just a boss. I always saw him as a friend.” She pulled the blanket closer around her neck. “I guess he thought the virus was worth the risk.”
“There are going to be more questions that still need to be answered, but speaking of taking risks.” Aiden drew in a deep breath. “I have a question for you.”
Her eyes widened as she looked up at him. “Okay.”
“What about us? Do you think we’re worth the risk? You and me? Together?”
He felt her shoulders relax slightly as she nuzzled her head against his chest, but he didn’t miss the smile forming on her lips. “You know I’ve never been much of a risk-taker.”
“Someone wise once told me that sometimes you have to take a leap of faith and trust God to do the impossible with our lives.”
Her smile broadened as snow started falling again. “Then maybe it’s time we both take that leap.”
Chapter Nineteen
One month later
Steam, laced with the sickening sweet odor of hydrogen sulfide, rose from the hot springs surrounded by jagged, snow-capped Himalayas. Rachel stuffed her gloves in her coat pocket and took the hardboiled egg the guide had cooked for her by lowering a wire basket into the bubbling waters. She carried the egg to the stone ledge built around one of the world’s most beautiful outdoor saunas. Her numb fingers greedily cupped the hot egg. Keeping frostbite at bay had been the only drawback of spending the last couple weeks in the cold, isolated landscape of the “roof of the world.” The rest of the time she, Aiden, and Charlie had worked with local Tibetan authorities to help reduce the spread of the disease throughout the remote villages had been wonderful. In fact, it was as if the heavy sadness she’d carried for years had vanished in the thin air. And with the lifting of her grief, she could finally retrieve the memories of the happy time her family had spent on the mission field.
Her father had been so much like Charlie. Kind, brilliant, and energized by helping others. He’d tried to teach her how to obtain that same joy by instilling deep within her a respect for God, a love for all people, and an appreciation of the beauty of this world.
While she waited on Aiden and Charlie to get their eggs, Rachel surveyed the pool Aiden had promised they would visit on their way home. He’d said hundreds of these springs bubbled up through the mountain crags and that wherever there was human presence in Tibet, you would usually find a hot spring within a hundred meters of their residence.
The tourists were easy to spot. Whether they were young and backpacking through Tibet or elderly and hoping that the healing waters of this magical place would restore their vitality, they were all wearing swimwear. The villagers—men, women, and children who’d traveled by foot through the mountains—dressed more modestly. They filled small bowls with the warm water and took long drinks as if they expected the warmth to sustain them through the coming months of bitter cold.
“You’ll freeze if you don’t get in.” Aiden popped a bite of his peeled egg into his mouth. “Come on, you’ve got to try it.”
Rachel held her egg tight. “I didn’t bring a swimsuit, and besides, if we don’t leave soon, we’ll miss tonight’s virtual reporting to your father.”
“Thought you were past following all the rules.” Aiden peeled out of his coat and stripped down to his long johns and T-shirt, seemingly unaware of how his actions sent pinpricks of awareness coursing through her body. The sensations had been there since the moment they met, but these last few weeks of working side by side with this man had increased their frequency and power. It was almost as if some sort of previously-unknown-to-her virus cell had invaded her body and was multiplying at such a rapid pace she feared she would be overtaken.
“I’ve learned that not following the rules can lead to prison time.” She smiled back at him, but she was only half joking. Being arrested had been worse than any of the scenarios she’d pre-planned in her head. “If it hadn’t been for your father and Evan, I would have lost my career because I didn’t follow the rules.”
“You were set up, Rachel. Everyone knows that. The risks you took on behalf of medical science stopped a global pandemic. That’s the kind of stuff that’ll make it hard for me to keep you on my team. Every research facility in the world is already calling. You can write your own ticket.” He pulled his shirt over his head, his bare chest heaving as he stood facing her. “But if you still need every T crossed and every I dotted before you can feel good about saving the world, then here’s the first rule of fieldwork. . .improvisation.” Lifting and toting all of the boxes and boxes of medical supplies and food Gaumond Labs had donated to the remote village had corded every muscle of his lean torso. “Evil never follows the rules. And I, for one, will do whatever it takes to keep evil from winning.” He pointed at the egg in her hand and kicked off his hiking boots. “Last one in is a rotten egg.”
He was right. Evil would have won if she’d fallen back on her safety net of needing to have all the facts and play it safe.
Wearing only his long johns, Aiden slid into the water. He let out a satisfied yelp then dropped down until he was shoulder deep. “You can’t beat it,”—his hands swirled the bubbling water back and forth—"God’s idea of a hot tub.”
Rachel’s giggle turned a few wet heads, but she didn’t care. “Not a bad analogy.”
“My leap of faith paid off.” Aiden stretched out his arms, fell back, and floated with his face pointed at the clouds the sunset was turning shades of gold and red. “I’ve seen some pretty convincing stuff since you tossed your hat into my little three-ringed circus.”
“Like?”
He kept himself afloat with slow easy movements. “Like the containment of a prehistoric virus. Our safety. Your exoneration.” He righted himself, dragged his hand over his wet face, then looked her square in the eye. “Meeting you.” He held out his hand. “Come on. Trust me.”
Heat flushed Rachel’s cheeks. “If that water is hot enough to boil this egg”—she held it up—“what will it do to me?”
Aiden splashed water up at her. “Tibetans claim the springs can heal you of all that ails you.”
“Nothing’s ailing me.”
“You seem a little wound up to me,” Charlie said as he shuffled past her in his bare feet, wrinkled pants, no glasses, and for the first time since she’d met him, minus his sweater. “Life’s short, Rachel. Let’s live a little, shall we?”
Charlie did a cannonball into the pool and sent a warm shower that drenched Rachel’s hair.
Rachel jumped back and used the towel draped around her parka to wipe her face. “Charlie Zimmern, you old devil.”
Charlie chortled and paddled to the other side of the pool. He began to chat with the locals in their dialect, his fluency in languages another quirk that didn’t surprise her.
“Well?” Aiden asked. “Are you gonna play it safe or live a little?”
Rachel dropped her wet towel and carefully placed her egg in the protective nest of fabric. She removed her parka, unlaced her boots, and pulled off her socks. She hesitated at the edge.
“You’ll sink in those heavy pants.” Aiden smiled.
She peeled down to the long johns she’d been wearing for the last week and stood before him, aware that he was looking at her as if he could see into the depths of her soul. Like he could see every flaw, every fear, every desire. . .and none of it frigh
tened him. He wanted to be a part of her. All of her. And that was both exhilarating and terrifying.
He waved her forward, his grin opening the gate to her heart.
She took Aiden’s hand. Secure in his grip, she stepped into the pool. The first step was slicker than she expected, and she tumbled into Aiden’s wet chest. His hands immediately went to her waist, but when she tried to pull away, he held her close, the vapor from their breath forming one cloud.
For a moment the world stood still. The bad viruses lurking just below the ice or behind the locked door of some secret lab were far away. The evil people trying to create havoc and suffering for their own gain had all been justly dealt with. There wasn’t even a sweaterless old man paddling around keeping a pleased eye on them. There was just the two of them standing with their arms around each other in a peaceful pool of warm bath water high in the oxygen-thin alpine zone.
Wrapped around each other, they drifted and played in the water. When Charlie finally waded over to them and announced he was getting out before he turned into a prune, it was the first time that Rachel noticed the flaming blaze of sunset had sunk, leaving the sky a dusky gray. Night would come quickly.
She didn’t want this day to be over. In the morning, they would board a bus and ride to the train station. The construction of the railroad tracks had cut the travel time across China’s provinces from six months to several days, but the grueling work had also unearthed the virus. Lives had been lost in the name of progress, Iceman included.
She reached up and pushed a wet strand from Aiden’s forehead. “I’m glad the people of Tibet are equipped to deal with this virus until a vaccine is created. That the world is safer. That I met you.”
Aiden hooked his arm around her waist. “Rachel, I—”
“Did you two lovebirds hear me?” Charlie’s question echoed in the valley. “I’m getting out.”
“Okay, Charlie,” Rachel managed, her gaze locked with Aiden’s and her heart pounding in her chest.
“Remember what we talked about, Aiden,” Charlie said.
Rachel turned back to Aiden. “What did the two of you talk about?”
Aiden pulled her close. “Do you know the legend about how this hot spring was formed?”
“No,” she whispered, unable to catch a deep breath. “But you’re changing the subject.”
“Dameiyong was the third daughter of Meili Snow Mountain. When Dameiyong arrived in this valley, she saw that the people suffered from pestilence. She was so sad she couldn’t stop crying. Her tears became this hot spring, and when the sick came down from the slopes to investigate the strange steam rising from the valley, they were cured.” Aiden turned her toward the tallest mountain, the peak where they’d spent days administering vaccines and medicines. “Your heart for the hurting is as beautiful as you.”
She laced her hands with his. “I have my own confession. I think I’m in love with you.”
“That’s the riskiest thing I’ve ever heard you say, and I’ve seen you do some pretty brave stuff.”
“I’ve come to realize that my dad didn’t raise me to live cautiously. He lived every day with his heart open to whatever the Lord asked of him. Most of it was risky, but he did it anyway. His fearless dedication to the Lord cost him his life, but I know blessing others blessed him most of all. I want to live like that.” Her heart clutched at the confession, not with fear but joy. “Life doesn’t always play by the rules, isn’t that what you said?”
Aiden cupped her face with both hands and wiped the tear that ran down her cheek with his thumb. “I can’t promise I can completely cure all of your hurts, but I can promise that you won’t regret letting yourself love and be loved.” His lips met hers with a gentle touch that quickly flowed from exploration to an elevation higher than the plateau they were on.
She wrapped her arms around him and drew him close, mentally vowing to never play it safe again.
“There is one more thing,” Aiden said, his lips close to hers. “Are you willing to take another risk?”
“What risk would that be?”
“I know this has all been a whirlwind, but will you marry me, Rachel Allen?”
She smiled. “Is that what you and Charlie talked about?”
“Forget about Charlie. This decision is all mine.” He unclasped the leather bracelet Samuel had given him. “I don’t have a ring, but this is worth more to me—”
“Yes. Definitely yes.” She waited for him to slip the bracelet around her wrist then wrapped her arms around him. Over Aiden’s shoulder she could see the rise of a new moon. “And the sooner the better, Aiden Ballinger.”
Epilogue
He’d always hated Washington DC in the winter. He only came here when he was called in to clean up a mess. Like tonight. He raised the collar on his coat, put his gloved hands into his pockets, and leaned against the bridge railing. The lights of this despicable city shimmered on the surface of the Potomac River.
Footsteps approached, but he didn’t turn around. Moreno had proven to be tougher to manipulate than planned, but that hadn’t stopped things from moving forward. Undertakings of this magnitude required time and effort. And in this situation, it was the bigger picture that mattered. They were just going to have to be patient and convince the buyers to do the same.
“My payment’s late.”
“It will be in your account later today,” he said, turning around. “What do you have for me?”
The other man hesitated. “Aiden just asked her to marry him.”
“You sound worried.”
There was a hesitation in the other man’s voice. “I am.”
“I’m listening.”
The man blew out a sharp breath and stared across the water. “I’m not sure I want to do this anymore.”
Anger bubbled in his gut, but he forced the ire down. Losing his temper wouldn’t solve anything. “What are you talking about? Everything’s going according to plan.”
“I’ve taken a lot of risks and need to be compensated.”
“If you ask me, you’re already over-compensated.”
“If I get caught. . .”
“You’re worried because of Moreno?”
“If he talks—”
“I’ve made sure he won’t. You don’t have anything to worry about.”
“He’s facing twenty years in prison. He’ll talk.”
A sight-seeing tour boat passed in front of them. The glass-covered deck was filled with tourists gawking for a glimpse at the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial while feasting on a three-course meal. Dealing with problems, like the one standing in front of him, was becoming too frequent and time-consuming.
“You should have checked your conscience at the door before deciding to be a part of this. You know you can’t just walk away. You’re in far too deep.”
“You don’t understand. My wife keeps asking me questions. Why I keep coming home so late at night and working so many hours. She thinks I’m having an affair.”
“This will all be over soon and you can take her on that around-the-world cruise you keep talking about.”
“I’m not sure she’ll want to go with me.”
He tightened his fists at his sides. “I’m not much for making threats, but you knew what you were getting into when you signed up for this. We’re now moving into stage three. This will work.”
“And if they don’t agree to help?”
“Do you really think that’s going to be an issue? Considering the information we have on them?”
“No, but—”
He caught the other man’s gaze as he fought to keep his voice calm. “I don’t have time for your guilt. You’re either in or out, but if you decide to walk away—”
“Are you threatening me?”
He wrapped his gloved hand around the small gun in his pocket. “I would hate for you to suffer the fate of Shepherd.”
“Maybe you’ve forgotten that I’m not the only one with blood on my hands.”
/> “I was hoping things wouldn’t come to this, but if you’re going to be a liability, if I can’t trust you—”
“You can trust me. All I’m saying is, if I’m going to continue risking my life, I need to talk to the Titan.”
“No one talks to the Titan.”
“Please—”
He didn’t wait for him to complete his sentence. The sound of the gunshot was muffled by the silencer. Seconds later, the man’s lifeless body slid into the river.
He reholstered his gun and walked away. The fear of getting caught had long since passed.
Watch for Death Triangle
The next book in the Angels of Mercy Series
Acknowledgments
We are always so grateful for our readers. Your enthusiastic support for our work keeps us at our computers from early in the morning until late at night.
Our early reading team is the best. Your sharp eyes and sharper insights help us polish the story until it shines. A special thanks to Ellen Tarver, Jana Leasure, Janet Johnson, Judy Gentry, Jane Thornton, Ian Acheson, and D.L. Wood. Your eagerness to help spread the word about this series is such an encouragement to us.
During this time of a real pandemic, the support and love of family and friends has become even more treasured. We’ve also acquired a greater appreciation for those who have been and continue to be on the medical frontlines of the world’s battle to defeat Covid-19. Thank you doesn’t seem sufficient, but we thank you and pray for your continued health and strength.
To the One who knows our future, no matter how bleak our present, we believe you hold us safely in Your hands. We give You, O Lord, all glory, honor, and praise.
A Note from Lisa and Lynne
Dear Reader,
* * *
Thank you for reading Lethal Outbreak, Book 3 in our Agents of Mercy series. If you’re new to our series, we want you to know that each book can be read on its own. But you’ll be glad you’ve already read Lethal Outbreak because when you get to Book 4, Death Triangle, you’ll see how the entire series is tied together by someone you met in this story. If you’re new to our Agents of Mercy series, we recommend you start with Ghost Heart, follow with Port of Origin, and finish up with Death Triangle that will release soon. Lethal Outbreak is a prequel to Port of Origin, but can be read either before or after.
