Elise

by Angela Rush

  “How bad does it look?” Deadeye inquires when they reach the men.

  “Not good.” Wallace replies while shaking his head. “There’s no way we will be driving this out of here any time soon. We need to get in touch with base camp and call for reinforcements.” Tank nods in agreement. The sound of gunfire draws their attention back to the direction of the rest of the team. Deadeye grabs Elise and pulls her to his side. A small whimper escapes her lips as fear courses through her. Deadeye tightens his grip on her.

  “I will keep you safe. Don’t be afraid.” Deadeye whispers in her ear as she clings to him. “We need to get back with the team and figure a way out of here.” Wallace and Tank nod in agreement. As a unit they move back toward the location of the rest of team. It’s a harrowing race in a crouch-run back to the team with bullets and debris flying around them. Deadeye is impressed with Elise’s ability to keep pace with the men and how she remains quiet despite the circumstances.

  When they reach the team, Deadeye assesses the situation. There are about a half-dozen old pickup trucks with 3-5 men per truck. The enemy has created a circular barrier around them to prevent escape except into the mountain range behind them. The team gathers up to formulate a plan when they are rocked by another blast from an RPG.

  “God Dammit! We have got to the eliminate that rocket launcher before they blow us away.” Straw exclaims as they all duck for cover. Worm nods in agreement and hurries back toward the Humvee. Deadeye calls to him over the radio.

  “Worm, what are you doing?” Deadeye demands.

  “There are some grenades in the back of the Humvee. If I can get close enough, I can toss one into the back of the truck. I just need a distraction to let me get close.” Worm radios back. Deadeye considers Worm’s idea and works with Wallace to come up with a distraction to help Worm get close enough. The men formulate a plan to use some of the remaining fuel to create a Molotov cocktail that will be part of the distraction. Wallace and Ace follow Worm back to the Humvee to gather the needed supplies. Then they hurry back to were Deadeye and the others are waiting.

  Once they have created their make-shift bomb, Wallace, Bull, and Ace begin to work their way to the far left. The men slip along the base of some large boulders. They come to a gap in the formation and they flatten out on the ground and inch their way across the gap. After several long minutes they have gotten into place to create the distraction that Worm needs to complete his task.

  Meanwhile, Worm slinks along the base of the rock formation toward the right as the team distracts them with gunfire.The truck with the rocket launcher is not very far from this side of the formation. When Worm is ready, Wallace, Ace, and Bull begin to fire their weapons at the enemy before slinging their homemade bomb toward them. When Worm reaches the end of the formation, he begins to crawl across the desert floor as quickly as he can while keeping his eye on the enemy around the cluster of vehicles. After what seemed an eternity to Elise, Worm suddenly pops up from the ground. He launches the grenade toward the cluster of vehicles and quickly turns to run back to the rock formation. An insurgent sees Worm and begins to fire at him as he runs for cover.

  The grenade explodes sending debris high into the air. Many of the insurgents are thrown to the ground and a few are obliterated along with the rocket launcher. Wallace, Bull, and Ace increase their gunfire to give Worm time to seek cover. Worm makes his way back to the safety of the rocks despite a few shots fired by the insurgents.

  “SITREP.” Deadeye demands over the radio when the insurgents stop firing as they seek cover from the explosion. One by one the men radio back with an affirmative they are uninjured except for Worm. “Worm, report!” Deadeye exclaims when several minutes have passed without a response.

  “I’m hit…but I think…I can make it…back to you.” Comes the broken response with heavy breathing heard during the silences. Elise tightens her grip on Deadeye. He glances at her and notices the tears in her eyes that are wide with fear and regret. Deadeye squeezes her hand.

  “He will be alright. He’s strong. Try not to worry.” Deadeye says confidently to assure Elise even though he doesn’t believe his own words. In the back of his mind, Deadeye is very concerned about Worm’s fate. He uses hand signals to alert Mercury to go get Worm. Mercury is on the move instantly. The team moves back toward the Humvee to wait for Worm and Mercury.

  Chapter 7

  The sun was nearly set when the two men arrive back at the Humvee. Straw hurries to help Mercury with Worm who is very pale and weak. Elise notices a dressing tied to Worm’s left leg that is soaked in blood. The men carry him to the back of the Humvee and begin to work on him to stabilize him.

  The team gathers to discuss their options while Mercury and Straw attend to Worm. Elise sits quietly listening to the conversation as she watches the men work on Worm. Straw starts an IV of saline while Mercury applies a pressure dressing with Surgi-Seal that will seal off the wound. They position Worm on a make-shift cot and cover him with an emergency blanket. After a while, they join the rest of the team.

  “How’s he doing?” Tank asks as they settle down next to the team. Elise inches closer to Deadeye so she can hear their reply.

  “He’s lost a lot of blood, but we have gotten the bleeding to stop for now.” Mercury replies. “It will be difficult to get him out of here without reopening the wound.” The team sits quietly as they contemplate the implications of Mercury’s report. Elise gets up and moves to sit next to Worm. He looks up at her as she places her hand on his forehead.

  “Thank you…for helping to rescue me…I’m so sorry you were injured.” Tears flow freely down her face and drop onto Worm’s shirt.

  “You don’t have to thank me. It’s what we do. I knew the risks.” Worm replies quietly. “I will be fine. Mercury and Straw fixed me right up. I just need a minute to rest.” He gives Elise a little smile before closing his eyes again in sleep. Elise watches him closely to ensure he is breathing. She startles when she feels a hand on her shoulder. When she looks up, Deadeye is standing next to her. He reaches out his hand and helps her to stand.

  “He will be fine, sweetheart. Try not to worry about him. Mercury and Straw are the best medics. They will keep him alive to get to a base hospital where the bullet can be removed.” Deadeye says as he wipes a stray hair out of her eyes and tucks it behind her ear. Elise leans into his touch and melts into his embrace when he tentatively places his arms around her. Deadeye wasn’t sure of the response Elise would give to being held after her ordeal, but he knew she needed to be comforted. Elise feels consoled by the strong confident man holding her and the fear that has been her constant companion for the last week begins to subside a little.

  “We should let him rest. We will have to move soon.” Deadeye turns and leads Elise back to the group. The men have pulled out some MRE’s. Deadeye hands one to Elise along with a canteen of water. She slowly places a bite into her mouth and begins to chew. A small smile crosses her face as she realizes it tastes pretty good. After they have all eaten, Hack and Wallace pull out their maps and begin to formulate a path for them to take up the mountain where they might be able to get enough signal to reach the base camp. The mountain formation was preventing them from communicating with base camp in their present location.

  “How soon will Worm be able to travel?” Deadeye questions Mercury as he joins the group after checking on Worm. Mercury gives a heavy sigh before replying.

  “He should be able to be moved in a couple of hours. We will have enough fluid in him to boost his blood pressure for the trip. He won’t be able to walk though. We will have to carry him.” Mercury replies. The men look at each other as they realize how difficult the task will be. Deadeye sends Tank, Ace, Virus, and Bull off to keep watch on the insurgents while they are planning their escape. The men head off in teams of two to patrol the rock formation and prevent any of the insurgents from sneaking up on the camp.

  A couple of hours later the path has been plotted and a stretcher has been con
structed. Deadeye radios Tank, Ace, Bull, and Virus to come back from patrol. It’s time to leave. When the men return, they all pack up and begin a slow climb up the mountain. It’s a difficult climb in the dark and carrying Worm on the homemade stretcher. Deadeye keeps Elise close to his side. She climbs in silence despite stumbling a few times. Deadeye is quick to catch her and the little smiles she gives him endures her to him all the more. He is once again impressed with her determination and fortitude to keep pace with the men. Never once does she complain about the trek or her wants or needs.

  As the dawn approaches, Wallace leads them to a cave where they can hide for the day and rest until night fall. Tank and Ace set up at the entrance to watch for signs of the insurgents. Mercury and Straw ease Worm down near the back of the cave. They quickly check his wound and give him some pain medication. Once they have him settled, they eat and drink quietly.

  Elise never knew she could be so tired. She hadn’t slept in over 24 hours and the times she had slept in the last 5 days it had been fitful instead of restful. She is grateful when Deadeye comes to her and unrolls a pallet for her to sleep on. She doesn’t think she will be able to fall asleep, but to just lay down for a little while would be very nice. Every bone and muscle in her body is aching. As she lowers herself onto the mat, Deadeye hands her the canteen again.

  “You need to drink more water. I know it’s hard but you have to stay hydrated so you can make the trip, okay?” Elise nods and takes a few sips of water before laying down. She turns her back to the men and lays on her side. Deadeye sits near her and leans his back against the cave wall. Soon they are both fast asleep.

  Deadeye is startled awake by a shrill cry. He is on his feet with gun at the ready when he realizes it’s Elise crying out in her sleep. Bull and Virus are on their feet with their guns trained toward the sound as well. He signals them to stand down as Elise cries out again. He kneels next to her and gently shakes her shoulder as he rolls her over. Her arms flail out wildly and he is forced to duck to prevent her from knocking him in the head. After a few tense moments, her eyes fly open. She sits up and looks around as she takes several labored breaths. Deadeye slowly places his hand on her right shoulder to get her attention. When her gaze meets his, he speaks softly to her.

  “You are alright sweetheart. It’s me, Warren. Remember?” Elise nods and scoots toward him. He slips his arm around her shoulders and pulls her to his side. She is still breathing heavily and trembling all over. She tentatively slips her arms around his waist and sobs quietly into his chest. Unconsciously, Deadeye pulls her into his lap and wraps both arms around her in a protective shell while she cries. His need to comfort and protect her grows even more as he holds her.

  When her tears have abated and she is able to speak, Elise whispers to Deadeye. “I’m sorry about that. I was having a dream about Hussan.” Elise shivers as she remembers the dream. “He killed Lakia…just cut her throat…there was so much blood…her eyes were staring at me…like I should have stopped him.” Elise can barely get the words out as her sorrow overwhelms her again.

  “Don’t cry sweetheart. It’s not your fault.” Deadeye tries to console her. Her tears are difficult for him to bear. He wants to take all the fear and pain away. He has one arm wrapped tightly around her while his other hand smooths through her long brown hair. “He was an evil man, Elise. What he did is solely on him. You could not have stopped him. I’m very sorry the little girl died and that you had to witness that, but you can’t blame yourself.” Elise nods in agreement even though a part of her still feels the guilt. She knows there was nothing she could have done to stop him, but her heart still carries the burden of watching Lakia die.

  “Here, let’s lay down. You need to rest before we have to move again.” Deadeye instructs has he lays her down on the pallet. “Are you okay now?” Elise looks up at him with the most haunted look in her eyes. It tears at his soul to see the look in her eyes. She shakes her head and reaches out a hand to grab his shirt.

  “Please don’t leave me.” Elise pleads. “I’m so afraid of dreaming again.” Deadeye settles down next to her and pulls her near. Deadeye wraps his left arm around Elise’s shoulders. She rest her head on his chest with the rest of her body half on top of him and half on the mat. A few minutes later they are both asleep. They sleep for a couple of hours before they are awakened by Bull alerting them that insurgents have been spotted near the base of the mountain. Their time is running out to reach the top and call for help.

  “I need to go assess the situation, sweetheart. Will you be alright for a few minutes, until I can get back?” Deadeye looks into Elise’s eyes as she nods the affirmative. He knows she will say she’s fine even if she isn’t for the sake of the team, but he sees no fear in her eyes. He gives her a gentle squeeze before slipping out from under her. He eases her onto the mat. “Just lay here and rest. I’ll be right back.” Elise again nods as she lays her head on her hands. She watches him work his way through the cave toward the entrance.

  “What have we got?” Deadeye asks Bull as they reach the opening to the cave. Virus is standing guard on the opposite side of the entrance. He and Bull had relieved Tank and Ace after 4 hours of sleep, so that they too could get some rest before they had to head up the mountain at dark.

  “I spotted about 10 men walking around where we left the Humvee a few hours ago. Now you can see them where we began our ascent.” Bull informs him as Deadeye takes the binoculars and adjusts them. He peers down toward the base of the mountain. He takes his time and counts the small black forms. There is definitely 8 men slowly climbing the mountain. He shifts his gaze toward the Humvee and spots the other two men leaning against the broken vehicle. There is still too much daylight for all of them to slip out of the cave and continue the climb. It would be suicide to try and move with Elise in tow and Worm on a stretcher. Deadeye hands the binoculars back to Bull.

  “Keep an eye on them. They seem to be moving slowly. Perhaps we can still wait for the cover of darkness before we move again.” Deadeye heads back into the cave where Tank and Ace are sleeping. He gently wakes the sleeping men. They gather up and discuss their options. After an intense debate they decide their best bet on getting everyone out of there safely is to send part of the team up the mountain while the rest stays behind to guard Worm and Elise.

  Tank will lead a team consisting of Hack, Virus, and Ace to the mountain top while Deadeye remains behind with the rest of the team to protect Elise and Worm. Deadeye pulls Tank aside before the men head out.

  “Tank be safe. Don’t take any unnecessary chances.” Deadeye orders his friend. “I know you can handle yourself and these men, but I should be the one going up the mountain. It’s my responsibility, but I can’t leave Elise behind and the climb would be too much for her right now.” Deadeye stares at Tank willing him to understand.

  “Don’t sweat it. I have got this. I understand totally.” Tank winks at Deadeye. “Someday I hope to meet a woman that will make me feel the way you and Hawk feel about your women.”

  “I don’t have a woman.” Deadeye declares angrily despite the feelings in his heart.

  “Yes, man you do. You just haven’t accepted it yet.” Tank again give Deadeye a wink and a little shove on the shoulder. Deadeye starts to protest when Tank continues. “You have the same look in your eye that Hawk had when we found Charlotte. You may not have accepted it, but you my friend have been hit by cupid’s arrow. No way to fight it.” Tank laughs as he turns to grab his pack. He smirks at Deadeye as he turns to leave the cave. Deadeye flips him a double bird. Tank laughs again before leading his men out of the cave and up the mountain. Deadeye stares after him for several minutes before shaking his head as a smile breaks out on his face. He knows that Tank is right, even though admitting it is the hardest thing he has ever done. He then turns heading back to where he left Elise.

  Chapter 8

  Tank and his crew begin the arduous climb up the side of the mountain while trying to keep the insurgents from s
eeing them. The men move with precision and speed. Despite their training and ability, it takes the rest of the day and into the night to make it about two thirds of the way up the mountain. They make camp for the night and sleep a few hours before finishing the climb. The next morning, they manage to climb several hundred feet before they pause to rest before pushing up the last few hundred to reach the height needed to get radio contact with base. The climb was difficult, and it has taken them longer than they had expected to reach this height. While the men are resting and drinking water, they each grab a protein bar for energy to complete the climb. Just as they are about to resume their climb, they hear a commotion down the mountain.

  Meanwhile back at the cave, Deadeye heads to where he last left Elise. He tries to think of something to keep Elise occupied while they wait for the team to make the trip. He sits next to her and when she looks up at him, he gives her a comforting smile. Elise sits up and moves to sit closer to him.

  “How are you feeling sweetheart?” Deadeye inquires as she settles next to him.

  “I’m alright.” Elise gives a weak smile. Deadeye looks at her hard and she smiles a little bigger. “Okay, so I’m tired, dirty, stinky, and honestly scared to sleep.” Elise looks up into Deadeye’s gaze. There is nothing he can do at the moment to improve her situation so he slowly slips an arm around her shoulders and gently pulls her into his side. Elise relaxes against him with a heavy sigh. They sit quietly together for a while. Wallace brings them some MRE’s and a canteen of water. They sit and eat in silence. When they have finished, Deadeye helps Elise to a place where she can relieve herself. He leaves her in privacy but then escorts her back to where the rest of team is gathered. Deadeye takes his turn at watch while Elise sits with Straw and Worm.

  When night falls, Deadeye returns from watch and tentatively sits next to Elise.