Hallowed Ground

by Mary Alford

  She drew in a shaky breath and looked into his eyes. “Thank you,” she murmured, brushing a hand over the tears. Her heart was filled with sorrow over losing her big brother in such a senseless way.

  Jax never broke eye contact, his expression solemn. “For what?”

  “For not believing I’m guilty despite the evidence manufactured against me. For being there for me after losing Blake. I wouldn’t have made it through any of this without you, Jax, and I want you to know how important you are to me.”

  As she peered into his eyes, something shifted in her heart. Her feelings for him solidifying. The future uncertain, they didn’t know how much longer they’d have, but she was glad she was spending it with him no matter the length.

  She leaned forward. A breath separating them. Uncertainty written all over his face. She understood. Before, she’d given mixed signals. Now, she needed to be close to him. Holding his face, she kissed him, her heart overflowing with emotions she couldn’t begin to explain.

  A throaty growl came from inside him, and then he was kissing her back, the worries around them temporarily at bay.

  When the kiss ended, she could see all the questions in his eyes. She’d hurt him before, and she’d find a way to make it up to him. Leaning against him, she listened to the steady beat of his heart. He was more than a friend. She wanted more from him. But she couldn’t let the future’s promises take flight just yet.

  ◆◆◆

  Jax cleared his throat. Reality swept back in. “We should probably move out.” The words were an unwelcome intrusion between them.

  She looked up at his face, then smiled. “You’re right. We’ve got to finish this, find out the truth—for all the people who lost their lives because of it.”

  He slowly let her go. Glancing at the swollen clouds above them, he feared the weather would continue to play its part in their quest for freedom. “There’s more bad weather moving into the area. We’re going to need a place to take cover soon.”

  They started walking again while Jax tried to keep his thoughts on the mission before them instead of on the woman by his side. His thoughts kept returning to her. His heart told him she cared about him. For him, there was no doubt. He was crazy in love with her, but he understood the reasons why she kept him at a distance. The battlefield was the last place to give into your emotions.

  He fought the fog of weariness, trying to sort through what little facts they understood. He was in need of a sounding board, and Erin was one of the best. “Do you mind if we go over what we know so far? Maybe we can piece together a clue of what’s really happening.”

  She clasped his hand, squeezed it briefly, then let it go. “Yes, that will give me something to take my mind off how scared I am.” She grinned at him.

  He stopped walking, entwining his pinky finger with hers. “It’s okay to be scared,” he said. “We’ve been through some harrowing moments lately, and the danger isn’t anywhere close to being over.”

  Letting her go, they headed down the route they’d been following once more. “So far, we know that Blake’s attack has nothing to do with Al Hasan,” Jax said. “But someone is definitely trying to make us believe it does.”

  “If Al Hasan didn’t have anything to do with Blake’s death, then Peter and the rest of our men obviously weren’t killed by Al Hasan either. Yet someone knew about both missions, and they were ready for us.” She drew in a breath and flexed her wrist. Jax could tell it was giving her trouble. “That suggests someone gave a heads-up we were coming . . . someone from the inside, as we believe.”

  Jax stopped. “The only question is who? Everyone who was under suspicion is dead, with the exception of you, and I know you didn’t have anything to do with this.” He paused for a moment. “I can’t wrap my head around Coleman being behind the attacks either.”

  Sympathy showed in her eyes. “I know it’s hard, but who else is there?” She winced when her wrist bumped against her body.

  As much as he didn’t want to believe Coleman was behind the betrayal, it was a huge coincidence that their rescue unit was ambushed, and he and Erin almost died because someone knew they were coming.

  He shelved his doubts for the moment. “Let me have a look at that wrist,” he told her and gently removed it from the sling. The way she was favoring it assured him it had gotten worse. After he unwrapped the wrist, he could see that the stress of their nonstop trek taking its toll.

  “Where’s the salve Basar gave you?” he asked, trying not to show her how worried he was.

  “My backpack,” she managed through gritted teeth.

  Jax dug it out and applied a liberal amount to her wrist, then rewrapped it before easing it back into the sling.

  Once finished, he glanced around, a sense of helplessness settling around him that he fought to control. “We still have a long way to go. We sure could use some help.” With too many miles between them and the safe house, the stakes were high, and it was the two of them against a possibly huge army. “Can I see your burner phone?” he asked, and she took it out and handed it to him, a confused look on her face.

  “I’m calling Al Hasan. Maybe he can assist.” Desperate, Jax called the number, only to have it go straight to voicemail.

  He frowned. “He’s not answering.” With no other option, they started walking again.

  Jax was too exhausted to think clearly any longer. Putting one foot in front of the other was its own struggle. They’d covered several miles in silence when they crested a small knoll and spotted a dilapidated house a short distance ahead. Jax’s footsteps froze. Seconds later Erin saw what he did. He motioned to the grove of trees close by, and they took cover.

  Taking out his binoculars, he focused in on the house. “It doesn’t appear to have been occupied for a while, so maybe we can take shelter there. Let’s circle around to the side to be safe.”

  She nodded, and they slowly eased toward the house, keeping as close to the trees as possible. Once they reached the house, Jax edged toward the closest window and peered inside. He couldn’t see any sign that the house had been occupied in a while.

  “It’s empty,” he said, and she joined him at the front of the house. It took several tries before the rusted door finally opened. Jax drew his weapon and slipped inside. Erin did the same.

  Erin tucked her weapon into her jacket and shrugged out of her backpack. There was a woodstove in the corner of the room. “Can we make a fire?” she wondered aloud. “It’s so cold, even in here, and we’re both frozen.”

  “We probably shouldn’t, but we can’t risk hypothermia either. We need to warm up.” He gave her a gentle smile. “I’ll go get some wood. You stay here and rest.”

  She didn’t argue, appearing weary to the bone. She dropped to the floor without answering, and his concern for her well-being skyrocketed.

  Keeping a careful eye on the surrounding countryside, Jax gathered wood as quickly as possible then carried it inside. Having a fire was risky. The smoke could give their position away.

  Jax piled small twigs for kindling first, then wood into the stove, then lit the wood. The dampness of the wood, coupled with the lack of accelerant, had him wondering if it would catch. When it finally smoldered, Erin inched closer. As he watched her rub her chafed hands, he wondered if he would be able to keep her safe against the impossible situations they faced.

  Jax sat next to her, dug in his backpack, and found a couple of power bars he’d stashed there. He handed her one, and she smiled her gratitude.

  Sitting there, simply enjoying the fire and the food had him wondering what it would be like if he and Erin no longer faced the dangers they did right now. If it was just the two of them in some quiet mountain hideaway, enjoying the rest of their lives together. The thought gave him courage to keep fighting. He couldn’t let the thugs who had done so much damage deprive them of the possibility of a future.

  He turned to her, his thoughts going back to one time in particular before Blake’s death. “You know Blak
e talked about leaving the CIA before his death,” he said, and she turned to him, her eyes wide, searching his face.

  “He did? I didn’t know.” She shook her head. “Why do you think he wanted to get out? Why did he want me to leave so badly?”

  Jax shook his head. “Maybe he saw something like this happening. Maybe he was afraid the people who ended up killing him would come after you because of your relationship with him. The perps might think Blake told you something or gave you something incriminating. They can’t afford to take any chances.”

  Erin drew in a breath. “I wish I’d known what he was going through. I could have helped him. Kept him safe. Convinced him to talk to someone. He might still be alive if I had.”

  Jax placed his hand over her good hand. “I feel the same way, but whatever Blake was involved in, I think he was trying to work it out himself. He was trying to protect us.” As he looked into her eyes, his chest constricted. There was no way he was going to let Erin take the fall for criminal acts committed by some murderers. He’d find out who was behind the attacks, and he’d bring the people responsible to justice, even if it cost him his life.

  Before he could manage a word, the burner phone rang. Jax’s gaze flew to her, seeing her surprise.

  He recognized the number right way. It was Al Hasan.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Listen carefully,” Al Hasan said in lieu of a greeting. The tension in his voice had Jax sitting up straighter, giving the call his full attention. “What is happening to you has nothing to do with weapons smuggling. It never did. It’s far worse.”

   All color left his face. His expression froze in place. Jax put the phone on speaker so Erin could hear. “What do you mean it has nothing to do with weapons?”

  “Because it doesn’t. You’ve been led to believe you’re fighting to keep weapons out of dangerous criminal hands, but what happened to your people has nothing to do with weapons.”

  “Then what does it have to do with?” Jax asked, his gaze locking on Erin’s.

  “Heroin.” The word resounded, surprising them both.

  “Drugs?” Erin whispered in shock. “I find that hard to believe.”

  “It’s true,” Al Hasan said. “This is about drugs. There never was a new terrorist threat or a training camp. It’s about heroin, and plenty of it. Our people are drowning in it, destroying their lives with it.”

  “The men we captured gave up something,” Jax deducted. “They told you who is behind this, didn’t they?”

  The silence that followed meant Al Hasan knew the answer.

  “I cannot say,” Al Hasan said at last. “That is for you to figure out, but you should know your enemies go much higher up the command chain than you think.”

  Jax’s gaze pierced hers. “Like, how high? You know something more than you’re saying, and we need your help. We’re out here all alone, and we’re outnumbered. I’m asking you to tell us what you have.”

  “I cannot tell you what I don’t know,” Al Hasan insisted. “But for an operation to be as successful as this one has been for so long, it takes a lot of power and money to grease the wheels.”

  As much as she wished differently, Al Hasan wasn’t going to give them anything more.

  “Your own people are trying to kill you, and they won’t stop until you’re both dead. You can’t go back to the States. They’ll find another way to eliminate the problem you pose. I suggest you find a way to disappear.” Al Hasan didn’t mince words, and fear pooled inside her.

  Where could they possibly go to escape? “How many men are there?” she asked, her thoughts churning.

  “Dozens. They are led by your people, along with some Afghan traitors, like the ones we killed. They have no allegiance. Their loyalty is to whoever pays them the most money.”

  Erin drew in an unsteady breath. “That’s why we need your help. We’ll never get out of the country alone on our own, and we can’t trust our people.”

  The length of time it took Al Hasan to answer did little to ease Erin’s fears.

  “Where are you now?” he asked.

  Jax covered the speaker. “I don’t think we have a choice. We need his help. It may be our only way out.”

  Erin wanted to believe him, but she couldn’t let go of her doubts. She grabbed his arm. “Do you think we can trust our lives to him?” What if everything Al Hasan had done so far was to gain their trust, then trap them?

  Jax held her gaze, his answer less than reassuring. “No, but right now he’s all we’ve got.”

  While they continued to peer into each other’s eyes, Erin finally gave in with a weighty sigh. “You’re right. Do it.”

  She prayed that they hadn’t just sealed their deaths by giving their location to the one person the CIA had led them to believe was a weapons dealer as well as a terrorist.

  Jax gave Al Hasan their coordinates.

  “Good, I can help you. I’ll get back to you within the hour with a plan. In the meantime, keep out of sight. And keep moving.” With those somber words still ringing in the air between them, the call ended.

  Jax’s blew out a breath. “He’s right. We have to keep going. Once we reach the city, we should be able to blend in easy enough. It’s something, I guess.” He looked at her without much confidence before rising and holding out his hand to her.

  Erin let him pull her to her feet, then grabbed her backpack and shouldered it while Jax did the same. He went outside and brought in a pile of snow, tossing it on the burning fire. It took several trips to extinguish the flames in the stove. Once they were finished, he turned to her, exhaustion clinging to every line on his face. “Ready?” he asked.

  She stood up taller and forced a smile for his sake. “I’m ready.”

  They headed out into the twilight of another fading day.

  “We’ll be traveling at night. It won’t be easy,” Jax said, his tone discouraging.

  She touched his arm. “I know this is hard, but we have to keep going. We can’t let them win, Jax. We have to find a way back to the States to retrieve the evidence Blake left for us. And when we do, we can bring those people down and make them pay for what they’ve done to Blake and the rest of our friends.”

  He smiled and scraped back a loose strand of her hair from her face. “You’re right, they’ve done enormous damage already. They have to be stopped.” He leaned close and touched his lips to her forehead before letting her go.

  The bitter cold seeped into her bones, making the thick jacket she wore seem like nothing at all. They couldn’t stop. Their own people were hunting them, determined to lay the blame for everything on Jax and Erin before they killed them. And all because of greed. All the innocent lives lost, all the pain and suffering, had been to keep their drug smuggling operation secret. Whoever was behind this was ruthless. She and Jax were mere pawns in their game.

  She shuddered at how hopeless their situation seemed. They had lost too much already. Blake, no matter what he’d done wrong, would always be her friend. He didn’t deserve to die the way he did because of drugs.

  Now Jax’s life was on the line, and she was terrified they wouldn’t make it out of Pakistan alive. With her heart breaking and helplessness threatening to drown her, Erin silently prayed for God’s protection. We need You, Lord. We can’t do this by ourselves. There are too many of them and only two of us. I’m unclear who is behind this plot. Please, show us the way out of here. Please don’t let us die here in vain.

  When her prayer ended, she waited for some sign. Some sense of guidance. As she listened to the sounds of the night settling around them, Erin realized her answer was standing right in front of her. Jax. He was her answer. God had put him in her life, shown her that it was possible for her to find happiness beyond the Agency, and to leave this shadow life behind for good. He wasn’t going to let them die out here. Not like this. Together, with God’s help, they’d weather this storm, and when it was over, they’d set their own course in life—whether together or apart.
r />   ◆◆◆

  Your own people are trying to kill you. . . . Jax couldn’t get Al Hasan’s words out of his head. Members of the same team as he and Erin—people sworn to protect their country at all cost—were trying to destroy them to flood the country with drugs that would damage thousands of lives. He couldn’t make it add up in his head.

  They’d all taken the oath to protect the US with their lives. How was it possible? He thought about the ambush at the abandoned airstrip. How had those men known of the location? There was only one plausible explanation, but his gut wouldn’t let him accept it. Coleman was a war hero and larger than life. Jax had read about his heroic efforts to free a village from Taliban control. How could someone like that go from being a hero to a drug smuggler?

  The exhaustion weighing his limbs down made thinking clearly next to impossible. He and Erin had been walking for hours without a break. Even though it was the middle of the night, they’d skirted around several small villages to keep from calling undue attention to themselves. But they were both working on fumes alone. They couldn’t go much further.

  “Let’s stop to rest,” Jax said and looked for a good place to sit for a while. He found a downed tree trunk and took off his backpack. Erin did the same. She grabbed her bottle of water and gulped some down.

  He was too exhausted to do more than sit. “We can’t keep going like this. Peshawar’s still a long way off. Without rest and a proper meal, we’ll never make it.”

  She handed him her water. “You’re right. This cold isn’t helping. We need shelter and food.” Erin pulled out the map again and clicked on her flashlight.

  Jax scanned the map. If he remembered correctly, misdirected drone strikes on this side of the border had taken out a couple of villages a few years back. It had been a point of contention between the US and Pakistani governments for some time afterwards. Jax found the spot and pointed it out.

  “Here. There are a couple of villages that suffered heavy bombing. If we can make it to one of them, maybe we can find a deserted place to hole up for a while. Perhaps find some food even.”