Course of Action: Out of Harm's WayAny Time, Any Place

by Lindsay McKenna

  His finger brushed the trigger. The boom of the rifle jerked and rippled all the way through his body. He didn’t even wait to see if the bullet hit his target, moving to the second and third horsemen. By the time he released the spent mag and slapped in the next one, Travis was settled and situated. He was minimally aware of men flying off their horses. He couldn’t hear anything at this distance, but he saw one horse rear up and then turn to gallop off. Quickly, he sighted on the other two soldiers who were now looking around, fear etched in their faces.

  Too late, you bastards. You’re going straight to hell.... And he took the fourth and fifth shots.

  Travis leaped to his feet, leaving his rifle behind, jerking the 9 mm Sig Sauer pistol out of his drop holster and hurtled down the scree. Below, five men lay unmoving. The horses, thank God, startled and upset, had moved together, circling one another, wild-eyed. He hit the flat plain and ran hard toward the milling group of anxious horses. He kept his eyes on Madison Duncan who was sitting very still on her horse. She was doing the right thing, Travis thought, pulling up his Sig as he approached the carnage.

  His gaze moved swiftly to each of the soldiers. None of them moved. He crooned softly to the horses, walking slowly toward them. The animals milled, snorting, their ears moving back and forth in fear. Okay, the soldiers were all dead. He holstered his pistol and approached to within six feet of the first horse.

  “Ma’am?” he called, “I’m Travis Cooper, U.S. Navy. I’m here to rescue you. If you can just sit very still until I can get my hands on the reins of the horse, that would be helpful. Don’t talk. Don’t move. Just slowly nod your head once if you understand me.”

  Madison quivered violently, unable to see anything. The soldiers had put the hood back on her head but they hadn’t gagged her. Sweat had covered her as she’d heard men screaming, then nothing. The horses had become frightened. When she’d first heard the loud, booming sound, she knew it was a rifle, but she couldn’t see anything! The man’s Texas drawl brought down her fear just a notch. Her shoulders were still numb. She slowly moved her head forward as he’d requested.

  The horse she rode snorted. She could feel the animal tense. Oh, God. Who was this man? Definitely American. Her mouth was dry and she wanted to see him.

  Madison sat quietly. She heard his voice again, a soft sing-song as he came closer. Her horse snorted and moved sideways.

  “Easy, easy, son,” Travis crooned, not meeting the horse’s eyes, knowing that would threaten him. He approached the horse from the side and slowly eased his hand toward the animal’s sweaty, glistening neck. The horses had been ridden hard and ruthlessly. Their nostrils were wide open, showing red up inside the passages. Travis placed his hand on the horse’s reins, relief shooting through him.

  “Ma’am? I’ve got the lead horse’s reins. Now, you just keep sitting quietly, and I’m going to work my way back toward your horse. The reins of your horse are tied on the back of this horse’s saddle. Just slowly nod your head if you understand me.”

  Travis moved furtively, constantly crooning to her horse whose eyes were rolling. The animal was skittish, and the last thing Travis needed was for it to bolt. The horse’s nostrils flared, picking up his scent. Travis didn’t smell like the other riders. The horse suddenly planted its front feet, getting ready to bolt.

  “Whoa, big guy,” he called to the horse. “No need to bolt, son, just stand down, stand down.” He eased the knot out of the reins. More relief rushed through Travis as he gripped the reins in his left hand.

  “Okay,” he told her, “I’ve got your horse’s reins. I’m going to come up beside you and cut off that belly rope.”

  He heard her gasp a little. Travis could see her shaking in the saddle. Feeling sorry for the woman, he pulled his KA-BAR from its sheath and quickly sliced the thick rope. Her legs were now free. He slid the knife back into the sheath.

  “We’re almost home free, gal,” he told her softly. “I’ve got the horse’s reins in my one hand. I’m going to come up on your left side and slide my arm around your waist. When I do that, I want you to relax, trust me and I’m going to pull you off this horse. Got it?” He looked upward, watched her nod. Heard her erratic breathing.

  As he slid his arm around her waist, Travis felt her relax. “Okay, here we go,” he said and then lifted her away from the saddle. She was probably five foot seven and weighed around a hundred and thirty pounds.

  Madison groaned and clenched her teeth as he hauled her off the horse. Pain and burning shot through her shoulders. He was strong and tall, that much she could tell. And then she picked up his scent, a combination of sweat and his own unique maleness. Her feet touched the ground and she gave a soft cry as her legs gave way.

  Travis gently guided her to sit on the earth. He released the horse and focused on the woman. Taking off the hood, he saw her blond hair was mussed and her blue eyes were filled with pain. Quickly, he moved behind her, unknotting the bonds and releasing her wrists.

  “You’re safe,” he rasped, carefully pulling the ropes free. He scowled. Her wrists looked like hamburger; her fingers were covered in dried blood. Rage flowed through him over what they’d done to her. He knelt in front of her.

  “Madison Duncan?” he asked, holding her terrified blue gaze.

  “Y-yes....” She tried to move her arms, grimacing as she did so.

  “Travis Cooper, ma’am.” He kept a hand on her shoulder. “Where are you hurt?”

  Madison struggled to speak. “I’m...thirsty....”

  He pulled a bottle of water out of a cammie pocket, opened it and handed it to her. “Here you go. Drink your fill.” Well, it wasn’t going to happen. Huge tears formed in her eyes as she tried to move her hands.

  “I—I can’t,” she managed. “M-my arms are numb. I can’t feel anything.”

  Travis slid his arm around her shoulders. “It’s all right,” he said soothingly. And he placed the lip of the bottle against her mouth. Damn, but she was twenty times better looking than the grainy color passport photo he’d seen of her on his laptop. Her hair was long and slightly wavy, halfway down her back, with streaks of darker blond, cream and more gold colors.

  She drank, the water spilling out the corners of her mouth, dribbling down on the dirty tank top she wore.

  “Slow down, gal. There’s more where that came from.” He held her eyes, giving her a slight smile meant to help her relax.

  Travis kept his hearing keyed. The five booms from a Win Mag would be instantly recognized and any Taliban in the area would know it was an American sniper. The dawn was barely upon them. The sky was indigo and a few stars still blinked above. She finished off the bottle of water.

  “Good,” he told her, throwing it away. “Now, talk to me. Where are you hurt?” He prayed like hell she hadn’t been raped. The slope of her left cheek was swollen and there was dried blood around her nostrils and chin. Plenty of blood had spilled on her tank top as well, and Travis knew she’d been hit at least once.

  Madison tried to move her hands. Her fingers wouldn’t work. They felt cold and numb. “M-my shoulders and arms hurt.”

  “That’s from being tied in that position for so long,” he told her, running his hand across her shoulders. He could feel Madison trembling. And to her credit, she was trying to keep it together. Yeah, she was a Texas gal, through and through.

  “They hit me,” she whispered, trying to look up at him through her hair. Lifting her hand, she tried unsuccessfully to push the hair out of her eyes. She saw his bearded face, his dark green eyes narrowed intently upon her. He was dressed in cammies, a boonie hat on his head. His mouth was thinned. Travis Cooper. He’d rescued her. She was safe, alive.

  “Anything else?” he asked, trying to steel himself. Her eyes grew cloudy and she quivered in his arms.

  “N-no.... Why did they do this?” She searched his hard, weathered face.

  “Kidnapping is profitable,” he said. Damn, but she was beautiful. Her eyes reminded him of the dawn sky,
a deep cobalt blue. Her pupils were large and black, a thin black crescent curved around the outside of her iris, emphasizing them even more. He gently pushed some of her hair away from her face to hold her gaze. “Look, I need to get you back on a horse. We need to hightail it out of here. I’ve got a cave in mind where we can hide and get out from under the Taliban’s gunsights.” He looked down at her. She reminded him of a disheveled, broken doll. “Can you do that?”

  “Y-yes, I can.”

  “Good,” he grunted, unwinding and standing. “Stay here. I need to get my ruck and my rifle. I’ll be right back.”

  The horses had huddled around them. Travis took off at a fast trot across the flat land toward the scree slope. He knew horses were herd animals. They were used to humans and hopefully would remain with Madison while he picked up his gear. As he ran, he called back to Camp Bravo, giving them information on the package and her present medical condition.

  “You’ve got forty Taliban on horseback three miles north of you, heading your direction.”

  Yeah, well, Travis had expected the Win Mag would wake up every Taliban in the area. “Roger that.” He filled the master chief in on his escape plan and gave him their GPS position. Travis located his ruck, strapped his Win Mag to the outside of it and pulled the ruck over his shoulders, then swiftly turned and headed down the scree.

  In the distance he could see Madison was sitting, her head bowed, her arms hanging uselessly at her sides. God, he felt sorry for her and lengthened his stride, urgency pushing him. Three miles could be covered damn quick by men on horseback.

  Madison looked up, watching the Navy man jogging toward her. He was tall, probably at least six feet. And lean, like a starved wolf. It was his oval face, those wide-set green eyes of his and that black beard that made him look hard. He’d just saved her life. Emotions welled up in her. She watched as he slowed to a walk, picked up the reins of one horse and then walked over to the dead soldiers.

  What was he doing? She frowned, watching him quickly take off vests, cloaks and trousers from two of them. In no time, he had the clothing strapped on to the back of the saddle. Turning, he walked over to her.

  “How are you doing?” he asked, kneeling down, searching her dirty, sweaty face.

  “O-okay....” Her heart took off when he gave her a lazy smile. His entire face changed and he almost became handsome.

  “Now, you wouldn’t lie to me, would you, darlin’?” He could tell she was rallying beneath his softly spoken endearment. Her mouth...her mouth was meant to be kissed. Full lips, with the corners of her mouth curving naturally upward. Groaning to himself, Travis knew he couldn’t go there.

  “I’m okay,” she managed. “I know I look a sight, but—”

  “You look beautiful,” he assured her huskily. “I’m going to help you stand. We need to get going.”

  He lifted her up by her waist as if she weighed nothing. Madison was surprised because he was lean, not heavily muscled or bulky. When she got to her feet, she grabbed for his upper arms. And then she grunted with pain, her hands falling lifelessly to her sides. To lift her hands above her breasts brought nothing but red-hot pain and burning. She bit back a cry.

  “It’s okay,” he rasped, slipping her beneath his arm, holding her close so she had something to lean on. “I’m putting you on this horse. Ready?”

  No, she wasn’t ready. Her arms were as useless as if they were stuffed with sawdust, her fingers unable to curve or hold on to anything. Madison felt the tension, knew they were still in danger. “Yes...” she whispered.

  He nodded, the look in his eyes giving her strength. Her legs did work and she was able to lift one up and over the saddle. Once she was on the horse, he held the reins up to her.

  “I—I can’t hold on to them,” she whispered, distraught. “I’m sorry....”

  “No problem,” Travis murmured, patting her thigh. “Just sit tight for a moment.”

  Madison watched him walk over to another horse, throw the reins over its head and mount up. This man knew his horses and certainly knew how to ride. He rode back and brought the reins over her horse’s head to hold in his long, large-knuckled fingers.

  “You ride?” Travis asked. He knew she did, but didn’t know if she could hold on right now, given what she’d already been through.

  “I’ll hang on,” Madison promised grimly, forcing her dead fingers into the horse’s thick mane. He gave her a grin for the first time, a boyish look coming to his features. It filled her with hope.

  “Good enough,” Travis murmured, turning the horse around. “We’re going to be moving fast. Got some bad guys coming our way. If you’re having trouble hanging on, yell. I’ll stop and we’ll figure out another plan of action.” He pinned her with his gaze. Travis could tell she was in shock, her blue eyes cloudy, her features stressed and confused.

  “Let’s go,” she managed, her voice hoarse. “I’ll hang on.”

  Texas steel. Travis nodded. He saw the determination in her eyes, in the set of that luscious mouth, now thinned with purpose. He clapped his heels to his horse. The animal grunted and leaped forward into a canter. The wind whipped by them as Travis followed a slope that gently curved to the west. His horse was tired and he didn’t want to push too hard. Looking over his shoulder, he confirmed that Madison was riding all right. That was a relief. He didn’t want to have to carry her on his horse. That would slow them down way too much.

  * * *

  Madison thanked God for her steel thighs gripping the horse’s barrel as they galloped in and around mountain slopes. Her hands were nerveless. Her shoulders ached like fire. But from the waist down, she was just fine, moving in sync with her cantering horse. The wind felt good against her face, drying the sweat, the air pure and sweet without that horrible hood over her head.

  She watched Travis ride, his body in rhythm with the movement of the horse. Who was he? Navy in the desert? It didn’t make sense. She had so many questions to ask him. Every once in a while, he’d look over his broad shoulder, checking on her to make sure she was all right. Madison felt his protection even though it wasn’t anything she could see with her eyes. And it made her feel safe when she knew they weren’t.

  Within an hour, they halted at the entrance to a cave. Madison noticed a series of caves down the length of the mountain. Travis dismounted. Gripping the horse’s mane, Madison forced herself to get off under her own steam. Her knees weren’t strong, but she could stay upright. Travis gave her a glance and she was glad to regain a bit of independence.

  “What can I do?” she asked, holding the reins he handed to her.

  “Nothing,” he said. He removed the clothes from the rear of his saddle and put everything near the cave entrance. “Stand over there,” he said, pointing to where the clothes were stacked.

  Confused, Madison did as he instructed. She watched him lead the horses out beyond the cave entrance and drape the reins over their necks. Her mouth dropped open as he slapped them on the rumps and they went charging off at a gallop.

  “What are you doing?” she cried out.

  Travis turned. Picking up the clothes, he put them into her arms. “Carry these,” he ordered brusquely. “Go into the cave and stand over there.” He pointed.

  Breathing hard, she glared at him. “You just got rid of our transportation! How could you?”

  The man scowled, his mouth compressed as he pulled his huge knife from the sheath on his left thigh and chopped a large branch from a nearby bush.

  “Stop yelling,” he told her. “Voices carry.” Her eyes widened and she did as she was told but not before giving him a mutinous look. Quickly, Travis used the brushy end of the limb and covered their tracks. Backing into the cave, he kept sweeping them away.

  “See that tunnel back there?” He hitched his chin in that direction.

  “Yes.” Madison was furious with him. Who the hell did he think he was? He’d just sent off two good horses that could have gotten them to safety! What was he thinking?

/>   “Go over there and wait for me.”

  Madison stood on the white, smooth tunnel surface. The tunnel forked to the right and left. The sun was just rimming the Hindu Kush peaks, rays slanting brightly into the cave where Travis was brushing out their footprints. Once he got to her side, he slid his hand beneath her elbow.

  “Your arms feeling okay?”

  “Yes, I can feel them a little.”

  “Can you carry those clothes?”

  She felt the piercing gaze of his and looked away, still angry with him. “Yes.”

  Travis grunted and pulled out a penlight and handed it to her. “Can you hold this?”

  Madison wasn’t sure. Blood was coming back into her fingers and she felt nothing but throbbing pain in them. Their fingers touched momentarily and she clumsily took the small light. “I think so.”

  “Get going up that tunnel.” He pointed to the fork he wanted her to take. “We’ve got to go about half a mile on a gentle climb upward. I’ll catch up.”

  She gulped and nodded. Why had he chased the horses away? Why? She moved on shaky knees, watching her step on the worn surface. The tunnel darkened until all she saw was the light ahead of her. Everything echoed eerily as she stumbled once, the sound reverberating endlessly.

  Where was Travis? Suddenly, Madison felt terrified again. Alone. He was nowhere around. Halting, she almost turned around and went back down the tunnel, but she remembered the hard look in his eyes, the guttural order to start walking. She had to trust him. But why the hell had he let their horses run away? That was crazy!

  Madison sensed more than heard someone approaching her. She turned. A gasp tore out of her as she saw Travis right behind her. Heart pounding, she froze.