Jack opened his mouth to ask about Raylyn but noticed her bouncing along under Hank’s other arm.
Holed up behind the tires of their truck, Gabe and Rory enacted cover fire.
“Olin, where do we go?” asked Rory as he leaned around the wheel and sent out a volley of bullets.
Olin pulled a map up on his computer. His beret sagged over his eye, and he shoved it back in place.
Raylyn said in a strained whisper, “The chopper…”
Olin cocked a brow.
She licked her lips and repeated. “The chopper, through those trees.” She pointed a trembling finger toward a tree line.
“Rory, we need to head that way,” yelled Olin.
“I’ll cover you,” shouted Gabe.
Hank carried Raylyn against his chest, and Rory helped Jack as he struggled to move with his damaged prosthesis.
Bullets sailed overhead. They reached the treeline. Hank propped Raylyn against a tree and fired toward Juan’s men. Gabe retreated from the truck. Rory helped with cover fire, and Gabe covered the expanse and soon joined them.
As a group, they fled through the forest. Raylyn pointed a shaky finger and continued to direct them. Jack shook his head. No way was a helicopter in this mess. There were too many trees, too close together. Where would the bird land?
They should never have left the truck. Never mind that it was wedged in by other vehicles or that the tires were shot to ribbons.
Shots splintered bark above their heads as they raced through the denseness. Jack stumbled then straightened. His throat closed. He stared straight at the bird.
She was old, but looked completely flight-worthy. While he stood back and analyzed the exterior, the crew climbed inside. Olin took the passenger seat, opening his briefcase on his lap.
“Come on!” yelled Rory.
“Who’s flying?” asked Olin.
Rory replied. “Jack! You are the only one who can get us out of here.”
Olin studied the computer screen. “Tina! Tina, come in.” Olin listened then replied, “We’re under attack. I’m sending you the precise coordinates. Forward them to the police chief.” Olin’s voice dropped, and Jack could imagine him assuring his wife that he was safe.
Jack clenched his fists to his sides. Rory, Gabe, and Hank looked at him and waited. The gunfire increased, the bullets growing closer and closer.
He took a deep breath and climbed behind the flight controls. He forced himself to work on autopilot, working through the pre-flight checklist. When he grasped the stick, reality disappeared…
“Men, hold on. We’re almost there.”
“They ain’t going to make it! Oh, there’s blood everywhere!”
“Calm down, soldier. Apply pressure to those wounds.”
The young man complied, and Jack faced the instrument panel. Lights winked in and out. The fuel alarm sounded. Wind whipped the sides of the aircraft, and the stick jostled in his unsteady hand.
All he needed was a level spot. Just enough room to land the bird. Then, they could call for evac and save their friends.
Visibility dimmed with the afternoon. In the distance, a mass of black objects headed his way. He clasped the stick firmly. The gunner grabbed the weapon and fired. The force of the weapon and the condition of the bird sent them swirling out of control. The ground loomed closer and closer. He pulled back on the stick and—
“Jack? Jack!”
“Uh? What?”
“Jack, are you ready?” Rory looked at him expectantly.
“Yes.”
Jack flipped a switch, and the blades rotated. He focused on Raylyn’s weak voice. She wore a headset and hummed under her breath. The sound soothed him.
The chopper lifted off the ground painfully slow. They hovered a few feet over the tall grass when the flashes of gunfire caught his vision.
“Get us out of here!” yelled Gabe.
The chopper rose over the trees, and the sounds of gunfire faded. Military-style helicopters passed as they flew toward San Cristóbal.
“Always late to the party,” said Rory as he followed the authorities with his gaze.
The lights of the town came into focus, and Jack relaxed. “We should be in a place where we can touch down soon.”
Warning bells blared. Red lights flashed.
“What’s that?” asked Hank as he leaned forward.
“It’s not good,” said Gabe as he held to a strap hanging from the ceiling.
The fuel-gauge light fluctuated, winking off and on to indicate the tank was empty. Jack tapped the plastic covering, but there was no change.
He swore under his breath. “Olin, find me a place to land. Now!”
Olin rapidly plucked the keys on his satellite computer. “The hospital is nearby. They have an open field in the front of the building. They’re about two minutes out.”
Under his breath, Jack whispered, “I hope that’s close enough.”
The lights from the hospital came into focus. The helipad at the building’s apex was occupied. The chopper jumped, and the blades slowed.
“Come on, just a bit farther,” Jack coaxed.
The tempo of Raylyn’s humming increased.
They bumped onto uneven ground. Before Jack could completely set the chopper down, the blades rotated to a standstill. The motor spurted and died.
Whoops of delight ran the gamut. He disengaged his seatbelt and exited. The men slapped his back in congratulations as they gathered outside the bird. Jack approached Raylyn’s stationary form.
“Down on your knees!”
The sound of guns racking had them facing a group of irritated police officers.
“You don’t understand—“ Rory opened his mouth to explain only to have a knee embedded in his back before being shoved to the ground.
The scene was like a bad dream. In slow motion, the crew fell one by one. Jack rushed to Raylyn’s side, but was waylaid. As he fell, he yelled her name.
Chapter Thirty-One
Bright light blinded Raylyn’s vision. She blinked rapidly; tears formed. Someone dabbed her face.
“Finally, you wake.”
“Wh-where am I?” She croaked, her throat dry and scratchy.
Alfonzo replied, “You are in the San Cristóbal hospital. You gave us quite a fright. The doctor on call performed CPR while the orderlies rolled you along the hallway. It is a miracle you survived.”
She went to rub her head and noticed the plaster cast.
“Ah, a gift from Guerrero. Your arm is fractured in multiple locations.”
“Where’s Jack?”
“You must feel better. This is good. Jack is here as well.”
She struggled to sit upright. Alfonzo restrained her. “You must take it easy.” He adjusted her pillows and elevated the bed.
“What happened?” She was tired of his fussing and wanted answers.
Alfonzo sighed and resumed his seat. “The police refused to let him get to you.”
She cocked a brow. What was he talking about?
“You must understand. Rory passed this information to me, so I do not have an eyewitness account, but it took five officers to hold him away from you. They struck the back of his leg as well as other areas before he gave up.”
A tear slipped from the corner of her eye. She swiped it away and leaned her head into the plush pillow. He’d come for her. He’d saved her.
“They’ve replaced his ruined prosthesis and set his broken bones. He should be free to leave about the same time as you.”
Throat cleared of emotion, she asked, “Where’s Tabitha?”
“Who? Oh, yes, the made-up doll. She left as soon as Jack explained that he loved you.” He didn’t appear to note her silent tears flowing faster or the flush that covered her face as he continued, “His dad has been with me and Manuel. If not for Tina, Olin’s wife, we would have sent him somewhere. The elderly gentleman is a veritable wreck. Said he hadn’t worried in years, and it felt good to be concerned about someone. The not
ion is ridiculous, but he insisted.”
Alfonzo described hours at the local church spent on their knees. “When we heard that the police were called to Juan’s compound, we knew you had been found. It was a big shock to read in the papers about Josue. He was—“
She squeezed his arm. “You knew Josue?”
“Yes. Josue was the designer of the box. He disappeared some years ago. We thought he’d gone home to be with his family in Brazil. He always said he would create the perfect distraction. I thought he'd meant the box, but now I realize his statement meant so much more.”
“I don’t understand.”
Alfonzo cradled her hand. “Rory and the authorities described your escape. It is clear he sacrificed himself.”
The gruesome scene replayed in Raylyn’s mind. Josue interrupting Juan as he attempted to drag her from the underground prison, his silence when interrogated, how he incited Juan to increased wrath. Josue had sacrificed himself so she could escape.
Nurses entered, took her vitals, and shooed Alfonzo. “The patient needs to rest.”
He squeezed her shoulder. “I’ll be back.”
When the nurses left and she was alone, the events of the past week ran through her mind, and she wished she could erase the painful memories.
She rolled onto her side and rose to a sitting position. Her vision swam, and she held to the headboard.
“Whoa. Where do you think you’re going?” Jack placed a hand under her arm and steadied her.
“I-I—”
“You were coming to find me, right? It’s about time. You’ve been resting too long…”
He continued to berate her as he assisted her to a seat, all while never looking her directly in the eyes.
“Dad has been worried that he caused this. I tried to explain it was a product of Juan’s sin. And through it, one of the most notorious terrorists has been apprehended and all the prisoners released.”
She squeezed his unbandaged hand, and he stopped talking. He scooted a chair close to hers.
“I should have told you long ago what you mean to me. If I’d told you when we first met, maybe we wouldn’t have had to go through so much to find each other again.”
She smoothed a wayward hair from his brow.
“I have loved you since I heard your voice while I lay in the hospital. You’re what brought me out of the coma and gave me hope. After my father became so angry at me, I thought I’d never have anyone to care about me. But I knew from your voice that you cared. I knew we had something.” He sighed. “Maybe it should matter that you left while I recovered, but I just don’t care anymore. I just want the rest of our lives to be spent together.”
Epilogue
May weather in Kentucky was gorgeous. Green leaves and blue-green grass decorated the farm. Fresh imported flowers covered the landscape.
The entire crew had flown in for the wedding. Raylyn had thanked the wives and fawned over the babies. The pre-wedding celebrations had focused her energies and kept her from being overly nervous.
The band struck a chord. Jack sashayed toward her. “May I have this dance, wife?”
“You may, husband.”
On the makeshift dance floor, he drew her into his arms. “You look beautiful.”
“I’m supposed to.”
He laughed and flicked her nose. “And you’re sure you don’t mind moving into the guest house?”
“I’m looking forward to it, especially since the local vet agreed to train me.”
“You don’t have to work.”
“I know, but I like helping people. Besides, if I sit at home just waiting to have babies, I’ll drive you insane.”
He planted a kiss on her cheek. “Enough said.”
She swatted him playfully. They finished the dance. Afterward, she danced with every male in attendance.
Circling around the floor, she saw Tabitha. Dressed in a fire-engine red, strapless dress, Tabitha swayed in Jack’s arms.
Jealousy rose in her breast, and she turned away. Rory appeared at her arm.
“You should ask him.”
“What?”
“It is clear this woman stands between you and Jack. Do not let this divide you.”
“It won’t.”
“It may not, but the not-knowing will consume you. Why not ask him? He will tell you.”
Hours later, the reception over, Raylyn changed; she and Jack sat on the porch swing and watched the sunset.
“Are you ready for our trip tomorrow?”
“Uh-huh.”
“I’m glad we hired people to clean up. I hate to think of Dad having all this work to do while we’re away on our honeymoon.”
She nodded.
He laid his arm across her shoulders. “I have a gift for you.”
“You do?”
“Yes. I meant to give it to you a long time ago, but it escaped my possession for awhile.”
She clapped. “What is it? Don’t keep me in suspense.”
He shook his head, and a deep guttural laugh rent the air. “I didn’t know you were so impatient.”
“What? Seriously, you didn’t know?”
“Yeah, I knew. I was just trying to be nice.”
She rolled her eyes as he drew a black box from his back pocket. The hinges squeaked as she opened the lid and gasped. She covered her rounded mouth. Tears welled in her eyes and spilled over onto her cheeks. Moonlight struck the emeralds.
Jack swooped her hair aside, wrapped the necklace around her neck, and worked the intricate clasp. “I thought about getting you a sapphire necklace. In fact, I had you one in Chiapas, but someone decided you needed another.”
“I don’t understand.”
He shrugged. “The insurance agent sent me a check for the necklace I lost while we vacationed in Santa Cruz, and I bought another. Emeralds seemed more appropriate.”
“Because you saw me on Emerald Street.” She held her breath and waited for him to accuse her, but he threw no stones. Instead he said, “Exactly.”
A shadow flitted before them, and Raylyn tensed. “What was that?”
He moved his arm and whistled. A plump orange-and-white cat jumped into his lap. He stroked her soft fur. “This here is my girl, Gabby.” She purred. Jack scratched behind her ears. “She’s getting along in years. She was just a kitten when I left. I hated leaving her. Her mother was my mom’s best friend. Every morning when I left for school, I would say ‘I love you, Gabby,’ and you should have seen—”
Raylyn didn’t hear another word. Her heart soared in her breast. She stroked the cat and knew they would be all right.
About the Author
Felicia Rogers is the author of multiple novels and novellas. When she's not writing, Felicia volunteers with the Girl Scouts of America, teaches at a local homeschooling group, hikes, and spends time with her family.
Also from Felicia Rogers
Prologue
Kevin stood ramrod straight at the front of the crowd. Everyone in the room was staring at him. His breath came in short, rasping gulps. He reached for his throat. The purple silk cravat, which lay upon his chest, was crooked. Yeah, that was it. He wasn’t a bundle of nerves. He didn’t have cold feet. Tidiness was the problem.
“Don’t be nervous,” said Mark, his best man.
Kevin nodded, causing sweat to roll down his neck and under his collar. Sure. “Don’t be nervous,” he says.
“Hey, what are you two whispering about?” asked Jerry from the corner of his mouth, a smile plastered on his face.
“Kevin’s nervous,” said Mark.
“I am not nervous.”
“Psst, men, you need to be quiet. The service is about to start.”
“Sorry.”
“Humph,” the reverend replied, pulling his shoulders back.
Jerry shot the reverend a hard look before turning to face Mark. “Why is he nervous?”
“Who wouldn’t be nervous? The poor soul is giving his life away. He’s going to be tied down t
o one woman for the rest of his days. No more shopping around for other models. This is it.”
Jerry shook his head and rolled his eyes. Kevin concurred. Mark was out of his mind. After all Kevin had been through, he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt this was what he wanted. More than anything he wanted to be “tied down.”
Kevin whispered, “It can’t be as bad as when there were seven.”
“What?” Mark asked.
Kevin cleared his throat. “Nothing. I didn’t say anything.”
Mark shrugged. In a hushed tone, he began arguing with Jerry over the institution of marriage. Kevin kept his gaze riveted on the back doors. Tom and Fred walked into his line of vision as they escorted guests to their seats. All smiles and welcomes, they had taken to the job like ducks to water. He’d worried they would be angry when they didn’t get to stand up with him. But they hadn’t been angry—they’d been pleased. Tom’s tendency toward conspiracy kept him from wanting to be displayed in front of the crowd. And Fred… Well, Fred, he wanted to meet women. Kevin and the others were all for this goal.
Looking around his two friends, Kevin wondered when the ceremony would start. How long did the groom have to stand and wait? He would’ve thought he’d have learned some patience by now. With what Kevin had been through the past year, he should have acquired the patience of Job. Old habits die hard, he guessed.
The three men shifted from side to side. A person could only stand in one place for so long before he got dizzy. To have something to do, Kevin bent his head and stared at his feet.
Then the sound of music filled the air. Not just any music, but the music. It was the “Wedding March.” Lifting his chin off his chest, Kevin focused on the back of the room.
The entire congregation stood and stared down the aisle. At the door was the most beautiful creature; she appeared as his own personal angel. Beside her was her father, his face beaming. Clearly this was a proud moment for them both. Kevin watched the unspoken emotions playing across their faces. One day he would be able to look at his wife and communicate in such a way. They would grow together, learn together, love together.
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