by Mary Alford
SEVEN
Rachel tucked her weapon behind her back and hurried to the man’s side. He seemed to be caught somewhere between consciousness and unconsciousness. It took only a cursory exam to realize he was in bad shape. “He’s been shot in the shoulder and leg. He’s lost a lot of blood.”
Alex knelt next to her and undid the man’s shirt. “Someone’s bandaged the wounds,” he said in amazement. “Still, he needs proper medical care right away.”
“Do you know him?” Rachel asked. She’d seen the way Alex looked at the man.
He searched the man’s pockets and come up empty. “Yes, I know him. I’ve worked with him before. His name is Deacon Broderick.” His gaze slid to hers. “He’s CIA, Rachel. And he’s a legend at that. Deacon has helped take down some of the biggest threats around the world.”
She couldn’t believe it. If this man was CIA, then what was his connection to the supposed deceased agents? “Do you think he’s working with the others?”
Alex shook his head. “No way. Deacon is a stand-up guy. He may know something about Liam’s disappearance, though.”
His attempt to rouse the man proved futile. Deacon continued to mumble incoherently. “He’s delirious. We need to get him help.”
Alex was right. It was time to reach out to the Scorpions for assistance. A man’s life was in danger. Liam was still missing and they were way outmanned. “You should call your command. Tell them where we are so that they can send help. We can’t let Deacon die.”
Alex clutched her arm and smiled. She could see his relief. “I’ll make the call. Can you try to keep him as comfortable as possible?”
“Go. I’ll see what I can do to help Deacon.”
While in the field, Rachel had gotten used to dealing with medical emergencies, especially gunshot wounds. She had no idea how long Deacon had been lying here injured, but there was little doubt in her mind that without further expert attention he wouldn’t survive long.
She eased his shirt away from the wound to get a better look. Whoever had bandaged the wounds had done a good job. She glanced around for something to use as a bandage and noticed that there were extra strips of cloth matching the ones used. It looked like someone had ripped apart a flannel shirt to use. Next to the cloth, there was a half a dozen empty water bottles there, as well.
Rachel took it as a good sign that perhaps Deacon hadn’t been this bad off when he’d reached the camp. She slowly eased the old bandage from the wound and examined it. Deacon moaned in pain. It appeared that the bullet had gone straight through. A good sign. It didn’t look as if infection had set in yet. Once she’d cleaned the wound with the water, she wrapped it as tight as she could.
Alex returned and helped her with Deacon’s leg injury. It was just a grazing shot and not nearly as bad.
Once they’d finished, she and Alex stepped away.
“Did you get in touch with your team?” she asked anxiously.
He shook his head. “The phone service is nonexistent here. I’ll need to see if I can find a spot higher up. Maybe I can pick up a tower from there. Will you be okay by yourself for a bit?”
“Of course.” She looked into his eyes and her breath caught at what she saw there.
He stepped closer, his voice rough with feeling. “Rachel...”
She believed she knew what he was going to say and she couldn’t let him. It was best not to open that door again. She shook her head. “No, it’s okay. You don’t have to say it.”
Regret reflected on his face and she turned away. She didn’t want to hear his regrets.
The door closed quietly behind him. Rachel drew in a shaky breath. Her feelings for Alex had no place in the hunt for Liam. She had to keep her focus on finding her brother. And Deacon needed immediate medical attention.
She shoved her own regret down deep and went back to the man. He was perspiring and mumbling to himself, unaware of what was going on around him.
Rachel touched his arm and lifted up a prayer for his safekeeping.
Someone had obviously cared for Deacon’s injuries. If it were the enemy, they would have left him wherever he was to die. Was it possible that Liam had done this? Her brother wore flannel shirts similar to those used as the bandages.
The sight of it gave her hope that her brother had brought Deacon here to keep him safe. Perhaps Liam had tried to hike out to get assistance. Did he have a cell phone with him? Deacon had nothing on him, including any form of ID.
She bunched some of the remaining strips of cloth under Deacon’s head as a makeshift pillow, then got out the extra jacket she’d brought in her backpack and placed it over him for warmth.
One thing was for certain—they couldn’t stay here long. Those men could show up at any moment and every second they were here meant Deacon’s condition could worsen.
Lack of sleep and the physical strain of hiking the mountain had taken its toll. Not to mention the emotional roller-coaster ride she’d been on since Liam disappeared. Nothing made sense. Once they were on safer ground and they found Liam, maybe they could figure out who was behind this horror.
When Alex returned a few minutes later she hoped he had good news.
“I was able to reach my commander. He’s dispatching several choppers right away, but we may not have that long.” He had a worried look on his face. He nodded toward Deacon. “Rachel, we need to get Deacon out of here right away.”
Alex was right. The man’s life was on the line. “What do you suggest?” she asked.
“I saw an old logging truck out back. If I can get it running, we can head down the mountain to Hendersonville. There’s still a hospital there, right? Let’s hope these men won’t be looking for us there. Then, once Jase and the team arrive, we can continue our search for Liam.”
She knew it was the best plan to save Deacon’s life, but the thought of abandoning Liam even for a little while tore at her conscience.
He seemed able to read all of her thoughts. “We’re not leaving him up here. We are just saving Deacon.”
She slowly nodded. “You’re right. He needs our help the most.”
Rachel could tell there was something else on his mind. “Did you find out something?”
He heaved a sigh that spoke volumes. “I did. I talked to Jase about the agents that were supposed to be dead. He remembered hearing the story behind the agents’ deaths from another former Scorpion commander by the name of Kyle Jennings.” Alex hesitated as if recalling the conversation. “Kyle told him that the men were in Iraq on a mission, searching for the Chemist, an elusive man who had perfected the recipe for sarin gas and was selling it on the dark web to the highest bidder. The team was spearheaded by a senior agent by the name of Blake Temple. Jase said Blake seemed to have an unusual interest in bringing down the Chemist. Kyle assumed he was just dedicated to the task at hand. I don’t know if that’s the case.”
How did the missing agent’s reappearance and the story of the Chemist fit into Liam’s disappearance?
“Now I understand why Peter looked particularly familiar to me. Rachel, he’s Blake Temple.” He held her gaze. Saw the surprise she couldn’t hide. “If these men came out of hiding, it has to be for something big.”
He was right. There was no way they’d risk being captured unless they were desperate. “I wonder how Michelle fits into all of this.”
“I have no idea. I couldn’t get a good read off her.” He shook his head. “At least we have help on the way. The sooner we get Deacon out of here, the better, though. I’ll go see if I can get that truck running before Temple and the rest of his thugs catch up with us.”
He turned to leave, but she caught his arm. She wasn’t ready to answer the questions she saw in his eyes just yet. “Please be careful,” she said in a whisper of a voice.
“I will.” The hint of a smile was filled with sadness. He’d expected more.
She wished she could give it to him. After she was alone, regret crawled into every fiber of her being. Alex wasn’t the same person he’d been earlier and that was easy to see. But was there a chance for them? She couldn’t let herself go there. She’d lost her heart to him once. She couldn’t afford to do so again.
Rachel checked on Deacon once more. He seemed to be resting somewhat more comfortably. It was still hours before daylight. If Alex could get the truck running, they might be able to leave the area before sunrise, which would give them a better chance at escaping the men chasing them.
“Where are you, Liam?” she whispered into the cold air, but her only answer was the mutterings of the injured man close by.
Rachel went over to the window behind the cabin and glanced out at the darkness. She could see Alex’s flashlight beam as he worked to bring the truck to life.
Where were the men? Had they actually bought their decoy? As much as she wanted to believe, she didn’t. These men had survived for years without detection. They were highly trained agents just like she and Alex. They would think in the same way. They’d keep coming until they found them.
“Liam! Get down!” Deacon called out in a panic. Rachel whirled from the window. Deacon knew about her brother!
She was still trying to make sense of it when Alex came back inside.
“It won’t make it far, but I think we can get down the mountain in it if we’re careful...” He stopped when he got a good look at her shocked expression. “What happened?”
“Deacon just mentioned Liam by name.” She told him what Deacon had said. “Alex, what if Deacon is Liam’s asset?”
Alex stared at the unconscious man. “I guess it’s possible. But why was Deacon working with Liam?”
Rachel shook her head. “I wish I knew. Do you know what type of work Deacon was doing recently?” If Alex knew what he was working on, maybe they could figure out why Liam had asked to meet with Deacon.
“It’s been a while since I worked with him. But I do know that Deacon was responsible for bringing down some major players in the terrorism game.”
Maybe Deacon had information about the agents or the Chemist or... She had never felt so frustrated before. It was like trying to fit together a puzzle with half the pieces missing.
Alex came over to her and tipped her chin so that she looked into his eyes. “We’ll never figure it out without Deacon’s or Liam’s help. But we will figure it out. Liam’s a survivor. He’s been in far worse circumstances than this.”
She wanted to believe that. “If he brought Deacon down here, why wouldn’t he hike out on foot to get help?”
Alex shook his head. “I don’t know. But right now we need to concentrate on saving Deacon’s life.”
As worried as she was about Liam, Deacon needed their help immediately.
“I’ll bring the truck around and then we can get him into the back seat where he can lie down.”
Alex still held her, searching her face. She struggled to bring enough air into her lungs. With another intense look, he let her go and went to get the truck. She was grateful to be left alone because she so needed to control her racing pulse. Alex had a way of getting to her like no one else. She’d loved him so much. Part of her heart would always belong to him, but she needed to keep her focus on helping Deacon and saving Liam. If her thoughts wandered back to the past it wouldn’t benefit anyone.
As hard as she tried, Rachel still couldn’t settle in her mind why Liam had brought Deacon all the way here and then left him. Something must have forced Liam to leave in a hurry.
Before she could try to bring her chaotic thoughts together, the noise of gunfire coming from the woods nearby exploded all around. Rachel grabbed her weapon and hurried to the front of the cabin where the shots seemed to have originated. Her hand had barely touched the door handle when it flew open and Alex rushed inside and slammed the door closed.
The fear she saw in his eyes scared her. “What’s happening out there?”
“They’ve found us. We have to get out before they surround the cabin and have us trapped inside...” He stopped for a second before adding, “I don’t think it’s wise to take Deacon with us under these conditions. The hectic pace would be too much for him.”
They’d have to leave Deacon behind. But if those men found him here, they’d finish what they started and kill him.
* * *
Rachel hurried over to the injured man. “What should we do? What if they search the cabin? They’ll kill him.”
There was really only one option. “We’ll cover him with the bed again. I have an extra jacket. Hopefully, between the two, he can stay warm enough until Jase’s team arrives. If we can successfully lead them away from here, he should be safe enough.”
Alex put his extra jacket over Deacon and tried to make him as comfortable as possible, then together they placed the bed over the top of him. Alex prayed that Deacon would be safe until help arrived. “We have to hurry, Rachel. They’re not far.”
They grabbed their gear and headed out to where Alex had left the old beat-up truck running.
Rachel slid in the driver’s side and Alex followed. He shoved the truck in gear and turned the vehicle toward the rudimentary road that had been carved out of the woods.
“Hang on,” he told her. “I’m afraid this is going to be one hairy ride.”
He was right. Rachel clung to the door handle as the truck bounced over downed trees and debris left from years of logging. Alex kept his attention on the road ahead as it tested all his skills. Where were the men he’d spotted in the woods? He was pretty sure he’d hit one of them, but by his best account there had been at least half a dozen others up on the hill above the camp.
The headlights of the truck were so bad that he could barely see where they were going. He was forced to slow the truck’s speed down to a crawl as he rounded a curve.
Ice still clung to the road in places where the sunlight didn’t reach. The truck slid sideways and close to the mountain’s edge. Rachel stifled a scream in response.
Somehow, Alex got the truck back on the path, but his hands shook from the close call. Doing his best to dodge downed trees, he continued to weave down the mountainside.
Without warning, the front windshield exploded. Both Alex and Rachel ducked as glass flew everywhere, narrowly missing their eyes.
Another round riddled the passenger side of the truck. Alex could barely see where he was going as the shots continued to ricochet off the truck, and he was forced to stay low. He managed a quick glance ahead and saw five men emerge in front of them, weapons aimed at the truck.
Alex slammed the brakes on hard. The men kept advancing. They were all out of options. If they continued forward, they’d be shot. Desperate to keep them alive, Alex shoved the vehicle in Reverse and tried to keep the truck on the trail.
“Get down.” He barely got the words out when the men opened fire. Alex whipped the truck around and headed back the direction they’d come.
“We need to find another way out of here. Otherwise, we’re trapped.” Alex glanced over at Rachel. She was white as a sheet. “They’re on foot. We’re not,” he said without feeling nearly as confident about what he’d said. He’d scouted the area briefly. This was the only road he’d seen. “Do you remember the layout of what’s just below this camp?” The road in front of them quickly disappeared and was replaced with overgrown brush.
“Alex, there’s no road past the camp. There’s nothing.” She confirmed his worst fears. “We’ll never make it down this way.”
He barely had time to process what she said before he realized they were now surrounded by armed men. There would be no escaping now.
EIGHT
Alex hit the brakes as the men circled the truck.
Rachel watched the men advancing on them. “What do we do now?” she forced out.
She saw the reality of their situation reflected in his eyes. “We give up.”
She couldn’t believe what she heard. They were still no closer to knowing what had happened to Liam than when they’d first started. “No, Alex, we can’t. We have to keep fighting.”
He shook his head. “If we resist, we’ll be dead. We have to stay alive. It’s the only way to save Deacon and find Liam.”
Tears filled her eyes. She knew he was right. She didn’t want to die here. Not without knowing what had happened to her brother. Not with things still unsettled between herself and Alex.
“They wouldn’t be coming after us this hard if they’d found Liam,” Alex reasoned. “I believe they still need us. They won’t kill us if we don’t resist. Maybe we can buy enough time for my team to arrive.”
As she looked at his handsome face, there were so many things she wanted to say, but now was not the time. She would fight with everything inside her to live another day because she wanted to have the chance to tell Alex everything that was in her heart.
With a smile of encouragement for her sake, Alex yelled, “Hold your fire. We’re coming out.” To her he said, “Do what I do, okay?”
He waited for her to confirm, then he slowly opened the driver’s-side door. With his hands in the air, he got out. Rachel hesitated a second longer before doing the same.
“Search them,” one of the men shouted, and someone jerked Alex forward and quickly patted him down. They took his gun and phone right away. Their backpacks with all their supplies were still in the truck.
Another man forced Rachel to turn around, then he searched her. Alex tried to free himself to get to her side, but his captor slugged him hard in the gut. He dropped to his knees. The man reached for him again.
“No, stop. Don’t hurt him. We’re cooperating with you.” Rachel was terrified they’d kill Alex.
The person looming over Alex hauled him to his feet.
