by Mary Alford
While the man continued gunning for him, in his peripheral vision, Alex saw Rachel ease from the vehicle. Before the man realized she was there, Rachel shoved him hard. He went sprawling across the frozen ground, his weapon landing in front of him. Rachel raced for the gun. The man grabbed her ankle and she fell. As she crawled and clawed for the gun, the man, still holding on to her ankle, reached it first. He snatched it with his free hand and pointed it at her head. She’d be dead in seconds.
Alex charged the man. When he spotted Alex, he turned the weapon on him. Before the man could get a single shot off, Alex fired once, striking the man through the heart. He fell backward, limp.
Now freed, Rachel grabbed the man’s gun then felt for a pulse. “He’s dead.” She searched his pockets. “Alex, he doesn’t have a phone.” Frustration laced her voice.
“It doesn’t matter. Let’s get out of here while we still can. The SUV’s useless and it won’t be long before Temple and his men come after us.” As they headed away from the site, Alex told her what had happened inside the cave. “We just have to stay out of sight for a few more hours. This is almost over.”
He didn’t say as much, but if the chopper ran into any obstacles along the way, it could be even longer before Jase and the team reached them. And he wasn’t sure how much longer they could survive up here on the mountain on their own.
TWELVE
They couldn’t keep running around without direction. Going back down the mountain wasn’t an option with Temple’s men still stationed at the lodge. She told Alex as much.
He seemed to be reading her thoughts. “We can’t head back to the camp. That’s one of the first places they’ll look. I would if it were me. I just hope they don’t find Deacon this time.” He looked around the area, frustrated.
Rachel stopped dead in her tracks. “Wait, I can’t believe I didn’t think of it before now. The ranger station is up here on this side of the mountain.”
He stared at her for a moment, not seeing the significance. “You mean the one on top of the mountain.”
“Yes, but there’s a radio up there. We can use it to reach the rangers and have them contact your people. Let them know where to look for us. We can get Deacon the help he needs.” She didn’t believe there was any way Temple’s men would be looking for them up there. “They’ll be expecting us to try to get off the mountain, not go farther up.”
“You’re right, they won’t be. The only problem is it’s at least a three-hour hike uphill and we’re worn-out. My team may arrive before then...and I’m not sure Deacon has that long.”
She shook her head, discouraged. “What other choice do we have? If they catch us again, they’ll kill us, and it’s too risky to try to get Deacon out of there on foot.”
They’d be sacrificing Deacon’s life by making the wrong decision.
Alex stopped next to her, apparently seeing all her concerns. He drew her close for a moment. “You’re right. It’s our only option. God didn’t bring us this far to let us die. We have to hold on to that promise.”
As she looked into his eyes, she believed him. Alex had dropped everything to help her find Liam and now, faced with death himself, his faith never wavered.
A breath separated them. As she lost herself in his eyes, something shifted inside of her. All the wishes she’d buried deep in her heart rose to the surface. She would always care for Alex no matter what happened in the future. She cupped his face. Everything she still felt for him was right there in her touch.
The years melted away, and it was like turning the clock back to the time when they’d dated. Her heart beat crazily against her chest. She’d give anything if this moment were happening under different circumstances.
She pulled away and stared up at him. She didn’t want to hide her feelings any longer.
He gently stroked her cheek. “We should keep going. It’s too dangerous to stop now...” Yet he didn’t move.
Rachel swallowed visibly. Would there ever be a right time for them? The past seemed to determine that there wouldn’t be.
She stepped away and he let her go. Regret was in his eyes.
“You’re right. We have to keep moving.” Rachel turned and stared up at the top of the mountain, where the ranger station was situated, trying to reclaim her composure. She’d loved him for as long as she could remember, but it seemed as if circumstances were determined to stand in the way of their having a life together.
As they continued hiking at an exhausting pace, Rachel struggled to think of where Liam might be hiding. Her gut told her he was still up here somewhere. Otherwise, the entire area would be crawling with agents by now. They’d covered many of the places Liam liked to go as a child, and yet her brother was still missing. She had little doubt that Liam was the one who had brought Deacon to the cabin and then he’d disappeared into thin air.
With no answers coming, she shifted her attention to what they’d overheard. “Temple said he wanted McNamara to let someone know that things were going according to schedule. He had to be talking about selling whatever Liam had taken from him. My guess would be sarin gas. Yet I don’t understand how they managed to get it here in the US?”
They had to figure out who Temple’s buyer was before it was too late. She was out of breath and running on her last ounces of energy. Thinking clearly was a near impossible task.
Alex looked about as worn-out as she was. Once they reached the ranger station, they could radio for help, but if Temple’s men tracked them, there was nothing but a sheer drop-off behind the station. She didn’t want to think about that possibility.
“What if they didn’t bring the gas here?” Alex’s voice interrupted her burdened thoughts. “What if they made it themselves?”
The possibility of Temple manufacturing the gas himself hadn’t crossed her mind. She remembered Alex had told her that Temple and his men had been chasing the Chemist, the person responsible for manufacturing sarin gas.
“What if they found the Chemist and killed him? Decided to take over his business? They’d have his recipe for creating it,” Alex said.
A shiver ran down her spine. “It’s unimaginable that someone who is sworn to protect would do such a horrific thing.”
“Yes, but there’s no doubt in my mind that Temple and his goons are dirty. They’ve been doing who-knows-what unimaginable things since they faked their deaths. They’re capable of this and a whole lot more.”
She didn’t doubt it for a second. “How do you think Liam got turned onto their crimes?”
Alex stopped for a breath. “Probably through his investigation of the new terror threat. That led him to these guys. I’m guessing Deacon may have been responsible for bringing them together.”
It was beginning to add up. Liam had been searching for a link to tie the gas to his new threat. Deacon might have been working undercover with the Chemist or even with Temple.
“What about Michelle? Where does she factor into all of this?” Rachel asked as they started walking again. It was hard just putting one foot in front of the other.
Alex ran a hand across the back of his neck. “Her I can’t figure out. I felt as if she was frightened of Temple and yet when she had the chance, she didn’t accept our help. In other words, I don’t know.” He barely managed a shrug.
Guilt tore at her. He’d put his life on the line and they were still no closer to understanding what was happening than when they’d started on his mission. She touched his arm and he stopped, looking at her curiously. “I’m so sorry I got you involved in this. I didn’t know who else to trust. Liam’s note scared me.”
His handsome face twisted in pain. “No, Rachel, don’t apologize. Liam is my family...and so are you.” His green eyes softened as they swept over her face, the look in them reminding her of the man she’d once loved...the one she still loved.
You never forget your first love...<
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She swallowed back the hurt that realization brought. He stepped closer. She did, too. He was going to kiss her. She so wanted to feel his lips against hers again, but she was barely hanging on as it was. She wasn’t ready to face the truth just yet. She stepped away. Saw his wounded reaction, but she couldn’t go there. Not now. Not yet. She wasn’t even sure they would survive the day, much less if she could survive Alex’s leaving her again.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered in a broken tone. “Are you okay?”
She couldn’t look at him. “I’m fine. It’s just...working with you again has brought up some old feelings I thought I’d dealt with.”
He didn’t say anything. The uncertainty in his eyes had her full attention. This was not Alex. He had never seemed so unsure before. “What is it?” she asked.
His gaze held hers. The pain she saw there was real. “Being with you again has made me realize what I lost when I lost you.”
With her heart breaking, she bit down on her bottom lip to keep from crying. “We both made mistakes, but that’s all in the past. We can’t go back and fix it now, can we?” She loved him, but she couldn’t open her heart up to that much hurt again. She’d lost too much in her life.
“I guess you’re right.” Regret hung in his voice. She understood. She had regrets, too. “We still have a long ways to go. At least we’ll have decent cover at the ranger station. It’ll get us out of the elements for a while.”
Rachel couldn’t answer for the longest time. It was a struggle to keep back the tears. It felt as if they were saying goodbye to each other all over again. “I guess you’re right,” she managed, and they both started walking again.
The farther they climbed up the mountain, the more the snow piled up. Little sunlight got through the denseness of the wilderness up here.
Exhausted and barely hanging on, Rachel lost her footing on what appeared to be a downed tree. She started to slide back down the mountain but Alex caught her.
Without the proper hiking gear, they were at the mercy of the mountain. Yet one thing working in their favor was that the men chasing them didn’t seem any better equipped for the hike than they were.
She looked behind her to see what she’d stumbled over and somehow managed to stifle the scream before it could escape. It wasn’t a log. It was a man.
He’d been shot in the back of the head. There was a gaping hole there where his skull had once been.
Alex knelt and rolled the man over. Rachel recognized him. “That’s Seth Jamison. Liam’s handler. Alex, they killed Liam’s handler. Which explains why I haven’t been able to get in touch with him. What was he doing out here?” Her voice trailed off as the truth became apparent. Seth was the person on the inside helping Temple and his men.
“My guess is he was working for Temple. Something must have happened. Maybe Seth got a conscience and threatened to turn them in. They killed him because of it.”
Rachel was in shock. “I can’t believe it. Why would he do such a thing?” Something else occurred to her. “He betrayed Liam. Alex, he must have told Temple about Liam’s meet. That’s why they were ambushed. Seth almost got them both killed, and for what?”
Alex stared at the dead man. “I don’t know. I can’t believe someone Liam trusted was corrupt. But it explains a lot. Once Jase and the team arrive, we’ll send someone down to retrieve the body. His family will need to be notified.” Alex got to his feet and looked at her. “How are you holding up?” It was freezing cold and she was beginning to perspire. They couldn’t afford to become hypothermic.
She shrugged, resigned. “I’ll be okay. The sooner we get to the station, the better, though.”
Alex didn’t look convinced. “It’s at least another hour if not more before we reach it. We need to find a place to warm up. Otherwise, we’ll never make it.”
Weary to the bone, she looked around, but there was no shelter from the elements. “We really need a fire.”
Alex dug into his pocket and pulled out the lighter the men hadn’t taken. “Let’s see if we can find some sheltered trees to a build a fire so that we can warm our frozen limbs.”
The sight of the lighter in his hand was like a prayer answered. “Oh, thank you. I can’t feel my feet anymore.”
He looked around, trying to find a safe place for the fire that would be obscured from sight. “Over there.” He pointed to a group of trees. “It looks secluded enough. They shouldn’t see it if they happen this way.”
Alex dug out a spot in the snow to put the fire while Rachel gathered what loose branches she could find.
When the fire finally caught, they both moved in as close as they dared. Rachel could feel its warmth as she leaned in closer. Never had a simple fire felt so good. She closed her eyes with joy. “That feels wonderful.”
Alex chuckled at her expression. “You’re right it does. But we can’t afford to stay here for very long. We have to keep one step ahead of them if we’re going to make it out of this. And there’s always the chance they’ll see the fire and come check it out.”
She understood, but she hated to leave the warmth. It was funny the things you took for granted. Like being warm enough.
“How much longer before your team members arrive, do you think?” she asked again, and couldn’t quite keep the desperation from her tone.
“Not too much longer. The only problem is they have the coordinates for the camp. They won’t know how to find us up here unless we can radio them from the tower.”
He focused on the fire, no doubt weighing their impossible options. Rachel glanced his way. Alex was still the most attractive man she knew. He fit the part of a true hero right down to tall, dark and handsome. And she would always love him.
Alex caught her watching him, and her chest grew tight at the tenderness she saw in him. There was no denying the feelings still ran strong between them. But would it matter in the end if neither of them were able to walk off Midnight Mountain alive?
* * *
There was no doubt in his mind that he loved her. He’d never stopped loving her. She wasn’t ready to hear those words from him. Would she ever forgive him, or had his actions all those years ago destroyed any hope they had for rekindling their love?
It was a hopeless feeling to be caught up in a situation so out of control and bordering on impossible like the one they faced right now. In his heart he believed that God had answered his prayer and was giving him a second chance to prove to Rachel how he felt about her. They just had to survive long enough for him to have that chance.
“How are you feeling?” he asked, trying to take his mind off their grim situation.
She turned to stare up at him, then slowly smiled. “Better, thanks. The fire really helped.” Her smile still had the power to brighten his dark day.
“I’m glad. Are you ready to finish this?” She didn’t hesitate before confirming with the smile still in place.
Together, they tamped out the fire then threw snow on top of it to cover the smoldering ashes. Once Alex was satisfied they’d hidden all evidence, they started up the mountain again.
Just having time to warm up and rest did wonders for his drained energy. He was ready to finish this thing once and for all, to find out the truth behind Liam’s disappearance and hopefully convince Rachel to give him a second chance.
He still couldn’t believe that Liam’s handler had been working for Temple’s crew. How long had Seth been betraying his country? Had he been involved with Temple’s plan to fake his death? With Seth dead and Liam missing, the only chance they had for getting answers was through Temple.
Alex hadn’t been able to get Liam’s letter out of his head. There was no doubt in his mind that Liam was trying to tell him about the one specific location he’d underlined for a reason. He believed it was where Liam had stowed the sarin. He told Rachel his suspicions.
That realiz
ation dawned on her face. “It makes sense. I can’t believe I never considered it before now. Alex, we can’t let Temple and his men find those weapons. If they reach the cave before we do, then they won’t need Liam or us.”
Those frightening words hung uneasily between them. “Let’s just hope they haven’t found them already. They certainly have enough men out here to search the entire mountainside.”
“Where is Liam?” Rachel shook her head, and Alex could see her frustration. “I can’t help but believe he’s up here somewhere still. There’s so much territory to cover up here. It could take weeks to locate him. By then it will be too late.”
He stopped walking and faced her. “You can’t think like that. We need to trust God to take us to where Liam is.” He did his best to sound convincing, but it was hard to keep positive after everything they’d been through. He wanted to believe God was directing their footsteps, but his faith was faltering.
Help my unbelief. The last thing he wanted was for Rachel to see him give up.
“You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m just tired. Liam wouldn’t give up on either of us if the tables were turned. I won’t give up on him, either.”
He tucked her hands in his. “Good. I can’t help but think Liam had a backup plan in place when he came up here. Maybe he even had some supplies stashed somewhere. I know Liam. He’s a stickler for details and he always was the most prepared of the three of us.”
She smiled at the memory. “Yes, he was. He left me the map and his phone for a reason. The same way he left you that letter. Of course he’d be prepared for whatever came his way. He’d be expecting trouble. He was expecting it.”
Her confidence in her brother was well deserved. Liam was a seasoned agent. He would be okay and so would they. Once they reached the ranger station, they’d radio Jase with their location. Praise God, this thing was just about over.
The thought had barely cleared his head when a noise nearby captured both their attentions and sent them running for the cover of a nearby grove of spruce trees.
