Surviving the Storm

by Heather Woodhaven

  David reached her side and kneeled. His friend, and boss for a day, had his eyes closed and looked pale. Even if help arrived within the minute, it didn’t look as if he had a chance. David felt for George’s pulse on his right hand.

  George’s eyes fluttered open and darted between David and Aria. The man smirked and closed his eyes again. “Two favorite people,” he whispered, his voice hoarse from the strain.

  “Help is on the way. We need to get you away from those men. Just hold on.” Aria placed her hand on George’s left hand, pressing against his gunshot wound. “Help me move him, David.”

  George licked his lips and opened his eyes again. “No, sweetheart.” He took a ragged breath. “I’m ready.” His stare moved to David. “My desk.” Another breath. “The drive.” He sighed. “Make it right.” He closed his eyes. “Proud of you.”

  “I can’t lose you, George,” Aria said. George didn’t move or respond. She turned to David and shook his arm. “Help me! I can’t lose him.”

  The pulse beneath David’s fingers disappeared. His shoulders sagged. “We can’t save him, Aria.” He cleared the emotion from his throat. “He’s gone.”

  She shook her head. “No. George, stay with me.” Her voice cracked. Tears filled her eyes.

  David’s chest burned with restrained agony. He let go of his boss’s hand and reached for Aria. He was ashamed he’d ever spoken to her with anything but kindness.

  A thump reverberated from above. In his peripheral vision, he spotted a flash of black approaching the balcony. The gunman had jumped from the attic. David shoved Aria down to the ground as a bullet crashed through the twenty-foot-high front window of the lobby. A cascade of shattered glass dropped to the floor.

  His eardrums seared with the pain of such a violent crash, but his first priority was Aria’s safety. He jumped over her, grabbed her arm and slid her crouched form across the floor until they were past the corner of the reception counter. He ducked as a series of bullets lodged in the wall behind him. “This guy’s nuts!”

  Aria’s wide eyes and shallow breathing grabbed his focus. He put his hands on her shoulders. “Aria. Are you okay?”

  She shook her head. “No,” she whispered. She blinked and, as she inhaled, pulled her shoulders back as if she’d put on armor. “But I know we have to go. I think I know the way out.”

  She slithered past him and into a closet. At least he thought it was a closet, judging by the pillows and blankets in the cubbies lined against the wall. But once inside, he spotted two doors. The door to the right was marked Conference Room, but the door to the left simply said Management. Aria stood and flung the left open. Of course. George’s office—and George had his own private entrance. Or exit, in this case.

  David locked the office door behind him, then crossed the room to open their escape route. Aria had taken to rifling through George’s desk drawers.

  “What are you doing? The guy’s got to be clear across the lobby by now.”

  She ignored him. Rage filled his veins. Every second increased their chances of being shot. “I can’t keep you safe if you don’t—”

  “Got it.” She thrust a thumb drive up in the air. “I think this is what he wanted us to find.” She lowered her hand and stared at the drive. “It’s got to be.”

  David lunged for her wrist. “We leave now.” He pulled her out of the building. The wind rushed past him, the snowflakes melting on his skin. The conference center campus was placed diagonal to the coast’s jagged shoreline. Half of the buildings were built on a hill, above the main conference lodging. It ensured every building had at least partial access to an ocean view. His truck was attached to a trailer full of tools at the opposite end of campus. “Where’s your car?”

  Her eyes, dark with worry, surveyed the area. “Parked near the cottages, next to the garden. If we run across the parking lots with him after us, we’ll be target practice.”

  She was right but he didn’t have any other solution. He shook his head. “We don’t have a choice. My truck is too far away—”

  She grabbed his arm, her eyes widening. “The caves.”

  David whipped his gaze to the ocean. “Is it low tide?”

  Her curls blew across her face. “No.” She started running. He pumped his arms to catch up as he heard her say, “But it’s not high tide yet either.”

  He blew out a breath. Could the day possibly get any worse? Side by side they tore through the wet sand. Only ten feet until shelter. Just as they rounded the corner of the nearest rocky cliff another gunshot rang out. A sting ran across his right shoulder and wet warmth ran down to his elbow. David heard his own cry before he fully registered what had happened. His shoulder had been hit but they couldn’t afford to slow their pace. He ran harder, his thoughts fueling his rage. The anger helped tame the pain.

  A nearby wave crashed beside him, and a moment later the ripples hit their feet. It was harder to keep up a fast pace, especially in his boots. They were sinking into the sand. Aria jabbed a finger past his face and came to a stop. He turned to follow her gaze. A thin crevice.

  He looked over his shoulder. The gunman had yet to round the corner. It was now or never. He entered first with Aria right on his heels.

  Once again they were in the dark together. The crevice was tight, especially in the front where the ocean slapped against the face of the cliff. The space opened slightly. Shoulder to shoulder they sloshed through the six-inch-deep ocean water. He gritted his teeth. The air might be in the forties, but the water could only be ten degrees warmer. Only the hardiest of surfers would brave fifty-degree water, even with a wet suit. He had never been one for surfing...or for enjoying cold temperatures.

  They couldn’t afford to slosh in the water much longer, or their health would suffer. The rock opened up into a small cavity. The sea cave. The air grew stale and musty. He reached out and his fingertips found Aria’s shoulder. She stopped walking, but her body shivered underneath his hand. Without a hint of light, they had to stay together.

  He sniffed, making sure there weren’t any unpleasant smells that might indicate new sea lion territory.

  Memories flooded David’s mind. Four years ago they had strolled the same beach hand in hand, discussing their dreams for building their own resort similar to the Shoreline Conference Center. Their center would serve as a ministry and provide groups, and most important, families, access to amazing vacations and marriage conferences in beautiful locations they’d otherwise never be able to afford. Exactly like George had done for their own families.

  Aria had claimed the designs were already sketched in her mind, and David had boasted his resourcefulness would allow it to be built under budget yet still strong enough to handle the toughest earthquakes and floods. When they had discovered the sea cave that day, years ago, they were just going to check it out and come back to the beach straight away.

  But when Aria had heard a sound behind her and jumped into his arms, the darkness had given him the courage to kiss her forehead...and then her lips for the first time. She had reciprocated with such a fierce, passionate kiss of her own that he had been completely ignorant of the approaching high tides.

  David cleared his throat, hoping to clear the memories with it. “Are you sure about this, Aria? Last time we both barely got out.”

  * * *

  Aria fought to keep her head on straight. She had almost let the grief take over in the lobby; she couldn’t afford for it to get a foothold again. “I know,” she admitted. “And with a lot of scratches to boot.”

  He winced but she had a feeling it wasn’t from the memory. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah. The sting in my shoulder is getting worse. It caught me off guard. I wasn’t dealing with a bullet wound last time we were in the cave.”

  “You weren’t shot.” Her teeth chattered the moment she opened her mouth.
<
br />   “I’m pretty sure the hot blood running down my arm isn’t from the snow.”

  “I know,” she responded, her voice softer but still shaking. “I saw it happen. I’m sure it hurts, but he shot the side of the cliff, and the rock broke off and...”

  “Hit me,” David finished. “So I’ll live.”

  “I hope it didn’t do as much damage as a bullet. It was too close, though.” Unbidden images of the last time they found themselves in the cave filled her mind. He was right. They had barely escaped and now he was...thicker. “I am beginning to wonder if we should’ve opted for taking our chance in the parking lots,” she said and reached out to find him. Her fingertips found his denim shirt—presumably his chest, judging by how tall she knew him to be. It was maddening to be in the dark and not be able to turn on a light. She moved her hands apart, searching, until they found his arms.

  “Uh... Aria, what are you doing?”

  “Don’t worry. I’m not trying to cuddle.” She slid her hands up and over the outside of his arms, careful to only touch the front of his shoulder to avoid his injury. “It’s just that you’re...well, much wider than last time.”

  “All part of the job,” he blurted out.

  Aria knew manual labor built solid men, but her own father was never so broad. “I guess,” she replied. “I’m a little worried you won’t fit anymore.” Another rush of water flooded in and soaked the back of her knees. Her hands shook from the chill. David was much taller, but the wave had to have reached the middle of his shins. He had to be feeling the effects of the cold water as well.

  “Maybe we should double back,” David suggested. “He could be gone by now.”

  “What if the other gunman sees us?”

  “Fine. We try the tunnel, but you’ve made me a little concerned that I might get stuck. If I so much as feel rock scraping my shoulder, I’m backing out. Want me to pull out my phone?”

  They heard a slap of water, then another. It didn’t sound like waves. Was the gunman in the cave? Surely not. He’d be in the same predicament they were. He was likely outside of it, though. Instinct prompted Aria to reach her hands out and find David’s.

  Her hands moved over his wrist. She felt his hot breath on her forehead and wanted to jump a foot back but remained frozen. They both stood still—aside from their shivering—and quiet. Each minute seemed like an hour in the frigid water. When she was confident she didn’t hear any more slaps, it was all she could do not to run out of the cave. But even if she tried, she knew the force of the incoming tide would bounce them around the small rocky entrance. They wouldn’t make it back out without getting slammed into the rock walls.

  They needed to find the tunnel now. Because every other option meant severe injury...or worse.

  FOUR

  David moved only when the tide surged, in case there was a gunman waiting outside, listening. He doubted there’d be anyone, though, judging by the depth of the water. High tide was coming fast.

  Aria’s hand remained on his wrist, pulling. Her slow movements complemented each gush of water. She was graceful, just as she had been the last time they thought they were doomed. Only then, they had used their phones to find the other exit, and didn’t have two men out to kill them.

  She grunted and jerked his wrist up a foot. Ah, she’d found the ledge. He climbed up after her, relieved to be out of the water. She spun around, trembling. David pulled her in close and squeezed his arms around her. “You’re freezing.”

  He felt her nod against his chest, but the shaking lessened only a bit. His heart was certainly shaking more, though.

  “They can’t see us now unless they come all the way in,” she whispered. He didn’t trust himself to answer. His shoulder stung. He was angry at the situation and confused by this woman that still made his heart ache.

  She tugged on his wrist again, then let go. He missed her touch the moment she left. A small glow erupted from her hand. Her phone was on, but she was covering most of the screen with her other hand. It was enough to see the second crevice deep within the cave. The one they would need to escape. Shuffling, they made their way through. So far, so good.

  “Duck,” she ordered.

  He dropped to his knees, the hard, slimy rock pressing into his palms. Yes, he remembered this place well, but mostly the kisses, not the emergency exit route. His shoulder chose that moment to smart again. The frustration returned and he almost welcomed it—maybe it’d help keep him focused. His fingers accidentally brushed against her calf. Her skin felt like ice.

  “Why’d you stop moving?” he asked.

  “I wanted to make sure you were okay.” Her voice was husky, filled with emotion. She had to be thinking about George again. Aria was a smart woman, brilliant—a visionary even—but she led with her heart more often than logic, and she kept it all to herself until she burst. He loved the way her mind worked during the times she did open up, but he could never anticipate when an emotional tidal wave was coming and would take charge.

  He suspected it was the exact reason she’d said she needed space after she got his card. He still hated himself for telling her his feelings through a love letter. He’d intended for it to be romantic, though, and a keepsake she would cherish and show their children someday. He scoffed. A bad decision only trumped by their phone conversation shortly after she said she’d received it.

  He had expected her to gush with returned feelings of love and instead she’d said she needed space. The word still made him cringe, but hanging up on her had effectively closed any chance they had at a future. He’d tried to apologize in person, driving the six hours from his job in Northern California to Portland, only to find her gone from her apartment. He didn’t give up, though, until he found her parents’ house also empty, a for-sale sign posted in their yard.

  And now he was letting his own feelings cloud his thoughts.

  “Keep moving,” he pressed. “I’ll tell you if I’m not fine.”

  “That sharp curve and rise is coming.”

  He took a deep breath. Last time they’d emerged with long lacerations etched on their foreheads. They’d been prescribed healthy doses of penicillin. Their parents, there for a Christian construction workers conference, had lectured them both, despite the fact that David was a twenty-two-year-old man at the time. When he had pointed that tidbit out, his mother snapped, “Once a parent, always a parent.”

  David supposed the darkness wasn’t helping keep the memories at bay. He trailed her and tried to keep his head down low in preparation for the curve. A flicker of light crossed the surface of the rock directly underneath his hand. They were almost out. “If those guys don’t kill us, when our parents find out we did this again, they’re going to want to try.”

  She remained silent—either she hadn’t heard him or she didn’t think his attempt at humor was funny. He pressed forward until he saw the sky.

  Aria was already above him, facing him on her hands and knees, looking down into the tunnel. She slapped what resembled a tree root that dangled in front of him. His shoulder ached as he pulled himself up and collapsed onto the long grasses. Drizzle hit his face. The snow had turned to a sprinkle of cold rain. They were perched on a small overhang covered in tufts of beach grass, the rest of the cliffs behind them.

  David needed a moment to catch his breath.

  “I never thought we’d do that again,” Aria murmured.

  “I don’t think we should make it a tradition.”

  She cracked a half smile and threw a thumb over her shoulder. “That path is still there, around the corner. I think it’ll wind us behind some of the buildings and, if I remember right, get us a lot closer to the cottages.” She lifted her face and closed her eyes as if welcoming the drizzle. Her eyes flashed open, and she groaned. “But we’ll have to find a place to cross the creek.”

  “I’
m really getting sick of water.” He jumped up. His shoulder throbbed but seemed to have stopped bleeding. The path was easy to find and, to their advantage, hugged the cliff’s edge. The tall beach grass and boulders outlining the dirt would act as good hiding spots should the men still be scouting for them. Over their heads was the state park. It was an outcropping of forest that sat almost like a floating peninsula above the coast.

  They took turns stepping over a chain that hadn’t been there years before. It held a metal sign that read Restricted. Aria squeezed her hands together, the distress evident on her face. The state park likely deemed the trail unsafe, but it was safer than facing the gunmen. It’d have to do. He plowed forward, determined to get to the cottages in record time.

  “David!” Her body slammed into his back.

  * * *

  Aria knew David’s physique was different since the last time she’d seen him but now her sore cheek attested to the rock-solid change. She patted his back. “Sorry. I’m fine. Just slipped.”

  “I hope no one heard you,” he grunted before continuing.

  She pursed her lips. Apparently, he’d turned into quite the charmer in the past couple of years. The nice boy she’d held hands with was clearly long gone. She couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to change him so much. What had been going on in his life after he broke up with her?

  Aria took a tentative step on the next black rock, before lurching down and stumbling once again into his back. He huffed. “Would you like to save some time and use my back as a punching bag?”

  “It was an accident,” she objected. “Are you angry with me?” She put her hands on her hips. In her mind, he had no right. She was trying to be nice without rehashing the past, but it wasn’t working. The man had a chip on his shoulder, and she wasn’t referring to the rock that had hit him. And with George gone and two men trying to kill them—