Chosen

by Lisa T. Bergren

  “Recognize this one?” he asked his companion in Arabic.

  The man grinned, looking her over. “Shehab will be pleased. Bring her.”

  Alexana acted on instinct. She quickly threw a knee to the second man’s groin, doubling him over, then brought her heel down on her abductor’s toes. Both backed off momentarily. Alexana never paused.

  Running furiously, she first turned one corner and then another, heading directly to the suk. Disappearing into the crowd was her only chance, yet there was little time to blend in. Her pursuers could not be far behind. Alexana chose a nearby dress shop, and, with a few hurried words and a few well-placed shekels, gained sanctuary in the makeshift dressing room for five minutes. She grabbed two dresses on the way in, throwing one over the curtained door to make it look as if she were changing. No respectable Muslim man would give the door more than a glance.

  She backed into the far corner, praying that they would not even enter the store. An hysterical urge to giggle washed over Alexana. She thought about her pursuers madly rummaging through women’s clothing, looking for her.

  Incredibly, no hand came to rip the curtain aside and drag her, screaming, into the street.

  Alexana left the store after purchasing a new headdress and veil, leaving the old clothing behind. Then, feeling safer on the rooftops than the streets, she climbed the stairs at the corner and made her way to Lydia’s house.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  MAY 5

  Just before dawn Alexana and Lydia awoke to the sound of someone pounding on the front door. Frowning, Alexana flew out of bed and into her clothes, preparing to escape through the window if necessary. Lydia put her hand out in a calming gesture, indicating that she would find out who dared to awaken the household at that hour. However, before she could act, both women heard Ridge’s voice, raised in agitation as he spoke to Lydia’s father.

  Relief flooded through Alexana as her heart cried for her to go to him. But in the face of his anger, she stood frozen.

  Lydia went to the top of the stairs. “It is all right, Father. Please, let Mr. McIntyre come up to the drawing room.”

  Grumbling, Jacob allowed Ridge to race past him and up the stairs.

  “Where is she?” Ridge asked Lydia, bypassing any pleasantries.

  “I’m here,” Alexana said quietly from Lydia’s doorway.

  Ridge turned and stared in relief at Alexana. Then he shook his head, as if trying to remember the reason for his abrupt visit.

  “Can we talk?” he asked gruffly.

  Alexana’s face fell, hope for reconciliation dying in the light of his harsh manner. “Here,” she said, indicating a small library to the left of Lydia’s bedroom. She steeled herself for what he had to say.

  Ridge followed her into the library and frowned as they sat. “I had a visitor this morning,” he said gruffly.

  Alexana looked at him, openly curious. “Who?”

  “Another contact from Hamas,” Ridge said grimly. “He told me Shehab’s men very nearly had you in their hands yesterday. He gloated, saying that Shehab spotted you leaving the École Biblique and, on a hunch, had you followed.”

  “That was his whole scoop?” Alexana scoffed, sounding more courageous than she felt. “I hope you didn’t pay him for such gibberish.”

  “Alexana!” Ridge signed in frustration. “Are you telling me that they didn’t chase you through the suk? That they didn’t nearly grab you?”

  “Ridge, I’m sure his story was exaggerated,” she hedged.

  He shook his head, sighing. “So, it’s true. You were almost taken again. And this time you wouldn’t have been under Khalil’s protection.”

  “We’ve been through this,” Alexana said with a sigh. “There is a small faction within Hamas who want to harm me. But they’re not going to! Look at what happened yesterday. They had me in their hands, but I escaped. I can take care of myself,” she said bravely. She fought to make her facial expression match her even tone.

  Ridge rose and paced. “Don’t be a fool, Alexana. You’re too highly educated and too knowledgeable about the ways of the Middle East to be so naive. No one is invulnerable here. Not even you!”

  Alexana lowered her head and closed her eyes. “All right,” she admitted. “I realize that. I do. If it will make you feel better, I won’t go anywhere alone, okay?”

  Ridge stared out the window, silent. She felt miserable that he was so concerned for her and miserable that they were not together when each was so clearly in love with the other.

  “Ridge, I—”

  “Save it, Alexana.” He would not even look at her. “You can’t convince me that this is a sane decision. That you really have to …” He paused and looked at her as if a divine revelation had just hit him. He came and knelt beside her, his expression softening as he took her hands in his. “What if. What if I asked you not to do it?”

  “Don’t ask me, Ridge. Please. Don’t make me choose.” She looked at him tenderly. “I am in love with you. You know that, don’t you? You might be too angry to care about that fact right now, but I still do. If you’ll just hang in there, we’ll get through this dig. It is undoubtedly the most volatile excavation I’ve been involved with. But Ridge, don’t you see? What if I face all these roadblocks because there’s something truly wonderful down there? What if Satan is using these men in Hamas to keep us from discovering a find that is sure to glorify Jesus?” She stood and paced, realizing that this possibility was what pushed her to pursue the dig, even in the face of danger.

  “There might not be anything down there but stairs,” she continued. “But even so, those are stairs that Jesus and the disciples walked. Maybe it will encourage someone, somewhere, to see those simple blocks of stone unearthed. Who knows how God works? You know he speaks to each of us in different ways. This is my chance to really make a difference.”

  “And make a name for yourself.” His tone held none of the venom his words bespoke.

  “No, Ridge,” Alexana said gently, refusing to give in to anger. “At first, I admit, I was glad for the opportunity. For a while, this dig will place my name front and center in the archaeology community. But when I was stuck in that Bedouin camp, it became clear to me what I seek.

  “My original prayer was for this to glorify my God, not me. I’ve seen that I can be delayed, kidnapped … possibly even killed. But still those stairs remain, a solid reminder of God’s power which withstands the tests of time. I’m still here. I truly believe God wants me to see this through.”

  Ridge frowned again. “How am I supposed to argue with that? You’re telling me this is a divine call? That God spoke to you like he did to me in the Church of All Nations?”

  She shook her head. “It wasn’t a grand, spiritual realization; it’s more like a sure, quiet stream … a pull that tells me that I’m following God’s path. Sometimes God speaks in lightning bolts, fast and furious; at other times, his voice is as quiet and steady as a hummingbird’s beating wings.”

  Ridge looked helplessly at her. “You know more about God than I.”

  “Please, Ridge,” Alexana said, urging him to rise with her.

  He let Alexana draw him to his feet, then pulled her close. “I’m so afraid, Sana. I don’t want to lose you.”

  “I know. I know.” She rested her cheek against his broad chest. “But God is in this with us. He’s watching out for us. If he weren’t, I don’t think I’d be standing here right now. He has a plan for each of our lives. Exploring the Temple Mount may be one of his purposes for me. I can’t walk away. Do you understand?”

  “I think so.” Ridge pulled her away from his chest and held her at arm’s length, studying her face as if he wanted to memorize each curve, each dimple, each freckle. “Please, Sana. Promise me you’ll take more precautions. You’re right: I can’t be around to protect you all the time. I’ll trust in God to take care of you. But I think he also wants us to use common sense. Try to stay one step ahead of these men; outsmart them. I know you can. Yo
u’re a wise woman.

  “And I’ll do my part. I’ll finally broadcast my story that you’re alive and well and proceeding with the dig. Hopefully, some pressure from the U.S. will help dissuade the radicals who are pursuing you.”

  Alexana grinned, realizing that he was reluctantly bestowing a blessing on her project. She wondered if there might be room in his heart for both her and her career, after all. “Thank you, Ridge,” she said quietly. “I want you to be careful, too. You’re sent to danger zones even more often than I.”

  “Agreed,” he said, smiling at last and pulling her close once again. “And now, may I kiss you? I’ve been wanting to for days.”

  “Please do, Mr. McIntyre,” Alexana smiled back at him. “Please do.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  MAY 6

  Responding to Alexana’s invitation, Ridge made his way to the Temple Mount, feeling as though his feet were cushioned by air. He absently fingered the press passes she had sent via messenger. If Nike could package this feeling, he thought, they’d double their profits! He eagerly anticipated seeing Alexana. Perhaps they might even have a moment alone. Then, he could ask her to dinner …

  “McIntyre!” Steve yelled from the checkpoint where he waited, camera in hand. As he neared, Ridge realized that the security guard would not let Steve in.

  “No cameras,” the guard said in heavily accented English before Ridge could say a word.

  “I am a journalist from CNN,” Ridge said in sloppy Arabic. “I have a pass,” he said, switching to English. “See my pass? Steve has one too.” Both men held their clearance out to the guard. Although he obediently examined them, his expression did not falter.

  “You may pass. No cameras. Leave here.”

  “No way, man,” Steve said, gesticulating broadly. “This baby is brand-new. It’s like part of my body. I don’t go anywhere without it.”

  The guard shook his head again, unmoved by Steve’s dramatics, while Ridge struggled to figure out a way beyond the impasse.

  “Ridge!” Alexana yelled from the top of the ramp that led to the Temple Mount. Then, noticing their dilemma: “Let them by!” she commanded the guard in Arabic. “And their equipment. They have been cleared with security passes!”

  “No picture of mosques,” the guard grumbled. He then stood aside, realizing he had little choice in the matter.

  Ridge and Steve hurried past. “Maybe we can film your intro in front of the Dome of the Rock,” Steve said under his breath. “You know, give the audience a sense of locale.”

  “Good idea,” Ridge agreed. “Let’s see what Alexana has in store for us first though.” He smiled at her as they approached.

  “She’ll have to make it fast,” Steve said. “Headquarters called. We need to hit Tel Aviv this afternoon. They want us to interview some American businessmen about the peace process and how it’s affected financial matters.”

  “This afternoon?” A pained expression crossed Ridge’s face as visions of taking Sana to the Seven Arches for a celebration dinner turned to mist.

  “Yeah. Right away. What’s wrong, man?”

  “Nothing.” Ridge turned and greeted Alexana with a subtle kiss on the cheek. She smiled into his eyes.

  “Hi there. Hi, Steve. I’m waiting on two members of my team. I’m hoping they haven’t had second thoughts.”

  “Can’t say I’d blame them. Are they crucial to your groundbreaking today?”

  “No. One area supervisor and a pottery reader. We have an extra of each of those,” she said, grinning. “But we’re still a skeleton crew. If they’ve decided against working on the project, I’ll need to replace them.” She quickly scanned the Wailing Wall square, hoping to spot her team members. Her radio suddenly crackled to life.

  Alexana grabbed it from her hip. “I’m here, Sam,” she said into the receiver, then listened to his voice through the static. “Gotcha. We’ll be there in a second. And—Oh! I just saw Sari and Abu Khadim passing the checkpoint. Just a few more minutes, and we’re on our way.”

  After the arrival of her last two team members, Alexana led the group around the El Aksa Mosque. Two hundred yards beyond it, they stopped at a big, orange fluorescent X painted on the two-thousand-year-old stones. Behind them stood a small, top-of-the-line crane, a forklift, and two miniature bulldozers.

  Ridge smiled at her. “How did you manage to get that crane up here?”

  “I told you,” she said brightly, “God is going before me. There’s no way I could get one of those up here without attracting a ton of attention. Fortunately, it’s been stuck up here for months. It was left after the Dome of the Rock’s roof was resurfaced. The owner went bankrupt, and the creditors haven’t arranged for pickup. It was easy enough to arrange rental time. The forklift and mini-bulldozers were airlifted in at two o’clock this morning,” she said, nodding in the direction of the equipment.

  “Outstanding, or what?” Sam grinned. He turned to Alexana. “Ready to break ground, Sis?”

  She nodded. “Just about. Let’s say a quick prayer.” She grabbed Ridge’s fingers with one hand and trapped Steve’s with the other before he could protest. Around them, the entire team joined in, forming a circle around the X. Sam quickly asked God to bless them with safety and wisdom.

  With a nod from Alexana, Abe and Kamal spoke to ten men who were waiting with jackhammers, and the ear-jarring digging began. The men worked for over three hours around the edges of a Herodian stone that measured three feet by six feet. Finally, the clamp of the forklift was attached to the edges of the stone, and it was lifted out easily. The men stepped back to let Alexana and Sam peer into the darkness.

  Lying on their stomachs, they let their eyes slowly adjust to the dim lighting. Then Sam let out a whoop of joy that echoed throughout the cavern below. Flashlight beams confirmed that they were right on target, having narrowly missed one of the supporting archways.

  Alexana rose and brushed herself off. “Well, Steve, here’s your photo journalist exclusive. You have five minutes to film whatever you can see down there. Ridge, could I speak to you for a moment?” She gently drew him away from the group of workers.

  “Pretty exciting day for you, Dr. Roarke,” Ridge acknowledged. “I appreciate the exclusive.”

  Alexana looked up at him hopefully. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I need you to hold off on airing it for three days. That will give us time to get down there and see what we’re after, before attracting worldwide attention.”

  Ridge eyed her doubtfully. “You really think the media isn’t going to find out this is happening? The whole Temple Mount is closed to nonworshipers. Tourists are furious. Besides, I announced to the world last night that you’d been found, alive and well and as stubbornly set on moving forward as ever.”

  “Well, okay, I know chances aren’t good that we’ll remain invisible,” she allowed. “But you and Steve are the only media representatives I’m granting a security pass. If the story breaks, you’ll still have the only inside coverage.”

  Ridge gave her a grim smile. “You’re asking me to risk my scoop. Steve and I have to head out to Tel Aviv today on assignment. We’ll be gone for at least twenty-four hours.”

  Alexana looked away and sighed. “I need this, Ridge. I let you in because I knew I could trust you.”

  “All right, all right.” He raised his hands in defeat. “No low blows, please. We’ll film our story and leave it at headquarters. If someone else somehow gets onto the story, Jack will air our coverage. Deal?”

  She smiled at him gratefully. “Thanks, Ridge. I want this handled right. Just think, after a few more days, you’ll have prizewinning footage to accompany the story; right now it’s just a vision.”

  “Fine, fine. You don’t have to sell me. This is your gig, and I’m here by special invitation.” Grinning, Alexana turned away. Ridge shook his head as she returned to the team to discuss their next move. “See you tomorrow, love of my life,” he mused, wondering about a woman who could
persuade him to delay a story of worldwide importance yet again.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  MAY 15

  Alexana and Ridge saw little of each another as the days sped by. Ridge’s plans for a romantic dinner never materialized as Alexana worked sixteen hours a day to keep things moving and appease all involved. Ridge himself was called to do a report on the 1967 Six-Day War at Golan Heights and the temptation for the Syrians to do battle again. From there, he and Steve were sent to Gaza to do a story on Palestinians who crossed Israeli borders for work.

  Ridge and Steve managed to return to the Haram three days later. As they eagerly compiled their story, Ridge prayed that no one would scoop them. He knew the word would travel fast.

  He was right. Before long, the team’s work below the Temple Mount had made both the national and international news. Crews from the three primary U.S. networks and stations around the world stood outside the Haram entryway. Like birds of prey, they waited to speak with Alexana or anyone else they could get their hands on. They cast Ridge and Steve envious looks as the men showed their passes and threw smug smiles over their shoulders before entering the work site each day.

  Although they immensely enjoyed their notoriety and special privileges, by day nine Ridge could not wait any longer to show their inside footage. “Please, Alexana. Let us air what we’ve got,” he urged. “It won’t be long until someone sneaks in here after paying some guard off. Let’s do it right.”

  Alexana placed her hands on her hips and looked at the ground, considering his words.

  Ridge studied her. “You look fabulous,” he whispered so only she could hear. Alexana looked at him in surprise. “I know, I know. You’re into business right now. But every time I see you, I can think of nothing but personal matters. Like making you my wife.” He grinned as a slow blush crept above her crisp white collar, obvious even beneath her rich tan.

  “Business, McIntyre. Business for now,” she said firmly, doing her best to hide a smile. “Let’s go get Steve and shoot your final footage for the opening segment. I think I have just the thing for you today.”