Guardian Angel

by Becky Harmon

Ellie shifted the makeshift clothing pillow under her head, looking for a softer spot. She could feel the occasional deep breaths from Angel and knew she was still awake too. Aside from the perilousness of their situation, she had really enjoyed their evening together. She was glad they had started talking about what happened in the alley, though. She still had so much emotion churning inside her and the man’s death played like a video each time she closed her eyes. The way Angel had taken him without hesitation had surprised her. She would be forever grateful, though, because she knew she would not be alive right now otherwise.

  From the moment she had met Angel, she had felt protected in her presence, but now she felt truly safe. There had been no discussion about their sleeping arrangements, but she had been relieved when Angel lay down close beside her. Most of the small fires scattered around them had disappeared hours ago, but she could still hear the occasional murmur of conversation. The ledge that they lay under protected them from the desert winds, but she still felt a chill. She pushed her back against Angel’s body, searching for warmth.

  “You need to sleep,” Angel whispered, rolling toward Ellie and pulling Ellie’s back against her.

  “I’m trying.”

  “Think about happier things and your mind will push away the bad images.”

  The silence lingered between them as she thought about Angel’s words.

  “How did you know that’s what I was thinking about?” she asked.

  “We’ll both be haunted for a while.”

  “But I’m glad he’s dead.”

  “Me too.”

  Angel squeezed Ellie’s body tighter against her own.

  She held back a moan of contentment. She couldn’t help wishing they were back in the embassy. If they were, she wouldn’t hesitate to take advantage of Angel’s closeness. But they weren’t. They were stranded in the desert, and the level of excitement she was feeling wrapped in Angel’s arms was inappropriate.

  Angel had killed a man today. Killed a man to protect her. She squeezed her eyes shut, reliving the moment again and again. She knew what Angel did for a living, but seeing her act so quickly made it all so much more real. She wanted to ask Angel how many people she had killed, but the question seemed so heartless. The depth of sadness displayed in Angel’s eyes throughout the day told her more than words could anyway. Angel didn’t enjoy what she had done even though her words were devoid of any regret.

  “Do you see a lot of death working for Vince?” she asked softly.

  She felt Angel’s intake of breath.

  “You don’t have to answer that if you don’t want to,” she quickly added.

  “I’ve had a lot of people in the crosshairs of my rifle, but thankfully I didn’t always have to pull the trigger.” Angel took another deep breath. “Do you feel differently about me now?”

  “Feel differently? Because you sacrificed yourself to save my life? Of course I do. But not the way you’re asking. I’m so thankful to have you with me. I wouldn’t be here right now if you weren’t the person that you are.” She pushed up on her elbows and turned toward Angel. The darkness surrounded them like a blanket of protection, and she could barely see the pale outline of her face. “How are you handling all of this?”

  “Mostly I’m sad that you saw me take someone’s life.” Angel’s voice was barely audible.

  “I’d never judge you.”

  “No matter what I feel, I’ll always follow through with what I’ve been trained to do. Every time I’m sent on a mission, I know the risks.”

  “But how do you deal with the outcome?”

  “Right now, I’m just concentrating on getting us out of this mess. I’ll resolve any additional baggage when it’s all over,” Angel said with conviction.

  She knew that was the Flagler agent talking and not really Angel, but she would respect the suppression of her feelings for now. Angel knew what she needed to do to move forward; now wasn’t the time to make her process her emotions. She rolled onto her side, snuggling back into Angel’s arms.

  “During my time as an analyst, I gathered intelligence for others to use in the fight against terrorism. I saw the aftereffects of war mostly in pictures. On a few occasions, I came face-to-face with the enemy, but it was always after they were in our custody. I took moderate risks, but I never really felt fear until today. I’ve been trained on what to do if I ever found myself in a life-threatening situation, and I have to trust that I would have done it today. If you wouldn’t have been there.”

  “I’m sure you would have.”

  “I’ve always been better at the fight end of things than the flight part.”

  Angel’s body shook with a chuckle, and Ellie could feel her own tension start to dissipate. Their time together had been fraught with disagreements and clashes about their beliefs. Now their future was uncertain, and it felt good to be on the same side.

  “We’re going to be okay,” Angel said softly, her lips close to Ellie’s ear.

  “Because you have a plan?”

  “Of course.”

  “I’d follow you anywhere.”

  She waited for Angel to explain her plan, but instead she felt her steady breathing of either relaxation or sleep. She wasn’t sure why Angel was being evasive about her plan. She knew this country better than Angel did. She knew they were headed for the ore train in Choum. It made the most sense. Even if they could find a reliable vehicle to make the return drive, they would be vulnerable on the road alone. Clearly Angel believed she wouldn’t be cooperative about what she had planned, so why should she make it easy on her? Oh yeah, because it felt good to be on the same side.

  “Are there snakes out here?” Angel asked.

  She was surprised at Angel’s voice and the question but held back a chuckle. “Of course, there are, but I’d be more concerned with the scorpions. They like dark, enclosed spaces like sleeping bags or shoes.”

  “What?” Angel tried to get up, but Ellie pulled her back down, openly laughing now.

  “Don’t worry, the deathstalker scorpion only gets up to four inches in length and they prefer drier areas so we’re probably safe around the Oasis. It’s hyenas and jackals that I’d worry about. They get really hungry in the desert and all animals come to water.”

  “You aren’t making me feel better.”

  “Is that what I was supposed to be doing? Telling you a bedtime story?”

  Angel was silent for a few moments. “Yes, after the day we’ve had I’d like to hear something good.”

  “Okay. Here you go, my little angel,” she said softly. “Are you familiar with the scimitar or Sahara oryx?”

  “That’s a deer-like animal?”

  She chortled. “Yes, kind of. It’s a spiral-horned antelope that stands barely three feet tall. Their coats are white with a reddish-brown chest and they have black markings on their forehead and nose.”

  “Sounds pretty.”

  “Be quiet and try to go to sleep.” She felt Angel’s chuckle but continued her story. “Years ago, they inhabited all of North Africa because they had a built-in cooling mechanism and needed very small amounts of water. With the changes in climate and hunters wanting their horns, they were declared extinct in two thousand.”

  “That’s sad.”

  “The local folklore has many tales of unicorns being sighted, and I’d tell you one but apparently you can’t remain silent long enough.”

  “I’ll try.”

  Ellie laughed again. “Truth is the unicorn myth probably originated from sightings of an oryx with a broken horn.”

  “Way to ruin the story.”

  “Hush.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  After morning prayers and breakfast, Angel began to gather their belongings while Ellie assisted in the cleanup from the meal. She planned to have Ellie talk with their hosts and see when they would be headed back into Atar. It was important to conceal their return as much as possible.

  “I found us a ride to Choum!” Ellie exclaimed as
she slid to a stop beside Angel.

  “How?” The excitement in Ellie’s voice made her grin. “That’s great news.”

  “We have to meet Nafisa now, though. She came to Atar to shop yesterday and is headed back to Choum in a few minutes.”

  “She doesn’t mind giving us a ride?”

  Ellie chuckled. “She doesn’t mind sharing the cost of her taxi.”

  “Oh. A four-hour drive in a taxi sounds lovely. Let’s go check out this vehicle.”

  There were only three vehicles in the area outside the dense vegetation of the oasis, two large Toyota Land Cruisers and a small red sedan. Of course, Ellie crossed to the sedan and gave a customary hug to a woman clad in a flowing multicolored mulafa. Ellie was dwarfed by the large dark-skinned woman as they stood side by side talking animatedly.

  She was pretty sure traveling to Choum by car instead of SUV wasn’t a good idea, but it seemed Ellie had already made the decision. The only other option was attempting to hotwire another vehicle when they returned to Atar. No matter the condition of the taxi, it would at least have the gas and an experienced driver to get them through the desert.

  “Nafisa. Angel,” Ellie said, introducing the two women as they climbed into the backseat. “Tariq is our driver.”

  Angel nodded her greetings and slid in beside the driver. He was small in stature with a trace of brown hair above his lip that was barely discernable against his skin. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as the car started off, bobbing and weaving across the road. He wasn’t talkative, but he had a broad grin, the kind that showed all of his teeth. She liked him immediately.

  When they reached the edge of Terjit, the cab slowed to approach the checkpoint. Angel didn’t want to produce their paperwork, but she wasn’t sure money would work this time. She pulled out the stack of papers Chloe had prepared for them to travel with.

  She wasn’t sure what paperwork Nafisa or Tariq would have. She held her fiche out to Tariq, but he waved it away. Pulling to a stop, he began chatting with the soldiers as if they were old friends. After a few minutes, he pulled through the checkpoint.

  She glanced at Ellie and shrugged. They had received another gift from a Mauritanian. Not having to show their paperwork on the trip to Choum would be a huge win for them.

  To say thank you, she attempted a bit of social conversation. Her small amount of French allowed them to talk about the view around them. In the morning light, the sun shone down on the table-shaped mountains, reflecting the golden light across the desert rock and sand dunes at their base.

  “Five hundred meters,” Tariq said.

  Angel nodded. Five hundred meters was over fifteen hundred feet, which was more than four times the size of Britton Hill, the highest point in Florida. The varying geography was one of the reasons she liked the Florida panhandle, where flat land was fronted by barrier islands and sandy beaches as well as low rolling hills.

  Out of things to talk about with him, she listened to Ellie and Nafisa chat in the backseat, straining to catch a word she understood. After a few minutes, she gave up. Glancing over the seat, she caught Ellie’s eye. Her smile was contagious, and Angel returned it. If only for a short time, Ellie could forget about their situation and the threat to her life.

  Angel wasn’t surprised that Ellie was enjoying her conversation. She already knew that the ambassador was able to handle many situations, but she was the most comfortable communicating on a personal level. Content that Ellie was safe and secure in the backseat, she returned to her own thoughts. The next phase of her plan required perfect timing. The train came through Choum every day, but it would only be stopped for a short time, possibly only minutes. They would stand out and be easy to locate if they had to wait for tomorrow’s train. Catching today’s train would be the safest option as would hanging back until the last minute to board. They would be able to lay low there until they reached Nouadhibou.

  She wasn’t completely sure what to expect with riding the train which delivered iron ore to the cargo ships on the coast. Ellie could probably fill in some of the blanks, but she hadn’t shared her plan with her yet. Since she was determined not to purchase passenger tickets, they would have to sit on top of the ore with the local travelers. Conditions there would be extremely chilly and windy through the night and sweltering hot under the sun the next morning. They would need additional clothing or blankets for protection.

  Her thoughts moved on to what would happen once they arrived in Nouadhibou. She had to assume the men chasing them would be watching the train station there, but she was counting on the two-mile length of the train to help cover their escape. She also hoped that they wouldn’t be expecting them to arrive so soon. If they could get safely off the train without being seen, her top priority would be to find somewhere to charge her cell phone. It seemed doubtful that it would have any power left by the time they arrived tomorrow.

  Once her phone had a charge, they could contact the embassy and someone could be dispatched to pick them up. It would take time for her team to reach them so they would need a place to hide out for a few hours. According to the map she had studied earlier the Banc d’Arguin National Park was located along the coast. It might provide some shelter away from the regular travel paths. It was closed to motor vehicles, so anyone attempting to follow them would have to do so on foot.

  Ellie’s laughter drifted into the front seat and Angel’s thoughts turned back to her. Ellie had become more than someone she was here to protect. Though she had vowed not to allow herself to get close to her, she had to admit that she had been unable to accomplish that. She liked the way Ellie’s touch made her feel and the way her body reacted to her. Her life wasn’t conducive to having a relationship and certainly not one that would likely have to be maintained with a stretch of thousands of miles between them. Why she was even thinking about this was a mystery to her. She should be focusing on getting them back to the embassy safely.

  Ellie touched her shoulder. “Nafisa would like to stop for lunch in Atar. There won’t be anywhere to eat along the road to Choum.”

  She shrugged. Stopping in Atar after what had happened yesterday made her uneasy, but if Nafisa was correct they would need food before the trip.

  “I think traveling with them will cover us enough to be okay,” she said, hoping she sounded more positive that she felt.

  The streets of Atar were crowded with donkeys pulling carts and flocks of goats as well as people. There were more people than vehicles and the streets were narrow. There were no sidewalks and the vendors were set up directly on the street. Tariq drove slowly and carefully, avoiding running children and animals. When they reached the northeastern edge of town, he stopped in front of a white stone building with a handwritten sign that read OPEN in multiple languages. This end of town was quieter, and the four of them quickly decided to select a table in the outside courtyard.

  “It’s a hotel too,” Ellie whispered. “It’s owned by a Dutch man and his German wife. They’re very welcoming to Westerners. I’ve always wanted to come here. I’ve heard they are both amazing chefs.”

  Angel nodded, taking in their surroundings. The garden terrace’s six wood and stone tables currently were all empty. The wooden base of the tables and chairs were painted with leaves in a brilliant green. An occasional red berry dotted the fake vegetation.

  “I’ve heard this place has great food,” Ellie said to Nafisa and Tariq in what sounded like Arabic, translating for Angel when she raised an eyebrow.

  They both eagerly responded, and Ellie smiled. “They’ve both been here before and thought it was very good,” she relayed to Angel.

  When the woman arrived to take their orders, Ellie ordered for Angel. While they waited for their food, Ellie carried the conversation, translating between everyone. Angel tried to participate as she watched the road for anyone passing that could cause them problems.

  Angel glanced at the square plate that was set in front of her. It had a piece of meat that looked like f
lank steak but was probably goat in a gravy or sauce with a yellow ball of rice or grain of some kind. She cut a piece of the meat and was surprised at the tenderness and the taste.

  Ellie bumped her shoulder. “It’s okay?”

  She nodded. “You can tell me later what I’m eating. I’m hungry and it tastes good, so don’t ruin it.”

  Ellie shook her head. “I’m happy to broaden your horizons.”

  She smiled, focusing on her plate. Everything about Ellie had broadened her horizons, and it was getting harder not to show it each time she looked at her.

  * * *

  The drive to Choum passed quicker than Angel had anticipated, even though the tarred road had ended soon after they left Atar. The sandy path was hard to follow and at times she wasn’t even sure they were still on it. Tariq was experienced and drove fast, swerving back and forth across the road to avoid rocks and boulders. When the sand got too deep, he stopped and let some air out of the tires to keep them from getting stuck.

  As they approached Choum the last rays of sunlight hung on the horizon, illuminating houses and shops made from mudbricks and the train which stretched into the distance like an ancient metal dinosaur, carriage after carriage heaped with black iron ore. As it slowed to a stop, the lines of people waiting began climbing aboard quickly.

  Angel jumped from the sedan before it came to a complete stop. Grabbing their bags from the trunk, she slung them across her back. She turned so Ellie could tuck the blankets Nafisa handed them into their packs. Waving goodbye to Nafisa and Tariq, she pulled Ellie toward the already moving train.

  “Hurry.”

  “You can’t be serious.” Ellie yelled over the rattle of the railcars as they began to move again.

  “It’ll take us back to the coast and within cell range of help.”

  Ellie pulled her to a stop. Her jaw clenched as she watched the railcars inch past them. “I knew this was your plan, but I certainly didn’t expect the train to be moving when we boarded.”

  “We really don’t have time to debate this.”

  “This was your plan all along?”