Water

by Anna Petrovich

  “We should drive out towards them, give him the package. Maybe he isn’t coming to Los Angeles.”

  “Now, let’s not lose our heads. Ethan Ryde is a dangerous man. Believe me, you don’t want to know him.”

  “Fine, then can we go see a movie tomorrow night?” Tessa grinned at Morgen who laughed, swinging into the apartment drive. The next morning, they were eating breakfast when the phone rang.

  “Hello?” The familiar British accent rang in the room, but the confidence was missing in the tone. “I’m replying to the advertisement on the television for Ethan Ryde.”

  “Ethan, this is Colonel Almira Morgen.” There was silence on the other end of the line, then she heard the gunshots and it went dead.

  “Oh, my goodness!” Tessa was sitting on her stool, the egg still on the fork that had clattered to the floor. “Who was that? Were those gunshots?”

  “Yes. We’re driving out to his location. Grab a jacket and a change of clothes. I’ll meet you in the car.” The women rushed around before slamming the car doors simultaneously. Morgen gunned the motor, tires protesting before pulling out into the road and heading for the highway. It sped along, neither woman speaking because of the thoughts running through their head. Morgen was back in the field, watching a young Ryde lead his first undercover operation. The men climbed into the Humvees and took off, none of them looking back at her. Hours passed before one vehicle returned with a battered Ryde and several other men, wounded. He’d climbed out of the driver’s seat before his legs buckled underneath him. There was blood sliding down his face, mixed with the sweat and dirt. Two privates leapt forward, helping him to his feet.

  “Mission accomplished. Next time, please make sure that the intel is good. We were ambushed halfway there.” Then he’d toppled over into her arms, unconscious from the pain and exhaustion. Her heart had been lost from that moment on, but he’d found love somewhere else. The pain made her grimace before sneezing from the facial movement. Her eyes were elsewhere when the scream of Tessa made her look up.

  6

  As the truck gained on them, Ethan edged the Audi down a long dirt road toward some abandoned mining buildings. If they were going to defend themselves, the children and Amber had to be out of sight. He sent them up a flight of stairs, leading to an upper story or the top of the building before examining his options before the truck reached their location. Amber sat with the children crouched on the rooftop of the abandoned building, her heart pounding from fear. Their protector stood in plain sight, leaning against the side of the car with a lazy posture. The truck pulled up in front of the house, several of the men leaping out with their guns aimed at the man’s chest. “Easy, there.” His voice was calm, self-assured without a tremor in it. It could have been a Sunday afternoon request to help with the dishes. “You should be careful with those, someone might get hurt.” A man stepped out of the vehicle, adjusting the bright silver snakeskin jacket and sneering at the ex-soldier.

  “Where is Mr. Water’s wife?” Ethan met his gaze, putting a great deal of intensity into his stare. His jaw moved, then he turned and walked toward the door. “Stop or these men will put over ten pounds of lead into your body.”

  “You want the girl or not?” He turned, arms resting at his sides and head tilted just slightly to the right. “I could care less about a personal family matter just now.” The woman on the roof began to tremble, afraid that the words that had come out of his mouth were true. Maybe this was the last day the children would see the sun.

  “Open the door, slowly.” It swung open to reveal an empty hallway, the dust not disturbed on the boards. “Go in, keep your hands where we can see them.” Two steps in, Ethan dove to the left into the kitchen and pulled out the knives from the drawer. Bullets ripped the counters and cupboards to shreds above his head. A mercenary stepped around the corner, fell instantly with a knife in his chest. It was warning to the rest, to take precautions around this man. The next man fired while entering, got three steps further before the knife penetrating a vein in his neck. There were five more to go before the fight was finished for the man lying on the kitchen floor. Ethan dodged the bullets into the next room. His hands landed on a black wire. It went around the neck of the next guy in. He used it as a sort of catapult, throwing the man into the other two in the doorway. Bullets flew wide, ripping through walls. Using the chest of drawers as a launching pad, he leapt high and brought another man down. His spine was broken, writhing on the floor in pain. On the roof, the woman and children could hear the screams. They were worried, the girl clinging to her brother with a desperate grip. A hand suddenly was laid on Amber’s shoulder. She screamed, whirling around and striking wildly.

  “Amber! It’s over.” Ethan stood there, sweating and smiling with an automatic pistol in his hand. His tie had come half undone and dirt was everywhere. A thin line of blood was on his cheek, sliding down in a small trickle.

  “You could have been killed.” Her arms wrapped around him in a sudden emotional frenzy, bursting into tears against his chest. He saved our lives. How could I have doubted him? Maybe, Daddy was right – there is a life waiting for us. He stood there, calmly and holding her for a long time. Finally, she calmed down and took a step back, embarrassed. Ai de me! He must think that I’m pathetic, all this crying. His shirt was soaked with her tears and dusted with dirt, but somehow to her eyes it was far better than the best dressed blue blood in the big cities. Together they all walked down the stairs and got into the vehicle. As they pulled out, she suddenly thought about the men who had attacked them. “Are they all dead?” A cold chill of horror slid down her spine as he looked at her.

  “All, but one. Left him to send a message back to Wade.” It scared her for moment when she looked into his intense blue eyes. There was something that glinted in them that wasn’t human, an animal rage and passion. Her mind went back to when Wade had returned from the army, there had been the same primal anger in his eyes and motions. But there was a difference. Ethan was kind, gentle, good with the kids, hadn’t sworn, drank, or even tried to touch her. “Your husband is connected with some extremely dangerous men, Amber. What do you know about his service in the military?”

  “It was in Busan, there were a lot of secret missions. He didn’t really talk about it, kept a lot to himself.”

  “Then how was leaving the army? Honorable or dishonorable discharge?” She looked at him, forehead wrinkled in confusion.

  “Tells me a lot about a man. Gives me an edge against him and the associates that are tailing us. Men who left in disgrace, they’re willing to do anything to kill us. There won’t be any honor in them.”

  “I don’t know. He didn’t talk about it. But the arrest was made by men in a camo uniform, could it be connected?”

  “Probably.” Ethan sighed heavily, not happy with the odds that they were facing. Sweat began to slide down from his hair line, running down his face. The heat seemed unbearable, the tie choking his throat without letting any oxygen down. Pressure was weighing down on him, forcing the thoughts to go inward into the abyss of forgotten memories. Busan. He’d been there for a stint during the war…after losing his wife. Rage had clouded a great deal of his thoughts and actions, but there had been a man matching Wade’s appearance. Then it struck him, the vehicle swerving nearly off the road before it stopped. His entire body was shaking, he opened the door and fell out onto the dirt. Leaning back against the shade of the car, he closed his eyes to think more clearly.

  It had been cold and wet; their foxholes had been nearly filled to the brim with muddy water. A great wide field lay between them and the communists that was nearly un-crossable. He had chosen a team of toughened men to raid a local hospital for medical supplies, there were more coming by plane, but not soon enough for three civilian women prepared to give birth in the next two days. They’d suited up, Kevlar and thick waterproof jackets that matched the dark grey landscape. The weapons were chosen for urban combat at a close distance, their goal was not to engage w
ith the enemy. Quick in, quick out. Halfway down an alley, they’d been ambushed. More than half of the men had given their lives in the short fight. He’d called off the rest, laying down his weapon in surrender. A tall man had leapt down from a building, his fist connecting with Ethan’s jaw. Unable to prepare himself to the blow, he had sprawled in the mud. He’d attempted to get up, then felt the large boot of the man bury itself in his back. The man who matched the description of Wade was being praised. A traitor. Anger flooded his veins, making his vision red. Two months in a prisoner of war camp, the closest brush with death in his career.

  “Ethan?” Amber was standing there, shaking him in her panic. His eyes focused on her and his jaw tightened.

  “Your husband was a bloody traitor.” The shout echoed against the mountains, veins in his neck sticking out.

  “You remember?” She looked into his face, saw the pain and desperation in the blue eyes. “What happened to you?”

  “Busan. We were on a medical run to the local hospital, got ambushed. They killed all of them, except for your husband. I was tortured for two months for information.” His breathing became heavy, no words passing his lips. A single tear slid down his face, his shoulders shaking slightly. They sat there for a long time before his nerves allowed him to get up and begin driving again. Inside the hotel room, he was removing his shirt when she noticed the scars running along the shoulders and back. Their eyes met, a chill ran down her spine again. There was an element in them that hadn’t been there before. “I promised you would be safe, that was a promise. Even your husband if that is your wish.” She raised an eyebrow and looked at him, unable to stand so she sank back onto the bed.

  “What kind of man are you, Mr. Ryde?” There was no reply, he had no idea, everything was based on instinct. “He is a terrible man, but was my husband. I can’t ask you to leave him alone. You suffered for what he did.”

  “I’ll try to leave him alone for your sake. At the very least, you won’t hear of it. But if he keeps coming after us, I can’t guarantee his safety.”

  “You’ve done more than enough. Thank you.” The children lay sprawled on the bed, exhausted from the heat and excitement. “These children are my life now. Saving them…” He nodded, understanding where she was coming from.

  “I’m going out.” The words were spoken softly with a slight smile as he walked out of the door. It was early morning when he returned, armed with a large handgun and several clips of ammunition. They were at war with these men with limited resources. He wanted to change that, the odds were not in their favor. Amber and the children were eating breakfast in the little area opposite the main lobby door. Ethan ignored them, heading straight back to the room and pulling the rest of the stuff out of the bag. Stripping out of his shirt, he undid the Velcro straps of the Kevlar and slipped it on. He was tightening the waist band when she opened the door, stopping in surprise. “Your husband has multiple assets, we are starting with one man, one gun, one car. We’re also handicapped with children. Not very good odds, so it’s time to prepare for the consequences. Yesterday probably pissed him off in a big way.” The white shirt, tie, and jacket concealed the Kevlar perfectly. Pulling on a waterproof navy jacket, he slid the gun into the pocket and placed the clips in the zip pocket. “How are the kids?”

  “They’re still eating breakfast in the lobby. Both of them think that this is just a big adventure.”

  “Get them in the car, I’ll be there in a second.” The bathroom mirror told him that his lack of sleep was a mistake. A splash of ice cold water improved the dark circles underneath his eyes. Nothing could be done for the headache and lack of normal energy. He pulled open the car door, sliding in and starting up the engine.

  “Let me drive, Ethan. You need some sleep.” His head turned toward her, weighing the options carefully. “I’ll wake you if something happens.” After a minute, he nodded and changed sides with her. Leaning back, sleep came to him quickly. Amber looked at him, his face peaceful for once. This man was risking his life for them, was even willing to give up revenge for her. But he was also frightening with the ability to kill in a cold, clinical fashion that scared her. Her mind was confused, while her heart was falling slowly for this stranger.

  7

  The black suburban flew off the road, just missing the telephone pole and swerving violently in the gravel. Morgen saw a man standing there with a gun, his stride slow and steady as he approached the car. He gestured for them to get out, his rifle aimed at their chests. “Get out slowly, don’t make any sudden moves.” There was a strong Irish brogue to his voice. Tessa was trembling with fear, whimpering quietly as she got out. “In the van!” He guided them towards the open doors, where they took a seat on the benches along the wall. The doors closed on them, locking from the outside. There was no grate to see the road or the driver.

  “Who are these men?” Tessa’s voice was high pitched from fear, her body trembling like a frail leaf on a windy day.

  “I’m not sure.” Morgen wrapped her arms around the younger woman, thinking hard about the man’s appearance. It was professional. Military. He was no fool, kept the gun trained on them the whole time at a reasonable distance. No chance for her to knock the gun out of his hands. But he’d forgotten to check her a phone or weapons. Her cell phone sat hidden in the empty space of her boot. She dialed the number that Ryde had called from, hoping that it was a cell phone.

  “This is Amber Waters, please leave a message at the tone.” A beautiful voice with a tinge of Spanish upbringing in it.

  “Ethan. This is Morgen. We’ve been kidnapped by a man with military training. Help, we’re on the highway in…” It stopped, her phone battery was dead. Leaning back against the smooth cold metal, she soothed Tessa with humming the lullaby her mother had sung to her. The vehicle rocked back and forth on the bumpy road. She guessed that they were off the highway now, probably on a dirt road. As the vehicle slowed down, she grabbed up a pile of chains from the floor of the van preparing to defend herself. The doors opened wide. She swung the chain to the right, taking out the first man with a blow to the chest. Another swing took the driver down. Then someone struck her in the back of the head, everything going black.

  When she awoke, Tessa sat tied up across the room from her. Her leg felt painful, when she moved the sharp knives stabbed into the bones and muscles. Cursing in her mind, she realized that it was broken. She pulled herself into a sitting position, then gasped as the pain coursed through her body. “You, white woman!” An Asian man turned around the corner, gesturing with his pistol. “Where is the British man? We want his head.”

  “I don’t know.” Her eyes flashed with defiance, the pain making her head groggy and confused. The Asian man was shoved out of the way by a large man with weepy grey eyes and a scar along his face.

  “Colonel Morgen.” His voice was soft, wispy almost inaudible as though his throat had been too small for his body. “You will tell us where the British man is and where he took my wife. Or we’ll serve you both up in pieces to him.”

  “I don’t know your wife.” Morgen said, spitting at his feet with a defiant look on her face and venom in her voice.

  “You seem like an intelligent woman. We’ll give you an hour to tell us before Gustav starts on the girl.” They turned and left, slamming the door to the barn. Evening began to fall before it opened again. This time Morgen was ready for them. Her time had been spent desperately working the ropes off her arms, before limping around on a search for some kind of weapon. There lay an assortment of items sat on the work bench, most of which were useless. She was able to grab one before dragging herself back over to Tessa, slicing the ropes and whispering a plan in her ear. The men’s footsteps approached, giving her just enough time to get behind the wall of the stall where they’d left her. A cleaver sunk into the chest of Gustav before he had time to open his mouth. The next man was struck in the voice box with a powerful blow that crushed his larynx. He lay there choking on floor. Then the man with the weep
y eyes walked in. His presence made Tessa scream and struggle against her ropes. One step and Morgen crumpled, her leg not holding up. He dragged her over to a table, using the leather straps to hold her down. “You’ll be sorry for what you did. I think this will be an enjoyable process.” His knife blade traced her jaw line down her chest. Suddenly, he slumped forward onto her. Tessa stood there with an empty gas can in her hands.

  “That…was amazing!” She said, before dropping it on the ground. “I’ve kinda always wanted to do that.”

  “Shut up and get these off me.” Morgen feared that more men would walk in the door before they could get away. They walked out into the sunlight, stopping beside a black sedan and climbing in. The man with the weepy eyes grinned as he saw them leave. In the pocket of Tessa’s jacket lay a tracker hidden in the material.

  8

  Ethan sat in the corner booth, watching the traffic out the window and thinking about the information that had been haunting him all night. He glanced down at his hands, toughened from years of fighting and saw the blood seeping between the fingers. The nightmares had gotten worse, more and more intense. A waitress walked up, her blue dress stained with a coffee spill from the collar to the waist. “Can I help you, sir?” She had a perky attitude, smiling as the pad came out of her pocket along with a pen.