by Robin Huber
His eyes narrow slightly. “Derek can be very convincing.”
“So you really do know him.” I smile softly, feeling comforted by his presence, and glance up at the mosquito netting hanging over the bed, suddenly aware of the sweat beading on my face. “Where are we?”
“Somewhere safe. Far from home. And far from the men who took you.”
The thought eases and unsettles me at once. “How far?”
“Costa Rica. We’re on an island about twenty miles off the coast.”
“Does Derek know I’m here?”
“He asked me to bring you here.”
“Why?” I ask, trying to make sense of the confusion filling my head.
“He’s overseeing a team of scientists who are doing research here for Syntec. The island is secluded. He knew that you’d be safe here...for now. Until he finds out what’s going on with Marc Spencer.”
A shiver runs down my spine at the mention of his name. “Are you a scientist?”
He exhales a soft laugh through his nose and an amused smile touches his eyes. “No, I’m not a scientist. I’m a marine. I was a marine,” he corrects with some effort. “I’m here to protect the research team. And you...it would seem.”
“I guess so.” I give a small, tentative smile, grateful that Derek sent him. “I thought you said the island is secluded. What does the research team need protecting from?”
“Nothing you need to worry about. Right now, the only thing you should be concerned with is getting better. I should really have someone come look at you now. They can give you morphine for the pain.”
“No.” I shake my head, remembering how I was trapped inside my body, unable to defend myself. “I don’t want to be sedated again.” I swallow against the dry burn in my throat. “But I am thirsty. Can I have some water?”
“Sure.” He gets up and walks across the room and I notice his black boots and military pants and the way that his matching black T-shirt stretches across the muscles in his back.
I rest my head against the pillow and blow out a slow breath. I’m safe.
He retrieves a steel tumbler from a large black backpack and untwists the lid before handing it to me. “It’s water.”
“Thank you.” I bring it to my lips and begin to drink it quickly.
“Not too fast,” he says gently, sitting back down beside the bed.
I lower the water and look at him. “Do you know Callie? Derek’s wife?”
“I know of her. I’ve seen pictures. But no, I’ve never actually met her. I was stationed overseas for the majority of the last ten years,” he explains. “I haven’t seen Derek in a long time.”
“Oh,” I say curiously, but he doesn’t elaborate further.
“Derek said she’s like a sister to you.”
I nod over the worry and angst that clouds my thoughts of her. “We’ve been friends a really long time too, but we spent the majority of the last ten years together.” I smile softly.
“Well, she and Derek must care a great deal about you. He went to considerable lengths to find you and keep you safe.”
I blink back tears, wondering when I’ll be able to see them again.
Kellan reaches for my hand and gives it a soft squeeze. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
I exhale a credulous breath as I look into his honest eyes. But a knock at the door startles me, making my muscles tense and my wound ache.
Kellan gives me a reassuring look as he gets up to answer the door. “Don’t be afraid. No one here will hurt you.”
A woman enters the room, giving Kellan a wary look as she passes him. She has a young face, framed by wavy brown hair that hangs past her shoulders, and curious brown eyes that take me in.
“Makayla, this is Mia,” Kellan says, following her over to me.
She gives me a small, unassuming smile that shouldn’t feel threatening, but every cell in my body is on guard.
“Hi, Makayla,” she says softly.
“Hi.” My eyes bounce between her and Kellan.
“Mia is one of the scientists I was telling you about,” he explains. “She’s a friend.”
Her smile warms. “I just wanted to come check on you and make sure you’re okay.” Her face fills with compassion. “I can’t even imagine what you’ve been through. I’m so sorry. But you’ll be safe here with us. We’ll take good care of you.”
“Thank you,” I say, trying to sound gracious, but I can’t hide the apprehension in my voice.
“Mia, have you seen Adam or Dr. Hernandez?” Kellan asks. “I think one of them should take a look at her stitches.”
“Well, I’ll try not to take that personally,” she says, narrowing her eyes at him. “I’m in med school,” she says to me, “I know what healthy stitches should look like. But I’d be happy to go find one of the real doctors.”
Her quip amuses me, distracting me from my trepidation.
When she leaves, Kellan asks, “Are you hungry?”
“Just thirsty.” I take another sip of water and glance around the very warm room, reminded of our proximity to the equator. “What is the island called?”
“La Isla Azul.” The words roll off his tongue effortlessly. “The Blue Island.”
“Is it as alluring as it sounds?”
“It’s very beautiful, yes.”
“Exactly how secluded is it?”
“There’s a small fishing village on the east side of the island, but other than the residents who live there, it’s uninhabited.”
“Are they dangerous?”
“No, they’re kind. They’ve been very welcoming to us.”
“Are there dangerous animals?”
“None that I’ve seen. The monkeys get a little excited sometimes, but they’re harmless for the most part.”
“Monkeys?”
“Howler monkeys. They can get pretty loud.”
“Oh.”
“The island is safe, Makayla, I assure you.”
“Then what exactly do we need protecting from?”
He sits back down in the chair beside the bed and considers his answer. “The Latin American drug cartel is very active throughout Central and South America.”
I tense automatically.
“It’s just a precaution. Syntec is very protective of its investments.”
“Clearly,” I huff.
“Sorry.” He drops his chin and hides his tranquil blue eyes—the only thing that gives me any comfort in this unfamiliar place.
I shrug. “Syntec isn’t responsible for what happened to me. Marc Spencer is.”
“Yes,” he agrees.
“I need to talk to Derek. Is there a phone? Can I call him?”
“We have a satellite phone. Derek’s anxious to talk to you. We can ask Dr. Hernandez when he gets here.”
“Is he a scientist too?”
“Yes, but he’s also a physician. And he’s a friend of Derek’s.”
Mia leads two men into the room, prompting Kellan to stand up. “Makayla, this is Dr. Hernandez and Adam Sinclair,” she says, introducing the men. “Adam was with Kellan when he found you,” she adds, pointing to the younger of the two men. The other one must be the doctor. His hair is a mix of brown and gray and his olive-colored cheeks are covered in salt and pepper stubble. Shallow wrinkles line his forehead and stretch from his smiling eyes.
I attempt to smile back at him as he approaches, but I feel myself tensing as he closes the space between us.
“It’s good to see you awake, Makayla. I’m Dr. Hernandez.” He sits on the end of the bed. “I’m going to take a look at your incision now, if that’s okay with you.”
He waits for my approval, but I lie frozen, feeling my skin crawl at the thought of him touching me. “No,” I finally say.
Kellan sits down in the chair beside the bed and says softly to me, “He needs to check for infection, Makayla.”
“But you said it looks better,” I say to him.
“I’m not a doctor.” He puts his hand on
my wrist, evoking a completely different response—one of comfort and safety—and whispers, “I won’t let anyone hurt you. They’re just trying to help.”
I bob my head and tentatively reach for the bottom of my shirt. I pull it up over my stomach and Mia huffs quietly.
“I’ll bring you some clean gauze,” she says to Dr. Hernandez.
The doctor pulls back the gauze and I try to block out the feeling of his thick fingers brushing my skin as he slowly removes the tape.
“Looks good,” he says, pleased. “Looks really good.” He glances over his shoulder at the man standing behind him. “Impressive, Adam, considering you sewed her up mid-flight.”
“Adam is a medic,” Kellan says to me. “He served with me in the Marines.”
Adam, who’s studying Mia as she redresses my wound, runs his hand through his sandy blonde hair and gives me a gentle smile. “You look much better. I’m glad to see it.” His brown eyes crinkle and I notice a scar that runs through his left eyebrow. “You’re very lucky that there was no damage to your internal organs. I only had to repair some muscle tissue. You’ll need antibiotics for the next week or so, but you should be as good as new soon.”
I nod. “Thank you...for what you did.”
“No need to thank me,” he says softly. “I’m sorry for what happened to you. I’m just glad we got there when we did. Kellan’s the real hero,” he says, putting his hand on Kellan’s shoulder. “He found you and brought you to me.”
My eyes flash to Kellan’s and I give him a small nod, unable to remember him rescuing me, but comforted that it was him. That must be why I feel safe around him. It must be buried in my subconscious somewhere. “Thank you,” I say to him.
He nods and one corner of his mouth turns up ever so slightly.
Mia finishes her task and stands with my team of caretakers.
“Can I call Derek now?” I ask them.
“Of course,” Dr. Hernandez says. “The satellite phone is in my bag. I’ll go get it.”
“We’ll give you some privacy,” Kellan says.
“Stay? Please. Derek might need to speak to you.”
“Okay.”
Dr. Hernandez returns a few moments later, holding a bulky black phone to his ear. “All right, Derek, here she is.” He hands me the phone and steps out of the room, followed by Mia and Adam.
“Derek?”
“Makayla. Oh my God...are you okay?”
I bob my head, unable to speak over the storm of emotions inside me.
“Makayla?”
“Yes,” I squeak out, holding in a sob. “I’m okay.” I blink back tears and tell him, “They killed Jessica.”
“Jessica?”
“She was with me. They took us both. And they killed her. They killed her, Derek,” I cry, still shocked and horrified. “You have to call the police. You have to tell someone.”
After a few quiet seconds, he says, “You’re safe now, Makayla. That’s all that matters.”
“I want to come home.” As I say it, I realize home is the last place I want to be. Not as long as Marc is there. He tried to get rid of me once. I don’t think he’d fail a second time.
“You can’t come back here...not yet. Not until I figure out what’s going on with Marc. It’s too dangerous. Marc’s too dangerous.”
“He’s a criminal. You have to tell someone. He’ll go to prison for what he did.”
“He won’t be easy to incriminate, Makayla. He’s smart. And he has unlimited resources. I’ll need to collect as much information as I can before I go to the police. It will take some time. But as long as you’re hidden away there, he’ll have no reason to suspect anything. He trusts me.”
“You have to tell someone about Jessica, Derek. Her family needs to know what happened to her.”
“I will. But not until I have the evidence to implicate Marc.”
“Derek–”
“You’ve seen what he’s capable of, Makayla. I won’t do anything to risk your safety, or Callie’s. Jessica’s family will know in time.”
I swallow down conflicting feelings of anger, frustration and fear, and wipe my watery eyes.
“Kellan is my friend. I trust him. He’ll keep you safe. And Dr. Hernandez will keep you healthy. He’s a good physician. You’re in good hands there.”
“How long will I be here?”
“A few weeks, a month, two months. I don’t know. As long as it takes.”
“Months,” I say quietly, feeling trapped, knowing I have no way of leaving on my own, knowing I have nowhere to go even if I could. “You think it will take that long?”
“I don’t know. But it’s our best option. I’m not willing to risk your safety.”
I close my eyes at the thought and the ache in my stomach sharpens. “What about my apartment? My things?”
“Callie and I will take care of it. Don’t worry about any of that.”
I swallow down the apprehension that’s lodged in my throat. “Okay,” I agree reluctantly.
“Callie wants to talk to you. I’m going to give the phone to her now.”
A millisecond later, Callie’s crying into the phone, “Makayla?”
The storm inside me surges, bringing fresh tears to my eyes. “Callie.” I cry quietly, clinging to the comfort of her familiar voice.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m okay.”
“I’m so sorry.” She sniffles. “I can’t believe this happened.”
I exhale a shaky breath and reassure her. “I’m okay, Cal.”
“That asshole will pay for what he did.”
“Stay away from him, Callie. And whatever Derek’s doing, make sure he’s being careful. Marc is dangerous.”
She’s quiet for a second. “What did they do to you?” she asks carefully.
I close my eyes, because I don’t fully remember...I don’t want to. But I know what she’s asking.
“Were you...”
My chest fills with a painful sob, so big it feels like it could break my ribs if I don’t let it out, but I hold it in and answer, “No.” It’s what she needs to hear, even if I don’t know if it’s true. I close my eyes and push away the blurry memories of the man with beady black eyes, unable to confront the thought of what he did to me.
She lets out a strangled sigh of relief. “But they stabbed you?” she asks, and I grimace at the mention of it.
“Yes. But I’m okay. It doesn’t hurt,” I lie.
“You’re okay,” she says quietly. “You survived...you’re safe...you’re okay,” she chants to herself.
I can only imagine what she’s been through the last couple of days. What I would be going through if she were the one this happened to. “We’re both okay, Callie.”
“Derek says we aren’t going to be able to talk for a while. He doesn’t want to risk anyone finding out you’re there. He has scheduled calls with Dr. Hernandez, so we’ll have to communicate through them.”
“Okay.”
“Just try to focus on getting better. I’ll see you soon.”
I nod over the tight feeling in my throat. “I’ll be counting the days.”
“Me too,” she chokes out. “Bye, Kay.”
“Bye, Cal.”
I hand the phone to Kellan, who’s been staring at the floor between his feet for the last several minutes. He takes it from me and holds it to his ear. “Derek? ... Yeah. ... Okay. ... I’ll keep her safe. I promise.”
Chapter 4
Makayla
I wake from a deep sleep and see Mia sitting in a chair in the corner of the room through the soft white veil of the mosquito netting. She’s reading a magazine and sipping a cup of coffee.
“Where’s Kellan?” I ask anxiously.
“Good morning,” she says, getting up and crossing the small room. “He’ll be back soon.” She pushes the netting out of the way and sits down on the corner of the bed. “He just went to take a shower. Probably a good idea”—she smirks—“seeing as how he’s been here,
watching over you, for the last forty-eight hours.”
I shake my head, surprised that it’s been that long.
“It’s normal to sleep so much after a trauma. Your body is healing. It’s a good thing.”
I sit up carefully and don’t feel the sharp pain in my stomach I felt before. It’s more of a throbbing ache now. I drop my feet over the side of the bed and edge forward until they touch the floor.
“What are you doing?” she asks, reaching for me.
“I have to go to the bathroom.”
“Oh”—she takes my hand—"Okay.” She helps me stand up. “That’s good, it means you’re getting hydrated. But...carefully.” She guides me to a small bathroom and I scrunch my nose at the peeling porcelain toilet that’s ringed with rust beneath the water.
I wipe the sweat from my forehead, kicking the underwear off my feet when I sit down. “Will you throw those away, please? Or burn them?”
She gives me a soft, empathetic smile. “Yes. And I brought you some clothes to change into.”
I glance over at the peeling, rust-ringed tub. “Can I bathe first?”
“You’re still weak, that might be pushing it.”
“I need a bath,” I say determinedly. I can feel him lingering in the dirt and dried blood that’s caked in the crevasses of my skin and crusted beneath my fingernails.
“All right, but I’ll have to help you.”
“Okay.”
She sits on the edge of the tub and turns the water on, which flows slowly out of the faucet. She holds her hand under the water, letting it splash against her fingers. “It’s not very warm,” she warns.
“That’s okay.” It might feel good on my sticky skin.
When the tub is a third of the way full, she turns the water off and reaches for my hand. I take it and stand up. I reach for the bottom of the long shirt I’m wearing and begin to pull it up, but the motion tugs at my stitches and I wince.
“Let me help,” she says, taking over for me. She pulls the shirt off over my head and drops it on the floor, paying no mind to my naked body as she helps me into the tub.
When the cool water touches my legs it sends goosebumps across my warm skin.
“Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” I grit, sinking down into the shallow water, and the motion makes my incision throb a little. I hug my knees and a shiver runs through me, but after a few seconds, I begin to acclimate to the cool temperature, and the ache in my stomach eases.