by Dale Mayer
She smiled as the large SUV pulled up outside a pump.
Twisting to look behind her she saw David and Theresa both slumped in their seats sound asleep. There was no sign of the second SUV and the rest of the tem. But they were out there somewhere.
Swede and Cooper hopped out. She opened her door. Cooper was there in an instant.
“I need a bathroom,” she confessed. “And if there’s a chance of a coffee…”
Cooper nodded. “I’ll escort you in.”
She beamed. “Thank you.” With a backward glance at the other two still sleeping, she walked with him to the restaurant and on to the ladies room at the back. There, she used the facilities and washed her hands, staring at her face in the mirror. She looked like shit.
No, actually she looked like she’d been attacked and grabbed, a hood thrown over her head and tossed in the back of a vehicle then held hostage for several hours before being forced out to a ship.
And subsequently rescued. Thank God for the last part. Her face looked pale, but her eyes twinkled so something had improved.
She grinned.
At least she hadn’t lost her sense of humor.
She took advantage of the hot water and towels to do a quick wash. She ran her fingers through her hair and froze. She’d never once considered her personal belongings. Her purse, wallet. Passport. She groaned. Replacing that stuff was going to be a bitch.
After freshening up as much as possible, she straightened her clothing and went back out to the restaurant.
Cooper stood outside the door.
“Hey, thanks for waiting.”
He hooked her arm in his. “I won’t be leaving your side until I know you’re home safe and sound, Doc.”
She laughed. “It might have been doc before, but do make it Sasha now. I don’t plan on cutting up your muscled body any time soon.”
“I should hope not.” He grinned. “I went to a lot of effort to put this body back together again.”
She poked him. “So did I, so did I.”
Laughing, he led her to the front counter where a large paper bag and a tray of takeout coffee sat waiting for them. As he paid, the door opened letting in a large group of men dressed like Cooper. Instinctively she wedged up beside Cooper and the counter.
He glanced down at her inquiringly. She nodded to the noisy group.
Cooper spun, his stance alert, wary.
And then Cooper relaxed. “What kept you so long? Markus, you drive like my grandmother.”
At that, the guy standing on the left looking like a cross between a Hell’s Angel and a real angel snorted. “Maybe so, but you’ve never driven with my granny and you drive like her. Those were speed signs back there, you know?”
Cooper’s voice was wry as he answered, “What signs?”
The guys smirked. Then their gazes shifted to her.
One after another they tilted their heads and said, “Ma’am.”
She raised an eyebrow and studied the group. They were all Americans and likely Cooper’s team. She nodded back to them and said in a low voice, “Thank you for rescuing me and my team.”
They nodded. She walked forward carrying the coffee tray. They instantly moved to the side. She beamed in thanks. They were extremely respectful. Maybe too much so. It raised her suspicions. But then again there was a feeling of walking a gauntlet as she exited the restaurant.
Cooper walked behind her, and a few of the men made some kind of comment but in a low voice. Cooper snorted and raced to catch up. “Hey, wait for me. How can I protect you if you race ahead?”
“I’m always racing around,” she said with a grin as he caught up to her. “You should remember that.”
“I remember. You ran from point A to point B without ever slowing down.”
She laughed. “That’s about the sound of it.”
“You don’t have to rush here. We’re not going anywhere until the others are ready.”
At the SUV, she found David and Theresa standing outside the vehicle stretching with Swede standing guard.
His eyes lit up at the coffee in her hands. “Is one of those for me?” he asked hopefully.
“Actually Cooper has yours.” She smiled up at him. “And he’s got food.”
Swede spun toward Cooper, hands out.
“Oh no you don’t.” Cooper backed up slightly, holding two bags of food. “You’re driving from here on in. Keeping your hands on the wheel is the only way the rest of us are going to get any food.”
Sasha handed out the coffees to the others as she listened to the men’s banter. It added a sense of normalcy to a very non-normal situation. She appreciated it.
Swede growled. “If that’s all the food you got, I’ll go order more when I take these two in.”
And true to his word, he shepherded David and Theresa into the restaurant for their own bathroom breaks. Sasha placed her coffee on the hood of the SUV then turned and did a couple of stretches. She was sore and bruised but knew she needed to stay active. She’d already stiffened up more than she was happy with.
As she straightened from touching her toes, she winced.
“Shit,” she whispered under her breath.
“Are you okay?” Cooper asked in a sharp voice.
*
Cooper studied her wan features intently. “Did they hurt you?”
She shook her head. Then shrugged. “Maybe a little. I’m stubborn.”
“I do remember that part.” He smiled at her. “But just because you are a doctor, doesn’t mean you can’t be injured.”
“But it does mean I know when the injuries are something to worry about.”
Silence.
She smiled. “Besides we all got beat up a little, it’s not just me.”
He spun to look at the others, visible in the restaurant window. “Anyone need medical care?”
She laughed. “We’re all doctors. We can manage.”
He frowned. “Maybe, but you haven’t got any medical supplies.”
That wiped the frown off her face. She blinked rapidly and stared at a point over his should as she struggled to regain control.
He reached out a hand and placed it on her shoulder. “I’m sorry.”
She sniffled once and gave him a watery smile. “Let’s just hope he survives. Ron is a good man.”
Cooper nodded. “We did get him to the medics, but I haven’t heard an update on his condition yet.”
“Then we’ll stay positive.”
Cooper waited a moment. “After they shot Ron what happened?”
She winced. “We ran to help him, but that just angered them more and they started yelling at us. Kicking and hitting us with their rifles.”
“Anyone get knocked out?”
“No, thank heavens.” She took a sip of coffee and recovered her composure. “We were just beaten up a bit. A small price to pay for helping Ron.”
“And could you help him?”
“Not enough,” she said candidly. He raised his eyebrows at that. He suspected there was a lot more to the story that she wasn’t sharing. That was okay, he’d get the information from the others.
Eventually.
He doubted anyone wanted to talk yet, but the details had to come out. They needed every bit of information available. No one realized how important their information was until someone else heard it. “Would you recognize the men if you saw them again?”
“There was six of them. I’d recognize three, possibly four.” She frowned. “Not sure about the others considering I tried to avoid looking at them too closely. Also one flipped overboard and drowned while they were taking us to the ship.”
“Right one less to worry about. And three or four is better than none.”
Loud noises erupted from the restaurant as the door opened to let more people in and out. He reached out a reassuring hand to Sasha as she studied the new arrivals.
“Where are we going?” she asked him. “My purse and passport are back in the refugee camp, and I have pa
tients who need help.”
“They’re going to be picked up for us. You’re all going to be debriefed at the Turkish base then again in the US.”
She nodded. “My contract was up anyway, but we’ve left them shorthanded. Can I get a call through? There’s a young woman in labor I want to check on.”
Swede said from behind, “When we get to our rendezvous.”
“I don’t think that your contract would hold anyway if the camp can’t guarantee your safety,” Cooper added, pulling out a muffin from the bag. He handed one to each person.
“It’s too bad. This will impact the aid the camps receive. And they need way more than they have now.”
“Not our problem,” David said. “Remember that. We can’t save the world. Only one patient at a time.”
Theresa smiled her thanks and said, “I think I’ve heard that saying at least once a day for the last three months. Not sure what I’ll do when I’m back home again.”
Cooper could feel the air lighten.
“I’ll be turning around and heading right back again,” David said. “This isn’t likely the last incident like this.” He shrugged. “There are still a lot of people to help.”
Cooper admired that they were all doing what they loved and obviously shared a common outlook toward humanitarian work. The world needed more people like them.
The rest of his team joined them. Markus walked beside Evan, Mason bringing up the rear. It was Mason who motioned Cooper to the side. “Let’s split the numbers up better,” Mason said. “I don’t like having them stacked the way they are now.”
Cooper understood. All the SEALs in one vehicle meant that they could be taken out in one event, leaving the doctors alone with only two men to defend them. He nodded. “I’ll take Dr. Sasha and Theresa. You can take Dr. Monroe.”
Mason grinned. Cooper glared at him.
Swede and Shadow made no attempt to hide anything. They beamed.
Swede said, “So where do you want me, Cooper, with you or with Mason?”
“They are comfortable with you, so with me.”
He meant Sasha of course and they all knew it.
Swede nodded. “Sounds good to me.” He smacked Cooper on the back then strode quickly to the driver’s side. “I’m driving.”
Markus stepped up and said, “I’m riding shotgun.”
Damn it. Cooper frowned at him, but Markus ignored him and hopped into the front seat.
“Evan,” Mason said and pointed to the backseat where Sasha sat.
“Sure.” Evan walked to the other side and got in to the middle seat.
“Hey,” Evan said. “Don’t I know you from Coronado?”
Sasha smiled up at him. “It’s possible. I’ve lived and worked there for years.”
“Yeah? Cool. Where are you living now?”
And just like that Evan and Sasha were laughing. Cooper, still standing outside, glared at them both.
Shadow walked over to Cooper’s side and in a low tone said, “That will push her away. That’s the last thing you want to do.”
He smacked Cooper on the back and said, “See you at the next rendezvous spot.” He turned and helped David into the second SUV.
That left just Mason. Mason studied his face. After a long uncomfortable silence, Mason asked, “You good?”
“Of course,” Cooper said in a clipped tone.
“No you’re not. But if you’re lucky you will be.”
And with that cryptic remark, Mason sauntered over to the second vehicle and took the shotgun position.
Sourly Cooper got into the last seat beside Theresa.
She smiled at him. “Sorry,” she said. “Seating arrangements not to your liking?”
He realized how churlish he was being and smiled back holding up the two bags of food he’d collected. “I’ve got the food, so it doesn’t matter where I sit.”
And that’s when Swede and Markus realized they might lose out. Swearing and cussing at Cooper for tricking them, Swede pulled out onto the highway, and everyone settled into the next part of the journey.
Chapter 7
They stopped two hours later at a rest stop. Sasha welcomed the chance to stretch and breathe the daily morning fresh air. The sun had crested over the horizon, but her eyes watched as the leader, Mason, walked toward them.
“As we have to pass close by, we’re willing to swing into the refugee camp and give you time to collect your belongings and transfer cases off to other doctors. You can thank Dr. Munroe for that. He’s very persuasive.”
At David’s “Whoop,” he added. “We’re talking an hour, two at the most.”
Another of the SEALs stepped forward. “We’re expected at base in two hours. We made good time so far and can extend that slightly, but that’s all. Are we clear?”
Sasha nodded. “Thank you,” she said. “My passport and personal belongings are still there – at least I hope they are.”
“Mine too,” Theresa said. “Plus I have some keepsakes I’d like to not lose.”
“You will have two escorts each. Remember, we don’t know how you were selected or why, but you were kidnapped from the camp. There is an ongoing investigation, but it hasn’t gotten very far. Some people will know you went missing and others won’t. No talking about it. No details. Stick to the plan, and we’ll get through this fast and without any trouble.”
But his tone of voice made it clear they were going to follow his rules. He studied each of the three of them in turn. “Be alert. If anyone acts suspicious tell us.”
She had no problem with an escort. In fact, she preferred it. The last thing she wanted to do was find herself thrown in the back of a truck for a second time.
They reached the gates a half hour later. The security was tight but finally they parked off to the side of the medical clinic. She hopped out and took a look around.
She’d been gone less than a day but it seemed like weeks.
Yet in many ways it was as if she’d never left.
The small audience they’d garnered, even though it was really early, had the same look of hopelessness on their faces as always. Intermixed with anger and relief the cracks and crevasses said much about this stage of their lives.
And how they were handling it.
She smiled at them and turned toward the door of the clinic. With Cooper and one of his team she walked through the entrance, her mind already consumed with what she needed to do. She’d check the clinic first then grab up her few belongings. Home, such a magical word. Right back to California.
The place was dim, but in the back she could see lights. And hear crying.
Voices she recognized.
She raced to the commotion and found Yalta in the middle of a contraction. A nurse stood at her side. When the woman looked up, there was such a wealth of relief on her face, Sasha knew the situation was dire.
“Update,” she ordered as she quickly washed up.
“She’s been asking for you for hours,” the nurse murmured. “The baby isn’t moving. We’ve requested an ambulance to the hospital for her, but so far there’s no sight of it. It’s been two hours. The hospital is overwhelmed as well.”
“Of course it is, isn’t it always? That doesn’t mean they can ignore our needs. We bother them the least we can but…”
“I know.”
“Go check on the ambulance. I’ll give the hospital a call in a minute.” Sasha walked over to the weeping woman. “Easy, Yalta, take it easy.”
The woman broke into tears and words poured forth. Words Sasha couldn’t understand.
A male voice answered Yalta from somewhere behind Sasha. She twisted to see the man with Cooper answering the woman. She thought his name was Markus.
“What is she saying?” she snapped.
“She’s been calling for you. Where were you? She is all alone.” Markus gave her a crooked grin. “And more of the same.”
“Right. I had moved her to the clinic and that’s when I was snatched,” she murmured.
“From this point?” Cooper asked, his voice hard.
She nodded. “From the small room on the side where we store our medical supplies. It has a door directly to the outside, and I was taken out that way.”
“Did you see the person who kidnapped you? Was it one of the men that held you captive?”
She frowned, but her attention was on the irregular heartbeats from Yalta’s belly. “No, not really. I was hit from behind.”
“So you didn’t catch a glimpse of anyone.”
Her frown deepened. “A soldier called my name and he motioned toward the supply room, which is where I’d been heading anyway. There was supposed to be someone inside.”
Cooper cut in. “Anything you can remember will help. We’ll check out the supply room ourselves.”
She heard him, but she wasn’t listening as she checked her patient over. She straightened. “We need that ambulance. If it doesn’t get here fast we’ll have to try and save the baby, but I’m not set up for it,” she muttered, turning to look around the small room. As clinics went the place was decent. As a surgical delivery room, hell no.
She turned to Cooper. “I need one of the other doctors here – now.”
The two men turned to look at her then at each other.
“It’s not a request,” she snapped. “This is an order.”
And she turned back to her patient.
The nurse came running back in at that moment. “The ambulance hasn’t even left yet,” she cried. “There’s been a big accident, and they are shorthanded themselves.”
“That means we’re on our own.”
She spun to make sure one of the men had left, and sure enough Cooper was gone. Good, the one left behind spoke the language. “Markus,” she asked. “Can you tell her that we’re going to have to do a cesarean to save the baby?”
“Can you do that here?”
She shrugged. “Sure I can. Is this ideal? No. She might survive the wait to the hospital, but her baby won’t.”
He walked closer to the young woman and spoke to her in a low calm voice that Sasha loved. He had a great bedside manner. And there was something about his voice that oozed caring.
The woman started weeping but she clutched his hand tight.