The Nurse's Bodyguard

by Melanie Mitchell

  “Yes.” Tony glanced at Luke then turned to study the road behind them. He spied a single car about a quarter of a mile behind the SUV. “Is there a problem?”

  “Yeah. Looks like. Two guys in that black sedan. I’ve been varying my speed quite a bit; they are definitely copying me.” He slowly increased speed until the rate was bordering on dangerous.

  As Tony watched, the sedan’s speed increased proportionately. Avoiding sudden moves that might alarm Jessica and Claire, he reached behind his back and pulled out his 9 mm automatic pistol. The weapon was actually illegal in Korea, but an exception was granted for American Embassy security officers, including Tony.

  Although Luke maintained his speed on the narrow, winding mountain road, the black sedan seemed to be gaining. Luke drove another mile and when they hit a straight spot in the road, he braked, slowing the SUV by almost twenty miles per hour. The sedan roared up fairly close and Luke pulled toward the shoulder, ostensibly offering to let the sedan pass. It didn’t. Luke slowed even more and the sedan nearly stopped, staying about 150 feet behind.

  “Claire, Jessica.” Luke’s voice was a bit louder, but his words remained calm. “Make sure your seat belts are tight.”

  Jessica had been reading a journal and Claire had been dozing, but both immediately become attentive. “What’s wrong?” Jessica asked.

  “I think we have company. Check your seatbelt. You, too, Claire.”

  Both women followed his instructions. “Oh, God, not again!” Claire glanced back and saw the car. Her voice held fear and frustration. “How? I don’t understand!”

  Luke caught her eye in the rearview mirror. “The only thing I can think of is that they must have been staking out Miss Sun’s. Obviously, they’re very determined.”

  He pressed the accelerator and had the vehicle up to seventy in a few seconds. The sedan was quickly gaining on them again, this time inching even closer.

  “What’d ya think?” Tony asked. “Want me to try taking out a tire?”

  “Let’s wait to see if they actually make a move.” Luke sped up a little more, carefully watching the road in front of them and the car behind.

  Tony unfastened his seatbelt and turned around facing the rear, kneeling on his seat. He cradled the big pistol in both hands, pointing it to the ceiling. Jessica gasped when she saw the weapon. “You think you’re going to need that?” Her voice was pitched high and a little tremulous.

  “Don’t know,” he answered without taking his eyes from the car. “Hope not.”

  Even as he spoke, the black sedan roared forward, pulling up only a few feet from the SUV’s bumper. They rode that way for about half a mile and then, as they were approaching a curve, the sedan’s driver increased his speed. The vehicle swerved and pulled up beside them, but still about half a car length behind. Safely able to make the move, Luke slammed on the brakes and the sedan shot ahead. The driver reacted immediately, though, braking and swerving into an abrupt “U” turn. Both vehicles came to a complete stop, now facing each other.

  Unfortunately, the SUV was at an outside curve. Therefore Luke was unable to reverse without taking a horrible chance of backing into someone coming around the winding hill. Luke nodded to Tony who was again facing forward. Tony opened his window, and pointed the gun toward the oncoming car.

  “Ladies, get down now.” Luke’s voice was still calm but commanding. Immediately, Claire and Jessica complied, leaning forward as much as their seatbelts allowed.

  Staring straight ahead, Luke said, “Let’s go.” He hit the gas, punching the SUV forward. Simultaneously, Tony leaned out his window and aimed for the sedan’s tires. He fired three shots in quick succession as the SUV came dangerously near the stopped sedan. Luke barely slowed as they swerved, narrowly avoiding a sideswipe. As they roared by, Tony leaned out and fired two more shots, this time aiming at the car’s rear tires.

  “Hit anything?” Amazingly, Luke’s voice was still emotionless.

  “Hard to tell. At least they know we have a weapon. That might be a deterrent.” Tony kept his voice calm. They could have been discussing the weather.

  “Doesn’t look like it.” Luke’s voice grew marginally edgier. “Here they come.”

  Tony swore under his breath. He turned again and saw that the sedan was only a few feet behind them. Even though Luke increased his speed, they were jolted as the sedan hit their rear bumper.

  Tony glanced down at the women. “Jessica, Claire, keep your heads down and cover them with your arms. I’m going to blow out the window.” The next blast punched through the rear window, showering the two women with tiny bits of glass. Unfortunately, the safety glass was hearty, and about two-thirds of the fractured window remained in place, blocking Luke and Tony’s view of the black sedan.

  Tony swore loudly. He glanced at Luke, who was now forced to rely on his side mirrors. “Can you see well enough to keep up with them?”

  “Yeah. I got it.” Luke sped up once again, edging dangerously fast for the winding road. “It looks like a tire is out, but that doesn’t seem to be slowing them much. It will eventually, but you might try to get a shot in the engine block. If that doesn’t work, go for the driver.”

  Tony deftly crawled over the console and wedged himself between Claire and Jessica. With the barrel of his weapon, he cleared away enough of the shattered window to see the target. He propped the pistol on the top of the seat and fired two more shots. The bullets hit the front of the sedan, but it was difficult to tell if anything vital was damaged.

  Despite, or perhaps because of, the shredding tire and the probable engine damage, the sedan’s driver became even more reckless. He slammed down the accelerator and rear-ended the SUV, sending Tony sprawling backward onto the console between the two front seats. The jolt nearly caused Luke to lose control, but he managed to avoid hitting the side of the hill to their right.

  While Luke fought to maintain control, Tony crawled back to his seat. He crouched sideways, with the pistol aimed toward the driver’s side window, hoping to get off a shot at the sedan’s driver. Within seconds, the black car sped forward and rammed them just as they rounded a curve. Suddenly both vehicles were careening down the hill. Luke hit the brakes and tried desperately to keep the SUV from rolling, while fighting to dodge trees. The passengers were subjected to horribly deafening screeching and grinding noises as the sides and undercarriage of the vehicle were scraped by branches. As they were sliding to a stop, the vehicle hit a loose bit of gravel, causing a skid which ended as they slammed almost head-on into a tree.

  * * *

  LUKE’S EARS RANG with screams from the backseat, loud bursts that sounded like shotgun blasts, the shattering of the windshield and the crumpling of the SUV’s frame. The cacophony of sounds ceased as abruptly as the vehicle came to a stop, and there followed a sudden and almost eerie quiet.

  When the airbag deployed, Luke was hit hard in the face and chest. A few seconds passed before he could catch his breath.

  Luke shuddered, trying to focus. As his mind cleared, he unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to the backseat. “Claire!” His voice was ripe with dread. “Claire, are you okay?” Both women were still leaning forward, their heads coved by their hands. At his urgent questioning, both hesitantly sat up and looked around.

  “Luke, there’s smoke!” Claire cried as she fumbled to undo her seatbelt.

  Jessica managed to unlatch hers and struggled to push open her door. “I can’t open it!”

  “No, it’s okay. It’s not smoke.” Luke tried to calm them. “It’s powder from the airbags. It’s not smoke.”

  Luke was immensely relieved that Claire and Jessica appeared to be unharmed. His relief was short-lived, however, when he turned to Tony. The marine was slumped sideways, with his head partially out of the now broken side window.

  As Luke had struggled to control their cras
h, he’d been dimly aware that Tony was trying to brace himself by holding on to the dash with one hand and his seat with the other. But the front passenger side had sustained the worst damage from hitting the tree. And Tony hadn’t been wearing his seatbelt. His momentum had thrust him back toward the door then the airbags deployed, which pushed him hard into the seat before they deflated, causing him to fall to one side.

  In the crowded confines of the totaled vehicle, Luke managed to hoist himself up and lean over to gently pull Tony back into a semi sitting position. A quick assessment revealed a deep, two-inch laceration in his forehead, neatly dissecting his right eyebrow, along with multiple smaller cuts dotting the side of his face. The deep cut was bleeding profusely, and Luke pressed hard with two fingers, trying to stop the flow. “Do either of you have something we can use for a pressure bandage?” he barked.

  “Here, let me help,” Claire said.

  * * *

  CLAIRE SCRAMBLED to get as close as she could, leaning over the back of Tony’s seat. She held the injured man’s head while Jessica rifled through her purse and came up with a wad of Kleenex. She handed the tissues to Claire who pressed them hard against the wound.

  “Give me that scarf.” Luke motioned to Jessica’s sling. She handed it to him and he quickly ripped it in half, tying both ends together to make a bandage. While Claire held the tissues in place, she palpated Tony’s throat, locating his carotid artery. Although his pulse was a little rapid, it was strong.

  Claire held Tony’s head steady while Luke wrapped it with the makeshift bandage. When that had been accomplished, Luke said, “We need to get away from here. I don’t know if they survived the crash, but they may be on their way now.” Although the driver’s side door was partially caved in by the crash, Luke was able to force it open, subjecting the group to another grinding screech of metal on metal. Claire’s door had not been affected. She opened it and both women clambered out. Luke took precious seconds to scan the hill behind them where the black sedan had also crashed down. From their spot amid trees and other brush, he couldn’t see the other vehicle and didn’t pick up any movement.

  He looked at Claire. “I’m going to have to pull Tony out. I need you to crawl in and try to guide his legs.”

  She gave a brief nod and then climbed through the driver’s seat and carefully edged over Tony, pressing her back against the door. As she did, she spotted Tony’s handgun on the floorboard. “Luke, here.” She handed him the weapon. He took it and then shoved it toward Jessica, who was standing next to him, anxiously watching their efforts and looking around for the men who’d run them off the road.

  Luke knelt on the driver’s seat and reached behind Tony’s back, grasping him under the arms. He pulled gently, but steadily backward, cradling his head. From her spot, Claire was able to help lift his legs over the console. As she did, she was surprised by how heavy they were. Although Luke controlled the bulk of Tony’s weight, Claire struggled to help him through the door. In only a few moments, they had extracted the injured man from the SUV, and Luke laid him carefully on the ground.

  He looked at Claire. “Can you check him to see if there’s anything broken? If he has a spinal cord injury, we’ve probably done him additional harm, but that can’t be helped. We have to get out of here.”

  Claire got on her knees and performed a quick assessment. She didn’t find any obvious broken bones and she lifted both eyelids and whispered a prayer of thanks that his pupils were equal and reacted evenly, constricting quickly when exposed to the sunlight. Some blood had seeped through the Kleenex and stained Jessica’s torn scarf, but the flow seemed to have nearly stopped. His pulse was still strong, but he didn’t show signs of regaining consciousness.

  “I don’t see anything glaring, but we need to get him to a hospital as soon as possible.” She looked around in despair. They were at least an hour from the outskirts of Seoul in a remote, mountainous area, several hundred yards off the road. Worse, for all they knew, the men who had tried to kill them were still nearby. She couldn’t fathom how they would be able to get Tony to a hospital quickly without divine intervention.

  She said a quick prayer.

  Because she’d been occupied with assessing Tony, Claire didn’t know that Luke had pulled out his cell phone until she realized he was talking with someone. “Yes, it’s an emergency...We have a man down...” He proceeded to explain the circumstances and describe Tony’s injuries and the terrain. “Got it. About a mile and a half?...I’ll relocate the group...I hope about thirty minutes...Yeah...I’m going to give the phone to my colleague so I can carry Sergeant Mancini. Give her the instructions.”

  Luke handed Claire his phone. “This is Corporal Nunez. He’s going to tell us where to go so a helicopter can pick us up.”

  Claire responded with a tiny nod. “Okay.”

  With that he squatted down, picked up Tony almost like a baby, then stood. When he was completely erect, he shifted Tony’s limp body carefully until he was resting across both shoulders in what Claire recognized as the fireman’s carry. Tony was far from a small man, and she estimated that he weighed at least two hundred pounds. The move was done—while not effortlessly—with astonishing ease. Claire glanced at Jessica and both gaped at Luke’s display of strength.

  The man on the phone regained their attention when he said, “Ma’am, you need to head southwest, farther down the hill, for about 400 yards, then walk across the valley for about half a mile.”

  “Thank you, Corporal,” she managed to reply. “He said we need to go southwest, down the hill... Luke, which way is southwest?”

  He actually chuckled and started forward. “Follow me.”

  Luke led the way with Jessica and Claire following closely behind. Although Claire knew Luke was strong, nonetheless, she was amazed by his stamina as they traversed the uneven terrain. Claire spoke to Corporal Nunez regularly. Without knowing the source of his information, she determined that he had access to some type of topographical program and a GPS system that allowed him to track their exact location.

  As they continued their trek through the woods, Claire grew increasingly concerned about Luke. With each step, he seemed to be breathing more rapidly and their pace was slowing. She wanted to help him, but knew there was nothing she and Jessica could do.

  They had covered about a mile when Luke said, “I need a break.” With that declaration he sank to his knees and sat back on his heels to rest. He didn’t move Tony; rather he kept the unconscious man draped across his shoulders. Claire was alarmed by his heavy sweating and rapid breathing. Could he keep moving over the grueling ground while carrying the heavy burden? She didn’t know what choice they had.

  “Claire, can you check on Tony. See if there’s any change?” His voice sounded strained.

  Claire dropped to her knees behind Luke and examined Tony as best she could. There was some oozing from the small cuts, but otherwise she didn’t detect any change. His hands were warm, his pulse strong and his pupils reactive. “He seems stable.” She looked at Luke worriedly. “How are you holding up?”

  “I’m okay. I don’t think it’s a whole lot farther.” He managed a slight smile, trying to lessen her concern.

  Jessica had been diligently watching their rear. Suddenly, she knelt beside Claire and caught Luke’s eye. “Hey, guys, I think I heard a noise. There may be someone following us.” She kept her voice low.

  Luke managed to turn around to study the woods they had just traversed. All three watched closely for a moment. “Where is Tony’s gun?” he asked.

  “In my purse.” Jessica pointed to her cross-body bag, which she was now using as a sling.

  “Get it out.” Luke’s voice was low. She nodded and complied. “You know how to shoot?” He was still watching the woods.

  “I’ve done a little target work. I can manage.”

  “Good. Keep it handy. T
his is making me nervous.” He struggled for only a heartbeat as he stood and resolutely started walking. His voice was tense when he glanced at Claire and said, “Ask the corporal for an ETA of the Huey.”

  Claire relayed the question and was told to expect the helicopter in about twenty minutes. They walked about ten minutes more, but their pace had slowed considerably. Fortunately, the woods seemed to be thinning, which made the path a little easier for Luke to manage.

  Jessica remained a few steps behind, watching and listening. Suddenly she cried out, “Stop! Meom-chweo!”

  Claire and Luke whirled around as Jessica raised the pistol and fired two rounds. There was a sound of thrashing, followed a moment later by quick movements that grew increasingly faint.

  “What did you see?” Luke asked.

  Jessica gripped the pistol; it wobbled slightly. She kept looking toward the trees. “Mostly just movement of the brush and grass, but a couple of times I thought I saw something black—probably clothing.”

  “Good going. I think—I hope—that you scared them off... At least for now.”

  Fatigue etched Luke’s face and he struggled with every step. Please, she prayed silently, let us get there quickly. Into Luke’s phone she said, “Corporal, it appears we’re being followed. Can you give us an update on how much farther?”

  “Huey’s less than two minutes from your present location,” Corporal Nunez responded. “You’re probably five to ten from the rendezvous site.” Much relieved, Claire relayed the information to Luke.

  “Here, hand me the phone,” Luke said. When she complied he said gruffly, “Nunez, request that the Huey do a low flyover of the woods immediately south of our present location...Great... thanks...Giving you back to Ms. Olsen.” He handed the phone back to Claire and resumed his pace, moving resolutely toward their goal.

  Less than two minutes passed before they heard the helicopter. Another minute and they could see it coming in their direction. It passed immediately overhead and proceeded to do several low sweeps of the area, only a hundred or so feet above the tops of the trees.