Chosen

by Denise Grover Swank

  “Will. Where’s Will?”

  The woman looked up, confused. “I’m sorry, I don’t know who that is.”

  Emma’s head swam with pain and confusion from the drugs. “He’s the man who brought me here. Where is he?” Her voice raised in panic.

  The nurse patted Emma’s arm. “I’m sorry. I have no idea who that is but you need to calm down. You’re body has been through enough stress.”

  “I want Will.” Even through the foggy chaos swirling in her mind, she knew he wouldn’t voluntarily leave her. Why didn’t the nurse know who he was?

  “Emmanuella, I don’t know who Will is, but I can try to find out for you.”

  Terror kindled in her heart and spread like a wildfire, the flames licking at her limited control. The nurse knew her real name. “Why did you call me Emmanuella?” The monitor beeped faster.

  “Emmanuella…” the nurse’s voice rose in alarm.

  “Stop calling me that!” Emma sat up in the bed. Pain shot through her leg and up to the rest of her body; she gasped in surprise. Blackness eroded the edges of her mind. She took a deep breath to push it away, jerking on the IV lines. She had to get out of here. She had to find Will.

  The nurse pushed a call button. “I need help in here.” She grabbed Emma’s arm, trying to pull down. “Emmanuella, lay down. You just had surgery!”

  “Let go of me!” Emma twisted out of her hold and threw the blanket off her leg, revealing a thick bandage wrapped around her left thigh.

  Two men in dark uniforms rushed into the room. One stood next to the nurse and the other came around to the other side. The nurse ran to a cart next to the wall. The two men grabbed Emma’s arms and pushed her down on her back.

  She tried to pull away, but they pinned her shoulders and hips to the bed. Emma kicked and pain stabbed her left leg, overwhelming her consciousness.

  “Emmanuella, you need to calm down!” the nurse shouted. “You’re going to hurt yourself!”

  “Stop calling me that! Will!” Emma screamed.

  The nurse grabbed Emma’s hand while Emma jerked and twisted.

  “Hold her down! I’ve got to give her this sedative before she hurts herself.”

  One of the men lay across her upper arm and chest, smashing her into the bed. The pressure crushed her chest and she fought for breath, adding to her rising hysteria. Ice filled her veins and a dark heavy cloud filtered through her head until there was nothing.

  ***

  Will stood at the entrance of the school. His team advanced past him, down the darkened hallways. The only light came from the small windows of the classroom doors. Children studied in their classes, eager for their day to be dismissed in another hour giving Will plenty of time to get in and out. Surveillance told him that the terrorist was holed up in the upper floor. It was perfect; the sick bastard was using kids as a shield. It gave him a false sense of security. No one would risk the lives of children to capture him.

  The son of a bitch was wrong.

  Will waved two fingers, telling the men to continue on down the hall. He had the element of surprise on his side and he planned to use it. The brass in D.C. had told him to wait, but they were notorious for waiting, wasting precious hours with their theoretical debates. It was so easy for them to sit in their comfy chairs in an air-conditioned room looking at their PowerPoints and scenario boards. Will and his men didn’t have that luxury. They melted in 130-degree heat and faced the reality that men like this asshole created. How many terrorists had Will seen get away? How many times had this man gotten away? Will was done waiting.

  The halls were ghostly quiet, more so than he would expect in a school full of children, but it was after lunch and the hottest part of the day. Everyone was sluggish, part of the reason he chose this hour for the assault. His team moved to the doorway leading to the upper level, flanking the door while Will held back, taking up the rear. They waited for his cue. A sudden chill ran up Will’s back. Something was wrong. He froze, trying to determine the source while his men watched him, expectant. But, unable to discern a problem, he gave them the sign. One of his men jerked on the door and an explosion sucked the air out of the hall. Will flew several feet down the corridor, landing on his ass. He recovered seconds later, jumping to his feet. Half his team was gone and the end of the hall had erupted in a ball of flames. The surviving men scrambled in confusion. Will ordered them to get the kids out of the school.

  Black smoke melded with the screams of the children. Will grabbed the first doorknob he came to, discovering it was locked. He peered in the window and saw small bodies huddled together in the center of the room. He beat on the door, trying to get them to open it, then ran to the next one and found it locked, too. Holding up his M4, he shot the door knob, splintering the wood and he kicked it in, shouting in his limited Arabic. “Ekroj halan!”

  The children ran down the hall, crying and coughing.

  He had only emptied two classrooms before he was forced to evacuate, but he took comfort knowing that his men had emptied others. Fresh air filled his lungs as he stumbled from the entrance, setting off a fit of coughing. The screams still filled his ears and he ran around the side of the building. Small bodies fell out the first-floor windows and he gasped in relief until he saw children trapped behind a partially open window. Will took off running toward them, their terrified faces pressed to the glass. Then he felt it, the anticipation of something about to happen. A moment later, the second explosion burst through the window, shattering glass and the sides of the concrete wall, the flames absorbing the screams.

  A ringing jerked Will from his dream. He'd fallen asleep on the sofa, watching television. He ran his hands through his hair, sucking deep breaths to calm his growing hysteria. It took him several seconds to realize the sound was the phone in the kitchen.

  “Hello?”

  “Mr. Davenport,” Kramer’s voice greeted him. “I’m sorry to disturb you, but I have an unusual request.”

  Will forced himself to calm down and listen. “Yes?”

  “Our guest keeps asking for you. We wouldn’t disturb you with this, but she’s in danger of injuring herself. The medical staff has sedated her several times, but every time she regains consciousness, she begins calling for you. Would you be willing to go see her? Since she’s asking for you, they think perhaps you can convince her to cooperate. The medical staff is quite concerned she'll injure herself further.”

  Will’s breath caught in his throat and it took him a moment to answer.

  Kramer misunderstood his hesitation. “I realize this is unusual. I assure you this really is a special case.”

  “No, it’s fine.” Will shook his head to clear it. “I can see her.”

  “Someone will be there in a few moments.”

  Will paced the living room until the guard arrived to escort him to the medical facility. The sun was high when they exited the building and the day had warmed, making his skin clammy under the long sleeves of his shirt. He rolled them up as he walked, trying to hide his anxiety.

  When they reached the building, they took an elevator to the second floor. As soon as the doors opened, he heard her cries. She was calling for him. Will forced himself to shorten his strides as he approached her room. He didn’t need to ask which one was hers. He knew.

  Walking to her bedside, he tried to appear detached, but the sight of her blew any chance of that. She struggled against two men who held her down on either side of the bed. Tears streamed down her face, but her eyes filled with relief when she saw him. When Will reached her, he pushed the man on his side out of the way.

  “Will,” she cried in a raspy voice.

  Will noticed her arms. “Why is she tied down?” he asked over his shoulder as he worked to undo the restraint.

  “She was hurting herself. We did it to protect her.”

  He untied her left arm and she bolted up, clinging to his shirt. He burned with anger and shame. He had been sleeping in an extravagant apartment while she was tied to a b
ed and terrified.

  Will pulled her hand from his shirt and held it in his. “I’m coming around to the other side to untie you,” he whispered in her ear.

  Her desperate eyes searched his face for reassurance as he walked around the bed and began to work on the other restraint.

  When freed, she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him down. “Where were you?”

  Indecision stopped him, but her need won out. He sat the side of the bed and held her in his arms. He stroked her hair. “Shh, it’s okay. I’m here now.”

  “The nurse didn’t know who you were. Why?”

  “I don’t know. I’m here now.”

  “Please, don’t leave me.”

  “I won’t.” Until they force me. It was a matter of time before Kramer found out that Will had an attachment to her, then what would happen? “Emma, lay down, okay? You’re going to hurt your leg.”

  “No. I want to leave. Now.”

  He buried his face into her hair, inhaling her scent. His gut tightened.“You got shot and almost died. They’re taking care of you. You can’t leave yet.”

  Emma pulled back and looked into his face, her eyes full of fear. “They know my real name, Will. Did you tell them?”

  “No.”

  “Then how do they know?”

  “I don’t know.”

  She shook her head. “I’m not staying. I have to find Jake.”

  “Emma, be reasonable.” He lowered his voice. “You almost died. Even if you leave right now, you can’t find Jake in this condition.”

  “I’m scared,” she whispered.

  It surprised him she admitted her fear. She trusts me. He cleared his throat, trying to dislodge the choking lump of betrayal.“I’ll stay with you, okay?”

  Her lip quivered. “Thank you.”

  Will helped her lean back on the bed then sat next to her, holding her hand. Her eyes closed and she fell asleep. He watched the steady rise and fall of her chest, brooding for the thousandth time over how he would get her out of this.

  ***

  Emma woke, her hand held down and panic returned. Until she spotted Will.

  “Will? Where are we?”

  He sighed and squeezed her hand tighter. His jaw tensed. “A place where you’re safe.”

  “I don’t feel safe.”

  “I know. I’ll try to make sure that doesn’t happen again.” His eyes darkened. “Emma, no matter what happens, no matter what you hear, you have to know something.”

  “What?” she hesitated in apprehension, not sure she wanted to know.

  “When we met, I may not have had the best of intentions. But they changed. I changed.” He stopped, releasing a heavy exhale as he closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, they were filled with worry and dread. “You made me think I could be a better person. And you… I just couldn’t do it. But then… I did it anyway and I’m so sorry.”

  “Will, you’re not making any sense.”

  “I know.” His eyes sunk closed and his face tensed. “None of this makes sense.”

  This was not the confident, in-control Will she knew and it scared her. He was all she had at the moment and she couldn't afford to lose him, too. Her nails dug into his palm as she tightened her grip. “It’s okay, Will. Remember what you said? It doesn’t matter what we did in the past. We’re different people now.”

  He shook his head. “I wish it were that easy.” he whispered, his eyes glistening. “You don’t know what I’ve done. How can you just accept me without even knowing?”

  “Because I know you, the real you. I saw through you a long time ago, Will.”

  He stood and leaned over her, gazing into her eyes. Then he kissed her with an intensity that made her anxious. “Emma, I love you.”

  Her breath caught in surprise. That was the last thing she expected him to say. Before she could respond, someone cleared his throat behind her. “Well, this does change things a bit.”

  Will froze, gripping her hand tighter. Emma turned to see a man standing in the doorway.

  Both men locked gazes until the stranger stepped to the side of the bed and graced Emma with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Emmanuella, we haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet. I am Scott Kramer.” He held his hand out.

  Emma didn’t take it. Will claimed she was safe here, but she had felt safer in the woods. At least out there she’d had a gun. “How do you people know my real name?”

  “We know many things about you.”

  Emma’s body tensed, shooting waves of pain through her leg. The beeping of her heart monitor increased. I’ve heard those words before.

  Will straightened, squaring his shoulders. “She prefers Emma,” he said, his tone a challenge.

  Kramer glanced from Emma to Will, his eyes cold. “I see. I shall notify the staff. Mr. Davenport, I would like a word with you in the hall, please.” He tilted his head toward Emma. “He shall only be a moment,” Kramer said before he left the room.

  “Will, what’s going on? Who is he?” She searched his face for answers only to find more questions. Worry lines wrinkled his forehead.

  He kissed her on the cheek. “Don’t worry. I’ll be back in a minute.”

  The nurse walked toward the bed with a syringe. Will grabbed her arm. “Don’t you dare give her anything while I’m gone or you will regret it.”

  ***

  Will entered the hallway, expecting to face his sentencing. Kramer waited at the end of the hall, one hand tapping the other behind his back. He stared at the Black Hills in the distance. Will suspected he was considering his next move rather than enjoying the view. Will approached him in a defiant stance. No way in hell he would he slink to this man.

  “I’ll be honest; I’m not sure how to handle this development.” Kramer kept his gaze on the landscape. “It makes perfect sense if you think about it. Destiny always has a way of working things out.”

  Will had no idea what he meant and remained silent.

  Kramer looked down at Will’s left forearm, the mark fully exposed.

  Will inwardly cringed as the realization hit him. It wasn’t his staying with Emma that sealed their fate. It was his mark.

  “Mr. Warren will need to speak with you this evening. You can stay with her until then if you like,” Kramer paused and stared into Will’s eyes. “Of course, you will want to.”

  This wasn’t what Will expected to happen. He paused and as he tried to process it. “Thank you.”

  “I cannot guarantee what will happen after tonight, but you have this afternoon.” Kramer shook his head in bewilderment. “This is not what we anticipated at all.” He walked to the men standing outside the door, leaving Will to follow behind.

  “Mr. Davenport will stay with Ms. Thompson. He is not allowed to leave. See that he has anything he needs,” He raised an eyebrow. “Within reason, of course.”

  “Afraid I’ll request an AK-47?”

  “The thought crossed my mind.”

  It crossed Will’s as well.

  “Mr. Davenport, one more thing. I completely understand your need to protect her, even more than you realize, but if you could refrain from terrorizing the civilian staff, it would be most appreciated.”

  “As long as no one hurts her, they have nothing to worry about.”

  Will walked past the guards, into the room. The nurse sat in a chair next to the bed. She looked up at the sound of the door opening. A wave of panic swept over her face when she saw Will.

  “Did you give her anything?”

  “No.”

  “What were you going to give her?”

  “Pain medication.”

  Will took Emma’s hand and his face softened. “Do you need anything for pain?”

  Her eyes narrowed with confusion. “No.”

  Will turned back to the nurse. “Then leave.”

  The nurse’s mouth dropped. “But I need to monitor her.”

  “You can come in every hour and check her vitals. Otherwise, get the hel
l out.”

  The nurse grabbed the chart and ran out the door.

  “Will, what’s going on?” Emma’s voice rose in panic and her grip on his hand tightened.

  “Emma, there’s something I need to tell you. The real reason I helped you.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Will sat in the chair next to the bed. He held her hand as his eyes sank closed. “Emma, I’m not who you think I am.”

  “Will?” She told herself to stay calm, but his nervousness made the hairs on her arms stand on end. What could he possibly tell her?

  His eyes opened, full of regret. He rested his elbows on the bed, still holding her hand in a firm grasp.

  She reminded herself this was Will, not the Will she met a week ago, but the Will who risked his life for her several times. What could he have done that would be that bad? “It’s okay Will. You know what? I don’t care. We’ll just forget our pasts and move forward, just the three of us when we get Jake.”

  His mouth lifted into a wry smile. “I wish it were that easy.” He paused. “Emma, I wasn’t a good person before.”

  She shook her head, her eyes stinging. “Will, I don’t care who you were. I only care about who you are now.”

  “Emma you need to know.”

  “Why?”

  He grimaced. “Because if I don’t tell you, Kramer and his people will.”

  “Who’s Kramer?”

  Will took a deep breath. “He works for an organization that I don’t know much about.” He paused and looked into her eyes. “They hired me to do a job.”

  Emma tensed, jerking her leg, but she forced herself to ignore the pain. Her next question could change everything. “What was your job?”

  “Emma, do you trust me?”

  Her voice hardened. “You didn’t answer my question, Will.”

  “Answer mine first. Do you trust me?”

  He had proven himself to her time and time again but could she trust him? She studied his face. His lips pressed together in determination while his eyes pleaded with her to understand. She steeled her heart, preparing for it to be broken. “Yes,” she lied.