An Unlikely Hero (1)

by Tierney James

  “I got you, Tess.” He brought his face so close their noses touched. She reached up and laid her hand on his wounded cheek. The fate of her family still clouded her judgment, yet she was compelled to put her life in the captain’s hands once more. Their eyes locked in some unknown resolve as she nodded acceptance of yet another trial.

  The sound of metal rattled beneath their feet as they awkwardly stumbled across the grated catwalk. It wasn’t wide enough for two to walk side by side so Chase walked sideways pulling her gently along, one step at a time. “Almost there, Tess! Don’t look down!” he yelled as she seemed to freeze, eyes turning downward in horror. He once again felt her try to step back just as something pinged off the railing, stinging his thigh. Looking down he saw Essid aiming a rifle at him. The Enigma teammates raised their weapons and started firing unsuccessfully at the target. Essid had stepped back into the shadow of the BB building so he couldn’t be seen, except by Tessa and Chase.

  “Faster!” he yelled at Tessa as he pulled her behind him to use his body as a shield. Another shot bounced off the grate between their feet causing Tessa to hop suddenly and lose her footing. A scream split the air. Chase felt Tessa slipping away from him as her body slid between the widely spaced slats. He caught her by her collar with one hand, feeling the fabric start to rip away, as the other went instinctively under her arm. He jerked her upward with what strength he had left. Chase’s weapon clattered to the ground below all the while, struggling to hold on to Tessa. Stealing a glance downward, Chase could barely make out the bulk figure of Mansur running to Essid’s side. He knocked the gun from his brother’s hand just as he pulled the trigger. Shots sprayed precariously close.

  Zoric made quick haste, jumping down to assist Chase with Tessa who still dangled from the catwalk. Awkwardly, Zoric kneeled down and reached out to grab Tessa under the other arm. Carter rushed in behind the two men hoping to get a shot at Essid. Once Tessa regained her footing on the bridge, Zoric put his arm around her to force her forward movement. The space, now crowded with four people gave Tessa a feeling of safety. She extended her hand back towards Chase, afraid they were leaving him to fend for himself. “I’m coming! Go!” he yelled as Carter now used his body to protect Chase as he hobbled behind him.

  Before Chase and Carter could reach the other side Essid reached the gun his brother had knocked from him. He first lifted it at the catwalk, but seemed to think better of it and turned it on his brother Mansur. Essid watched his brother stumble backwards, falling carelessly to the ground. Frightened, Mansur began to crab crawl back away from Essid in fear as his brother sprayed insults and damnation at him. Mansur’s eyes bulged as a clap, echoing across the air, stopped Essid. Feeling something penetrate his upper back then exit his lower abdomen, he looked down to see a red spot forming with dangerous speed. He slowly turned and looked up at Carter, who’d taken the shot. Carter’s weapon, still poised and ready, did not waver with the possibility of needing to take a skill shot. Essid could now see Chase standing next to his team mate. Essid imagined the captain smirking in victory.

  Everyone had abandoned him: Mansur, Honey, his men, and his cause. Why had Allah let this happen? He had to admit in that split second that he had never really believed in his faith. It had been a cause of convenience for his hate. He continued to look up as his hand reached in his pants pocket for his phone. At lease he could make the call by pushing just one button, any button, on his programed cell. He felt the button press under his index finger and smiled.

  Nothing rumbled. No sound of shattering glass. No cracks and groans of concrete as it began to fall in on itself. He pushed the button again. And again. Blood began to ooze from his mouth as he crumbled to the ground. Mansur crawled to his side and gathered him in his arms.

  “Once you came out here, the man they call Vernon,” Mansur looked up to see Vernon looking over the edge of Building BB holding a laptop, “was able to jam any signal you tried to send. The building will not fall, my brother. Your hatred has destroyed you. The lion’s breath came near without you ever noticing.” Essid continued to watch the men above as they disappeared onto the roof of the second building. He grabbed his brother’s arm as the last breath left his body. Mansur carefully laid his brother’s body down on the ground and closed his eyes with his hand. “I am glad you are dead.” He stood painfully, feeling the punches his younger brother had inflicted on his aging body. There was no doubt in his mind that it would have been only a matter of time before Essid turned his killer ways on him. That fear had been taken care of by the Americans. His life could now be his own once more.

  Ben patted Tessa on the back as Chase and Carter joined them at the helicopter. Zoric and Sam were stowing the weapons as Vernon slipped inside. “I think she’s got a dislocated shoulder, Chase. The faster we can put it back the easier the pain will be.”

  Chase could see that Tessa’s left shoulder jutted forward slightly. He reached out and gently laid his hand on her forearm. “Tessa, remember I told you about my parents being medical missionaries?” She smiled weakly and nodded. “I used to help all the time with their medical practice. I even served at a medic in the army for a while. I can fix this. It’s gonna hurt like hell but not so much later.” Taking a step toward him Tessa wrinkled her nose, knowing this was going to be painful. Chase quickly grabbed her arm and twisted it, bent her elbow then flipped it out. She gritted her teeth so not to scream. “I’m sorry, babe,” he said realizing he’d failed. Motioning for Carter to stand behind her he nodded at Tessa. “Keep her still, will ya?” Chase told her this time it would work, although he wasn’t so sure. But the shoulder did pop back into place as Tessa jerked her head up in pain, but held her scream tightly in her chest. “Better?” Chase said bending down to look into her blue eyes squinted in pain. She nodded quickly with a hint of a smile on her lips as Chase watched her eyes roll back in her head. Her knees buckled and her dead weight collapsed in unconsciousness. Chase tried to stop her body from hitting the ground but was too weak.

  Carter caught her lifting her body up into his capable arms. He moved toward the open doors of the helicopter. “I got this, buddy.” He handed her off to Zoric who gently laid her down in an open space in the middle between the seats.

  Chase climbed in like an old man. He couldn’t even drag himself into a seat, so he sat down by Tessa as the others quickly found their place. In moments the helicopter lifted up and out over the dark forest. Small fires still burned, but it seemed the worse was over. Chase closed his eyes. His body ached and he thought he might sleep for a week. He felt Sam’s hand on his shoulder but didn’t acknowledge her comforting touch. She finally withdrew it. The movement of the helicopter hurt his wounds, but knowing the series of events which nearly spiraled out of control and was now concluded, gave him some comfort.

  He felt Tessa’s head turn and rest against his leg. Without thinking he laid his hand on her hair, feeling the blond curls push between his fingers like silky threads. Touching the gash over her eye, blood once again seeped out. Someone handed him an antiseptic patch and some gauze. Applying the bandage caused her to flinch, but her eyes remained closed. It wasn’t until her once soft hand, now scratched and scarred for life, reached up and laid her fingers on his that he realized Tessa Scott would survive this ordeal. For the remainder of the trip, Chase kept his hand entwined with Tessa’s, knowing their lives would soon separate and travel different paths.

  After arriving back at headquarters in Sacramento, most of the Enigma personnel had retired for the day. It was late, and all danger had been averted, at least for this particular day in time. The Enigma team walked slowly through the underground parking garage, silently holding in their sense of accomplishment. After passing through several levels of security, the team admitted themselves to the medical floor to be patched up and checked over. Honey resisted at first but after a cross word from Benjamin Clark, she decided to let the doctors tend to her cuts.

  The diffused overhead lighting and soft beepi
ng of lifesaving equipment began slowing down everyone’s adrenaline. Food, drinks and pain killers began to work its magic on their bodies. Tessa found a metal chair with a padded seat in the hall and sat down carefully, as if by doing so the sore muscles would stop their throbbing. The doctor had been extremely gentle with the exam. Suggesting a sling for a few days, he assured her the shoulder would heal and only a tiny scar would remain after the stitches disappeared from her face. The Enigma psychiatrist, Dr. Wu, dropped by to see her and gave her his card. He wanted to see her in a couple of weeks as a follow up to her ordeal. Tessa assured him she would not need him. With a knowing smile, he moved on saying he’d see her soon.

  She bowed her head to stare at the floor while resting her hands on her knees. Counting each breath, then each heartbeat, reassured her that she was still alive. Something inside her wanted to move to a couch or at least an armchair with a pillow for her back, but that would involve standing up and moving again. It wasn’t until she saw two boots stop in front of her feet that she realized she wasn’t alone. It took effort, but Tessa managed to slowly look up at the larger than life Captain Chase Hunter. He looked down at her with interest and concern. She couldn’t tell what his expression was because his eye and cheek, swollen and bruised, gave nothing away as to his mood. She blinked quickly, expecting some kind of reprimand about being such a baby when it came to heights. He said nothing as he continued to stare at her. Finally, he awkwardly got down on one knee and laid his large hands on top of hers. He then revealed a smile, as he squeezed her fingers.

  “Those pain killers are going to make you feel like a million bucks in a few minutes.”

  Tessa tried to smile, although her face hurt when she did. “Good,” she whispered, feeling the warmth of his hands spread through her fingers. It felt good. She was cold. The air conditioner must have been turned down to sixty, she reasoned. No other words came as they searched each other’s face, trying to find the person they met just a few days earlier.

  Chase extended his hand and snapped his fingers. Tessa noticed for the first time a man in camouflage army fatigues approach suddenly and handed Chase a phone. How did a person know what the captain wanted when he snapped those demanding fingers? Would she ever have that power? It took a second, but Chase connected with someone who he gave simple directions.

  “I need that live video now.” Tessa didn’t move as Chase turned the Enigma phone around and held it up eye level.

  Tessa could see her boys rubbing their eyes and leaning on their father as he patted their heads. He held Heather who slept on his shoulder, hugging him like there was no tomorrow. Disappearing into a bedroom he soon returned and took the boys into the kitchen to make them a snack. Light laughter floated toward her as the realization that her family remained safe reached her heart. When her eyes left the screen to look at Chase he turned off the phone, handing it back to the soldier who’d produced it. “I told you they would be okay.” His voice, although hoarse, was low and comforting. “Why did you cut Honey free? How did you know she was helping us?”

  Tessa tried to remember cutting the ties loose so Honey could save them. She wrinkled her forehead in pain as she shrugged. “I donno.” She tried to lift her arm on the side where her shoulder had been dislocated. It was too sore to lift. Chase noticed the movement and reached up to move the curl that had fallen across her forehead and into her eye. “You said things would not be as it seemed before I left you in the woods. Remember?”

  Chase didn’t. He couldn’t possibly have known things would have gone so wrong once they were inside.

  “Mansur told me when he grabbed me from attacking Honey that my family lived. I remembered then what you said.” She swallowed as she felt Chase’s hand trail down her arm and rest again on her fingers. Taking a deep breath, Tessa grinned. “That night at the motel she sounded so sincere. I-I believed her.”

  “You are the bravest woman I know,” he praised as his hands tightened around hers.

  In that moment when he pushed himself up, Tessa came up with him into his arms that closed around her tightly. She felt his lips on the side of her head and the warmth of his back beneath her hands. “I will never forget you, Captain Hunter.”

  Sam rolled her sleeve back down as she looked through the glass wall at Chase pulling Tessa up into his arms. Something about Tessa had won her respect, not that she would need to tell her. Tomorrow her competition would return to life in Grass Valley.

  Honey Lynch tucked her shirt into her pants as she cocked her head at Sam standing next to her. Her back was to the glass and couldn’t see Sam’s interest.

  “So, Sam. You and Chase ever…” Honey asked sarcastically.

  “No,” she quipped. She nodded to the glass so that Honey turned around and stared with displeasure at the woman she’d saved hours earlier. “When you and Chase were together did he ever look at you like that?” Honey frowned and moved toward the door. Sam chuckled as she cooed. “I’ll take that as a ‘no’.”

  The sounds of morning tickled Tessa’s dreams until she realized the bed she slept in was not her own. Stiffness prohibited her from rolling to her back as she opened her eyes to survey the surroundings. The room looked like a college dorm, small, sparsely furnished with a tiled floor that someone had thrown down a short piled rug to give it a little warmth. Bed springs creaked with the slightest movement. Although the mattress wouldn’t win any awards, it was comfortable enough. The blanket around her shoulders smelled clean. A small window let the east sun flood into the room while the soft breathing of the air conditioner made Tessa pull the blanket tighter around her body. What was it with these people and cold rooms?

  Four feet across from her rested another bed against the wall. Someone moved in it as a white sheet slipped away from the face of Samantha Cordova. Tessa reluctantly admitted that this woman even looked stunning first thing in the morning. She experienced extreme annoyance at that realization. Carefully Tessa swung her bare feet onto the cool floor, looking down at the same dirty clothes she’d been wearing for two days. Her mouth felt like a camel had been trampling around in it and body odor made her nose wrinkle in distaste. Her eyes went to Sam who stirred. Tessa guessed the woman probably smelled like a flower and managed to not so much as get a snag on her designer jeans. She wouldn’t be surprised if under that sheet was some kind of a futuristic weapon as well.

  “What are you looking at?” Sam asked crossly without opening her eyes.

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you, Sam.” She watched as Sam stretched lazily then sat up in much the same manner as Tessa.

  With limited communication, Sam led Tessa to the showers and provided her with clean clothes and other essentials to make her feel like a human being again. Following after Sam like a dutiful puppy, Tessa realized she was starving when they entered the cafeteria. The other team members were already eating a hardy breakfast of bacon, eggs, hash browns and toast. Chase had even added a stack of pancakes with maple syrup. They were all talking at the same time about a new car for Chase, Carter’s latest female conquest, and Vernon’s latest conspiracy theory. Zoric watched them in amusement as he patted an empty seat next to him for Tessa. She sat down with her French toast and bacon as Sam scooted in tightly next to Chase. Even though he had a mouth full of pancake, he managed a special smile for Sam who reached over and removed a dot of maple syrup from the corner of his mouth that she quickly sucked off her finger.

  Tessa sat quietly, captivated by these people who had filled her life in the last week. Nothing indicated lives had been lost or that the United States had suffered a terrorist attack. There was no talk of the dead, isotopes or Essid. All was right in the world for what anyone outside this building knew. How would she ever be able to go on knowing that evil men bent on harming her way of life existed in her own land? As she shoved the last piece of drippy French toast into her mouth, the answer came to her. She could go on because men and women like these at Enigma stood ready to do whatever it took to protect this
country.

  Chase had not directly spoken to her since last night. He’d handed her off to Sam around midnight. They were all sleeping in house so they could get the early morning briefing out of the way. The medical staff wanted to keep them close in case of problems and the resident shrink wanted to observe them in case any peculiar problems surfaced. Now those dark eyes landed on Tessa as if seeing her for the first time. He nodded casually but didn’t inquire as to how she was faring this morning.

  Being summoned to Director Benjamin Clark’s office put everyone in a quieter mood. Breakfast trays returned the group headed up to the office where several hours of debriefing would commence. Having everything out in the open sobered the team. Causalities reported and counted, damage assessment discussed, problems of security to be addressed, brought home to Tessa the reality of how close to death she had been. She gripped the arms of the wooden chair where she sat, feeling the overwhelming disregard Enigma felt for their personal safety. Her eyes darted to each one. The sense of being among incredible valor seemed to be lost on everyone in the room but her.

  The cafeteria hosted lunch for them, but it wasn’t more than pizza and salad. They ate in a conference room where once again, small talk over rode national security. Tessa found Ms. Coleman and apologized for her bad behavior on their first meeting. She waved it off, saying it certainly was refreshing to see Samantha Cordova have a melt down over someone other than herself. The doctors all had another crack at them including Dr. Wu.