* * *
Gisa
Gisa clung to the periphery of the clearing, peering from behind picnic tables and bushes. Another SUV drove by, not stopping at the springs, but continuing into the camping area. They were sealing off any means of escape. And then they would send men towards the center, towards the springs, towards her.
Gisa moved closer to the entrance, but three SUVs blocked it. She'd never get out that way. She turned instead to walk along the wooden fence, searching for any means of escape. She saw none. Impossible to climb a fence like this, even if she hadn't been pregnant. More headlights flashed through the clearing, and she swallowed down the bile in her throat. Panic throbbed in her veins. There was no way out.
She walked back towards the springs, praying, hoping for a miracle. There was nothing. Nothing that could possibly help her. And the men were closing in.
At the springs, possibly hidden by the shadows, possibly not, but no longer caring, she dropped to her knees at the same spot where she had sat earlier. Her eyes swept the area, and she spotted the scuba gear, still lying in the grass where the men had left it. Where were the men? They had to be nearby, but she saw no one. They had probably planned to come back to do another dive. What if she...? Was she crazy? And someone would be sure to see her. But she made up her mind after only a second's thought. It might be her only chance.
Keeping low, she ran to the water's edge and grabbed the gear, relieved to see a flashlight next to it. She stripped off her jacket, kicked off her shoes, and stuffed them into the bag. Quickly, she checked the gauge. Not much pressure but enough—200 pounds. She donned the tank and flippers, strapped on the mask, and wrapped the cord from the flashlight around her wrist. She picked up her bags, knowing she could not leave them behind for the men to find, put the mouthpiece in place and dove into the water, gasping at the coldness. And then she swam down into the inky blackness.
* * *
Rayden
Rayden forced himself to sit still, to wait, holding tightly to Prometheus, until the man moved out of sight. He sprang forward, his eyes searching for Gisa. He continued toward the springs, suddenly not caring if he was seen or not. He had to find her, but she was nowhere to be seen. Where could she have gone—not near the perimeter where the men were? And not out the gate or over the fence. There was no way over; no way out. Where could she be?
After a fruitless search, knowing he could easily be seen, he reluctantly went higher into the shelter of the trees. One good thing, however—the men had not found her either.
* * *
Gisa
Gisa propelled herself with the flippers, descending into a darkness that completely enshrouded her. Goose bumps traveled up her arms, not just from cold but from fear. She was a certified scuba diver, and had made many dives with David, but never one at night. She dared not turn on the flashlight. But as it touched her arm, it comforted her to know it was there. She felt something swim past on the other side. Probably just a fish. Not a snake. No, not a snake. She couldn't afford to panic, so she kept swimming forward, refusing to let the dark frighten her.
She knew there was a large entrance to an underwater cavern twenty feet down that would be easy to find. From that cavern was a small entrance to a cave—if she could find it. Afraid someone might see the light through the water, she didn't switch it on until she thought she was almost at the large entrance.
When she did flip the switch, she found herself face to face with a lamprey. She recoiled in horror, sucking in air quickly, before she calmed herself. She recovered, steadied her breathing, and kept swimming, until she made her way around the lamprey.
She had miscalculated, but not badly. About five more feet down and fifteen feet or so to her right, she found the opening and swam through, swimming against the current. All the bags, so far, appeared to be waterproof, thank God. As the flashlight played over the water she saw a few large fish, a few lampreys, and a couple of salamanders at the bottom. Nothing unusual. The cavern was about the size of a large room and completely filled with water.
She shivered. The water temperature was sixty-eight degrees year round. Without a wet suit, she would soon be suffering from hypothermia. She had to find the tunnel to the other cave quickly. She swam parallel to the roof of the cave searching for it. She spotted a darker spot on the wall of the cave and swam in that direction. She mentally prepared herself for the ordeal ahead. She would have to remove the tank and push it through the tunnel along with the bags. The squeeze was only about three feet long and very narrow. David had gone through it when they were here, but she had chickened out at the last minute.
But if he could do it, so could she. The narrow opening seemed to be warning her away as she drew closer. But what choice did she have? She pushed the bags, one at a time, through and then removed the tank, keeping in the mouthpiece. She pushed the tank into the opening as far as it would go and then swam in. She had forgotten about her swollen abdomen. Her belly scraped along the bottom and her back along the top. She felt a momentary panic, but she couldn't stop now. Pushing the tank and bags ahead of her, she pulled herself along by digging in with her fingers. In just a couple of feet, she'd be through. Nothing to it; it was only a matter of seconds.
She tried not to think about coming face to face with a lamprey in the tunnel. She made what seemed to be slow progress. In the dark, alone, beneath the water, fighting the current, time could appear distorted. Just another second, she was sure, and she'd be through.
When she came out of the tunnel, she wasn't even aware of it at first, the water around her was such an inky black. But she felt, rather than saw, that she was free of the confined space. She grabbed the tank and clumsily strapped it back on before gathering the bags. Then she swam up, shining the light, allowing it to guide her.
The tunnel had widened out into a larger cave bigger than the cavern—at least twice as big. It was just a few more feet to the surface. She'd made it through the worst part. The rest was a breeze. Being alone wasn't so bad. At least she had escaped from David.
She continued propelling herself up and broke through. She pulled the mouthpiece out, treading water, and shone the flashlight around the cave, feeling small and insignificant in the large space. She played the light over its walls until she found it, the place David had told her about—a small rocky shelf that protruded above the water. She climbed out and sat panting on the narrow ledge, resting for a few minutes.
A contraction hit, so severe that she doubled over in pain.
Oh, God, no.
AFTER THE CONTRACTION passed, Gisa rested for a bit, and then took off the equipment and her wet clothes. Praying she would not have another contraction, she looked around, by the thin light of the flashlight, feeling lost and totally alone. The walls of the cave towered above her. In contrast, the ledge she was on was small. She thought it would be bigger from what David had told her, but it was only about four feet wide at its widest and about ten feet in length.
Her teeth chattered, and she shivered. She opened the long bag. The contents were still dry, thank goodness—all the bags were waterproof. She pulled on a dry scrub top her hands numb with cold. Sixty-seven degree water quickly brought down normal body temp. She grabbed the jacket, pulling it tightly around her, and her belly tightened uncomfortably. Another contraction? No, God, no! Why had she come into this cave? She leaned back against the wall and set the flashlight beside her. She jammed her hands in her pockets to warm them, and curled into a ball.
Another contraction—this one stronger still—washed over her. Had she been having contractions all day? Had she been so preoccupied that she had not noticed she was in labor? Or, were the contractions brought on by the dive?
She stretched out on the ledge to gain some relief from the labor pains that were rolling over her now like gigantic waves. The rocky ledge offered little relief.
She rubbed her belly and tried to breathe deeply. She lost track of time as she fought to keep down the panic. Each contract
ion became more intense and closer together until she didn’t know when one ended and one began.
She cried out and the cry echoed through the cave. How close was she to the surface? Would the men searching for her hear?
She prayed that they would. Anyone who could ease the crescendo of pain. And then she no longer cared, was beyond caring, and her screams reverberated until she no longer knew it was she who screamed. And then she was pushing, pushing, and pushing until she fell back exhausted.
* * *
Rayden
Prometheus's ears perked up, and he leaned forward whining. Rayden caught him around his chest, holding him back.
"What is it, boy?" he whispered.
Prometheus whined again, and Rayden strained to hear. He heard something, too, but it was very faint. He waited a few more minutes, listening intently. There it was again—a faint echoing sound. Where could it be coming from? Was it Gisa? It had to be.
He released Prometheus who ran straight down the incline to the springs. Rayden glanced around, still crouching, before he sprang forward, keeping low, and to the shadows.
A bullet whizzed by his head, and he rolled under the shelter of the bushes. In the gloom, illuminated by the full moon, David, headed toward him, his gun pointed at him. Rayden reached to the back of his jeans for his own gun. It was gone.
* * *
Gisa
Gisa lay panting and then pushed again with one last scream. Then that which had caused so much misery was out of her. Relief flooded through her. She was through now. Die Auserwählten no longer needed her.
She propped on her elbows and looked at the child. She could toss him in the water, get rid of the evil, and then what? Would they kill her because she had killed him? Would they kill her anyway, now that she was no longer needed? Or, since she was a product of their breeding program, would she be kept, perhaps to carry another clone?
The baby moved in the dim light of the flashlight. She picked him up, not sure what she would feel, if she would simply toss him away, into the water, and be done with it. But an emotion, as strong in its own way as the contractions she had just endured, swept through her. This was a baby, a child, who needed her. She splashed water on him, and he began to cry, his bottom lip shaking, and becoming a pout. Tears of wonder stung her eyes as she held him close to warm him. Searching the bag, she found a piece of twine and the knife. She tied and then cut the umbilical cord and studied him. His eyes were wide open, gazing into her own. Opening her jacket, she welcomed him into its warmth. She marveled that he already sought nourishment. She held him to her breast, and he suckled. A sense of peace and well-being settled over her.
When he had his fill, she lay him down against the wall and shone the light on him. He had a thatch of dark hair and chubby cheeks like any other baby. Could this really be Hitler? Surely that couldn’t be true. His tiny fists flailed the air, and he let out a cry that sounded like a kitten’s meow. He didn't like being on the rocky surface. She unzipped the long bag, removing everything but a shirt, and laid him in it. She curled herself around the bag, and switched off the flashlight, feeling strangely content.
* * *
Rayden
"Get up." David gestured with his gun.
Rayden rose to his feet. David pointed down the slope without speaking, and Rayden started down to the springs. His eyes searched, more concerned with finding Gisa than with the man holding the gun on him. But he saw neither Prometheus, nor Gisa, nor anyone else. The shop by the springs had a street light that brightened its immediate vicinity and cast a dimmer light on the water.
The glow from the almost full moon provided additional light. The trees, however, draped deep shadows across the section of grass. He stopped at the edge of the springs and turned to face David. Oddly, he felt no fear. His concern for Gisa wiped out all other thoughts or feelings.
David sighed, a long exaggerated sigh. "Looks like you outwitted Ralph. Not too hard to do with a guy who is witless." He nodded his head, and a self-satisfied smile spread across his face. "However, you've made it easier for me. Oberste will understand I had no choice. Yes, now I can kill you with no compunction."
Rayden straightened, looking straight into David's eyes. Yes, he regretted not doing more to help Gisa, but he had done all he knew to do. All was in God's hands now. He surrendered to God and with the surrender came peace.
"Here's the gun you were looking for. You lost it back there." He jerked his thumb towards the bushes before tossing it at Rayden. It landed a few feet away. "We'll pretend you were coming at me with the gun. Ready?" He motioned for Rayden to pick it up.
Why not? It was possible David would miss the shot, possible that he might get a shot off before David killed him. He dove toward the gun. David trailed him with his. Prometheus streaked out of nowhere.
The dog caught David's arm, and the gun flew from his hand and landed in the springs, sinking quickly. David swung his other arm, his hand fisted, and caught the dog across his wounded neck. Prometheus rolled, came to his feet, and shook his head. David kicked the dog, and Prometheus went down and was still.
Anger surged through Rayden. He grabbed the gun and held it on David, but David only laughed.
"You didn't think I'd give you a loaded gun, did you?"
Rayden ejected the clip. Empty. No difference. He couldn't have shot an unarmed man anyway, no matter how big of a scumbag he was. He tossed the gun down and went after David. A crack rent the air as Rayden’s fist met David’s jaw. The adrenaline racing through his veins numbed any pain Rayden felt. All the anger and blame he had heaped on himself was now focused on David.
David staggered back from the blow. Rayden lunged at him again, and David stumbled back another step but did not fall. David's powerful arms shoved Rayden back. Rayden staggered but stayed on his feet. He rushed David again.
David stood his ground, this time catching Rayden full force under the chin. David moved in, pounding Rayden's face. Rayden raised his arms to absorb the blows. But David's assault was weakening him by the second. Rayden knew he had little chance of winning. In one swift, smooth motion, Rayden dropped to the ground and swept David's feet out from under him. David fell heavily but jumped to his feet before Rayden could roll away.
David stood over him, his fists clenched. Rayden instinctively drew his legs in and slammed his feet upward into David's chest, with all the force he could muster. David fell backwards, hitting the ground heavily. Rayden straddled him, pummeling him, losing all control over his actions, simply pounding David over and over.
Rayden felt a gentle tug on his elbow.
"Son, that's enough."
He focused on the man beside him. "Mr. Pierce?"
Mr. Pierce nodded. "Come on, James." He tugged at him again. "Come on, son."
It seemed natural that Mr. Pierce was there. The most natural thing in the world. He allowed Mr. Pierce to pull him to his feet, away from David. When Mr. Pierce released him, Rayden staggered to where Prometheus still lay and collapsed beside him. He ran his hands over the dog's fur. The dog licked his hand and thumped his tail before he laid his head on Rayden's leg.
Mr. Pierce was leaning over David, speaking softly. He helped David to a sitting position. David put his elbows on his knees, his head hanging down, not speaking.
Rayden became aware that other men were milling around the springs, and he wrenched his eyes from David to glance around. A dark-skinned man with long black hair approached him. "Were you the one who summoned us?"
"Summoned?"
The man drew a circle on the ground with a stick and handed it to Rayden. Rayden, his muscles not yet fully under his control, shakily drew a slash and the "v" topped with the "m."
The man nodded once. "What do you want us to do with them?"
Rayden's bleary eyes looked to where the man pointed. At least a dozen men, hands tied behind their backs and blindfolded, were huddled together in a group, with two more dark-skinned men standing near them.
Mr. Pier
ce, his face twisted with concern, walked over to Rayden and the man. "I'm going to call the police."
Rayden shook his head. "No, not yet. Please, Mr. Pierce?"
Doubt clouded the old man's face, but he nodded. "Okay. I guess no one was badly hurt."
Rayden hoped he had not seen the gun. He glanced around but didn't see it nearby.
Rayden turned to the dark-skinned man. "Uh...can you take them higher in the mountains, hide their cars, just make sure it will take a while for them to find their way back?"
The man smiled at him. "Sure. We can have them walking in circles for days, if that's what you want."
Rayden nodded his head. "Yes. Thanks."
"This one, too?" The man jerked a thumb toward David.
"Yes...but just a second." He struggled to his feet, neither Mr. Pierce nor the man offering him help. Prometheus also rose and padded behind Rayden as he walked to David and stared down at him. Prometheus bared his fangs. David tilted his head to them, a murderous look in his eyes.
"David, if you ever touch Gisa again or even so much as look at her, I won't rip you apart with my bare hands." Rayden tried to smile, but the smile turned into a grimace. "However, I can't vouch for my dog."
And, as if on cue, Prometheus lunged at David, but Rayden pulled him back.
"Sorry, boy. Not today."
And they watched as the quiet, dark man carried David and the others away.
GISA SLEPT THE sleep of utter exhaustion. Whenever the baby cried, every few hours, she pulled him from the bag, nursed him, and then laid him back in his make-shift bed, before immediately falling back asleep.
Moonbow Page 18