Mojave Rescue

by Tanya Stowe

  She pointed to the computer. “This is the alert and this is Jacobi’s first email to Hightower.”

  Cal nodded. “He’s one of Jacobi’s engineers. We’ve been watching him, as well.”

  Drina read the email out loud. “‘This is a follow-up to the pyramid alert just sent to your phone. There’s trouble at the lab.’” She paused. “What’s a pyramid alert?”

  “Standard emergency procedure. Once I arrived at the test site and found your abandoned car, I contacted my team. Since Jacobi is the lead project manager they contacted him to institute a telephone alert system about a possible security breach. Jacobi calls the next man down from him and that man calls the next down the list until everyone has been verbally contacted by phone.”

  “But Jacobi is doing more than verbally contacting Hightower. He’s sending private emails.”

  Cal pointed to the long list of emails. “I imagine after Jacobi got the call and started the pyramid alert, he probably checked his own emails. That’s when he would have seen the alert from your company’s system. Obviously he was pretty riled and started sending texts to Hightower. Maybe you were right. Maybe the leak is Jacobi and Hightower is in on it. Let’s see what they talk about.”

  Drina opened the first reply. “Hightower says, ‘What kind of trouble?’ Jacobi replies, ‘Drina Gallagher is missing.’ Then Hightower says, ‘After the test today I don’t blame her for taking off. That was a disaster.’” Drina made a sound. “A disaster that turned into a breakthrough.”

  Cal ignored her comment and started to read out loud. “‘She didn’t leave on her own. It looks like she attempted to send something through email, but it didn’t go...or she cancelled it. Then she disappeared. There’s signs of a struggle near her car.’”

  Cal slowed as he continued to read. “‘You think she was trying to contact Carlisle in a way that couldn’t be traced?’

  “‘We’ll never know. We have no record of what she wanted to tell him or even if she was successful.’

  “‘Sounds like your suspicions were correct.’”

  Suddenly, the computer screen went black.

  Cal caught his breath. “What happened? What’s wrong?”

  “Power. The battery’s dead.”

  He studied Drina. “Did you do that on purpose? They were close to giving us an answer.”

  She threw her hands up. “I can’t make it run if it doesn’t have power.”

  “You don’t have a charger?”

  “Of course I do. It’s in the backpack you threw down the muddy river.”

  His brow furrowed. “Oh, of course.” He thought for a moment then popped up from the couch. “Let me see if I’ve got one that’ll work.”

  Drina followed him. But nothing he had matched. Silently, Drina sagged. They returned to the living room. Cal dropped to the couch. Drina sat, too, and placed the computer on the cushion between them, then stared out the window, never meeting Cal’s gaze.

  He rose. “Are you still cold?”

  She nodded and pulled the throw tighter around her. She couldn’t tell if she was trembling from cold or fear or maybe even anger.

  “I’ll start a fire.”

  “I thought you said it wasn’t safe.”

  “That firefighter is long gone and the storm is raging. I doubt anyone will smell the smoke.”

  He stacked twigs and small logs in the fireplace and lit them. After a long while he said, “Drina...”

  “Don’t, Cal. Don’t say it. I don’t believe it. Not for a minute. Jacobi is trying to throw suspicion off himself by accusing Bill.”

  “Why would he do that?”

  “Why would Bill tap his own phone?”

  “I told you. It might have been a CIA wiretap. I was waiting for my handlers to confirm that before we lost contact.”

  She stared at him. It hurt too much to think of Bill as a traitor, to think that she’d misjudged a person or the situation so badly. She couldn’t do it. She gave a shake of her head. “I don’t believe it. Bill wouldn’t hurt me.”

  She sat in the corner of the couch, pulled up her legs and wrapped her arms around them. She felt so fragile, so close to breaking.

  Cal took a deep breath. “You’re not alone, Drina. No one ever really knows what drives people. Most of us don’t understand why we do what we do let alone—”

  She cut him off. “It’s not Bill. It can’t be. I know him. He wouldn’t... If I can’t trust him, who can I trust?”

  That was the real question. The deep, shadowed one she’d refused to face. Who was right? John and Cal with their hopeful faith or her parents with their logic and facts? She needed answers. Facts. Proof of Bill’s betrayal...of God’s existence. Not wispy promises.

  Cal’s voice was low when he spoke. “I think you know the answer to that, Drina. People fail. Let us down. But God never does. If you’re losing hope and faith, maybe it’s because you’re putting your faith in the wrong place.”

  She turned to Cal with an angry retort. But before she could speak, the lights popped off. Instead of yelling at him, she cried out and reached for him. He grasped her hands and pulled her close.

  “It’s all right.” His voice was calm and sure. His arms a safe haven from the storm inside Drina as well as out. She buried her face in his neck, thankful for that simple comfort.

  “The storm knocked out the electricity, that’s all. It happens a lot up here. Frankly, I’m surprised we had power for as long as we did.”

  She bobbed her head in a nod, not sure he felt it as she clung to him.

  “I have a backup generator in the garage for just these kinds of situations. I can go out and start it, if you like.”

  Her eyes had grown accustomed to the dark. The orange glow of the fire gave his oh-so-perfect face a golden sheen. His features were creased with concern...for her. It was difficult to stay frustrated with him when he was trying so hard to take care of her.

  She nodded her chin toward the white snow slashing across the picture window. “That means you have to go out into that.” She shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

  * * *

  Cal gripped her hand. “All right, then.”

  He knew she wanted to say more but the angry words floated away as they sat in the dark; the fire crackled as the storm howled and shook the house.

  He tried to keep his voice low, controlled. “We’re going to sleep in here, closer to the fire. It’ll be warmer in here since we don’t have a furnace. I’ll even give you the couch.”

  Releasing her hand, he fluffed the pillows and pushed her into the corner. Drina snuggled in, tucking her chin under the covers as he spread knitted throws around her. Then he sat on the floor in front.

  She sighed and snuggled a little deeper into the pillows. After a long while, she suddenly pushed up again. “Is your real name even Cal Norwood?”

  Her hazel eyes reflected the sparks of the fire. A stubborn curl had fallen over her forehead. He pushed it back, slowly, loving its silky feel against his fingertips.

  “Yes, that’s my real name. The agency didn’t change my identity. They just invented the gambling addiction that supposedly estranged me from my family and friends and sent me right into the arms of desperation. And believe me, I acted the part. I’m not proud of some of the things I had to do.”

  He brushed the curl again, sweeping it slowly to the side, letting his fingertips linger on her skin. “I’ve been playing deceitful Cal for so long, I almost forgot the real me. The guy who loves music, good food and beautiful women.”

  “Do I count as a beautiful woman?”

  He chuckled. “Yes. You are beautiful in your own understated way. I don’t know how I... How any man could miss it. But it probably has something to do with how very brilliant and serious you are, especially when you hide behind glasses bigger than your whole face.”
r />   Then he tucked the covers under her chin again.

  Drina closed her eyes. Her voice was just above a murmur. “Cal, I think we saved each other.”

  He watched Drina fall asleep, wishing they could have more moments like this, that he could keep her safe forever. He rested his hands on the edge of the couch and his chin on top of them. He could almost see the two of them here, in his living room, the fire crackling, a big golden retriever at her feet. His eyes drifted shut.

  Did she like dogs?

  Alarm bells clanged somewhere in this image of Drina ruffling the fluffy golden fur of the dog’s head. The animal barked.

  Barked?

  Cal jerked awake. No dog. No barking. There was no sound at all. Not the howl of wind from the storm outside. Not even the crackle of the fire.

  The fire was out. The room was dark...except for the red laser beams crisscrossing the air above him.

  He rolled onto all fours and shook Drina. “Wake up. They’ve found us. We have to get out of here.”

  She made a choked sound and tried to rise but he pushed her back down. “Shhh... Stay low. Roll off the couch and crawl toward the back door. I’ll meet you there.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “After my gun and your computer. I’m not taking a chance on you running back for it again.”

  Eight

  Adrenaline surged through Drina. She did as Cal instructed, rolling to the floor. On all fours, she scurried to the kitchen and the small niche where his washer and dryer faced a solid wood door. On hooks nearby, she saw their heavy parkas where Cal had hung them earlier. Her shoes sat on the floor below.

  She slipped them on and tied them tightly. As she slid her arms through the sleeves of her jacket, the door handle above her turned...once...twice. Holding her breath, she scooted into the corner, expecting bullets to pierce the wooden portal any moment. Nothing happened.

  Crouching low, Cal came around the corner, gun in hand.

  She grasped his arm. “There’s someone out there,” she whispered.

  “I’m sure they have a guard at each door.” His voice was raspy and slightly out of breath. He handed her the backpack. “Zip up and put this on.”

  She looked down as her zipper snagged. “If they have someone at every door, how are we going to get out?” She got it loose and pulled up just in time to see Cal’s grim features.

  “I’m going to distract them.”

  “How?”

  “Don’t think about that. Just follow my instructions. When I say go, run to the back of the garage.”

  “The back? Aren’t we going to the car?”

  “My little car won’t make it on these roads. Those men didn’t drive up into my driveway. I would have heard their engines. You remember their big loud SUVs? They had to leave them on the main road.”

  She nodded.

  “The road is just beyond where we walked this morning. The little culvert where we saw the buck and doe? If you keep going maybe forty or fifty feet straight, you’ll see the road. Follow it until you find their cars.”

  “Follow it? Aren’t you coming with me?” Her tone had risen above a whisper and he motioned her volume down with his hand.

  “I’m coming, but I’m going to try to delay them. If we get separated, I don’t want to arrive at the car and have to double back for you.”

  He leaned in close. “Keep your head down. Run as hard as you can and don’t look back. Got it?”

  “Yes, but...”

  “No questions, Drina. Just do as I say.”

  She sealed her lips and nodded.

  Cal edged to the corner and looked around the wall to the front door. Pulling something small and round out of his coat pocket, he pressed a button and rose slowly to his feet.

  A red light flashed down the kitchen straight to the back wall of the laundry niche. Cal jerked back behind the corner, out of the beam’s way. But as soon as it disappeared, he stepped into the center of the opening and pulled back his arm, preparing to throw the small round object in his hand.

  Just as he did, the electricity came on and the lights in the house flared to life, leaving Cal completely exposed. Several beams flashed down the hall.

  Drina screamed and Cal’s arm shot forward. Gunshots shattered the big picture window just as Cal ducked around the corner. Drina heard the ping of something metal as the object Cal had thrown struck the front door and exploded.

  Drina covered her ears and ducked. The whole house rocked and shook. Glasses and plates in the kitchen fell from the cabinets and shattered. The coffee machine flew past them, bouncing on the floor and landing against the back wall.

  Drina stared at it in horror. But Cal was already on the move. He threw the lock on the door, shoved it open and peeked out. Frozen in shock, Drina watched him take aim and fire. The gunshot made a soft, funny sound. Then Cal grabbed her arm, pulling her to her feet.

  “Go now. Run, Drina!”

  With no time to think, she dashed across the pristine snow. The pure white landscape was so bright, she had no trouble seeing. Another explosion rocked the house and she looked over her shoulder to see the kitchen wall explode outward.

  Thoughts flashed through her mind. Cal had a silencer and more ammunition hidden somewhere in his safe house.

  A gas line had been hit. Or maybe sparked by broken electric lines.

  Cal’s home was exploding. His record collection.

  Drina’s breath came out in a sob. Just as she reached the garage, a motion detector light kicked on.

  Electricity. The light would draw the men’s attention. She heard another sound behind her. Several muffled shots. Ignoring Cal’s warning, she glanced over her shoulder. Cal fired shots toward the front of the house.

  She reached safety behind the garage, bent over to catch her breath and turned to look back. She saw a blur out of the corner of her eye, and Cal pushed her roughly forward.

  “Run! Don’t stop till you reach the cars.”

  Spurred on, Drina dashed away, this time not daring to pause for breath or look back. The cabin rested on a slight rise and she ran down the incline into the culvert, almost tripping. The snow slowed her down. At least a foot high, it was even deeper in the ravine. With each step, she had to lift her feet high to free them from the sucking, frozen white powder.

  She trudged on but didn’t hear Cal following. Only more gunfire, muzzled and now followed by rapid shots from an automatic weapon. The men had found Cal and were firing back.

  Drina’s breath came out in another sob. The freezing air burned her lungs and the sob ended in a cough. In the empty, white, death-like silence, every small sound echoed in the little ravine. Suddenly aware that her noises were carrying, especially above her, she looked up, tripped and fell face-first in the thigh-deep snow.

  Ice filled her nose and mouth. Smothering, she struggled to turn over in the deep drift. Lying flat on her back, she gasped for air. Sharp, icy pain seared through her chest. Hot tears flowed down her frozen cheeks. She faced a dark, midnight sky, full of frosty diamond stars.

  Where was Cal? Why wasn’t he following her?

  More shots pierced the air. Cal’s words came back to her. Run and don’t look back. I don’t want to have to double back for you.

  What if he took another route to the road? Maybe he was already headed for the car with those men close behind. Waiting for her could put him in more danger.

  That thought spurred her to move. Rolling to her side, she pushed up from the drift, stumbled to her feet and slugged forward.

  Nothing looked familiar. She didn’t remember going this far on their walk. Had she missed something? Was she walking farther away, lost in the woods?

  Beyond the white walls of the culvert, everything seemed swallowed in darkness. In fact, everything was silent. She no longer heard shots from the cab
in. Was Cal hurt, wounded and bleeding? Was he dead?

  Drina ran, panting and kicking the snow as she staggered forward. Up ahead, the culvert curved. Bushes hung over the edge. Flattened by the weight of the snow, they looked different, but they were definitely where the buck and doe had hidden.

  Her thighs burning, Drina climbed out of the culvert. At the top, she paused and looked around. Cal said forty or fifty feet more. How could she measure forty or fifty feet in this vast white sameness?

  Straight forward. Just go straight forward.

  She picked a tree about the right distance away. It had a distinctive knoll she couldn’t mistake or lose and she lunged straight for it, finding speed now that the deeper drifts didn’t slow her. The total silence behind spurred her on.

  Please, Lord. Please let me find the car and let Cal be waiting for me.

  Suddenly, she stumbled into a clearing and halted. Looking down, she saw a wide strip with black asphalt below tire tracks. The clearing was the road!

  Her gaze jerked back and forth along the road. To her left, three black SUVs were parked in the middle of the road. A man stood near the front of the lead car. Drina’s heart leaped. Cal!

  The man stepped away and hurried toward her. She started to run also, but her eyelashes were full of frost and her eyes stung. Her vision blurred with pooled tears.

  Something wasn’t right. She wiped a hand furiously across her face, then stopped abruptly, sliding on the iced-over asphalt.

  The man wasn’t Cal.

  He raised the gun in his hand, taking careful aim. Drina caught her breath.

  From the trees beside the guard, a dark blur dived at him. The man didn’t have time to fire or even turn. Cal was on him before he could change direction. They fell to the ground and slid across the road. The man’s gun flew from his grasp and into the ditch.

  Cal landed on top. Still holding his gun, he struggled to get to his feet but his footing slipped out from beneath him and he fell heavily to the side.