by Mary Alford
Kyle seemed to have a way of picking up on her thoughts. “Give it time. You’ll get there. You’re not alone anymore, Lena. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.”
She struggled to hold her composure. If she lost it now, he’d know something was wrong. She didn’t know how to tell him about the baby. Would he ever forgive her? She turned away yet could feel the questions in him.
James put the car in Drive and pulled out onto the street. “It doesn’t look like we’re being followed,” he said after glancing in the rearview mirror.
“Good. Just do your best to watch for anyone following too closely,” Kyle instructed.
“We’re almost there,” the pastor informed them a little while later. “It’s just about another mile to the church.”
Kyle gently touched her face and turned her to face him. “It’s going to be okay. As soon as the chopper can get airborne, the team will be on their way. Even allowing for refueling, this is almost over, Lena. We’ll get through it together.”
Tears filled her eyes and she looked away. She’d give anything to believe that was going to happen, but he didn’t know everything and she was terrified he’d hate her when he did.
The car turned into the church parking lot and slowed to a stop. “We’re here.”
Kyle eased to a sitting position and glanced around. “Let’s get inside as quickly as possible. It doesn’t look as if anyone is watching the church, but then again, they are highly trained professionals.”
He clasped her hand and helped her out. His arms circled her shoulders as they rushed inside and quickly locked the door.
“There’s an annex that has a couple of sofas, which are kind of comfortable,” James said with a grin. “Food’s in the fridge. Help yourself to whatever you want.” He led them to a room down the hall from the sanctuary.
“Thanks, James.” Kyle smiled in appreciation. “I’m sorry to put you in the middle of this, but we’re grateful for your help.”
“That’s no problem. It’s my job and I’m happy to do it. Can I do anything else for you folks?”
Kyle glanced over at Lena. She knew she’d grown quiet and he was trying to understand the change in her.
“We’ll be fine,” he said. “I think what we need most is rest.”
“I can imagine. It looks as if you two haven’t had much of that lately. I’ll leave you alone. I’ll be in my office if you need me.”
“Thanks again,” Kyle said and waited until the man closed the door and they were alone.
He came over to where she was and drew her close, his hands smoothing the hair from her face.
“How are you holding up?” he asked with his love for her shining in his eyes.
She loved him so much. She didn’t want to think about losing him. He’d always been there for her, and she’d put a mission before him and their life together.
“I’m fine,” she managed in a shaky voice. “Just ready for this to be over.”
She stepped away and he reluctantly let her go. A frown furrowed his brow. “What’s wrong? Talk to me, babe. You know you can tell me anything.”
If only she could believe he meant that. She was so frightened everything she’d gained again would be lost.
“It’s just that Alhasan told me Joseph was dead,” she said, grasping the first thing to come to mind. Kyle deserved the truth, yet she just didn’t know how to tell him.
He relaxed a little. “We don’t know that for sure. Alhasan was probably lying to try to get to you. We’ll find him.”
He brought her close and kissed her fervently for a moment. “I’m just so happy to have you back, babe,” he whispered brokenly against her lips. “So happy I have you again. We’re blessed and I love you so much.”
He doesn’t know everything, her conscience taunted. Would he still want her? She didn’t think she could forgive herself for what happened. How could she ask him to do what she was incapable of doing? Where did that leave them?
She wrapped her arms around his waist and held him close, drinking in the familiar scent of him. She ran her fingers through this chestnut hair. In the past, he’d worn it cut short, but it still felt the same against her skin. The warmth in those gray eyes confirmed everything he told her was true. He wanted her.
Kyle was strong and handsome and she would love him for the rest of her life.
“I love you, too, Kyle. With all my heart, no matter what happens, please know that I love you, too.”
ELEVEN
He felt as if he were losing her again. She still held something back and it was driving him crazy. Why couldn’t she trust him completely?
She sat staring into space, lost and wounded. Her emotional scars deep. The ending of this thing would be just the beginning for her. It might take years to find their way back to where they were before she disappeared. She needed his love and patience. When she was ready, she’d tell him what was wrong. But first they had to survive.
It was as if he could hear the clock ticking away every second that stood between them and safety.
His heart swelled with renewed love while his protective instincts sharpened. With the Fox’s true identity still unknown and Alhasan and his men roaming the area looking for them, he prayed for a quick end to the nightmare.
Kyle sat next to her and clasped her hands. She glanced his way. He knew something bad was coming. A storm on the way. It was there in her troubled eyes. His mind flew in a dozen different disturbing directions.
Please don’t let it be bad.
“I love you, Lena,” he whispered. He’d give anything to be able to hold on to the happiness he felt right now.
A soon as the words were out, she shut down before his eyes.
“What’s troubling you, babe?” he implored and prayed she’d tell him the truth.
She shook her head. She wasn’t ready yet.
“How is Emily doing?” she asked, the question surprising him. She wanted to know about his sister. But then again, she and Emily had been close.
He forced a smile. “Good. She’s attending Harvard, believe it or not. She’s studying criminal justice. She told me she wants to be just like you.”
She looked down at their joined hands. The wall firmly in place now. “I can’t believe she’s grown. She was just a teenager when...”
He gathered her close. “This is going to be the happiest day in the world for her. She’s missed you, Lena. She reminds me so much of you. She’s strong. Independent. Focused.”
At one time all those things had driven her to succeed. Not anymore. Lena was a changed woman.
“I can’t wait to see her again,” she said in a modest tone so unlike Lena.
He could see she was struggling. “I know it’s hard. You just need time. This has to be overwhelming for you. Let me help you through it. Don’t shut me out.”
He squeezed her shoulder and got to his feet. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to see if the storm has lifted yet. Hopefully, Jase will have some good news,” Kyle told her, but she didn’t respond.
He stepped out of earshot but didn’t make the call. As happy as he was to have her back, he didn’t think he could bear it if he lost her again, even if it was to her own disturbing past.
He closed his eyes and prayed a desperate prayer. God, she needs You to give her the courage to tell me what’s troubling her. Please help her.
Kyle stood with phone in hand, his thoughts deeply unsettled, when the object in his hand rang unexpectedly. He didn’t recognize the number.
Immediately he was on alert. “Who is this?”
“It’s me.” He recognized Liz’s muffled voice. Right away two things became abundantly clear. Liz was hurt and she was in trouble.
“Are you all right? Where are you? I’ve been trying to reach you for day
s. Dalton and Booth are searching for you.” Silence prompted him to ask, “Liz, are you there?”
“Yes, I’m here.” Her voice was barely recognizable. “I have to talk very quietly because they might hear me.”
His thoughts orbited. Uneasiness permeated every pore of his body. Something bad had happened.
“We were ambushed—I’m not sure how long ago—while chasing a lead Michael found through monitoring Alhasan’s website. He thought it might help us find where Alhasan was holding Sam and his men, only we were attacked. We didn’t stand a chance. There were so many. They knew we were coming, Kyle,” she said in an ominous tone.
Unbelievable. They’d lured Liz and Michael into a carefully laid trap. The only question was by whom? He remembered what Lena had told him about Alhasan wanting her to take out the entire Scorpion team. He had to find a way to save his people.
“Did you get a good look at the men who took you?” he asked, hoping she could identify someone.
“No, we were hit from behind. We’d just entered the burned-out building Michael identified from one of the photos. They knocked us out. I’d hidden a burner in the lining of my boot. Somehow, they didn’t find it. I’m not sure how, because they searched us carefully.”
She paused and then said, “I only have a second before they return. I overheard them talking about going to pick up a shipment of weapons. They left a couple of men on guard outside. Sam and his team were here with us, but they were taken away. I’m concerned, Kyle. I haven’t seen them since.” She paused for a breath. Liz was trying to give him as much information as possible. “There’s four other people being held captive with us. An older couple and a man who appears to be in his thirties and a child.”
A child. Was it Joseph? Who were the couple and man, and how did they fit with Alhasan’s plans? “Do you have any idea where you are being held?” Kyle asked.
The length of time it took for her to answer was disconcerting. “Liz?”
She breathed out a sigh. “Sorry, I thought I heard someone coming. I’m not sure where we are. We’ve been moved several times and we were in the air for hours. I overheard one of the men mention something about Pennsylvania. When we arrived here, they blindfolded us, but I managed to sneak a peek. I think we’re at an abandoned lumber mill.”
Pennsylvania! How had the Fox managed to get Liz and Michael into the United States without being detected? Unless he had someone with enough authority to transport them through all the necessary checkpoints? The idea itself was chilling.
Lena had said the Fox was moving his organization to a place called Cedar Creek, and there was a Cedar Creek near the Pennsylvania border. There was no way this was a coincidence.
He was positive the lumber mill would be near the small town of Cedar Creek. Everything was starting to fall into place. Was the lumber mill the Fox’s new headquarters?
Because he couldn’t get what Lena had said to him about the real Fox being an American out of his head, he asked, “Is one of your captors an American?”
Liz hesitated. “No, I don’t think so. They were all speaking Dari... Why?” she asked, clearly confused by the question, then she whispered frantically. “Hang on.” A lengthy pause followed and then she returned. “Sorry.”
Kyle hurriedly told her what Lena had said about the Fox being an American.
“We were so certain Alhasan was the Fox,” she said in shock. “I’m not sure if one of them is American. There’s only one man who’s spoken to us and... Oh, no, someone’s coming. If they catch me with the phone, they’ll kill me.”
“Liz, hide the phone somewhere, but leave it on so that we can trace it. We’ll find you. Until then, stay safe.”
There was no answer and he prayed she’d heard, otherwise they’d have no way to find them. He disconnected the call and prayed for their safety.
Kyle quickly updated Jase on what happened.
“I’ll put a trace on the burner right away. If it’s still on, we can find them. What I don’t understand is if they’re trying to take out the entire team, then why not just do it? They have two of our people. What’s the holdup?”
Kyle had considered the same thing. There had to be a reason. “My guess is he needs something. That’s why he’s keeping them alive.” He just couldn’t imagine what. “Hurry, Jase. We both know the second they locate the phone, they’ll pull out of the area. And Liz and Michael’s lives will be in jeopardy.”
* * *
She kept replaying Alhasan’s words over in her head.
I should have known you wouldn’t follow through with the plan. You’re too loyal to the cause...and him. That’s why we had to keep track of you.
He’d been watching her every move since she and Kyle landed in Mountain Song...but how? That’s why we had to keep track of you...
She slowly got to her feet. There could be only one way. He’d planted a tracking device on her person. Her heart thundered. If that was the case, then what was stopping Alhasan and his men from finding them here?
She had to tell Kyle. She turned toward him. Right away he noticed something was wrong.
“What is it?” he ask when he rushed to her side.
“He’s been tracking me somehow.”
Puzzled, he didn’t understand. “What do you mean?”
“Alhasan. In the car, he told me he knew I would never follow through with the plan. He said that’s why he had to keep track of me.”
Kyle covered his eyes with his hand. “He planted a tracking device on you. That would explain why they keep finding us. The only question is where? I checked the necklace. There’s no device. You didn’t bring anything else with you...” He stopped, the look in his eyes frightening.
“What?”
“The only other option is that he’s planted it under your skin somewhere.” He shook his head. “I should have thought of this. The Fox has long used tracking devices to keep account of his people.”
She thought about all the cruelty Alhasan had put her through. This was just another part of it.
“It could be anywhere,” Kyle said. “We figured out too late that several of the people the Fox used to do his dirty work had been implanted with tracking devices. Wherever it is, we have to find it fast. It won’t take them long to locate us here otherwise.”
She nodded and held up her arms, and Kyle ran his fingers lightly over her skin. “Nothing.” On a hunch, he examined a spot on her left shoulder.
At one time, she’d had a small birthmark there. Now the spot was covered with a reddish scar.
“This is it,” he said and their gazes locked. The second he pressed the spot, she could feel the hard object beneath the skin. Another cruel twist by Alhasan. He’d taken away every means of identifying her in hopes that she would betray the man she loved.
“We have to get it out quickly,” she said. “They could be on their way here now.”
Kyle agreed. “It’s going to hurt. I’ll see if I can find a first-aid kit or something to at least clean the wound.” He went over to the kitchen area and rummaged through the cabinets until he found a knife and some napkins.
“This is the best I could do,” he told her. “The knife is at least sharp. I’m sorry. There’s no gentle way to do this.”
She just wanted it out. “I know.” She clenched her fists and braced for the pain.
The knife tore into her skin and she clamped her teeth down hard on her bottom lip. She’d gotten good at managing pain. This was nothing compared to what she’d gone through.
“Are you okay?” Kyle asked in concern.
“Yes, just get it out. I don’t want it inside me any longer.”
Working skillfully, Kyle removed the device as quickly as possible, then covered the wound with the napkin. “It’s not too bad. It was implanted just beneath the skin.”
“All this time, he’s been aware of our every move. Do you think they know we’re here?”
His silence was as unsettling as it was frightening.
As if in answer to her question, she heard a noise coming from outside. It sounded like multiple cars screeching to a halt close by.
She looked at Kyle. “What was that?”
“I don’t know.” He barely got the words out when James rushed in.
“There’s at least half a dozen vehicles outside. I saw them pull up without their lights. They’re outside the sanctuary, as well. What do we do?” James asked in a panic.
She couldn’t believe it. She searched Kyle’s troubled face. “We’re too late.”
“I tried calling Henry the second I realized they were out there. The phone’s dead,” the pastor said in a fearful tone.
Kyle pulled out his cell phone. “There’s no service. They’re blocking the signal again.”
“They want to make sure no one comes to assist. Is there another way out?” she asked James.
He shook his head. “Just through the sanctuary. And the way we came in.”
“We can’t stay here. Those men will storm the church. We can’t hold them off forever. They’ll kill us.” She’d fought too hard to die like this.
Kyle touched her arm. “Hey, we have to keep trying. We can’t let them win. We’re not dead yet. Let’s keep fighting.”
She’d hold it together for him. “You’re right. We can’t give up.” She turned to James. “Do you have anything we can use as weapons?”
The pastor thought about it for a second. “There’s only the kitchen knives and maybe some old boards in the basement.”
Lena went to the kitchen and took out every knife that looked strong enough to be deadly.
“Let’s get to the basement. At least it will be someplace where we can fortify our surroundings. Make it harder for them to reach us,” Kyle said. He was trying so hard to be strong and not let her give up.
James seemed shell-shocked. It took him a second to respond. “Right. It’s this way.” He stepped out into the hall and headed away from the sanctuary.