by Becky Harmon
Ellie liked observing Angel in action as much as she liked staring at her across the desk. The way her body moved as she walked toward her took her breath away. She was smooth and elegant, holding Ellie’s attention captive with each purposeful step. She wanted nothing more than to pull her in for a kiss. One that they wouldn’t have to stop.
Angel came to a halt directly in front of her, stopping Ellie’s mind from continuing to strip her of all clothing. Angel’s eyes searched her face for a second before turning to survey the scene around them.
Ellie had a feeling that Angel had a good idea about what she was thinking, but she said it anyway. “You’re beautiful, you know?”
“No.”
“No, you’re not beautiful, or no, you don’t know.”
“Yes.”
Ellie laughed. “This conversation is going nowhere. Are we ready to go?”
“Yes.”
“I assume we’re in the middle car.”
Then it hit her—maybe Angel wouldn’t have them in the same vehicle. Maybe Angel would think she would have a better view from the lead vehicle or the rear vehicle rather than riding in the middle with her.
With a little more panic in her voice than she expected, she asked, “You’re riding with me, right?”
“Yes, and yes.”
She shook her head. If this was going to be the extent of their conversation, it was going to be a long ten hours. She dropped one bag from the café in each of the cars and then took a seat in the rear of the middle vehicle. Her driver slid into the front seat and greeted her.
“Good morning. How are you?” he asked in English.
“Good morning, Nasri,” she replied. “Did you volunteer for this outing?”
“I did. Yes.”
Nasri Haik was one of four embassy drivers, but he also worked as translator when needed. He spoke several dialects of Arabic as well as English.
“Thank you. How are you doing being away from your wife and children?”
“I am fine. They are safe with my family outside the city so I do not worry.”
“I’m very glad to hear that. We appreciate you being here.”
Their conversation stopped as Angel joined them, and their caravan began to move.
“Both men are still outside on the wall?” she asked Angel.
“They are.”
“How much range does your cell phone get?”
“We’ll see.”
“Enough that they can let us know if things change when we leave?”
“Yes.”
Ellie pulled her tablet from her bag and put her headphones on. Watching a movie seemed to be her best choice. She had thought—hoped, anyway—that there would be some conversation, but clearly Angel wasn’t in agreement. She wasn’t going to sit here and beg her to talk. Maybe if she gave her some time, she would be more engaging on the return trip.
Beside her, she felt Angel slide her pistol from its holster. She didn’t ask if everything was okay. She had learned during her time as a senator to ignore all potential risks around her and let her security do their job. Angel, she was certain, would do everything necessary to keep her safe. Angel held the pistol in her lap as their vehicle passed through the men outside the embassy. Ellie kept her gaze on the small screen in front of her.
* * *
Angel’s eyes flew open as Ellie sighed, pulling her headphones from her ears.
“Are you okay?” she asked. Her voice gravelly from the hours of silence.
“I’m fine. I can’t believe I fell asleep so quickly.”
“Neither of us have been getting much sleep lately.”
“Were you sleeping?” Ellie asked.
“No, just resting my eyes.” She glanced out the window. “Not like there’s anything but sand to look at out there.”
She had secured her pistol in its holster once they left the city behind and desert was stretching in all directions around them. The large plateaus she could see in the distance stood high above the flat plains, but she was pretty sure most of them were farther than they were traveling today. Here there was nothing more than some tufts of grass, a few trees, and an occasional small sand dune to break the monotony. Safety wasn’t an issue when she could see someone approach from miles away.
“There’ll be more to see soon.” Ellie leaned toward her to peer out the front windshield. “That’s Akjoujt in the distance.”
“Yep.”
“Was there any change outside the embassy after we left?”
“Nothing.”
The silence stretched heavily in the car between them. The usual tension was back. She wanted to blame it on the stress of the day, but she knew it was her fault. She had constructed a large mental wall between them to avoid the risk of a disagreement. Now she knew that was the wrong approach. Ellie needed communication to know everything was okay.
She studied Ellie’s hand as it lay on the seat between them. Her fingers were long and delicate with short, perfectly cut nails. The blue veins on the back of her hand stood out against her pale skin. She found Ellie’s hands alluring and could easily imagine what it would feel like to have them touching her.
To keep her mind from wandering down paths it shouldn’t she turned her gaze on their surroundings. On the edge of the town they were approaching, strips of connected buildings alternated with an occasional stand-alone shack made of stone and wood. Splashes of color danced throughout as children ran and played in the distance. If the streets were paved, she couldn’t tell, due to the amount of sand that had been blown around. The streets were crooked, winding around houses and other structures. Electric poles leaned on street corners, connecting a maze of wires raised barely high enough for vehicles to pass underneath.
She placed her hand on top of Ellie’s. She wanted to ease the tension between them, but instead she felt a charge of electricity. When Ellie didn’t respond, she glanced at her, squeezing her hand. “Are we okay?”
Ellie met her eyes. “We’re fine. I’m just trying to understand you. Maybe if you weren’t always so stubborn.”
“Me!”
“Yes, it’s—”
Ellie’s response was cut off by a thundering explosion in front of them. A ball of fire roared where the engine had been in the lead embassy car. Angel bounced in her seat, looking in all directions. It felt like an ambush, but she couldn’t see anyone closing in on them. She turned back to the front car as the marines climbed out and surveyed the damage to their vehicle and the road. Once they had checked the area around them, they motioned Angel’s driver to pull forward. Protocol dictated they would leave the car where it sat, and each marine would join the other two cars.
She saw the young men’s bodies convulse as gunfire erupted.
She reached for the door handle. She had to get out there and pull them to cover. Ellie grasped her arm, stopping her. She looked into her panicked face.
“You can’t go out there,” Ellie cried.
Angel shook her head, clearing it of the yearning to take care of the men. Her responsibility was Ellie and keeping her safe. Inside the embassy car they would be protected. “Get moving!” she yelled, slapping the seat beside their driver. When the car didn’t move, Angel hit his arm. “Move!” she demanded.
His body pitched forward against the steering wheel. It only took a second for her to realize a bullet had pierced the supposedly bulletproof car, and she shoved Ellie onto the floorboard.
“What the hell!” Ellie yelled as Angel pinned her to the floor with her body.
“Get ready to move. We have to get out of the car!”
Ellie squirmed below her. “What? No! We’re protected here and we need the car to get back to the embassy.”
“I’d rather have you alive.” She popped the door open and slid to the ground, pulling Ellie with her.
“I don’t understand. We’re safer in the car. It’s armored.”
“Not this one. We have to move.”
“Nasri—” Ellie cried.
With cover from the marines behind them, she pulled Ellie to her feet and held tight to her hand as they ran toward the closest building. She pushed Ellie deep into an alley and collapsed against the wall as the third car in their convoy exploded. She could still hear gunfire, though. She fought the urge to join them in the battle. For now, she had to keep Ellie safe and that meant not drawing attention to their location.
Ellie tried to walk toward the opening of the alley, and Angel grabbed her arm.
“I only see two gunmen. Why aren’t you firing back?” Ellie exclaimed.
She pulled her back against the wall beside her so they could both see the edge of the alley. She pointed to the rooftop across from them.
“There are at least three men on that rooftop and who knows how many more I can’t see. If I fire, it will draw attention to us. For now, I’m hoping we managed to get away without them seeing the direction we went.”
“Oh.” Ellie was silent for a few seconds, and when she spoke her voice was calmer. “Who do you think they are? Do you think they know who I am?”
Angel turned to face her. “I’m not sure, but right now I’m not willing to risk your life to find out.”
“But if they realize who I am, they might stop firing.”
Ellie stepped forward again, but Angel quickly pulled her into her chest, covering Ellie’s mouth with her hand as she pulled them back into the shadows. She strained to hear the conversation of two men as they passed the opening of the alley.
“She’s not in the car. Did you see which direction she went?” the first man asked.
“No, but we’ll find her.”
“Damn right, we will. Lars was clear that we wouldn’t be paid until she’s eliminated.”
Ellie kicked against Angel’s body, but she held her tight, pulling both of them further down the alley and behind one of the buildings. When they were safely out of range of the men, she released Ellie and quickly stepped away from her, letting Ellie vent her rage.
“That son of a bitch.” Ellie stomped back and forth. “I can’t freakin’ believe it. That was Farook.”
Angel let her pace for a minute and then reached out a hand to stop her. “I know you’re angry, but we have to get our heads together if we want to survive. They’re going to search this town and we can’t be here.”
* * *
Angel knew she was taking a risk, but she didn’t have a choice. She hoped Ellie was smart enough to stay inside the empty storage building they had found. This was a task she had to complete alone. The gunfire had stopped and the streets of Akjoujt remained empty, but she knew that wouldn’t last long. She maneuvered the several blocks back to where they had left the embassy vehicles. All three still sat blocking the roadway. Quickly crossing the open street to reach them, she pulled the dead marines from the lead car and Nasri into the shelter of a shack behind the street.
An eerie silence pervaded the area. There was no sign of the town’s residents. They’d been smart enough to clear the scene as soon as the first explosion hit, no doubt. She removed the dog tags from around the marines’ necks, squeezed the cool pieces of metal in her fist, and closed her eyes for a few seconds. There was nothing more she could do for them at this moment.
There were no other bodies, she was glad to see. Wondering briefly which direction the other two marines had fled and wishing the best for them, she ran to the vehicle they had been traveling in and popped the trunk. After pulling their overnight bags from it, she spotted a light blue shopping bag through the open back door. She reached in, grabbed it, and stuffed it inside one of the other bags. Glancing around she saw three men in the distance talking heatedly with a Mauritanian national guardsman and pointing up and down the street. He was nodding. Angel wondered if he was part of their group or if they had told him a lie to get him to work with them. At the moment it didn’t matter. She couldn’t count on anyone to assist them.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Ellie’s heart thudded in her chest. She was scared, but more than that she was angry. Farook’s voice at the end of the alley talking about putting an end to her had sent her over the edge. Apparently the deaths of the two marines and Nasri hadn’t knocked him to his senses and she would make him pay for his betrayal when she returned to the embassy. For now, she needed to help Angel get them out of this town.
She crept around the stone shack, listening intently for any voices or sounds. She was several blocks from where they had been hit and hopeful that any occupants had been smart enough to flee the area.
She pulled two lengths of fabric from the clothesline and stuffed a handful of money into the remaining pants pocket still on the line. She didn’t like to steal, but they needed to cover themselves if they wanted to get out of this town unnoticed. She was sure Angel would have a plan, but for her own sense of self-respect she needed to contribute.
She quickly returned to the spot Angel had left her. Angel came around the corner at the same time. She ignored the annoyed look Angel gave her and reached out to help her carry the bags in her hands. She was relieved they were back together.
Angel led her silently to the rear of a store. A small overhang there blocked out the sun and offered a sliver of shade.
She glanced inside the bag she held and then looked at Angel. “These are my clothes. Did you pack this?”
Angel shrugged.
She could feel rage and fear bubbling back to the surface. She knew she wasn’t angry at Angel, but she lashed out anyway.
“Did you go through my personal belongings?”
Angel, peering intently into the window of the store, made no move to answer.
“Look at me,” she demanded. “Were you in my room without permission?”
Angel turned from the window as Ellie’s words registered. “What? No! I asked Chloe to pack you an overnight bag in case we needed it.”
She wanted to be mad. She wanted the heat coursing through her veins. It kept her moving and she needed to keep going right now. She searched Angel’s face and saw only compassion. She knew her angry words weren’t covering her fear. She leaned against the side of the store and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”
Angel reached out tentatively, pulling her into a hug.
She wanted to cry. She wanted to pretend they weren’t stuck in the desert, hours from the safety of the embassy, and that three or more men hadn’t died on her watch. She relaxed into the strong arms, letting Angel’s confidence strengthen her.
Angel’s voice was soft when she finally spoke. “I know you’re scared, but I will get you out of here. Together we’ll come up with a solution.”
She nodded. Though she wanted to stay in Angel’s arms, she stepped back and picked up her bag again. She began inventorying the items inside. Tossing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt beside her on the ground, she pulled out her hiking boots. They made her smile.
“I could have worn my heels,” she muttered under her breath as she began removing her suit. She heard Angel chuckle, but she didn’t look up. Beside her Angel was stripping as well, and despite the direness of their situation the last thing she needed at this moment was to see Angel partially dressed.
* * *
Angel knew fear when she saw it. Even with Ellie’s CIA background, it was clear she wasn’t accustomed to feeling afraid. And the anger she was feeling would only carry her so far. They both needed a plan to feel in control. One that gave them confidence in their survival.
Angel peered into the window again, seeing through the store to a front window where she could see national guardsmen scanning the street. There was no sign of their pursuers, though. Her eyes brushed over the man and woman huddled behind their sales counter. She nodded at them. Her original intent had been to enter the store so they could change clothes and regroup, but when she saw them, she hadn’t wanted to frighten or endanger them further.
She concentrated on figuring out what their next steps should
be. One of their challenges would be communicating with people who might be able to offer assistance. Luckily, Ellie would be able to help with that. Which meant that she’d need to be more forthcoming with her than in the past.
“Farook and his friends have already talked with the Mauritanian national guardsmen and I’m afraid we might not be able to get through any checkpoints.”
Ellie sighed. “That explains why there wasn’t a gendarmerie checkpoint before Akjoujt. They must have been paid off.”
“I saw their tent before the explosion, but there wasn’t anyone in it.”
Ellie picked up the lengths of fabric she had taken and handed a blue one to Angel, keeping a red and orange one for herself. “These might help.”
“Thanks for staying put like I asked,” she said sarcastically.
Ellie gave her a small smile. “I needed to do something to help and I saw the clothesline. Wearing mulafas can help disguise our appearance.”
Arguing would have only been time wasted. She followed Ellie’s instructions and wrapped the mulafa around her body and over her head.
“There’s an old truck behind that house.” Ellie pointed to a small block building without a door.
“I could hotwire it, but the noise might draw attention.”
They glanced at each other as a vehicle started in the distance. Angel grabbed their bags. “Let’s give it a go.”
She let Ellie lead the way to the little sun-faded blue truck. It was an early 70s model with rust spots along the bottom of the doors. There was barely enough room for the two of them and their bags in the front seat. She lay across the floorboard and traced the wires leading to the ignition switch.
“It’s eerie how empty this town is,” Ellie stated, nervously making conversation.
“Yeah, explosions and gunfire tend to scare people away.”