Five Ways To Surrender

“I’m more afraid of having to shoot one. If I fire a round, I give away our location.”

“And if a lion comes at us?” Alex asked, her voice shaking.

“I’ll do whatever it takes to keep us alive,” he assured her. “Stay behind me in case something does jump out. Or better yet, wait here.”

He entered the cave.

Alex followed. “If you don’t mind, I’d rather face a lion than a militant.”

“Suit yourself,” he said, and continued his perusal of the interior of the cave.

“So, what are you? A Special Forces soldier or something like that?”

His lips quirked. “Something like that.”

She stayed close enough behind him that he could almost feel the heat of her body, but not so close that she hampered his ability to use his weapon.

“Don’t the Special Forces soldiers work in teams?”

“Yes.”

“So?”

“So what?” He stalled, shifting the beam of his flashlight back and forth to cover every inch of the cave floor and the dark crevices that could contain wild animals. He even checked behind a large boulder near the back of the cave.

“So, where are the rest of your teammates?” she asked.

Completing his inspection, he turned to face her. “The cave is clear.”

“And you haven’t answered my question.” She raised her brow.

“We were separated in battle.” He took her hand and led her to the back of the cave and pointed to the cave floor. “You might as well bed down for the night back here. If someone does come into the cave, they won’t see us immediately.” He turned to leave.

She touched his arm. “Where are you going?” Her voice held a note of panic.

He covered her hand with his. “I’m going out to scout for a few minutes.”

“Do you have to?” she asked, smoothing her hands over her skirt nervously.

“I like to know what other options we have if we need to beat a hasty retreat.” He handed her a small penlight. “Here. Keep this. It’s not much, but it will give you a little light to see by. I’ll need my bigger flashlight out there.”

Alex held up the flashlight that looked more like a ballpoint pen, and cocked an eyebrow. “Like that’s going to do me any good against a lion.”

“No, but this might.” He pulled a handgun out of his belt and handed it over.

“I haven’t fired a gun since my father showed me how when I was a teen.” She smiled.

His lips turned upward on the corners. “I’m surprised you’ve fired one at all.”

“Oh, my father was all about taking care of yourself.” She weighed the handgun in her palm. “He wanted me to be able to defend myself. I think he wanted me to test for the concealed carry license. Only I didn’t feel comfortable carrying a gun in my purse. Most of my friends only carried makeup, a credit card, driver’s license and the keys to their cars. I was afraid someone would take the gun out of my purse and shoot himself accidentally. Thus, no gun in my purse.”

“Do you know how to operate this, or do I need to show you?”

“I can figure it out,” she said. “Especially if my life depends on it.”

“Good. I’ll be back shortly.” He touched her hand holding the gun. “Promise not to shoot me?”

Her lips twisted. “I promise not to shoot you.”

And he left to go down into the valley and back up over the pass to see if the men who’d been following them were still on their tail.

He paused just short of the top of the ridge. Inching just to the top, he peered over to the valley below. On the valley floor, he could see the warm glow of a campfire and shadowy figures gathered around the flames.

The ISIS rebels weren’t far behind them, with only a ridge standing between them.

Jake returned to the creek, rewet the bandanna and hurried back to the cave. If the cuts and scratches on Alex’s back were deep, they could become infected and cause her a whole lot more grief if left untreated for any length of time.

They could stay the night, but they’d have to leave early the next morning, while it was still dark, to be gone before the terrorists made it up over the ridge.

When he arrived back at the cave, he eased into the darkness, searching for the woman who’d escaped the village with him. Nothing stirred. No sounds of breathing or indication that anyone was there.

His pulse sped as he switched on his flashlight, using the red lens setting, making it harder for anyone outside the cave to see but illuminating the interior up to three feet in front of him.

Where was she? Had he entered the wrong cave? Or had some of the rebel forces found their way around him and made off with the pretty teacher?

He drew in a shaking breath and whispered, “It’s me.” Then he waited, his breath lodged in his chest.

Chapter Four (#uf80de86b-b6e9-5d24-8278-a71cd4081eae)

As soon as Alex heard those words, she launched herself out of her hiding place behind the giant boulders and flung her arms around Jake’s neck. “Thank God,” she said, burying her face in the front of his bulletproof vest.

He wrapped her in his embrace and held on.

In the back of Alex’s mind, she wished he didn’t have on the bulletproof vest. She would like to have felt all of his body against her, imagining its warmth pressed against her cave-chilled skin.

“Hey.” He set her at arm’s length and chuckled. “Did you think I wouldn’t come back?”

Alex shrugged, her face cast down. She didn’t want him to witness the fear in her eyes when she’d come to the conclusion he wasn’t coming back. “The thought did cross my mind, as I fumbled around in the pitch dark. When you came into the cave, I didn’t know if you were friend or foe.” She snorted. “I’d never been so happy to hear the sound of someone’s voice. You were gone for what felt like forever.”

He smoothed a loose strand of hair out of her face, brushing her cheek with his calloused thumb. “Sorry. I backtracked to see whether we are still being followed.”

She stiffened. “And?”

He drew in a deep breath and let it out. “They’re on the other side of the ridge.”

Alex’s heart rate sped up. “We should leave. Now.”

“They’ve stopped for the night. I think we’ll be all right for now, but we need to head out before daylight to stay ahead of them.”