Covert (5 page)
Authors: Carolyn McCray
Bunny squeezed her hand as she crawled over the smooth lip to the glassy interior of the tube. Bracing her feet to keep from slipping, Rebecca lay in the tube. She was going to have to let go soon, though. Footsteps sounded down the tunnel. The Disciples were coming.
Releasing her feet, Rebecca started sliding, slowly at first, but then with more and more speed down the tube. The passage twisted and turned until she had no idea in which direction she was headed. Then further ahead, early morning sunlight shone in.
They had made it!
She tried to slow her descent—however, the black volcanic glass was especially slick. Heading full speed, Rebecca flew out the tube. The one thing she hadn’t accounted for was how high up the cliff the tube would let out. Sailing through the air, arms waving, Rebecca watched as the ground came up pretty fast. Luckily a figure stepped out from the cave just as Rebecca was about to splat on the ground.
Instead, she slammed into the figure, startling the Disciple guard. He didn’t even have time to raise his weapon as they both landed hard on the ground. Bunny, apparently having figured out how to slow herself, landed lightly next to Rebecca and snatched the gun away from the unconscious guard.
“Let’s get a pony and get out of here.”
Limping behind Bunny, Rebecca hoped that Brandt was having a better day then she was.
* * *
Brandt turned to Lopez, “Figure it out.”
The corporal nodded and took off. If anyone could find a way for them to get out of this mess, it was Lopez. Vakasa dropped Brandt’s hand and rushed over to the pile of rubble.
What the hell was the girl doing now?
But once a dark hand was revealed, Brandt figured it out. Levont kept watch over the guards as Brandt leaned his back to pulling rocks off of Vakasa’s guardian. The poor woman had been nearly crushed to death.
When she tried to speak, Brandt tried to shush her. “Save your energy.”
“For what? The undertaker?” She chuckled, then coughed up blood. “You must promise me you will take care of Vakasa. She is special.”
“I will,” Brandt stated.
“No, you must promise me,” the woman said as she clutched Brandt’s hand. “There is a shaman in the jungle. You must find him. He’ll know what to do.”
“I will,” Brandt repeated.
“Promise me,” the woman begged, as her hand went slack.
“I promise,” Brandt said, not sure if the woman even heard it. The earth shook again, and he had to pull Vakasa back from the woman as rocks tumbled down, covering her guardian.
He pulled the little girl to his side and gave her a squeeze. It was the best he could do before turning to Levont. “Situation update?”
“We’re screwed?” The man said, then cleared his throat. “They’ve reorganized. I have no idea how we’re going to punch through that blockade without a division of Marines.”
“Lopez will think of something,” Brandt said, looking behind them to where the corporal had disappeared.
Then he heard a whooping. Not exactly professional, but ever-so-Lopez.
The sound of wheels on a track filled the air. Rapidly approaching, Lopez was pumping up and down on an old handcar. He was pushing a large steel container.
“Hop in!” Lopez yelled as he sped down the track.
Brandt grabbed Vakasa around the waist and threw them both into the bin. Levont landed on top of them.
“Hang on, we’re going to hit the end of the tracks!” Lopez yelled.
“Blow it!” Brandt yelled to Levont. The point man hit the detonator and the explosives did their job, both in collapsing the mine, and in providing the outward force to shoot the bin out the entrance and over the guards.
Lopez was thrown past the handcar and into the bin as they sailed over the shocked soldiers.
The corporal scrambled up and started firing. “Reverse skeet shooting!”
Brandt would let him have it.
They landed, hard, in the center of the village. Brandt grabbed the little girl and hurled himself over the side, his gun at the ready. Although he didn’t need it, as the trees burst with gunfire. Not only were his men providing cover, but the rest of the allies were, as well.
“Move out!” Brandt yelled, and Levont struck out for the jungle. They were just about to melt into the trees when Brandt was shot.
Pain ripped through his shoulder. Despite his attempts to hold onto the girl, he dropped her as his arm went numb. The bullet rattled around his chest. Hitting the ground, Brandt tried to take in a breath, but it was like trying to suck molasses through a straw.
Vakasa patted the wound, sending streaks of fire through his shoulder. The ground beneath him shook as the world went black.
* * *
Davidson slid down the slick tree’s trunk as the earthquake rumbled on. Brandt was down. How could Brandt be down? One of the enemy’s snipers must have snuck in a shot. And it had looked bad, the way the sergeant tipped over, hitting the ground face first.
He had failed Brandt. How could he ever look Rebecca in the eye again? To lose her groom just days before the wedding?
Slipping on the moist ground, Davidson caught himself, then sprinted to the rest of his men.
Talli ran up, as well. “It wasn’t me.”
How sad that a sniper had to announce that he was not the one who had shot his own commanding officer. But, with Talli, it probably was a good idea to let everyone know it wasn’t him.
Davidson sank to his knees beside Brandt. While Levont and the allies provided cover, Lopez checked Brandt’s vitals, having to move the little girl out of the way to do it.
“He’s alive, but unconscious.”
Could he dare to hope that Brandt could survive?
“Looks like his vest caught most of it,” Lopez said. “Then the bullet must have ricocheted, digging up into his shoulder.”
“Brandt,” Davidson said, as the watch on his wrist vibrated. “It’s time to call home.”
The sergeant roused himself, his hand flying to his holster.
“It’s okay,” Lopez said, patting the sergeant on his other shoulder. “We’ve got to get out of here, though.”
“But I’m shot,” the sergeant said, sounding confused. “I’ve got a slug in me.”
“No, your vest caught it,” Lopez assured him. “We’ve got to evac before the soldiers regroup.”
Brandt shook off the cobwebs pretty quickly, rising with little help. “Then don’t let me slow us down.”
The sergeant picked up the little girl as they headed off into the jungle.
Next to Davidson, Talli shook his head. “What?” Davidson asked.
“The guy is made of steel.”
Yes, that Brandt was.
* * *
Rebecca stared at the sat phone. Brandt was supposed to check in an hour ago, but he hadn’t called yet.
Not that she hadn’t been busy. Local authorities hadn’t found any sign of the Disciples except for the dead bodies of their guides. Since murder, let alone a double murder, was extremely rare in Iceland, Rebecca and Bunny had spoken to nearly every law enforcement agency on the island, including, strangely, the Coast Guard.
Bunny walked over as the National Police Commission hopped into his Passat and drove off. Guess they had finally gotten ahold of the State Department, which must have demanded their immediate release. There were going to be lots more questions once they got home, Rebecca was certain.
But the single largest question was, why wasn’t Brandt calling? It was one thing to miss a check-in or two. It happened. But this close to the wedding? He had promised to call when they were heading back to the States.
As if her prayers were answered in real time, the phone in her hand rang. A blocked number.
“Brandt?” Rebecca said, as she answered the phone.
“Hey, babe.”
“Are you okay?” Rebecca asked.
“I’m great,” he said, with more enthusiasm. “But I’m not coming home just yet.”
“What?” Rebecca demanded. Their wedding was in four days. “That’s cutting it awfully close, isn’t it?”
“Yes, but I have a promise to fulfill,” Brandt said, then hurried on. “But I’ll be there, don’t you worry.”
And, strangely, Rebecca wasn’t. “So how was your day?”
“Oh, you know, just another day at the office. And yours?”
“Ditto,” she answered with a smile, as Bunny dabbed the cut on Rebecca’s forehead.
Afterword
Thank you so much for visiting the Betrayed world. Brandt, Rebecca, Davidson and especially Lopez appreciate it!
I love writing these bridge short stories since they give me so much freedom to really explore our heroes' character and get everyone ready for the next big book!
If you enjoyed Covert, could I ask you a favor to go back to Amazon and leave a review? We indie authors live and die by our reviews!
Want more heart-pounding action? Check out the next section for more thrills by Carolyn...
* * *
Other Works by Carolyn McCray
The Betrayed Series – Carolyn’s controversial historical thiller series
Have you read the entire Betrayed Series?
Ambush
Carolyn’s short story prequel to the extremely controversial
30 Pieces of Silver
30 Pieces of Silver
Extremely controversial historical thriller
Targeted
A 9000 word short story bridge between
30 Pieces of Silver
and
Havoc
Havoc
The soon to be released exhilarating sequel to Carolyn’s
30 Pieces of Silver
!
Praise for the Betrayed Series…
“Part minefield and all roller-coaster ride, here is a story as controversial as it is thrilling. Hunker down for a long night, because once you start reading this book, you won’t be putting it down.”
James Rollins
Author of
Bloodline
Have you read
30 Pieces of Silver’s
prequel,
Ambush
? If not click
here
to purchase.
Haven’t read
30 Pieces of Silver
yet? No worries, just click
here
to purchase.