but at least she didn’t cry. Probably too tired out from her last meltdown. Not that he blamed her. He patted her small back reassuringly.
“You find one?” Gabe walked over to the side of the jeep.
“Yep, look.” She shook out the map so he could see it and pointed to a village by the name of St. Lucia. “I know this village. It’s not too far from where Kara and Jacob were killed. They have friends here, Jorge and Selena Manuez. Their names are on the will as witnesses.”
“Will they help us if we can get there?”
“Probably. They’re missionaries, too.”
“Then, that’s where we’ll head. Here, take her back.” Alexis went willingly and put her head on Cassidy’s shoulder. Gabe’s heart softened at the sight. He could see why Cassidy had fought so hard to get back to the orphanage.
“I’m going to have to push this jeep off the road and cover our tracks as best I can.”
“All right.” She set Alexis in the passenger seat and settled herself behind the wheel. Gabe focused on the task at hand; getting the jeep off the path and hidden in the woods.
After twenty minutes of pushing, grumbling, resting and watching their backs, Gabe managed to hide the jeep then use the machete to strategically cut branches and vines to cover it.
Hopefully, the men would be so intent on the path and catching up to their prey that they wouldn’t notice this spot. Sweat trickled down his face to drip off his chin. Gabe used the hem of his shirt to wipe his forehead then walked over to the tree root Cassidy was using as a seat. Alexis gnawed on a banana and sipped water from one of their sparse bottles. Cassidy offered him one and he took it.
“We’ve got to get going.” He swigged the last of the water and put the empty container in his pack. He reached out to pick up the little girl, who frowned but thankfully didn’t cry, just rubbed her eyes, gave a huge jaw-popping yawn and lay her head on his shoulder to snuggle down for a nap. Gabe’s heart clenched. He had to get her and Cassidy to safety.
They continued the trek in silence, slowly eating up the distance. No jeep passed them on the road and no one jumped from the undergrowth to open fire. Two hours passed without incident. Gabe was worried about the lack of activity. Where were they?
Gradually, the dense trees began to spread out little by little and then a clearing opened up to reveal a village, populated with huts similar to the ones in the rebel camp.
Gabe felt eyes watching him and steeled himself for an ambush. “Here, hold Alexis.”
Cassidy took the still-sleeping child and Gabe shifted the machete for easier access and then felt for his gun in the belt at his back. “They know we’re here. I just hope they ask questions before they start shooting or tossing spears.” Rushing water gurgled from the river to his left; a dog barked and the squeal of a pig came from one of the huts. “All right. Follow my lead.”
Hands in plain sight to present a nonthreatening appearance, Gabe stepped into the clearing. Their arrival stirred the interest of several children who eyed them curiously then scattered in various directions.
A dark-skinned man, lean and strong-looking, emerged from the hut at the far end of the village. Gabe felt Cassidy start at the sight of the spear in the native’s left hand. He placed a firm hand on the small of her back to propel her forward.
Silent dark eyes watched their approach. The native eyed the child in Cassidy’s arms then held up his spear. Gabe immediately stopped. Cassidy followed suit.
“Why do you enter our village?”
Gabe blinked at the perfect English and responded in kind. “We need to find the missionaries Jorge and Selena Manuez.”
The dark eyes never changed, but the spear shifted higher. “And your purpose with them is?”
Before Gabe could answer, Cassidy offered, “This is Gabriel, I’m Cassidy and this is Alexis. The Manuezes were friends of Alexis’s
“You find one?” Gabe walked over to the side of the jeep.
“Yep, look.” She shook out the map so he could see it and pointed to a village by the name of St. Lucia. “I know this village. It’s not too far from where Kara and Jacob were killed. They have friends here, Jorge and Selena Manuez. Their names are on the will as witnesses.”
“Will they help us if we can get there?”
“Probably. They’re missionaries, too.”
“Then, that’s where we’ll head. Here, take her back.” Alexis went willingly and put her head on Cassidy’s shoulder. Gabe’s heart softened at the sight. He could see why Cassidy had fought so hard to get back to the orphanage.
“I’m going to have to push this jeep off the road and cover our tracks as best I can.”
“All right.” She set Alexis in the passenger seat and settled herself behind the wheel. Gabe focused on the task at hand; getting the jeep off the path and hidden in the woods.
After twenty minutes of pushing, grumbling, resting and watching their backs, Gabe managed to hide the jeep then use the machete to strategically cut branches and vines to cover it.
Hopefully, the men would be so intent on the path and catching up to their prey that they wouldn’t notice this spot. Sweat trickled down his face to drip off his chin. Gabe used the hem of his shirt to wipe his forehead then walked over to the tree root Cassidy was using as a seat. Alexis gnawed on a banana and sipped water from one of their sparse bottles. Cassidy offered him one and he took it.
“We’ve got to get going.” He swigged the last of the water and put the empty container in his pack. He reached out to pick up the little girl, who frowned but thankfully didn’t cry, just rubbed her eyes, gave a huge jaw-popping yawn and lay her head on his shoulder to snuggle down for a nap. Gabe’s heart clenched. He had to get her and Cassidy to safety.
They continued the trek in silence, slowly eating up the distance. No jeep passed them on the road and no one jumped from the undergrowth to open fire. Two hours passed without incident. Gabe was worried about the lack of activity. Where were they?
Gradually, the dense trees began to spread out little by little and then a clearing opened up to reveal a village, populated with huts similar to the ones in the rebel camp.
Gabe felt eyes watching him and steeled himself for an ambush. “Here, hold Alexis.”
Cassidy took the still-sleeping child and Gabe shifted the machete for easier access and then felt for his gun in the belt at his back. “They know we’re here. I just hope they ask questions before they start shooting or tossing spears.” Rushing water gurgled from the river to his left; a dog barked and the squeal of a pig came from one of the huts. “All right. Follow my lead.”
Hands in plain sight to present a nonthreatening appearance, Gabe stepped into the clearing. Their arrival stirred the interest of several children who eyed them curiously then scattered in various directions.
A dark-skinned man, lean and strong-looking, emerged from the hut at the far end of the village. Gabe felt Cassidy start at the sight of the spear in the native’s left hand. He placed a firm hand on the small of her back to propel her forward.
Silent dark eyes watched their approach. The native eyed the child in Cassidy’s arms then held up his spear. Gabe immediately stopped. Cassidy followed suit.
“Why do you enter our village?”
Gabe blinked at the perfect English and responded in kind. “We need to find the missionaries Jorge and Selena Manuez.”
The dark eyes never changed, but the spear shifted higher. “And your purpose with them is?”
Before Gabe could answer, Cassidy offered, “This is Gabriel, I’m Cassidy and this is Alexis. The Manuezes were friends of Alexis’s
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