Blood Covenant (17 page)

THIRTY-THREE

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 8:43 P.M.
KINGANI REFUGEE CAMP

Ashley squeezed the water out of the thin cloth she held, then placed it back on Raina’s hot forehead. She wasn’t sure what had happened between the time they spotted the young girl and now, but something — presumably a combination of guilt and sympathy — had propelled her to volunteer to sit with the young girl while her father searched the camp for the rest of his family. For some reason, the idea of Raina waking up alone amongst the long row of metal beds in the clinic was too much even for a scrooge like herself.

Something about Raina, though, had ripped through her heart and tugged on emotions she’d never felt before. Despite the girl’s shoddy appearance and torn dress, there was something angelic about her round, ebony face and that peaceful expression as she slept. It almost made Ashley wish she could whisk her away from this place back to her apartment in LA …

The reality of where they were came crashing back, multiplying the panic in her chest. How had a simple eight-day adventure holiday with her father turned into such a nightmare?

She arched her back, wishing there was a way to take a long, hot shower. Life back home had been orderly and predictable, the way she liked it — including her upscale loft that had more square footage than a dozen refugee tents. She closed her eyes and envisioned the hardwood floors and granite countertops in the kitchen … Vivid pictures of women standing in line for water and the long row of latrines pressed into her thoughts.

No. She shoved aside the guilt. She’d worked hard to become who she was, despite her father’s money and influence.

Raina stirred and let out a soft groan. The young girl’s cheeks glistened with fever. Ashley glanced down the row of beds, looking for the nurse, not knowing what she should do.

“Ashley?”

A voice behind her pulled her from her thoughts. She glanced up at the tall frame beside her. Taz stood, hands in the pockets of his khaki shorts, wearing that horrid, ever-present safari hat and looking at her with those sappy, puppy-dog eyes of his.

Her jaw tensed. “How long have you been standing there?”

“I just got here.”

“And …” She wasn’t in the mood for another guilt trip. Her conscience seemed to be giving her enough of that lately. He’d just be the icing on a very bad day.

“I needed to speak to Paige. Is she around?”

“Nick went with her to one of the tents where there is another suspected case of measles.”

He shifted his weight to his other foot and cocked his head. “Paige isn’t the only reason I stopped by. I was hoping I might run into you.”

“Me?”

“I … uh … I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” He shot her a smile. “Well … and to apologize.”

Her eyes widened. He had her attention now. “You want to apologize. To me?”

“Yeah, I realize I was a bit harsh on you earlier and said some things I shouldn’t have. For one, people like you make it possible for people like me to be here. And two, you didn’t sign up to work here, and being thrown into a situation where there are rebels and refugees … Well, all I’m saying is that I should have given you the benefit of the doubt and not been so judgmental.”

She gave him and his dorky Indiana Jones hat a second look. Mitch wouldn’t be caught dead dressed like that, but he probably wouldn’t have apologized either. Which meant nothing. Mitch might not be quick to back down and admit his mistakes, but he had plenty of other outstanding qualities, which was why she’d fallen in love with him. He was a hard worker, well organized —

“Ashley?”

Her chin rose. “I’m sorry. I guess I wasn’t expecting an apology.”

“I’m a bit surprised to find you sitting with Raina.”

“I was worried about her and … I don’t know. Her father is out looking for her mother and I didn’t want her to wake up and find no one here.”

He did it again, the right-sided quirky smile that made her squirm.

She stared at the tarp-covered floor to avoid looking at him. She was used to ignoring what the tabloids said about her, so why did it matter what Taz thought? “What?”

“I was right. I knew you had a soft bone in your body.”

“Yeah. I’m sure it’s just a case of temporary insanity.”

He sat down next to her on the bed — way too close. “How’s she doing?”

Ashley skittered over a couple inches. “The doctor is hoping that the disease will run its course without any side effects, but we’ll have to wait and see. It just … it all seems so unfair.”

“Who said life was fair?”

“I’m sorry. I tend to … ramble when I’m upset.”

“Don’t worry about it. We all do.”

“No, you don’t. Not like me, anyway.”

She pressed her hands together so they wouldn’t shake. Apparently the urge to confess had been inadvertently activated along with her maternal instincts. What was it with this guy?

Taz shook his head. “What do you mean?”

“You all act like working in a refugee camp is comparable to working at some typical nine-to-five job. I don’t know how you do it. To me, all I see is dirt, disease, long lines for water, smelly latrines, and crowded living conditions.”

“Well, I wouldn’t exactly say that the last two days have been typical for any of us.”

“So tell me why you’re really here?” Ashley looked up and caught his gaze. “Guilt? An unquenchable desire to save the world?”

Taz shoved his hands into his front pockets. “I’m here because I believe in what I’m doing, and know I’m making a difference.”

She so didn’t understand him. “Enough to leave your family and put your own life at risk in the hands of a bunch of crazy rebels?”

His smile was back. “You’ve got to admit that I’ll never get bored.”

“Maybe not, but I’d welcome some familiar routine at the moment.” She jutted her chin toward the door. “Here I’m sleeping on a metal hospital bed and eating who knows what for breakfast. Let’s just say this is all
way
out of my comfort zone.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. You lost your father up there on that mountain. None of us knows how we’d react to something like that happening.”

“I still can’t believe he’s gone, but then I look at Raina and think about all she’s lost. Her mother and sisters could be dead.”

“It kind of puts things into perspective, doesn’t it?”

“Don’t get me wrong.” She again dipped the cloth into the small bowl of water beside the bed and placed it back on Raina’s forehead. “I’d still rather be in LA on the set or hanging out with my friends. I mean this isn’t exactly the Hilton.”

Taz chuckled. “Not exactly.”

“But maybe that’s what bothers me the most.”

“What’s that?”

“At least when all this is over I get to go home to my comfortable loft in the city. But these people … they have nowhere else to go.”

“And now with a possible measles epidemic on the horizon …”

If she even managed to make it out alive. “I guess it does put things into a different perspective. Makes me thankful for what I have and even a bit nostalgic for people I miss, like my mother.”

“Tell me about her.”

“My mother?” Ashley smiled at the handful of memories that surfaced. “It’s funny how I miss her. We’re not exactly close. She’s an ex-model, but still just as beautiful. She’s also a terrible cook who can beat just about anyone at poker and who spends most of her time doing charity work. She tried to be a good mother, I suppose.”

“That could probably be said for most parents. None of them are perfect, but they do what they can with what they have.”

She clasped her hands in front of her, surprised at how at ease she felt talking to him. “You seemed to have turned out okay.”

“Really? A couple hours ago I had the impression that you thought I was some lame mama’s boy who couldn’t make it in the real world.”

“It was supposed to be a compliment.”

He shot her a smile. “Then I’ll take it as one.”

He started for the door before she could think of a comeback. Three men in black blocked his exit.

Ashley’s heart lodged in her throat. “Taz …”

Her scream was muffled as one of the men crossed the room and stuffed a rag into her mouth. The taste of fuel filled her lungs. They pulled her toward the door, easily subduing her efforts to escape. A moment later, she was shoved into the back of a jeep as the vehicle roared away, taking her with them into the darkness.

THIRTY-FOUR

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 6:21 A.M.
KINGANI REFUGEE CAMP

Nick finished drawing the curve of the Dzambizi River that followed the western border of the country, then took a final look at his map. His rough sketch of the terrain surrounding the camp looked more like a game plan for a junior high game of Capture the Flag. Not a strategy for survival.

Five of them crowded around the rectangular table set up outside the medical clinic: Nick, Paige, Brandon, and two of the local leaders from the camp, Nigel and Philip. It was up to them to figure out how to send a team for help without anyone ending up in a body bag. The freshly dug graves of three young men in the distance, along with the abduction of Taz, Ashley, and four of the staff last night were enough of a reminder that the rebels weren’t playing games.

The easiest and fastest way out would have been by plane, but without parts and a month of major work, he — and his plane — were grounded. Which meant that the only remaining way out was across the rough terrain and past a couple dozen armed rebels.

Nick looked up at the group. “Where’s Samson?”

Brandon shrugged. “He’s not back yet.”

Worry niggled at Nick as he gazed toward the forest where he’d last seen Samson two hours ago. The sun had finally made its entrance over the horizon, but they’d already sent out scouts with strict instructions to find out any information about the rebels’ movements, hoping to gain some sort of sense as to their positions and numbers. If they were going to make it out alive, they were going to have to know their options.

Nick studied the map. The east side of the camp lay nestled against the base of Mt. Maja, and while the other side of the mountain held popular routes for tourists, the west side was too remote and rugged to cross quickly. Which left them with three viable options. The river, the main road to Kingani, and the forest to the west of the camp. Any hope of escape depended on the scouts finding vulnerabilities that offered the best chance of success.

“The sun’s already up, so let’s go over our options. Nigel. What did you and Philip find?”

A schoolteacher from Kinja, Nigel had been one of the first to join the security team after the first raid by the rebels. “As we all know, the river runs south on the west side of the camp toward the border. Crossing the river is not difficult, but rebels have men lined up every quarter kilometer for at least four kilometers in each direction. There is some bush along the riverbank, but for the most part it is open terrain, giving them the advantage. In my opinion, a small group would never get past them without traveling far up or down river from the camp.”

“He is right.” Philip, a mechanic who’d lost everything during the rebel attack of his village, pushed his heavy glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Which is why we think we need to fight them.”

Nick’s brow rose. “Fight them?”

“Think about it. We’ve got well over ten thousand people in this camp — ”

“Of which three-fourths are women and children, and no seasoned soldiers.”

Brandon nodded. “We only have a handful of weapons. They’d end up slaughtering us.”

“And while I appreciate your resolve, Philip, at this point I strongly believe that an attack on our part isn’t worth the risk.” Nick shook his head. Military strategizing was something he’d purposely left behind months ago. “What did you find, Brandon?”

“I wish there was a way, but the main road to Kingani is lined with snipers, so it’s out as well. We all know what happened the last time someone tried.”

Nick felt their options vanish. “Which leaves the forest, but I’m not sure how good a choice that is. From what I understand, it’s not much different from the eastern side of the camp. It’s full of dense bush and rocky terrain, which makes it hard to negotiate.”

“And snakes.” Samson walked up to the table. “But we can do it.”

Nick glanced up at Samson. “Snakes?”

“There is not much to worry about as long as you leave them alone.”

Nick pressed his fingers against the edge of the table. He hated snakes.

“I agree the forest is the only way out of here.” Samson sat down at the table. “I can lead you through the forest to the nearest town where, hopefully, the rebels have left communications intact.”

Nick tapped his pencil against the map. “You know that’s going to be the toughest route.”

“Which is why it is not well guarded. They know how hard it is to navigate.”

“But you can get us to a town that has a cell-phone tower?”

“I was born here and have lived at the base of these mountains most of my life.”

“How far to the next town through the forest?” Nick asked.

“Twenty-five, thirty kilometers, but you were right when you said that it won’t be easy.”

“So we’re looking at at least … four or five hours, if we’re lucky.”

Brandon didn’t look convinced. “I think it’s too great a risk. We’re already limited on security in the camp. Who’s going to ensure the safety of the camp if the rebels decide to strike again? And I’m not sure that Samson is the one to lead the group. You should stay here with your children. They need their father.”

“I am not the only one here with family,” Samson said. “Your wife is here, Philip has four children … Besides, you will never get through the forest without me.”

Nick’s temples pounded. This wasn’t the first time he’d held the lives of a team in his hands. Or the first time he’d take the brunt of the responsibility if something went wrong. “He’s right, Brandon. I need both of you.”

“There is a woman here from my village.” Samson leaned forward. “She has offered to take care of my children while I am working. They will be fine.”

“I think we’re all hesitant to risk lives to get help, but more will die without help. And we’ve also got Ashley, Taz, and the staff that was taken to consider.” Paige spoke up for the first time, making him wish he could read her thoughts. Despite his continual assurances to the contrary, he knew she blamed herself for Dayo and three of her local nurses’ abduction. A feeling that hit far too close to home.

Her normal smile was absent as she continued. “Unless the rebels are openly asking for a ransom, it’s up to us to inform the embassy where they are so the military can put together a rescue plan.”

Brandon leaned forward. “We don’t even know where they are.”

Nick studied the layout of the map. “Maybe not, but I think we know enough to make an educated guess. Granted, there is a lot of territory to cover, but I don’t think their base camp is far from here.”

“Why do you say that?” Paige asked.

“Think about it. It’s the only thing that makes sense. We know they seem to work in pairs. They take shifts with most of them on foot, and they arrive from the southwest.”

Samson put an
X
on the map between the refugee camp and Kinja. “You’re right, Nick, in that we’re still looking at a large territory and it’s fairly remote, but this area would give them easy access to the camp here and the dirt road that splits off east from the main Kingani road. It would also give them access to water, firewood, and cell-phone coverage.”

Nick drew a line from the refugee camp to Samson’s
X.
“From here, they could make it back to the rebel base in what … less than an hour on foot? And even less time by using one of their vehicles.”

Brandon nodded. “And they are still close enough to have raided Mt. Maja’s base camp, which would be about here on the map.”

Nick listened to their dialogue. The risks were still there, but at least a plan was finally falling into place. “If we can give the military that information, hopefully, paired with satellite intel, they’ll be able to track down both the rebels and Taz and the others, who we can assume were taken to the rebel base.”

Brandon tapped on the map. “If your theory is correct, there’s a chance we’d end up going pretty close to their base.”

Nick tried to stay optimistic. “As long as we’re in cell-phone range, we’ll be able to communicate our situation and get the army to move in here.”

“How long do you think it will take them to mobilize?” Brandon’s concern for his wife reflected in his eyes.

“I don’t know,” Paige said. “While we’re finally seeing fewer cases of cholera, if we don’t do anything we’re going to be seeing more and more symptoms of measles. And while vaccinating the population won’t completely stop an epidemic, it has been proven to slow down the spread, which in this situation, I believe, is essential.”

Nick leaned forward. “How soon do the vaccinations have to be given to be the most effective?”

“Ideally within three days of exposure, which at this point in the timeline gives us another forty-eight hours.”

Forty-eight hours. Nick felt his stomach churn. Four hours to the nearest town, time to obtain the vaccine and set up a cold chain, plus find a way to deal with the rebels sitting at their back door … If they were going to pull this off, they didn’t have a lot of time to spare.

Nick cleared his throat. “We can take a quick vote, but in my opinion we’ve run out of options.”

Brandon nodded his agreement. “We’re cut off from the world, and until we get the army in here, we’ll continue to be vulnerable to attacks. I’m still not convinced we can do this without losing someone, but I’m in. Unfortunately, I have to agree that it’s a chance we’ve got to take.”

“Then are we all in favor that we go?”

He glanced at Paige, who nodded her head along with the rest. He was tempted to ask her to come with them, but he knew it was only an excuse to try and keep her safe. He hated leaving her here, but he knew she had patients she would never leave behind.

“We have men who will guard the camp while you’re gone,” Paige said. “We might not be able to stop the rebels, but we can slow them down.”

Brandon glanced at his watch. “So when do we go?”

Nick’s gaze flickered to Paige. “The sun’s already up. I think we should try and be out of here in the next fifteen minutes.”