Shiva (15 page)

Talli looked down and away
,
but Davidson saw the edge of Lopez
’
s lip turn upward.

“
Why don
’
t we?
”
Davidson suggested.

“
What do you mean?
”
Talli asked

Lopez
,
though
,
pulled his radio out of his pack.
“
He means we
’
ve gone AWOL. Why the hell don
’
t we ask for tactical help? The worst they could do is say no.
”

“
Or use the transcript against us at our court martial,
”
Talli added.

“
Or that,
”
Lopez said as he shrugged, dialing the phone.

* * *

There was one thing that had bugged Bunny while reviewing the files. Two things
,
actually, but she had to find the first. Bunny couldn
’
t articulate the vague sense of unease she felt. But now that the
y
were trying to prove a negative, Bunny knew she
’
d found something. Finally
,
she found the page. It detailed Brandt
’
s extraction from the Congo.

“
Why didn
’
t they hit their first extraction window?
”
Bunny asked. She had noticed that fact before but really hadn
’
t cared about it. Why should she? Now
,
though? It was of paramount importance because the after
-
action report was completely silent about the cause.

Prenner shrugged as he searched through the files.
“
Looks like they just said they couldn
’
t make the window and requested a secondary pickup.
”

“
And nobody found that weird?
”
Bunny chuckled.
“
That delay cost them nearly thirty-six hours. Brandt missed his rehearsal dinner because of it.
”

She didn
’
t even wait for Prenner
’
s response. Instead
,
she dug through the report to find the third page. Another fact had nagged at her. Bunny found the paragraph.

“
A girl
,
along with her caregiver
,
provided intel on the location of the rebellion
’
s base
.
”
When Bunny looked up
,
Emily and Prenner both frowned. They didn
’
t get it. At least not yet. She shuffled the pages until she came to the end of the report.
“
Fortunately
,
there was only one civilian death. Unfortunately
,
it was that of the girl
’
s caregiver.
”

Again
,
the other two frowned.
“
You clearly do not know Brandt and Davidson.
”

“
Apparently not,
”
Prenner stated
,
although not with nearly the attitude he might have
had
a few hours ago.

“
In that part of the world? What would happen to an orphaned girl?
”
Bunny asked
,
not expecting an answer. They all knew that human slavery, rape, and worse awaited an orphan in the jungle.
“
There is no way Brandt would have left that girl unprotected.
”

Prenner squinted, reading the report over again.
“
You are saying that he took that thirty
-
six hours and found the girl a safe home
?
”

“
Yes,
”
Bunny said
,
nodding vigorously.
“
I
’
m certain that is the aspect of the mission the Disciples are honing in on.
”

“
Certain?
”
Emily said as her eyebrow
rose
.
“
Why?
”

Bunny immediately regretted her choice of words. She was certain. Only
,
she couldn
’
t tell them why she was certain. Another of those things that not only got left out of the after
-
action report, but hadn
’
t even been reported to Brandt. Rebecca and she had kept the information to themselves.

The knowledge that the tablets of the Ten Commandments spoke of the
daughter
of God. Not
son
. Not
child
, but
daughter
of God prophesized to rise to be the
M
essiah.

And now suddenly the Disciples were taking such interest in a girl deep in the African jungle. There had to be a connection. Not that she could tell Emily that.

“
You are just going to have to trust me,
”
Bunny answered.

“
My, my,
”
Prenner commented, nodding toward Emily
,
“
I guess someone else doesn
’
t have the clearance they need.
”

Bunny felt bad for holding back on Emily, but this was more than a pinky promise she
’
d
made with Rebecca. This was a sacred vow.

The secret of the female
M
essiah was safe with her.

Turning to Emily, Bunny tried to get them refocused.
“
Now all we have to do is figure out where Brandt took the girl.
”

“
Oh, is that all?
”
Emily shot back.

Prenner
’
s phone buzzed. He read the text aloud
.
“
Contact made with Corporal Lopez. Eyes on Brandt approaching the village. Requesting thermal imaging of area
.
”

Bunny caught herself on the edge of the table. Davidson was safe. They made it out of the crash and sounded like they were moments from rescuing him. They might really be able to pull it off.

However
,
even in the euphoria of the moment
,
Bunny still wondered,
W
here
i
s the girl?

* * *

Rebecca squelched a scream as the python
’
s coils tightened around her legs. Knees knock
ing
together, she tried not to panic
.
H
owever
,
she was finding it more and more difficult to keep perspective. Hanging upside down was certainly not helping.

Hooting and hollering, the chimps were throwing what she could only hope was mud at her as the snake made it
s
slow, painful advance. Rebecca had tried to remain still, allowing the python to think her subdued. She didn
’
t need those long fangs sunk into her. When the moment came to make her move, she needed to be able to…well, move.

She blocked out the chimps
’
war cries. In her right hand
,
she held the metal comb from her veil. The removal of which had been made at great cost to her scalp. Even now
,
she held a chunk of hair in her palm. Her only hope was to let the snake get close enough
,
then use the sharp comb as a weapon. Although
,
the closer the python got, the
more
her desperate plan seemed even more desperate and unrealistic.

What else did she have?

Just as she gripped the comb, readying the blow, a figure burst from the forest. Tall, lean
,
and shirtless, the older man
’
s dark skin melted with the shadows. Then he opened his eyes. One obsidian black, the other a milky white. Waving a thick cane over his head, he yelled fiercely.

Rebecca wasn
’
t sure if it even contained any words or if it was just a visceral utterance, but the chimps took note. Many fled
,
while others became even more agitated, jumping into the trees, rattling the branches.

Mr. Python stopped his slow descent, lifting his head, flickering his tongue at the newest arrival. Rebecca could feel the snake tense. Apparently
,
he did not want to share his meal. Opening his jaw wide, the snake made ready to strike.

Hand shaking, Rebecca clutched her comb
.
H
owever
,
no matter how sharp, it seemed
a
meager defense against those teeth.

Then the largest chimp launched itself from a neighboring tree. Its body slammed into Rebecca.
Not the face, please not the face
was all Rebecca could think. Its fingernails dug into her dress. Then the python struck, nailing the chimp in the shoulder. The ape howled its pain, then bore its own rather impressive set of fangs and dug them into the snake.

The python apparently forgetting all about its human prey, released Rebecca. Instead
,
the snake reared, trying to slither back up to the high shelter of the canopy. The chimp climbed over Rebecca like she was a jungle gym, racing after the snake. Hissing
,
the python flung itself from the parachute to another tree.

The motion ripped the fabric.

Dropping, Rebecca closed her eyes. This was not going to be pretty.

But the harness caught, jerking her to a stop. More panicked than with purpose, Rebecca thrashed her legs. Finally
,
the strap gave, freeing her foot.

Nothing but the ground stopped her this time.

Stars, literal white stars, danced in her vision as her head struck a log. Blurry images filtered into her mind. The strangest being a little girl dressed in a bright
-
orange traditional kaftan with matching
gelee
headscarf.

“
Hello,
”
the girl stated with a thick Congolese accent.

Not sure if the child was real or simply a consequence of her concussion, Rebecca passed out.

CHAPTER 6

═══════════
═══════

Outside of
Bomongo,
Democratic Republic of the Congo

8:12
p
.
m
.
(
CAT
)

Brandt pretended to stumble on a thick vine. Frellan had the men cut the zip ties on Brandt
’
s legs but had insisted his hands stay bound. Which was fine by Brandt. It allowed the other men to relax around him. Especially after Brandt had been such a good boy the whole trek up the mountain.

Was his presumed compliance enough to give him a window of opportunity? Things had gone his way as they ventured into the jungle. The men had been forced to spread out, leaving only four men in his immediate vicinity. Others were in the nearby forest, but with only four nearby, Brandt might just be able to dispatch before the others could assist.

Wiping his brow with his arm, Brandt prepared to go from zero to sixty. This might be his last chance for escape. As the men chattered, Brandt picked up enough from their excitement to know that they were nearing the village. If he allowed them to secure him in the village
,
he was screwed. They would probably dope him again or begin the torture brigade. Either way
,
getting away would be next to impossible.

Taking a moment to center himself, Brandt breathed in. This could go badly. Like seriously badly. He was only one man against a dozen. Not just any dozen, but a dozen of highly trained mercenaries
who
knew this mountainside like he knew each and every
one
of Rebecca
’
s curves.

Rebecca.

Stuff it down, Brandt
.
Don
’
t get all maudlin. You
are
going to see her again.