Gladioli in August (11 page)

Kevin slammed the truck into gear, jolting them across the road surface.

She continued to ignore him until they reached the Stanton ranch. Gunung Berapi towered in the background, the plume of steam darker now and towering into the sky.

Mrs. Stanton waddled over to them, her hand pressed to her stomach. “I'm glad you're here. The baby is coming.”

Jael jumped out. “Let's get you into the back of the truck and comfortable. We'll get you both to safety.” She looked at Kevin. “Go and get her husband.” She helped Mrs. Stanton into the truck bed and got her settled on the sacks. She did a quick exam and smiled reassuringly. “Loads of time yet.”

Kevin and Mr. Stanton returned and sat inside the truck. Kevin drove back to the base, while Jael prayed for the safety of all those still on the island. Not to mention being eternally grateful for the presence of the Stantons.

Micah was waiting by the door when they arrived. “You OK?”

Jael jumped down. “Yeah, but Mrs. Stanton needs to get to Bantu ASAP.” She helped her down as Danny ran over. “Danny, the baby is coming—”

“Steve's about to fly to Bantu now. He'll take them. You should go too.”

She shook her head, seeing the clipboard in his hand. “What's that?”

“Something we no longer have time to do.”

Jael snatched the clipboard. “We have to. The Reynards live in the foothills of the mountain.”

“There isn't enough time,” Zeek said. “The latest readings indicate she's going to blow. I'm raising the alert to red level three. We need everyone out of here now.”

“Then we have to get them. Micah, please?”

“No. If Danny wants us out, then we leave.”

“It's a ten-minute flight. You have time to wait for us to get there and back. They can go with Steve as well.”

“I'll drive you,” Kevin said.

Micah shook his head. “You will not. I'll take her, but we go now. Danny, you wait until we get back?”

Danny nodded. “I'm still organizing the boats from Bantu to get the sick and injured away.”

Jael wasn't going to wait any longer. She turned and ran for the plane, Micah close behind her. “So what's going on between you and Kevin?” she asked as they boarded.

Micah shoved the headphones on, and started the engine. “Nothing.”

“Nothing? Seriously?”

“I don't like the bloke. You have a problem with that?”

She shook her head. They sat in silence the entire flight until Micah lined the plane up to land.

He glanced at her. “Kevin's a jerk, OK?”

“That's a Danny-ism.”

“OK, he hits on every woman he sees.” Micah brought the plane down on the ground. “If they are attached or married, the harder he tries. You're not the first woman to have rebuffed him. Or the first one he's hurt for turning him down. You're just the first to stand up to him and go to Danny, that's all.”

“Oh.”

Micah nodded. “Let's get these people outta here and carry on the conversation on the way back.”

He opened the door just as the two adults and three children ran over to him. Once they were seated, he strapped himself in and turned the plane around. “Just be careful. Kevin doesn't like to be told no.”

“It makes no difference,” she said quietly. “I've resigned.”

****

Micah jerked as if shot. “What?” he managed, glad he wasn't actually accelerating down the field at that point. The devastation on her face rocked him to the core.

“I can't stay here. Not now. I made a formal complaint. If I don't leave, the Red Cross will recall me, or the mission society will. Or Kevin will make life unbearable.”

“He'll finish what he started,” he told her grimly. He began his run down the field, accelerating quickly, wanting to get away as soon as possible.

Another tremor hit, jerking the plane from side to side. A huge chasm opened up in the field in front of him.

“Micah…”

“I see it.”

“Are we going fast enough?”

“I don't know.” Prayers filled his mind as he yanked back on the controls.

Jael gasped beside him, her hands reaching up to grasp whatever she could hold on to.

The nose of the plane covered the crack now. He had no idea if they were about to topple into the hole or not. Where were his wheels in relation to the crack?

His heart pounded in his throat as he pulled back as hard as he could. “Come on, baby, fly…”

The plane became airborne just in time.

“Nice one.” Jael let out a deep breath.

“Thank—”

A huge jolt jerked the plane forward. Micah struggled for control as they began to dive. Behind him the children screamed, and the adults started to pray. He pulled back hard on the controls, desperately trying to gain height, alarms blaring in his ears.

Pull up
,
pull up
, screamed one of the alarms, echoing the words in his mind. Then the plane responded and he gained altitude, stabilizing the flight. He let out a long breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. “What in the world was that?”

Jael gasped. “Micah…”

“What is it, honey?” he asked.

She tugged at his sleeve. “Look…the mountain…”

He turned his head, his stomach dropping and his heart stopping.

They were out of time.

Gunung Berapi spewed ash and fire high into the air.

9

Terror flooded Jael, along with awe and wonder at the sight of the exploding mountain. Knowing how much her brother would want to see this, she pulled out her phone and started snapping a couple of photos for Kyle. “Are we safe up here?”

“For now. If too much of that ash gets into the engines, we'll go down.”

She froze. “What?”

“Shh.” Micah switched to Tiampian and spoke rapidly to reassure the passengers. He banked, taking the most direct route to the base. He grabbed the mic. “Achor base, this is Micah, and we got a problem.”

“Yes, we know. You'll have to hold until the runway is clear. Everything we have is taking off right now, but we'll hold the last plane for you to land.”

“Jolly decent of you.” He put the mic down and looked at Jael. “You OK?”

She nodded.

“Crossed something else off your bucket list I assume.” His hand touched hers.

She laced her fingers into his for a brief moment, taking comfort from his touch. Was the fear she felt mirrored by what she saw in his eyes? “Actually, this wasn't on my bucket list at all.”

“Nor mine.” He squeezed her fingers, then took his hand back, gripping the controls. The plane jerked and he altered course slightly. “We're fine,” he told her.

Wishing she believed him, Jael gripped the seat, praying the rest of the flight. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been this scared. Had she ever been? Even during the earthquake she'd been grounded in the knowledge that should the worst happen, it'd be quick, but now?

The base came into sight underneath them, and Micah's reluctance to hold grew. “Achor, this is Micah. I really need to land. Now. Running low on fuel. So you either give me a space, or I land in a field and we're one less plane.”

“OK, land now.”

“Thank you.”

He lined up with the edge of the runway and came in straight and true without a single bump. He taxied direct to the hanger by the fuel tanks and parked the plane inside the building. “I'll refuel and meet you inside.”

“Can you refuel in here?” she asked, glancing around the enclosed space.

“It's not advised in the manual, but right now it's a heck of a lot safer than out there, wouldn't you say?”

Jael nodded. “Be careful.”

He grabbed her hand and kissed her fingers. “Always honey.”

Jael ran to the main building, passing a load of people scrambling onto a small plane with engines running. Ash fell around her and the sky overhead darkened as the clouds of death grew.

Danny appeared to be in panic mode. “Jael, thank the Lord you're back. Grab what you can from your room, then pack up the clinic—”

Zeek shook his head from where he sat hunched over a laptop. “There's no time. The readings are no good and getting worse.”

Another plane took off and one landed. Jael glanced out of the window. Lightning flashed in the huge ash plume rising from the volcano. “How much worse can it get?” she wondered. But she didn't get a reply.

Steve rushed into the room, his feet barely touching the ground. “OK, the boats have arrived and need to leave fairly quickly. Can we take the people down to the harbor to be transferred to the navy vessels?”

Kevin breezed in. The man didn't even look flustered, as if this happened every single day. “The clinic is empty of patients now. Jael, can I have a word?”

“I'm going to get my stuff. Danny wants us all out.”

Kevin grabbed her arm. “And I need a word. Now.” He pulled her into the dispensary. As he turned to face her, his face changed. His eyes narrowed and darkened, an expression of pure hatred filling every crease and pore. “What did you say to Danny?”

Terror ran rampant through her. “When?” she managed, wondering if she could bolt past him and into the hall without him grabbing her. “I've said lots of things to him…”

“He fired me.”

“What?” She swallowed hard, bile rising in her throat. She hadn't wanted that to happen.

Kevin took a step closer. “He fired me. No references, no nothing, and it's all down to you.”

“Me?” Jael took a step sideways, her terror rising as he encroached on her personal space.

Kevin moved swiftly, backing her into a corner, one arm blocking her exit, the other running down her arm.

“What are you doing?”

“The way I figure it, you owe me. All I wanted was one kiss. You said stop and I did. And for that you make a formal complaint and I get fired? That hardly seems fair to me.”

The ground under her feet moved as another tremor hit. She lost her balance.

Kevin caught her, gripping both arms tightly and pulling her towards him.

“Get off me.” She raised her voice, hoping someone would hear it, praying for the strength to fight him off it that's what it came to.

“Retract it,” he demanded. He shook her.

“Or what?” Jael raised her gaze to his, keeping her voice as steady as she could.

Kevin's hand slid to her waist and he kissed her.

Jael bit down hard on his tongue, and brought her knee up hard and fast.

Kevin swore, clutching himself tightly as he fell to the floor.

The dispensary door opened and Micah ran in. “Jael? I heard you…” he broke off and raised an eyebrow.

“I'm fine.”

“Did he try something?”

“She kicked me,” Kevin managed, as he rolled on the floor in obvious pain.

“Not hard enough,” Jael muttered. “Just ignore him.”

A huge tremor struck. Bookcases along the wall toppled. Micah grabbed Jael, dragging her to the door frame and protecting her with his body. The wall beside them cracked and the ceiling fell with a shower of dust and debris. A beam hit Kevin, cutting off his cry of pain.

Jael tried to get to him.

“Leave him,” Micah said, holding onto her.

“I can't.” She tugged free.

Micah grabbed her, pulling her backwards as another beam fell. This one caught his arm, tossing him to the floor.

The movement stopped and Jael spun around. “Micah, where are you?”

“Over here.” The voice came from her left.

She tossed the polystyrene ceiling tiles to one side, uncovering a dusty Micah. “Are you hurt?”

He shook his head, rising from the dirt, looking like something out of a horror film. “What about you?”

“I'm fine.” She glanced around. “Where's…”

“Kevin's dead. Let's get out of here.” He took her hand and pulled her from the remains of the room.

Danny stood by the office door. “Are you two all right? Where's Kevin?”

“We're fine,” Micah said. “Kevin's dead, the ceiling fell on him.” He took a deep breath. “He'd tried…”

Jael squeezed his fingers. “It's nothing,” she whispered. “He's dead, no point making things any worse.”

Danny nodded, either not hearing or choosing to ignore her comment. “We need to leave now. Everyone else from the base has gone. Steve's taking us. You go with Micah…”

“What about the locals?” Jael asked.

“The navy and army are evacuating them,” Danny said. “It's not my problem.”

The radio cracked.

“Leave it.”

“I can't…” Jael ran into the office and picked up the mic. “This is Achor base.”

“This is Mr. Steveton. The road's gone. We can't get out.”

“We'll come and get you.”

Zeek shook his head. “You don't have time. The readings show you have minutes, an hour at the most.”

Micah looked at her. “I hate to agree honey, but I can't risk it. Not in this ash cloud.”

“We don't have a choice.” Her hands screwed into fists. “We can't let them die out there. We could pick them up on the way to Bantu. It's not that far.”

Micah hesitated, and Jael could see the anguish of decision in his eyes. Then he sighed. “OK, but we go now. You'll have to leave everything behind.”

“One minute.” She grabbed her pack containing the ropes, tent pegs, and basic first aid stuff. Shoving a couple of syringes, vials, and pill boxes into it, she nodded. “OK, ready.”

****

Micah ran with Jael to the hanger, grateful he'd left the plane there. He was also thankful for the full fuel tanks. That didn't make her any less insane or this plan any less harebrained than it was. Around them, the ash fell like snow. The sky was dark, filled with foreboding and flashes of lightning.