Third Half (27 page)

             
He flung the bag over his shoulder and put his arm around her
for support as they followed the military-garbed men into the dense
green jungle.

             
Under other circumstances, Liane supposed, much of what she
saw would have seemed beautiful.  The many varieties of orchids, the
yellow broom flowers, the purple heliotropes with their light scent. 
All could represent a tropical paradise. 
If we were free to enjoy them
.

             
She heard the sounds of wild jungle animals in the distance,
and ordinarily would have been delighted to view the many species of
colorful birds.  Yet, it was all she could do now to keep her eyes open
to look at them.

             
"Todd, please stop,"  she begged, knowing he had been
practically dragging her, supporting her weight for a long time.  Still,
even that wasn't enough.  "I have to rest."

             
"Carry her,"  the leader ordered.

             
"Oh, Todd, I'm sorry," she moaned, closing her eyes as he
lifted her into his arms.

             
She heard the faint voice of a child saying something beside
them.  Opening her eyes, she saw the little boy taking her bag.

             
"He said he'd like to help,"  Todd whispered close to her ear. 
"I gave him your bag."

             
She forced an exhausted smile for the boy, before closing her
eyes again.

I

             
"We have found the pilot and his companion.  We have them
at our base," Suarez said into his radio.  "Enrico was killed when their
plane crashed."

             
"I want them brought to me immediately!" The order was
issued with little room for debate.

             
"The woman is not well," explained Suarez.  "I don't think she
will be able to make the trip.  Shall we bring the pilot alone?"

             
The other man paced. 
Not another obstacle when we are so
close. 
"We need them both.  If she cannot travel within the next day I
will summon a doctor."

             
"Yes, Sir," Suraez replied. "Now I must end this transmission
before our location is traced."

             
"Remember.  One day, no more!"  The man ordered before
disconnecting.  The last thing he needed was for the location of the
rebel base to be found.

I

             
When she awoke she was cold and unable to stop shaking.  
She realized she was inside a hut of some sort.  She was thankful
Todd was still with her, and the little boy was close by his side.

             
"Here, drink some of this,"  Todd lifted his canteen to her
parched lips.

             
"I don't think I can keep anything down."  She pushed it away
as her stomach churned in rebellion.

             
"You have a fever and need liquids," he ordered.  "I'm trying to
convince them to get you medical help.  But they say the same thing I
did.  You have a normal virus.  Nothing serious.  You should be over
it soon.  Still, I don't like it . . .You don't seem right."

             
"Todd . . ." Tears glistened in her emerald eyes and her head
seemed to throb even more.  "I didn't . . .have the shots."

             
"
No shots!
  But how . . .?  Never mind,"  he said quickly,
turning to their young companion.  He said something to him and
waited as the boy rushed out of the hut.

             
At that very moment they heard sounds of gunfire and
something exploding.  At first Liane thought it was the pain in her
head, as she squinted reaching up to press her hand against her
forehead.  Soon she realized it was more.

             
Todd didn't wait to look outside; he grabbed Liane roughly
from the floor of the hut and pulled her toward the door.

             
"What is it?"  She hesitated, eyes wide as she saw the sight
outside.  It was like a battle scene from television.  Men were
shooting, falling into pools of red, being blown apart.  All right before
her eyes.  Yet it wasn't on a screen.  Death was surrounding them.

             
"Don't look!"  Todd ordered as he firmly grasped her arm. 
"Just run if you can."  He nearly dragged her with him into the cover
of nearby brush and trees, not stopping until the sounds became
distant.

             
"Oh God . . .Oh God . . ."  She choked, feeling ill again.  Fear
chilled her more than the fever.  Looking into Todd's face, she saw his
fear also.   "The little boy . . ."  Before she could say another word
everything started to spin, then she drifted into oblivion.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

             
She thought she could hear Todd's voice calling her name. 
And then his cool touch stroking her brow, holding her hand.  But
when she awoke he wasn't there. 
Was it all a nightmare?

             
To her surprise, she was lying in a huge bed, surrounded by
expensively elegant furnishings.  There was bright light coming in
through a huge balcony window.   Turning her head, she thought she
saw a man standing in a far corner of the room. 

             
"Todd,"  she called weakly.  Her body relaxing as he turned
and she could make out the outline of his beard, his familiar face
–
she
knew that it was him.   She drifted back to sleep, a smile on her lips,
knowing he was safe and close by.

             
When she awoke again, another man was stooped over her. 
The grey-haired man, dressed in a suit and tie, was listening to her
heart through a stethoscope.

             
"Where am I?"  she asked again, noting the strangeness of her
surroundings.

             
"In the home of Senor Valenquez.  Do not worry.  You are
safe,"  the doctor assured her.

             
"Where's Todd?"  She tried to sit up, but the doctor placed a
preventive hand on her slender shoulder.

             
"Not just yet, my dear," he said, smiling as he wiped his brow. 
"You have been very ill.  And through quite an ordeal from what I
have heard."

             
"What about Todd?"

             
"Your friend has gone.  Early this morning, after seeing you
were well, he left here."  The doctor noted her troubled expression and
patted her hand.  "He was by your side from the moment you were
brought here."

             
"And where is that?"

             
"The ranch of Senor Valenquez.  He's a fine caballero,"  the
doctor explained.  "You were lucky to be brought here.  I could be
summoned immediately."

             
"And when was that?  How long have I been here?"

             
"Only two days,"  the doctor replied.  "You have been quite ill. 
Fortunately it was not exactly what your friend had feared.  He said in your delirium you said something about not being inoculated before
coming to our country."

             
She blushed nervously.  "I must have been delirious."

             
"In any case you have had a form of Salmonella poisoning.  It
also can be very serious, as you have found.   Probably caused by
something you recently ate.  Your friend said he wouldn't have known
what it was, you did not eat while with him."

             
"Well . . .I did have a chicken sandwich."  She looked contrite
as she stared up at the doctor and shrugged.  "I should have known
better.  I packed it and brought it with us on our trip.  He didn't see me
eating it."

             
"And you probably had it for too long before you ate it. 
Right?"  The doctor shook his head.  "But you were also in a very
weakened state.  It seems many things have been happening to you in
a very short time."

             
"Yes, they have," she agreed, as the memory of moments
shared with Todd flashed through her mind.  "You said my friend has
gone.  Did he say where?"

             
"Mr. Marshal was summoned away?"  A tall, immaculately
dressed man, with nearly jet black hair said as he entered the room. 
"He asked me to tell you."

             
"Summoned?"  She was puzzled now, wondering who could
have known they were here.

             
"A young Mestizo boy brought him a message,"  the man
responded, then he smiled warmly down at her.  "Now, allow me to
introduce myself.  I am Daniel Valenquez, your host."  He held out a
hand to her.

             
She lifted her small hand, feeling at a disadvantage laying in
the bed.  "I want to thank you for allowing me . . ." 

             
"None of that."  He shook his ebony head as he interrupted
her.  "I am only too happy to have a guest here on my ranch.  And
such a lovely one, too."

             
She blushed, unsure what she should say.

             
"We will talk later,"  the man said with an authoritative tone,
giving the impression of a man who was used to giving orders.  "Right
now you must get the rest you need for a full recovery."

             
"Yes."  She took a deep breath and released it slowly.  "I am
quite tired."

             
Too tired to begin planning what she was going to do now. 
But not too tired to worry what was happening to Todd Marshal.

I

             
When she awoke again it was dark outside and the house was
quiet.  Liane slowly propped herself up and reached for the light on
the stand next to the bed.  She wanted to get on her feet, if only for a
few moments.  She hated the helpless feeling of just laying there.

             
Walking to the balcony, she pulled open the doors to step
outside.  She was met by the warm fragrant night air.  She saw a full
moon in the sky above and thought about how such a moon was often
associated with a romantic evening. 

             
A vision of Todd in his flight jacket, his dark brown eyes, and
the sardonic smile he wore on his bearded face, passed through her
mind.

             
She wondered where he was now.  And if he had given up on
her.  Or the search for her brother.

             
The sound of voices reached her, bringing her out of her
reverie.  There was a faint light coming from the room below. 
Looking down, she could see a lone figure walk out onto a patio.  He
turned, looking up at her as he did.

             
"Ah, so you are awake,"  Daniel Valenquez said.  "I just asked
Martina to come upstairs and check on you."

             
"I couldn't bare another idle moment, with nothing to do
except think."

             
"I understand, but you should not be up so soon after being ill. 
If you would like company I can come upstairs and join you.  But you
must promise to follow the doctor's orders and stay in bed."