Violets in February (12 page)

“What are you doing? You won't be able to see.”

“And they can't see us. Pass me the night vision goggles from under your seat.” He stopped long enough to put them on, and then carried on driving at a breakneck speed.

Lucy twisted in her seat, facing the window in the door. She couldn't see a thing.

Rain still pounded down, but at least the thunder had stopped.

Guilt gnawed at her. She bit her nail down to the quick, knowing it would hurt later, but not as much as her knee. Even that had lessened, and the pain in her foot which had been there in the background had now gone.

She knew that wasn't good. It had been cold and white back at the clinic, enough for Vic to comment on it. Now the fact she couldn't feel it meant the damage could be irreversible. Not that they'd make the city. She knew that. She would die out here in the middle of nowhere, the back o'bourke as Jed put it.

The pale light of dawn painted the horizon ahead of them. A lighter grey in the maelstrom of black and navy blue. There was something ahead. She pointed. “What's that?”

“Where?”

“Up ahead. Jed…look out!”

Something flew towards them, blazing fire and smoke behind it.

She screamed as the truck swerved.

Something exploded to their right, sending the truck spinning around.

She closed her eyes, heart pounding, body shaking.

Jed touched her arm. “You all right?”

“Think so.”

Ten heavily armed men surrounded the truck, yelling loudly.

“They want us to get out,” Lucy said.

Jed rolled his eyes. “Ya think?”

“What do we do?”

“We get out.” He raised his hands. The truck doors opened and Jed was yanked from the truck. He landed on his knees. He laced his hands behind his head, as a gun pointed at his chest.

Lucy screamed as she was pulled from the truck and dragged over to where Jed knelt. She heard her knee crack, agony shooting through her as they forced her to kneel beside him. Tears ran uncontrollably down her face. Pain filled her to overflowing.

Jed's voice seemed to come from a long way off. “Leave her alone!”

There was a gunshot.

Jed fell to the ground, rain beating down on his motionless body.

She screamed. “Noooo! Jed…”

Something hit the side of her head, sending her flying face down into the darkness.

10

Jed came to slowly. His head was killing him. He rolled over, automatically checking himself over and working out where he was. A small room, not much in the way of furniture, and judging by the amount of light coming from the small window, it was late morning. He shook his head to clear it slightly.

Lucy! Where was she?

He sat up. Her crumpled figure lay on the other side of the dusty floor. He crawled over to her, his mind running rampant. If they'd so much as touched her, he'd kill as many of them with his bare hands as he could before he died.

“Lucy?” He gently rolled her onto her back. Her shorts and shirt were intact, which was good. Meant at least they hadn't assaulted her. But was she alive? He touched her neck, relief flooding him as he found a strong pulse.

“Thank You, God.”

He paused. His first proper prayer for decades. “Please, get us out of here. Not for me, but for her. I'm not gonna make foolish promises like that bloke with the unpronounceable name who killed his daughter because of a rash promise he made.” He shook his head, amazed at the Bible stories he remembered after all these years.

He shook Lucy. “Come on, time to wake up. Lucy, come on, darl', wake up.”

She stirred.

“That's it,” he said, shaking her again. “Come on, talk to me.”

She groaned and then screamed as she tried to straighten her leg.

Jed shoved his hand over her mouth. “Shhh. Are you OK?”

“No,” she managed. “What about you?”

“Fine, killer headache though.”

“I thought they shot you.” Her face was white, sweat beaded her forehead, her voice trembling and filled with pain.

“No, just hit me over the head with the gun.” He checked the back of his pants. The gun was gone. He patted down his thigh, but the knife was gone too. “They disarmed me. That's just bonza.”

“I'm impressed,” she whispered, edging backwards so she could lean against the wall.

“I'm sorry?” he said. “Impressed they disarmed me?”

“No, impressed because you're not swearing.”

He smiled faintly. “Being around you, lady, I can't even swear properly inside my own head. Guess this is just an extension of that.”

“I thought you said I wasn't a lady.”

He winked. “I lied.”

She leaned against the wall, her pallor worrying him. “That's…a sin, too.”

“Shut up.”

“Make me.”

Without hesitation, Jed leaned in and kissed her soundly.

“That works,” she whispered. “It hurts…”

He ran his hands gently over her knee. “It's dislocated again.”

“I thought it was. I felt it go when they pushed me down.”

“I can't put it back. I'm sorry.”

“It's…OK…”

The door burst open. Five men with guns came in yelling in Swahili. “Simama. Weka mikono juu. Lala kwa ukuta.”

Jed looked at Lucy. “What did they say?”

Lucy translated. “They want us to stand, backs against the wall with our hands up.”

Jed looked at the men. “She can't do that. Her leg is broken.”

The gunman waved the gun in his face. “Simama.” He grabbed hold of Jed and yanked him roughly to his feet, shoving him hard against the wall.

Winded, Jed put his hands up. “Don't hurt her.”

Lucy screamed as she was hauled upright.

Jed moved towards her. “Leave her alone.”

One of the gunmen hit him with the butt of the rifle, sending him to his knees. “Usisonge.”

Jed started to push upright. “Lucy.”

A pair of hands gripped him tightly. “Fanya hivyo tena na tutamuua, pole pole.”

“I don't understand what you're saying. Just leave her alone.”

Lucy stood on one leg, tears streaming down her face, white with pain. “They said…Don't move or they'll kill me,” she managed.

The lead gunman pointed at Lucy. “Mchukue.”

She cried out as they dragged her to the door.

Jed struggled free, determined to get to her or die trying. “Noooo.” A swift kick to his groin sent him to the floor, tears filling his eyes. He lay there, unable to do anything but watch helplessly as the door slammed shut behind her and the key turned in the lock. “Lucy!”

He could hear her screaming. He rolled onto his knees, but could do nothing but listen powerlessly as her screams intensified.

He could only imagine what they were doing to her. And none of what he was thinking was good.

Tears streamed down his face. “God,” he began. “Help her. I failed her.”

Lucy's screams stopped abruptly, leaving only the sound of silence.

He slammed his head back against the wall and slid to the floor. He could see stars, but didn't care. He wasn't any good, never had been. He was a waste of space, not wanted by anyone. Except by Lucy, but now she wouldn't want him. He'd broken his promise to protect her or die trying.

I want you.

He looked around, wondering who'd spoken, but he was alone.

Bright light shone around him. He flung a hand up to shield his eyes.

Come to Me, my son. I want you. I love you.

His mocking voice from a few hours earlier came back to haunt him.
Your stepfather wanted to adopt you! But, no, you're too busy being pigheaded to see that he loved you as his own.

Only now, it took on a whole new meaning.

He closed his eyes.
God…please…

~*~

The door opened and Lucy landed with a thud on the floor next to Jed. She groaned and bit her lip to stifle a cry of agony.

Jed gathered her into his arms, holding her tightly. “I'm so sorry.” His voice was gruff, and his cheeks damp.

She leaned against him, taking comfort in his touch. Tears ran down her face. “What for?”

“I couldn't protect you.”

“You tried. There were just too many of them.”

He shook his head. “They took you away, I failed you.”

“No, you didn't.” She cupped his hand. “You're going to have a lovely black eye and bruises elsewhere I reckon. You did your best to protect me like you promised you would.”

He wouldn't meet her gaze. “Not good enough. They took you. I heard you scream. I couldn't do a thing, just useless.”

“Hey,” she said firmly. “Look at me.”

His eyes were dark and hollow. The look of rage and torment in them scared her. “They put my knee back in place once they realized I couldn't stand or walk. They strapped it up, hit me some, but that's all.”

“They didn't touch you?”

“No…not the way you mean.”

He let out a long, deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment. “Thank the Lord for that.”

She frowned, but didn't call him on it, because it sounded like a prayer, and as much as he swore like a trooper around her, he had never taken the Lord's name in vain.

“What did they want?”

“To know where we're going, who we're working for, that kind of stuff.”

“Then they'll come for me next,” he said matter of factly.

“Yeah.” And that thought terrified her. They'd hurt her, but not in the way she feared the most. She watched the door as the footsteps grew closer.

The door burst open. Four gunmen surged in.

One pulled Lucy off Jed and tossed her to the floor. He indicated Jed to stand.

Jed kissed Lucy on the forehead. “She'll be apples,” he said quietly. He stood and raised his hands. He smiled at her, the smile obviously forced as they dragged him away.

The door slammed.

Lucy closed her eyes, praying hard as muted cries of pain echoed down the corridor.
Don't let them kill him. I need him.

She didn't know how long it was before the door opened and two men dragged Jed back in. They threw him onto the ground and placed a cup of water on the floor beside him. They left, locking the door behind them.

Lucy dragged herself over to him. “Jed?”

His shirtless form was covered in welts and cuts. His lip was split, and there was a nasty looking cut over his left eye. He fought to open his eyes.

She pulled him into her arms and pushed her fingers though his hair. “Jed?”

“Hey,” he managed.

She picked up the cup, holding it to his lips. “Drink this.”

He swallowed a few mouthfuls, then pushed it away. “You, too.”

She nodded, drinking a little, and then giving him the rest. “Are you OK?”

“Tired, felt better,” he whispered. He pulled her down beside him, her head on his chest, his arm going tight around her. “I got you.”

Tears filled her eyes. He was hurt so badly, yet all he wanted was to protect her. Emotion bubbled up within her. She wasn't sure if what she felt for him was love, all she knew was that she wanted to be with him, no matter what. He made her feel safe, even in the midst of such terror as this.

Her fingers traced over a tattoo on his upper arm. “Why'd you have a violet on your arm?”

“It stands for faithfulness, wisdom and hope. A bunch of us got our birth flowers done as a unit thing before we deployed.”

“Neat. When's your birthday?”

“Twentieth.”

“That's today.” She reached up and kissed his cheek. “Happy birthday.”

“Great way to celebrate it.” He ran his fingers down her arm as she settled back onto his chest. “Today gives a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘getting smashed.'”

Lucy giggled and then groaned. “Don't make me laugh, it hurts.”

“You hurt?” he protested. “I hurt way worse than you do.”

Her fingers ran over the bruises forming on his stomach. “How bad is the pain?”

He stilled her hands. “Don't. And stop being a doc for five minutes. I'll live.”

“Good. I thought I'd lost you.”

“And I you.” He hugged her and then fell still.

“I don't want to lose you.”

There was no reply.

“Jed?” She reached up for a pulse, then relaxed as she realized he was just sleeping. She settled down again, not letting go.

~*~

Jed woke as muted daylight came through the small window. The room was damp and cold and he shivered. Every part of him ached and his arm was numb. Yet he didn't move, because he didn't want to disturb Lucy. Her breath was soft and regular on his bare skin. She completed him, he knew that now. And because of her, he was more at peace than he had been in decades.

“Lord,” he said quietly. “I'm still no good at this praying thing, but I know You love me and forgive me for all the wrong stuff I've done.” He glanced down, not wanting to wake her, but not sure that praying in his head would count. By rights he should be on his knees, but perhaps God would hear him if he just spoke aloud this once.

The woman in his arms didn't stir.

So he continued. “Keep us safe today. She needs a hospital and that means getting to the city. But we're here with all those men and I can't protect her against them. Not if they decided to take her by force again. I'll die if that's what it takes to keep her safe. She's a doc, You can use her. But me? I'm just a truckie, no good to no one.”

Lucy stirred, her tongue flickering over her cracked lips.

He kissed her forehead gently. “Lucy?”

Her eyes opened and she groaned.

He helped her sit. “Hey. How ya going?”

“Hurts,” she whispered. Her eyes widened at the sight of his bruises.

“Hurt pretty good myself,” he said wryly. “Make a good pair, don't we, huh?”