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“Then, when you get back home, you need to find a way to stay there and build that future,” she said seriously.
I studied her. “I think you might be right, Angela. I hope that when we do get home, she’ll take me back, and we can figure something out.”
“Don’t let love go, Alex. Life is too short.”
“That it is, Angela.”
“Tell me about her,” she said.
“You don’t really want to hear about it.” I gave her a lopsided grin.
“On the contrary, I think we could all use a good love story.” She shrugged. “Besides, what else do we have to do?”
“True.” As I began to tell her how we met and all that had happened in the short time we were together, the other three people in our cell with us sat up to listen too.
Over the next few hours, they all began to share their stories. We talked about our families, our hopes, and our dreams. Maybe it was our way of saying goodbye to our former life—or perhaps it was a way to share hope with one another that we’d make it out of there alive.
It was at least another day or two before our hopes of returning to our prior lives took an instant nosedive.
There was a huge commotion outside the cells, and men were yelling in Arabic and rushing about. One of the cell doors was yanked open, and shots were fired into the cell. Angela and I locked gazes as a few screams rent out, and I knew that this was it. I could see it in her eyes that she knew it too. I took her hand and squeezed it tightly, giving her as much reassurance as I could.
There was more gunfire outside the cells, and then our captors ran out the opposite way. Could it be possible? Were they really here to free us? Please, God, let it be so!
We all got to our feet, huddling toward the far corner, and I shifted my body in front of the others, my job to protect them until the last moment all I knew. Deep husky voices spoke English words, and I closed my eyes for a brief moment as thankfulness washed over me.
The lock rattled, and then there was a solider dressed all in black. I knew the uniform, knew it was one of ours. A second guy came in, and his bright-white teeth practically glowed in the darkness as he grinned. “Well, damn, Shadow, it’s good to see you standing upright.”
“Jump?” I said, and then he was coming toward me, and I threw my arms around him. “Jesus, Jump, I can’t believe it’s you.”
“Come on, you two. You can kiss later,” another guy joked as he came over to check on the people with me. “Anyone injured who can’t walk?”
“Alex was stabbed in the leg,” Angela was quick to say. “The rest of us are well enough to walk.”
“Okay, then let’s get out of here,” he said and hustled them out of the door in front of me. Jump put his arm around me, and I held on to his shoulder to support myself as we rushed out behind them. Nine other service members were gathering the others, and I noticed three of them had bodies hoisted over their shoulders.
“Shit, is that Trevor?” I asked quickly.
“No, I’m right here, Alex.” I turned quickly to see him coming out of another cell. “I’m alright.”
Thank God. Not that I wanted any of these people dead, but I sure as hell didn’t want my good friend dead. They hustled us out and down several long hallways. A few more shots were fired, more yelling ensued, and finally, we were outside, and the sound of the chopper blades was never so welcomed.
Jump had left my side to watch our backs as we loaded, and Angela helped me get on board. We crowded in, and two of the three bodies were lying on the ground in the center of our helicopter. The other one must be in the other chopper. I took Angela’s hand as the service members jumped onto the sides, and the helicopter began to lift.
Jump glanced at me and gave me a thumbs-up. I nodded at him and then put my head back against the seat. We were going to make it home.
* * *
“I can’t believewe were held for ten days,” I told Jump as I limped out of the hospital. “I have to get home. I have somewhere to be.”
“Yeah, does it include a hot brunette?”
I chuckled. “Yeah, that and my daughter.”
He helped me to the taxi. “I’ll catch you stateside. You take care of yourself, Shadow.”
“Thanks, man. You watch your back and get home safe.”
He nodded and then left me to get to the airport. “Alex!” A voice yelled for me, and I turned to see Angela rushing toward me.
