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I set up the sensors and adjusted them to the correct angle, trying to get the best view of the sky. It took me longer than I had anticipated, but I wanted to get it right. We needed this to work.
Finally, I stepped back and clicked on the earpiece again. “Sensors are set up. Are they working?”
“Yes.” Andy responded promptly. “I’m monitoring the particle density levels, but so far, they are too high. We would disable the entire ship if we attempted to fly through the atmosphere right now.”
“Continue monitoring them. The second we see a break, we’re taking it. I’ll stand guard for a while.”
“Very well.”
I made my way carefully back down to the entrance of the cave. I could have tried to stand watch from up top because of the vantage point, but it was too dangerous for a variety of reasons. It would be a lot easier for me to be spotted up there, and it would take too long for me to get back to the ship if something were to happen. Instead, I set up not far from the mouth of the cave, where I had cover if I needed it but could still see most of the area around us.
I avoided a few water puddles and pulled out my spyglass to scout what I could see. Using a spyglass was low tech, but it was smaller than military grade binoculars. I didn’t want to lug around a ton of gear, and my spyglass worked just as well while being a fraction of the size.
Everything looked quiet. For now. I settled in, knowing I would be out there for a while. If anyone tried to sneak up on us, I was going to catch them. There was no way I was going to let anything happen to me or Julia.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Ethan
Time passed so slowly it was almost painful. Two hours went by with no sign of the enemy and no word from Andy. I checked in with him, and he reported that nothing had changed with the sensors and Julia was doing well enough. I wanted to check on her myself, but I couldn’t be in two places at once. I felt better keeping an eye out for an attack. I knew one would be coming soon. They already had our location. All they needed to do was come up with a plan of attack and wait for clear enough weather to fly their ship in.
Whoever those people were, they were determined. They didn’t look like mercenaries, either. They moved and fought differently, like they were better trained. It was a subtle difference, but it was enough that I noticed.If they aren’t thugs, and they aren’t mercenaries, then who are they?
Julia hadn’t said anything about what case she was working on. Not even what kind of case it was, just that important evidence was now in the possession of the people who were trying to kill her. They’d obviously tortured her. The scars on her arms weren’t the only marks I’d seen, though they were the ones that had caught my attention at the time.
It was hard to picture her as a former drug addict. She seemed so disciplined and controlled. She must have been young when it happened. I could only imagine the struggles she must have gone through, and how difficult it must have been for her to get clean. Those marks were old. She must have left that life behind a while ago. It made me wonder what else she’d gone through.There is a lot more to her than I’d first thought.
She wasn’t going to be happy if she found out about my past. I touched the necklace still concealed under my shirt, glad I had decided to keep it hidden for now. Once all of this was over, maybe I would tell her about it. We needed to work as a team, and I doubted she would trust me if she knew where I had come from or the things I had done.
Perhaps she would understand. If she was involved in some illegal things in her past, maybe she wouldn’t hold it against me. Or maybe her involvement had been involuntary. There was no telling. The only way to know was to ask her, but there were more pressing things to worry about.
I still found myself thinking about her, despite my desire to focus on my surroundings. I don’t know what it was about her, but she captivated my attention. When I was around her, I could feel myself being drawn to her energy. She was strong, independent, and capable. She had a sense of right and wrong, and she wanted to help people. Her outer beauty complimented her inner beauty, and I liked her for both.
Focus, Ethan. Pay attention. Think about her later.
Knowing I needed to focus, I shoved thoughts of her away and assessed my surroundings. I could feel the weather calming somewhat. That was both good and bad. Good because we could get out of there sooner, but bad because it meant her abductors would be coming after us once it was safe. Well, notsafe, but safer.
Pondering our options, I did another scan of the horizon. Something shifted in the distance, and I lifted the spyglass up to my eye, banging it against my goggles because I forgot I was wearing them. I sighed and focused on the little spot in the distance. Immediately, my heart sank. It was a ship.
Knowing it would not be friendly, I shoved the spyglass away and tapped on the earpiece. “Andy. We have company.”
“Coming from which direction?” was his instant response.
“South. Fire up the engines. We can’t remain in the cave like sitting ducks.”
“Understood.”
It only took another minute or two before I was back on the ship. “Andy?”
“Firing up the engines.” His voice came from the cockpit.
“Good,” I yelled down to him. “Get us out of the cave and head in the opposite direction.”
“Ethan?” Julia’s voice came from the bedroom, sounding worried.
I detoured into her room. She was struggling to sit up, and I quickly stilled her movements. “Relax. You can’t do anything now. Andy and I will take care of getting us out of here. Just relax. You don’t want to rip your stitches.”
Her face was still pale, and she seemed weak. However, she also seemed determined. She gave me a fierce look. “I can help. There must be something I can do.”
