My 2nd Novel: Hidden Secrets; Chapter 73

Hidden Secrets
Chapter 73

Hidden Secrets

Leona Palmer Haag

Chapter 73

From her place of hiding, Natalie stared at the fresh bullet pock in the impenetrable wall. Enrique grabbed her hand and whispered. "If you get the chance to escape, go. Don't wait for me."

Natalie whispered in reply, "Likewise, if you can escape, go. Don't wait for me."

Enrique quickly nodded.

There. It was done. The pact had been made. Natalie turned back to study the wall. Evening shadows were laying long and low. The sun would soon set. They didn't move. Her stomach ached from hunger. Her throat burned with thirst. Her shoulder throbbed from being mauled. Half a dozen flies wouldn't leave her alone.

Darkness finally began creeping in. Shadows lengthened.

"I am surprised to still be alive," Enrique quietly said after awakening from a nap.

Natalie faced him. "You've lost a lot of blood, but not enough to die."

He shook his head. "The traps. The cats. The guards. The helicopter. The cameras. Why are we still alive?"

Natalie studied the now fully exposed face before her. The mud had dripped off from the sweat and humidity. She shook her head. "We have been lucky, Enrique. Who should I contact if you die?"

He shook his head in thought. "Your commander. And If I win and you die, I'll contact yours."

Natalie nodded. Her gaze returned to the wall. Then she saw it from the corner of her eye. Movement. She slid her finger to her lips and nodded in the direction. Enrique nodded in understanding. They watched. Then she saw it. A guard slipped from cover. Keeping low, he led another guard from the tangle of trees. They crouched and slid from shadow to shadow. They passed so closely that Natalie almost could have reached out and touched a boot. But Enrique was in no condition for hand-to-hand combat and she wasn't strong enough to fight two men at the moment without using a gun.

"That was wrong," Enrique whispered in her ear when they disappeared.

"We were not prepared," Natalie whispered in reply.

Enrique shuffled his position and pulled a thin wire from his pocket. "Next time," he said. He cut it in half and placed a three foot long piece in Natalie's hand.

"Next time," she agreed.

Night fell and the full moon rose. Natalie stared at the barrier before her. A ladder would be nice. A real one. Even better would be a gate. With a key in her hand. Enrique tapped her elbow and nodded to their left. Natalie studied the area. Then she saw it. A quick movement. Darting. A man. She'd know him anywhere.

"Washington!" Natalie hissed. The movement stopped and slid from sight.

"Holtz!" Natalie said only slightly louder.

Perhaps an hour passed, with Natalie second guessing herself at first, and then planning how she'd kill the man she mistook as Washington. "Hello, Natalie," Nick Washington whispered near her ear.

She jumped. "Don't do that to me ever again!" she whispered.

"Your friend. Is he dead?"

"No. Are you? You look terrible."

He looked her over. "No, and you don't look very good either. And I don't plan on dying in the near future, so do you have a plan to get us out of here, or shall we use mine?"

"I have a carpet ladder." She stopped. "Hey, where did you get the boots? Or did they let you out wearing shoes?"

Nick glanced at his feet, then at hers. "I found someone with my shoe size. It took a while to aquire them. Tell be about your ladder."

"It's a piece of the Red Devil's carpet, right off his doorstep."

Nick smiled appreciatively. "Sweet. Let's get moving."

Natalie shoved Enrique's shoulder. He stirred. "We have help. Let's go," she whispered.

Enrique opened his eyes and studied Nick with a frown. Nick helped him to his feet and Natalie grabbed one side while Nick steadied him from the other. They dragged him to the wall. Nick had a rope and threw it up. After several attempts it stuck. Natalie scrambled up and secured it better and tossed one end of the carpet over the razor sharp wire. She balanced and waited for a second rope. It came. Nick slid a noose around Enrique's waist and hefted him to his shoulders. Natalie pulled. Enrique clung to the rope. Nick pulled himself up one arm-length, pushing Enrique upward.

Natalie watched from her perch on top of the giant wall. Sweat beaded up and then poured down her forehead, cheeks and chin. She pulled with her might. Enrique wasn't a big man, but he was dense and muscular. He was also almost dead weight. She could see Nick struggling below. They were all famished. Nearly starved. Weak. Dehydrated.

Natalie strained and Enrique reached up and finally grabbed the end of the carpet. He pulled himself up a bit and she could see Nick finally look like he might be able to manage the task of saving a stranger.

Natalie pulled again and Enrique grabbed the next slit in the carpet. Then the next. Finally he grasped her hand. Natalie steadied him and helped him over the razor wire. He grasped the top of the wall for a moment, slid his legs over and hung by his hands, then tumbled to the ground with a thud. "Are you dead?" Natalie whispered down.

"No. Nothing broken."

Natalie turned back to Nick. He was quickly climbing. "I've got it, Natalie," he whispered. A moment later he was on the top. He quickly threw the ropes over the other side, then paused. "Does this count at rescuing you?"

"No, I brought the carpet. I did the rescuing. Enjoy it."

"I provided rope, so I think I'm responsible. Admit it."

Natalie shook her head. "We'll call it a joint effort. No one rescued anyone—except us saving Enrique." She turned and scrambled down.

Nick retrieved the carpet, and untied the ropes. A sliver of movement caught his eye. He lowered himself over the wall as a huge jaguar stepped from the trees, followed by a second one. He slid down the wall and landed and rolled.

"Hurt?" Natalie whispered.

"Not at all. But there weren't three cats. Try at least five. Two more hot on our trail and…"

A demonic scream filled the night. It poured over the wall and was followed by rumbling growls only feet away followed by coughing cat grunts. Natalie grabbed Nick's arm in a death grip.

"They cannot jump the wall," Enrique said, slowly rising. "Come." He led the trio across the road where they hid in deep wild undergrowth. It wasn't a moment too soon. A car passed and the cats were silent.

"There will be guards looking for us soon," Nick whispered.

Natalie stood up and grabbed the men's hands and pulled them to their feet. "Then let's keep going."

Nick paused. He had a loose looking pack on his shoulders, but it was really fashioned from a man's shirt. He undid it and pushed a more powerful weapon into Natalie's hand. They each grabbed Enrique and plunged forward, staying close to the road but out of sight. When they reached a locked gate Nick said, "Let's give this a try." He grabbed the rope and carpet and over they went.

A short time later they broke into a huge, vacant looking house nestled among beautiful gardens. They crept in silence through it to confirm they were alone. Finally Nick picked up a phone and dialed a number.

"Jose Salsa aqui," Nick heard Matt Jensen answer.

"Uno aqui. Trace this call. There are three of us."

"We have a helicopter already on the way, Senor Uno. ETA, eight minutes."

"Good." Nick smiled. He sank into a soft chair, not caring that he was leaving mud, twigs and blood behind. It was good to hear a friendly voice. Good to be free. He turned to Natalie.

"My wife?"

From over the phone Matt answered instead. "Safe. Doing well. All is well."

Natalie smiled and confirmed it. "She's fine. Don't worry about her."

Nick sighed with relief.

End Chapter 73

 That's it for today. I've got to go back to real life, or get a life, or figure out how to keep Jenn alive, or decide if I really want everyone else in this book alive, or...

Well, since I already know the ending, and if you're reading as I'm posting and you can't skip forward,  you don't know what will happen next, but I already do. So for now I'll just say,

Bye for now...