Blood Covenant (7 page)

THIRTEEN

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 6:53 P.M.
INGANI REFUGEE CAMP

Paige took another bite of the chicken and closed her eyes. For a moment, she could almost forget that they were sitting in the busy health clinic of a refugee camp, because she was sure she hadn’t eaten anything this good since the last meal her mom cooked for her before leaving Nashville. The chicken was tender, the vegetables crisp and flavorful. She knew enough not to ask Nick where he’d bought dinner. It would spoil the illusion that it had been prepared by some master chef, not picked up at one of the country’s back-alley restaurants. In this case, ignorance no doubt helped make everything taste better.

She peeked up at him, wishing those brown eyes of his weren’t so darn mesmerizing. She dropped her gaze to study the prominent veins running across the back of his tanned hands and the calluses on his fingers … “This is delicious.”

“Only because you haven’t eaten all day. And I have something else for you as well. Dessert.” He dug into his pants’ pocket, pulled out two small bags of M&M’s, and dropped them onto the table. “Now, I don’t know what you think, but my sister insists that chocolate helps take the sting off of rotten days. I’m sure there’s some medical reason you could explain to me.”

She couldn’t help but giggle, even though she’d definitely classify today at the top of her list of bad days. Besides, Casanova couldn’t have come up with a better way of winning her over. At least when it came to her appetite. “Where did you get M&M’s?”

He finished up the last bite of his rice. “My sister.”

She eyed the candy. Surely three months didn’t qualify as long enough to earn the right to crave things she couldn’t find here, but chocolate, found only in mediocre-tasting candy bars here, had quickly scooted to the head of her list.

Nick slid his dish away from him and grabbed one of the bags of candy. “I heard a rumor about this good-looking new doctor who actually brought pizzas with her from Paris.”

She felt a blush creep up her cheeks and hoped the room was dim enough that he didn’t notice. “You heard right. At least the part about her bringing pizzas from Paris.”

He ripped open the bag and popped a candy into his mouth. “You’re crazy, you know.”

“The other volunteers back in Jonga didn’t think so.” She pointed at her dinner with her fork before taking another bite. “This is great, but my mouth waters every time I imagine a deep-dish pizza with all the toppings.”

“Craving anything else yet?”

“Beside pizza?” She nodded. “The oddest things. Like brie, black bean dip, and sour cream, for starters.”

She leaned back in the chair, surprised at how at ease she felt with him, considering they’d practically been strangers twenty-four hours ago. What was it about bringing two expats together that magically erased all the formalities of the typical “boy meets girl” scenario and made her feel like they were long-lost friends? She pushed aside the notion that he was simply flirting with her to pass the time and forced her mind back to his question.

“And in three months you’ve probably faced more changes than at any other time in your life.”

She nodded at his observation. Even med school hadn’t seemed this foreign.

“Cultural differences,” he continued, “language barriers, primitive living conditions, strange food, crazy hours — ”

“And death.”

That thought jerked her back to the reality of all that had happened today. Was it possible that only this morning she’d set off on her presumably last day on the field … met Tayla … watched Simon die? How could a life be snuffed out so quickly and unexpectedly?

Nick sat quietly beside her, seemingly content to allow the silence to hang between them. He obviously knew as well as she did that a listening ear could never take away the trauma of what she’d experienced, but tonight it somehow helped ease the frustration she’d felt all day. For as many patients as they’d been able to treat in the clinic, she knew there were dozens more out there who needed her. Sometimes what she had to give seemed so small and momentary.

She cleared her throat and struggled for what to say. “Back in Tennessee, I only saw one case of tuberculosis in all my years of practice there. Now I’ve seen more than I can count in the time I’ve been here, along with malaria, HIV, and children suffering from malnutrition.” She looked up at him, her package of M&M’s still untouched. Even chocolate had lost its normal antidepressive effect. “How long have you been here?”

“Almost a year.”

“Have you ever questioned your decision to come?”

“There have been quite a few times when I’ve wondered what in the world I’m doing here.”

“But you stayed. Why?”

He rolled one of the M&M’s in the palm of his hand. “We’re not all here for selfless reasons.”

“Then why’d you come?” She read his hesitation and regretted her question. “I’m sorry. That’s none of my business — ”

“It’s okay, just … complicated. I came to Africa looking for myself, I guess you might say.”

Apparently she wasn’t the only one looking for answers tonight. “And have you discovered what you needed to find?”

“Some days.” He popped the candy into his mouth. “What about you? Why did you come?”

She pulled the worn photo she always carried from her pocket and showed it to him. “I used to keep this photo taped to my computer. Her name’s Marila. She’s an orphan I sponsored from Bogama.”

“She’s beautiful.”

“Her father died from AIDS about two years ago. Then her mother died four months later. One day, I decided I wanted to do more than just send in a check every month. Six months later, I joined Volunteers for Hope.”

“Just like that?”

“Pretty much, though it wasn’t as spur of the moment as it sounds. I have this …” Paige shoved the photo back into her pocket, then hesitated. Not even her family understood the real reason she’d chosen to come.

“What?”

“It has to do partly with this silly list I made.”

Nick’s brow rose. The guy might seem focused, but he obviously wasn’t the make-a-list-and-check-it-twice type of guy. “So you’re a list maker.”

She glanced up at him. “A list maker?”

“Like my mother. She made lists for everything. Shopping lists, dinner lists, appointments … everything.”

Paige felt her cheeks flush again. “Yeah, that actually does sound like me, but this list is different. It’s a list of a hundred things I want to do before I die. You know, a way to make sure I live life without any regrets.”

“A hundred things?”

“You think it’s crazy.”

“Not at all. I guess I’m just not quite as … goal oriented as you are. What’s on your list?”

Her eyelashes fluttered. “Eat sushi in Japan, plan a family reunion, learn to play the piano, and make soap, to name a few. Then there are others that are a bit more life changing.”

“Like Africa? How did that make it onto your list?”

“Number twenty-four: visit Africa as a part of a relief effort.” She reached for the M&M’s and tore open the bag. “My mother’s partly responsible for my adding that one to the list. She helped instill this desire in me to fix everything, so with me being a news junkie, Africa always managed to land at the top of my list. I just wasn’t sure for a long time how I should reach that goal.”

“That’s a hard thing to do here, because you’ll never fix everything.”

“I think that’s what’s hit me the hardest. Sometimes the good I do seems so small and insignificant compared to all that needs to be done.”

“It’s like I said earlier. Don’t focus on the bigger picture. Look at the person you’re dealing with at the moment.”

“Wisdom from a seasoned field worker?”

“Not me, my father. He always used to tell me that when we’re called by God we need to go, then leave the outcome to Him.”

“That’s way easier said than done.”

“No kidding. Which leads me to yet another serious issue we need to discuss.” He pointed to his empty dinner bowl. “My bringing you dinner was on the condition that you’d forget about what’s going on here for the next fifteen minutes.”

“Hmm … already setting conditions on our friendship?”

His laugh was drowned out by screams echoing outside the tent. Nick jumped to his feet with her following right behind him. Three men gripping automatic rifles burst through the clinic’s entrance and into the empty waiting room.

FOURTEEN

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 7:17 P.M.
KINGANI REFUGEE CAMP

Paige’s knees buckled. The packet of M&M’s Nick had given her fell to the floor, spilling the candy across the clinic floor as she grasped onto the edge of a metal storage unit to regain her balance. The three men holding weapons shouted in Dha, and while she knew nothing beyond a few basic greetings in their language, the intent of the commands were clear. These men were not here seeking medical help or looking for a place of refuge. They’d carried their reign of terror into the camp.

Cold eyes stared back at her beneath the pale light of the bulb hanging above her head. She struggled to breathe. The handful of underpaid security guards they’d hired would be no match against the rebels.

One of the nurses screamed as Paige started toward a woman who’d ripped off her IV in an attempt to escape.

“Enzami!”
One of the men held up his weapon.

Paige froze. The tone of his voice made clear his command to halt. She glanced at Nick out of the corner of her eye. His body language appeared alert and calm, but what were the odds that he’d be able to overpower a group of armed rebels?

This isn’t what I signed up for, God …

“What do you want?” Nick took a step forward.

“Don’t move.” The tallest one pointed the gun at him and spoke in English. “We have a truck out front, and we plan to leave with it full. We want food and any communication devices you have.”

Screams from the camp continued to fill the night air. A shot of nausea washed through Paige as she glanced toward the open doorway. There was no way of knowing how many men had invaded the camp — or what they’d do before they left.

Paige felt for the cell phone in her front pocket that had become her lifeline to her parents and sisters since her arrival. Even if she were able to contact someone in the country, any source of help would take hours to get here.

The men began rummaging through the supply cabinets that lined one of the walls. For security reasons, the clinic’s supplies were typically locked up in the metal shed by six every evening, but because of the cholera epidemic and working long hours they’d decided to lock up only nonessential items. She couldn’t afford to lose any of her medical supplies.

“Please, there’s nothing in here you need.” She stepped in front of the nearest bed. “All we have in here are patients who need medical attention and supplies that are useless to you.”

“Who are you?” His hand reached out and gripped her arm.

Paige winced and tried to bite back the sharp pain that shot through her injured arm. “I’m a doctor. These … these are my patients. They have nothing you need.”

“We could use a doctor.”

Nick took a step forward. “Leave her alone.”

“Shut up.” The man beside Nick swung his rifle across the side of Nick’s head, knocking him to the ground.

Fear enveloped her as Nick groaned on the floor eight feet away. Her nurses stood against the wall of the waiting room, helpless—just like she was.

The foul smell of alcohol permeated the room. “Maybe we should take her with us.”

“Please, I — ”

He dragged her toward the entrance while his men continued to ransack their medical supplies. She looked back to Nick, who’d managed to stand. Blood trickled down his forehead.

The explosion of a gun sounded in the doorway and the man holding her released his grip and slumped to the ground. Paige pushed him off her foot, then stumbled out of his reach.

Samson stood in the doorway holding an automatic rifle.

“Paige, get away from the door.” Nick took advantage of the distraction. “Everyone else drop to the ground!”

Grabbing the fallen man’s gun, Nick backed one of the rebels against the wall before he could react. Samson had the other on his knees. “What have you got to tie them up with?”

“I don’t know.” Shaking, Paige dug through one of the supply drawers that the rebels hadn’t gotten to yet. While much of what she needed was on its way, the initial setup of the camp had provided the basics. Antiseptic, gauze, scissors … Her hand touched a pile of nylon cable ties. She pulled them from the drawer and handed them to Nick.

“I want you to stay here while we help get things under control in the camp.” He wiped away the trail of blood from his head, then handed her a gun from one of the rebels.

“I can’t do this.” The gun trembled in her hands. “I’ve never shot a gun.”

Nick took the weapon from her, aimed, and shot at the ground, missing one of the men by a couple inches. Paige jumped. “Point and shoot. You’ll do fine. And if any of the other rebels come in here … shoot them.”

“Shoot them?”

“And call Digane at the hospital and let him know what’s going on.”

The room spun as Nick rushed from the clinic behind Samson. He couldn’t be serious. She hadn’t come here to take lives. She was a doctor who’d made a vow to save people, not shoot them — even if they were rebels.

Something creaked behind her. She spun toward the front of the clinic.

It’s just the wind, Paige.

One of the patients whimpered and she drew in a staggered breath. She could do this. There was too much at stake for her to fall apart now, and it was up to her to ensure the safety of those in the camp. She fished her phone from her pocket. She’d call Digane, who would send them help. Which meant everything would be okay by morning.

She flipped open her phone and fumbled with the keypad in the dim light.

No signal.

She held up the phone, but not even one bar registered.
No … no … no …
It had to work. She’d called home early this morning, catching her mom before she went to bed to wish her happy birthday. Her parents had gone to eat at Nana Rosa’s, then spent the rest of the day shopping for a Jacuzzi tub for the master bathroom. Her dad had always spoiled her mom, something she’d added to her wish list in a man years ago.

One of the rebels stirred. She aimed the weapon at him and stepped backward, his glaring expression jarring her senses away from the normality of life half a world away.

He wiggled his way to a sitting position. “There is no use trying to call for help.”

Paige steadied the gun in her hands. “Don’t move. I will shoot.”

“And then what? All the cell towers in this area have been sabotaged.”

She shook her head. He couldn’t be right. She had to get through to Kingani … “I don’t understand.”

“The cell phone towers are all down.”

The room began to spin again. He couldn’t be serious. This was a refugee camp, not the battleground for a war she wanted nothing to do with. Hopes of being rescued tonight, along with any remaining courage, vanished into the black night.