Digitalis (38 page)

Azzan seized the man’s hesitation. “We head northeast two klicks. There’s a village—people, cars …”

Frogman’s lips drew into a smirk. His hand coiled around the M4 cradled across his chest, his meaning clear. If this went bad, he’d take it out of Azzan’s hide. Still looking at him, Frogman called, “You heard the man. Two kilometers northeast. Fast and quiet.”

Azzan rushed to Lily and his dod. He swept past the large man who’d carried her out and tucked an arm under her shoulders. “Come, we will get to a shelter.”

Dod bent closer. “You must help me convince them.”

“Convince them of what?” The Cowboy hadn’t moved away. Hadn’t he taken the hint that he wasn’t needed here? Besides, Azzan didn’t like the way the man doted over Lily. It was too familiar. And he was American.

“This way. Hurry.” Ignoring the question, Azzan shifted and met Raiyah’s steady gaze. A feeling like butterflies flitted through his stomach as she tentatively stepped forward. When this was over, he would make sure she was taken care of. Perhaps even take care of her himself. Would she have him? If the smile in her full lips was any indication … The thought spurred him on.

He led them toward a small hill that would provide barely the cover they needed to make it the two kilometers to the village. There, he could surely find a vehicle to steal—borrow. Finish the mission he’d started. Could he contact Nesher?

No, it was too dangerous. Although the Americans were following his lead, the trust wasn’t there. He would wait. There was still a measure of time.

Or he would have to force their hand.

Y
ou’re sure this is safe?”

Piper eased her father onto the chair in the darkened corner of the small home, her gaze locked on Colton, Max, and Azzan hovering by the door. Midas knelt beside Baba, removed the IV line, then placed a small bandage over it.

“I own it. It’s okay.” Azzan walked to a cabinet that sat under a curtained window on the opposite wall, opened it, and drew something out. “Give me ten minutes, and I’ll be back with a vehicle big enough for all of us.”

“And where are you going to get that?” Legend seemed to suck up every extra inch not occupied by the ten people filling the one-room abode.

“I can’t tell you.” Azzan stopped and shifted to the other men. “Listen, I have more invested in seeing this thing finished than any of you, save my uncle.” His eyes, a mirror of her own, seemed to implore the team to trust him.

At least he was smart enough not to ask them for trust.

“I’m going with him,” Legend said.

“Agreed.”

“No!” Max and Azzan stared at one another after they’d spoken in unison.

Her cousin combed his fingers through his closely shorn hair. “I can move quicker and with less notice than I could if a large, black man were with me. He stands out. I don’t. The people know me.”

“He’s right.” Piper blinked, realizing those words were hers. When the others looked over at her, squatting next to her father, she straightened. “Legend will be too noticeable here.”

But she had to admit she didn’t entirely trust her cousin right now. “And accents,” Piper said. “Surely Azzan’s will be noticed. Anyone can tell he’s not from here.”

Her cousin puffed his chest. “The people know me, know I travel for business.”

“What kind of business?” Legend asked.

“My own.” Azzan’s confidence hadn’t wavered. He pointed to Max. “I’ll take you, but keep your mouth shut.”

“Fool—you don’t give orders.” Legend folded his thick arms over his barrel-sized chest.

Azzan’s eyes glittered under the low lights. “Here, I do. You don’t know where you are or where you’re going.”

The Kid stepped up next to Legend but looked a midget beside the oversized man. “We didn’t get to be the best by being stupid.”

“No, just ignorant and narrow minded.”

Piper covered her mouth, disbelieving her cousin. He’d always been forthright, but his boldness bordered on belligerence—and stupidity with the men in this room. Without thinking, she hurried to Azzan and touched his arm.

But it was too late.

Legend tensed. Unfolded his arms. “You want to try that—”

“I’ll go.” Max nodded. “Legend, one hour.”

Features taut, Legend glowered.

When he yielded, Piper felt the kinks in her stomach lessen—but only a little.

Creaking, the open door afforded a somber wash of moonlight into the home for a second before darkness once again descended as it shut.

“Okay, people. Lights low, voices even lower.” Legend moved through the house and propped himself against the front door.

Colton stalked out of the shadows, cradling that weapon. “Eyes out. Windows and doors.” He walked through the house and out of view, past the curtained-off room that no doubt held a lone bed.

The others situated themselves at the remaining windows and back door. Joining her father at the table, Piper felt the weariness seep into her muscles, the cold night aching her bones. She should be happy to see Baba—and she was—but there were so many secrets, so many things he’d never shared. Yet it all seemed so silly to harbor resentment over that when, according to what he’d said at the hotel, they were fighting for the survival of their nation.

“You are angry.”

His wizened voice drew her gaze from the knots of the small table. “Hurt.”

“Don’t you understand?” he whispered. “I could not tell you, or you would have been in danger.”

Piper jerked forward. “I
was
in danger, Baba! It was unfair to send me away, not knowing what I was fighting or running from. They came after me, hunted me down. They killed Colton’s father!” she kept her voice tight and controlled.

“Colton?” He shrugged. “Who is this?”

“It doesn’t matter.” Oh but it did, so very much! She quickly tucked away the deep feelings and hurt to focus on the issue at hand. “The point is you sent me away, did not tell me anything, and they still found me.”

“Forgive me,” he whispered. “I do not know how they found you. We did everything we could to stay out of their sight and control.” His cold hand settled on hers. “Who is this Colton? Why did his father get killed?”

She swallowed, her ears burning as she wondered if Colton had overheard them. Yet no sound came from behind her at the rear of the house. She braved a glance but could not see him through the curtain.

“The tall man, he is Colton?”

Bringing her attention back to her father, she gave a slow bob of her head. “I … I think if it were not for him, we would not have come.”

“These men … they came because of him—and his father was killed?”

Though she did not want to relive that night, she had to tell her father about the great sacrifice. “They came to my apartment, tried to get the transmitter.”

“Ah.”

“But Colton stopped them. Killed one of the men. Soon, they brought more to his home and attacked.” Burning started at the back of her eyes. “I heard his mother scream. We ran through the house … and found his dad there, dying.” A tear slipped down, remembering Colton’s grief and the brokenness she’d seen. The way his heart had hardened toward her, sealing off the hope of any future with him.

“He all but quit, right in front of me, but the other men, they must have convinced him to join the mission to save you.” Piper sighed. “His sister died here, years earlier in a café bombing.”

Her father’s eyes rose behind her, focused so intently on some point that she turned to see if Colton had appeared. When she looked back at her father, his lips parted. Then he slowly shook his head. “He came to help me when our enemies killed his father?” The disbelief hung thick in her father’s words. A twinkle shone in his eyes. “This is why you love him, nachon?”

Piper straightened, her pulse racing.

He chuckled. “So, I was not delirious from deprivation.” He stroked the unkempt beard. A few minutes later, he pushed from his chair. Started for the curtained room.

Heart stalled, Piper gripped the back of her chair. She hissed,

“Baba, no.”

Shoulder propped against the wall, Colton peered through the narrow slit into the darkness. He lifted the handheld scope and scanned the distance. Unsettled at being here, knowing they were sitting ducks had kept the adrenaline pumping through his veins.

He’d seen the way Piper had sided with her cousin when Max had called the shots. And that hurt. Made him wonder if she’d ever felt anything for him, or if she was just trying to bide her time while her father sorted out the affairs of a nation.

Nah. He didn’t believe that, but his heart and mind needed ammo to keep going, to make sense of this twisted mess. Bouncing the scope in his hand, he peeked down the darkened street. Homes lined the sliver of a dirt road. Most decent people were asleep, unaware of the team of Americans huddled in their midst. And he’d like to keep it that way. Get out of here. Get home to Mickey and his mother.

And bury my father
.

Squeezing the thought out of his mind, Colton lifted the scope and once again scanned the surrounding areas. He flipped it to thermal, hoping to give himself some reassurance.

A noise rustled near him. He pulled the scope away from his eyes—and flinched.

The old man stood right in front of him, watching.

A swirl of adrenaline and warmth washed through Colton’s gut. “You should be resting.” He put the scope to his eye again, glad he didn’t have to stare into those eyes any more than necessary.

“The village is quiet, nachon?”

Colton lowered the device but maintained his vigil watching the perimeter. “Reckon so.” Come to think of it, there was an unnatural quiet here … not just in this village, but this entire country. And it had him on edge.

“My apologies for the loss of your father.”

Colton darted the old man a look. “This isn’t the time or place for—”

“For as long as the nation of Israel has existed, there have been those who have sought to destroy it.” Yitshak Rosenblum bore a vehemence, despite the deep bruises and heavy beard. “Long has the Kingdom of Darkness waged a war to wipe God’s people from the face of the earth. Nation after nation killed or attacked Jews, slaughtered the firstborn males time and again. Never against any other race has there been such deep-seated hatred.” He drew in a breath, his thick bushy eyebrows knotting together. “Germans died protecting Jews. And British. Even Americans.”

What was his point? That they were all going to die here, waiting for the man’s nephew to return? Or was the assassin bringing death upon them while they just sat here waiting for it?

“Your father’s life was taken to protect our country as well.”

No, no don’t react. Keep it tight. Controlled
.

Colton pushed his head down, battling to strangle the first reaction—to lash out at the man. They had to keep it quiet, not draw attention. Forget it. He couldn’t do it. Colton narrowed his eyes at Rosenblum, unwilling to let the justification stand. “My father was on
my
property, heading to bed. He wasn’t here; he wasn’t fighting a war. And he didn’t have a choice.”

Yitshak smiled. “You are here to help Israel, nachon?”

Colton clamped his mouth shut. He wasn’t going to play into this man’s hands.

“Even though your father was killed?”

Each breath came harder, faster.

“I do not think the apple falls far from the tree. You are like your father, yes?”

Colton nodded—didn’t mean to, but he did. Wished he hadn’t because he didn’t want to give this man any ammo to pelt him with.

“Why are you here?”

Swallowing, Colton pushed off the wall. Turned to the window. To the curtain where the others stood guard on the other side. “We don’t have time for this.”

“What you do not have time for, Colton, is to allow an enemy in your camp.”

His heart caught. Enemy? Was he referring to Azzan?

Holding up a hand, Yitshak stayed him. “No, I do not refer to a man. There are already many enemies out there, coming for us, but the one to which I refer, the one you do not need is in here,” he said, tapping Colton’s vest-protected chest. “Bitterness is a defeat you cannot afford.”

“Bitter—” Colton chomped down on the word. His chest hammered. He tried hard to breathe, saw his nostrils flare.