Freedom's Promise: Task Force 125 (17 page)

The fire of rage inside her burned furiously.  Options ripped through her mind as he fumbled with his belt.  There was a Ka-Bar knife in her boot and several on her legs.  It would take little effort to reach one and castrate the rapist standing behind her.  The forty-fives were just a few inches from her sweating palms.  She could blow this bastard's head off in two seconds flat.  But how would she and Vince get out?  The compound was crawling with people today.  She’d seen, from the kitchen windows, hired guns, and muscle loading and unloading trucks inside the compound walls.

Sarah knew she had to stay calm.  She had to find a way to put this guy off.  She had to find a way to make Vince understand that they were here to free him. 

The bile that burned in Sarah's stomach gave her the edge she needed.  She started coughing as hard as she could.  When she put her hand over her mouth, she forced a finger so deep into her throat that breakfast had to heed the call.  The coughing caught the Aussie off guard and he stepped back.  Sarah took the opening and turned as though to fall into his arms just as a stinking mess of hummus, feta and olives flew from her mouth.  His boots were covered in an instant.

Yes!

Sarah's head flew back with force as a huge hand flew at her from the left. 

She stumbled and fell to the hummus, feta and olive covered floor, and she was never so happy to be sitting in a pool of her own vomit.  Her head was splitting.  The Aussie had really smacked her hard, and she saw stars intermingled with the vomit.  She stole a sideways glance at Vince.

He was watching closely with a look of concern on his face.

Sarah winked.

Vince's swollen eyes opened as wide as the swelling allowed.

Sarah thought she saw recognition in his face but she wasn't sure.  Cold fear grabbed her.

Oh, please recognize me, Vince.  Please? 

She had one last hope.  She bit her bottom lip, lifted her eyebrows, and gave him an evil grin.

The Aussie kicked at her but she dodged his filthy, puke-covered boot.

"You disgusting cunt!
  Look at my boots!  Clean this up now!"

Sarah nodded and gave a few extra coughs just for show as she scrambled from the room for towels.

When she ran into the kitchen, Samara gasped.  "What has he done to you?"

Sarah rinsed her mouth quickly in the sink.  "It wasn't what he
did,
it was what he
tried
to do.”

“But how did you…?”

She spit a mouthful of water into the sink.  “I threw up on him.”

Samara gasped.

“Don't you worry,
Samara.
”  Sarah whispered.  “I'll make that bastard pay for what he did to Bashira."

Samara covered her mouth in horror.  "No.  He will kill you."

Sarah rinsed her hands and wiped them with a clean towel.  She turned to face the poor old woman who had no doubt seen and heard her daughter being abused by this monster and could do nothing but stand by helplessly.  Pity for Bashira’s mother filled her heart. 

"Not before
I
kill
him
."

As Sarah picked up a large bowl to take downstairs, she noticed something crawling in the sand outside the kitchen door.  She grabbed the towel and ran outside in time to scoop up a small, golden-colored scorpion.  She scampered back inside, tossed it into the bowl and covered it with the towel, hoping she'd have a chance to use the little demon.

It probably won’t kill him but a sting or two would be good for him.

She smiled at Samara and made her way back downstairs. 

As she approached the open door of the interrogation room, she heard the Australian rattling off curse words as fast as he could.

Sarah looked only at Vince as she hurried into the room.

Yes, he knows it’s me.  He knows!

She knelt near the puddle of vomit to start wiping it up. 

The Australian had removed his boots and left them near the puddle, cursing at her between sips of water.  “Get that shit off my boots, bitch.  When I’m done with this guy, I’m gonna take care of you once and for all.” 

She kept her back to him while she worked quickly.  Carefully, she grabbed the scorpion with the towel and dropped it into a boot before wiping them both clean.

It would be worth the beating and if it came to it, she'd slice the fucker's throat, plan be damned, and break Vince out right now.

She carried the boots over to where the Australian sat drinking a glass of water, and knelt before him. 

He grinned and gave a self-satisfied laugh.  "Now that's more like it."  He lifted a foot for Sarah to put on his boot.  "It’s about time you see who the master is here."  

Sarah nodded dutifully, eyes down the whole time.  She slipped the boot on the stinking foot he offered and laced it up.  Then she loosened the laces of the other boot, while stealing a glance at Vince who seemed to be watching, spellbound. 

The Australian offered his other foot and Sarah slid the boot onto it, pulling the laces tight as quickly as possible to lock the desert demon inside.

The Australian bellowed in pain as he kicked wildly from his seat.  "What the fuck have you
done!
  Did you put a razor blade in there?"

Sarah backed up, out of kicking range while the man yanked at his boot, cursing the whole time.

He flung the boot aside to reveal the little golden scorpion, still alive and hacking at the man's foot for dear life.

Sarah tried to appear shocked while glee bubbled up inside her. 

With every sting, the Australian screamed louder.  Sweat formed on the Aussie's face as Sarah saw the poison take effect.  She knew a Middle Eastern
scorpion this size wouldn't kill a healthy adult, but it should make him good and sick.

The Aussie started gasping for breath and holding his chest.  He wheezed as though his airway was closing.

Allah
be
praised.  Anaphylactic shock!  Who knew he'd be allergic to it?

Sarah looked into his eyes and saw them dilate.  He tried to stand but fell to the floor, slippery with Sarah’s breakfast, gripping his chest.

Sarah rolled him over and looked into his eyes as a layer of fog formed over them.  She spoke in English.  "Somebody's been waiting for you.  Are you ready to answer for what you've done?"

A tiny gasp of surprise escaped his lips before his body went limp and the breathing stopped. 

Sarah looked at the scorpion, still attacking the man's now swollen foot. 

She grabbed the Aussie’s discarded boot and crushed the small arachnid.  Then she calmly stood, closed the door of the room, and poured a glass of water.  She took the water to Vince and held it for him to drink.

His voice was rough and raspy when he spoke.  "You're a cruel bitch but I love you.  What took you so long?"

Sarah shook her head and smiled with the joy of knowing the experience hadn't killed his sense of humor.  "I couldn't decide what to wear.” 

Vince started to laugh but winced and groaned from the pain of the newly broken rib. 

“Why has he been torturing you?"

"Nikolai made me an offer, and I refused."  He fixed his swollen eyes on her.  "You know you have to sell this now, right?"

"Yeah, I know.  Just drink a little more water first."

Vince guzzled the rest of the water.  "When are you busting me out?"

"Tonight, when the staff leaves."
  She kissed him gently on the only part of his head that didn't seem to be bumped or bruised.  "I love you."

Sarah quietly opened the door to the room and looked down the hallway. 

Nobody there.

She threw the glass to the floor and screamed in terror like she had never screamed before. 

Samara came running down the stairs, abaya flowing with the speed of her descent. 

Two men followed her.

When the men saw the huge, strapping Aussie on the floor they raced to see what had happened.  One of them looked for a pulse then shook his head at the second guy.  He shrugged.  “No big loss.  He was a sick bastard anyway.”

The second guy spoke to Samara as he pulled a phone from his pocket.  “What happened?”

Sarah acted hysterical and rattled off what had happened in Arabic. 
"
Oh, Mama!
  Oh, mama!  I was cleaning the floor and heard him fall.  I tried to help him but there was nothing I could do.  I couldn't help him!
"  Sarah wailed and sobbed.  "
It was a scorpion.  By the time I'd killed it, it was too late.
"  She added more horrific wailing as she clung to the hem of Samara's abaya.

"There, there, child.
 
You poor thing."
  Samara helped her up.  She looked at the man who’d asked her what happened. 
“A scorpion.
  Some people are allergic to them.  I’ll take my daughter back to the kitchen to compose
herself
.”  She helped Sarah out of the room and back to the kitchen where she started cleaning up Sarah's abaya.

Sarah leaned against the sink on her elbows and bowed her head in relief.  Nikolai's dungeon master would no longer cause pain for Vince, and he would never commit another act of cruelty upon a woman.  Gratitude for the timeliness of a scurrying scorpion filled her heart.  She knew somehow, God or not, the universe had taken care of things.  She stood, took Samara’s hands in hers, and held them as she looked into the woman’s eyes.  "Your daughter can rest easy now."

Tears filled Samara’s eyes, but there were no words. 

Sarah didn't need any.  She understood.

~~~

Nikolai's voice came booming from the hallway. 
"Samara!
 
Samara!"

Samara ran toward the voice as Sarah finished cleaning up.

When Samara returned, she handed Sarah a bundle of clothes and spoke briefly.  "Mr. Hennessee is being taken back to his room upstairs.  The master wants fresh clothes brought to him there."  A silver colored key flashed in the palm of Samara's hand.  "Here."

Sarah grabbed the key like a lifeline.  "Thank you, Samara."

Sarah took the back stairs up to Vince's room.  She waited around the corner until she heard the men lock the door. 

There was a thump that sounded like someone being pushed into a wall and one of the men sounded indignant.  “What?”

"Somebody’s gotta stay.  You gonna stay and watch him?"

"What for?
  He's in no condition to bust out.  He'll keep until morning."

She waited as the men walked downstairs.  Sarah slipped quietly around the corner, unlocked the door, and let herself in.

Vince was lying on the bed, battered and bloody, but his chest rose and fell with quiet breaths.

Her body threatened to collapse with relief, but she reminded herself to stay strong.  They weren’t out of the woods yet.

He turned his head and gave Sarah a swollen smile.  "Baby, you really are a sight for sore eyes."

Sarah hurried to the bathroom for a wet washcloth.  "I'm so sorry we took so long to get here."  She rushed to the bed and started cleaning the cuts on his face. 

"This ain't
nothin
'.
  I'll be back to my old self in no time."  He sat up with a quiet grunt, took the cool washcloth from her hand, and put it over a swollen eye.  "That’s nice.”  He focused his good eye on her.  “What's the plan?"

“We've got a camp set up a couple clicks to the west.  Chris and two security guys are staying there. 
Jason
,
Guinea
and four others are coming in on the Blackhawk with some hellfire."

"
Guinea
? 
Guinea
's here?"

"Yeah."
  Sarah nodded.  "We've got two trucks that will each transport six guys.  Will and Brian are coming in with them."

"Okay, when is kickoff?"

"Sunset.
  Samara will pretend to be sick and leave early so we're clear of non-combatants.  It's a liquidation sale."

"Good."

Sarah went back to the bathroom for a fresh washcloth and the clothes she'd left there.  "Here, put these on."  She pulled a SIG and an extra magazine of ammunition from under her abaya and dropped them on the bed as Vince dressed.  "Keep
these close
."

"
Ahh
."
  Vince sighed as he picked up the gun and tucked it in the waistband of the pants he’d just stepped into.  "You kill with scorpions and bring me my favorite handgun.  I'm never getting rid of you."

She raised an eyebrow and winked.  "Good luck trying."

He winced as he slipped the shirt on.  "What's the extract plan?"