DEADLY PURSUIT

When aid worker Lexi Shannon is abducted at gunpoint in Mali, she quickly learns her kidnappers are really after her brother—and the money he’s stolen. Landing at the secluded desert compound, ex-military pilot Colton Landry has a clear mission: rescue his brother-in-law, who’s being held for ransom. But after discovering the kidnappers also have Lexi, there’s no way he’s leaving her behind. Their daring escape soon turns into a deadly chase when their plane is shot down, stranding them in the desert. Making a desperate run for the Moroccan border, Lexi and Colton must trust each other and rely on their strength and ingenuity to survive. But it may not be enough to outrun and outsmart their relentless pursuers...

“Lexi...we need to go. Quickly.”

“I don’t understand.” She didn’t want to go anywhere. Not when she finally felt safe.

“The men who were looking for us have just arrived.”

Lexi’s heart pounded inside her chest. The men who’d grabbed her were here? A wave of panic streaked through her.

“We’ll be okay, but I need you to come with me now.”

Issa was waiting for them. “We must hurry,” he said, making his way in front of them.

Lexi glanced back as Colton grasped her hand and led her down a sharply twisted flight of stairs.

Issa pushed open a heavy wooden door that opened up into some sort of garage.

“Here’s the Jeep.”

“So we drive out of here?” Lexi asked.

“It’s our only option.”

The fear was back, spiraling in her gut. She glanced at Colton and caught the same look of worry in his eyes as he reached out and grasped her hand.

“We’re going to get out of this.”

She nodded, but wasn’t convinced anymore that there was a way out.

Dear Reader,

I’ve had people ask me if I’ve experienced some of the things I put my characters through, and thankfully I could always say no. While a lot of people love an adrenaline rush, I don’t, and I certainly have no desire to experience any of the scenarios from my suspense novels. But while I was in the process of finishing this story, three armed men walked into our house, tied up my family and robbed us.

The experience changed how I felt about a lot of things, including writing suspense. Before I could continue, I had to rethink why I write what I write. I was eventually able to move forward and pour my emotions from the attack into this story, which ended up bringing me healing. And I hope that once you’ve read this story, you’ll remember the fact that the God who created the universe wants to be your refuge and fortress—no matter what you are going through.

Be blessed,

Lisa Harris

LISA HARRIS is a Christy Award winner and winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel for 2011 from RT Book Reviews. She and her family are missionaries in southern Africa. When she’s not working she loves hanging out with her family, cooking different ethnic dishes, photography and heading into the African bush on safari. For more information about her books and life in Africa, visit her website at lisaharriswrites.com.

Desert Secrets

Lisa Harris

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Because You are my help, I sing in the shadow of Your wings. I cling to You; Your right hand upholds me.

—Psalms 63:7–8

To those who are seeking.

May you find Him when you seek with all your heart.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

Extract

Copyright

ONE

Lexi Shannon winced at the sharp sting of her captor’s hand across the side of her face. She blinked back the tears, then reached up to wipe away the metallic taste of blood that had pooled in the corner of her mouth.

“I’m going to ask you one last time,” the man repeated. “Where is your brother?”

She looked up at his weathered face and forced herself to catch his gaze. “I don’t know.”

He stood over her in his khaki fatigues, anger flashing in his eyes at her response. “Then we have a problem, because my boss isn’t going to like your answer. We know he was in Timbuktu with you.”

She pressed her nails into the palms of her hands, determined not to cry. “He was with me, but like I’ve already told you, he left yesterday morning, and I have no idea where he is now.”

He squatted down in front of her, his dark eyes boring through her. “Then tell me again. Everything you know about your brother’s visit.”

Lexi glanced across the makeshift compound where they’d kept her the last few hours. Past the rustic tents made of animal skins toward the endless ripples of the orange Sahara shimmering in the late afternoon sunlight. There was nothing but the sand in every direction and the raging sun above them.

“Five days ago, Trent came to visit me in Timbuktu,” she said, repeating what she’d already told them. “He told me he’d decided he wanted to see some of the world and I was his first stop. He never mentioned you, or your boss, or owing money to anyone. Never mentioned he was in any kind of trouble.”

“And the last time you saw him?” he asked.

A small lizard burrowed through the sand in front of her. Lexi drew in a lungful of air, wishing she could disappear as easily as it could.

“When I woke up yesterday morning he was gone,” she said. “He left me a note. Said he was sorry, but he’d received an urgent email from someone in the middle of the night—some work-related emergency—and needed to take an early flight out of the country. He said he hadn’t wanted to wake me.”

“And you didn’t find that...odd?”

“Not for Trent.”

Which was true. She’d never completely believed most of Trent’s stories. Her stepbrother had always been a challenge, tending to hang out with the wrong crowd and make bad decisions. But in spite of his shortcomings, he was still family, and no matter what he’d done now, she didn’t want anything terrible to happen to him.

“Amar?” Another man called from the entrance of one of the tents where he stood holding an automatic weapon.

Amar nodded at the other man before turning back to Lexi. “Just know we’re not done yet.”

He left her sitting in the partial shade, grateful to be alone again. From the moment they’d grabbed her from the site where she’d been overseeing the installation of a water well, she’d tried to pay close attention to her surroundings, looking for any means to get out of this situation. But as far as she could tell, there was no escape from this place. Beyond the four armed guards—and one other prisoner she’d only seen from a distance—all she could see was the unending desert sands surrounding them.

A wave of fatigue washed over Lexi as the reality of her situation began to sink in. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, trying to slow her rapid heart rate, and trying to figure out her odds of getting out of here alive. Amar had threatened her repeatedly, trying to force her to tell him what he wanted to know, but how was she supposed to give him information she didn’t have?

I’m out of options here, God.

“Thirsty?”

Lexi opened her eyes and looked up, surprised when she saw the other prisoner standing in front of her, holding out a water bottle. “It tastes pretty bad, but at least it’s wet.”

She studied him for a brief moment. Faded Atlanta Braves T-shirt, cargo shorts and a ball cap shading his bearded face from the sun. She glanced back at her captives, but no one seemed to notice or care that they were talking. And why would they? It wasn’t as if they were going anywhere.

“Thanks,” Lexi said, taking the plastic water bottle. She took a long drink. He was right. The water was lukewarm and bitter, but she didn’t care. “You’re an American?”

“I’ve lived in the States for twenty years, but still hold a German passport. I’m Bret Fischer.”

“Lexi Shannon,” she said, taking another sip. “How long have you been here?”

“Fifty-seven days.”

Her jaw clenched. From where she sat, fifty-seven days seemed like an eternity.

I’m not sure if I can do this, God. Day after day of not knowing if the next moment will be my last...

“My wife didn’t want me to come. Kept reminding me that the instability in the region has made kidnapping and hostage taking more frequent.” He let out a low chuckle. “I guess she was right.”

“Does the terror ever diminish?”

“I wish I could say yes, but so far...no.”

“So what keeps you going?” she asked, handing back the water bottle.

He took the bottle, then sat down beside her. “My faith. And knowing my family will keep trying to get me out of here until they find a way.”

Her attention shifted momentarily to the nearby tent. Two of the men were arguing about something, making her wish she could understand their language. And making her want to believe that her faith and hope was all she would need to get her through this.

But what if she wasn’t strong enough for whatever lay ahead?

“I heard Amar interrogating you,” he said, breaking into her thoughts. “Why do they keep asking you about your brother?”

“They say he owes their boss money. A lot of money, apparently, and he thinks I know where they might find him. He said they’ll kill me if I don’t help them.”

“You’re worth more alive than dead.”

“Am I? I’ve heard that the United States won’t pay ransoms, and I certainly can’t pay back what my brother owes.”

“I understand how you feel. Because I have a German passport, they think the country will pay, but if that’s true, no one on either side seems to be in a hurry.”

She didn’t say anything, because there was nothing really to say. Instead, she wiped the sweat off her forehead with the sleeve of her shirt. She’d never again complain about the heat back in Timbuktu—if she were ever able to return. It had to be at least twenty degrees hotter out here.

“What was your brother doing in Mali?” Bret asked, breaking the silence between them.

“He told me he just wanted to come for a visit, though now I’m not so sure.” She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around her knees, hating feeling so vulnerable and defenseless. “What about you? You mentioned your wife.”

“Becca and I’ve been married twenty-one years, and have a seventeen-year-old son, Noah.” He twisted the gold ring on his left hand. “I was hoping to return with my son next year, but now...”

“Why here?” she asked, realizing what a welcome distraction the conversation was.

“My brother-in-law’s a pilot with West African Mission Aviation. They provide medical care and disaster relief. He’s the one who connected me to the group I ended up joining.”

“I met one of their pilots once.” Lexi fiddled with the hem of her pale blue T-shirt while watching the tent flap flutter in the hot breeze. “His name was Colton.”

“Colton... That’s my brother-in-law.”

“Really?” She looked up and caught Bret’s gaze. “Wow. It’s a small world, isn’t it? Think he’s working on a plan to rescue you?”

Bret let out a low laugh. “I’ll be honest—the thought has crossed my mind more than once. It wouldn’t be easy, but Colton’s former military and was involved in another rescue a few months back off the coast of Guinea-Bissau. If anyone could pull it off, he could.”

She wanted to believe a rescue was possible. From the brief conversation she’d had with Colton at a local restaurant in Timbuktu a couple months ago, she’d been impressed with the handsome pilot. She’d learned that he did most of his flying for missionaries and aid organizations farther to the west.

“What about you?” Bret asked, taking a sip of the water. “What brought you to Mali?”

“I’ve been working on sustainable water sources the past nine months. As you probably know, both distribution networks and access to water are a huge concern.”

Most nights she was asleep not long after the sun sank below the horizon, exhausted from a long day of dealing with red tape and language barriers. She was over five thousand miles away from her hometown in Southern California—and even further, culturally—but she loved the feeling of accomplishment her work brought. And the feeling that she was doing her part to make the world a better place.

“Lexi...” Bret placed his hand on her shoulder. Amar was walking back toward where they were sitting in the sand, his automatic slung over his shoulder, and a deep frown across his face. “We will find a way out of this. Alive. I promise.”

A wave of nausea washed over her. She wanted him to be right, but she also knew that wasn’t a promise he could keep.

* * *

Colton Landry felt the muscles in his shoulders tense as he went through his prelanding checklist and began his descent toward the isolated airstrip. He glanced out the window of the six-passenger Cessna at the endless terrain below, needing to calm his nerves.

From the first time he’d flown as a sixteen-year-old, he’d discovered there was nothing more exhilarating than catching a bird’s-eye view of the earth’s surface in a small plane. But today as he flew above the legendary Sahara Desert of North Africa, the view did little to take away the stress knotted in his stomach.

Had it already been almost two months since his brother-in-law had vanished? The phone call to his sister had left them both reeling.

If you don’t come up with two million dollars in cash, we will kill him.

He’d read the news articles of the booming business. Kidnapping hostages had proven to be easy money and common across North Africa. And the captors seemingly had both the patience and time to get what they wanted. He knew if he ever planned to see his brother-in-law alive again, he was going to have to take matters into his own hands.

Which was why, when a representative from the Malian army had come to him with a plan, he’d jumped at the chance to make it happen.

They told him they were dealing with a small rogue band of work-for-hire bearded fighters. All Colton had to do was fly in with his two suitcases filled with counterfeit money. Once the exchange was made, they’d provide the needed firepower and get the credit for taking down the group of insurgents that had been plaguing their northern border.

It was a win-win situation for everyone.

It was also a risk. But the military had taught him all about taking dangerous chances. And this was one chance he was willing to take. He’d heard his sister’s frantic voice on the phone and seen the video of Bret along with the militants’ well-rehearsed demands. It might not be his brother-in-law’s best way out, but at the moment, it was their only option.

Minutes later, Colton landed on the airstrip, a hundred miles from the nearest town. The promised Jeep was waiting for him next to the landing strip along with the driver, who introduced himself as Joseph.

“You’re late,” the other man said, grabbing one of the suitcases Colton had brought with him off the plane.

“How far to the exchange?” he asked, ignoring the other man’s comment.

“Fifteen minutes tops.”

He threw his suitcase into the back of the 4x4, sent up another prayer for protection for his brother-in-law, then slipped into the front passenger seat.

Joseph started the engine and headed north along the sand-covered rolling plains with a few rugged hills in the distance. “So you are from the United States.”

“Yeah.”

“I have a brother in Chicago. He moved there over a decade ago. I always planned to visit, but for some reason never made it.”

The man’s English was decent, but Colton wasn’t in the mood for chitchat. All he wanted was to get to the meeting place, make the exchange and get his brother-in-law out of here.

“Is our backup ready?” Colton asked.

“Don’t worry. They will be there.”

“It’s kind of hard not to worry.” He gripped the armrest as the Jeep flew over a ridge of sand. “My brother-in-law’s life is on the line.”

“You’re clear on the plan?” Joseph asked.

“Once we get to the rendezvous spot, I’ll hand them the suitcases, take my brother-in-law and then let the army clean up the mess while we hightail it back to the plane.”

He spoke like this was a routine part of his job; one he’d done a dozen times before. But just because he followed the rules didn’t mean the kidnappers were planning to follow them, as well. He wasn’t naive enough to ignore the possibility that this could end very, very badly.

Because this entire situation was far from routine. He’d spent hundreds of hours shuttling people to remote places like where they were right now. Allowing people to do water and medical projects and other types of development. A plane was the most effective means of reaching an out-of-the-way village when the alternative was driving hundreds of miles over rough terrain. But this—the outcome of this mission—was completely out of his control.

“You sound like you’ve done this before,” Joseph said.

“Hardly. But I don’t have a choice. They’re going to kill my brother-in-law if I don’t do something.”

There were also political ramifications to consider. He knew terrorist groups took in millions of dollars from kidnappings. Money was funneled through proxy networks, often disguised as foreign aid. He didn’t like playing a part in that scheme. But what else was he supposed to do?

Twenty-five minutes later, Colton saw a cluster of tent flaps blowing beneath the next ridge. If all went according to plan, in another five minutes he’d be making his way back to the plane with Bret. Then he and his brother would be flying toward Morocco and freedom.

I need this plan to work, God...

Because Bret’s life depended on it.

Joseph stopped the vehicle a dozen yards from the nearest tent. “I’ll wait here for you.”

Colton nodded, then stepped out of the Jeep and grabbed the suitcases, hesitating briefly before heading toward the camp. This had to be the right place, but there were no signs of Bret or his captors. No movement in the distance except the hot wind that never stopped blowing.

He glanced at the ridge. If the Malian army wasn’t here, right now, they were all going to end up dead.

A man with a thick beard stepped out of the shadows of one of the tents and into the sunlight. “You have what we asked for?”

“I’ve got the suitcases.” Colton walked slowly forward with one in each hand, his heart pounding with each step against the shifting sand.

“Set them down on the ground in front of you.”

Colton gripped the handles of the suitcases. “I want to see my brother-in-law.”

“That’s not how it’s going to work.” The man raised his automatic weapon. “First, I see the money. Then we’ll talk about your brother.”

Colton glanced up at the ridge. There was still no movement. And he didn’t have a plan B.

He hesitated, then set down the suitcases and took a step back. “Where’s my brother-in-law?”

“Don’t worry. He’s here.”

Bret appeared at the entrance of one of the tents gripping a backpack in his hand.

Colton resisted the urge to run to him and pull him into a bear hug, but there was no time for a family reunion. “We need to get you out of here—”

“Wait,” Bret said. “There’s another prisoner.”

A young woman ducked out of the tent behind Bret, the wind tugging on the ends of her dark, shoulder-length hair. His mind fought to place the familiar face. He’d met her before. They’d chatted briefly...

Lexi.

The man shouted at her to get back. “She’s not going with you.”

Another man grabbed her arm. She screamed, trying to fight back. A second later, a bullet slammed into the man, dropping him to the ground beside her. She stood frozen. Blood spatter dotted her khaki pants. Colton reacted instantly, ignoring the men shouting around them as he ran to her, then pulled her toward the only cover there was behind one of the tents.

“Are you hurt?” he asked.

“I don’t think so.”

He looked back up at the ridge. Half a dozen men in military uniforms appeared along the ridge at the edge of the camp. He let out a sharp sigh of relief. The army had arrived. Now it was up to him to get them safely out of here.

“Follow me. We need to go now.” He grabbed Lexi’s hand and started running back toward the Jeep with Bret right behind them, praying the army would be able to hold the kidnappers off. “I’ve got a driver waiting for us.”

He shoved back the worst-case scenarios flooding through his mind as he caught sight of the approaching vehicle. They’d almost made it through the most difficult part, getting away from their captors in one piece. Now all he had to do was ensure they got to the airstrip, got the plane in the air and flew them out of this nightmare.

TWO

While Lexi’s mind fought to hold on to reality, Colton held her hand and they ran across the sand and away from the sounds of gunfire. She’d been kidnapped by rebels, taken to an unknown location in the middle of the desert, only to be rescued by a man she’d dreamed about. It sounded more like a movie than her own fairly routine life.

She tripped on a bulge in the sand, but Colton caught her, ensuring she kept her balance. She glanced down at her bloodstained pants, before she started running again. Unlike her nighttime imaginings of Colton, this was no dream. A man had been murdered next to her. She was running for her life in the middle of the Sahara, praying that one of those bullets she heard behind her didn’t hit her or one of the men escaping with her.

Bret had mentioned how he’d hoped his brother-in-law had a plan to rescue them, but at the time that had seemed impossible. And with men who had nothing to lose, she could have easily been kept for months, even years. She knew what happened to people like her who were snatched up and disappeared. It was a place she hadn’t wanted to imagine for herself.

“This is my driver, Joseph,” Colton said, as they neared the Jeep. “He’ll get us out of here in one piece.”

Colton helped her into backseat of the vehicle next to Bret, then scrambled into the front passenger seat. The second his door closed, Joseph pushed on the accelerator and headed back across the sand in the direction they’d come from.

Lexi pulled the seat belt across her lap and buckled it, working to slow her breathing both from exertion and pure terror.

“Are you both okay?” Colton asked.

“We will be once we put enough miles between us and those men. This is Lexi Shannon, by the way,” Bret said, making a quick introduction. “And I’m sure she’d agree that your timing couldn’t have been more perfect.”

“We met once in Timbuktu,” Colton said, looking at her with those unforgettable smoky gray eyes.

“You remember?” Her hands gripped the armrest as Joseph sped across the bumpy terrain that even with a seat belt on made her feel as if she were about to fly through the window.

“I do. Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked her.

“I think so.” She tried not to think about the bloodstained pants.

“How long have you been here?” Colton asked.

“They grabbed me yesterday morning outside Timbuktu.” She tried to suppress the wave of emotion that came with the memories. “Then brought me to the camp early this morning.”

A day earlier and he would have missed her. A day later—she hated to think what they might have done to her given more time.

Bret reached up and squeezed Colton’s shoulder. “You can’t imagine how good it is to see you. The two of us discussed your taking part in a rescue, but I honestly didn’t think it was possible. Where in the world did you come up with two million dollars?”

Colton turned back around, as the camp faded into the distance along with the sounds of gunfire. “I didn’t.”

“Didn’t what?” Bret asked.

“I didn’t have the money. Not real bills, anyway. It was counterfeit.”

Bret leaned forward. “Counterfeit?”

The surprise in Bret’s voice mirrored her own. Arriving without the ransom was a risk that could have easily cost not just her and Bret’s life, but Colton’s, as well. And yet the plan had worked. He had somehow managed to grab both Bret and her while the rebels had taken the fall with the army’s bullets.

“I decided to show up with the Malian army instead,” Colton said. “I know it sounds crazy, but when Becca and I couldn’t come up with the two million, it was the only real option we had.”

“You’re kidding me.” Bret shook his head. “If they’d opened those suitcases and discovered what was inside, or if those soldiers hadn’t shown up...”

“But none of that happened,” Colton said. “And now the army’s going to play cleanup and you’re safe.”

A shadow crossed Bret’s face. “How is Becca?”

“My sister’s a strong woman, but it’s been a tough few weeks for both her and Noah. The waiting and not knowing...”

“They’re what kept me going.”

“We’ll call her as soon as we can, I promise. Let’s just focus on getting out of here first and making sure we’re all safe.”

Lexi glanced out the window at the miles and miles of endless sand. Dunes loomed to the west then spread out flat in front of them and to the east. She was still breathing hard. Her heart still pounding. She wasn’t going to feel safe for a very long time.

Movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention from behind them.

She turned to look out the back window as the Jeep bounced across the uneven ground. A vehicle followed.

“Colton...” She could hear the panic in her voice as she spoke.

“What’s wrong?”

She stared out the back of the Jeep. “There’s someone behind us, and they’re closing in.”

“I thought the army was supposed to clean up while we made a getaway,” Joseph said, pushing on the accelerator.

Lexi gripped her fingers tighter around the armrest. When she was a teenager and they’d lived in California, her stepfather had raced dirt bikes up the local sand dunes. He taken her out a few times and taught her about safety. Which was why she knew that this wasn’t the place to be running for their lives. She’d seen firsthand how easy it was to flip a vehicle. Or the potential of getting stuck in the sand. Add to that, if the tire pressure was too high, the handling ability of the 4x4 would be affected.

There were so many things that could go wrong.

“What do we do now?” Bret asked.

“We need to figure out plan B,” Colton said.

“Which is?” Joseph asked.

“Drive straight up the dune,” Colton said.

“I was just thinking the same thing,” Joseph said.

“You’ve got to be kidding! That’s crazy!” Lexi grabbed the headrest and leaned forward. “It’s too easy to roll.”

“I’m pretty sure that other vehicle doesn’t have enough power to make it over the top,” Joseph said, apparently buying into the idea.

“And if we don’t make it all the way up?” Lexi asked.

“We’ll end up rolling back down the dune,” Joseph said. “But that won’t happen.”

Lexi frowned. “And this vehicle...you think it can handle it?”

“I’m not sure we have a choice. Which means everyone needs to grab on to something now.”

Lexi leaned back in her seat and felt the pull of gravity fighting against the vehicle as Joseph took a sharp left and headed up the dune. What if they didn’t make it to the top? And even if they did go over the hill unscathed and lost whoever was behind them, they still weren’t out of the woods yet. There could be other insurgents coming after them, and then there was Colton’s brother-in-law. He was weak after two months of captivity and needed to be checked out by a doctor.

Joseph had his foot on the accelerator, fighting with the engine to keep up the momentum. If he tried to turn or cross the slope, they’d end up popping a tire or flipping the car. And if they didn’t maintain their speed they’d never make it.

Lexi turned around just in time to see the other vehicle rolling back down the steep hill. There was still a chance they would meet the same end as they weren’t at the top yet.

Finally they crested the top of the ridge. Joseph had been right.

“I think your zany plan worked,” Bret said.

Lexi let out a lungful of pent-up air, and realized she’d been holding her breath.

“We’re not out of here yet, but we’re close,” Joseph said, reading her thoughts. “Your Cessna’s parked about ten minutes ahead.”

Lexi caught the worry in Colton’s expression as Joseph sped across the desert. All they had to do now was make it to Colton’s plane and take off before anyone else tried to stop them.

* * *

Get them in the air and fly them out of here.

A piece of cake, Colton thought, still trying to convince himself they were out of danger as the Cessna took off from the runway fifteen minutes later. Thanks to Joseph’s skilled driving, they’d made it to the plane.

There was no human settlement for as far as he could see. Nothing growing in the harsh desert sands except for a few scraggly bushes. Nothing to stop them. They might actually make it out of here in one piece after all.

Colton felt the muscles in his shoulders begin to relax as the six-passenger aircraft continued climbing toward its cruising altitude. He drew in a deep breath, then glanced down at the familiar terrain below him from the pilot’s seat. Endless ripples of orange shimmered in the afternoon sunlight.

He glanced behind him at the seat where his brother-in-law had his head back and his eyes closed. Colton took a moment to study Bret’s profile. His beard had grown, his face was tanned and he’d lost a significant amount of weight. But he was alive. And for now, that was all that mattered.

Besides the loss of weight, he still looked fairly strong, though there was no way at this point to measure the emotional effects of what he’d gone through. Now he just needed to get Bret home.

Colton shifted his attention to the passenger sitting beside him, letting his gaze linger longer than necessary before turning back to the controls. Lexi Shannon had intrigued him during the one, brief time he’d met her. First impressions had revealed she was smart, compassionate, adventurous and, on top of that, beautiful. Not that he was interested in pursuing anything at this point. A broken relationship was one of the factors that had sealed the deal on him taking a job flying missionary bush planes across North Africa. There was no way he was ready to hand in his pilot’s license for another rocky romance.

“You okay?” he asked her through his headset, deciding that a bit of conversation couldn’t hurt. He needed a distraction, and he was pretty sure she did, as well.

She turned and smiled at him with a mixture of both determination and fatigue in her gaze. “Besides the fact that my adrenaline’s still pumping, and I will probably forever be leery of men in fatigues...yeah. Or I will be...eventually.”

Colton laughed. “I don’t blame you.”

Her dark eyes intensified. “Thank you. You risked a lot to get us out of there.”

“All in a day’s work.”

“Something tells me that today was anything but normal,” she said. “At least I hope so.”

“I don’t know. Rescuing a damsel in distress isn’t a bad way to spend my time if you ask me. And on top of that you can’t beat the view from up here,” he said. And besides, after today’s flight, the chances of him seeing her again were pretty slim.

“Absolutely stunning.” She shot him a smile that somehow managed to melt away one of the outer layers of protection he’d built up around his heart.

“See that row of camels?” Colton ignored his heart and pointed toward a thin line of camels that looked like a trail of smoke against the sand.

Lexi leaned forward, searched the landscape below them, then nodded. “Wow. One of the things I want to do before I move back to the US is camel trekking along with a night spent in the desert. I’ve heard that both the night sky and the sunrises are incredible.”

“They are,” Colton said. “Though here’s an interesting fact. Did you know that camels really don’t store water the way most people think? Their humps are actually made of fat, allowing them to keep their body temperature down.”

Lexi laughed. “I didn’t know I was getting a rescuer, a pilot and a tour guide today.”

“Camels also have three eyelids,” he added with a grin. “Though don’t get too excited. That’s pretty much the extent of my knowledge.”

Lexi laughed again. “When I first flew here, I arrived at night, then we drove in the rest of the way, so this is my first up-close view of the desert from the air. But I know you make these flights all the time. Does it ever become routine? At least when you’re not rescuing damsels in distress?”

“Routine?” He shook his head. “Hardly. This is the third largest desert in the world after the Arctic and Antarctica. Some might call it barren—and a lot of it is—but I find it fascinating. Have you ever been up in a Cessna before?”

“My grandfather’s a pilot, though he doesn’t fly as much as he used to. I always wanted to take flying lessons myself, but for some reason I’ve never taken the time to learn.”

“It’s never too late.” Colton said. “What does your grandfather fly?”

“He used to have a 1979 Super Viking.”

Colton let out a low whistle. “I flew one of those once. Loved it.”

“He named her Abigail after my grandmother. She—well, both the plane and my grandmother were his pride and joy.”

“I can imagine. At least for the plane, that is.” Colton chuckled. “Single-engine, four seat, high performance. The one I flew handled like a dream.”

“I have a feeling you and my grandfather would hit it off. He’s a veteran with dozen’s of stories to tell. I keep telling him he needs to write them all down.”

“I’d love to hear them sometime—”

The sound of an explosion drowned out their conversation. The entire plane shook and started veering toward the right.

Lexi pressed her hand against the window to hold herself upright. “What in the world just happened?”

He glanced out the window, his own heart hammering as the plane started to dive.

You’ve got to be kidding...

“Colton?” Bret grabbed his shoulder from behind.

“Looks like we’ve been hit,” Colton said.

“What?” He caught the panic in Lexi’s voice as she spoke. “You can’t be serious?”

“Trust me, I wish I wasn’t,” Colton said, managing to pull them out of the dive.

At least for the moment.

“Hit with what?” Bret asked.

“I don’t know, but whoever followed us must have brought some firepower with him.”

“How serious is it?”

“Let’s just say, I’m going to try to keep this bird in the air as long as I can, but eventually I’m going to have to find a place to land. And probably sooner rather than later.”

He picked up the radio to contact his base back in Timbuktu, but all he could hear was static. Whatever hit them must have knocked out the antenna. Glancing out the window again, he saw smoke coming out the side of the plane.

“What do you see down there?” he asked.

“I think there’s a vehicle. Maybe the one that was following us. I don’t know,” Lexi said.

“Whoever’s down there has to have some kind of surface-to-air missile,” Colton fought to keep the plane in the air. He needed to get them as far away as he could from the men on the ground before he brought the aircraft down.

He let out a sharp huff of air. Actually landing the plane could turn out to be least of their worries. If they managed to survive the landing and avoid whoever was after them, they were still going to have to deal with the harsh elements of the terrain below. With its shifting sand dunes, barren plateaus, and limited water and vegetation, most people couldn’t even fathom the actual size and dangers of the desert that engulfed northern Africa. He scanned the horizon. All he could see was the miles and miles of sand that spread out around them. The nearest town was hours away by foot—if they could even find it—and when night fell the soaring temperatures were going to drop.

Colton tried to shove back the worst-case scenarios flooding through his mind in order to deal with the emergency at hand. “I need you both to tighten your seat belts. This is going to get rough.”

Thirty minutes later, the engine sputtered and died. He reacted automatically thanks to hours of practicing emergency scenarios and began planning his approach. Because no matter what happened in the next few seconds, he had to be in control of the aircraft. Full flaps, gears down, wings level...

God, I could really use your help right now.

Colton held his breath, straining to keep his plane just above the stall speed as he dropped in altitude and made his approach. The theory of landing an aircraft on a soft surface was fairly simple. Control the airspeed of the plane so the wings could support the weight of the craft as long as possible, then touch down at a minimum speed with the nose at a high pitch as the wheels made contact with the ground.

Whether or not their actual landing ended up to be that straightforward with a section of the plane hit was going to be a whole other story.

THREE

The impact jolted Colton forward as he touched down the plane, then managed to slide to a stop. Silence engulfed the cabin. His lungs let out a swish of air, but he wasn’t done yet. He needed to get the three of them off the aircraft.

“Are you two okay?” He glanced at Lexi as he undid his seat belt before moving to open the door. Her face had paled, but she nodded. Bret was also clearly shaken, but seemed okay, as well.

He waited for them to disembark, still needing to determine the damage to the aircraft. Frustration simmered to the surface as he made his initial assessment. Inside the cockpit, the radio was dead, which likely meant the instrument panel had been damaged on impact, and they’d lost their only way to communicate. Outside the plane, the damage was just as extensive. Beyond the hole left by the attack, one landing gear plus the nose of the plane had been sheared off. There was no way they were flying out of here.

He joined the others beneath the shadow of the wing, his forehead already beaded with sweat from the heat. He shrugged off his jacket.

“What can I do to help?” Lexi asked.

Colton glanced up at sun that had already begun its descent and ran through his options. There was still a strong chance that his team would be able to find them via the plane’s GPS tracker. But for the moment they were on their own. And from his military experience, he knew firsthand how quickly a situation like this could spiral out of control. If they were going to survive, it was going to take them working together and not panicking.

“It’s going to be dark before long,” he said, quickly taking charge, “which means we need to be prepared to stay here tonight.”

“What about going for help?” Bret asked. “There’s got to be a village nearby. Because if whoever shot us down finds us...”

“That’s an option, but we have no idea how far the nearest village is, and with the sun setting, we don’t have time to find it. At least here with the plane’s emergency rations, we’ve got shelter, food and enough water for the time being. And it’s better than heading out unprepared and getting lost. When my team discovers we didn’t make it to Morocco, they’ll start looking for this plane. And if they can track us via the GPS—”

“If they can track the GPS?” Lexi tugged at the bottom of her T-shirt.

Colton shook his head. “With no way to communicate with them, I can’t be a hundred percent sure they’re getting the signal. But if they are—and I’m assuming they are—we should be in Morocco by tomorrow.”

But if his team wasn’t able to receive the signal and track the plane, he knew that surviving the landing intact had been only one of many hurdles they were liable to face. Because statistically, the odds were against them. The average healthy person exposed fully to the sun in this environment wouldn’t last a day without water, and then there were other dangers, as well—like snakes, scorpions and dust storms that were as unpredictable as they were deadly.

“What do you need me to do?” Bret asked. “I could take a look at the radio. It can’t be much different from one of Noah’s science projects I’ve helped him with over the years.”

“Are you up to it?” Colton asked.

“If it’s a way to get help, I’m up for anything.”

“Just remember, both of you, that with the temperatures as high as they are, we need to conserve both our energy and our water, and stay out of the direct sun as much as possible. Covering your heads and the back of your necks will help, as well.”

“What about me?” Lexi asked.

“I’ll need help sorting through the emergency rations.”

“Of course.”

“But first...” He walked to the hold on the side of the plane where the emergency rations were stored, thankful nothing looked damaged, and pulled out a small suitcase from the side of the plane. “I brought a couple changes of clothes for Bret, figuring he’d probably lost some weight. And while they might not fit perfectly...”

He handed her the chocolate-brown cargo pants and a black V-neck T-shirt.

Lexi looked down at her own bloodstained pants. “Anything is better than what I’m wearing now. Thank you.”

Colton nodded, then undid the top button of his shirt, while she walked around to the other side of the plane to change. But he couldn’t shake the uneasiness that had settled over him. Because he hadn’t told either of them the entire truth. Their emergency landing had taken them way off course, which meant even with his maps, finding the nearest village in this barren terrain wasn’t going to be easy. And on top of that, every hour they were stuck here was another hour for the insurgents to find them.

* * *

Lexi finished changing into the cargo pants Colton had just given her, pulling the drawstring as tight as she could. They were too long and even cinched tightly they were still too big, but she didn’t care. She was just glad she didn’t have to wear the bloodstained clothes any longer. And grateful to be alive—though the thought of being stranded in the middle of the Sahara terrified her almost as much as being kidnapped had.

She shoved away thoughts of dehydration, heat stroke and scorpions as she came back around to where Colton was already working.

“Cute outfit,” he said, looking up from the pile of supplies he’d pulled out of the plane.

“Funny,” she said, returning his grin. “How long will these supplies last?”

“Several days, but my mission will find us before then,” he said, grabbing the last jug of water.

“At least you’re prepared,” she said, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt.

“Our entire fleet carries survival kits appropriate to the region,” he said. “First aid, food rations, water, blankets... “

“Sounds as if you’ve been through this before.”

“Two tours in Afghanistan taught me a thing or two about survival.”

“I’d like to hear some of your stories.”

If they got out of here.

She pushed aside the negative thought. Of course they’d find a way out. They had to.

“How cold does it get out here at night?” she asked.

“It’s possible to drop below zero after the sun sets, though thankfully it’s not that bad this time of year. It’s the heat we have to worry about right now. Dehydration can set in quickly.”

He pulled out a narrow box filled with packaged ready-to-eat meals—and set them next to the blankets. At least they wouldn’t go hungry.

“We need to pull out everything we’ll need from now until morning,” he told her. “Primarily sleeping bags, food and water.”

She worked beside Colton, remembering details from the first time she’d met him. It had been a quick introduction made by mutual friends at a local restaurant. They’d spent a couple minutes chatting before going their separate ways.

She’d dreamed of the sandy-haired pilot that night, but at the time she’d ignored the attraction. She thought she’d ever see him again, and figured that the chances of them running into each other were slim on this vast continent. And besides that, any feelings of attraction she might feel toward him were completely unwanted. Long-distance relationships didn’t work. She’d discovered that firsthand after falling for the last guy she dated.

At first she thought the six-foot three hunk she met through a mutual friend was perfect. Evan was funny and smart and could always make her laugh no matter what her mood. But after they’d been dating for eight months, Evan took a job in London working as an internal communications manager for a US bank, and it quickly became clear that his communication skills—at least when it came to a relationship—were severely limited. In the end all he’d managed to do was break her heart.

That had been at least part of her motivation to take a year away from her job as an environmental engineer and spend it in Mali. It had taken her family a while to embrace her decision. Her stepfather in particular was convinced she’d left for the ends of the earth. And in a way she had. But in her mind that wasn’t a bad thing. Living here had given her time to catch her breath, refocus her goals and start to figure out what she wanted out of life. And beyond that grassroots desire to make a difference, it had helped her with another thing she’d been looking for.

Closure over her mother’s death.

Today’s events, though, had quickly overshadowed any progress she’d made in figuring out her next step in life.

“Lexi.”

She felt his hand against her arm and took in a deep breath.

“You sure you’re okay.”

“Sorry.” She blinked back the unwanted tears. “A couple hours ago, I was trying to wrap my mind around the possibility of spending the next few months in some insurgent camp, and now this...”

“Help is on its way. Even if Bret can’t get the radio fixed, there’s still the GPS tracker.”

“So what happens until then?” she asked, forcing herself to push the past back where it belonged. “We spend the night here, then head to the nearest village first thing in the morning?”

Colton hesitated as he pulled out the last Kelvalite blanket.

“Colton...what is it?” She saw the worry in his eyes. There was something he hadn’t told her.

He hesitated a moment longer, then caught her gaze. “While what I said is true, I think you need to know that getting out of here might not be that simple.”

Lexi was scared. He could see it in her eyes. But at the moment there was nothing he could to do change it. He hadn’t seen any villages from the air. The only thing he had seen as they made their rocky landing was mile after mile of endless sand.

“What do you mean getting out of here might not be that simple?” she asked.

He handed her the last blanket, debating how much he should tell her. “Our emergency landing took us off course.”

She sucked in a lungful of air, then blew it out slowly. “How far off course?”

“I’m not sure.” He turned to face her, catching her gaze. “But if my team isn’t able to track us...we’re going to be on our own.”

“On our own?” she repeated.

“If they can’t track us.”

He took a swig of cold water from his insulated thermos, hoping it would help counteract the fatigue setting in from the unrelenting heat and the headache that had started. At least the temperature would start dropping soon, and they had enough emergency rations for a couple of days. But beyond that, it was going to be a race against the clock to find their way out of here. And the odds, unfortunately, were far from being in their favor.

Bret stepped out of the plane. The determined set of his jaw told Colton he hadn’t been successful.

Colton handed him a bottle of water. “Bad news?”

“I can’t get any reception at all. Something must have shorted out, and I’m not sure it can be fixed.”

Colton’s muscles tensed. In the military he’d been dropped into combat zones and faced roadside bombs. But today he didn’t have the backing of a special ops team. His passengers were civilians who weren’t used to facing hostile situations. And in an environment like this, anything—and everything—could go wrong.

“Okay.” Colton worked to keep his voice sounding upbeat. “Worst-case scenario is that we’re stuck out here a day or two until my team can pick us up, but we’ve got enough food and water to last us a few days.”

But they all knew that being found by their abductors first was more likely.

“I think I’ve about worn myself out for now,” Bret said. “I just need a short nap in the shade of the plane, and I think I’ll be okay in an hour or two.”

Colton grabbed a blanket from the pile. “Are you sure all you need is a rest?”

“I’ll be fine. Just need to store up some energy.”

Colton watched his brother-in-law find himself a spot in the shade on top of the blanket. “I’m worried about him. He’s been though quite an ordeal. He needs to be looked over by a doctor.”

“He will be,” Lexi assured him, then shot him a half smile. “Because you were right. We’re going to get out of here and we have enough supplies to last us until then.”

Colton stopped and caught her gaze. “Tell me more about your brother.”

Lexi blew out a short breath. “I don’t know much more than I’ve already said. The guys who work for the man he owes money to took me, hoping I could lead them to Trent. Except I have no idea where he is.”

Colton shoved his hands into his front pockets. “Are the two of you close?”

“Not really. He’s my stepbrother,” Lexi said. “My father died when I was thirteen. My mother remarried two years later, so Trent and I didn’t really grow up together. And he’s always been a bit of a...challenge.”

“Sounds like it.”

“From what I got out of the men in the short time I was there, he’s been embezzling money from a business partner. I think it had something to do with gun running.”

“Gun running?” Colton frowned. Clearly whatever Trent had gotten himself involved in, he’d messed with the wrong people.

“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised,” Lexi said. “When he stayed with me, he was out most nights, keeping strange hours. If only I had known...if I had seen or heard something I would have confronted him.” There was no inflection in her voice as she stared out across the cloudless sky. “It might end up costing us all our lives.”

Colton rubbed the back of his neck, but it did little to relieve the growing tension. “You’re not responsible for his actions.”

“You’re wrong.” Tears welled in her eyes as she looked up at him. “I should have seen what he was doing...noticed that something wasn’t right—”

“And then what?” He ran his hand down her arm until his fingers caught her hand. “This wasn’t your fault.”

He studied her in the shadow of the plane. The cargo pants and T-shirt he’d given her hung a bit loose on her figure, but still managed to look both comfortable and flattering. He had a feeling she was the kind of person who could fit in pretty much anywhere. Whether it was a corporate board meeting in the States wearing business attire, or doing fieldwork in the middle of an African village.

In another place and time, he could see himself taking the initiative to get to know her. But after Maggie, he had no desire to jump into another relationship. Ever. Spending his days flying across North Africa had become the perfect remedy for a broken heart. He loved the freedom it brought. The time spent in the air where he felt the closest to his Creator, where he could do some good, and where the past seemed the furthest away. It certainly wasn’t a life he planned to let go of any time soon.

And everything that had happened today had only managed to remind him that life was volatile, and how everything could change in the blink of an eye.

“I’m worried, Colton.”

He caught the vulnerability in her eyes as she spoke and felt a crazy urge to draw her into his arms and tell her everything was going to be all right. That he’d make sure they got to the nearest airport and then on home to the States safely. But he couldn’t make her any promises. They were still at the mercy of the desert, and the men who’d shot down their plane.

He brushed his hand against her arm. “We’re going to figure this out. I promise.”

“But in the meantime, there has to be something else we can do,” she said.

“The plane’s beyond repair. Bret’s sleeping. So for now about the only thing we can do is wait. How about sitting down with me to watch the sunset in the meantime?”

Because he needed to spend the next hour thinking about something—anything—other than the mess they were in, and he knew he wasn’t the only one.

FOUR

Lexi hesitated at Colton’s suggestion, but already, the sky had captured her attention with its spectacular show of pinks, reds and oranges, lighting the sand in its golden hues. Before long the colors would shift to shades of blue until the vast sky faded into darkness.

“Come on,” he said. “You can tell me more about what you’ve been doing here.”

He led her a dozen or so feet from the plane toward a spot where they could have a front row seat to the incredible nightly display and sat down beside her. “I know you’re working here with a water program. What did you do back in the States?”

She settled into the space beside Colton, mesmerized by the scene in front of her. “I got a degree in engineering, then started working for a company that provides technical support to both public and private clients, specializing in environmental and marine engineering.”

“Sounds interesting.”

“It was, actually. At some point, though, I started doing a bunch of research on third-world countries and their infrastructure, particularly their access to clean water, and what I found shocked me. Almost a billion people are without access to safe drinking water. Two and a half billion don’t have adequate sanitation facilities. And somewhere around three and a half million people die every year because of this.”

“Wow. I knew the figures were high, but I had no idea it was that bad.”

“I probably sound like I’m reading a textbook, don’t I? My dad tells me the reason I came to work in North Africa was because of watching Casablanca too many times.” Lexi laughed at the memory. “But the truth is that this is a subject I feel passionate about. And this became a place where I could live out my faith and hopefully make a difference in the world. And as small as it might be, I’ve seen it change lives.”

“You’re wrong about one thing.”

She looked up at him. “What’s that?”

“It’s no small difference you’re making. To the people you impact, it means everything. The fact that their families now have clean water and they don’t have all the water-related ailments they used to have. The fact that their kids don’t get as sick so they can go to school.”

She stared out across the open sand, amazed once more at all the colors in the sky. The vastness of both the sky and the desert reminded her that they weren’t alone. That the God who had created all of this was still here and real and knew exactly what was going on. Which was why, despite everything that had happened over the past few days, she was beginning to relax.

“What about you?” she asked. “Why are you here?”

“A lot of the same reasons, I guess. After leaving the military, I decided I was done with the service, but not with flying. Bret introduced me to an organization looking for pilots. At first I was pretty skeptical, but I knew I didn’t want to teach flying, wasn’t sure I wanted to go into commercial piloting and certainly wasn’t ready to settle down in a desk job.”

“Are you glad this is what you chose?” she asked.

“I am. Every day is different, making it both rewarding and a challenge.”

But nothing like today, she thought. Today had challenged and stretched them emotionally, and the scary thing was that it was far from over.

She glanced over at the hunky pilot sitting next to her. Her stepfather would like him. A lot. And in another life, Colton Landry was exactly the kind of man she would have liked to get to know better. Because she couldn’t deny the attraction she felt toward the man. But anything more wasn’t an option. She was focused on her own healing after her mother’s death. Avoiding the complications of a relationship had seemed to be a wise decision in that process. Especially with the chance of things turning out the way her last relationship had.

She turned back to watch the colors of the sunset that continued to mute as darkness started to spread across the sky. “What do you find interesting about the desert?” she asked.

Before she’d even signed the contract to come, she’d been intrigued with North Africa, and she’d learned everything she could, not only about this country, but the desert, as well. She’d discovered it was one of the driest, and also one of the highest, places on Earth, where temperatures could easily reach over 130 degrees Fahrenheit and the total rainfall was less than three inches per year.

“Let’s see... How about the fact that there are over forty species of rodents?”

“Rodents?” Lexi wrinkled her nose, then laughed. “I ask you about the beauty of this place, and you give me rodents?”

“I’m sorry. How about this? The Sahara’s one of the most unique, diverse and yet beautiful places you’ll ever see. Life for those who live here is slow paced, and hasn’t changed for centuries. There are nomads, camels, colorful markets, small towns emerging from the earth like desert castles...”

He shot her that smile again. One that managed to jar her heart. She searched for a way to ignore it.

“I just wish...” She turned away from his gaze. “I wish circumstances were different right now. That my family wasn’t worrying...”

“We’re going to find a way out of this,” he said.

She felt her chest constrict. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Even Casablanca didn’t have a perfect happily-ever-after ending.”

He wiped away a tear from her cheek with his thumb. “I’ve been in worse situations and made it out alive.”

“You’re kidding me, right?”

“An ambush by Iraqi insurgents during the war.” His voice darkened. “I never thought I’d make it out of there.”

“What happened?”

“I think I’ll save that story for after we’ve been rescued and we’re all safe and sound.”

She couldn’t help but smile at the thought of seeing him again, but even that crazy anticipation wasn’t enough to dwarf the reality of the danger they faced. The monotony of the desert seemed to go on forever. No landmarks. Just the endless rise after shallow rise of darkening sand.

A shout from behind them pulled Lexi from her thoughts. She turned around and saw Bret running in their direction with a look of terror on his face.

She jumped up beside Colton. “Bret...”

He was stumbling toward them as fast as he could on the uneven sand. Even in the fading glow of the sunset, she could see his chest heaving, and tears running down his cheeks.

Colton grabbed Bret’s arm to steady him. “What happened?”

“I don’t know.” Bret was gasping for breath as he slid down onto the sand in front of them and jerked up his pant leg. “Something...something stung me. But the pain... I think I’m going to pass out.”

Colton knelt down beside him and looked at the spot just above his ankle. The site was already red and swelling.

“Did you see what it was?” he asked.

“Yeah... It...it looked like a scorpion.”

“Can you describe it?” Colton asked.

“It was...I don’t know...three, maybe four inches. And a strange color. Yellow, maybe green.”

Colton drew in a sharp breath at the familiar description. If Bret really was describing a Deathstalker, it was one of the most toxic scorpions in the desert.

Can this day get any worse, God?

“Do you know what it was?” Lexi asked.

Colton shook his head. “I could be wrong, but I had a coworker who was stung by a scorpion a few months ago, and his description sounds like what you’re describing. It’s called the Deathstalker, or sometimes the Israeli desert scorpion.”

“How deadly is the sting?” Lexi asked.

“Reactions vary depending on the person.” He didn’t want to tell them that if he was right, it was extremely toxic. And with Bret’s immune system already compromised...

“Well, the name Deathstalker doesn’t sound encouraging,” Bret said. He clenched his jaw then threw back his head.

“What’s your pain level?” Colton asked.

“On a scale of one to ten? Off the charts,” he said. “And I don’t know if you remembered this, but I’m allergic to everything. Bees, wasps, fire ants—you name it.”

Colton caught the fear in Bret’s voice. That meant his risk of a serious reaction had just multiplied.

“Do you have an EpiPen?” Lexi asked.

“Yes...” He was rocking back and forth now, with sweat glistening across his forehead. “In the front pocket of my backpack. For some reason they let me keep it.”

“Okay. I want you to stay here and try to stay calm.” Colton stood up, then turned to Lexi. “I’ll go grab the first aid kit and a couple blankets. You can get the EpiPen.”

Lexi jogged beside him toward the plane. “What else do you know about this kind of scorpion?”

Colton hesitated a few seconds before answering. “From what I’ve heard, it doesn’t normally do any permanent damage to a healthy adult. But not only is Bret allergic to stings and bites, his immune system and health have been compromised over the past few weeks. Hopefully the EpiPen will counteract the fact that we don’t have access to any antivenom.”

Neither of them needed to state the obvious. In a best-case scenario, the swelling from a sting would subside after a day or two with no medical help. But if Bret had a severe reaction, this was an entirely different story. If the venom started moving rapidly through the body, his airways could be blocked. A reaction that could occur in a matter of minutes.

“And if the EpiPen isn’t enough?” she asked before heading into the plane.

“Then we both better start praying harder.”

Because in a few minutes any lingering light from the setting sun was going to vanish, to be replaced only by the white light of the moon. And striking out on their own across the desert looking for help in the middle of the Sahara at night wasn’t an option.

This day just keeps getting worse and worse.

Colton hurried to where he’d stashed the first aid kit, trying not to think about how his sister was doing right now. He’d promised to get in touch as soon as he got to Morocco, which meant she was going to start wondering why he wasn’t calling. And not only was he unable to reach her, he had no idea when he’d even have access to a phone.

At least he knew that her pastor was there with her, as well as their son, Noah. Bret’s parents had booked a flight to Atlanta from Michigan, but they wouldn’t get in for another few hours. He tried to push away the deepening worry for Bret and his family for now and forced his mind to focus on what they needed to do for him. And pray that what they were doing was going to be enough.

Grabbing the first aid kit and a couple blankets, he hurried back to the front of the plane, where he found Lexi holding the backpack and a bottle of water.

“Today hasn’t turned out the way either of us expected, has it?” she said as they hurried back to where Bret was lying on the sand.

“No, it hasn’t.”

Darkness was slipping quickly across the desert, save the light of the moon that was rising in the night sky, as they knelt down beside Bret.

“How are you doing?” Colton pulled out the EpiPen from the front of the backpack. “Tell me what you’re feeling.”

Bret groaned. “Sick. Nauseated. It hurts so bad.”

“I know. I need you to hang in there.”

He sounded disoriented, and a check of his pulse confirmed that his heart was racing.

Colton removed the safety cap, then pushed the orange tip into Bret’s thigh, while Lexi pulled out the cold pack and squeezed the bag to activate it.

“Will you grab a couple of the pain medicines from the kit and give those to him?” he asked.

Colton pressed the cold pack against the sting and continued praying.

Bret started shaking. “I’m sorry for getting you involved in this, Colton.”

“Are you crazy?” he asked as Lexi helped him with the pain medicine. “You don’t have anything to be sorry for.”

“And you know what else? It’s cold out here,” Bret said with a fake laugh. “We’re in the middle of the Sahara, and I’m freezing.”

“It’s the effect of the adrenaline,” Colton said. “You’re going to be fine.”

Bret’s eyes rolled shut.

“Bret...” Colton grabbed his wrist to check his pulse. “His heart’s racing. His breathing’s rapid...”

“You’re right,” Lexi said, placing her arm on Colton’s. “It’s just the effect of the adrenaline.”

Colton nodded. “I need you to take some deep breaths, Bret, and try and calm down.”

Bret opened his eyes and nodded.

“Slow breaths, Bret. Slow breaths.”

“I feel so sleepy now. Maybe if I sleep, I won’t feel the pain anymore.”

“You can sleep now. We’re both going to be right here with you.”

Lexi pulled him back a few steps and glanced up at him. “What if the EpiPen’s not enough? I’m an engineer who can design a water system, but this—I don’t know what else to do for him.”

Colton caught the fear in her voice and wished he had the answer. “I don’t either.”

She pulled a second pen from the backpack. “If the first one doesn’t clear up the symptoms, we can give him another dose.”

“I agree, but I’m worried about him. His system’s already weak from everything he’s gone through. He needs proper medical attention.” He felt his chest constrict.

“Come morning, do you think we can find our way out of here?”

“We don’t have a choice anymore.”

A swirl of dust formed in the distance in the fading sunlight. Lexi grasped his hand as it swirled higher.

Someone—or something—was coming.

FIVE

Lexi’s heart pounded as a shadowy row of camels appeared over the moonlit ridge. She glanced at Colton as Bret’s words played over in her mind. Either they were about to be rescued or their captors had found them.

“Stay here with Bret,” Colton said, putting a protective arm in front of her. “I’ll go see who they are.”

She knelt back down beside Bret and started praying as she checked his pulse again. The redness from the sting had spread. He seemed restless and drowsy, and his heart was still racing.

Above them on the ridge, men in loose-fitting pants and long shirts climbed down from their camels. One of them started speaking loudly, his hands moving animatedly, but she couldn’t understand what he was saying. Her gaze shifted to the rest of the group, and her breath caught. At least two of the men carried rifles.

“Who are they?” Bret asked.

She glanced down at Colton’s brother-in-law. His face and neck were glistening with sweat. His breathing rapid...

“I don’t know. Just try to stay calm and let Colton handle things.”

But was that even possible? It seemed clear that whoever was after them wasn’t going to stop because of a confrontation with the Malian army. They’d tried to escape, one of them had shot down their plane and chances were they were still looking for them.

No. This wasn’t over yet.

What are we supposed to do, God? We’ve got people willing to kill us for what they want, not to mention Bret could die without medical attention...

“Lexi?”

Her heart pounded as Colton hurried down the hill toward them beside another man.

“Who are they?” she asked.

“Friends of mine. I want you to meet Issa.”

“A friend of yours?” Lexi’s gaze narrowed as she eyed the man standing next to Colton. He had a broad smile on his dark face, but she still wasn’t ready to let down her guard.

“And the guns?” she asked. Her gaze shifted back to the two men standing on the ridge with their rifles.

Issa took a step toward her. “You must understand that not everyone who lives in this desert is willing to work for what they need. They wouldn’t hesitate to take what we have by gunpoint. It is our only way to protect ourselves.”

“It’s okay, Lexi,” Colton said. “I met Issa a few months ago during a medical evacuation of his wife and newborn son. Since then, he’s become an invaluable resource for our team.”

“Then I’m sorry for the cold welcome.” A sigh of relief spread through her. “It’s just that it’s been a difficult day.”

“Colton just told me about the kidnappings and the plane crash. That was not the kind of welcome you deserved in my country. You have nothing to be sorry for,” Issa said. “I’m simply happy that we can help.”

“Issa received a message from my base,” Colton said. “They realized from the GPS tracker that after crossing into Mauritania we must have had to make an emergency landing. They were able to get through to Issa and asked him to come find us.”

“Then we’re all grateful,” Lexi said. She glanced over at Bret. “But we’ve got an even more serious problem right now.”

“It’s my brother-in-law. He was bitten by a scorpion,” Colton said.

“And he’s not getting any better.” Lexi bit the edge of her lip to stop herself from crying. “I wanted to wait a few more minutes to see if the medicine would take effect, but he’s going to need another shot, and after that...”

There was nothing else she could do.

“I will take you to the Kasbah where I live,” Issa said, signaling to his men. “There is a woman there. A healer. She will know what to do.”

Lexi glanced up the ridge at the row of camels. Above them, the Milky Way dangled beneath a black sky.

She’d seen photos of a Kasbah. Fortresses, often built on hilltops in order to be more easily defended, with high walls and no windows. At least she’d feel safer there than out here in the open in the middle of the desert.

Issa turned back to Colton. “There is an airstrip—not more than three hours farther—where your team can land and pick you up in the morning.”

Colton nodded. “Thank you.”

“You are welcome, but if we are going to help him, we need to hurry.”

Any romantic ideas of riding a camel across the desert had been stripped away in the first twenty minutes of the trip. Each one of the camels was tethered to the tail of the one in front of them by some kind of halter, and together they moved at a slow but steady gait across the desert sands. If an hour on a horse could make her sore, she didn’t even want to imagine what she was going to feel like come morning. And on top of that, the stench of the camels was only outdone by their constant spitting.

They’d put Bret on a makeshift stretcher behind her on one of the camels. Not that there was really anything she could do. Which was what had her worried. Because while she was trying to acclimate to the bumpy camel ride, Bret was getting worse.

She glanced up at the stars and forced herself to draw in a deep breath as she studied the expanse. A shooting star fled across the horizon, the distant red flicker of Mars, the Big Dipper and the expansive Milky Way hovering above them, so close it made her want to reach out and hold on to all of it.

And yet her entire experience in Africa so far had turned out to be one of letting go. Letting go of her own expectations in order to see not only those around her, but to discover what God wanted her to get out of her time here. Every morning when she woke up, she begged God not only to use her, but to give her strength to be able to handle what she would see that day. In a place where most people lived below the international poverty line, and where limited access to clean water meant higher rates of waterborne illnesses and child mortality, the pain she encountered was often devastating. And like tonight, she often felt too small and alone.

“How are you doing?” Colton’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

He was walking beside her on the sand, keeping up with the steady gait of the camels.

A wave of emotion shot through her. The man she’d struggled to get out of her dreams had become her hero today. “I’m thinking you were the smart one, deciding to walk instead of ride one of these animals.”

He grinned up at her in the moonlight. “I learned from experience. Tried it once and was sore for days afterward. I decided then if I was given the choice between walking and riding a camel, I’d been happy to walk.”

Surrounded by endless sands drenched in moonlight and stardust, she couldn’t help but smile. But as much as she might want to get to know the man who’d unexpectedly been thrust back into her life, this wasn’t exactly the romantic scenario she’d dreamed about. The stakes were far too high.

She glanced back down at Colton, hesitating before voicing the question she’d been asking herself ever since the plane went down. Because she wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer. “Do you think they’re still out there looking for us?”

“Honestly? I don’t think we can ignore the possibility or assume they cannot reach this far. But I trust Issa. If anyone can get us to safety, he can.”

She hoped he was right. Prayed he was right. Prayed even more that they wouldn’t have to find out.

“What about Bret?”

Colton let out a sharp sigh. “The second dose of adrenaline seems to be helping, but not much. He’s still struggling to breathe.”

“I don’t know what else to do except pray.”

“I just finished speaking with Issa. He told me we’re less than an hour from the Kasbah.”

She just hoped that an hour wouldn’t be too long for Bret to hold on.

“Colton?”

Lexi glanced down the long row of camels that were merely shadows beneath the night sky. Issa was running toward them.

“I need the three of you to come with me now. Quickly. My scouts have discovered men up ahead coming toward us. Until we can identify who they are, we need to hide you. There’s a ridge just south of here. Between that and the cover of darkness you should be safe.”

Lexi’s heart pounded. The men who had kidnapped her had weapons that could knock a plane out of the sky and would be no match for the rifles Issa and his team carried. If they found them here...

“Hurry. We’ll get your brother, but we don’t have much time.”

She used the saddle handles to push herself up, then swung her leg over the hump to one side. Colton took her hands to keep her steady while she found her balance. Then without hesitating, he laced their fingers together and ushered her toward the ridge into the darkness.

* * *

Colton could see the armed men from where he lay on the crest of the sand between Lexi and Bret. He wasn’t sure that the description of the small rogue band of work-for-hire fighters the Malian army had given him was accurate either. They had to have a network reaching across the desert and across borders.

He needed to get both Bret and Lexi to a place where they could catch flights back to the States. But for the moment, that wasn’t an option. They were miles away from any transport—other than camels—and just as far away from the medical help they needed.

He squeezed Lexi’s hand as they watched the men who’d just arrived slowly walk down the long, tethered line of camels. Each one carried a weapon across his shoulder, and there was no doubt in his mind what they were looking for. Some of their men had been killed by the army; they’d just lost out on two million dollars, and that didn’t include the money they wanted from Lexi’s brother.

Knowing how scared she must be, Colton rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb, hoping to reassure her. But she wasn’t the only one whose nerves were on edge. He’d calculated the risks when he’d agreed on the army’s plan. Knew that his decision could cost him everything, including the life of his brother-in-law. And he’d decided it was a risk he couldn’t afford not to take.

But Lexi’s involvement in this situation had been far from voluntary. She’d come to Mali to make a difference in people’s lives. And instead, she’d been taken hostage by a band of rogue militants. Not that life was always fair or just. He hadn’t been kidding about being in a worse situation when he mentioned the ambush by the insurgents in Iraq. He’d been prepared to die that day.

He glanced down at her in the darkness, just able to see the outline of her profile, unable to shake the strong desire to protect her and keep her safe. They needed to get out of here without getting caught.

Five minutes later, the men disappeared into the darkness. Issa made his way up the ridge to where they were.

“They found the crash site,” Issa said.

Colton glanced at Lexi. “Then they know we’re alive.”

“Yes, but they are gone for now. I told them we heard of three Americans who were heading east.”

“Which is the wrong direction.” Colton glanced out into the darkness, then helped Lexi up. “Do you think they believed you?”

“I think so, but we need to hurry to the Kasbah. And make sure one of them does not follow us in the meantime.”

“Do you want to ride again?” Colton asked, turning to Lexi.

“I’m fine. I’ll walk for now.”

The men settled Bret back into the makeshift stretcher, and the long line of camels were on their way again. This time, though, Colton’s senses were on full alert. Every movement, every shadow in the distance could potentially be one of the men who’d come after them.

“I don’t think you have told me the entire story, my friend,” Issa said, stepping up beside them. “You said some men might be after your brother, and that he was kidnapped, but what exactly happened?”

“I was hoping you wouldn’t have to get involved in this,” Colton said.

“I already am involved. And as I said before, I want to help. You saved the life of my son, which means I owe you mine.”

“Tell him, Colton,” Lexi said, keeping up beside them. “We can’t do this on our own.”

Colton frowned. He hadn’t expected this unsanctioned mission to be easy. In fact, quite the opposite. He’d played out the scenario of rescuing Bret from every possible angle. And yet today had thrown two more potentially deadly scenarios at him. A plane crash. A scorpion bite. Neither had he imagined there would be more than one hostage to free. And now he had involved Issa and his men in the escape from a band of ruthless men.

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