Free Behind Enemy Lines by Cindy Dees Page A

me Annie, and he’s down to two pills every twelve hours.”
    “Do you happen to know the status of his injuries?”
    “His ribs and the left forearm aren’t fully healed yet, and he complained about his right collarbone a little while ago. But beyond that, he seems to be mostly healed.”
    “Hallelujah. We may just make it out of here alive, then.”
    “You mean that’s in any doubt?”
    He gave her a long look and then answered, his voice candid. “You were holed up in that hospital a long time. The situation has gotten very bad in St. George the last few weeks. There’s going to be bloodshed and lots of it before this is over, and the rebels are fanatically anti-American.”
    “What about the government? Won’t they help the Americans get out?”
    “They’re trying to gain support from the population and have taken up a new anti-American stance. Besides, they’re too busy covering their own behinds to worry about ours. We’re on our own.”
    Dread burst forth inside Annie. “We’ve got to get out of here before the lid blows, Mac. How much time do you think we have?”
    “Hopefully a few days, maybe no more than hours. If this rumored rebel attack on the coast highway pans out, it’s probably going to draw an all-out response from the government.”
    Annie stared, wide-eyed, at him. “I had no idea it was so close. What are we going to do?”
    He shrugged and gave her a grim look.
    “Hey, what are you two whispering about over there?”
    Annie turned away. Hastily she poured a glass of iced tea and carried it to Tom. “Mac was just telling me the rebels don’t like Americans.”
    Tom nodded slowly. “That’s a fact. They certainly tried their best to kill us in the jungle.”
    Tex commented, “You’d have thunk there was a big ol’ reward for our scalps, the way they came after us. ’Coon hounds couldn’t have chased us harder. Speaking of such things, I hear the American Embassy’s pulling out all its folks day after tomorrow. You gonna be leaving us, ma’am…I mean, Annie?”
    The embassy staff was pulling out? The gravity of her situation hit Annie so hard it knocked the breath out of her.
    Tom answered for her. “She can’t leave with the embassy personnel. Annie gave up her diplomatic immunity when she yanked me out of the hospital. She’s coming out with us.”
    Tom’s men were silent, but a dismayed look passed between them.
    She cleared her throat. “Look, guys. I don’t want to be a burden to you. Major Folly’s going to be enough for you to handle when you leave. I can make my own way out of town. I know the area pretty well, and I have some contacts. I’ll work something out.”
    Tom was on his feet in front of her in the blink of an eye. He grabbed her by her upper arms and glared down at her.
    “That’s enough of that. Don’t you even think about leaving on your own. Got it?”
    “But…”
    “That’s a direct order, Annie, with all the authority of the Uniform Code of Military Justice behind it. Do you understand me?”
    Sheesh. He didn’t have to get so worked up about it. “I understand.”
    “You’re with us, and this team doesn’t leave anybody behind. It’s why my guys didn’t get out seven weeks ago, and it’s why I’m not even bothering to ask them to leave without me now. We live or die together. Like it or not, Annie, you’re part of that deal for now.”
    Tex and Mac murmured their agreement.
    She looked at the grim faces of the three men. It obviously wouldn’t do any good to argue with them, but she was troubled by the arrangement. Their leader was already hurt, and she’d be yet another liability to them. But she had enough experience with stubborn men to know these three had dug in their heels and wouldn’t be budged on this one.
    She sighed. “Well, I guess that’s settled, then. I’m going with you guys. But just for the record, there’s no way on God’s green earth I can swim twelve miles to get to a ship.”
    Tom grinned down at