The Rescue Pt. 03

"Very supportive. Thank you. Now let's shower before you make a call," She tells him.

"You want to shower?"

She understands his question and nods. "No sex, I just want you to be with me. Can you do that for me?"

"Absolutely, I can do whatever you need," He tells her as he takes her into the bathroom. They get the water warm enough then step inside his spacious shower gently washing and caressing one another as the water cascades over their bodies. Addison wishes it would wash away this feeling of dread that's encroaching back into her mind.

"Still sleeping huh?" Michelle says once she returns from breakfast.

She kneels down beside the bed and checks my pulse finding it slow but strong. "You're starting to scare me Kenny. This isn't funny anymore so please wake up."

She leans down close and whispers in my ear. "I need you here with me okay? I... know I messed up before with you and me but we were friends and I was afraid that I'd lose that. I guess I ended up doing that anyway, huh. When you kissed me, I knew that I was falling in love with you. Truth be known, I'd fell for you long before that kiss but it just scared the hell out of me when I was forced to realize it."

"Why would love scare you?" Yacine asks. Michelle turns surprised to find that she didn't hear the girl enter. "I don't understand."

"It's complicated sweetie. And not really something I can explain other than to say I was young and dumb."

"You are not dumb, Miss Michelle."

"About some thing's I think we're all a little dumb sometimes but I'm a little wiser now, I hope."

"So you are less scared of being with him now?"

"I know that I want us to start over as friends after that who knows," She says and turns to look at me. "You know that I missed you don't you Kenny?"

"He knows. He missed you as well."

"I don't think so Yacine. The way I handled things back then..."

"He is here is he not? There must be something still in his heart for you," Yacine argues.

Michelle runs her fingers over the dog tags and shark tooth then smiles at the girl. "Maybe there is, we'll just have to wait and see but enough about that I want to thank you for helping me Yacine. I don't know how I could have done this if you hadn't come along," Michelle tells her.

"You helped my village very much Miss Michelle and your friend freed us so we owe the two of you very much. It is only right that we return this debt," She answers. "Miss Michelle, tell me more about him... Kenny, is that right?"

Michelle smiles and looks down at me. "Yes and what can I tell you about Kenny? We were friends, becoming good friends, maybe more before I messed it all up."

"How did you mess it up?"

"Too long and complicated to explain. Something happened, I said it was a mistake but now I know that the mistake was me thinking that the other thing was a mistake."

"It does sound complicated," Yacine agrees.

"I'm probably making it more complicated than it is, it's what I do," She says letting her eyes drift over to my prone body. "Right Kenny? You always thought I over analyzed things."

She says aloud hoping that he'll come to because he's still out it and it's worrying her but she gets no response. "You'd better not die on me Kenny; we still have a lot to talk about," She thinks to herself as she takes my hand in hers.

"He will be all right," Yacine tells her. "You have much love in your heart for him, it will make him strong."

Michelle sighs while tousling my hair. "I really hope so."

"He will battle the darkness and come back to you. You must keep hope that he will not leave you alone again."

"I always have hope, sweetie," She says. "It's just some days I don't know if it's enough."

"When the militia came to our village and took us, we thought hope was lost. You found me in the station and comforted me while I cried and you passed your hope and love on to me. I turn I passed it to the others and together we refused to give in to the devil Ballo. You are strong, even if you can't see it; others can like your friends at home and Mr. Kenny here. He knew that you would be waiting on him to find you much like you knew that he would come for you."

"I had no idea that he'd come for me," Michelle says. "I thought that I was going to die here or worse, get sold and taken away never to be seen again."

"That may be true but when you heard the chaos and the door to your cell burst open who did you think that you would see there?"

Michelle sighs. "I expected to see Kenny there. Instead, I find him leaning against the wall nearly dead. That I did not expect."

"He saved you it was only fair that you return the favor."

"Very cute; I don't suppose you can read his future huh?"

"Most people want me to read their future not someone else's," Yacine tells her. She reaches out to take hold of my hand but Michelle stops her.

"Wait. I don't think I want to know."

"You like surprises, I don't blame you."

"Is Yacine reading palms again?" She asks with a smile.

"I asked her too but changed my mind," Michelle admits.

"She gets that from my father," Rhadi says. "He was the village shaman before he passed away."

"I'm sorry," Michelle says but Rhadi shakes her head at her.

"He would have liked you and your friend, I think but he would tell you that the future is not written in stone and that its' better for life to surprise you."

"I couldn't agree more."

"Come then, you must eat some more. Don't worry about him, Yacine will see to him and come get us if anything changes."

Paul Trent is in his actual office on the fourth floor of the American Embassy in Morocco waiting for an update on the Senegal situation when his phone rings. "Tell me you found them," He answers.

"Excuse me?" A confused voice on the other end answers.

"Who is this?"

"Agent Jackson from the embassy in Dakar, I'm the CIA liaison stationed here. Have I reached Agent Trent?"

"Yes you have. Sorry Agent Jackson, I was expecting another call. What can Morocco do for you today?"

"I'm sure by now you've heard the coup that was brewing here literally blew up last night. Wanted to know if you guys heard anything about who might be behind it up in your neck of the woods?" Agent Jackson asks.

"Does he know?" Trent wonders to himself but plays it cool. "Haven't heard a thing up here except for rumors. Everything from the Senegalese government to a coup within the coup to UFO's came down from the heavens and blasted the place, you know how it is. Guess the little green men knew Ballo was hiding out in an Aid Station back in the bush before any of us did huh?"

Agent Jackson chuckles. "Well they have conquered space travel so how hard can it be to find someone like Ballo. Thanks for the help Agent Trent and let me know if you anything more on this thing."

"Sure will Agent Jackson," Trent says. As he hangs up he wonders what could have prompted that call but he doesn't have time to ponder it as his phone rings again. "Agent Trent," He answers this time.

"Sir, we're finally onsite and this place is one giant cluster fuck. I've got Senegalese Army and government types running all over this aid station like it's last call or something," Micah Washington, Trent's off book squad leader reports in.

"What about our assets? Any news on that front," Trent asks.

"Negative sir. They could have scattered into the jungle or been killed in one of the explosions. That gunship took extreme prejudice to new heights on this one."

"We're certain Ballo is among the dead?"

"They supposedly ran his DNA already and can confirm that he is one of these smoking corpses but honestly I've never seen a swab run that quick before."

"They had his DNA on file already from his military file. All they had to do was match the samples."

"They didn't leave too much to sample but they seem to be sure that it is him. The rest of the bodies... I don't see how we'll ever find out who's who in this mess. I could be standing right next to our asset and wouldn't know it."

"Understood but let's dot our I's and cross our T's just to be sure. Sweep out to the closest villages and see if they've seen anything. If they got injured that's where they're likely to be."

"If we find them do you want me to call in or just take care of the problem as we discussed?"

"Take care of it like we discussed but I want to see it done."

"Secure video feed? Won't that comprise the secrecy of all this Sir?"

Trent sighs. "I suppose you're right. All right, how about a trophy? He carries this knife; if he's still among the living, I want that knife. Bring it to me and there's a bonus in it for you and your team."

"Knife huh? Guess if he brings a knife to a gun fight then this won't be as hard as I thought," Micah states.

"Don't underestimate this guy Mr. Washington. I've read his file, the ones that haven't been redacted, so I'm telling you now to shoot first and shoot often understood?"

"Understood sir. I'll have the guys sweep the burnt out buildings before we leave, maybe we'll get lucky and find this knife here. If not we'll head out at first light and sweep the local villages. We'll be in touch." He hangs up the Sat phone and gathers his team of five men. "All right guys, we're going to do a building sweep first, we're looking for a knife, the flip out kind that SEAL's carry."

"And you think that thing could survive a Hellfire Missile hit boss?" Darrell Bassett asks.

"The desk jockey wants a trophy and I want us to get paid so we look. With any luck it was blown clear of the blast so I want two of you to stay out of the buildings and sweep the perimeter to see if you can find it."

"All right, then what?" Jeff Hanson asks.

"If we find it, jobs done we go home. If not then at first light we're heading out to the local villages around and see if they've seen our wayward countrymen," Micah states getting a chuckle from the group. "So let's get this done people, we're burning daylight here."

The old boat captain is wary when he sees three people awaiting him at the dock but the time is right and from this distance the one could be the girl he's supposed to be looking for but the man isn't in sight. He pulls the picture from his pocket, looks it over and then back at the woman on the docks. "She's cleaned up now but that's her. Now where is her friend I wonder?"

He slowly pulls up to the dock and cuts his engine surprised to see a teenage girl and a tribesman with a splint on his arm there with the woman.

"You are the one that is here for her?" The man asks in a local dialect that the captain knows and more importantly speaks.

"I am Captain Amir and yes, I am here to take her to safety," he answers.

"I am Demba and this is my daughter Yacine. Miss Michelle is our friend and we came to ensure her safety."

"Very good. Where is the man that I brought here? The one that gave me this duty?"

"He is in our village. Wounded from when he saved us all, he is not well enough to be moved."

"I can send help."

"She is all the help he needs," Yacine states, "that is what we are here to tell you.>"

"She is not going with me?"

Yacine translates for Michelle who nods and takes the old captains hand. "I know you can't understand me but yes, I have to stay. He needs me and I can't leave him."

Yacine translates and the Captain nods. "She is as determined as he was. No wonder he came for her. When shall I return to get the both of them?"

Yacine translates and Michelle shrugs. "He could come out of this thing today or three days from now. I really don't know what to tell him."

Demba speaks this time. "We will be back here two days from now at this time. If he is well enough to make the journey that will be that. If he is not then we will make further arrangements."

The captain nods. "That sounds good to me. I look forward to seeing you all in two days."

He starts to step back on the boat but Michelle stops him by grabbing his arm. "I need you to do a favor for me," She says and Yacine translates.

"For a beautiful woman like you, I will do what an old man can," He states.

Michelle smiles at the translation and plants a kiss on his grizzled cheek. "Can you contact my family and let them know that we're alive and what's going on?"

He nods at the translation. "Of course, the man that brought your friend to me comes everyday to check if I have you. I will pass along any message to him."

Yacine relates the plan to Michelle who nods her consent and hugs the captain before he can get back on his boat.

"Thank you," she tells him.

Flustered he hugs her back before stepping away.

"Welcome," He says in the only English he knows and holds up two of his fingers. Michelle gets the message and gives him a thumbs up. He chuckles as he pushes the throttle forward and heads back downriver leaving the trio on the dock.

"We should get back to Mr. Kenny," Yacine tells her father who nods his agreement.

"We must avoid the men in the jungle. They search for our friends I believe and I do not trust them," Demba tells her.

The white men in the green suits hadn't made it to their village yet but other villages had sent word that they had been to theirs so it was only a matter of time.

Yacine nods and turns to Michelle. "We must go back like before, quietly and quickly."

"Okay Yacine but with Ballo dead..."

"Ballo is not the only one to be feared here. Other men have came, they search for you and Mr. Kenny but we will hide you and keep you safe."

"Other men, I don't understand."

"Maybe Mr. Kenny can explain when he wakes but for now we keep you hidden."

Michelle nods trusting her new friends with her life because she doesn't have much choice in the matter at least not until Ken wakes up.

"This is a waste of fucking time!" Darrell calls out after swatting yet another insect that was biting him. The group had been trudging through the jungle since sun up, had talks with two villages and had squat to show for it except for tired feet and more bug bites then they could count. "Is this guy really worth all this effort?"

"The boss says we look so we look," Micah answers though he too is feeling this is a waste of time himself.

"Come on Micah, you saw what the Senegalese did to that compound. No way anyone walked away from that inferno."

"Maybe not but we're getting paid by the hour so if the man wants us to search, we search."

"You're the boss," Darrell says letting the argument die. They'd had no luck from any of the villages so far and only the smallest of trails to follow in the thick jungle. Some villagers at the other places stated that there was a white woman at the station that cared for them but none knew of her fate after the place exploded.

"We got another village up ahead," Jay Banner calls out to the group. "Last one on the map guys."

A couple of the guys lets out a yell of happiness that's heard from the village.

"It's the men we've been told about," Rhadi tells a member of the village. "Omar, I need you to head towards the docks and stop Demba from returning until they are gone. Ndeye, you go and make sure that Mr. Kenny stays hidden and I will greet these invaders. Go quickly!"

The two take off in opposite directions, Omar into the jungle on the far side of the village away from the approaching men and Ndeye towards the hut where the sick man is being kept. Rhadi goes to the well, pulls up a bucket of fresh water and waits for the men to appear. She doesn't have to wait long as first one man appears, followed by two more and finally the last two, all dressed in jungle camouflage and all armed with machine guns.

"Hello!" One of them shouts in Arabic. Rhadi picks up the bucket and carries it to them.

"Please, help yourself to our water. You all look like you could use it." She says in English.

"You speak English?" the one that shouted asks.

Rhadi nods. "I went to University in Egypt where I learned. Please drink."

"Thank you Miss..."

"I am Rhadi."

"That's a very pretty name Rhadi. Is your husband the leader of this village?"

Rhadi nods. "He is but he is away on a hunt right now."

Micah nods. "We're sorry to disrupt your day Rhadi but we are looking for a couple of friends of ours. White like us, a man and a woman that were at the Aid station, do you know about the aid station?"

"Yes, several of our villagers used to visit it before Ballo came. You speak of the fair haired woman that was a nurse there?" Rhadi asks.

He nods. "Yes, her name's Michelle and her family is very worried about her. Have you seen her or heard anything in the jungle in the last night or so?"

Rhadi shakes her head. "We had heard that everyone was killed in the explosion at the camp. Is that not correct?"

"We're not sure at this point Rhadi, that's why we're out here looking for them. Their families need to know for sure and not have to wait for DNA and all that to come back."

Rhadi nods. "I wish you luck on your journey and hope that you find your friends soon. Feel free to take what you need from our well before you travel on. If we hear or see anything we will send a runner to find you."

"Thank you Rhadi, you have been far more kind than some of the other villages we've been to."

"We know what it's like to lose people that you care about so of course we help you in any way that we can."

"Understood. Rhadi, my men and I thank you for your hospitality and after we fill our canteens and have a look around we'll be moving on."

"Of... of course take all the time you need," Rhadi says worried what will happen once they discover that she's been lying to them.

"Can you still see them?" Yacine asks from their hiding spot in the thick bush just outside the village. Omar had reached them about a hundred yards from the village and told them what was happening. Demba led them to this spot to watch without being seen.

"They're gathered around the well right now," Michelle whispers to the teen. "Now it looks like... oh no."

"What?" Yacine asks.

"They're searching the village."

Demba taps Omar on the shoulder. "We must do something to help our new friends."

"Of course but what can we do?"

He thinks for a moment then tells Omar. "You aren't going to like it."

A few minutes later Omar comes running into the village bleeding from a cut to his face and shouting for help. Rhadi meets him along with the men that were searching the village.

"Omar, what is it? What happened?" Rhadi ask genuinely concerned.

"I was hunting south towards the plain when I came upon a man like these men here. I must have startled him because the next thing I know he's hit me and ran off towards the caves to the southeast."

"That could be our friend," Micah says. "Which way are these caves?"

Omar looks confused as though he shouldn't answer but Rhadi speaks up. "It is okay Omar, they are looking for this man is their friend who may be wounded. Tell them where you think this man ran to."

Omar nods at her then points to away from the village in a generally south direction. One of the men pulls out a map and has Omar show him where on the map. He points to a rocky area maybe an hour's walk for the men. "At least that's the direction he was heading. It's hard to say, I was too busy trying to get away from him."

"You did great Omar. Okay boys, we've got a lead. Load up and let's hit the trail."

Once those men disappear into the far jungle Rhadi asks Omar. "What was all that about?"

"We saw them beginning to search the village so Demba came up with a plan. I wish it didn't involve him punching me but our friends did so much for us it was the least I could do for them."

Rhadi nods and waves her hand for another of the men to come over. "Follow those men and make sure all have left our area then report back to me."

The man nods and heads off in the direction the men went. It's another ten minutes before Demba enters the camp with Yacine and Michelle with him. Rhadi quickly hustles Michelle into the hut along with the others. Ndeye reports that there has been no change and exits as Rhadi hugs them all. Michelle ushers Omar to the chair and pulls out a medical bag.