Page 95 of Fear No Evil

After assessing how much firepower they had, they dispersed. Jake climbed up the ridge closest to Lena, just above the radio station. As he settled behind a crag, using its breadth to block the wind, he checked on the JUNGLA, finding them nearly in position farther down the ridge. Seated, quite literally, on the top of the world, Jake absorbed the view.

The sky was the color of pewter and brightening by the minute. Eying the precipitous rocky slope down to Arriba, he realized that the clouds smothering El Castillo were actuallybelowhim.

Oh, that’s not good.

They wouldn’t see the enemy coming until they were close enough to shoot. Studying the impenetrable mist, Jake pricked his ears for any telltale signs of an approaching force. All he heard was wind rattling the tall antenna behind him.

The minutes crept by. Hugging himself to keep warm, he watched the sky brighten by degrees, turning from pewter to violet blue, reflected by the little lake in the saddle behind him.All at once, the sun burst over the eastern horizon, a golden orb that buttered the layer of clouds below him, spreading as far as the eye could see.

This must be what heaven looks like.

Under any other circumstances, Jake would have relished the splendor of this sunrise, seen from the top of the world. But not right now, not today, not with Lena’s life hanging in the balance.Come on, God. Lena needs a doctor.

In the opaque veil below him, a shadow flickered. Jake tensed. Raising his M4, he focused on the spot where he’d seen something move, his gaze as sharp as a condor’s.

CRACK!

One of the JUNGLA had fired his weapon, prompting Jake to sprawl on his belly and then squirm backward so only his head poked over the ridge. The enemy was here.

He heard them before he saw them. But as they emerged from the mist, his optimism floundered. At least thirty men, maybe more, were swarming up the east face of the snowline. Taking a bead on the nearest one, Jake fired, and the rebel dropped.Please don’t be one of the kids.The remaining rebels scattered, taking cover behind stony outcrops.

Time slowed to a crawl. For the next hour, Jake and JUNGLA whittled away at the force below them. If the rebels had mortars, they didn’t use them. Jake and company clearly had the edge, but their ammo couldn’t last forever.

As if to manifest Jake’s fears, David came running up to him. “Are there any more clips for thepistola? The captainhas run out.”

Jake patted down his vest, found a mag he had overlooked earlier, and passed it to David, who bounded away, taking it to Fernando.

Silence fell over the summit, broken only by gusts of wind that kicked up snow, concealing the movements of the FARC,who were probably discussing the strategy to flank them. Into the tense stalemate came the distinct throbbing of the Sikorsky Seahawk’s twin turboshaft engine. Lifting his gaze from the snowline, Jake searched the brightening sky.Come on. Hurry!Lena needed antibiotics days ago.

There!He finally spotted her, a bird-sized speck growing larger by the second. Provided the FARC didnothave mortars, their departure was imminent.

Jake started backing down the ridge. “David.” Jake waved the young man up to him, even as he clambered down. “I’m going inside for Lena. Get word to the JUNGLA to fall back toward the lake. We should be out of here in twenty minutes. It’ll take the enemy longer than that to get up here, so we should be okay.”

As David nodded, Jake put a hand on his shoulder, gave it a grateful squeeze, then continued down the ridge, headed for the radio station.

When he swept into the small room, his heart dropped to see the priest kneeling next to Lena, whose eyes were still closed. “Is she?”‍—he couldn’t even say the word‍—“dead?”

“Not quite.”

Not quite?That wasn’t the reassurance Jake was looking for. His stomach pitched as he noted Lena’s blue lips. She wasn’t getting the oxygen she needed at this altitude. “Our transport’s coming. I need to take her outside now.”Just focus on the next step.

The priest got up wordlessly, backing away so Jake could scoop up Lena, blanket and all. As he reached the door, he glanced back at the priest. Sudden concern for that man’s welfare prompted him to say, “You should probably come with us, Father.”

“No, no.” Father Joshua’s determined smile conveyed confidence. “The Lord will protect me.”

Jake stared at him, hoping with all his heart that was true. “Better plug the transmitter back in once we leave so they don’t accuse you.”

“Yes, I will. Here, let me get the door for you.”

The Seahawk was close enough to make the stone walls hum. Jake held the missionary’s eyes as that man pushed the door open. “Thank you, Father. I’m sorry for the violence.”

A tight smile this time. “You didn’t start it. I pray God watches over you and your wife, now and always.”

The wordwifestayed with Jake as he bore Lena toward the lakeshore. The wind was whipping now, made worse by the rotor wash as the Seahawk floated thunderously into view and then began its treacherous descent.

Given thecrack, crack, crackin the distance, the enemy was firing at it. The helo’s M30 chain gun retaliated with arat-tat-tat-tat-tat!Jake watched with a held breath, not daring to look away, not even for a second, as the Sikorsky’s substantive frame rocked in the wind.

All at once, Jake could see the shooter in the helo’s open door. That looked like Harm! Recognition gave way to relief. He couldn’t have been too badly injured if he was back in action already.

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