Page 71 of Sweet Betrayal

She took a deep breath, then dashed after Jamal, a fleeting, black-robed figure amongst the dust and debris.

Tom glanced up and swept the rooftops for the glint of a sniper’s rifle. The sun had risen now, drenching the rubble-strewn streets in a soft yellow hue. Hoping for the best, he ran after them.

It was dark inside the school. Long shadows stretched across the floor. Lots of hiding places. They moved quickly through it and out into a playground. The ground was pockmarked by explosions and pieces of the jungle gym hung at haphazard angles like broken limbs. A pair of swings were no more than burned rubber globules hanging off a chain. A metal pole was all that remained of a merry-go-round. It resembled a post-apocalyptic movie scene.

“That’s so sad,” Hannah said, as they ran across the yard to the fence on the other side.

Tom gave the gate a firm kick and it fell outwards onto the street. A woman ran past, dragging a grubby child by the hand,while a group of unarmed teenage youths ducked down behind a low wall, surveying the action.

They reached an intersection and ducked into a shop whose frontage had been torn off. The cave-like interior would offer protection from stray bullets. Tom glanced around. It was filled with rubble, wires, and broken shelving. All the merchandise had long since been looted.

“See that burned-out bus.” Jamal pointed across the road. “That’s where Abu-al-Rashid and his men are.”

Tom studied the ragtag group of freedom fighters, all armed with semi-automatic and automatic rifles, hunkering down behind the bus. They took it in turns to fire back at the government forces who’d surrounded the territory. This was their forward operating base, and their most dangerous position.

Ironically, the bus had a rainbow painted across it, still visible beneath the fire damage. There wasn’t much hope here, Tom thought grimly as a volley of shots pinged off the rusty bonnet.

“What are we doing?” Hannah stared up at him, wide eyed.

The sporadic gunfire was disconcerting, and the road was impossible to cross. The ground at their feet was littered with shell casings.

“I need to talk to Abu-al-Rashid.” Tom focused his narrowed gaze on the bus.

“You can’t!” She gasped, horrified. “You’ll be killed.”

“I’ll cover you,” Jamal offered, peering out into the street. “The shots are coming from the north.”

“Tom, no,” she pleaded. “It’s not worth your life.”

“I’ll be fine,” he told her tersely. “We need this. We need his help to get out.” He gave her hand a quick squeeze. “Wait here. Whatever happens, stay undercover. You got that.”

She nodded, biting her lip.

“Back soon.”

He nodded to Jamal, who leaned out of the shop, and opened fire. It was now or never. Tom crouched low and ran across the street.

CHAPTER 29

Hannah watched as Tom sprinted across the road to the rebel position. Her heart was pounding in her throat. She could barely breathe.

Please let him make it.

Jamal’s cover had worked, and Tom skidded to a halt behind the bus. He gave Jamal a thumbs up.

“My turn,” Jamal said. He waited until his team unleashed their firepower to the north, then followed Tom across the street.

Hannah had never known such bravery. She was frozen with fright. Her legs had turned to jelly, and she was leaning against a broken shelving unit in an attempt to stay upright.

Her ears were still ringing from the gunfire, and now the men were gone, she was completely alone.

She watched as Jamal introduced Tom to Abu-al-Rashid, and judging by the hand signals, was telling him about the fire and rescuing his nephew. Abu-al-Rashid embraced Tom, thanking him profusely. The rebel commander seemed like a decent man.

Tom, Jamal and Abu-al-Rashid talked for about twenty minutes, before Tom glanced up and pointed to her. Abu-al-Rashid turned and looked.

Should she wave? Perhaps not. She nodded in his direction, and he dropped his gaze and turned back to Tom.

There was another volley of gunfire from the north, and she ducked behind the counter, which was now strewn with plaster, dust, and flakes of paint. Still, it would protect her in case any stray bullets found their way into the shop.

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