Page 74 of Sweet Betrayal

Another surge of fighting followed during which they ran along the outskirts of the carpark toward a bombed-out building that looked like a large barn.

“Hannah, stay here and don’t move,” Tom said.

She looked up in alarm. “Where are you going?”

“Scout around,” he said. “We need to meet Abu-al-Rashid’s contact, the man who’s going to get us out of here.”

“In the army vehicle, you mean?” She remembered the original plan.

Jamal nodded. “We need to find him first. With the cell networks down, we have no way of contacting each other.”

That wasn’t good. Hannah sank down behind a pile of crates. Her legs felt like lead but she was sure it was just the adrenaline wearing off.

“You’re invisible here,” Tom told her. “But if you’re discovered, use your gun.”

Would she be able to? Could she shoot someone at close range?

He sensed her hesitation. “Before they shoot you,” he said.

“Okay,” she whispered.

The men disappeared out the back and she settled down to wait. Would they be long? Would they even find Abu-al-Rashid’s contact? What if they didn’t? What would they do then? They were behind enemy lines. Exposed.

A lump formed in her throat. Too many what ifs… too much uncertainty.

She wrapped her arms around herself and shut her eyes. Perhaps she could use the time to recharge her batteries, she hadn’t had much sleep last night. Waves of exhaustion flowed over her, and she was about to nod off when a rustling made her open her eyes.

She gasped. A soldier stood directly in front of her, pointing a gun at her head.

CHAPTER 30

Hannah stared at the gun in the soldier’s hand.

“Who are you?” he asked, his eyes dark and suspicious. He wore the dark green and brown fatigues of the Symanian Army.

“I’m trapped,” she said, thinking fast. “I need to get back to my family.”

If he thought she was a local woman, perhaps he wouldn’t report her to his commanding officer. There was also the chance he’d seen her photo or been briefed about her. She wasn’t sure how far Prince Hakeem had gone in his pursuit of her. With all the fighting on the front line, she couldn’t imagine a lowly foot soldier would know who she was.

He eyed her scarf that had fallen around her neck. She hurriedly pulled it up over her head and cast her face downwards. As she did so, she slid the gun under one of the crates, along with her shoulder bag.

“Get up.” He gestured with his weapon for her to stand.

She got to her feet. “Please… help me. I’m too scared to go outside with all the fighting.”

The soldier grunted. “Which part of the neighborhood are you from?”

“Al-Mahilyah” she replied, recalling one of the northern districts on the map. Thank goodness for her memory.

The soldier studied her face, then gave a curt nod. “Come with me.”

Thank God.

He holstered his weapon and gripped her arm to escort her out of the building. Unfortunately, her foot kicked the gun and it clunked as it hit the crate. He paused.

Crap.

She tried to move forward, but he held her still as he peered around her.

---