Page 8 of Prisoner of War
She heard a shout from far inside the forest. The machine gun fell silent. Nick was too low for the gun to sight him, now. The shout alerted Duardo, who looked over his shoulder.
He glanced at her and waved.
Minnie took off. She had no idea where the energy came from. Somewheredeep, she found the power and wind to run at a full sprint. She reached Duardo. “Keep going!” he shouted, letting her pass him.
He was protecting her back.
From the edge of the forest she heard more shouting. They were being pursued.
The helicopter touched down barely ten feet in front of her. The door flew open. Calli scrambled into the back, leaving the passenger seat open. Nick at the controls,watched Minnie, his face tight and emotionless. Calculating.
Minnie missed the step and scraped her shin against the door. White agony flared. She held in a sob and scrambled again, up into the seat.
“Down!” Nick roared.
Minnie threw herself across the front seat. There was no arguing with the command in his voice. She glanced over her shoulder. There were three men heading for Duardo as heran to the helicopter.
She was in the front seat and in his way. She had to make room for him. She got up, intending to climb over to the back like Calli.
“Minnie, no, stay down,” Nick said sharply.
A sharp noise, almost like a miniature thunderclap, sounded. Duardo gave a hard exhalation and the cabin shivered as he fell against it. Then the full weight of him landed on her back and legs.
He was heavy.
Nick let go of the controls, picked Minnie up around the waist and almost threw her into the back. She spun on the seat, alarm only just starting to filter through her adrenaline-clogged system.
Then Nick grabbed Duardo, a hand under each arm. He hauled him into the seat, then lunged and snagged the door and shut it.
“Stay down!” Nick roared.
Calli pulled her down. Minnie wasalready hunkered, though. The helicopter lifted and she could feel it moving, although she was more concerned with getting around the seats to check on Duardo. He was silent.
There was a sharpcrack!
Minnie identified it correctly—she was already learning how to catalogue warfare. It was the sound of a bullet breaking glass.
“Calli!” Nick said.
“What?”
“Pull off your T-shirt. Get it behindhim, put pressure on it. Hurry!”
An instant chill spread through Minnie from her head to her toes. “No! Duardo!” She pulled Calli aside and wriggled her upper body through the seats. Duardo was sprawled in the front seat, his chin on his chest. His eyes were closed. Minnie shook him. “Duardo...?” It was a choked whisper, the best she could manage. What to do? What to do? God, why didn’t she knowwhat to do?
Calli’s hands were on her waist, tugging at her. Minnie tried to resist. Her athletic cousin picked her up and slammed her against the back wall. Calli’s eyes were large, her face white. “I have to get to him,” she said. She pushed through the seats, leaning on the console in the middle, her legs still dangling in the back. She reached for Duardo.
Minnie lay stunned. Why didn’t sheknow what to do? Why couldn’t she help him? Why did everyone else around her have a role and know what was needed? She had never felt more afraid or more useless.
“No!” Calli shouted. “No!”
Nick dropped a hand onto Calli’s shoulder. “Let Minnie through.”
Minnie closed her eyes. She knew instinctively why Nick was saying that. There was nothing else Calli could do.
A wail, a childish cry ofprotest, built in her. She clamped down on it. If she could do nothing else here, she could at least maintain control until it was safe. Until Duardo no longer needed her.
Calli’s voice was muffled by the seat as she responded to Nick’s command that Minnie be let through. “No. I get the pad on, we get him somewhere where they can do something. Something more.”
