Page 5 of Lethal Pursuit

Khalid nodded. “Have the men stock everything in the caves, quickly. I don’t want anything to be visible from the outside.”

“Of course, Khalid-jan.”

Khalid smiled fondly at the boy, feeling almost fatherly. Mohammed was his most trusted soldier, teenager or not. Khalid had done everything he could to protect him over the past few months, teaching him to survive, and to kill. He set a hand on Mohammed’s shoulder, patted it. “You’re ready.”

The praise turned the tops of Mohammed’s cheeks red. “Thank you.”

Letting his hand drop, he gazed up into the clear blue sky, filled with renewed energy. “No, Mohammed, thank Allah.” For it was by His grace that Khalid would slay the demons from his past and embrace the future bright with purpose and possibility.

* * *

MAYA OPENED THEgym door and stepped out into the cool air, chugging a bottle of water on her way back across the base. Today’s workout had been especially intense, but she’d needed the release despite her sore right hand and other bumps and bruises. Her quads felt weak and her abs were still on fire, and she freaking loved it. With her self-inflicted torture done, she now had her weekly Friday morning date to keep.

Her little friend, Fila, was waiting for her in their usual meeting place. Maya smiled and raised a hand in greeting when she saw the eleven-year-old girl at the fence. Fila waved back, shifting a young child about three or so on her hip whom Maya had never seen before. “Salam alekum,” Maya called out.

“Alekum salam,” Fila answered softly, a shy smile on her young face. The boy on her hip clung to her, regarding Maya with suspicion in his teary eyes. His little cheeks were flushed an unnatural shade ofred.

Something was wrong. “Is he sick?” She pointed at him then put a hand on her own forehead and stomach, made a sickly face.

Fila nodded. “Brother.”

She’d brought him here for treatment, Maya realized. Fila had walked miles and miles from her isolated village, carrying her brother here in the hopes that Maya would help. Her family, as usual, was nowhere to be seen. Maya wasn’t about to abandon these children too. She gestured with her arm for Fila to follow her around the fence’s perimeter. “Come on.”

At the gate she spoke to the guards and received permission to bring Fila inside. The Friday market always made everyone on base a little edgy, especially since that rocket attack back in November that had killed several service members and wounded a dozen more. Security had tightened considerably since then, and procedures for the market had changed.

Fila followed her inside the base. Maya flagged down a passing vehicle to hitch a ride so her little friend wouldn’t have to walk across base after her long journey. Fila hesitated, her gaze uncertain. Had she never been in a vehicle before, or was it the soldiers inside it who made her nervous?

“Come on,” Maya said again, giving her a reassuring smile. “It’s okay.” She waited until Fila climbed inside the vehicle before sliding in next to her. Her brother sat perched on her lap, his flushed, chubby cheek nestled into the curve of Fila’s neck. “What is his name?” she asked slowly.

“Salar.”

Maya shifted her gaze to the boy. “Salam, Salar.”

His glassy eyes focused on her, his expression guarded. Maya understood too well what it felt like to be at the mercy of others. Even those who were supposed to take care of you. These children had more reason than most not to trust people. She’d make sure no one here abused that trust.

The driver stopped at the hospital to let them out. Maya led Fila inside and spoke to a few of the staff. A few minutes later Maya’s other roommate, Erin, appeared with a clipboard, her brown hair twisted into a bun.

“Hey, who have we got here?” she asked, aiming a gentle smile at the children.

“This is my friend, Fila, and her little brother, Salar. He’s not feeling very well, are you, buddy?”

He didn’t respond, but his lethargy said it all.

Erin made a quick note on her paper. “Come with me so we can get them set up in an exam room, and I’ll have a doctor come by as soon as possible.”

Maya ushered them into a room after Erin and shut the door. Both children gazed around the room with wide eyes, their anxiety palpable. “It’s okay,” Maya said again, this time catching Fila’s gaze. The girl seemed to relax a fraction. “Her English is about as good as my Dari, so this should be interesting. Don’t suppose you’ve got an interpreter on staff?”

“No,” Erin replied, pulling her stethoscope from around her neck and offering it to Salar so he could examine it, “but the doctor I have in mind has a pretty good handle on Dari.” She showed Salar and Fila how the stethoscope worked, even allowing them to place the earbuds in their ears and listen to Erin’s heartbeat.

When they smiled and seemed to be enjoying themselves, Erin gestured for Fila to raise her brother’s shirt. His little tummy was distended and looked hard. With him nestled on Fila’s lap, Erin did a quick exam, taking the basic vitals and finally coaxing the little boy to accept a thermometer under his armpit. After writing all the information on a chart, she spoke to Maya. “He’s got a pretty good fever going. I’ll get the doctor to come as soon as he can.”

“Okay, thanks.” While they waited, Maya used hand gestures and her limited Dari to entertain the children. Salar began to warm up to her slowly, even offering a toothy grin once or twice. The doctor arrived a few minutes later. His easy smile and basic grasp of Dari seemed to reassure Fila enough to allow him to take Salar and place him on the exam table. After another thorough assessment and some questions to Fila, the doctor glanced over at Maya.

“I’m going to need some blood and urine samples.”

That should be fun. “Why, is it serious?”

“Not if he gets the right treatment, but I want to rule a few other things out first just to be sure.”

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