Page 35 of The Spy

They moved the boat over to the shed, wrenched open the door and she jumped out into the water. It almost came up to her waist. But she pushed forward. A man slumped against his ropes, his face almost in the water was tied at the back.Lucan.“Help me!”

“We’ve found him!” She texted Barlow.

The others joined her and sliced through his ropes, pulling him out of the water and into their boat. He shuddered now and then but otherwise was completely non responsive.

They made their way toward the hospital but then she got a text from Barlow. “They are looking for you. Avoid public places, no hospitals.”

What? How could she possibly get him any help?

She looked all around her, a helpless panic rising in her chest, the men waiting for her orders.

Another boat approached, this one driven by an old man. He waved to her. As soon as he was near enough, he beckoned. “Come, I help.”

She searched his face, kindly, smile wrinkles, good eyes and then she nodded. She had no choice. “Secret.”

He nodded. “I help.”

They followed and he led her to a house up on slats, kept higher than the water. They helped pull Lucan up inside. And then she entered. When her eyes became accustomed to the dark lighting, six eyes peered back at her, mostly children.

“Well hello.”

Most of the eyes widened, but one little girl smiled. “Kamusta.”

“Hello. She mean, hello.” The kindly man patted the slatted floor for her to sit.

They had laid Lucan down and put a blanket on him.

“He need drink.” Anna mimed drinking.

One of the children produced a popular American soft drink. Anna had a whole new respect for the distribution powers of this company that she would find their product in such a place. Water would have been better, but she was unsure of the sanitary conditions so she popped open the lid and wet Lucan’s lips.

He licked them, so she added more, a trickle at a time into his mouth, until he took a small swallow, then another. He gulped down three more swallows. And his eyes fluttered open. “Coke?”

She laughed.

Then his eyes widened. “Sammy?” He tried to take in their surroundings.

“We’re safe.”

He laid back, and his eyes closed.

He would be ok.

The little girl put her hand on Anna’s arm and smiled.

Chapter 19

They cleaned up the mess in the Philippines, talked to the police, involved their international organization and then headed back to Spain. Lucan said he didn’t want to go home. He had business first in Spain.

She was just happy he was sticking around. After everything they had been through, she decided she’d much rather be in danger together than apart. She should have known that the first time she pulled away. At the time, the risk had seemed to great. But now she knew they were stronger together. But she didn’t know how he felt and worried any day he might wake up and say goodbye again.

He laced his fingers with hers. “We’re almost there.” The towering spires of the Sagrada Família rose up above Barcelona as their plane circled for a landing in the Madrid airport.

They drove into the palace, a line of her staff and military there to greet her. Lucan smiled to everyone, and they treated him like their king. Anna was happy to see it. Everything could be perfect in her world. She hoped it soon would be.

Barlow slipped a package into Lucan’s hands, but she let it slide without comment. They were ushered into the main dining hall where dinner was spread.

“I’m starving.” Lucan smiled. He held a chair for her. “I feel like I haven’t eaten in weeks.”

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