Page 41 of Protecting Her

The passage ended at a maintenance shaft that rose toward street level. Old metal rungs created a ladder up the shaft's wall, each one tested during previous security sweeps. Jude went first, climbing slowly to minimize noise while keeping her weapon ready.

Cool air brushed her face as she neared the top. The shaft's cover had been prepared days ago: hinges oiled, edges cleaned, and every detail arranged to allow a silent exit. She eased it open just enough to scan their surroundings.

Dawn painted Bogotá's streets in dewy, golden light. The extraction point waited exactly where planned: an abandoned market two blocks east, where Sarah would have their vehicle ready. No sign of Chen's teams; they were still focused on the main tunnel exits.

Jude helped Carmen climb up the last few rungs, both of them emerging into early morning light that felt impossibly bright after the tunnel's darkness. They sealed the shaft behind them, leaving no trace of their passage.

"Clear," Sarah's voice whispered through their emergency radio, the first friendly contact since the safe house fell. "Vehicle is ready at the secondary location. No pursuit visible."

They moved through streets like the other early morning travelers. Carmen had changed into civilian clothes before they had entered the tunnel—a detail that proved essential now. Jude had stripped her tactical vest and weapons into a backpack and replaced them with a casual sweatshirt and baseball cap. They both had on sunglasses. No one looked twice at what appeared to be a professional woman and her companion walking together at dawn.

The market's walls rose ahead, weathered stone that was shining with rose-gold light by the sunrise. Sarah waited in adelivery van, engine already running. They climbed in smoothly, and the vehicle merged with morning traffic before anyone could register their presence.

"Teams One through Four are still covering all the main exits," Sarah reported as she drove. "Chen's got them convinced you're trapped in the tunnel system. Backup units are being called in to sweep the entire network."

Carmen's hand found Jude's in the van's shadows, their fingers twining together with familiar warmth. The contact grounded them both. A reminder that they'd just survived the worse odds together.

"Let them search," Carmen said softly. "By the time they realize their mistake, we'll have the evidence secured and transmitted to every major news outlet in South America."

Jude squeezed her hand gently, understanding the deeper implications. They hadn't just escaped with their lives. They'd survived with the proof needed to expose everything: corporate corruption, military contractors acting as mercenaries, and the systematic destruction of indigenous communities.

The sun climbed higher as Sarah drove them toward a new secure fallback location. Through the van's windows, Bogotá slowly woke to what seemed like an ordinary morning. But nothing would be ordinary after today.

They'd survived betrayal and violence, found strength in each other, and forged a path forward that no one had expected. Now they just had to make sure their truth reached the people who needed it most.

Dawn's light caught Carmen's hair, making it shine like starlight. Jude watched her in the growing brightness, memorizing how she looked in this moment of hard-won victory. They'd fought their way through darkness together.

Now it was time to step into the light.

The secondary safe house that Sarah brought them to occupied the top floor of an unassuming apartment building in Bogotá's diplomatic quarter. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered clear sight lines in all directions, while sophisticated security systems monitored every approach. Perfect for their needs, yet unremarkable enough to avoid unwanted attention.

Jude completed her security sweep with practiced efficiency, each room presenting fresh proof of Sarah's careful preparation. Surveillance feeds showed quiet streets below. No signs of pursuit, no suspicious vehicles, no indication that anyone had connected this location to their escape.

"Chen's teams are still searching the tunnel network," Kate reported through their newly established secure line. "Local police have been called in to help sweep the entire system. No one's looking in this direction."

Relief crept through Jude's muscles as adrenaline began to fade. Her body started calculating the morning's cost: bruises from close combat, strained muscles from the tunnel climb, and small cuts from broken glass in the wine cellar. Each pain carried memories of their fight for survival.

She found Carmen in the main room, silhouetted against windows that faced the rising sun. She'd shedded her dust-covered jacket, and morning light caught the silk of her blouse in ways that made Jude's breath catch. Even after everything, she maintained that quiet elegance that had first captivated Jude's attention in Washington.

"The files are transmitting," Carmen said without turning. Her voice carried the same steady strength that had guided peace negotiations through war zones. "Every major news outlet in South America will have proof of corporate corruption within the hour. Maria Elena's people will finally have justice."

Jude moved closer, drawn by gravity she'd stopped fighting. "Your diplomatic career?—"

"Was always meant to serve justice." Now Carmen turned, and Jude saw the certainty in her eyes. "Even if it costs me everything professionally, exposing the truth makes it worth any price."

The morning light glinted off Carmen’s beautiful face as she closed the distance between them. Her fingers traced the fresh bruise on Jude's jaw, the touch impossibly gentle against Jude’s combat-roughened skin.

"You're hurt," Carmen murmured.

"It’s nothing serious." Jude caught her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm. "Though I'm pretty sure that vintage wine you threw was worth more than my yearly salary."

Carmen's laugh held equal parts relief and lingering tension. "I'll expense it as a security necessity." Her expression softened. "You saved my life. Again."

"We saved each other." Jude drew her closer, needing to feel her warmth and reassure herself that they'd both survived. "I couldn't have made it through that tunnel without your trust. Your strength."

"Trust goes both ways." Carmen's free hand came up to trace the shape of the cut on Jude's cheek—the one from the assassination attempt that felt like years ago instead of days. "You let me fight beside you instead of just trying to protect me. That means more than any security protocol."

The space between them disappeared as Carmen leaned in, her lips brushing Jude's with exquisite tenderness. The kiss tasted of adrenaline and victory and promises they'd both almost died to keep. Jude pulled her closer, deepening the contact until they were breathing the same air.

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