Page 2 of Chasing the Past

Once they reached the bottom and strode outside, Gavin grabbed his arm. “I have an idea. Give me a second.” He pulled out his phone.

“What are you doing?” They didn’t have time to waste.

“Hang on. All cell phones have the capability of being traced.” Gavin smiled his way. “Carter with the CIA told me how to do it.” He brought up a screen. “You said Sashi was worried after that last trip to treat the Taliban leader’s child correct? Maybe she was called out again.”

Sashi told him that while treating the child the leader had stepped away to speak with someone that appeared familiar. Sashi believed it was the same man who was following her.

Gavin pointed to the screen. “Here it is.”

Eli glanced at the location and looked over Gavin’s shoulder. “That’s coming from a few blocks over. She’s in trouble.”

“You don’t know that for sure.”

But Eli did. “We have to find her.”

Gavin checked his watch. “I’ll call the team and let them know to hold the chopper. They can’t hold it long.”

While Gavin made the call, Eli got behind the wheel and drove toward the location where several businesses were housed.

As he turned onto the street, the road was blocked by destroyed vehicles. Eli braked hard. “We’ll have to walk.” He got out with Gavin scrambling after him. The building in question was straight ahead on their right.

“I see her.” Eli spotted Sashi with a man. The person held onto her arm tightly, his stance appeared threatening. That had to be the man who had been following her. “Sashi!” he called out.

Sashi turned at the sound of his voice. “Eli, help me!”

The man jerked around. From the streetlights, Eli could make out his face. Dark hair and eyes. He had a beard that covered the bottom half of his face. He also had a gun.

“Weapon! Get down,” Gavin yelled.

“Let her go.” Eli ignored Gavin’s request and retrieved his weapon, pointing it at the man. “Now.”

The stranger immediately opened fire, forcing both Eli and Gavin to take cover behind a blackened shell of a car. When the firing stopped, Eli jumped to his feet in time to see the man push Sashi inside one of the buildings and go in after her.

“He’s getting away.”

He and Gavin ran toward the building. While they were still some distance away, the building exploded before them in a fireball that shot up into the sky.

Eli hit the sidewalk hard. Gavin landed inches away.

Eli watched in horror as flames licked out from inside the destroyed building.

“No!” he screamed and scrambled to his feet. He started for the inflamed building. Gavin grabbed him and held him back.

“Let me go. I have to help her.”

Gavin didn’t loosen his hold. “She’s gone, Eli. There’s no way anyone inside survived.”

“You don’t know that.” Tears filled his eyes as he couldn’t accept the truth. “You don’t know.”

Gavin pulled him back toward the car. “I do. She’s gone, Eli. Sashi’s gone.”

Gone. No. He couldn’t accept it. She couldn’t be gone. A few hours earlier, the future had seemed so promising.

Gavin dumped him in the passenger seat and drove toward the meet location. “I’m sorry, Eli. Really sorry.”

Eli glanced out the side window, his vision blurred by tears. Sorry. Such a simple word that held no real comfort for someone whose entire world had crumbled around him. He hadn’t meant to fall in love with Sashi. He’d told himself every single one of the warnings Gavin had given. And yet, the heart wanted what the heart wanted, and he’d planned to ask her to marry him as soon as they were safely out of Afghanistan . . . only he was too late.

The chopper was waiting for them when they arrived. He and Gavin were the last to embark.

---