Page 99 of Hidden Trial

“If they’re spread out, it shouldn’t be too difficult to take them all out—You said this is where you climbed the fence?” Peter stepped back to take in the wall more thoroughly.

“Yeah. This is the spot.”

“I mean, even if you’re good, that’s an amazing feat.”

“Yeah. I’d call it miraculous.”

“After what you said to Maddy, I wondered if you were a God-fearing man.”

“Less these days than I used to be, but after what’s happened, I’m reminded how much I need Him. We can’t do this without Him.”

“I agree. It makes a difference knowing we’re both relying on Him to get through this.”

“Is that why you’re here? Because of God?”

“I hadn’t been sleeping. I thought it was because of my wife’s illness, but my mind kept drifting to a group I’d worked with a while ago. Maddy was one of them. I remember the pain she carried, and I knew God was calling out to her back then, but her heart was too hard. I couldn’t get her off my mind and thought I’d better check up on her, even if she wouldn’t like seeing me. Then I found out she was in the hospital, and I thought it was that. But now, I see there’s a lot more going on. I know God’s using it to call her to Him again. I just hope she listens this time.”

“I forget that.”

“What?”

“That God knows stuff is going to happen before we do. He was prepared for this, even if we were taken by surprise.”

Peter put a hand on Will’s shoulder. “God’s with us. I don’t know what the outcome will be, but He’s here.”

“I know. And it’s a good thing because I can’t be sure what we’ll find on the other side of that wall.” Will pulled the grappling hook from the bag. “They might see us on the way over, so we’ll have to be ready to take out who we can if we’re going to remain undetected.”

“Any idea where he’s holding Charlotte?”

“No. If we take Antonio alive, we can ask him. But I’d assume he’s keeping her in one of the rooms. If we have to search every one, we will.”

“Sounds easy enough,” Peter said.

“Yeah, sure. These missions are always as easy as they sound.”

Peter smirked. “Yeah.”

“By the way, I never did ask. I’m assuming the training you’ve talked about is military related, and you have a great deal of experience in this sort of thing?”

“I used to be in special forces. That’s where I met my wife.”

“She trained with you?”

“No. I saved her life. She was being held captive.”

“Wow. Nice way to start a relationship.”

“We couldn’t stand each other at the time. But do me a favor. If you ever meet her, don’t tell her I said that I saved her. She is adamant she was the one who did the saving.”

“Sounds like a story I’d like to hear.”

“Maybe one day. But you’ll be pleased to know I’ve done numerous missions not unlike this one.”

“Good.”

“You ready?”

In response, Will pulled the last of the climbing equipment from the bag and prepared to scale the wall.

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