Target on the Mountain by Elizabeth Goddard (the chimp paradox .txt) 📕

“Don’t you dare try anything.” Rachel kept her weapon trained on the one remaining man. The man slowly nodded.

Rachel moved to Alex’s side. “We need to get out of here before Temple’s men realize we were bluffing about the sarin gas.”

“We can’t leave Liam here. They’ll kill him,” Alex said.

Rachel turned to the remaining man. “You, get him up.”

“I’ll help.” Alex grabbed Liam’s legs and the man took hold of his arms.

Rachel motioned to McNamara. “Get moving.”

Before they’d managed but a few steps, Michelle appeared out of the woods.

She pointed her gun straight at McNamara. “You, you deserve to die.” All of her anger and hurt was written on her face.

Rachel couldn’t let Michelle kill McNamara. They needed him and she would have to live with what she’d done for the rest of her life. “Drop the weapon, Michelle.” She zeroed the gun in on the woman. “If you kill him, you’ll be just as guilty as he is.”

“He and his buddies murdered my husband,” she said with tears in her eyes.

Rachel couldn’t believe it. “What are you talking about?”

“Shut your mouth,” McNamara raged.

“My husband was Robert Ludwick. You know him as the Chemist. He created the recipe for the sarin gas Temple used. Temple and his men promised to pay him for the recipe and his client list. Instead, they killed him and forced me to work for them.”

Now it made sense why Michelle had helped them.

“This one, he shot my husband in front of me.” She waved the gun at McNamara. “He deserves to die.”

Rachel took a step closer. “You’re right, he deserves to pay for what he did to your husband, but don’t let him destroy you in the process. He’s not worth it. You still have a chance at a life, Michelle. Don’t throw that away for him. It’s too precious.”

Tears spilled from Michelle’s eyes and she sobbed, her heart breaking. Slowly, she lowered the weapon.

Rachel went over and put her arm around her. “It’s going to be okay. We’ll make sure they all pay for what they’ve done...thanks to you.”

Michelle finally managed a smile as she brushed away her tears. “Promise me?”

Rachel gladly gave that promise.

“Ladies, we need to get out of here now. We don’t know where the rest of Temple’s goons are.” Alex motioned to McNamara to get moving.

With Michelle guarding McNamara, the man in front of Alex took hold of Liam once more.

As they headed through the woods at a slow pace, Rachel kept a close eye behind them to make sure no one was coming after them. Thanks to God, they now had breathing room.

“I’m sorry about your husband,” she told Michelle. “I lost mine, too.”

Michelle looked at her in shock. “You did? I’m so sorry. I know how difficult it is, losing someone you love.”

It had been. She’d loved Brian so much and she was grateful for the time they had together. But part of her heart had always belonged to Alex. He’d been her first love. They’d shared so much together. Like it or not, their pasts were forever linked to each other.

Rachel so wanted to live long enough to find out what the future held for them. Yet she couldn’t shake the feeling that Alex was a career agent. It was his calling and he was good at it. She couldn’t ask him to leave again and she couldn’t live that type of life. She was done with the shadow games. She needed to live in the light. Would he surprise her and walk away from the CIA? Or would he break her heart again when he left for the next mission? She didn’t think she could bear going through that much pain again, but somehow she would manage for him. Because she wouldn’t keep him from doing what he needed to do.

A noise in the distance captured his attention. It sounded like...choppers. More than one! Jase was here.

Rachel heard it, as well. “Is that...?”

His smile broadened. “It’s my team. Rachel, it’s almost over.” He lowered Liam’s legs to the ground. The man did the same. “Keep an eye on the both of them for me, Michelle.”

“It will be my pleasure.” Michelle moved closer to McNamara while keeping the second man in her sights. Alex glanced over at the raging inferno that had once been the ranger station. “They won’t have any way to know we’re still here. We have to find a way to get their attention.” He remembered the flare gun he’d taken from the station before it collapsed around him. He pulled it out of his pocket. “The station was equipped with this. Once they get closer, we can shoot it off to let them know we’re still down here.”

Rachel hugged him close and he was so thankful that he’d thought ahead enough to grab the flare gun.

Alex spotted the two Scorpion choppers rising over the mountain edge. He’d been through some terrifying moments while on a mission, yet never had there been a more welcome sight in his opinion. The first chopper hovered above the burning remains while the second one hung back.

Alex aimed the flare gun away from the fire and shot the flare into the air.

The first chopper moved away from the fire and lingered near where they’d seen the flare. Alex left the cover of the trees and began waving frantically. Rachel followed him and did the same.

He could see his friend Aaron Foster at the helm of the chopper. Aaron banked to the left, looking for a place to land.

“They’ve seen us. They’re landing.” He hugged Rachel close once more. He was so happy. They’d survived the nightmare. They weren’t alone anymore.

Aaron found a landing spot and brought the chopper slowly to the ground; the dust debris it kicked up had them shielding their eyes against the blast.

Once the first chopper was on the ground, the second found a landing spot a little ways down the mountainside.

With Rachel tucked against his side, Alex hurried toward Aaron’s chopper. The