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

she could get the words out, Alex heard what she did. He pulled her close and whispered, “We need to get out of sight.” He glanced around the area. “Over there. A small opening in the mountain. It might be enough to keep us out of their view.”

They hurried over to the entrance, looking into what appeared to be a pitch-black gap in the side of the mountain.

“I don’t think it’s a cave as much as a small crevice,” Alex said in a low voice before they stepped inside. He took out his phone and shone the light into the five-foot-deep mountain flaw. “It’s not much. If they’re paying attention, we’ll be sitting ducks. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen. Here, get on the other side of me.” He tugged her deeper into the crevice and as far away from the entrance as possible.

Rachel could feel her heart echoing in her ears. She glanced up and saw Alex watching her. He was probably wondering if she was up to the task at hand.

“Do you think we hid the four-wheeler well enough?” She whispered her concern aloud. If the men spotted the machine, they’d know someone else was up here. If they were deliberately searching for them, then she and Alex wouldn’t stand a chance.

“Unless they’re really looking, it’ll be fine. The camo paint on the machine will help it blend.”

She said a prayer in her head as outside, multiple rocks dislodged and rolled down the path. Someone was close. It took everything inside her not to react.

Alex drew her close. She held her breath. More footsteps followed, too many to count. It sounded as if they’d stopped just outside the crevice.

Rachel remembered that they’d forgotten to cover their footsteps. Would the men look down and spot them? If so, they’d know they were right under their noses.

Outside, a cell phone rang. A man answered it. “Yeah.” He sounded less than thrilled.

Alex held her closer and she hugged him tight.

“There’s no sign of them here. The noise could have been coming from the adjoining cattle ranch. We’re heading back your way again,” the man said in a sharp tone.

Rachel waited until the men had moved away and it was quiet outside, then she let go of the breath she’d held on to. “They didn’t see the four-wheeler, but that was close.”

“I counted at least five sets of footsteps.” Alex glanced down at her in the darkness. She could almost feel his tension. “I don’t understand what’s going on here, but I sure hope we find Liam and get some answers soon.”

“Me, too. Do you think it’s safe to get out?”

“Let me take a quick look around first. Wait here.” He slowly slipped out and she felt his absence completely in the oppressing darkness.

Her pulse hammered every single second Alex was gone. When he returned, she resisted the urge to hug him again.

“It looks as if they’re heading back toward Plume Mountain, probably to your husband’s place. I’m hoping the rest of them are still there.”

Rachel followed him out again and stared up at the mountain, which was partially hidden by cloud coverage. A chill sped up her spine.

Where are you, Liam?

In the past, she and her brother always had a special connection. She could almost sense his presence in her heart. Rachel didn’t feel him now. She was terrified they were already too late.

“It’ll be dark soon. We need to find a place to get out of the elements. We’re almost to Midnight Valley. We can camp there and head out again in the morning,” Alex told her after they’d been hiking for hours. He felt the exhaustion of the miles they’d covered, fueled by his fear for Liam’s safety, catching up with him.

Rachel appeared ready to drop, as well. His heart went out to her. He loved Liam like a brother, but Liam was her flesh and blood. She probably hadn’t gotten any sleep since Liam’s disappearance.

They reached the top of the peak that looked down on Midnight Valley. The moon had slipped from its cloud coverage and made an appearance for the first time. He could see Midnight Lake in the middle of the valley below them.

Alex lifted up a prayer of thanks for their safe passage so far. They’d battled rough terrain and fear all the way to this point.

Rachel stopped next to him and their gazes held. Alex found himself unable to look away. Even worn-out and disheveled, she was lovely. An old memory from the past resurfaced. The three of them had been chasing an arms dealer for months near Kabul. They’d finally tracked the man’s location to a mountainous region in Afghanistan. Alex remembered the area had reminded him of this place. The air had been crackling with electrical tension back then. It was the first time Rachel mentioned leaving the Agency. He’d seen her fear. Realized the toll the job had taken on her. At the time, he couldn’t fathom walking away. Now, after being with the specialized CIA Scorpion team for several years, he understood. The team was close and they were doing good things. It wasn’t about the high for him anymore. Even so, there were times when he could almost imagine himself back here living in the small town of Midnight Mountain again.

Unexpectedly, he took her hand, and she froze briefly before turning to him. Her blue eyes were huge pools in the moonlight. The unasked questions were all there, and he couldn’t bring himself to answer a single one of them.

Through the years, there hadn’t been a day that had gone by where he hadn’t regretted letting her go. Now, he realized it was too late for them. He’d lost her for good. They weren’t the same people they once were.

He squeezed her hand and then let her go and cleared away the regret from his throat. “We’d best keep going. We’re going to need to make a fire to stay warm. It’s getting colder by the minute.”

Something bordering disappointment