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

couldn’t hide. “If these men came out of hiding, it has to be for something big.”

He was right. There was no way they’d risk being captured unless they were desperate. “I wonder how Michelle fits into all of this.”

“I have no idea. I couldn’t get a good read off her.” He shook his head. “At least we have help on the way. The sooner we get Deacon out of here, the better, though. I’ll go see if I can get that truck running before Temple and the rest of his thugs catch up with us.”

He turned to leave, but she caught his arm. She wasn’t ready to answer the questions she saw in his eyes just yet. “Please be careful,” she said in a whisper of a voice.

“I will.” The hint of a smile was filled with sadness. He’d expected more. She wished she could give it to him. After she was alone, regret crawled into every fiber of her being. Alex wasn’t the same person he’d been earlier and that was easy to see. But was there a chance for them? She couldn’t let herself go there. She’d lost her heart to him once. She couldn’t afford to do so again.

Rachel checked on Deacon once more. He seemed to be resting somewhat more comfortably. It was still hours before daylight. If Alex could get the truck running, they might be able to leave the area before sunrise, which would give them a better chance at escaping the men chasing them.

“Where are you, Liam?” she whispered into the cold air, but her only answer was the mutterings of the injured man close by.

Rachel went over to the window behind the cabin and glanced out at the darkness. She could see Alex’s flashlight beam as he worked to bring the truck to life.

Where were the men? Had they actually bought their decoy? As much as she wanted to believe, she didn’t. These men had survived for years without detection. They were highly trained agents just like she and Alex. They would think in the same way. They’d keep coming until they found them.

“Liam! Get down!” Deacon called out in a panic. Rachel whirled from the window. Deacon knew about her brother!

She was still trying to make sense of it when Alex came back inside.

“It won’t make it far, but I think we can get down the mountain in it if we’re careful...” He stopped when he got a good look at her shocked expression. “What happened?”

“Deacon just mentioned Liam by name.” She told him what Deacon had said. “Alex, what if Deacon is Liam’s asset?”

Alex stared at the unconscious man. “I guess it’s possible. But why was Deacon working with Liam?”

Rachel shook her head. “I wish I knew. Do you know what type of work Deacon was doing recently?” If Alex knew what he was working on, maybe they could figure out why Liam had asked to meet with Deacon.

“It’s been a while since I worked with him. But I do know that Deacon was responsible for bringing down some major players in the terrorism game.”

Maybe Deacon had information about the agents or the Chemist or... She had never felt so frustrated before. It was like trying to fit together a puzzle with half the pieces missing.

Alex came over to her and tipped her chin so that she looked into his eyes. “We’ll never figure it out without Deacon’s or Liam’s help. But we will figure it out. Liam’s a survivor. He’s been in far worse circumstances than this.”

She wanted to believe that. “If he brought Deacon down here, why wouldn’t he hike out on foot to get help?”

Alex shook his head. “I don’t know. But right now we need to concentrate on saving Deacon’s life.”

As worried as she was about Liam, Deacon needed their help immediately.

“I’ll bring the truck around and then we can get him into the back seat where he can lie down.”

Alex still held her, searching her face. She struggled to bring enough air into her lungs. With another intense look, he let her go and went to get the truck. She was grateful to be left alone because she so needed to control her racing pulse. Alex had a way of getting to her like no one else. She’d loved him so much. Part of her heart would always belong to him, but she needed to keep her focus on helping Deacon and saving Liam. If her thoughts wandered back to the past it wouldn’t benefit anyone.

As hard as she tried, Rachel still couldn’t settle in her mind why Liam had brought Deacon all the way here and then left him. Something must have forced Liam to leave in a hurry.

Before she could try to bring her chaotic thoughts together, the noise of gunfire coming from the woods nearby exploded all around. Rachel grabbed her weapon and hurried to the front of the cabin where the shots seemed to have originated. Her hand had barely touched the door handle when it flew open and Alex rushed inside and slammed the door closed.

The fear she saw in his eyes scared her. “What’s happening out there?”

“They’ve found us. We have to get out before they surround the cabin and have us trapped inside...” He stopped for a second before adding, “I don’t think it’s wise to take Deacon with us under these conditions. The hectic pace would be too much for him.”

They’d have to leave Deacon behind. But if those men found him here, they’d finish what they started and kill him.

Rachel hurried over to the injured man. “What should we do? What if they search the cabin? They’ll kill him.”

There was really only one option. “We’ll cover him with the bed again. I have an extra jacket. Hopefully, between the two, he can stay warm enough until Jase’s team arrives. If we can successfully lead them away from here, he should be safe enough.”

Alex put his extra jacket over Deacon and tried to make him as