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

thoughts churned in a dozen different directions, he struggled to recall how many men there were in total.

If he was remembering correctly, it had to be more than twelve all together, which meant they were grossly outnumbered. With their hands restrained in front of him, there was no way they could take them all on, yet they desperately needed to draw the men’s attention away from the cabin and Deacon.

The door opened once more and McNamara and the other men returned. “Just go along with them for now,” he mouthed to Rachel. They needed to see what McNamara had up his sleeve. He prayed they weren’t making a huge mistake by not making one final stand.

McNamara didn’t waste time. He strode up to Rachel, his anger evident in each step. “Time’s up. Where is he?”

She squared her shoulders and didn’t answer, fueling McNamara’s rage.

“If you don’t want to go to prison yourself, I suggest you start talking. Where is your brother?” he demanded, his face flushed with anger.

As a trained agent, Rachel knew not to react to his anger. “I don’t know where Liam is. He didn’t tell me where he was going.”

McNamara clearly didn’t believe her. “Don’t give me that. You’re lying. I know Carlson visited you. He told you something. What was it?”

Alex could see Rachel struggling to come up with a believable answer. He had to help her. “I’m Liam’s friend. He never mentioned anything to me about where he was going, either. What you’re accusing him of is preposterous. Liam would never betray his country.”

McNamara gave him the once-over. For a moment, it was almost as if he recognized Alex, yet Alex was positive they’d never met before.

Still, McNamara’s interest was now on him. “Then why are you here, if your friend did nothing wrong?”

“I’m here to help Rachel look for her brother,” he told the man. “She hasn’t spoken to Liam in over a week. She was worried.”

McNamara’s gaze narrowed as he continued to stare at Alex. “You’re from here then?”

Alex hesitated before answering. “Yes, originally.”

“Then perhaps I should be asking you where your friend is hiding. It would be better for him if he comes in peacefully. If we have to hunt him down it could turn...deadly.”

The threat was clear. Before Alex could answer, a noise from where Deacon was hidden took McNamara’s attention from him.

He stared at the bed. “What was that noise?”

Alex had to think fast. He couldn’t let them examine the bed. “Wait, I think I may know where he is.” He turned to Rachel. “You remember that one place where we used to hunt up here as kids?”

He watched her struggle to grasp the meaning of what he was trying to tell her. They’d hunted deer since they were kids, but only a couple of times up this way. Alex remembered the one time when they’d tracked some deer up to a particular spot.

It wasn’t much to run with, but if they could talk McNamara and his men into going there, they’d get them away from Deacon. Possibly find a way to overpower the men left behind.

“Oh, right,” Rachel said, as if it had finally dawned on her. “Liam loved that place. It would be the perfect place to hide, too. I can’t believe I didn’t think of it.”

McNamara’s interest riveted back to them. He’d forgotten all about the noise.

The man looked first at Rachel and then Alex as if smelling a trap. “You’d better not be trying anything or I’m telling you both, you won’t like the outcome.” The warning played uneasily through Alex’s thoughts.

“We’re not trying anything.” Rachel pulled off the story completely. “But you have to promise you won’t hurt my brother.”

McNamara snorted. “I can’t make that promise. Your brother will get what he deserves.”

“Then I’m not telling you the location.” She looked him straight in the eye.

McNamara stepped closer, once more trying to intimidate. “You are in no position to make demands as I see it.”

Rachel didn’t waver and eventually McNamara gave in. “All right, we’ll do our best to keep him safe. Now, tell me where he is.” Unfortunately, it was a hollow promise, given by a thug. Alex had little doubt that they’d kill them all once they had what they wanted.

“There’s an old lodge up here that used to be popular when we were kids. It’s been vacant for years now. It’s warm and there are plenty of places to hide out. I think he would go there.”

McNamara still wasn’t convinced she was telling the truth. “Then you’ll show us where it is.” He yanked her toward the door.

Without thinking, Alex went after him. “She told you what you wanted to know. Let her go.”

McNamara shoved him away. “You think I’m that naive? You two are planning to escape the minute we’re gone. She’s coming with me. That way I know you’ll be here when I get back. You’d better not be lying,” he barked at Rachel.

The man started for the door once more. Alex wasn’t about to let him leave with Rachel. He didn’t trust McNamara not to kill her. “Then I’m coming with you.”

McNamara turned, looking at Alex as if he’d lost his mind. “If you’re taking Rachel, you’re taking me, too.” Alex stood his ground. There was no way he was leaving Rachel at the mercy of these thugs.

NINE

“No, Alex.” Rachel’s gaze locked on Alex. She was terrified McNamara would shoot him right where he stood.

McNamara continued to glower at Alex while Rachel’s heartbeat hammered against her chest.

Please don’t kill him... A disjointed prayer sped through her mind. She wasn’t even sure what she was praying, only that she was certain God knew their needs and would protect them.

“Fine, you’ll come with us,” McNamara said in a deadly low tone. “But you’d best remember that you’re expendable. I wouldn’t suggest you try anything funny.” Rachel’s gaze clung to Alex. She would give anything to be able to understand the unspoken emotions simmering in his eyes right now. Would there