Murphy's Law
I skid to a stop and jump behind a tree, peeking around it at the trail where the children had been led into the house of Al-Fadhil. I reach passed the vest I wore and grip the handguns secured at my sides, right beneath my arms. I pull them out and flick off the safety of each with my thumbs, raising the barrels towards the sky.
I sidestep the tree and crouch slightly, running out from my cover. I run straight towards the building ahead of me and throw my back to a wall behind a group of crates. I start to stand up straight, but hit the ground again when I see guards coming my way.
(Hurry up!) "Apúrate!" The group of guards rush passed me, one after the other as I try to slink further into the dirt. I hear their knives and guns clinking at their sides with each step, slowly fading away, " Muévete! Muévete!" (Move! Move!)
I release the breath I was holding and close my eyes tightly, trying to slow my racing heart as the footsteps disappear. I stand up from the ground and look down the little alley I had found myself in. I move closer to the end of the alley and look left, spotting a section of thick landscaping before a small shed.
I make sure my way is clear, take a deep breath, and then run as fast as I can. I keep myself crouched as I run straight to the landscaping. I quickly hide behind a large palo santo tree and lie my back tightly against it.
"Rhos? Hello? Can you hear me?" A voice calls in my ear, making me jump slightly till I remember I have an ear piece in still, "Rhoswen? You there? Hello?"
"Jensen, cork it so I can say yes." I snap back as I hear the humming of an engine racing and branches of trees as they snap in my ear, "What the heck is all that background noise?"
"The Humvee. Our new mission is save the kids and then the pretty blonde who jumps off cliffs all while escaping an aerial strike that is about to hit and destroy everything within a three mile radius." Jensen's voice returns with a small laugh in it. I shake my head and holster my guns. I place my palms flat against the tree behind me and peek around it at Al-Fadhil's house.
"How heroic." I whisper back sarcastically and then lie my back against the tree again, "How did you get my frequency?"
"Easy! I'm Jensen. Communication and Technology Extraordinaire!"
"You really are good." I speak softly, peeking around the other side of the tree now to watch guards come out from the house. Several of them yell while others run to their newly designated posts, obviously having the boys in sight now.
"I am? I mean of course I am!"
I hear the disbelief and also excitement in his voice. He reminded me of a child himself in some aspects. It was a nice break from all the destruction and horror in the world around me, but only a little break; very little.
"Yeah, you are. You're making me jealous." I admit and lean back against the tree, "You'd have to be to work with Clay. Only the best of the best in his squads. That makes me really jealous."
"Really now...you know he always said you-"
"Jensen! Is that her!"
"Yeah, I tapped into her line. I've been- Hey!"
"Rhoswen, where the hell are you!" Clay's voice screeches in my ear, making me wince a little. I shake my head and then close my eyes, trying to make a mental map of the village.
"In the landscaping to the east of the village across from Al-Fadhil's house. He's keeping the kids in there." I open my eyes and look down at my feet, "I can make it and then meet you on the outskirts of the village to the west."
"No. Rhos, you wait for us. That's a direct order. You understand me?"
"No promises 'big brother'. Anyways, " I whisper and look around the tree again to the door of the house, "I've recently become a freelancer or haven't you heard?"
I hear several shouts from the house and I decide to step out of the landscaping, planning on running towards the house and the children. I stop dead when I hear the roar of an engine racing towards the front of the village and then hear guns screaming as they go off in all directions.
I look back at the house and then back down the path. I curse under my breath and then run down the long dirt path, hiding behind a crate off to the left. I peek around that crate and spot Clay and his group. I then spot a guard trying to pop in a new round into his Uzi, none of Clay's group noticing him apparently.
I run straight for the guard and skid between his legs, lifting myself on my elbows. I wrap my legs around his waist and then pull him to the ground. I clamber on top of him and strike him square in the face twice, knocking him unconscious.
"Rhos!" I feel two hands grab my upper arms and then feel myself being dragged off to the side behind a building. I'm pushed up against a wall, Clay glaring down at me as Roque walks away; the second pair of hands, "I told you to wait! That was a direct order!"
"I don't work for you anymore Clay and I don't need a babysitter! Or have you forgotten who the hell my father was! Who my brother was!" I yell back and take my arm from his hand, "I don't need you to protect me!"
"You could have been shot running out in the open like that! You don't think when you're angry! You just act! Just like your brother and father!" Clay yells back at me and I can feel the others watching us from down the little alley way, but I ignore them.
"I just saved your ass from being shot!" I yell back and give him a small push on the chest, glaring right back at him.
"Uh, hey can you two have your tiff later? We've got five minutes!" Jensen calls out, looking up from his watch. Clay and I look over at him, about to yell something at him when the corner of the wall is taken off in chunks by an array of bullets.
"I have to get the kids!" I call out and start to round the corner before Clay pulls me back to my spot, hand tightly holding me to the spot.
"Roque and I will get the kids! You go with Pooch and Jensen!" Clay orders and I look over at the techie and getaway for a split second.
"Oh hey! You can't drop her on us!" Pooch calls out from beside Jensen. I look back at Clay, but he looks over at the two and gives me a little push towards them.
"You could use the muscle!" Clay calls out and motions towards Roque to follow him.
"You'd better come back with those kids Clay! Or I'll shoot you in the ass!" I yell at him as he and Roque run to the other end of the alley. Clay looks back at me and then looks behind me at Jensen and Pooch.
"Jensen you watch her and make sure she doesn't do anything stupid!" Clay yells at Jensen and I scoff, shaking my head at him.
"Aye aye!" Jensen gives a small salute and wraps an arm around my shoulders.
"Oh, come on! That Humvee isn't going to hold everyone!" I yell as I run passed Jensen and then Pooch. We stop at the end of the alley and then quickly run to the next building, Pooch looking around the corner for any guards.
"Alright. It looks clear." Pooch speaks up as I lean back against the wall and watch from my spot. I see a guard walk out from the woods, his back turned to us.
"Not that clear..." I whisper and look at Pooch, who still had his gaze down to the right of the corner. I then look to Jensen, who was looking back down the alley we were in, and take my chance at a quiet assault.
I bolt from Jensen and pass Pooch, running out into the little road. I hear both Pooch and Jensen calling after me, but I ignore them and jump onto the guard's back. I wrap my arms firmly around his throat and tighten my legs, holding his arms at his sides. He swings left and right in a feeble attempt to get away from me while he gasps for air. He falls to his knees and then backwards, pinning me beneath him as he blacks out.
"Oh my God!" Jensen laughs, admiration fluttering in his voice as he and Pooch run up to me. I lie on the ground beneath the guy I had knocked out, my arms outstretched to who ever was going to help me from my prison.
"Who are you?" Jensen asks through another laugh and takes my arms, pulling me out from under the guard. He helps me to my feet while still grinning at me with slightly wide eyes.
"Come on lover boy. We have a getaway car to steal." I reply and then follow after Pooch who had run down the small path. I would have laughed with Jensen, but I was only starting to come out from my numbness.
"You're one of the coolest chicks I've ever meet!" I hear Jensen yell from behind me as we catch up to Pooch, who is standing in the middle of the little path and staring at something off to the side.
"What is it?" I ask and look to where Pooch was staring. Jensen stops between Pooch and me, following our gazes.
"No." Jensen suddenly says disbelievingly as we continue to stare at the mini bus parked to the side by the trees.
"Yes." Pooch replies, nodding his head as if it was no question.
"Really?" Jensen as as he and I look over at Pooch. I was completely confused as to the encrypted conversation they were having telepathically it seemed.
"Definitely." Pooch gives a small laugh, looking away from the bus.
"Okay." Jensen moves towards the bus and steps up into the open door.
"You two have obviously worked together for a while." I comment on their little 'conversation' and follow behind Jensen. I move towards the back of the bus, checking it over. I walk back to the front and sit in the seat opposite of Jensen in the front.
"Wouldn't happen to have a key would you, G.I. Jane?" Pooch asks, looking around the driver's seat for any sign of a key to start the bus up.
"No. Sorry. I think I can hot wire it though." I reply and stand from my seat, moving to the driver's. I quickly crawl on the floor of the bus and hot wire the bus, the engine roaring to life. Pooch and I switch seats as Jensen stares at me with a dumb smile on his face, "What?"
"You can hot wire too?" Jensen asks as Pooch pulls us out of the trees, the bus jumping up and down on the dirt road, "Is there anything you can't do?"
I nod my head with my eyebrows knitted together in slightly confusion.
"Lots of things." I reply and then think about what I couldn't do, "I can't hook up a computer right or a TV and I have trouble using electric stoves without burning myself. I can cook things alright with one though. I also trip up stairs."
"Wow." Jensen shakes his head and laughs, "God, I love you. Marry me?"
"And we only just met." I retort softly, looking towards the back of the bus with a small smile. I take a deep breath and sigh heavily as Pooch continues to drive along the path.