Page 30 of Hayes (Voodoo Guardians #37)

Victoria could hear the rushing of men in the tunnels, then voices yelling at one another. She moved swiftly toward the comms device and tapped out several messages.

Within moments, the response came through.

Run

“Damn,” she muttered.

Lifting the carpet, she opened the door, pushing it open, and stepped inside the tunnel.

There was a big step down, and she cursed, falling to her knees, feeling the water soak through her clothing.

She prayed that it was just water but knew in her heart it most likely was a mix of sewage as well.

She got up and began to run, not knowing what she was running to but knowing that she had to move now. Coming to a crossing of several other tunnels, she scanned each in the darkness, her eyes not adjusting very well. They all looked the same, and they all seemed to have water in them.

“Shoot,” she muttered. “What if I’m running into the river? I’m going to drown.”

She tapped her comms and didn’t get a reply, then moved toward one of the tunnel extensions and did it again. As she moved from one to the other, she did it again. Then she heard the sweetest sound ever.

“ Victoria.Go left!”

“I hear you! I hear you!” she repeated. She ran to the tunnel at the left and then began hearing the voices of all the men she hoped to see again. But one in particular was the one she really wanted to hear.

“ Babe, I know you hear me. Just keep running. We’re coming toward you. We’re going to find you, just stay safe. I love you, Victoria. I love you!”

“I love you too,” she said breathlessly.

She continued to follow the instructions given through her comms device, then stopped briefly to catch her breath. She was exhausted. Then she heard her worst fear.

Actually, two worst fears. Footsteps and the distinctive hiss of a crocodile.

“Shit,” she said, shaking herself.

“Victoria. You’re on the right path. Keep going. I see the heat signature of the croc. He’s in another tunnel but could turn toward you. Just keep moving.”

She was grateful for the direction and trudged through the now knee-high water. Stopping to listen once again, she heard footsteps again. Some seemed behind her. Others seemed in front of her. Exhausted, frightened, and unsure of what to do, she just stopped, waiting to know her fate.

When the steps in front of her slowed, she knew she was about to meet her death.

“Babe? Victoria, it’s me, Hayes,” said the voice.

“H-Hayes,” she whispered. She ran toward him, plastering herself against his body and injured arm. He didn’t give a damn. He lifted her up, hugging her, kissing her.

“Honey, are you okay?” asked Mo.

“I’m okay, Dad,” she nodded, hugging her father. “Aamani is behind me. We have to keep moving.”

“You have to keep moving,” said Luke. “Hayes? Take her topside and get the fuck out of the tunnels. We’re about to give Aamani a little surprise.”

The men of Omar’s military handed Luke the two backpacks and smiled. Luke grinned at them, shaking his head.

“Oh, hell, no. You’re going to be a part of this. This is your revenge as well. Let’s go.”

Mo, Hoot, Hayes, Cruz, Gator, and Jak moved with Victoria toward the entrance, while the others stayed behind, planting the explosives in the tunnels. They could hear Aamani screaming at his men to find the woman.

“He’s coming this way,” whispered one of Omar’s men. “He wants to kill the woman himself.”

“Well, he’ll be terribly disappointed,” smiled Cam. “Let’s go, gentlemen. Once they’re past the side tunnels, blow the first switch. That will force them to move forward. When they’ve reached the ladder, blow it all.”

The men patiently waited for their moment, watching on the tracking devices that showed them where the bodies were. As predicted, Aamani and his men passed the side tunnels. When they did, the first explosion rocked the entire tunnel system.

“Keep moving!” yelled Aamani. “It’s nothing. It’s just a small earthquake.”

“What if it’s the woman? What if she’s a witch?” asked one of the men.

They heard the echo of gunfire and knew that Aamani had sent a message to his team. Follow orders or die.

Finally at the ladder to the surface, they waited patiently for the men to appear. Beneath the stealth netting, Luke and the others could see nothing except his exit.

“There! We’re here at the exit, and that’s where she went. Find her!” Aamani yelled.

But before the men could move much further, the netting was removed to reveal five very large bodies blocking the ladder. Aamani stopped, trying to work out where the figures had emerged from.

“Khalil Aamani. Nice to meet you,” said Luke. He stared at the big man, then looked at the others beside him.

“Who are you?”

“You know who we are,” said Hex. “We’re here to settle a bit of a score. You tried to kill not one, but two members of our family. That doesn’t sit well with us.”

“The girl is valuable to you,” he smiled. “No matter. She’s lost in the tunnels and will die.”

“You don’t believe that because you know it’s not true. The girl is ours, just like the SEAL is ours. They’re both safe. You? Not so much.”

Aamani stared at the two dark men beside the Americans.

He knew that they were from this region at the very least. He prayed they were not traitors, his own people going against him.

One man stepped forward, holding up a photo, and Aamani said nothing.

The other did the same, his mother, father, two sisters, and baby brother all in the photo. Now dead because of Aamani.

“I don’t know those people,” he said.

“They know you,” said Luke. “Their ghosts know you. Bonds died for his treachery. Now, so will you.”

Each man turned to grip the ladder, then Luke pressed the button, watching as the tunnel collapsed onto itself as they raced to the top of the ladder. Just as the last man saw the light of day, the entire thing fell in on itself.

A moment later, the sound of rushing water filled the air. The Euphrates found a new vein to pour her life’s blood into.

“Let’s move!” yelled Eric.

The trucks were waiting for them on the side of the road, but the water coming higher and higher on the dry desert told them that this was about to become a very wet place.

As they sped away, Victoria stared back at her prison and shook her head. Finally, she turned to Hayes and smiled.

“If it’s alright with you, I’d like to not leave home for a while.”