Page 23 of Her Wicked Hero

“I’m going to kill you, you bitch,” a man’s voice rang out. “Don’t think this is the end of things. I’ll find you.”

Well, a man and a woman speaking English indicated that Raymond and Marcia were alive. Raymond sounded pissed, so score one for the good guys. Zed spotted two small shapes on the shore and as he got closer, the cries of the baby grew louder and louder.

“It’s going to be okay, Nurul. I promise. Since you can’t understand me, I also promise you that we’ll find a unicorn that will take us to safety,” Marcia said in a calm and comforting voice. Zed grinned. He liked her style. He wondered who the woman with the baby was. The other woman said something in a language Zed didn’t understand, but he could tell she was crying along with the baby.

Zed was closer to the women than he was to the boat, but neutralizing Raymond was the smart move. He started toward the river, but then saw that Raymond was pushing off from the shore at the same time he lifted his rifle and fired more shots at the women.

“Get down,” Zed shouted to Marcia. Zed raised his rifle and took aim at the same time Raymond dropped to the deck. He’d obviously heard Zed’s shout. Dammit.

“Help us,” Marcia shouted.

“I need to stop Raymond, or he’ll come back for you,” Zed objected.

“Forget Raymond. He hurt Hana, we need to get her to a doctor.”

Zed looked back at the boat. Goddammit, it was already floating toward the middle of the river. He headed toward the women.

When he reached the trio, Marcia started talking again.

“Come on, we have to hurry. Raymond said there was some kind of camp down river.”

Zed looked down at the little brunette giving him orders and barked out a laugh, he couldn’t help it. “Before you start acting like my commanding officer, aren’t you going to ask who I am?” Zed asked sardonically.

“You were shooting at Raymond and trying to help us. I pray to God you’re one of the good guys.”

Underneath all the dirt on her face, he saw the swelling on her cheek and eye, and he took note of the tear tracks. He couldn’t tell if her attitude was an act or sheer bravado. He saw her lower lip tremble. Ah, hell.

“Marcia, didn’t you know, the bad guys think they are the good guys,” Zed said gently. He tried to get a look at the mother and baby, but the mother jerked away from him, cuddling her child close. “Who’s Hana?” he asked Marcia.

“You called me Marcia,” she said excitedly. “Mr. B. sent you.” A smile broke over her face, and it hit him right in the gut. “Hana is the baby. He yanked her away from Nurul, I’m pretty sure he broke her arm, that’s why she won’t stop crying. After that, he threatened to kill Nurul’s father if she didn’t get Hana to stop crying.” Marcia’s voice broke, “Then the bastard killed him.”

Zed watched as a tear spilled down her face.

“Marcia, we need to go,” he said as he looked toward the water. Even though the boat was down river, he would still feel a lot better when they were hidden in the trees. “You can tell me everything when we’re safer.”

Marcia nodded.

“Are either you or Nurul injured, or can you walk?”

“We can walk,” Marcia assured him.

When they got a little further in the jungle, then he could take a look at the little one’s arm. If it was broken, he could work to set it. He could also call Dex to find out if any of the medication he had in his pack would be acceptable to give to a baby. He hoped so, he hated to hear her in so much pain.

“I’m going to lead, and we’ll have Nurul follow me, and you’ll take up the rear, okay?” he asked Marcia.

“Makes perfect sense,” she said. “I’ll holler if she’s having trouble keeping up.”

“Let me know if you’re having trouble too. I can see he hit you,” Zed said indicating her face. “What else did he do? Is there any immediate treatment that you need?”

“Seriously, I’m fine. We just need to take care of Hana and get the heck out of here.”

He gave her a considering look and decided she wasn’t lying to him. Using hand signals, Marcia and Zed made it clear to Nurul she needed to follow Zed into the jungle. He carefully chose the easiest path possible. When they had gone maybe a quarter of a mile and came to a log that would allow the women to rest against, Zed called a halt to their trek. Hana’s shrieks had subsided to whimpers which were even more heart-wrenching. When he tried to help the mother sit down, she waved him off.

“You better let me,” Marcia said.

Marcia helped to ease the young woman down onto the jungle floor, helping to hold the baby’s head. When she was done, Marcia slumped down next to her, and Zed crouched down beside Marcia.

“Are you all right?” The bruising on her face had been agonizing to think about while they’d been walking. Zed kept his voice low, so he didn’t disturb the baby.