The pilot reached out for him. “I’m radioing now. We’re close to Agabarn than you are right now. We’ll get them out.”
A bang and explosion directly overhead caused Ben to jump. He looked up to see an enemy plane spin out of control and burst into flames. “My God, I didn’t even think the Iranians had an air force, let alone one that good.”
“Those planes aren’t Iranian…” the pilot said through painful breaths. “They’re Russian.”
The shrill cries of child birth pain were replaced with the tender wail of the newborn infant. The entire bunker cheered over the hope for new life, but it was short lived.
Foster was in the eating area with Judith and several others when Manny appeared in the doorway, waving his hand and motioning Foster to come forward.
“Manny is calling for me,” he told Judith.
“I hope everything is okay.”
“We’ll see.” Foster stood and walked over to Manny. “What’s up?”
“You can say no, if you want,” Manny said. “But Tina, the young woman who has just given birth, is not in good shape.”
“What’s wrong?”
“She has begun hemorrhaging. She is in need of a medication that we don’t have here.”
Foster realized what was being asked of him. “You want me to go find it?”
Manny nodded. “I’ll go with you. But you are my fastest man, you know where the clinic is and you can get in and out very quickly.”
From across the room, Judith yelled, “No.”
Foster turned.
“I can hear what you are asking of the boy. You can’t possibly want to put him in danger.” Feeling her way using the tables, Judith walked toward them. “Please, do not ask him, He’ll say yes.”
Manny exhaled. “The young woman is dying. The clinic is not far.”
“There is a war raging above us.” Judith was firm. “A minute hasn’t passed without the sound of a gunshot or explosion. It’s right above us.”
Manny nodded. “I know. But I already sneaked up to the top to see. We can sneak out, stay hidden, move fast. We don’t have time to waste.”
Judith reached out and her hand found Foster. “Jimmy, no.”
Foster looked at Manny and then faced Judith. “I helped you and others, what would you want me to do if that was your daughter in there?”
Judith lowered her head. “But, Jimmy, I am so scared for you. Do you hear that?”
“I do. And I am so sure, Jude, that I can go and get what is needed; I can get out and back here in a flash.”
“So you’ll go?” Manny asked.
Foster replied, “Yes.”
“Excellent. I thank you and her mother thanks you as well. I’ll be back. I must let the doctor know we are going.”
After Manny left, Foster faced Judith again. “Did you hear what he said? Her mother.”
Judith nodded.
“Judith, please, I need your support.”
“I don’t know what I’ll do, Jimmy, if something happens to you. You promised me you would go to Vegas. You promised me you would let me take care of you.”
“And I’ll keep that promise. And I also promise, after this one thing, I won’t take any more chances. Okay?”
Judith sobbed a single sob.
“Jude?”
“Please, please, please be careful.” She reached out for Foster. Gripping his shirt, she brought him to her. “I will be praying for you the whole time.”
“Thank you.”
Holding on to Foster, Judith’s body tensed and she jumped when a loud explosion rocked the bunker. “Please be safe.”
“I will,” Foster said. You aren’t getting rid of me that easy. I’ll be back, Jude.” He pressed his lips to her cheek and whispered, “There is nothing more in this world that I want than to have you make me stay in my room and study and give me a hard time about the girls I date.”
Emotionally, though her tears, Judith chuckled. “Hurry up and get yourself back here.”
“With everything I am,” Foster said as he clenched her tightly to him, his eyes focused on the ceiling at the sounds of war, “I promise to do my best.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Ben felt as if he were living a video game. The pilot had been loaded in one Humvee behind them. As the Humvee carrying Ben and Rick swerved to avoid the gunfire and grenades, and the Sergeant filled Ben and Rick in on a lot of things.
They had chosen Agabarn as an ambush or cut off point because air searches and satellites had never shown any movement on the streets of the town.
All their evasive running, all their efforts to stay hidden to keep from being spotted by the enemy had saved them initially, but it ended up being detrimental. Residents who remained in other towns had been airlifted days before. Agabarn, it had been assumed, was deserted.
But the Sergeant let Ben know they weren’t throwing Agabarn under the bus. They just weren’t sure how they could get everyone out in time. Two trucks and air support would be arriving there in minutes.
Ben and Rick were offered the chance to leave, to get to safety, but both men opted to go back and help.
“Are you guys sure the enemy is going to head there for you to ambush and cut off?” Ben asked.
“Positive,” the sergeant replied.
“How can you be so sure, I mean…” Ben shrugged. “It’s a small town located off the main roads.” He saw the Sergeant look at him and it hit him. “You guys set it up.”
“We fed them false information that we were setting up headquarters there and that there were civilians.”
Ben closed his eyes. “What are the town’s chances?”
“We expect them to storm in, not air drop troops. We have Intel that is leading us to believe that is their plan. We planned on waiting on the ground and in air. But that has changed now.”
“You didn’t answer the question. What are the town’s chances?” Ben reiterated.
“If we don’t get there before them…” the Sergeant said. “Not good.”
People scurried.
At first, George informed everyone to hang tight. He thought it could be a trick when they heard a man with a bull horn announce, “This is the United States Marine Corp and we are evacuating the town. STAT. Trucks are waiting and helicopters are arriving for the elderly, sick and young.”
“Hold tight,” George radioed his roof watchers to ask what they could see.
Lana answered. “I see trucks, quite a few of them,” she replied. “Yes, they are American.”
When George heard that, he escorted the people who waited in the basement of the school to the steps outside. He encouraged order, but so many just flew to the staircase that it made it impossible to keep the exodus totally panic free.
“What is happening, Harry?” Tyler asked.
“Well, sounds like the military is here to get us out.”
“Why?” Tyler asked, as he and Harry walked slowly through the cramped stairwell.
“My best guess is something might be going to happen, or maybe they are just being cautious. Either way, they’re getting us out of this town and taking us somewhere else.”
“Oh, no.” Tyler said with panic in his voice.
“Oh, no what?”
“I didn’t think when we came to the basement we would be moved out by the military.”
Harry was lost as to why Tyler was so upset. “Okay, what’s wrong? Are you scared?”
“A little, but that’s not it.”
“What is it?”
Tyler looked up at Harry and then looked toward the staircase filled with people. “Don’t leave without me.”
“What? What are you…” Before Harry could ask anymore, Tyler had released his hand and slipped his body with ease through the hoards of people. “Tyler!”
“I forget the box!” Tyler yelled, his voice growing fainter as he moved farther way. “I’ll be back. I have to get the box!”