Gravedigger by Mark Terry

live. Any ideas?”
    She nodded. “Just be ready.”
    Time crept by. Noa hoped Stillwater would do something soon. Strapped to the inside of her wrist she kept a small, very sharp combat knife. She also carried a gun beneath her robes. Getting to the gun was a problem. But she might be able to get to the knife if she had time without the guards watching her.
    The two men were looking at her. She knew the look and didn’t like it. They whispered to each other, then nodded to her. Finally one of them walked over and dragged her to her feet. “Come with me.”
    Johnston said, “What do they want?”
    “Me,” she said in English.
    Johnston started to roll to his feet, but the muj punched him in the face. Blood gushed from his nose and he staggered backward. The other man kicked Johnston’s legs out from under him and pointed the barrel of the AK47 at his head and shouted at him.
    “He says,” Noa said, “to stay on the ground.”
    “Noa—”
    “Be ready,” she said.
    The guards pushed her toward the back of the cave. They pushed her down on the ground. One of them reached for her robe. She kicked out at him, her sandaled foot meeting his knee. He staggered back. His partner laughed at him. This angered him. She edged back toward the cavern wall, her fingers twisting to get hold of the knife.
    The muj crouched down just out of reach of her legs. “I will kill you if you fight me,” he said.
    Her fingers caught the hilt of the blade.
    He gripped her robes with both hands, pulled them up. She twisted and kicked out, catching him in the face. He staggered back, then kicked her in the head. She went flying. The blade slipped from her fingers. He went after her. Rolling on the ground, she scissored her legs, sweeping him off his feet. His companion laughed again.
    She caught the blade with her fingers, twisted, and snipped the rope binding her wrists.
    He leaned toward her.
    Silently she jammed the blade into his heart.
    With a scream he collapsed on top of her.
    His companion shouted. Suddenly outside the cavern came the sound of gunfire.
    Noa squirmed to get out from beneath her attacker.
    Suddenly Johnston appeared and slammed into the other guard with his shoulder. She rolled to her feet and slashed the man’s throat.
    Outside, the other guards were running. She took a deep breath. In a low voice, she said, “I’ll get the ropes. Turn around.”
    Johnston offered her his arms. She quickly cut the ropes. Turning, massaging his wrists, he said, “Okay?”
    “Timing is everything.”
    Johnston picked up the rifles and handed one to her. “Derek’s busy. Let’s get out of here and see if he needs any help.”

    Derek turned his head and studied Noa. He nodded to her. “Not bad.”
    “Not bad yourself, Stillwater.”
    Sighing, Derek stood up. “I don’t suppose anybody’s seen a shovel or a pick around here?”
    “Down in the village,” Johnston said. “You want company?”
    He shook his head. “No. I’ll let you two get organized. We walking to Shing Dun?”
    “Horses,” Noa said.
    Derek closed his eyes. He was not a fan of horseback riding. Particularly through the mountains in the dark in the snow and rain. “Shit,” he said.

9
    Pulling on his rucksack, Derek wrapped himself in the poncho. He picked his way back down the terraces, taking his time. He was armed with an AK47, his Beretta, his knife, and extra ammo. He used the NVGs rather than the flashlight, although he thought it would be easier to dig in the grave with the flashlight.
    Finally, back in the village, he went house to house. He found a spade on his third try. Hefting it, he started in the direction of what he thought might be a mass grave.
    As he cut through the village, the wind was the only sound he heard. A ghost town. Dark and lonely. Abandoned.
    Derek approached the spot he had seen on his first recon of the village. Studying it now, he thought he was probably right. Something had been buried here. The ground was muddy and