The Betrayed Series: Ultimate Omnibus Collection With EXCLUSIVE Post-Shiva Short Story by Carolyn McCray
Authors: Carolyn McCray
Tags: The Betrayed Series
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one. And the kids. Why the hell did the tribe bring them back?
A little boy, no more than five, entered the clearing, oblivious of the four extremely well-armed men. Monroe took the child’s hand. A smile even graced her lips. She looked like the beautiful woman she must be when she wasn’t being squeezed to death.
“Discretion to do what, Sergeant? Shoot innocent women and children?” Her smile deepened, this time for him, as she headed to the jungle’s edge. “We both know that you don’t have it in you.”
“Really? Because I’ve got a dozen Black Ops missions to say otherwise.”
Their gaze locked. Brandt was pretty much used to his stare getting the job done, but the doctor’s eyes just twinkled in the torchlight. Her laugh was hearty, calling his bluff. “Come on, you didn’t even shoot the snake! Like you’re really going to open fire here.”
And goddamn it, if she wasn’t right. Exhaling hard, he gave the all-clear signal as he lowered his gun. She might have won the battle, but Brandt intended to win the war, and he had just the secret weapon to do it. He was under orders to only reveal the information in private, but what else could he do? His men couldn’t care less about the name he was about to utter, and who the hell were the natives going to tell?
“Professor Lochum made the request personally.”
Monroe stopped just shy of exiting the clearing. “No way.”
“Afraid so.” Brandt didn’t know why the name held so much power over the doctor, but thankfully it did.
When the woman didn’t follow, the little boy tugged on her hand. Monroe hugged him, and then turned to one of the natives. Besides the two red marks on his forehead where Brandt had shot him earlier, the old man wore a brilliant parrot-feathered necklace that clearly marked him as the chief.
A series of clicks were exchanged. Finally the older man took the child’s hand from hers. The chief smiled kindly at Monroe, but his eyes bored into Brandt, clearly upset that they weren’t allowed a rematch.
As the doctor walked toward Brandt’s team, she tossed one of her packs to Svengurd. Startled, the corporal nearly dropped his assault rifle to catch it. Monroe tossed one at Lopez, then another to Davidson.
“At least I won’t have to…” She shoved the last pack into Brandt’s arms as she passed him, “carry these anymore.”
Unburdened, she walked to the forest edge as the warriors silently parted for her, then melted into the forest.
The pack was impressively heavy as Brandt threw it over his shoulder.
Dr. Monroe was much stronger than she looked.
Fellowship
══════════════════
Sea of Galilee
AD 14
Judas wiped a bead of sweat from his cheek and felt the prickle of stubble. He checked over his lip, more there as well. A smile spread. At last he might grow a beard. In the eyes of his mother, his bar mitzvah might have marked his passage of a boy into a man, but amongst his fellows it was a full beard that bought respect.
He glanced over at Jesus, who had had thick growth on both cheeks for two seasons now, even though he was a year younger than Judas. But that was hardly surprising. Jesus was far more advanced than any of them, and all the more awkward for it.
Just as now. For all there was to do this day, Jesus continued to stare up at the clear skies, oblivious to the harsh summer sun. It was as if his friend studied long and hard enough, he could see the face of God himself. Judas joined his gaze, but as hard as he tried, he saw only endless blue skies. No golden throne. No majestic heavenly seat.
A thin tendril of jealousy laced Judas’ heart. Others might secretly scoff at his friend’s intense faith, but Judas wished fervently that he might one day glimpse what Jesus so clearly saw.
Just then his friend’s head cocked as if he could hear the distant strains of an angel’s song. Judas, on the other hand, could hear only his sister’s argument back at the
A little boy, no more than five, entered the clearing, oblivious of the four extremely well-armed men. Monroe took the child’s hand. A smile even graced her lips. She looked like the beautiful woman she must be when she wasn’t being squeezed to death.
“Discretion to do what, Sergeant? Shoot innocent women and children?” Her smile deepened, this time for him, as she headed to the jungle’s edge. “We both know that you don’t have it in you.”
“Really? Because I’ve got a dozen Black Ops missions to say otherwise.”
Their gaze locked. Brandt was pretty much used to his stare getting the job done, but the doctor’s eyes just twinkled in the torchlight. Her laugh was hearty, calling his bluff. “Come on, you didn’t even shoot the snake! Like you’re really going to open fire here.”
And goddamn it, if she wasn’t right. Exhaling hard, he gave the all-clear signal as he lowered his gun. She might have won the battle, but Brandt intended to win the war, and he had just the secret weapon to do it. He was under orders to only reveal the information in private, but what else could he do? His men couldn’t care less about the name he was about to utter, and who the hell were the natives going to tell?
“Professor Lochum made the request personally.”
Monroe stopped just shy of exiting the clearing. “No way.”
“Afraid so.” Brandt didn’t know why the name held so much power over the doctor, but thankfully it did.
When the woman didn’t follow, the little boy tugged on her hand. Monroe hugged him, and then turned to one of the natives. Besides the two red marks on his forehead where Brandt had shot him earlier, the old man wore a brilliant parrot-feathered necklace that clearly marked him as the chief.
A series of clicks were exchanged. Finally the older man took the child’s hand from hers. The chief smiled kindly at Monroe, but his eyes bored into Brandt, clearly upset that they weren’t allowed a rematch.
As the doctor walked toward Brandt’s team, she tossed one of her packs to Svengurd. Startled, the corporal nearly dropped his assault rifle to catch it. Monroe tossed one at Lopez, then another to Davidson.
“At least I won’t have to…” She shoved the last pack into Brandt’s arms as she passed him, “carry these anymore.”
Unburdened, she walked to the forest edge as the warriors silently parted for her, then melted into the forest.
The pack was impressively heavy as Brandt threw it over his shoulder.
Dr. Monroe was much stronger than she looked.
Fellowship
══════════════════
Sea of Galilee
AD 14
Judas wiped a bead of sweat from his cheek and felt the prickle of stubble. He checked over his lip, more there as well. A smile spread. At last he might grow a beard. In the eyes of his mother, his bar mitzvah might have marked his passage of a boy into a man, but amongst his fellows it was a full beard that bought respect.
He glanced over at Jesus, who had had thick growth on both cheeks for two seasons now, even though he was a year younger than Judas. But that was hardly surprising. Jesus was far more advanced than any of them, and all the more awkward for it.
Just as now. For all there was to do this day, Jesus continued to stare up at the clear skies, oblivious to the harsh summer sun. It was as if his friend studied long and hard enough, he could see the face of God himself. Judas joined his gaze, but as hard as he tried, he saw only endless blue skies. No golden throne. No majestic heavenly seat.
A thin tendril of jealousy laced Judas’ heart. Others might secretly scoff at his friend’s intense faith, but Judas wished fervently that he might one day glimpse what Jesus so clearly saw.
Just then his friend’s head cocked as if he could hear the distant strains of an angel’s song. Judas, on the other hand, could hear only his sister’s argument back at the
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