The Soldier's Mission by Lenora Worth Page B

eased her down the stairs, sticking to the wall while he scoped the parking lot. “Your car is no longer at the café. I had someone tow it away—to a safe place.”
    â€œOh.” She’d have to remember that this man was trained to be one step ahead of everything and everyone. Including her. “Thanks, I think.”
    He looked down at her low heeled sturdy boots. “Those should work. You might have to run, though.”
    â€œSince I’ve been shot at and chased already, I can do that,” Laura replied, praying she could survive this.
    â€œDon’t worry about me.”
    He huffed a chuckle. “Good one.”
    â€œOkay, worry about me then. What’s the plan?”
    â€œFor now, to get around this wall and make sure the parking lot is secure.”
    Laura didn’t push for more. He needed to focus and she wouldn’t distract him. She knew this from her years working with CHAIM. She needed to clear her head, too. She’d come here on one quest but now things had changed into a full-fledged CHAIM mission. Now, shewas running for her life with the very man she’d come to save.
    Funny how the tables had turned on her. Maybe God was giving her a test. She’d been blessed with a good life and two loving parents, siblings to nag her and comfort her. Laura had never been through any kind of test such as this. She’d breezed through school and college, hired on with CHAIM right away and found work at a good clinic in Phoenix. A charmed life, some would say. A blessed life for sure.
    Then two things had happened. She’d broken up with Alex not long after Kyle had ended his life, forcing her to wonder what she could have done differently in both situations. She wanted things to be different for Paco. She wanted to help him, had come here to validate her professional skills.
    But someone out there had a bone to pick with her. Someone out there wanted her dead. The chill of that ran down her spine with all the pressure of bony fingers. But the injustice of it made her spine stiffen.
    She instinctively clung to Paco’s shirt but vowed to get herself out of this fix, somehow.
    â€œLooks clear,” he said on a low whisper. “We’re going to head for those trees to the right. That should give us enough shelter to get us out on the road and away. We can hide behind buildings as we go.” He turned, bumping into her, his big body blocking her fears about the outside world, but opening up a whole new set of conflicting emotions inside her heart.
    â€œStay behind me and hold on to my shirt. If I tell you to run, let go and run behind me, okay? But keep me in your sights.”
    â€œOkay.”
    â€œOn the count of three.” Paco counted then took off in a running crouch, his gun drawn. Laura held to his shirt, leaning low as they hurried across the open parking lot.
    They made it into the trees then he whirled to tug her behind him while he scanned the area. “So far, so good. Must still be in the building looking for us.” Turning to check on her, he said, “Next plan of action—try to find a way out of here.”
    â€œWe’re not going up into the canyon, are we?”
    â€œNo. We don’t want to get in a ruckus that might injure tourists or attract the park rangers. Not so hot. The idea is to draw our attacker away from this area. He wants to isolate us, but that can work to our advantage.”
    â€œBut where will we go?”
    He rubbed a hand across his brow. “My plan is to either get you back to Phoenix or to get you to Eagle Rock.”
    â€œEagle Rock? That’s in Texas.”
    â€œYes, but it’s our main safe house. The security is so tight you’d have to bring in an army to get to anyone staying there. Warwick helped update everything recently, since we’re all supposed to convene there for some sort of retreat next week. I hadn’t planned on attending but maybe that’s the