“Ryan,” Claire barked. “Hand me the fifty-cal. The launcher is in pack two.”
Ryan nodded, and rifled through one of the larger duffels. He handed her what looked like a heavy backpack.
As the wheels touched the runway, Claire and Ryan put on their own dark sunglasses and stood by the door, assault rifles in hand. I unfastened my seat belt, and Jared took my hand. Kim and Nina in the middle, Bex bring up the rear. Claire and Ryan on point.
At the door, Samuel closed his eyes and whispered something both beautiful and menacing, and then opened the door. He walked out, and stood, his arms crossed, on one side of the stairs.
“It’s quite safe, I assure you,” he said, his deep voice echoing. The tarmac was empty except for our waiting Humvee. It was borrowed, light tan, and gauging by the bullet holes, had already seen action in its lifetime.
Claire took off her sunglasses and looked up at Samuel in awe. “It’s going to be like this until we get to the old city?”
“If not, I’ll take care of it, but it would be a waste for them to attack any earlier.”
Claire elbowed him in the stomach, but he didn’t flinch. “You let me get all dressed up for nothing.”
Samuel smiled. “I thought you’d be happy. The Humvee matches your clothes.”
Claire looked down at her olive green tank top and light tan cargo pants, and then feigned irritation. “Not good enough.”
Samuel’s hand swallowed Claire’s small shoulder. “Once you reach Jerusalem, I promise you’ll use your fancy vest more than you’d like.”
Claire and Jared traded glances.
“Sounds like a party,” Ryan said with a grin.
Chapter Eighteen
Sepulchre
Loading the Humvee only took a few minutes, and then we were barreling down the highway, weaving in and out of traffic. Bex drove, Claire sat in the passenger seat, and the rest of us piled in the back. Jared barked directions at Bex, securing packs and loading weapons at the same time. Knowing he was in protector mode until we were all safely tucked under the Sepulchre made me miss him, but I had to let him focus. The more miles Bex put behind us, the more my fear threatened to take over.
Kim scooted closer to me and grabbed my hand.
I looked over at her sheepishly. “Are you scared?”
“I’m about to piss my pants.”
I nodded quickly, glad that I wasn’t the only one not looking forward to a battle.
Ryan was humming along to a song inside his head, tapping his fingers to the beat against his assault rifle.
“You weren’t kidding” I said.
He looked up. “What?”
“About the party.”
He smiled. “What can I say? I miss it.”
Kim laughed once, incredulous. I couldn’t even manage a reaction.
“Oh c’mon,” he said. He gestured to us, “You two get to see me in action for the first time. Who can say they’re friend has gone off to war and then they get to watch them work? No civilians, I guarantee it.”
“It’s going to get bad,” I said.
He shook his head and smiled. “I’m counting on it.”
As usual, Ryan’s casual demeanor made my anger boil just below the surface. “What if something happens to you? Do you know what that means for Claire?”
“This isn’t my first rodeo, kiddo.”
Kim leaned forward. “It’s not your moment to impress her, either. This is serious. Quit screwing around and focus before you get us all killed.”
While Ryan and Kim bickered, I leaned up to look out the window. The scenery didn’t look so different. Retail stores, traffic, and pedestrians. The only thing that seemed foreign was the sun and palm trees. We could have been in California. I settled back against my seat. For reasons I couldn’t explain, the familiar surroundings made me feel better.
The Humvee took a sharp turn, shoving me against Kim.
“Bex?” Jared called.
“They’re shelling, but they’re keeping their distance. I’m just trying not to get boxed in.”
“Patience,” Samuel said.
Jared nodded, and then fastened an extra ammo belt around him. I crawled to the closest mirror, and watch as civilian cars and pickup trucks crowded the sides and behind our Humvee.
Bex swerved to the right, nudging one of the cars off the road. Claire readied her weapon.
“Just wait,” Samuel said. His voice was even, creating a strange calming effect.
I watched him for a moment. “Why can’t you stay with us until the Sepulchre?”
“So that you may rise above your struggle,” he said. “And because that was the agreement. I will keep you safe throughout the flight and trip to Jerusalem. Then you must rise above your struggle. Only then will you appreciate your plight.” He shrugged. “It is the way of the humans. It has always been the way.”