“You got any whiskey?” one of the men shouted in Rebelian.
The lieutenant spat something in Rebelian Robert couldn’t quite translate. A beefy man with a bald head and shoulders the size of a Mack truck jumped from the jeep and approached Robert. Without warning, he drew back and rammed the rifle butt into Robert’s stomach.
The air left his lungs in a rush. Pain streaked through his abdomen. Robert retched, tasted bile at the back of his throat. Vaguely, he was aware of his legs buckling. Of Lily shouting his name. He dropped to his knees, expecting another blow at the back of his head, and tried desperately to get oxygen into his lungs.
An instant later the bald man tore the backpack from his shoulders, opened the flap and dumped the contents onto the ground. Robert stared at the contents, glad he’d had the foresight to stash his high-tech equipment in the fanny pack strapped around his waist.
“You can take the inoculations,” Robert gasped. “They’re yours. Use them for your children. There are antibiotics, too.”
He felt Lily’s hands on his arm. She knelt beside him, her eyes wide with fear. She reached for him, but the lieutenant pulled her roughly to her feet. “My soldiers think you need a lesson in respect.”
“My son is sick,” she said. “Please. W-we just want to take him to the hospital.”
A cruel smile whispered across the lieutenant’s face. An instant later, he grasped a handful of Lily’s hair, yanked her toward him and crushed his mouth to hers. She lashed out with both fists, but he was holding her too close for her to get any leverage, and her efforts were in vain.
Raw fury sent Robert to his feet. Three of the other soldiers moved closer, their hands restless on automatic weapons. Robert knew he and Lily were outgunned and out manned ten to one. But there was no way in hell he was going to let this escalate. He’d die before he’d let that son of a bitch turn his soldiers loose on Lily. All he needed was a distraction. Hold on, Lily, he thought. I’ll get us out of this. Just stay cool.
A moment later, the lieutenant released her. Lily stumbled back, breathing hard, and spat on the ground. “Bastard,” she said.
The lieutenant smiled. “Ah, such disrespect.” He glanced at his men. “I think there’s enough of her for everyone.”
The men stared at them, their faces hungry and cruel, a pack of wolves facing down a much smaller prey.
Robert leaned forward, feigning pain and clenching his stomach, all the while easing his right hand toward the fanny pack at his waist.
The lieutenant reached into a breast pocket and removed a piece of paper. Unfolding it, he handed it to Lily. “I’m afraid your little charade is over, Lillian Scott,” he said.
Lily stared at the tattered sheet of paper in her hand, terror streaking through her as her face stared back at her. Vaguely, she was aware of the paper rattling as her hands began to shake. Her legs followed suit, then suddenly her entire body was trembling violently. Never had she imagined in a thousand years that DeBruzkya would take things this far.
Heart pounding, she raised her eyes to the lieutenant. “Let my son and this man go free, and I’ll go with you,” she said.
“You’re in no position to bargain.”
She shuddered when the lieutenant’s eyes swept over her, lingering on her breasts. “One hundred thousand American dollars.” He licked his lips. “General DeBruzkya must want you very badly. I wonder if you’re worth that much.”
“You touch me, and DeBruzkya will kill you,” she said.
“Maybe I just want a peek at what has the general tied up in little knots.”
Lily withheld a shudder. She’d been in tough predicaments before and she’d gotten out of them alive. She would get out of this one, too. If she only had a plan…
The lieutenant brushed a strand of hair from her face. “I’ve always liked red hair on a woman,” he whispered. “A woman like you could do a lot for the morale of my men.”
Her heart was pounding so loudly she could barely hear him. But she knew what he wanted, and the thought revolted her. “My son is very sick. He needs to go to the hospital. Let both of them go and I’ll…go with you.”
“You’re going with me anyway. Why should I bargain with you?” He looked at Robert, then at Jack. “What are they worth to you, my lamb? What will you do to protect them?”
Lily stared at him, knowing his kind and hating him. She’d met too many men like him in the years she’d been in Rebelia. Men who were cruel and violent and evil.
“They’re worth everything to me,” she said.
“Everything?” When she wouldn’t look at him, he put his hand beneath her chin and forced her to look at him. “Everything?”