VANGUARD(55)

“Sophie? Are you all right, mana mila?” He heard a faint moaning sound from within. He drew back his foot to kick in the door. Remembering in time that this was not his home, Michael raced to the kitchen to get a knife. He had the lock open in seconds.

She lay on the floor beside the toilet, her body doubled over. Her skin burned, and her shirt was soaked with sweat. “Sophie, what is wrong? What has happened?”

She blinked rapidly, trying to bring his face into focus. “Sick,” she gasped. “Diarrhea, fever, cramps.” She bit her lip as if holding in a shout of pain. “Hurts so much.”

“I will be right back.” He scrambled to his feet to find Velna and Nikolajs. “She is unwell. I need to get her to a doctor, possibly even a hospital.”

“You’ll do better treating her here, my son.” Nikolajs picked up Sophie’s mug with a tea towel to avoid direct contact, and Michael felt a rush of gratitude for the older man’s common sense. “Your presence in a hospital would be questioned, and there would be grave danger for you and Sophie. Many local officials will betray their own mothers for a promised payout. You should treat her here, downstairs, where it is safe.”

“I did not know you had a basement.”

“We do not tell many people about it. Get her and come with us.”





Chapter 12





Michael picked Sophie up off the bathroom floor and carried her through the house behind Velna and Nikolajs. She moaned with every movement he made, and panic climbed up his throat.

They led him through the kitchen, opening the pantry. Nikolajs moved some bins aside and pulled down on a latch. The back of the pantry sprang open to a passageway leading down.

“What is this place?” Michael asked in surprise.

“Our house has served as a hiding place for years.” Velna cleared a path so Michael could carry Sophie through safely. “We helped dozens of political dissidents escape from Orlisia during the first occupation. Your father has sent many people to us for sanctuary over the years. Did you not know this?”

“No,” he said wonderingly, “but I think Sophie did. She seemed to recognize the address.”

“Undoubtedly Max provided her with our information in case of emergency. You will be safe here. Carefully now, it is dark and the stairs are steep.” Michael crept down the stairs, trying not to bang Sophie’s head on anything.

Suddenly a light flared, and he looked around. They stood in a tiny living space, complete with a small kitchen nook, bathroom, and bed. No windows, nothing to reveal to the outside world that this was here. He laid Sophie on the bed where she curled up into a ball.

“You’ll find food and water here,” said Velna. “Simple medical supplies. It’s not luxurious, but it will suffice. Take a few moments to get her settled, then fetch what you need from your car. You should move it to the shed in the back for safety’s sake.” The SUV was a coalition vehicle, so it made sense to conceal it.

“I cannot thank you enough. Give me some time to examine her and talk to the doctor at the camp. Once I have more information, I will speak with you again.”

His benefactors nodded and headed hastily back upstairs, probably fearing that what Sophie had was contagious or dangerous. Or both.

Michael sat on the edge of the bed, and took her hand. “Mana mila, I am going to examine you. Is this all right?” She nodded, and he gently pulled her arms away from her torso. He lifted her shirt and probed her abdomen. Her moan turned into a scream as he pressed her tender flesh. Her pulse beat rapidly, and heat blazed from her body. A search of the bathroom produced a thermometer – 104 degrees. Damn it.

She rolled off the bed and staggered to the bathroom. A few moments later, Michael could hear her vomiting, among other things. Fear crawled all over him. He had treated friends before, even family members. But this was different.

This was Sophie.

He went upstairs and found the bag she’d brought with her into the house. He pawed through it frantically, looking for her cell phone. Thank God Anjali’s number was pre-programmed.

“Having trouble remembering how to do it?” Anjali answered.

“This is Vanguard.” Michael felt like an idiot for using the name.

Instantly, all the teasing fell away from Anjali’s voice. “What’s wrong?”

“Not sure. She is sick. High fever, chills, abdominal pain and swelling, diarrhea. Some vomiting.” He paused. “Most likely dysentery. I seem to recall she has contracted it in the past on other missions.”