Page 70 of Deacon
Without warning, he pulled out a long sword from his back.
We all tensed, the rescue crew and the guards bracing for violence.
Then the warrior slashed through the box, slid his blade along one bottle, and snapped off the cap.
Glaring at us all, he took a sip.
Then he gave Luka a slow chin lift, grinned, and made an offhand remark to his companions.
They roared with laughter as we stared, incredulous.
Salim translated.
‘He’s not had a Fanta for three months. He said it’s hitting the spot. He said other things about it giving him energy to tackle his woman tonight, but I won’t go into it.’
With that, the tension dissolved into gruff nods, a few smiles, and a handshake.
The warriors hoisted the tributes onto their shoulders, then retreated toward the acacia tree line and disappeared into the bush.
‘Well, that was hinky and fuckin’ hairy at the same time,’ Deacon muttered.
Luka let out an exhale. ‘You don’t say.’
He then checked his watch.
‘Sooner we get out of here, the better, I’m feeling the collywobbles. If we draw other militiamen from neighboring villages, it might turn into a shitshow.’
‘Ana is ready to go,’ Tariq uttered, adjusting the drip running into my forearm.
Along with Baz, Luka, Deacon gripped the frame of the transport bed to lift me.
My eyes locked onto his rugged jawline, the muscles in his neck straining as he and his companions carried me through the swirling ash to the waiting craft.
Yael ran close behind, clutching my primary camera and gear.
Soon I got secured in the helo, buckled in tight to the air-stretcher.
The two other IR security men grabbed our bags and followed us to the huge helicopter, its rotors spinning and engine growling as it readied for flight.
Baz and Salim stood near their 4x4 vehicles, waving a brief goodbye.
They had some work to do packing up after us before beginning their arduous, tricky drive back down the mountain pass toward Addis.
The crew strapped in, and we all put on headsets to talk to each other.
Deacon sat on the bench next to my stretcher, his massive frame looming over me in the cramped space.
We vaulted into the soupy sky, the thrum of the propellers filling the cabin as we set off.
I locked eyes with my ex, drawing courage from him as he shot me another playful wink and squeezed my hand.
At long last, I let go as the sedative began to blur my vision, and I dozed off, safe with Deacon, as always.
Chapter 13
DEACON
The chopper cabin rattled as Captain Malik guided us away from the volcanic ash mantle shrouding the Omo Valley.
