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Rescued (Trail of the Sandpiper) (Volume 2)

By Tina Pinson

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Island of New Guinea, 1942

"Please, please, don't kill me. Don't..." She shrank back against the muddy sidewalls of her prison -- afraid to look up at the man who reached for her through the bars of the grate. In her heart, she knew who reached for her; she could almost see his leering smile.
She whispered his name, "Thomas MacGregor," better known as Tomoyuki Nekata, the Japanese commander. The enemy.
He wanted her trust. Ha. The traitor. He'd come back to kill her. She froze, hoped he'd go away. He stood there. Watching her. Breathing heavily.
A long arm spanned the distance and his fingers fell on her. His nails cut into her head as he grabbed a handful of hair and began to tug.
She shivered and started to whimper, "No, no, please. I don't want to die. I can't die, my children, my children..." She pled with her tormentor. Thomas MacGregor didn't answer. He was a shadow with dark eyes and a white smile.
She started to scream.
Slapping at her tormentor, Justine sat up and found herself wildly swatting thin air. There was no hand in her hair, no tormentor. She sat in darkness. Alone. Her heart fluttered in her chest as she labored to breathe, she covered it and pressed. Then felt along her limbs and body to make sure she was okay. Her gaze darting about, she listened to the night and realized where she was.
It had been a dream, only a dream. Justine assured herself as she took a deep breath. She was still in Dugan's back room and, for now, she was okay
"For now." She still wasn't off the island. All the fears that threatened to overwhelm her surfaced again.
Since the Japanese invasion, Justine's life had become one ordeal after another. She'd been imprisoned. Her husband, Mark, had died. The mission camp where she'd lived had been obliterated, leaving her with several orphaned children to lead to safety. Now she had the help of Tyler Merrick and the US Navy, but still... she felt like she'd done a dismal job. Would she ever get herself and the children to safety?
Come morning, they would leave the cabin, and Dugan, and set out to rendezvous with the Nandus. Once they found the Nandus, they would be rescued. Hopefully. First, they had to get through the enemy lines and Dugan had to get a message to the submarine. She had her doubts they'd ever get off the island.
Alive.
It will be well. You're still alive and I'm watching over you, the voice of her heart called.
Justine listened and started to cry in earnest. "Oh God, but I'm scared. I don't know if I can do this anymore."
I know, child, the voice said softly. Remember, I'm here with you. Always. I'll never leave you nor forsake you.
Justine sniffed. She hated to admit it, but she felt forsaken, even though, so far, she was still safe; the Japanese hadn't slipped in and taken her again, or the children. And God was still there.
"I'm trying to trust you; I am. Help my doubt." New tears fell, making vision hazy. "Thank you," she added softly, after a moment. She lowered herself on her bedroll, and tried to get comfortable. Fire and cold touched her in the same instance. Justine pulled her blanket to her neck and hugged herself, as she cried herself to sleep.

*****

Tyler bent over Justine, tapping her shoulder. "Time to get up."
She yawned, stretched, and opened her eyes.
"Sleep well?" he asked, envious that she looked so comfortable. He'd been up since Deacon woke him to take watch.
"I managed to get some rest."
"Good. We've got a long day ahead of us. We need to get a move on."
Virginia awoke. "Now?"
"Soon." Tyler explained.
Virginia groaned and yawned and did a pretty little stretch. "But it's still dark outside, and it's raining."
Tyler listened to the drumming on the roof. "You still have to get up."
"Can't we sleep longer?" Virginia gave another delicate stretch. Her bare leg ran along her blanket as she closed her eyes again.
"We have to go before sunup," Tyler informed her.
"But that's hours from--"
"Come on, Gin. We have a ways to go," Justine urged. She pulled herself to a sitting position. Tyler hoped Virginia would follow Justine's lead.
Virginia flopped to her stomach. "Why can't we stay here until the rain--"
"Virginia, please." Justine scolded, gently. "We have to go."
"Oh, all right," Virginia groaned. "But I don't see why."
"Let's hope you don't have to." Tyler watched her stretch, her limbs delicately reaching, her slow intake of breath and the rise of her chest. He caught himself and shook his head. "Just get ready. We leave within the hour," he replied curtly and turned to Justine. "Can I speak to you?"
She nodded, craned her neck until it popped, then followed him to the next room, and outside.
"You said we're changing direction." She nodded. "Where are we going?"
She seemed wary, "I'd rather not say."
He was bewildered. "I have to let Dugan know so he can tell the boat."
"Uncle Milton will know."
"How?"
"He will, trust me."
After Virginia, Tyler was already agitated; he held his impatience. "I ask again, how?"
She swallowed hard, and raked a hand through her hair. "I can't, yet." She glanced around them. "The jungle has ears. And eyes."
He looked around then met her eyes. "I won't tell."
"I know that. But sound carries, someone might overhear."
"Then whisper it to me. Justine..." he prodded when she didn't make a move to do so.
She fidgeted in place as if she didn't seem comfortable doing so.
"Justine," he said again, unwilling to move until he knew the answer.
She tensed and scratched her head. "Fine." She leaned in quickly, whispered what he wanted to know in a rush then backed up.
She got the job done fast, and now she was flushed. He grinned. His grin faded when he considered other reasons for her quickness. Had she'd gotten a good whiff of him? The thought wasn't so funny when he considered how sweaty and grimy he was. He winced.
"I think I know the place. I believe I landed close by. I didn't stay long. Is it safe?"
A smile touched her eyes as she met his again. "The safest place I know."
"For the boat?"
"Yes. Trust me, Lieutenant Merrick."
"I do," but he couldn't shake the desire to know more about the place, and strangely, more about the woman taking him there.

*****

"Are you sure?" Tyler held the paper out, giving Dugan another chance to decline playing courier to the Nandus in a deadly game of cat and mouse with the Japanese.
"I'm taking it," Dugan declared. "Can't say I'm partial to the risk, but I'll see it delivered."
Tyler's brows furrowed. "If you'd rather--"
"Stop." Dugan frowned. "Hand me that and get on with you." He snatched the message from Tyler and pushed it into his pocket.
Tyler grinned. "I appreciate this."
"You just get those women and children out of here."
"I'll do my best."
Dugan lowered his voice, "Will you do something else?"
Tyler shrugged. "You've only to ask."
"I don't know what's going to happen once we leave here. And well, I could... will you see Justine gets this?" He held out an old journal.
Tyler staved off the gift with raised hands. "Nothing is going to happen," he replied with as much conviction as he could muster. He wasn't convinced by his own declaration. He clapped Dugan's shoulder. "You'll see her again, give it to her then."
Dugan shook his head in a protracted manner. "The odds aren't in our favor, Lieutenant. It's important she gets this in case I... Tell her to look in the back of the book. It will answer her questions. She'll understand."
"All right, all right," Tyler relented, taking the book. He tried to smile. "You'll see her again. You'll see them all again."
"I hope so."
Tyler sobered. "You wouldn't happen to know our destination?"
Dugan winked. "I can make an educated guess."
"Which is?"
Dugan rolled his blanket and stuffed it into his pack. "Rather not say." He buckled the straps, hoisted it to the floor, and began packing a box. "The jungle has ears."
"Justine swore you to secrecy?"
He glanced back over his shoulder. "Haven't really talked to her about it. Well, I did, but she didn't tell me. Hand me that book there."
Eyeing him skeptically, Tyler reached for the book. "How do you know where we're going then?"
Dugan's brows lifted. "Don't you trust Justine?"
"I'm just wondering about the boat. Will it have proper access?"
"I'm sure Justine has taken that into consideration."
"But I don't know anything about the place. Will it accommodate a submarine?"
"It's probably the same place I'd take you."
"And that place would be?"
Dugan chuckled and leaned over to whisper a destination in his ear.
It was the same destination Justine had spoken of. That settled it for Tyler. He didn't need to worry.
"Are you sure it will be safe?" Virginia voiced her own concerns about their destination when she managed to corner Tyler later.
"Justine assures me it is."
"But where is it?" she asked for the second time. She clutched the bodice of her dress in her right fist and rubbed her arm with her other hand.
"I'm not quite sure." It wasn't a lie. He might know the name and the general vicinity. Justine told him about a dormant volcano blow out, but he had never been.
"She didn't tell you?" She flattened her hand against her skin and gripped his sleeve with her left hand.
He shrugged and pulled back. "I wouldn't know where it was anyway."
Virginia's whole face seemed to pucker as she lowered fisted hands to her sides. "Well, you should know. You are the leader. I'll just talk to Justine about that." She marched away, limping ever so slightly on the wrong sore foot.
Virginia may talk to Justine, but he doubted Justine would reveal the name of the hiding place.
"There she goes." Wyatt came to stand beside Tyler. He dropped some of his gear. "Funny how she limps whenever you're around."
Tyler wasn't thrilled by the observation, however obvious it might be. Virginia seemed to find him when he was alone. She stood much too close and touched him whenever she had the chance. In the beginning, he'd liked the attention, wanted more. He was male. Now, her boldness overwhelmed him and he wasn't quite sure what to do about it. "How about we don't talk about that?"
"Fine by me, but I will have to say I agree with her."
Tyler turned to his friend, both stunned and amused. "You agree with Miss Wainwright? On what point?"
"You should know where we're going."
"I should." Tyler smiled, his brows lifted.
"You do know, you're just not sharing the information," Wyatt noted perceptively. "Should I ask why?"
"Not now. I'll tell you once we're underway," Tyler assured him.
Wyatt's shrug was nearly imperceptible. "I can live with that."

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