Caught Between by Rima Jean Read Free Book Online

drag from his cigarette, his third of the night. His eyes were fixed on the old door just a few steps down the alley. It was easy to miss, since it hardly looked like a door at all -- what was underneath the nailed planks and graffiti may once have been quite beautiful. Cedar wood carved into intricate flourishes and painted blue, he thought. A shame.
    He heard voices and looked to his left. Two young men strolled passed, paying him no attention. Luke exhaled slowly, stubbing out his cigarette. Marya has made me jumpy. He shook his head. He still couldn't believe she'd followed him. Of course, she had no way of knowing she was putting herself in danger. But still -- the girl had some balls. It made him like her even more.
    He scowled. He didn't mind being attracted to her. Attraction, he could handle. But actually liking her? That wasn't good. Not for him, not for her.
    The door opened with a groan. Luke straightened, his heart beat faster. A bearded man in a black leather jacket looked out, nodded to Luke. Here goes. He went in behind the man, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the dimness. The door was shut and barred behind him. People were crammed inside -- men mostly, but there were women too. A British journalist sitting on a stool, a French photographer talking to a woman in the corner. It smelled of smoke and sweat and garlic, and Luke was dizzy for a second.
    The man in the leather jacket, Ahmed, gestured to a chair around a table of men, all bearded and smoking. Luke sat and greeted each of the men in turn. Syrian exiles, most of them, their faces hardened with pain. Ahmed spoke in Arabic. "Marshall, what can you bring us?"
    Luke spoke quickly. "Assault rifles, sniper rifles, hand gr enades, and night vision goggles." He paused. "I can get some cell phones, radios, and transmitters, too, if given more time."
    Ahmed squeezed Luke's shoulder. "My friend, may God pr otect you. You can have until the end of the month. We will be crossing the border into Syria then."
    "I want to come with you," Luke said.
    The men exchanged looks. "Why?" one of them asked.
    Luke traced a crack on the tabletop with his forefinger. "I have friends in Damascus. They need me."
    Ahmed rubbed his chin. "It would be safer for you to go in alone. Why come with us?"
    "Because I want to help you, Ahmed," Luke insisted. "Let me be a part of this. Let me fight alongside you."
    One of the other men shook his head slowly. Ahmed said, "We must think on it."
    "Then think on it," Luke said, pushing back in his chair. "I'll be back tomorrow night. I'll be bringing some of the things you need."
    Ahmed led Luke to the door. As Luke stepped out, Ahmed said, "Go with God, Marshall."
    Luke looked back at him with a nod. "Think on it, Ahmed."

 
    6.
    " Can you believe I found an almost entirely intact figurine?"
    It was break time under the sweltering heat, and Marya was polishing off her second meat pastry. Amy wouldn't shut up about her figurine. Marya admitted she was jealous -- two weeks into the excavation and Amy's team had found something important, while Marya and Luke were finding nothing but rocks. Big rocks. Rocks that needed to be smashed so that she and Luke could continue to dig.
    On the upside, Marya got to watch Luke heave a sledgehammer several times a day. On the downside, Luke had rejected her. And it still hurt.
    It's not like he's running off with Liz. He wants to be alone. Don't be such a baby about it.
    Still, her heart wouldn't see reason. If he'd wanted to be around her, he'd be around her. It was that simple. And it killed her that his attention mattered to her, that she wanted him to pay attention to her.
    "... believes that it represents the god Hadad, who was often depicted as a four-legged animal," Amy was saying excitedly.
    "A bull," Marya said. "I know. It's super exciting." Normally, Marya would find it super exciting.
    "And I was the one who found it," Amy stressed. "Me. It was under my pick, not Shannon's. Don't let her tell you