Danger at the Border by Terri Reed Read Free Book Online Page A

the forest like chameleons. Each man held a nasty-looking rifle aimed at her and Jeff.
    They were surrounded with no way out.
    The man who had spoken—clearly their leader—raked his gaze over her before his flat, lizardlike eyes met hers. “It’s a pleasure, Dr. Cleary.”
    Tessa gaped. How did the man know who she was?
    Jeff tugged her behind him. “Who are you?”
    “Your worst nightmare, Agent Steele.”
    “I doubt that,” Jeff stated, his voice hard.
    “We shall see.” The man flicked his wrist at them.
    From behind her, a bag came down over Tessa’s head. She yelped with surprise.
    “Hey!” Jeff shouted. She heard a sickening thud. Had they hit him? Killed him? Panic clogged her throat and seized her lungs.
    Rough hands ripped her away from Jeff’s side and dragged her into the forest.

FOUR
    T essa gasped for air inside the burlap sack that had been thrown over her head and pulled tight. She struggled against the restraints holding her hands behind her back, desperately wishing she could claw the bag away and take a deep, clean breath. She’d never take oxygen for granted again.
    Despite her best efforts, panic constricted her throat; her lungs burned from breathing in her own carbon dioxide. She resisted the man’s rough hand clamped around her upper arm like a manacle, but he was too strong. He forced her to stumble forward at a fast clip.
    Were they marching her to her death? The panic increased. She hyperventilated. Dots appeared before her eyes. No. She wouldn’t pass out. She fought to stay conscious.
    Where was Jeff? After his shout, he’d gone silent. Did that mean they’d separated them? Had they killed him?
    Her chest caved in at the thought. “Jeff!” she screamed.
    “Here” came his muffled reply.
    A measure of relief loosened the tightness cramping her insides. This was her fault. If she’d waited for the full team to assemble...they all might be prisoners now, not just her. And Jeff.
    “Put her in the back.” The harsh command came from the leader, the one who’d looked at her like a choice steak he wanted to devour. She shivered with distaste.
    Hands hauled her off her feet. She kicked wildly, connecting with hard muscles and bone. Her captor let out a satisfying yelp of pain. She was dumped sideways on a hard metallic surface.
    She heard Jeff’s groan as he landed next to her. She scooted toward him, until her arm bumped his broad back. His arms were twisted behind him. His bound hands gripped the fabric of her jacket.
    “We’ll be okay,” he told her, his voice barely audible.
    “No talking!” a voice ordered.
    A thud jolted through her—an impact of something hard hitting something soft. Jeff grunted in pain. Tessa could only imagine what assault he’d suffered for trying to reassure her. Though she appreciated his effort, she wasn’t naive enough to believe they would get out of these woods alive. It made her sick. Doors slammed. The roar of an engine rumbled beneath them. They were inside a vehicle. From the pinging of rocks on the underbelly and the echoing noise of the bumpy terrain, she guessed a cargo van of some sort. They were being driven away from the pot field, away from the toxic runoff. Away from any chance at surviving.
    No! She wouldn’t think that way. There must be something they could do, some way for them to escape. They hadn’t killed them outright. That was good, wasn’t it?
    Please, dear God in Heaven, we need You. Please, please protect us.
    She hoped God was listening. Even as the thought formed, she chastised herself for being one of those people who only looked to God in their time of need. Her grandma Vida would be so disappointed.
    The one bright spot in Tessa’s life had been her grandmother on her mom’s side. Grandma Vida had had a deep faith in God and had hoped to instill that faith in Tessa. But hearing about God when Grandma visited once or twice a year hadn’t been enough to convince Tessa to rely on Him.
    But facing a forest