No Turning Back by Kaylea Cross Read Free Book Online Page A

US embassy in Lebanon he'd orchestrated.
    Sam's blood ran cold at the thought. She'd seen the photos of the poor headless woman and her husband. If he could do that to his own family, what could he do to her cousin? Taking Nev and sending Sam the photo of her bound and helpless had the trademark psychological torture Tehrazzi was infamous for. She shivered, feeling very small and alone.
    Skulking about in the shadows wasn't easy for her, but if she was still breathing, then she figured she must have been doing a decent job of it. Nearing her safe place for the night— an unoccupied shelter she'd scoped out at the market earlier in the day— she shifted the strap of her backpack on her left shoulder, very aware of the cold pistol muzzle digging into the small of her back at her waistband beneath her robe. She doubted she'd hit what she was aiming at if she had to use it, but a chance was better than nothing.
    With a final surreptitious glance around to ensure she was alone, she slipped through the beaten-up door and made her way to the far corner of the tiny room. Inside, she dropped her bag and slid down against the grimy wall with a weary sigh. Only a dilapidated table and two chairs graced the center of the room, a small counter with a hot plate and kettle on the far side. A tiny, grungy bathroom sat to her left, giving off the foul smells of stale urine and unwashed facilities.
    Letting her head fall back, she closed her eyes a moment and took stock of the situation. Six days. That's how long she'd been on the run, alone and looking over her shoulder with every step. She'd only slept about twelve hours total, grabbing whatever she could to eat and drink along the way, which hadn't been much. She was hungry and tired, footsore and scared out of her mind. To be honest, she didn't know how much longer she could keep this up, even if she managed to elude her pursuers a while longer. Her body wasn't going to be able to sustain this kind of stress and deprivation.
    Don't think about that right now. You have to eat, get some sleep. You need to stay sharp.
    She'd allow herself to sleep for a few hours. Early in the morning, she'd have to try and find another internet cafe or somewhere she could recharge her BlackBerry in case the kidnappers made contact again. She had to have a way of finding out what Nev's status was. With any luck, she might find a clue or something that would help her figure out who had her, and where they were hidden in Afghanistan.
    And maybe Ben had sent her something. She hoped so. Alone in the dark of night with nothing to comfort her, she found herself thinking about him, conjuring up her memories of his smile and the way he teased her. She was attached to him in ways she didn't fully understand, but that didn't lessen her feelings for him. Was he searching for her right now? The thought eased her somewhat.
    Her stomach let out an angry growl. She fished in her pack for her compact reading light and set it beside her before turning it on. She pulled out an orange and wolfed it down, then a piece of bread. Man, what she would have given for a plateful of spaghetti with meat sauce, loaded with parmesan and a side of garlic bread. If she made it out of the Middle East alive, that was the first meal she was going to have when she got back home to Virginia.
    Squelching a wave of self-pity, she reminded herself things could be way worse. At least she was safe for the moment, had enough food to keep her going, and no one was holding a gun at her head, waiting for the moment to pull the trigger. Neveah wasn't as fortunate. Sam didn't know what kind of conditions her cousin was being held in, but she knew it couldn't be pleasant. She was counting on the kidnappers needing to keep her cousin alive, hoping they would try and use the fact that she was an American doctor to get the US government's attention. For a ransom of some sort, or media exposure for their plight. The alternative was unthinkable.
    Sam forced