My head bobbled, trying to process the war zone she described.
Her eyes left mine to return to the map. “That tunnel could be a problem. We could detour here,” she pointed, “and skip across to rejoin the main road here, skipping the toll.”
“If we can just get into the Old City, we’ll be home free. The Sepulchre is just there,” Jared said. He pushed his lips back and forth with his fingers, a million decisions flipping through his mind.
They pored over the map, discussing different roads, buildings, and blind spots. Even though they were kind enough to speak in English this time, as much as half of their discussion was lost on me with phrases like
Claire shook her head. “I brought the new rifle. Ryan and I could stay behind. I could cover you.”
Jared thought for a moment, but shook his head. “Too risky. What if you get trapped?”
Claire frowned. “That’s insulting.”
“It’s not just you, Claire. You have two of you to watch out for.”
“I know that, but he—”
“Claire?”
Claire’s shoulders dropped in resignation.
“We’re not leaving anyone behind. We stay together.”
“Copy that.”
They spent another hour coming up with Plan Bs, and Cs, and Zs. If something went wrong at this corner, we would take that alley; duck into that building; cut across that roof. Areas of concentrated population were to be avoided at all costs, but the Sepulchre was in the center of the Old City, and a popular pilgrimage. Our fight wouldn’t end until we were safe inside the tomb.
I shivered. How anyone could feel safe in a tomb was beyond me, but it was the one place Hell wouldn’t go. The book was proof. I turned to see Kim staring at the book in her hands.
She sensed me looking at her, and her eyes jumped up. I was immediately embarrassed, but she showed a glimpse of my friend, letting the corners of her mouth turn up. The action seemed unnatural for her, and it only lasted a moment before she was blank-faced and once again staring at the book.
Claire stood and crossed her arms. “Six hours ‘til arrival. I’m going to ready the weapons.”
She didn’t get halfway down the aisle before the plane trembled, and then shook. Jared looked at me, and then behind him. Claire held onto the tops of two seats on each side of her.
“Probably just some choppy air,” Ryan said.
In that moment the plane bounced violently, sending objects from the overhead bins the floor. The lights flickered, and I held my belly with one hand, and gripped Jared’s arm with the other. Claire’s outline flashed by as she made her way to the cockpit.
“Is it turbulence?” I shouted. The engines whined in a way I’d never hear before, and I could feel the plane descending rapidly. The plane took another dive, and then leveled out slightly. “Jared?” I cried.
“Claire will handle it,” he said, covering my hand with his.
The cabin went dark, and red emergency lights cast frightening shadows. After another dip, the emergency oxygen masks fell from above.
“Doesn’t that mean we’ve lost pressure?” I said in a panic.
Jared leaned over to look out the window, and I did the same. Blackness covered the ground below. No glowing fireflies, no tiny lines of traffic. We were over ocean, with no hope of making an emergency landing.
The plane leaned to the left, pushing me against the window. It was then that I saw it: Moonlight flickering against the waves below. We were just a few thousand feet from crashing into the water.
“Nina!” Jared said, unbuckling my seat belt. “Come with me. I’m going to open the emergency exit door, and when I tell you, we’re going to jump.”
“What?” I said. “Jump from the plane? Are you crazy?” I could see real fear in his eyes, and for the first time, I knew Jared had made a decision out of desperation.
Claire burst out of the cockpit and looked Jared, shaking her head.
Jared gripped my hand and pulled me to my feet. Before I could speak, we were at the emergency exit. Jared grabbed the lever with both hands, but I stopped him.
“We need to do this now!” he yelled.
I shook my head. “I can’t.”
“You can!”
I looked around me to the frightened faces of Bex, Kim, and Ryan, and then Claire.
“Why are you just sitting there?” she cried, “Help us, dammit!”
Jared’s arms tensed against my strength, but I refused to let him pull the handle.
I closed my eyes, trying to block out the noise. “Help us,” I whispered. “We need your help.”
Chapter Seventeen
Departure
The plane trembled like an earthquake. The engines whined, and the emergency oxygen masks leaned forward as the plane plummeted toward black water.
Claire shrieked. I was afraid to opened my eyes, hesitant to see what unimaginable horror had caused her to scream. I popped one eye open, and then the other. Even in the dim red light, I could easily make out Claire’s tiny arms wrapped around a large, dark figure. The lights returned to normal, and the shaking immediately stopped. The plane leveled out as the high-pitched cry of the engines quieted to a smooth, low hum.
Jared stopped trying to open the door, and he stood, moving slightly when every muscle in his body relaxed at once.
Bex hopped to his feet. “It’s about freakin’ time!” he said, slapping the top of the seat in front of him. After collecting himself, he turned to Kim.
“You okay?”
Kim’s expression remained blank. “Why?”
She winked at me, and an uncontrollable grin stretched across my face. I was beginning to see traces of my friend again.
Samuel stood at the front of the aisle, a large, white smile a contrast against his black face. “I apologize. The best way to describe it is that I had to wade through some red tape.”
Claire released Samuel and playfully punched his arm.
Jared raced up the aisle and then paused. Samuel opened his arms wide, and Jared fell into his chest, hugging him as well. Samuel laughed, his voice bellowing, filling every space in the cabin. I didn’t realize that I was still tense until Ryan spoke into my ear, causing me to jump.
“He wasn’t on the plane before, was he?”
I shook my head, smiling. “Nope.”
A loud popping noise echoed when Samuel patted Jared on his back. “I can only go as far as the outskirts of Jerusalem, but I’m going to join you, if you don’t mind.”
Jared laughed once. “Not at all.” I joined him at the front of the aisle, wrapping my arms tightly around him. I sighed. “I admit it. I was scared to death.”
Jared shook his head. “I was ready to jump from a crashing airplane with my pregnant wife. I think I win this one.”
I agreed without pause. “Touche.”
Samuel walked back and forth along the aisle for a while. We all watched him quietly, but the fear and apprehension was gone. When Samuel would pass our seats, Jared would squeeze my hand. I kept trying to use my new and crude sensitivities to recognize a dark presence, but I either wasn’t doing it right, or Samuel had given them a severe enough warning.
Before long, Jared’s breathing evened out, and then his fingers relaxed around mine.
I fell asleep soon after. A tiny baby boy in my arms, swaddled the softest blue cotton, smiling and content in the shade under our oak tree, saturated my dreams. He smiled, his bright blue-gray eyes glimmering in the summer
