“Many do, Evita, but then they are faced with the fear of discovery and the guilt of living a lie. Then there are those less enlightened ones who actually think they’ll be thrown into a burning lake of fire the day they die if they so much as think about having sex with a woman. This is something the Church is going to have to face head-on in the near future if they want to attract the right kind of candidates for the priesthood. We’re living in a new and different era. The sooner the Church wakes up to that fact the sooner it can move forward into the new millennium, and I plan on being at the forefront of that new awakening.”
Evita paused to look out across the river one more time before smiling up at Leo, the look of seduction replaced instead with one of understanding. Leo reached out and placed his arm around her shoulders as they began walking back toward the castle in silence. Both were aware that a bond had just been formed between them, but neither of them was aware of just what kind of bond it was. Like the early morning mist still clinging to the surface of the river, their feelings hung in the air, yet somehow, both felt strangely energized with the knowledge that an attachment had been made, and that, sooner or later, they would have to face the consequences … whatever those consequences might be.
CHAPTER 33
Mounting the top of the stairs to the terrace, Leo and Evita could hear shouts of excitement as Lev waved to them from his table.
“Leo, come quickly … Sarah’s escaped!”
“Escaped?”
“Our intelligence was right on the money. She was at Acerbi’s chateau, but she got away.”
“How … when?”
“We received a call a few minutes ago from Daniel. Apparently, Sarah was able to call to the villa in Israel. She didn’t want to go to the authorities, so Daniel told her to stay put and we would come to her. Evidently, she’s hiding with a couple who are trying to help her. She should be calling us any minute now.”
Leo took a seat next to Lev and poured another cup of coffee. “Are we going after her?”
“Yes, but it’s not going to be easy,” Alon said. “The countryside is a dangerous place to be right now, and anyone who ventures out onto the highway is a target of opportunity for the roving gangs. Luckily for us, the couple who rescued her headed south.
“What about the couple who rescued her?”
“I’m afraid that’s all the information we have for now.” The satellite phone in Alon’s hand began ringing.
“Hello? Yes, he’s right here.” Alon held the phone out to Lev. “It’s Sarah. She’s calling from a cell phone.”
“That’s impossible,” Moshe said. “The French government started shutting the towers down this morning because they were overloaded.”
Lev shrugged his shoulders and took the phone. “Hello … Sarah?”
“Lev! Thank God! Daniel said you were coming for me. When are you leaving?”
“We’re leaving right now. We’ll be coming by helicopter. Are you OK?”
“No. We’re hiding in the woods by a river. There are men after us!”
A look of horror crossed Lev’s face. “Men? What kind of men? Do they know where you are?”
“We think they’re Acerbi’s men. They’re searching the village for us. We don’t know how they found us, but we saw them outside the hotel and ran out the back door into the woods. They have dogs!”
Lev looked up at Alon. “They’re being chased by men with dogs!”
“Tell them to stay close to the river and to head for the chateau. We’ll spot them from the air.”
“Stay close to that river!” Lev shouted into the phone. “We’re coming. Keep your eyes peeled for a small, blue helicopter. We’ll be flying over the river by the chateau … the one that’s built out over the water.”
Alon suddenly reached out and grabbed the phone. “Sarah, this is Alon. Moshe said you were calling from a cell phone. Is that true?”
“Yes. It belongs to Fredrick and Martha, the people who rescued me.”
“Turn it off! Turn it off now. We’ll find you without it.”
“But …”
“Sarah, listen to me. All cell phone service throughout France has been cut off. The men chasing you probably activated the local towers to locate you. Turn off that cell phone right now, and remove the battery!”
In an instant, the phone connection went dead.
Alon hit the “Off” button on the satellite phone. “Let’s go.”
* *
The sound of the helicopter’s turbines could be heard warming up below as Leo, Lev, and Alon ran down the gravelly pathway from the castle to the landing pad in the compound below. Nava was already sitting in the pilot’s seat running through her pre-flight checklist when the three men piled onboard.
“Whoa … what do you think you’re doing?” Nava shouted from the cockpit.
Leo gave her a surprised look. “We’re going with you. Sarah and the two people who rescued her are being chased by men with dogs while we’re sitting here talking. Let’s get this thing in the air.”
“This chopper only holds four people, and that includes me.”
The sudden dilemma of their situation finally dawned on the men sitting behind her.
“She’s right,” Leo said, running his hands through his hair as he tried to think.
Nava glanced over her shoulder at the men in back. “I have to take one of you, and I think it should be Alon. The Loire River valley is only a couple of hundred feet above sea level, and at that low altitude, I can probably squeeze five people in here if we dump the life raft and some other gear. It’s going to be a little iffy, but if I’m going on a rescue mission, I want Alon with me.”
Leo and Lev nodded at one another and quickly jumped out. Since the helicopter had been equipped for a life at sea, there was over a hundred pounds of water survival gear on board. Alon threw out the life raft first, followed by life preservers and containers of survival rations stowed under the seats. He was just closing the back door when John came running up and thrust an Uzi sub-machine gun and a few clips of ammo into his hands.
“Just in case.”
Alon grinned. “Thanks, little brother.”
The sound of the turbines increased as the men on the ground backed away and the chopper lifted into the air. In less than a minute, it had disappeared over a hilltop headed north toward French chateau country.
“Godspeed,” Leo muttered to an empty sky.
CHAPTER 34
The helicopter skimmed the tops of the trees in the Loire Valley as Nava navigated toward one of the most beautiful Renaissance treasures in the world-the beautiful 16th century
In this historical setting, Nava and Alon raced to rescue one of their own, even though both knew the odds were already stacked against them. Sarah and the two people with her were being tracked by men with dogs, but it had taken the rescue flight an hour to get to them, an eternity under the circumstances. As the chopper approached the chateau, Alon and Nava traded looks. The banks and fields along the river appeared empty.
