Chapter 16 #2
She nodded and took a deep breath as if bracing herself. “Damien and Ethan made contact not long after the earthquake hit,” she said. “I’m sorry, I don’t know the time. Agus, the man who kidnapped Vance, stole my phone.”
“Why?” the major asked.
“He said it was so I could give Vance’s proposal the proper consideration.
” She poured herself a glass of water. “But I suspect it was because Vance told him about my parents and he has a sworn vendetta against my mother. He didn’t want me to communicate with anyone off the island until he could figure out what he wanted to do with me. ”
“When was this?” the Major-General asked.
“The day before the earthquake. I was lying in bed trying to figure out how I could escape the island when the earthquake hit.” Before they could ask the obvious question she added, “Agus controls all the boats coming to and leaving the island and I was refused passage on the evening’s barge even though it was empty.
” She paused a moment, so they understood the vulnerable position Vance had put her in.
“I suspect if the earthquake hadn’t hit, my mother would have received a similar video to the one the Defence Minister received. ”
Let them stew on that.
“I told your men that Vance had befriended Agus and as far as I knew, he was staying with him at the house on the cliff. I explained the security and the room layout. They left, but Damien told me to head for the mountains so I was out of harm’s way.”
“Did you?” the colonel asked.
She shook her head. “Every time I was about to leave, I heard someone else cry for help. I couldn’t leave them there to drown.”
A modicum of respect showed on all three men’s faces.
“Then the tsunami hit. The lady I was helping stole my moped and got out ahead of the wave, but I got caught in it. I saw Ethan fall out of the four-wheel drive just before I went under.” She shuddered and hugged herself.
“How did he fall?”
“They were trying to pull him inside. He was on the back, but I guess he must have slipped.” She swallowed hard at the memory.
“We were fortunate we were at the end of the water’s push inland.
It turned, sucking everything back to the ocean, and I grabbed onto a tree trunk and hung on until it receded. ”
“You weren’t injured?”
“Battered, bruised and swallowed a heap of dirty water, but alive. I started looking for Ethan immediately and found him by the time the team returned. We had just enough time to find a stretcher for him and get him into the car before the next wave hit.”
“It sounds like we owe you a debt of gratitude,” the colonel said. “You saved that man’s life.”
She shook her head. “The team did. Damien had Ethan on the stretcher in what seemed like seconds. He was incredible.” A hero.
“What happened next?”
Mila continued to tell them the story, talking Damien up, and emphasising what she had done to get them off the island. When she spoke about Agus’s men trying to stop her from leaving, they glanced at each other.
“Honestly if Damien hadn’t come after me, I’m not sure what Agus would have done to me.
He might have just held me hostage, or he might have been angry enough with my mother to kill me.
” She took a deep breath to calm her heart rate.
“The plan was to extract with the team, but Agus’s men caught up with us and there was another helicopter coming in, so they had to leave.
” She gave a shuddery smile. “I was terrified, but Damien was so calm. He told me we would get away. We were lucky to find the Zodiac nearby, and he swam out in that swirling, dangerous, debris-filled water to salvage it. Agus’s men noticed the boat, so I distracted them so he could secure the boat. ”
“How?”
“I let them see me and then ran.” She shrugged. “They chased me which gave Damien enough time to get the boat and hide it.”
“That was very risky,” the Major said. “Those men might have shot you.”
She exhaled. “I hoped Agus had told them not to hurt me. I was more valuable to him alive than dead. If I hadn’t done something, they would have seen Damien and the boat, and we would have lost our escape route.”
“Did they catch you?”
She nodded. “I twisted my ankle when I ran and Agus picked me up in his luxury cruiser. He took me to his house, but I escaped out the window to the ground and then Damien extracted me. We returned to the boat and then went to a nearby deserted island to contact the team and wait extraction.”
“What did Agus say to you?”
“He wanted me to know what Mum had done to him. He tied me up and hit me, and I faked unconsciousness, so he left me alone long enough for me to escape.”
“Why did you bring a dog with you?” the Major-General asked.
“That was my fault,” she said. “When we escaped the house, the dogs chased us. Trixie—” she cleared her throat. “The dog entered the water and kept following the boat. She was hit by debris and I couldn’t let her drown. I used an oar to rescue her.”
“Sergeant Dobson didn’t stop you?”
She glared at the colonel. “He wouldn’t have dared. I was feeling particularly emotional. I would have hit him with the oar if he’d tried.” She didn’t flinch as she lied.
“It sounds as if you’ve had quite a day,” the Major-General said.
“Yes.” It was time to get to the point. “I enabled your team to rescue the hostage before the tsunami hit, led them to the medical supplies to help Ethan, and then cleared the extraction point so they could get away. Damien rescued me, thereby ensuring you didn’t need to risk any more people’s lives trying to extract me and saving you time.
He deserves a medal not a dishonourable discharge.
” She met each man’s gaze in a subtle challenge.
The Major-General smiled. “You remind me of your mother. We’ll take your suggestion under advisement.”
Hope filled her chest.
“You may go now,” the Major said.
Mila nodded and left the room.
***
Dobby stood with Jared outside the room where the corporal had taken Mila, his heart beating rapidly. Though her outrage had been magnificent, he’d worried she would say the wrong thing and make things worse.
He needn’t have worried. She’d been calm, rational and persuasive, knowing exactly what to say to paint him in the best light.
And the picture she’d painted of him wasn’t one he recognised, but the only thing she’d lied about was how the dog ended up on the boat.
Could he live up to the man she thought he was?
Jared poked him as Mila made her closing statement. “She’s just saved your arse.”
He nodded. “She’s amazing.” Was this proof she cared for him as much as he cared for her? Or was it simply her selfless nature and sense of injustice coming into play?
“Obviously learnt a lot from Mum and Dad about influencing people,” Jared murmured back with a smile.
Dobby stepped back as the corporal led Mila out of the room. Her face flushed when she saw him there.
“Were you eavesdropping?”
“Sure was, sweetheart.” He fell into step with her. “Thank you.”
She nodded. “They can’t possibly suggest your actions were dishonourable now.” She yawned.
It was a couple of hours until dawn. He glanced at Jared. “Has Mila got somewhere to sleep?”
“Yeah, she’s got a bunk in the guest area. I’ll take her.”
He wanted to take her himself but he wasn’t familiar with that area of the ship. They reached the rec room and he stopped. “Sleep well, sweetheart. I’ll see you later.” He wanted to hug her, or kiss her, but if the command thought she was emotionally connected to him, it would void her argument.
He stepped into the room.
Her expression was slightly hurt, but she nodded. “Good night.” She hobbled down the corridor after the corporal and her brother.
His heart ached, but he’d have time to talk about what was next for them tomorrow.
He joined his teammates who were still waiting.
“How did it go?” Axle asked.
“Mila slayed them,” Dobby said, unable to keep the awe from his voice.
“I knew she would,” Joker said. “The girl’s got guts and grit. You’re a lucky man.”
Dobby didn’t deny it. “Let’s get some sleep.”