Chapter 6 #3
He held out a hand to Lexie and something within him settled when she immediately came to his side.
“Stay next to me at all times,” he ordered. “If I go too fast, tell me. If you’re in pain, tell me so I can help you.”
“Okay, Midas. I will.”
“I mean it. We have no idea what or who is waiting for us outside this door. My objective has always been to get you out of here safe and sound. Doesn’t matter that we aren’t in the desert anymore, my goal is the same.”
“I understand,” she said solemnly.
Midas couldn’t help adding, “And after that,” he gestured to the hole in the floor with his head, “I’m even more determined to make sure you get out of here without a fucking scratch.”
Lexie licked her lips, as if remembering what had happened right before Shermake interrupted them. She nodded.
Midas reached out and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. It was plastered to her head on one side, the side that had been pressed against his shoulder. He could see sweat marks at her neck and underarms. She was a hot mess…and he’d never been more attracted to a woman in his life.
A noise behind them caught Midas’s attention, and he looked over Lexie’s shoulder to see Shermake sitting on the floor, untying his shoes.
He took both off then stood and held the sneakers out to Lexie. “You wear on feet.”
Lexie looked confused. “What?”
“Your feet. Wear,” Shermake repeated.
“He’s giving you his shoes,” Midas explained.
Lexie shook her head and took a step back, running into Midas. “No, I’m not taking your shoes,” she said stubbornly.
“Yes. Take,” Shermake said just as stubbornly.
Midas reached for the shoes and nodded at the boy. “Put them on, Lex.”
“No. Midas, you don’t understand. When I met him months ago, he had not one pair of shoes. He was barefoot, as were his brother and sister. I’m not taking his shoes. I can’t.”
“You are,” Midas said, kneeling at her feet and holding one of the sneakers.
“I get another pair. Big box of shoes come from France. Lots of shoes for all. I get more. You need. My feet are tough. Street no bother me. You need.” Shermake looked extremely concerned.
“Shit,” Lexie said under her breath. “He’ll be offended if I don’t take them.”
“Exactly. Now come on, I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to get out of here,” Midas told her.
He was touched the boy had offered his shoes to Lexie.
It would absolve one of his many worries when it came to sneaking through the city streets.
Not having to worry about Lexie stepping on glass and slicing up her feet would make him feel much better.
He just hoped the boy didn’t suffer that fate.
She put one hand on his shoulder to keep her balance as she lifted a foot. Midas slipped the shoe on and quickly tied it as tightly as he could. Once the second sneaker was on, she turned to Shermake. She hugged him once more. “Thank you so much.”
“They fit?”
Midas knew they didn’t. They were too big, but she smiled up at him and nodded anyway. “They’re perfect,” she told him.
“We no need shoes,” the teenager said. “We need education. Teach us how to make shoes, and we no need charity. Teach us how to make clothes, and we no need second-hand American ones. Teach us how to make electricity, do math, make water last, and Somali people grow stronger.”
Lexie squeezed his arm. “I know. I do.”
“We would not need to take people for money if we had ways to make it for ourselves,” Shermake said.
Midas nodded. He understood. What was the saying? Give a man a fish and he can feed his family. Teach a man to fish, and he can feed a village.
Shermake shook his head as if clearing it, then he knelt near the hole Midas and Lexie had been in all day and placed the boards back to the way they were before, concealing the hiding spot. “We go now,” he said.
Midas took Lexie’s hand and tucked it into the waistband of his pants once more. “Be careful,” he told her, nodding down at her feet. “Don’t trip.”
“I won’t,” she said.
Then the three of them slipped out the back door and headed into the alley behind the store. It wasn’t as dark as Midas would’ve liked it, but the sun was definitely below the horizon. In thirty minutes or so it would be pitch black, and hopefully he and Lexie would be back with his team by then.
Shermake moved confidently down the alley and Midas followed more cautiously. He was ninety-nine percent sure the teenager wouldn’t betray them, but he wasn’t willing to risk Lexie’s life by letting down his guard.
They exited onto a street and immediately entered another alley.
Then another. And so it went. Shermake kept to the narrow alleyways of the town, staying in the shadows.
He didn’t hesitate when deciding which way to turn, and Midas was quickly lost. They cut through some pretty sketchy areas, but the few people they saw didn’t even glance their way.
Within twenty minutes, they’d arrived at a part of town that was obviously more prosperous than where they’d come from. Shermake crouched down in yet another alley and Midas did the same, ever aware of Lexie sticking right by his side.
“You go alone now,” Shermake said. “Cross road there, go right until brown house, take left and you will see soldiers.”
Midas nodded. “Thank you.”
“Did for Lexie.”
“I know,” Midas said. He wasn’t offended in the least. Lexie had a way of gaining loyalty from everyone around her.
“I’ll never forget you,” Lexie said as she shifted around Midas to give the boy one more hug.
They all stood as Shermake said, “I never forget you too.”
Lexie pulled back and kept her hands on the teenager’s shoulders.
“Keep studying. Your English is good, but it can be better.” She smiled to let him know she was teasing him.
“You are going to do great things, Shermake. I know it. Tell Hodan and Cumar I’m sorry I missed them. Take care of your mom.”
“I will,” Shermake said. “Go now. Be safe.”
Lexie nodded.
Midas reached into one of the pockets in his vest and pulled out some Somali shillings. He and his team made it a point to always carry some local currency, just in case. It had come in handy more than once in past missions.
The exchange rate of shillings to dollars was ridiculous, so much so that Midas wasn’t too surprised that Lexie and Dagmar’s kidnappers were so desperate to get them back.
A thousand shillings was less than two American dollars.
The highest denomination of shilling was one thousand, and he pulled out twenty of them, all he had on him, and held them out to Shermake.
The boy’s eyes widened, and he took a step back, shaking his head.
“Take it,” Midas told him. “I wish it was more, but it’s all I have on me.”
“I no help for money,” the teenager said stubbornly.
“I know,” Midas said. And he did. “But please, let me help you. I’m indebted to you, and will do what I can to help you and your family in the future, but for now, it would please me if you took this.”
It was less than forty dollars, but he had a feeling for Shermake and his family, it was a fortune. The poverty rate in the country was estimated at sixty-nine percent, meaning that many people made less than two dollars a day.
Midas didn’t know how he was going to make good on his promise to help Shermake’s family, but he’d figure it out. He could never fully repay Astur and Shermake for what they’d done for Lexie. And himself by extension.
The boy finally nodded and took the money, stuffing it into a pocket in his pants. Then he turned without another word and headed back the way they’d come.
“Shit, now I’m crying,” Lexie said with a small sniff.
Midas wanted to comfort her, but he needed to get her to safety. “Cry and walk,” he said gently.
“You’re a good man, Pierce Cagle,” she said as she once more grabbed hold of his waistband.
“Just a thankful one,” he returned. “He could’ve led us straight to the people who were looking for you.”
“He wouldn’t do that. He’s watched his family struggle and hates that he can’t help more. He’s a good kid.”
“Even good kids can get led astray by the prospect of money,” Midas said.
“I know.”
She didn’t say anything else, and Midas didn’t press his point. They walked to the end of the alley and when Midas peered out into the street, it was empty. He quickly followed Shermake’s directions and within five minutes, he saw the best sight he’d seen in hours.
Five shapes appeared out of the shadows. Shapes Midas recognized.
“About time you decided to join us,” Aleck joked.
“Shit, Midas, you been taking a nap somewhere or what?” Pid asked.
“Fucking radios, we need to trash these and get new ones,” Slate complained.
“You two all right?” Mustang asked.
“Shit, what did you do to her, Midas? She looks like she’s been through the wringer,” Slate said.
“You should see the other guy,” Lexie deadpanned.
Everyone chuckled, and the tension in the air lessened tenfold.
Midas was relieved that she didn’t get offended by Slate’s comment.
So far she’d taken literally everything in stride, and it was amazing, really.
But no matter how well Lexie seemed to be holding up, she’d most likely crash at some point.
She’d been through hell, and while she was coping remarkably well, he had a feeling when she had a moment to herself, to reflect on all that had happened, she’d crumble.
“We getting out of here or what? Where’d you and the Jaeger Corps stash Dagmar? Let’s get them and get the fuck out of here already,” Midas said.
Silence fell—and Midas mentally swore.
“What? Did they already leave?” Lexie asked, looking at everyone in confusion.
For the first time since they’d left the hospital, Midas put the strap of his rifle around his head and arm, resting the weapon on his back. He didn’t need to keep it at the ready, his team would protect both him and Lexie.
He put his arm around Lexie and pulled her into his side even as Mustang broke the news. “He didn’t make it. I’m so sorry, Lexie.”
“What?” she asked in a shocked whisper.