Key to His Heart (Sequel)

The Only Living Thing

Hope and Jake were at the grocery store. They had just found a place to rent and wanted to stock their kitchen with food. Jake was putting the shopping cart into a return corral while Hope got into the car when he was suddenly surrounded by armed people.

"Jake Donfort! Slowly raise your hands and interlock your fingers behind your head!"

Jake flinched and it took all his effort not to whirl around, to run. He did as they asked while his eyes darted around, looking for Hope. She had been about to get into the car when he walked away from her. Did she make it to safety?!

"Donfort! I said, get on your knees!" the person barked at him. He must have tuned them out while he worried about Hope. Jake bent one knee and was getting to the ground when he heard a commotion.

"Miss–no–what–oof..."

After the scuffle, Jake felt a warm body at his back. "Don't you touch him," Hope said in a steady voice. "This is an innocent man you're pointing those guns at. And I've not been accused of any crimes, yet now those weapons are aimed at me." With him on his knees, Hope was taller than him and effectively shielding all of his vital organs.

"Hope, no," Jake pleaded. But he felt her small hands reach for his. They were warm and soft. She pulled them down from his head and held them at her sides, squeezing reassuringly.

"This man," Hope declared in a clear tone, "is a hero. He saved me and over fifty others who were forced into servitude. Jake Donfort is not the type of person you shoot. He is someone that you show respect and gratitude for."

Jake's eyes burned from the love and certainty in Hope's voice. It pushed back the terror he felt at her putting herself at risk this way, though just slightly. Jake was still petrified and wanted to rise up, but Hope clasped his hands tightly, her elbows locked. He could get out of it, but not without causing injury to her.

"Fifty people?" someone inquired. "What do you mean?"

"Wait, you look familiar..." someone else said. Jake heard footsteps and braced himself, expecting someone to attack Hope. He glanced over his shoulder but saw the muzzle of the person's gun pointed down. "Itxaro?!" they said, and Jake held very still.

He felt Hope's breathing increase, and her grip on him became nearly painful. "Fede," she answered. Faith. He remembered that name; they were another of his students.

"We thought you were dead!" Fede exclaimed. "Lower your weapons. It's Itxaro!"

He heard murmuring, and then Hope loosened her grip on him and turned to help him up. "It's OK now, my love," she told him quietly. Jake stood and turned to finally see the people who would have attacked him. He and Hope clung to each other as they calmed down.

"We're attracting attention here," Fede said quickly. "If you want to follow us back to base, maybe we should have a talk."

Jake looked at the group. It was a squad of six; they all carried themselves like highly-trained killers. But at the moment, they were relaxed, whispering to each other, greeting Hope, and some were even smiling and nodding at him.

"You're Jared's friend?" one of them queried. She was immediately hushed.

"Don't say his name in public!" Fede hissed. The woman looked remorseful and didn't say anything else. Hope promised to talk with them but asked if they could put their groceries away at home first. Fede agreed and gave her coordinates to meet up with them later.