Murmansk

Chapters 41, 42, & 43

Chapter 41

December 12, 2000

Snake hung up the phone slowly, staring at it thoughtfully for several moments before turning to face the women again.

"My contact thinks she is holed up in a little town close to the Norwegian border...a place called Luostari."

"Is that close to Murmansk?" Raven questioned quietly while holding May's hand beside her.

Snake shrugged, "He thought it was around a hundred miles...a lot closer than we are."

May had been quietly contemplating everything when she suddenly looked up at Raven.

"We need to go there."

"May," Raven replied worriedly, shaking her head, "Patrick McGruder is on this...he knows what he is doing...we don't."

May's eyes lit up with determination. "We didn't know what we were doing in Rome either, remember? But we did it because we believed in the cause...we believed in Gabe. This is the man we're talking about here...not to mention Abby and Preacher! Any of them would do the same for us...you know that!"

Raven stared at her friend, worried about both May as well as the others. Still...she hesitated.

"I think we should go too," Snake finally uttered from across the room.

May and Raven turned toward him as one as he looked down to the floor. "If we're not needed, what's it hurt? I'd just hate to think that we could have made a difference and chose to sit here on our duffs instead."

As Raven closed her eyes and shook her head in resignation, she finally relented.

"You'd better call Josh then Snake; we'll need him in on this." Turning toward May again with a small smile, "He's been pacing around for two days anyway...waiting to hear from Abby."

Snake called out from the phone as he dialed, "You have a world atlas or any kind of maps around here May?"

"I think so," May replied with a smile, the confidence building in her with the decision to go. "If we don't I'll go out and find some!"

"I'll make coffee," Raven stated as she turned toward the counter. Truth be known, she was secretly glad they were going, having shared the feeling of helplessness since May had called earlier.

Even if they hadn't known each other in the past, the mission they had shared the year before had bonded everyone to each other in ways that were hard to describe to someone that hadn't been there. This amazingly diverse group of people was now her family...and it was the first time in her life that she could ever call anyone family...much less feel the love and acceptance that she now treasured.

Snake's arms were suddenly around her at the waist, his face nuzzled next to hers.

"I think we're doing the right thing," he whispered as he kissed her cheek.

Raven sighed; the now familiar closeness of the man making her heart beat wildly in her chest.

"We are most certainly doing the right thing," she replied as she turned and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I shouldn't have hesitated before...it's just..."

Snake nodded as he kissed her lips tenderly. "I know kid, I know what you had to deal with in your previous life, and I know it can't always be easy to blindly accept what your heart is trying to tell you is right."

Grinning now, "I'm just glad that it is me you're with now."

Pulling him to her, she once again thanked God for bringing Snake into her life...for bringing them all into her life.