The Red Coral Bracelet

Chapter 8

Navy

Peppy was able to get me a combat knife. I had no idea how she did it, but she did. I was able to keep the men away from her and like I planned, it got me around the building. I knew which way to go and how to open the weapons vault in under five seconds.

"Peppy, put this on." I tossed her a dirty shirt and some slacks. "Don't ask where I got them, just put them on."

"Yes, Nav." She couldn't say my full name so I got Nav. "When we leave?"

"Tonight." I'd been captured for a week and a half. I realized that they weren't going to be able to find us, so I set the date of when we were going to escape.

"Nav, what if we don't make it?"

"We will. Remember, don't talk to strangers, shoot them."

"Right." Her english was getting better. "You need clothes. Get you some, I will."

I laughed a little as she walked out of the room. "Yoda. She's talking like Yoda. What did I create?"

While she was gone, I went over the plan in my head. Pick the lock on the door, sneak to the weapons vault and get some guns, then kill everyone that gets in our way as we fight our way out, then head toward the base which was to the west. As I started to go through all the turns that we had to take when Peppy came running back.

"Hurry! We leave now!" She was breathing hard. "They caught me getting clothes and we need to leave now!"

"Alright." I tossed the clothes on, grabbed the knife and her hand and ran the way we planned. "Open the door."

I watched for the men to come charging around the corner and up the stairs. I heard the door open and I was able to grab a shotgun, a Beretta, and ammunition for them. I heard their heavy footsteps coming and I loaded both guns. I grabbed her hand and gave her the Beretta.

"Can you shoot?" She shook her head. "When I hand you the shotgun I want you to reload it after you hand me the pistol. Got it?"

"Yes."

I headed down the stairs first and fired the gun at the three men who were standing guard. We went down a hallway then stopped when it split.

"Right or left?"

"Right."

As we ran, she gave me directions, I shot at them, they returned fire, and more and more of them were gathering behind us. As we got to the door that was supposed to lead us to our freedom, it flew open and I saw weapons pointed at me.

"Secure the building." A gruff voice barked and I recongized it immediately.

"Anders!" I yelled, so happy to hear his voice. "I'm alright."

"Miss Stone, let's go."

"Peppy, come on." I turned to see her lying on the ground bleeding to death, with a man standing over her, knife in hand. "No! You-" I stumbled back and looked down at my abdomen. Very quickly, I was on the ground behind the Marines while Doc was over me and shots were being fired all around.

"L-Luke?" I stammered.

"He's alive and well. Wants to see you, Navy. You're going to live."

"Strong mind, heart, soul."

"Good. Keep talking, honey."

"I miss T-T-Tanners face. He here?"

"He's killing people right now."

"OK, he can do that. It's cold, Doc, real cold."

An expression crossed his face then he shouted at the guys, "We need to move her now!"

"Got it!" was yelled back then I was in the air moving.

"How is she?" One of them asked, then the face of the man appeared blurry above me.

"Tired, ready to stuff my face, and cold." I replied and lifted up my hand.

"I'm glad your alive. Everyone missed you." He grabbed my hand and squeezed it tight.

"Imlay, you charmer. You're all blurry, I wanna see your your...."

"My what?"

"Eyes... Beautiful blue eyes that I love looking into."

"Well, how 'bout you keep looking at them until we get back to the base?"

"OK."

That's how the rest of the ride went. I stared at his eyes while my vision got blurrier. The last thing I saw before it went black was his eyes.