~*~Singer & The Soldier~*~ By: Ree

He kept watching the entrance to the restaurant, idly playing with his coffee cup until he saw her enter and come towards the secluded table he had requested.

She looked good, but then she always did, in a superficial, contrived way. She smiled as he rose and seated her, placing her purse on the floor and smiling again as she looked into his shadowed, unsmiling eyes.

“You don’t look like you got much sleep, Urs.”

“None…I was up all night thinking after the show…before we get into what I would like to talk about would you like coffee, juice, breakfast?”

“Just coffee thanks…I’m trying to lose a few pounds.”

He poured some from the carafe and waited until she had taken a sip before speaking again.

“Alicia, I don’t love you…in fact I won’t likely ever fall in love with you and I doubt that you really love me…. I’ve come to believe that love merely complicates life, something I think that you learned long ago….but I think we can offer each other something that we both want. I need a companion, someone to be there for me when I travel, to accompany me when a partner is required, to give me release sexually now and then…to assume the role of girlfriend.

“You are accustomed to this crazy life I lead, to the touring, the constant travel, appointments, meetings, rehearsals… you’re well organized, attractive, fit in nicely in most social situations, driven to succeed and become both famous and well to do…just the sort of woman I need. In return for your company I would match the wages you get from your present position, since I would require you to quit so you could be with me…as a bonus, I would provide you with credit cards, with a reasonable limit, pay your expenses and provide a home base, probably in London or Geneva or both. You know me well enough to know that I would never strike you or abuse you in anyway and you would have a fair amount of free time since we don’t appear to like the same extracurricular activities. Are you interested?”

Her expression was a mixture of satisfaction at achieving her goal after so long and thoughtfulness as she tried to think of how she could sweeten the pot.

“You are right about love…Love is not important to me Urs…it doesn’t last, not like money. I want financial security, to travel, to meet with the right kind of people and you can give me that…I’m glad you finally came to your senses…so, yes, I’m interested, very interested. I would have to give Sam notice, I couldn’t just leave him cold…and I’m not too keen on living in Geneva…Paris maybe…”

“Geneva…not negotiable!”

“You would have to be seen in public with me, acknowledge me as your girlfriend…”

“Not a problem….in return I would like you to cure this habit you have of being tardy.”

“About the sex…I don’t like the kinky stuff…” she lowered her voice as if afraid someone would over-hear what she was saying…. “especially when you want to go…you know, down there with your mouth… it’s disgusting!”

He looked at her with resignation.

“That’s right…now I remember…alright…Missionary only… but on request.”

“Twice a week…and no other women!”

He scowled at her.

“I NEVER cheat! But I need more than that.”

“Three times and ….you know….”

He shook his head and frowned…

“I’m not a mind reader, Alicia…just say it.”

“Three times and…” she touched her clenched hand and looked at his belt… “anytime you ask.”

“I won’t ask!!! I know how abhorrent it is to you…and I won’t ask that you remain faithful to me since I know that sex isn’t something you like much…you can be assured that I will NOT become a player since the press would be bad for my career. Alright…three times a week…a month to month contract…Deal?”

“One more thing…No Children!! You know I don’t care for them much…I suppose a vasectomy is out of the question?”

“Don’t push your luck, Alicia…we will both always use protection …that’s as far as I’m willing to go.”

He held his hand out across the table and she took it, limply shaking his to seal the bargain.

“I have to give Sam at least two weeks to replace me.”

“Until then you will move into my room in the suite…our contract starts now. I’ll attend to the banking details between now and the day you leave Sam’s employ. Now, I seem to have lost my appetite. I’m going to the gym. I’ll expect you to have moved in to the suite before dinner.”

He handed her a key card, went back up to his suite, intending to change to a gym strip…but had to make a side trip into the bathroom when he felt his stomach rebelling…he vomited until nothing was left to come up, then closed off the part of his mind that allowed him to feel, changed and went to the gym. Somehow it seemed more real now that he and Isabella would never get back together, now when he had finally chosen to cheat on her.

**

Izzy:


Sally looked up as Izzy came into the Infirmary tent and smiled.

“All nice and cool now, Happy Hippo?” she teased, feeling safe now that Izzy couldn’t move very fast.

“You’re kidding, right?…just the short walk from the river and I’m drenched with sweat …even my hair is damp again.”

With only a couple of weeks { she thought} to go Izzy was indeed very round…in fact she teased that her belly entered the tent a minute before she did. The rest of her was in sharp contrast, however, since her body had been robbed of nutrition to nurture the baby and she had lost both muscle and fat, her weight now probably hovering around 100 pounds….or less.

“Sal, do you have a piece of twine? This darned hair is getting so long…I need to tie it back off my face.”

In the 7 months of captivity her hair had grown to well below her shoulders, losing some of the tight twists as the weight of it pulled the curls into waves…it looked good, not military and not suitable for this humid climate but good.

“How are the test results? Francesa aced it I’ll bet?”

Sally had been grading the written portion of the studies they had set for the young women medics and she nodded her head at the mention of their star pupil’s marks.

“You got it…I marked her hard so she got 98…don’t want her to get a swelled head. She’ll be pleased though.”

Izzy leaned on the rickety homemade desk with one hand, using the other to rub a nagging ache in the small of her back.

“It’s November isn’t it…what did we mark on the calendar last night…the 4th?”

“Sixth I think…why?...Trying to figure out where he is? Won’t they be getting ready for the new album release? They usually release sometime in November don’t they, just in time for the Christmas rush?”

“I think so…I was wondering today if they put Isabel on the new CD…it’s really beautiful…hauntingly lovely….Sal, I think the baby is turning…and I’ve had a back ache all day.”

“Any contractions?” Sally said, immediately slipping into her nurse mode.

“No, just this nagging back ache…and a bulging tightness that has moved in almost a circle…it’s come around so that all the pressure is low now…don’t worry.. I’ll let you know.”

Sally stood and gave Izzy a very unprofessional hug.

“Scared?”

“I was…now I feel calm and happy, full of energy…and sad that I can’t share this experience with Urs.”

“No sad stuff!!! It’s time to be completely selfish and concentrate on doing a good job…you’ve done so well up to now…his heart beat is strong, he should be a good healthy size and almost on time…everything considered I think you get a gold star.”

“He?”

“My bet is a boy…the way you’ve carried, all the football the little guy has played at night and the fact that your bust has increased to almost double…my Pop always said that his patients who delivered boys had enough milk for at least triplets…thank you Rita!” she waved an expressive hand towards the nanny who was at the moment resting near the open rear tent flap with her kid curled up next to her spine.

“Just in case, is everything ready?”

Sally gave her a look that reminded her of Urs, that lowered chin, the looking through the lashes, half smiling mouth look of incredulity that said plainer than words “Are You Out of your Mind?”

Izzy laughed and pushed away from the desk.

“Sorry…how could I even ask? Alright if this is TIME then I’m going to help it along…I’m going for a walk…Who’s on duty? Cari…but I’ll ask Francesa to keep an eye on her when we go past her tent.”

“We?”

“You don’t think I’m letting you out of my sight until we’re sure, do you? Foolish woman!! C’mon, get those toothpick legs moving!”

So they walked, stopping to ask Francesa to supervise the three non-severe patients in the infirmary and doing a circuit of the rebel area of the camp, walking down to the river to paddle their feet in the cooling water, each lost in her own thoughts.

Most of the rebels ignored them unless they had been patients, a few offering tentative smiles that they quickly erased as they looked away…they were after all, prisoners, not friends, in site of the professional treatment they received from these two women when requested.

They made another circuit and went back to the river again to soak Izzy’s swollen ankles in the slowly wandering stream.

“This would be such a beautiful place if you didn’t know that it’s full of young soldiers in a futile, bloody rebellion,” Izzy said as they looked out over the river, the opposite bank lined densely with overhanging trees, bromeliad growing out of the grey living bark and moss, sprays of wild orchids arcing into the air and swaying in the light breeze, the lowering sun making the spray from the short falls rainbow in a mist of sparkling multi-colored gems that fell into the froth of the deep pool, rivaling the colorful clusters of butterflies that lit on the sandy banks.

It was the season for the fledgling avians to be taking to wing and the air was rife with them, fluttering back to their roosts for the night, the sometimes discordant bird calls a not unpleasant background noise that drowned out the communal sounds from the camp.

“Ohhhh!”

Sally glanced at her and noticed a slight ammonia scent in the air as Izzy stared down at the hem of her skirt in wonder.

“Your water broke?”

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak, suddenly overcome with the wonder of what was about to happen.

“Rinse off and then we better get back.”

“Yes, Doc Carruthers,” Izzy said as she found her voice and a cheeky grin that faded as her first real contraction gripped her midsection.

She waited it out, not resisiting, just concentrating on her breathing, raised her skirt and splashed herself more or less clean, an easy action since their lingerie had long since shredded completely and been discarded, then they retraced their steps, stopping once as the next contraction hit with subtly increased strength.

Sally stayed with her until they reached their tent then left Izzy unwrapping the bundle of new, clean linens they had begged, borrowed or stolen from supplies in readiness for the new arrival. She returned from the infirmary with a wrapped package of sterile dressings and scissors, spread a clean plastic sheet over their meager supply of bedding and estimated the time between contractions as best she could since neither of them now had watches.

“He’s in a hurry,” she commented as Izzy panted.

They settled in for the strenuous work ahead, scared, excited, determined, totally on their own amid hundreds of unaware, mostly uncaring, souls.

**

Sometime during the 11 hours of labor Meymo appeared timidly at the doorway, keeping his eyes averted as he quietly mentioned that he had milked and moved Rita, built up the fire in front of their tent and would be outside if they needed anything.

He vanished back to the fire when he heard Izzy moan as another contraction swept over her sweaty, tired body and missed Sally’s soft words of encouragement as she wiped her laboring friend’s brow and offered her sips of water for her dry mouth.

“You should eat something, Sal.”

“Too hyper…I’d throw up…you’re almost there, girl…you need to push yet?”

Izzy laughed weakly.

“Believe me…you’ll be the second to know.”

It was only a few minutes and 3 contractions later that she gritted her teeth and hissed… “NOW!”…a series of massive pushes almost back to back and Adam Diego slid wailing into the waiting hands of the woman he would call Tia Sally.

CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE…Endings and Beginnings

Urs:

At Christmas they lasted one night in Urs’ old bedroom in Willisau, then checked into the hotel when Alicia’s poorly concealed displeasure threatened to dull the holiday spirit of the entire family.

Perhaps it had been a mistake to insist that she accompany him home for the festivities…at the time when he thought through his decision it had seemed the best alternative to skipping the whole affair, the threat of remembering how good the time had been here with Izzy was just too strong….with Alicia along he had hoped to be distracted.

And now he couldn’t help but compare Alicia’s snide comments about the ‘quaint’ locals and ‘old-fashioned customs’ to the utter joy Izzy had shown at being included in the family traditions.

Urs attended Christmas dinner without her, the excuse being a severely upset stomach…in fact she quite enjoyed her time apart with a relaxing bubble bath and a split of champagne while she browsed through travel and fashion magazines….dinner for her was a sumptuous meal sent up from Room Service.

Boxing Day they flew back to London, a joyless return to the new condo, with nearly a month of free time stretching endlessly in front of them.

“Let’s go someplace hot…I want to lay on a beach or at poolside and get a tan.”

“That isn’t my idea of a holiday, Alicia…if you want the sunshine then I’ll pay for you to go…maybe take your sister or a friend with you for company if you like, but not me…you know I don’t handle the hot weather comfortably.”

“And what will you do? Find some little snow bunny to screw while I’m off with my sister?” she snarled at him.

He was getting accustomed to her barbed outbursts and merely sighed.

“You know better than that…yes, I might go skiing but I don’t cheat…we have an agreement and I keep my word. Now pick a place and I’ll make the reservations.”

He watched her leafing through one of her travel magazines, wondering how he had ever thought she was attractive. Everything about her was contrived…the hair color, at the moment a harsh, brassy blonde, the makeup to cover skin imperfections, the cultured accent which slipped when she was angry, her affected mannerisms and the disdain she had for those less fortunate…there really was nothing much of the real woman evident until her control developed cracks when her temper flared…often, but always in private.

“Why are you staring at me?” she asked sharply.

He smiled to diffuse her ready anger.

“Just looking…is that a new hairstyle?”

“Yes, do you like it?” she rose and went to the mirror in the foyer to admire the cut, preening as she waited for the praise she was sure was coming.

“Very nice…so have you decided?”

She scowled at him, not satisfied with such a lukewarm comment.

“Not yet,” she said and went back to the magazine.

‘This isn’t working…sure I get release…when she doesn’t find a good excuse to refuse me…but there’s no warmth between us, only tension…I’ve got scars on my tongue from biting it to keep from saying nasty things, true but nasty…and I still think about Izzy…not as much since I’m always so busy trying to keep peace with Alicia but everyday I long for her, long for the peace, the calm and laughter that we shared….there’s no laughter with Alicia…and I miss it…this just isn’t working…I think it would be best to ease out of this relationship…but knowing Alicia as I do now it won’t be a pleasant break-up unless I can offer her a lucrative alternative.’

“Costa del Sol…there’s a couple of very exclusive resorts…you should be able to get me into one of them.”

She passed the magazine over and he glanced at the ads, not really interested but willing to try and book her into one of them. A thought had come to him, something he had briefly considered before but now becoming crystallized as the need to involve her in something became apparent.

“Licia have you ever thought about opening your own company? You did most of the actual work that Sam got paid for…why not open a consulting/management firm to handle things like our group…there’s so many groups out there in need of good management…I would consider helping you get started if you decide to go that route.”

The gleam was back in her eyes as she considered what he had said.

“I’ve thought about it…it’s a big gamble and I’ve never had the capital to get started…I’ll think about it while I’m basking in the sun…you and I aren’t going to last much longer…we just aren’t suited and I’m enough of a realist to know that…this could be a perfect out for both of us.”

He laughed.

“Finally…something we can agree on…I’ll take you out for dinner to that new place you like…but first I’m going to make you reservations.”

He went into the small office area and booted up the computer, more at ease than he had been for days.

**

January 2007

Urs:

Urs eased the rental car into the slot and killed the engine. It had been a longish drive from the airport in Spain but one he enjoyed since the roads were a challenge, mountainous and twisting back and forth as he climbed the Pyrenees into Andorra.

He stepped out of the car and entered the Hotel, glancing around at the other patrons…all looking prosperous and what was more important, happy to be here.

This tiny country with it’s unique taxation system had long been a place he wanted to visit, for monetary as well as personal reasons. His contact at a financial institution here in Andorra had done well for him over the years, making the possibility of purchasing Reve not just a pipe dream. Situated high in the Pyrenees mountains with none of the land mass at below 3200 feet it was a land of cool temperatures, long winters, deep snow and very few taxes on income or investments. Like Switzerland there were nearly more banks than homes in the major, capital city of Andorra de Viella and foreign investment was both sought after and encouraged.

This visit was purely personal, a recharging of his batteries on the slopes, perhaps even a vist to the Matterhorn which was easily accessible from here.

Alicia had flown off to the Costa del Sol, carrying with her luggage a briefcase full of information regarding forming her own consulting company…she would be busy and happy during her 3 week vacation. And so would he…perhaps a little lonely but happier than he had been since he began the ill-fated arrangement with the avaricious blonde. At least now he could lapse into thoughts about Izzy without feeling torn, a cheat both ways, wanting it all and attaining nothing.

‘Will this pain ever go away?...Will I meet someone some day and stop thinking about her so often?...Right now, today, here in this lovely place, I don’t think so….she would be so intrigued by this country…I can just imagine her eyes sparkling in that way she has, looking around, breathing deep of this fresh clean air, eager to explore, to see everything… ach, my precious Bella, how I miss you!!’

He felt his throat tightening and forced himself to smile at the cheerful receptionist, offering his credit card and reaching for the pen to register.

“My brother will be joining me on the third,” he said as he handed the pen back and slid his card into the suede wallet that had been a Christmas present from Inga’s children, the exact color of his new suede jacket. “Gerd Buhler, he should be arriving about mid day and I may be out so could you see that he is given a key, please?”

Gerd had been thrilled with the chance at a skiing holiday and quickly arranged to be off work so he could join Urs, the first time for years that the brothers had managed to spend some quality time together.

Urs had arranged accommodation in an apartment hotel, a two bedroom suite, cozy and well appointed, a small but adequate kitchen which he had asked to have supplied with basics so he could eat in fairly often. He had added a list to his request and received comfirmation via e.mail, pleased with himself that he had attained another step in his determined efforts to conquer the dreaded world of cyberspace.

He unpacked, checked out the accommodations, washed his face of travel dust and admired the view from the large balcony of this 4th floor apartment.

Then he donned his outdoor garments and boots and went out to explore.
**

January 2007
Izzy:

“Am I just prejudiced or is Adam the best baby you’ve ever seen?”

“Both!!” Sally said with a laugh, passing her friend the filled bowl of rice with a scant few beans.

Izzy glanced at Sally’s bowl and frowned when she saw that once again her friend had given her a larger portion. She looked up and Sally raised two fingers, an old argument now, that Izzy, since she was nursing, was eating for two and needed the extra nourishment.

Adam was sleeping in his little netted cot, the legs well greased to deter ants from wandering in to visit and nibble, the netting secured to stop flying insects and the ever present Alacrans {Scorpions} and spiders that occassionaly dropped from the ceiling.

There had been an out-pouring of anonymous gifts right after Adam’s birth, including the little hand made cot and the net which closed it off for safety…tiny clothing, extra food appearing at regular intervals, a spoon {such a treasure!}, carved wooden bowls to use for their food instead of the flimsy leaves they had used up to now, old but clean pieces of cloth to use as diapers, a plastic container with a secure lid to use for Rita’s donations and best of all a length of sturdy cloth to form into a sling in which she could carry Adam as she went about her work.

She had been allowed 2 days of rest after his birth, then was back on her feet and working a full {12-18 hour} shift on the third day. It wasn’t a problem since he was a good baby, healthy and content, waking to feed and gaze around with his still more or less sightless eyes, except at close range of course, then sleeping comfortably with his little curly head against his Mama’s breast.

He looked like Urs…even at only 2 months now, Izzy could see it and Sally had to finally admit that yes, he was his father’s son. His eyes were turning from the blue of birth to hazel with a definite slant upwards at the corners…and his hair was the same chestnut, thick and long for a baby and wildly curly. He was a long baby, something that Izzy thought would make Urs happy since it likely meant he would be tall.

“I have something special but you have to promise to share half and half or I won’t show you,” she said to Sally with a grin.

Sally raised her head and her brow furrowed.

“You expect me to agree without knowing what I’m agreeing to? Dream on, woman!!”

“Fine then, I’ll give it back…too bad, would have been the first in 9 months.”

Sally scowled but her determination was bested by her salivating mouth.

“ALRIGHT!!! Half and half…now what is it?”

Izzy reached in her pocket and held her cupped hand out, turning it over, palm up and revealing 4 squares of a chocolate bar, resting on a piece of foil. She grinned at Sally’s gasp and proceeded to separate the squares, handing Sally two and placing the other two next to her bowl of rice.

“Ferdo gave it to me when I was finished checking his blood pressure…it’s down BTW…150 over 70…I gave him hell for eating the other half of the chocolate bar and he just laughed at me….he said he doesn’t want to live forever anyway, so he might as well enjoy himself.”

“We have to make sure he lasts as long as we do…Duardo won’t be as kind to us I think….that tall hairy ape he hangs with cornered me again…I can still smell his breath when he tried to kiss me…and I swear I’ve got bruises on my boobs from his paws…I don’t think anything will stop him if Ferdo isn’t around.”

Izzy looked at her with concern.

“We’ll have to try to make sure that we stick togther…he’s not brave enough to do anything if someone else is there…I hope…so no more going into the jungle foraging…not only will they wonder if you’re trying to escape but it gives Macca a chance to catch you alone….actually, you’ve been lucky that no one shot you for going outside the boundaries.”

Sally shrugged.

“We need the food.”

“Then we’ll ask Meymo to take us on searches and share with him…Promise me!!”

“Maybe…”

“Sal!”

“Alright I Promise…Jeez are you going to be this tough with the kid? Poor little fellow…” she smiled to make sure Izzy knew she was joking, already convinced that her friend would be a great mother.

**

Urs:

Gerd was at the suite a few days later, lounging in one of the comfortable over stuffed chairs, when Urs came back from skiing. He raised his beer in a toast to Big Brother as Urs stomped his feet on the carpet to remove the rest of the snow from his boots and grinned at the relaxed posture of the younger Buhler son.

“You look like you’ve made yourself at home. Been here long?”

“Nein…maybe half an hour…it reminds me of home…nice place…and the beer is excellent.”

“So is the food…I ate at a really nice Spanish place last night…absolutely the best Paella I’ve ever had…I’ll be back…need a shower…if you go out on the balcony you’ll see all the snow bunnies coming in off the hills…very, very nice!!”

Gerd got to his feet and smiled.

“So, you’ve finally dumped the witch and started to look around…no more mourning over lost loves?”

Urs face took on a sad, subdued look and he shook his head.

“Alicia wasn’t a witch, just a bit…predatory…and as for mourning…no, I’m not over Izzy…I want her back…I just can’t find her…or she doesn’t want to be found.”

Gerd stood at the railing watching the buses unloading the day trippers and wondering why Andorra seemed to have cornered the market on single, curvy women…they poured out of the buses, giggling, collecting their skis, in a rainbow of colorful outfits that curved and dipped in all the right places, long hair, short hair, blonde, brunette, even a few redheads…it was a smorgasbord of delights…and his brother was only looking, not stepping up to the table.

How long would Urs carry this torch before realizing that the woman they all had liked so much didn’t want him? It had been a shock to all of them when they first heard the news, but now, months later they had adjusted…not Urs. Except for the ill-advised liaison with Alicia, Urs didn’t show any interest in other women. Mami and Inga explained why he had gone with Alicia in terms that even he, as a dense, unfeeling male, could sort of understand.

“He needed to do something that made losing Izzy final, real…and knowing Urs and the streak of loyalty he has, the only way was for him to ‘cheat’ on her with someone that he would never, ever form an emotional attachment to. Psychologically speaking, by sleeping with another woman and having a ‘relationship’ with her, he finds himself no longer ‘worthy’ of Izzy and it makes losing her easier to bear.”

Gerd shook his head in wonder, doubting he would ever fully understand. He could quite cheerfully bed each and every one of the little lovelies arriving down below, one after the other, without one pang of guilt or remorse…but of course he wasn’t in love with any of them…maybe that was the difference.

As always he had checked out the blondes…not real, too short, no rack, obvious airhead…something was always off and he discarded them all as merely toys, perhaps willing bed mates but nothing more. Nothing even close to his Angel, the standard of perfection he had lost so many years before.

**

CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO…..FACE TO FACE

January 2007

Cody:

One dead end after the other, that’s all he seemed to find in this futile search. He had run through his list of contacts, called in favors, or at least tried to, but there just was no news. In frustration, Cody had signed for the luggage that had been placed in the Hotel storage and took everything to his quarters on the Base to go through, hoping for some kind of clue.

He opened Izzy’s laptop and booted up easily, using her pass word, the same one she had used for years…Lapidary. She had over three hundred unread e.mails and he patiently went through them all, leaving most still unread and clicking on the ones that may have clues as to her state of mind or her location or the business ones that he felt someone should soon handle.

Starting in May of last year she had e.mails, nearly daily for a while, from that damned Swiss guy…by mid-June they had tapered off to once a week or so and then to one every couple of weeks, all the same, all pleading for contact and asking for forgiveness.

Cody grimaced…well now he had the Swiss man’s e.mail address but it likely wouldn’t do any more good than calling in the favor from his friend at Passport Control…everytime he thought he knew where Urs Buhler was, he moved on someplace else. The man never stayed in one place more than a few days….and he didn’t want to e.mail the Swiss bastard and warn him that he was being searched.

He sorted through her clothing and personal effects, annoyed since when it was packed up the Hotel staff had mixed things up. They had placed some of Izzy’s spare medical supplies in with her personal stuff…like the pregnancy test kit that he opened out of curiosity…it looked used, he thought, but then what did he know…he put it back in the box and searched on… there was a thin book on what to expect during your gestation…she must have included them in her kit in case any of her female staff got knocked up.

He went through Sally’s things with the same diligence and again found nothing.

Another dead end, so he boxed everything and sent it off to the NY apartment.

His own computer was a bit more forthcoming.

There was a message in his Inbox from General Haggerty.

A released hostage of F.A.R.C. had mentioned to one of his de-briefing team that he had very briefly seen a couple of women who looked American…they had been brought in to camp just before he was released and he was pretty sure that at least one of them had a blue beret tucked into her belt. It was a slim hope but at least more than the void they had attained so far.

If Cody wanted to interview this man he was presently in Germany…and by the way, that other man he had been searching for, the Swiss one…he was presently in Andorra, in Andorra de Vielle at the Hotel Chamborge, until the 20th of January.

Cody printed the message, watching the paper roll through the printer with hooded eyes and a smile, a twisting of his facial muscles that would have made anyone watching shiver in fear.

First Andorra, then Germany.

It might not DO any good but it was going to FEEL so good to take out his frustrations by giving that bastard a beating he would not soon forget for the way he had treated Freckles.

**

Urs knew who it was the moment he opened the door. Of course he had seen pictures but always in uniform. Somehow the man in civies who stood filling the entire doorway looked bigger, stronger, enormous actually…definitely angrier, as if ready to explode.

“Buhler? Urs Buhler?”

His voice matched, deep and commanding, not loud but carrying distinctly over the few feet separating them.

Urs nodded…and the world went black as he flew backwards into the room, landing on his back, the pain of the rapid blows to his face and torso catching up a few seconds later as stars exploded and a meaty hand grasped the front of his shirt to drag him off the floor.

“Gawd that felt good!!! I should beat you until you can’t stand, you Son of a *****!!! C’mon…fight back, you pansy!”

Urs tried to get his eyes to focus, inanely wondering how many teeth he had lost from the rapid blows to his face, shook his head and regretted the movement instantly. He swayed as he was placed on his feet, bracing himself for the next assault, willing to take whatever her brother handed out.

“I won’t fight you, Cody…You can’t hurt me more than I’ve already hurt myself.”

Still holding him by the shirt, the enraged man drove his other fist into Urs ribs…his shirt ripped with the stress of his body wanting to recoil backwards, his torso tightened automatically, protecting his ribs somewhat but on the return swing Cody backhanded him, sending him hurtling across the room again to fall heavily against the coffee table which collapsed in a heap of shattered wood and glass.

He picked himself up this time, wincing from the shards of glass that had cut his arms and back, and embedded in the hand he had braced against the floor in order to rise.

Cody glared at him as Urs stood dazed and silent, waiting patiently for whatever was going to happen next and felt the anger dissipating when Urs just stood, calmly waiting as if he deserved and was willing to accept anything Cody could dish out.

There was an air of dejection about the waiting man, a man who looked strong enough to have given him a good fight if he had been inclined, and Cody’s rage was replaced with such abject sorrow that he did something he hadn’t done since he was a very young boy…he began to cry.

Somehow the sight of this very large, grown man weeping uncontrollably affected Urs more than the anger. It was frightening, unnatural, something totally unexpected in a man who looked big and strong enough to tackle the world without breathing heavy.

He approached the bigger man and tentatively put his arm around Cody’s shoulders, leading him past the destroyed table to the sofa and nudging him down onto the seat. It was, he assumed, like trying to put your arms around a grizzly bear and lead him into a den….except this grizzly was pliant, all his energy lost in such sorrow that he was boneless, leaning heavily on Urs. It was a relief to release his weight onto the soft cushions of the sofa.

He let Cody cry himself out while he staggered to the Lav for a wet cloth to dab at his cuts and try to stop the bleeding, having the foresight when he returned to sit out of reach on the edge of the chair at the far end of the sofa, waves of pain washing over his face and his back that felt wet, maybe bleeding from contact with the splintered table, just like the stinging slashes on his hands and arms… and a twist in his gut at whatever had caused this violence from Izzy’s brother, that burned with apprehension…. He waited with dread for the explanation he was sure was coming.

“I had to call in a lot of favors to find you…it took a while…Andorra…why in Hell would anyone hide out in Andorra?....no beach, only this freaking snow….she’s probably dead you know…there’s been no word, no ransom demand, nothing….nothing at all….I volunteered and went down there…talked to all of my contacts…tried to go undercover but I’m too easy to spot…it’s this freaking body…too big…people remember me…”

He stopped and raised his head, looking at the ashen man in the chair, the man who looked worse now than when he had been punched, the man who couldn’t breathe as the words ‘she’s probably DEAD’ kept screaming in his head, blotting out everything else that was said…he hadn’t known!!

“You don’t have any idea what I’m talking about do you?”

It was difficult and required a false, squeaking start but Urs finally found his voice.

“Is…Isabella…what’s happened? I’ve tried to get hold of her…through the Army, the UN, her cell, her computer, the shops…I thought she just didn’t want to talk to me.”

“Five weeks after you dumped her,” Cody started, wishing he had chosen his words more carefully when he saw Urs flinch at the word ‘dumped’… “ her team was sent to Columbia again…they had just returned from Darfur and never should have been sent out so soon…Izzy wasn’t functioning well…nearly got them all killed in Darfur…she was aggressive, unfocused, impatient…not herself at all…I talked to one of the corporals, the one who had a case of Montezuma’s Revenge and couldn’t drive that day in Columbia…the girls opted to share the driving…Izzy was really out of it, he said…didn’t want to go into the jungle for some reason…she had actually sent in a request for emergency leave…but the call came to meet and she gave in…it was a trap…the official, Sally and Izzy were taken, the driver of the second vehicle was killed as well as the other techie…the official has been ransomed but there’s no word of the two girls…it’s like they vanished into thin air.”

For a minute he thought Urs was going to pass out, he got so pale, even the bruising on his face fading.

“You got anything to drink in this place?”

Urs waved one dripping, bloody hand at the kitchen area.

Cody left him, rummaged until he found a part bottle of brandy among a few full bottles of liquor, grabbed two water glasses and went back in the Lounge.

He poured them each a drink, downed his, growled ‘Drink it!’ at Urs when he handed him his glass, then poured them each another before sitting on the closer end of the sofa.

“You’re bleeding on your carpet,” he remarked in a quiet voice as if commenting about the weather.

“Ja.” Urs answered absentmindedly, doing nothing to stop the slow dripping. His voice was strangled as if his throat was raw from holding in the need to yell, to scream, to howl with the agony inside his body.

They sat quietly, not talking, just sharing their grief, Urs’ oozing cuts slowly beginning to clot and his face swelling, turning color as Cody poured from the bottle in one hand until it was nearly empty.

“What can we do?” Urs didn’t raise his head, addressing the splotches of blood on the pale carpet, his feet, anywhere except at her brother.

“Done it all…”

“We can’t just give up!” Now the head came up and the hazel eyes glared at Cody.

“Isn’t that what you did? She wasn’t worth fighting for before…why now?” Cody almost spit the words out, his anger flaring again.

The words hurt and anger faded…Urs looked down at his feet again.

The anger rose in Cody again, a see-saw of emotions that the liquor wasn’t controlling yet and he downed his Brandy before going on.

“It’s your fault…she left me a note…it was so full of pain…do you have any idea how you hurt her? She loved you…I’ve never known her to lose it like that before…she’s always been so in control, so strong… what she felt for you was not something superficial ….and to be thrown away like that…I think it destroyed her.”

Urs looked up and met Cody’s eyes, his so full of pain and anguish that it brought a sting to Cody’s again.

“I thought I could forget her…and that she would get over what we had….thought I could end it and just get on with my work, that I couldn’t have both Izzy and success…I was wrong…my work has no meaning for me, no joy without her in my life…I tried to replace her… couldn’t…no one can take her place…I tried to get her back but couldn’t find her…I didn’t realize how very much I love and need her until I threw her away…and now…now it may be too late…”

Cody poured him the last of the bottle before the unmanly tears could start in earnest, went to the kitchen and grabbed another bottle at random and returned.

“She was always a spunky kid…used to follow me around all the time, never took any crap off of me or my buddies…I caught her trying to ride my Harley, my first bike…I think she was about 10, only came up to my waist…bloody bike would have squashed her like an ant if it had tipped…she used to do my assignments for me in University to be sure that I got straight A’s…you know she’s no prize in the kitchen I guess…burns everything…”

That got a faint smile from the colorful face of the Swiss man as he took a deep breath, squared his shoulders and sat forward with his bloody arms resting on his jeans clad thighs.

“I heard…I figure we’ll cook over campfires all the time when she comes home…she’s supposed to be good at that…”

Cody glared at him.

“You just don’t get it do you? SHE ISN’T COMING BACK!!! Not now, not ever!! She’s gone…Freckles is gone.”

He burst into tears again, trying to pour another shot from the second bottle and getting most of it on his pants leg and the floor.

Urs ignored the outburst, leaning his head gently on the back of the chair, the pain of his back in contact with the cushion strangely feeling good, something to concentrate on instead of the painful vise around his heart….his eyes closed as he thought about Izzy.

“The first thing she ever said to me was ‘Take your clothes off!’…it wasn’t what you think…I was soaked from the storm and she wanted to dry my clothes rather than have me track water through the cottage….I think I fell in love with her then, right there in the middle of the storm, standing on that damned blue tarp….seems I’m a bit slow to understand things though….I didn’t admit how she stole my heart until she was gone….you know she took me up the Bridge? She shared so much of herself with me…why didn’t I understand?”

“Bull!! She never takes anyone up the Bridge…that’s her private retreat, where she goes to think.”

Urs raised his head and his still bleeding, swollen mouth curled in what could have been a sad smile.

“I have the little gold pin to prove it.”

Cody stared at him for a long minute, fully aware of the signifigance of the gold bridge pin, then shook his head and refilled their glasses.

“You aren’t giving up are you?”

“Not this time! My logic didn’t do a very good job of making decisions before…it’s time to let my heart take over.”

Cody raised his glass of what now appeared to be straight Stoli in a toast.

“To Freckles!”

“Bella!”

Gerd found them both passed out in the Lounge a few hours later when he came back from skiing, 3 empty liquor bottles on the smashed remains of the coffee table, Urs face swollen and bruised, clothes ripped and bloody and a number of clotted cuts on his hands and arms…the big stranger partly on the sofa was uninjured and snoring.

**

The mood in the suite was still rather tense after the doctor left and the maintenance man had removed the stained carpet, the chair Urs had been sitting in and the remnants of the shattered coffee table, replacing the chair with another and the table with a sturdy all wooden one.

Urs had changed into fresh clothing, discarding the jeans with blood stained legs and the ripped, bloody shirt even though Cody had suggested a method of removing the bloodstains.

“Hydrogen Peroxide, straight…pour it on then wash the clothes, just like I told the guy who took the carpet away…works a charm…trust me…I know from experience.”

He glanced in the mirror, holding his tee shirt in one bandaged hand before returning to the Lounge, hoping that Gerd was still controlling the rage he had held inside since arriving back to find them drunk and passed out.

His face was puffed up, both sides, and turning a lovely shade of blue and purple…no loose teeth, so that was something to be thankful for and his nose wasn’t broken…the ribs didn’t show except for a black and blue area but they were sore as hell, pinching whenever he took a deep breath, cracked the doctor thought.

‘So don’t take a deep breath, Fool!’ he thought to himself and tried but failed to smile…hurt too much. His back, arms and hands were crisscrossed with small dressings that covered the dozens of cuts from glass splinters that the doctor had removed or that had already fallen out with the bleeding and needed to be protected. He pulled his tee shirt on gently and went out to offer Gerd an explanation.

**

It had been hard explaining to Gerd about what had happened to Isabella, especially since they really knew so little as fact….and the suppositions were varied and difficult to accept. He listened silently, making no comments until both Urs and Cody had exhausted the information they had and stopped talking.

“Now this all begins to make sense,” the younger Swiss man said with a shake of his head. “When you both were home for Christmas it was so obvious how much in love you were, even though it seems that neither of you had the sense to make a commitment. And then you acted like the big, over thinking, dumb-ass you can be at times and tried to end your affair and it hurt her so much she wasn’t as careful at her work as usual. Then when you finally tried to contact her it wasn’t that she didn’t WANT to talk to you, you fool…she COULDN’T!!!...you both made mistakes and are paying for them now.”

“Thank you for the re-cap of what is now in the past, oh Wise One!!...now any suggestions as to how we can find the girls?” Urs said sarcastically to his brother, raising a brow in question.

“Just don’t give up…I’ve read some studies in the medical journals, you know dealing with the trauma of being held hostage for long periods…there’s less chance of Stockholm Syndrome if you have someone to share the imprisonment with, someone close that you can talk to, and of course they have each other. I don’t know this Sally but if she’s Izzy’s second in command I have to assume she’s a strong woman, dependable, just like Izzy herself….so if you can find them and get them out, neither should have any lasting twitches to have to deal with…depending of course on how rough their treatment is. I think you have to be prepared to deal with the fact, especially you Urs, that the women may be sexually abused while held…it’s not uncommon and not their fault…you have to deal with your own insecurities about it to help them deal with theirs.”

Urs was staring at Gerd with wonder, shocked that it was his baby brother he was listening to.

“This is the first really intelligent conversation I think we’ve ever had…when did you get to be so smart?”

“I’m not…I just read and study a lot…and don’t forget you haven’t been around much for the last few years.”

Urs stood from the replacement chair where he had been gingerly resting his stinging back against the cushions.

“I’m going to make us some dinner…come sit at the bar so we can make some plans.”

They moved into the kitchen area, Gerd and Cody perched on the stools at the pass-through bar and Urs puttering in the kitchen, putting water on to boil, taking meat out of the freezer and defrosting it in the nuke, setting veggies on the counter next to the cutting board.

“So Cody, what plans do you have?” he asked, throwing a large pinch of salt in the simmering water.

“”Well I had planned that if I wasn’t in jail for beating you to death that I would go on to Germany to talk to a freed hostage that might have some news. Depending on what he has to say I may have a lead and go straight back to Columbia or if not then I can come back here and we’ll try to figure something out…I understand you have this place until the 20th.”

The French knife was flashing up and down, mincing garlic cloves and Spanish onions, green peppers waiting patiently for their turn, tomatoes sitting in the sink loosening the skin in boiled water.

“But I’m not here that long, just Gerd…I have to leave on the 14th, early in the morning, for Kuala Lumpur…the new tour starts there and goes on until July, all over the place….the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Oz, Europe, the UK, Mexico, South America, the U.S., Canada…we end up in Schevenigen in July…we’ll actually be in Bogota at one point.”

The nuke dinged at him and he took the meat out to place on another cutting board and shred into small pieces with two forks working in opposite directions in the tender, all ready cooked pork.

“If you sent me downloads of the files you already have I could sort them into categories, something that would make it easier to find little snippets of information…maybe create a time line so it made a bit of sense….then you could send me anything new and I can add it…new eyes and all that, you know.”

He took a pan from the overhead rack and set it on to pre-heat, dribbling in a scant teaspoon of Olive Oil and a tiny pat of butter, finished peeling the skin off the tomatoes and sliced them into quarters.

“Don’t look so surprised, guys…when I was having so much trouble getting answers out of anyone I decided to get more proficient on the computer…so I bought a book and worked through it…I don’t have many problems now.”

The chopped veggies went into the hot oil and sputtered as they began to sauté…he threw several hands full of pasta, whole wheat Rotini, into the rapidly boiling water.

“It’s a good idea…I’ve gone over the sheets of info that I have so many times I think I just remember what I’ve read before, not read it as if it were new. I don’t know how much longer they’ll let me ramble around down there without something new coming up.”

Urs took a loaf of Italian crusty bread and sliced it lengthwise, smearing the cut surfaces with butter, then finely minced garlic and a sprinkle of grated Parmigiana, wrapped the two halves in foil and placed it on the rack in the oven.

He stared at Cody for a moment, then gripped the counter with white knuckles as he commented firmly.

“I would know if she were dead…she’s alive, coping as best she can, waiting to be freed and come back to us. So we’ll just have to find some new information that will allow you to keep looking…I can’t help you search… wouldn’t have a clue where to even begin…but I can do what she would expect of me and that’s to make a success of this ride Il Divo is on.”

He was calm, almost serene, now that he had made the decision to do everything he could even if it was limited at this time. He added the meat to the translucent veggies and a little water mixed with corn starch to help make the sauce, added some herbs, measuring by eye, then pulled a white wine out of the frig to let it breathe.

“You suppose you two freeloaders can manage to set the table since I’ve done all the hard stuff?”

**

CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE

Urs couldn’t sleep, his mind on over load with all the new information he had received during this long afternoon and evening.

They had talked about the search, going over and over the few facts that were known, thinking of plausible scenarios based on the scant real information until his head ached with the futility of it. All through the conversation he had tried not to think of how she was faring, tried not to worry about what was happening to her, how she was being treated, was she suffering, ill, injured?…did she wonder if he was thinking of her?...did she still love him?

He got up and threw on a pair of jeans, thick socks and a bulky sweater, quietly going out on the deck with a blanket and huddling in the cold in one of the padded chairs.

‘It feels like this is my fault too…I worried about something bad happening to her and it did!!...why couldn’t I just accept the fact that I love her desperately and tell her…we could have worked it out…Izzy is smart, too smart to let something like a world tour bother her…she would have had something to suggest…I should have been honest about how much the danger bothered me…and I should have admitted to myself that I was too far in love with her to ever let her go…Fool!!...you can’t live in the past!!...Should haves won’t do any good now!!...She would say I should seize the moment, live in the present…’you can not change the past Urs…Live in the now…it’s all we have’…why in hell didn’t I listen to her?’

He literally shook himself, clearing his thoughts and focusing on the present…and the future.

‘I believe that I would know if she were gone…there would be a void in the world, some major part missing, never to be replaced…and I don’t feel that…I feel…I feel like I’m waiting for something, something wonderful and it’s just around the corner…alright, that’s what I’ll concentrate on…that and the files from Cody…maybe going through them I’ll find some link to follow up, something he over-looked…Gott he’s so big…Izzy said he was but in person he looks huge…but a nice guy when he isn’t trying to knock all my teeth out!...and really determined…Hang on Baby…it may take a while but we’ll find you and bring you home!!’

He could almost feel the tension leaving his body as he thought about her, not as he had been for the past months, in confusion, picturing her angry and hurt, not willing to even speak to him…no, now he saw her smiling as he approached, her eyes lighting up in that way they did when she looked at him…there was a gap in the ground between them and she called out… ‘I’ll wait for you…find me!’

He squared his shoulders and went back inside, stripped and fell into bed, untroubled by the dreams that had plagued him for months.

**

Cody e.mailed that the trip to Germany had been fairly useless and that he was returning directly to Columbia. Except for the brief glimpse the man had of what could have been a military uniform and blue beret, he really had nothing useful to say and it had been months before, not in any way useful now. He would send everything he had to Urs as soon as he reached his little office and would keep in touch every few days, at least until he received orders to return to duty on his regular work.

Urs finished off his short vacation with Gerd, daily becoming more like his old self, but better and able to talk now and then about Izzy without having to adopt his wall of privacy when the pain became too much.

And he changed, finally accepting the fact that he was basically a man, with a man’s needs.

For some reason he had great difficulty getting himself off, even thinking about Izzy didn’t do the trick and he was suffering, his sperm accumulating until he was actually in a great deal of pain…cold showers were a temporary fix, masturbating was at the moment pretty useless and he was at the point where he considered going to a doctor to seek a solution to the problem. In desperation he decided on a professional.

The first time he had indulged in a one-night stand he nearly was unable to perform, only the skill of the professional he had chosen finally accomplishing the goal in a very unsatisfactory release that left him feeling guilty for days.

He had found that talking to Cody was, strangely, easier than talking to family or even his Il Divo brothers since this new friend was very like his sister…blunt and to the point.

“No one would expect you to just jerk off when the need hits you, you damned fool…least of all Freckles…she will understand…after all you are a man…you need release now and then and not always by yourself…I’m not saying you should find another broad like the one who was after your money…there’s lots of women out there who would enjoy being banged by a guy like you…pick one, give her the good time she deserves and move on…”

He had stopped briefly in London on his way to join the guys for the touring again, started things rolling for Alicia with his financial advisor and lawyer, as they had discussed via e.mail and packed up all her bits and pieces in the flat to be shipped to her where-ever she decided to locate now.

It had been a relief to close and tape the last box, a bad decision at last corrected …now he really was free to get on with the search for the one woman he ever had and ever would, truly love.

With a much lighter heart he boarded the flight to Kuala Lumpur.

**
Izzy:

May 2007

“I will not change my mind!! The discussion is closed!!” Ferdo had risen in anger from behind the table he used as a desk and glared at Izzy.

“but…”

“CLOSED!!!”

She frowned then thought better of antagonizing him further and sighed.

“In deference to your blood pressure I give up…Francesca and Constancia will just have to handle anything that comes up with the hostages. I do have the list ready for you of items we could really use for the infirmary…and I’ve underlined with red the things that are most needed.”

Ferdo sank back into his chair, his flushed face gradually returning to a more normal hue.

He had called her into a meeting to issue an adamant rule and they argued about it.

It would not be possible from this moment on for her to treat hostages, under any circumstances. The medics in training could do so but Izzy and Sally were to keep their distance from the hostages at all times, no treatments, no talking, no contact whatsoever.

That argument won, he was now prepared to be pleasant.

“How is your son?”

Her face took on a softer, proud look.

“Well…he is very well, actually, healthy and progressing nicely…he’s a very good baby.”

“Spoken like a true proud Mama,” Ferdo said with a smile. “I remember when my son was first born…he would change so much each time I saw him…and now he is a man, with a man’s responsibilities…time goes so fast…enjoy your son while he is young…they soon grow up and leave you.”

She still knew very little about this man who had the power of life and death over everyone in the camps and looked at him in surprise.

“That’s a way down the road at the moment…Adam is only 6 months old now.”

“And where is he today?”

“Sally took him to the river to bathe…he really likes to play in the water…we’re teaching him to swim.”

The wiry man laughed, promising himself that if he could ever spare a moment he wanted to watch the swimming lessons.

“Bueno!...go now…I have work to do and have no more time for obstinate women.”

Izzy smiled and left, walking down to the edge of the river where she could see Sally bent over Adam as he splashed in the water, their ever present guard lounging against a tree.

“Look Adam, here comes Mama…show her how well you can swim under water today.”

The little boy clapped his hands, his face alight with a huge toothy grin and those lovely hazel eyes squinching up in pleasure. He flipped over onto his hands and knees and took a deep breath, pushing off with his knees and swimming about 5 feet before coming back above the surface into Sally’s hands, laughing.

Izzy clapped her hands and laughed.

“Wonderful!! What a smart boy you are, Adam! Your Papa would be so proud of you!”

“Sim,” he said as Sally handed his dripping, naked body over to Izzy.

“Swim…it has a wuh sound , Adam…can you say S-w-im?”

Sally smiled, long reconciled to Izzy’s decision to never speak baby talk to Adam.

“S-w-im,” he copied and laughed when Izzy did.

“Now you’ve got it…he’s so quick, Sal…I wonder if Urs was like this as a baby?”

“Urs…Papa…”

She felt tears spring to her eyes but smiled and choked them back.

“Yes, Love… Urs is your Papa…Someday you will meet him… someday…”

Sally put her thin arm around Izzy’s boney shoulders and they headed back into camp, trailed by the guard who watched silently, never speaking to them, his prize possession, a semi-automatic weapon slung over his shoulder.

**

Urs:

May 2007

He was exhausted…it had been a grueling pace, made more so by the added concerts that had been slipped into what was supposed to have been free time. And so he toyed with the idea of going home, deciding at the last minute that he could relax just as easily in Columbia as Switzerland.

Well that wasn’t exactly true but perhaps if he kept telling himself that, the oppressive heat wouldn’t bother him as much.

He had been here twice already, once over night for a concert that had nearly been his undoing, again to check in with Cody when the big man came back from a JTF mission and wanted to go over the newest information that had come through the network of undercover operatives. They could have just as easily done it on-line but somehow Urs felt closer to Izzy just being in the same country.

Asia, Australia, Africa, Mexico and South America were all behind them now, full houses, screaming fans, successes everywhere, plus a stint at an exclusive resort in the Grenadines that was supposed to double as a rest period. And during it all Cody and Urs kept in touch, adding info sent by the General or Cody’s network of friends, piecing together items that in themselves seemed unconnected but viewed as a whole left them with hope.

And now this newest bit.

General Haggerty had received a list of medical supplies that the rebels had asked the UN Relief Agency to supply them with. He sent a copy on to Urs, who added it to the files, then kept going back and reading it…something about it was disturbing and he didn’t know what at first. Then a thought occurred to him and he took it to a pharmacy, briefly explaining why he needed the information and cheering in his big opera voice when the pharmacist confirmed his suspicion….only a trained professional, likely a doctor, would have had the knowledge to request the equipment and drugs that were on the list…a mere medic or lay person would not have even known some of them existed.

She was alive!!

**

**

Cody met him at the airport on the Base, having arranged a military flight that Urs kept telling himself saved money even if it wasn’t all that comfortable. Not that he had to worry about money now.

Il Divo had been amazingly successful, so much so that the Reve fund was flush and he had already purchased the small condo in London, plus added to his holdings with the firm in Andorra. No matter what happened he would never have to worry about money again.

“You’re getting to look really Spanish…that’s quite the tan, Big Guy,” he said as his fingers were being crushed in the meaty paw of the gentle giant.

“And you look like a pasty bookworm…we need to get you out in the sun more. How are you?”

Urs had packed light and now grabbed his backpack and ever-present computer bag to lope alongside Cody’s lengthy strides to the waiting Jeep.

“So what’s this idea that brought you clear down to the steamy bliss of Columbia?”

Urs grinned at his impatience and shook his head.

“Patience, Brother Bear…it isn’t a quick fix if I know how government moves…but it’s a start….and I’ll show you what I have when we get somewhere with AC.

Cody frowned and flexed his biceps at Urs, then laughed as he saw that nothing was going to sway the man.

“You’re lucky I’m an officer AND a gentleman, Bird.”

Even his new sobriquet didn’t get a rise out of Urs and they boarded the Jeep to tear away across the tarmac to the base Bachelor Officers quarters.

‘I guess it’s a better nickname than some he could have saddled me with…and it makes sense…Birds sing and so do I….why is it that guys in the military always have to come up with nicknames for their friends? Is it a rule or something? What a funny co-incidence that his nick-name is Bear… And does this mean that Cody and I are friends now? Better a friend than an enemy, that’s for sure!!’

The accommodations were sparse but adequate, unfortunately no AC but deep windows that were open to the breeze and sheltered by overhanging eaves that kept the hot sun out.

Cody snagged a couple of long necked bottles of beer from the frig and went through to a small patio at the back of the 4 rooms, parking his bulk on an aluminum chair that groaned with the sudden weight.

“That chair is gonna collapse,” Urs said with a grin as he took one of the beer and placed his computer on the table between them.

“It wouldn’t dare!” Cody snarled and raised his bottle for a long pull.

Urs booted up, connecting to the handy modem already on the table and turned the screen towards Cody.

“You know how I mailed you and said the pharmacist confirmed that only a professional would know about those drugs and the equipment? Well I took it one step further…the equipment is too bulky and too expensive…it isn’t likely the UN will opt for the bigger stuff…but the hand held monitors, BP cuffs, heart rate monitors…those are maybes…so I got thinking about how far technology has come, how they make tiny GPS monitors now and looked into them.”

“It’s been tried…remember in that file from last year …they used a GPS the size of a walnut and it was found and smashed.”

“But that was old…I did a lot of research and found some amazing new technology…look at this….”

He clicked on another screen and what appeared to be a thin sheet of paper with tiny, opaque dots of celluloid on it appeared.

“The Japanese have come up with a system that almost disappears when it’s applied. It’s the same consistency as cellophane tape and the actual monitors are the size of a sequin…if we use a lot of them and only one gets through it may be enough to tell us where the girls’ camp is.”

Cody was silent for a moment then grinned.

“I knew there was more to you than just a pretty face… BRILLIANT!! …Are they expensive?”

“Doesn’t matter…I’ll broker a deal with the firm through Sony and pay for them myself. The hard part will be getting the UN to move quickly on this…can you handle the General?”

“No sweat!...he’s getting just as frustrated as we are…he’s old school and they don’t abandon one of theirs.”

For the next hour they drafted a proposal to the General, including downloads of all the information Urs had on his computer, then read it through one last time and sent it off. Now it would just be a question of waiting to see if action would be taken.

**

CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR

Fall and Christmas 2007

To say that government agencies, the UN included, work at a snail’s pace was no exaggeration. Both men, of course wanted an answer ASAP, but it was not to be and Urs returned to the UK disappointed but not ready to give up.

He had been treated to a helicopter fly-over of some of the jungle area that was thought to hide the rebel camps and came away with a new respect for the Army.

The dense canopy was impossible to see through, even difficult for the heat seeking scanners to pick up any signs of life below. The few times that a camp had been discovered had been almost by accident and it had been decided that infiltrating with undercover operatives was the most sensible, though time consuming, way to go.

Like a snowball rolling down hill, the tour went on, gaining momentum and morphing into more and more private concerts…In July they gave a performance at the beach in Scheveningen, later the same month they appeared in Moscow, then, after a brief time off, they bounced around the world from Tokyo to Campeche, to Dubai in November, finishing the year with venues in Venezuela and Puerto Rico in December.

In the interim between shows Urs worked out, remembering a conversation he had had with Cody.

“I’m getting to know you now and I know that when we find out where they are you’ll want to be involved in the rescue…you’re no use to me if you aren’t fit…fit and very strong…so be warned…I expect more from you than just some skills with the computer and that quick brain you seem to have developed in the past year.”

So every spare moment he had from his music he trained, developing his legs, arms and torso until Felicity, in Wardrobe, gave up in despair and ordered him all new suits…she just couldn’t adjust the old ones any further to accommodate his well toned body.

It was the day before Christmas when they received the news that the UN had agreed to bugging the supplies. Urs was home in Willisau and couldn’t contain the news when he heard. He quickly sent a message off to his contact at Sony BMG in Japan for the supplies, then raced downstairs to dance Mami around the kitchen and hug her, laughing and buoyed up as she hadn’t seen him for a long time.

“They’re going to do it!! At last they made the decision…now maybe we’ll begin to have some success!”

“Calm, Sohn…be calm…if the next step is anything like this last one it will not happen quickly. But it is a step and needs to be celebrated…open a bottle of that lovely wine Claude sent us for Christmas.”

Nadia had come in the kitchen to see what all the noise was about and hugged Urs, her eyes suspiciously glistening as she got wine glasses from the cupboard.

“I wonder what Izzy’s doing right now?” she murmured, not aware that she had said it aloud until she saw Urs pause and his eyes go unfocused, briefly, before he shook himself and smiled sadly…

“Sleeping…it’s the other side of the world, Nad.”

**

Izzy:

He was almost right.

Izzy was in her hammock, resting but unable to turn off her mind and fall asleep yet.

They had celebrated Christmas as best they could, even to the extent of having a little Benjamina Fig tree from the jungle that they decorated with a mixture of flowers. Gifts were simple…some smooth sticks to add to the ones Adam liked to build things with, a sand box for him with fine sand from the river bed, built by the entrance to the infirmary so he would be near, a hair comb that had been a token of appreciation from a patient that Izzy gave to Sally for her long blonde hair, a hand stitched little leather bag for Izzy to keep her sodalite pendant in when she hid it in the ground below the tent pole.

They had feasted, adding to their usual sparse diet with an orange and 2 bananas that they had hoarded, as well as seasonal treasures that were bountiful at the moment… guayabas, granadillos, some not too badly bruised mangoes and tea made from the leaves of the Limon tree near the waterfalls.

She lay in her hammock, rocking lightly and glanced at the small person lying under the netting in his own bed, sleeping peacefully.

He was so smart, already talking well and understanding most things that were said to him, conversing in Spanish or English easily at just over a year old…maybe not in complete sentences but getting there. His motor skills were on a par with any other 13 month old child but his mental abilities were actually kind of scarey. She wondered if her parents had felt like this when she was a baby and they realized that they had a prodigy on their hands.

‘I’ll have to be careful not to treat him differently just because he’s so quick…and not let him get bored…he’s really a good baby, well little boy I guess, except for nursing he isn’t really a baby anymore…I wish I were good at music…that would be something he could learn now…if only…don’t go there, fool or you’ll get all blubbery…I suppose I could try, even with this untrained little voice I have…maybe I could teach him some of Urs’ songs…it’s for sure I know them all well enough…I hope you managed to get home for the holidays, Urs…God how I miss you!!....’

She fell asleep thinking about that lovely Christmas she had spent at Marta’s in Willisau and the man who had made it so special for her.

**
January 2008

Urs:

Urs was at Reve when he learned that the UN had broken some kind of record, finished bugging the supplies and would shortly be sending them out.

He had gone there the second last day of the old year after a call from Claude that told him the lawyers had finally come to an agreement.

He stopped just inside the driveway, overcome with déjà vu…it had been just over 2 years since he brought Izzy to see his Dream Home, since he had watched her eyes get big and round as she tried to take in everything she was seeing, since his heart had thudded with joy when he saw the pleasure on her lovely face, heard it in her voice.

‘She loves this place too, could see the possibilities with it, just as I do…it will be here for us when I get you back, Liebling…we will have years of happiness together in this place of dreams.’

He squared his shoulders, fed the rental some gas and went on down the drive to Claude and Dee’s.

Both of his cousins came out to greet him with beaming smiles when he parked near the house, Dee slender once more and skipping across the cobbles into his arms with happy shrieks, Claude a bit more circumspect but with his hand outstretched and every tooth revealed in a huge smile.

“You didn’t bring your little doctor?...Pity…but I have even more news…come inside!!”

Urs managed to disengage himself from Dee who wrapped an arm around his waist and tugged him towards the door…he shook Claude’s hand, smiling, not yet ready to explain why Izzy wasn’t here and ruin their upbeat mood.

“Onkle Stefan…you remember him…he really is a cousin but we call him Onkle because of his age…I can’t believe he’s still working at 87…anyway his secretary called…I think the randy old goat was feeling her up even while she was on the phone…you know he’s become worse…or is it better…ever since his Anya passed…anyway she said our offer has been more or less accepted…they were quite impressed that we didn’t ask for a payment schedule, preferred to settle on a lump sum…mein Gott Urs that’s a pile of money to lay out in one fell swoop…are you sure of this?...well I’m sure you are or you wouldn’t have insisted on doing it this way…it’s just a question of a couple of days and then we go into Lausanne to sign the papers.”

Urs was silent as he tried to unscramble the convoluted message that Claude had babbled out in his excitement.

“So what you’re trying to say, in your precise, very Swiss way, is that we’ve been accepted except for the signing?” he finally managed with a hint of sarcasm and a smile.

Claude laughed.

“You know me…can’t tell something in 3 words if 30 would do the job. Yes, my logical cousin…it’s almost a done deal!!!”

They went inside the cozy kitchen, little changed since his last visit with Izzy, except that the inhabitant of the little cot between the two chairs was a towheaded baby boy…and for once Dee wasn’t gestating.

Dee placed the coffee pot on the table and stood with her hands on her hips staring at Urs.

“You look different…older, more…more patient somehow…and sad…what has happened to you since we saw you on the tour? Are you not happy with your career? The concert we saw with Marta was wonderful and we’ve followed the news…your Il Divo is a tremendous success.”

They could hear children laughing outside the back door and thumps as snow was kicked off of boots in preparation for coming inside.

“Later, when the children are in bed…it is not a happy story though I hope for a happy ending.”

The door burst open and the four other children came in with an enveloping cloud of noisy laughter and voices.

For a while it was bedlam as coats and snow pants were removed and put on the rack by the fire to dry, cold little hands teased as little mouths smiled and dealt out ‘Hello’ kisses then grabbed for the cookies that magically appeared on the table and just as noisly they all departed for the warmth of the Family Room to watch some beloved cartoons, nearly 4 year old Amelia the last to go since she needed just one more hug from her Papa.

“The children are on holidays and will not all be down for the night until 21:00H…we have an hour now while their show is on,” Dee said, sitting firmly in the end chair and pouring herself a coffee, clearly not about to be put off until later.

So Urs began at the beginning, telling of his ill fated decision, aware but saying nothing when Dee glared at him over his split with Izzy, gratefully accepting the tissue she offered when he told of her capture by the rebels, refilling his mug as she and Claude listened silently to his efforts, and Cody’s, to find her and bring her home.

They were silent for a moment when he finally stopped talking and sat staring at the coffee in his mug.

“And the love…is it still strong?” Claude asked softly.

“More than ever!” he answered quickly and firmly, looking up and smiling. “I was afraid to speak up before, afraid to admit that I love her and want her with me…I understand now…I want to give her my babies, as many as she will allow, to have her here, or with me, to create a life of happiness and fulfillment that can’t be found just in success at a career….It wouldn’t be asking her to give up her life, just to take another direction, one I think she was willing to take but I was too stupid to see.”

Dee was still silent but finally spoke up.

“She will be different…the experience will have changed her.”

“….and I am changed also…but we will work it out, Dee…together we WILL work it out.”

She came around the table and hugged him, releasing him after a moment and wiping her damp cheeks.

“We need wine, Claude…Urs you will stay with us tonight, Oui? It would not be good for you to stay alone in your house I think?”

He accepted graciously and then grinned.

“Actually I have something I wanted to run by you…an alternate use for the main chateau…I want to see what you think.”

Claude rose to go for the wine and shook his finger at Urs, laughing.

“You’ve been thinking again…look what happened the last time you did that!! You ended up being half owner of the best vineyard in Switzerland!!”

April 2008


Izzy was frowning when she came back into the infirmary and Sally knew the news from the Commandantes tent was not good.

“Talk now or later?” she whispered to her friend, fully conscious of the glances of the medics-in-training still in the tent.

Izzy leaned close and whispered in English.

“He’s failing…and there’s not much I can do…he’s just worn out…I figure any time now.”

For the past year she had been fighting a losing battle with degenerative diseases of the heart, lungs and now the kidneys…with the work load that the Commandante had taken upon himself it was not really surprising that the man’s health was failing him…in fact it was nothing short of a miracle that he had lasted this long. For the two UN workers it was a disaster, not just because regardless of his political affiliations they hated to lose a patient…and this man, though responsible for their continued captivity, had been kind to them….his passing would mean a dramatic change in their treatment, and not, they were sure, for the better.

“Worrying won’t change anything,” Izzy said with resignation as she looked at the charts Sally had been working on. She switched to Spanish, glanced at Adam sleeping on his little pallet under the makeshift desk, smiled and took a deep cleansing breath.

“Do you smell the wild pig cooking? One of the foragers ran across a bunch of them and managed to get two…the camp will eat well tonight.”

“I wonder if we’ll get any this time? It’s been so long since I ate meat it likely will make me puke,” Sally said with a shake of her head.

“I know…I still crave it though…what I wouldn’t give for a nice grilled steak…or even an egg…I was looking at Ferdo’s chickens today and wondering how long they’ll last once he’s gone. Eduardo doesn’t seem like the kind of man who plans ahead so I’ll bet they’ll be in a stew pot the next day…we might lose Rita too, just like we lost the kid, little Runt.”

“That’ll teach us to make pets of our food…” Sally said with a rueful laugh. Runt had disappeared one night to be enjoyed by some of the camp the next day over a spit…the girls were not offered any of that meal either.

Izzy did her rounds of the patients, followed closely by the girls training as medics.

Today there were quite a few, mostly injured during a sortie against the Army at a village about 30 K away. The rebels had been ‘recruiting’, their euphemism for forcing the young men and women of the villages to join their numbers, and had been surprised by a squad of the Columbian Army laying in wait for them.

The ensuing skirmish had been violent and bloody, resulting in 6 fatalities among the rebels and 21 patients with varying degrees of injuries. No villagers had been harmed or abducted.

She instructed the girls to change dressings on several of the young patients, released one of the older rebels to the care of his wife and wished that the supplies that were slowly making the ponderous journey from camp to camp in an effort to elude detection of the Infirmary and Headquarters, had already arrived. Several of the patients needed the antibiotics that should be in the shipment if they were to recover.

“Ferdo says that the shipment is somewhere around Camp 4, wherever that is…he thinks we should have it in about 6 weeks…and he promised that nothing is being exposed to the elements, like that small shipment just after we first got here. I think having one of the medics travel with the supplies was a good idea, Sal,” she said when she returned to the desk.

Sally shrugged.

“It made sense to me…after the condition that shipment was in I was so angry and I thought there had to be a better way of doing it. Still it isn’t going to help these guys…what if we try some of the naturopathic methods?…I think I saw some herbs growing near the falls.”

“Good idea…take Constancia and see if you can find anything useful…Meymo will tag along if she goes and that should deter Macca.”

She sat at the desk, watching Adam sleeping and thinking about their situation.

‘Somehow I have to get Adam out of here…it will tear me apart to let him go but I can’t stand the thought of him living like this…he needs to be with real people, with Urs if possible, with Cody if Urs doesn’t want him….God, how can I even think that?…he knows nothing about his son, not even that he exists…and what if he’s with another woman? Will she accept this little boy from another woman that Urs was with? Would she love him, nurture him as the very special little boy he is? There really isn’t much choice, Major…he needs to be away from here, someplace where he isn’t hungry or has no one to teach him anything except Sally and I…and where he doesn’t grow up with only one goal…to be a soldier in the rebel army. And what will I do? It will be like tearing my heart in half and trying to go on living…’

As if he felt her distress, Adam stirred, stretching his little body and opening his eyes to smile at her. He sat up and climbed up on her lap, snuggling against her for a few minutes before patting her breasts in his signal that he was hungry.

“Leche, Por favor, Mama,” he said in his soft little voice, smiling that sweet smile that reminded her so much of Urs.

She nursed him, thankful that she still could due to Rita, trying to keep her mind calm and not think about the ominous clouds on the horizon.

**

HI: Those with tender sensibilities and not wanting to read about what really happens in some of the hostage camps maybe should skip this chapter.....trust me the dark and angst ridden is almost over so you can soon pull your head out of the sand!!

CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE…

Urs:

April 2008

She was pretty…small and compact with full, firm breasts and short curly hair…but then most of them were…he always asked for women who would remind him of his Isabella…and thought of her during the encounter….it was the only way for him to actually get off, no matter how attractive or practiced the woman was.

They had spent a few minutes together in the bar, carefully skirting around the heat between them. He knew instinctively when he entered the bar that she was a pro, the one sent to meet him by the escort service and after a few get to know you minutes finally broached the subject they had both been avoiding.

“I need a companion for a few hours…are you available?”

“I know who you are…I’m an Uber…for you there should be no charge.”

He smiled at her, too accustomed to the routine now to ask why she was in this business or to haggle over any offers that could lead to a repeat engagement.

“Strictly professional…I have someone in my life…but she isn’t here and you are lovely….exactly the woman I need.”

He reached over and took her hand and placed it on his groin, under the cover of the table, letting her feel how ready he was and what she could look forward to.

He smiled again when he saw her eyes widen and the tip of her pink tongue peek out to wet her lips.

They left the bar and walked the short distance to the hotel, not talking much but stopping once at the entrance to an alley while he kissed her nearly senseless, his erection becoming almost painful as he ground his hips against her.

‘I let it go too long this time…it’s been 7 weeks since that little fan from the service in Dusseldorf…and to think she was a Siren before…Sorry Seb, but she reminded me so much of Izzy…Gott she was sweet…I almost went down on her…Gott how I miss the taste of Izzy in my mouth…the way she tastes when she cums, the way she feels when my tongue is inside her….careful, Looli!!!…you’ll cum before you even get this one to the room…’

Once inside the privacy of the suite they wasted no time, moving into the bedroom and stripping clothing in haste.

She feasted her eyes on his naked body, impressed, he assumed by the way she gasped, by his physique, and with only a small nudge dropping to her knees to encase his darkened shaft in her hot mouth, her hands caressing, stroking from base to nearly the head while her tongue toyed with the silky, wet tip, licking pre-cum with little flickers of warmth.

He stood with his hands in her hair, curly hair that felt not quite right but close, his head thrown back as he grew harder, longer, trying to maintain the lust he needed to feel in order to perform what was an almost mechanical act for most men.

This was so different from the passion he felt when he made love with Izzy. There was no losing of himself in the joy he always felt when she touched his body, when he worshiped hers. No, this was a biological urge, animal instinct, a coupling to relieve tension, to ease the painful accumulation of sperm in his velvet sacs…thinking about Izzy helped as he tried to maintain some semblemance of humanity, of himself, resisting the animal urge to just screw the woman until he came…the few times he had done that he felt cheap, a fraud…now he was careful to give as much pleasure as he received, something that surprised the seasoned pros.

He moved away and lay her on the bed, carefully on top of the spread, leaning over her and sucking her breast into his mouth. The nipple rose to meet his hot tongue and he sucked hard, nipping with his teeth and pulling the engorged nub until she moaned.

“Spread your legs,” he whispered as he leaned on her, one hand running along her thigh to her mound…she was clean shaven…too bad…he preferred more natural, like Izzy…ah but the important things were right were they should be, the swollen little clit, the labia that he stroked his fingers through, the wetness of her hot opening…wet? Oh yes!!...she WAS almost ready….gently he slipped one, then a second finger inside, curving them forward to stroke the sensitive G spot, his thumb still on her clit and making her gasp.

He took her mouth again, tenderly running his tongue over the inside of her lower lip then sucking it into his mouth, thrusting his tongue into her depths to taste the walls, to duel with her tongue, drinking in her essence…rye and something sweet….different from Izzy but pleasant.

He pulled away, leaving her gasping as he looked down into her glazed eyes with satisfaction…she was ready…he would not be the only one to find release.

“Ride me…” he whispered and smiled at the eagerness he saw in her eyes.

He lay back in the soft hotel bed, his eyes closed as the woman took the condom from his hand and rolled it on him, wetting it with her hot mouth then mounting his shaft, cooing prettily at the snug fit of his large member inside her almost tight opening and rotating her hips to take him in even further.

‘This one is good…I knew she would be…when I saw her waiting in the bar, there was something about her that reminded me of Bella…ach, yes, harder…deeper….ride my ****…you sucked it so hard that I’m almost ready…and so are you…wet and hot….there, do you like that?...just because you’re a whore doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy being screwed…’

His fingers delved between her labia and stroked her clit, pulling, rubbing, keeping tempo with their gyrating hips…he glanced between them, saw how his shaft entered her shaved mound almost to the full extent of the condom he always wore with these women and thrust harder, moving his free hand to her breast to pull on the engorged nipple.

She moaned and clutched at his chest, her muscles beginning to spasm and he surged upwards once more, driving into her depths as he spurted with release.

The woman {he couldn’t remember her name} collapsed on his body and he rolled them over, slipped out of her and finished ejaculating, then softened rapidly. He rolled away from her and stood, going to the bathroom to flush the condom and wash his flaccid penis, then his hands and pulled on his jeans before returning to her.

She was asleep, or pretending and he shook her gently.

“Time to go…I have an early call and need to sleep.”

She rose reluctantly, smiling at him, clearly interested in staying longer, but he helped her to her feet and assisted with her clothing, gently kissing her cheek as he walked her to the door of the suite and dropping some folded bills into her bag, payment delivered.

She had been good and he appreciated the use of her body… but she was not Izzy.

Urs went in to shower the scent of this nameless woman from his body, as always, feeling a twinge of sadness and guilt.

He pulled the spread off and discarded it on the floor, fell into bed and slept soundly, ready in the morning for his appointment at the studio outside of Dublin where they were working on the new CD.

A few more weeks then they had a concert with Celine Dion, then off to the continent to work on the album …if he was lucky there might be news soon about the medical supplies.

**

Columbia:

Jorge had been with the rebels for nearly 3 months when the shipment of medical supplies was finally delivered to the checkpoint where he was based. The carefully orchestrated timetable had given him time to be involved in several sorties, ones he preferred not to think too deeply about even though he had managed to avoid actually being responsible for any loss of life among the soldiers or villagers they had attacked. He had developed a reputation of being devoted to the cause, dependable and calm, but without reservations if action was needed.

So it was no surprise when he had been included in the team that was sent to escort the supplies through a devious, convoluted route which would end, eventually, at the infirmary.

He definitely didn’t look like a soldier, at least not for the government. Prior to his trek into the jungle to join the rebels he had let his hair grow, had shaved but not with the neat precision of a military goatee and mustache, more the look of one who never sees a barber and sometimes forgets to trim his growth for days, even weeks.

He was short and stocky, just a little flabby but strong, a farm type who had endured much in his battle with the land, apparently could neither read nor write as was often the case with those born to the land, with a regional accent to his quiet speech that identified him as coming from the wild southern farmlands, possibly even near the open pit mines where so many toiled for the prized Columbian Emeralds.

All false.

In fact Captain Jorge Alonso Jesus-de-Maria Gutierrez Soldano was Mexican, not Columbian, held 2 degrees from the Universidad de Mexico, DF, one in Political Science, the other in Psychology, had joined the Columbian Army because he believed in what the government was trying to accomplish and had volunteered for this mission.

The air of secrecy around this mission was absolute. Infiltration worked both ways and the PTB were wise enough to realize that at least a few of their loyal forces had sympathies with the rebels. Because of this, an elaborate plan had been hatched which saw the former Captain Soldano resign his commission and return to Mexico…a few months later shabby, unhappy Jorge Perez la Garda walked out of the jungle with his tiny farm in flames behind him and only a few meager possessions in a canvas carry-all on his back. The real la Garda was spirited away to a new, better life in the Midwestern United States.

Today Jorge was riding as a guard in the second truck of supplies, his face grim and a semi-automatic weapon at the ready as he gazed out at the jungle growth flying by, sometimes slapping at the canvas covered sides of the trucks that barreled along impossibly narrow tracks through the dense growth.

They had already dropped off some labeled boxes and food supplies to 3 separate camps, changed drivers after a skimpy rest period and went on, keeping to a pre-ordained schedule sent down from headquarters. Each of the camps had been precisely pinpointed by a cleverly abandoned soda can, the special ones with the GPS sticker affixed to the seam of the can….simple, effective and gradually forming a pattern back in the room set up with monitors and maps back in Bogota.

He adjusted his cramped muscles on the hard seat of the truck and thought about his mission. It was three fold, the most daring ever attempted by the Columbian Army and also the one requiring the most patience. The aim was to pinpoint all of the rebel camps so that a concerted effort could be made to attack on many fronts at once…as well he had been asked to search for the political prisoner, Isabelle Betancourt, the politician who had endured over 6 years of captivity to date and would be a major coupe for the Army if she could be found and rescued…and, to appease the pressure from the United Nations, if possible to gain the release, or at the very least, information about the two UN medical workers who had disappeared into the jungle 2 years ago.

Patience, that’s all it would take…patience, diligence and anything else that was required…he was determined to succeed.

**

Izzy…July/August 2008

It was the flurry of activity around the tent where Ferdo had his office and sleeping quarters that announced the event they had been expecting for days.

Ferdo’s aide had gone to wake him for breakfast and found that the leader had simply stopped breathing during the night, his frail body already showing the first signs of rigor when Izzy was summoned to give the official pronouncement of death.

She gently closed his partly open eyes and raised the sheet up over his still face, saddened by the passing of this man, her captor, who had been fair but firm with the two women he had kept and worked just as hard as himself over the past several years.

She looked up and her eyes were drawn to Eduardo, the young man who would surely assume control and shuddered quietly. Things would change now, for all of them.

Eduardo was well liked by the men in the compound because he was a ‘man’s man’, hard drinking, a ferocious, strong fighter with a gutter mouth who had a repertoire of smutty jokes for every occasion…but he was a bully with the prisoners and lecherous, deeming it his right to fondle or bed any female in the camps, due in part to his small genitals and a girlfriend who was possessive and jealous, to the point of withholding sexual favors on occasion.

Unfortunately for the rebel soldiers he was also impatient and not particularly wise when it came to military or political tactics…Yes, things were about to change, and not for the better.

Eduardo and his friends wasted no time, clearing Ferdo’s possessions out of the tent even before the funeral pyre had burnt down to ashes, sending the urn off to the few elderly relatives still in Ferdo’s old village and moving his own things into the tent to have a celebration party with his closest friends far into the night while the rest of the camp quietly went about their business, waiting to see what would transpire once the hangovers had ebbed.





Sally and Izzy kept on with their routine duties, teaching the young women who would be used as medics in the field, attending to the growing number of patients as dysentery ran through the camp again, nervously waiting for what they felt sure would be unwanted attention from this new leader and his friends.

Izzy had started teaching Adam about music, using the tracks she remembered from the Il Divo CDs she used to enjoy listening to and songs from her childhood that she fortunately had tried to interpret into Spanish…it wouldn’t do now to be caught using English even though Adam seemed to pick up both languages quite easily.

He had a sweet little voice and, not surprising since his father was so musically talented, harmonized naturally, especially in the ranges that he found a little difficult, dropping into a harmony when he couldn’t reach a certain note or sometimes just for fun since his adored Mama seemed to like it.

The music was a nice diversion since she had a major problem now that Ferdo was gone. Only hours after his death Rita vanished, appearing again on the spit in front of Eduardo’s tent as dinner…and that meant that her breast milk was gradually drying up.

She had anticipated this and already had Adam eating some of the meager supply of rice and beans, the odd bit of fruit when available but daily she could see the signs of malnutrition in her formerly chubby son. His belly bloated, his once healthy skin lost it’s glow, his chestnut hair showed a few reddish glints and he was tired more often…and there was little she could do about it.

A week went by, then two and they relaxed a bit, hoping that the pressure of leadership was keeping Duardo too busy to pay them any attention. It was false hope.

Sally and Izzy were sitting by their small campfire late at night, Adam already asleep in his little netted bed. They heard laughter first, then saw Macca and Eduardo ambling towards their tent.

“OH ****!!!” Sally whispered, looking around at the neighbouring fires to see if any friendly faces were still up.

The dim glow from the dying fires showed no sign of interest in what was happening…in fact even as they looked for possible assistance they saw most of those still awake discretely scuttle into their tents, not willing to see or attempt to deter what they knew was was about to happen.

The two men stopped on the other side of the fire, swaying a bit and leering, obviously drunk.

“I been waiting for this a long time, Puta…now get your ass in the air like a nice little doggy,” Macca growled, starting towards Sally and making Eduardo laugh.

“Leave her alone, Pig!” Izzy hissed at him…and she made the mistake of glancing at the tent where Adam slept.

“You want the nino to watch? Go ahead, scream, wake him up…he has such a nice little neck…Macca could snap it with one hand,” Eduardo brayed at her, gripping the front of his dirty pants and massaging himself.

Both women knew it was not an idle threat. They had heard enough stories about the raids on villages, how the sadistic streak in the large man was unleashed against women and children, about the unholy acts he had performed.

“Not here…everyone can see…”

They stepped into the darkness beside the tent and quietly endured yet another degradation.

**

CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX

Izzy:

To ease the tedium of night time guard duty Eduardo came up with a new way of tormenting the prisoners…metal collars which were locked around their necks and chained to a stump or a bolt driven into the many large boulders in the camp.

For Izzy and Sally this meant lack of freedom to forage during their few free hours, being collared as they left the infirmary tent each night…the other prisoners wore their collars 24 hours a day. It also meant that if the urge to assault them again arose they would have no option of where it would take place.

“We can’t fight them and take the chance of Adam waking up…or being hurt…Macca wouldn’t even blink about hurting a child.”

“I’ve got to get him out of here somehow, Sal….there must be some sort of deal I can make with Eduardo to let Adam go…this is no place for a child…they send all the other babies out to the grandparents or family…maybe if I told Duardo that Adam would bring a good ransom he would let him go….or I could promise to stay in the camp and…co-operate when ever he wants…”

“It’s worth a try…he’s vulnerable right now…Dolores is away at her mother’s farm, recovering from her bout of dysentry…”

So they planned out what she should say and she asked for a meeting with the new Commandante.

She waited outside the Commandante’s tent, standing meekly in a sudden downpour while the guard under the shelter of the tent flap grinned at her discomfort.

After nearly two hours one of the rough looking aides came to the opening and sneered at her.

“No time today! We have more important things than what troubles silly women! Come back tomorrow!” He spat into the muddy ground near her feet for emphasis and let the tent flap fall back into place with a laugh.

Izzy returned to the nearly empty Infirmary where Sally was watching over Adam as he took his afternoon nap. Meymo had arrived during her absence, his newly formed alliance with the pretty little Constancia guaranteeing that he would put in an appearance whenever possible.

He looked up as she entered and smiled shyly. He liked the two foreign women…they had always appreciated everything he did for them and had been patient concerning his frequent visits to see his sweetheart.

“You should have asked me first…they are celebrating a great advantage….yesterday one of the Army pilots defected and brought us his helicopter…so now we have two…he has promised to repair the broken one we already had…El Jefe is very pleased,” he said with the pride of one who is on the fringes of the inner circle and using the name that Eduardo preferred to be called.

Izzy smiled her thanks at the news he had given and looked away from the young man with sadness.

‘What a waste of such a nice young man!!... Meymo is changing…another year and he will be just like all the rest of Duardo’s buddies… mean and uncaring, little respect for the lives of others, seeking enjoyment through violence…just the sort of life that Adam can look forward to if I don’t get him out of here.’

She and Sally exchanged glances, both thinking the same depressing thoughts. She sank onto the chair at her desk, tired, depressed, hungry as always…but not quite ready to give up.

**

Their tiny campfire had burned down to ashes when two guards came for her, waking her from an exhausted sleep.

In the dim light, as she pulled her ragged dress on her thin body she could see that Sally was awake, expecting a summons too and was slipping her legs over the side of the hammock.

“Not you, Puta!! Macca had too much vino and has passed out…tonight it is just the short one.”

The guard took hold of her chain and tugged, making the collar bite into her tender neck. She stumbled after him in the dark, trying to concentrate on the blessing that at least this time there would be no danger of Adam waking and seeing what was being done.

To her surprise, Eduardo seemed almost sober and was still completely dressed, seated behind the desk made out of a once lovely antique table that they had liberated from the dining room of a casa during a recent raid.

“You tried to see me early today…why?”

“I want to talk to you about sending my son out to join his father…he is no longer nursing…with the goat gone I have no milk and it is becoming increasingly difficult to attend to his needs. All the other children are sent out to relatives…I know I will be here until death takes me and I would like to know that my son was with someone who will care for him…in return I promise to co-operate…and to not try to escape.”

He stared at her for a moment, then grinned.

“Perhaps death should take you now so the Government will stop pestering us with questions about your disappearance.”

She felt a cold chill run through her body and he saw the paling of her face and laughed.

“Do not be foolish, Medico…you are too valuable to me to end your life…yet…but the appearance of death could satisfy the officials…it is a good plan…I like it…now take your clothes off and we will celebrate.”

“Lo Siento, El Jefe…it is my time of month…”

He erupted in anger, standing so abruptly that his chair flew backwards and crashed on its side.

“Do you think I care? I am very careful with you unclean Norte Americanos…you offer your body to anyone, carry diseases that a normal man must protect himself against…have I ever touched you without a rubber? NON!!...now take off your clothes and put that sweet little ass in the air!”

She blanched at the unbridled violence she could see in his eyes and looked away briefly when she noticed a rim of white substance around his nostrils.

Oh Gott…he was high on something….she began removing her dress but the lack of speed flamed his fury and he advanced on her, ripping it from her body and casting it across the room. A yank on her chain had her on her hands and knees in seconds…moments later he had donned one of the condoms from the supplies Ferdo had always stockpiled for the men and began, as always giving no thought to the pain he inflicted as he invaded her extremely dry, unprepared body.

**

It was the flash of a camera that brought her back from the comfort of unconciousness to find that she lay on the dirt floor of the tent, naked, aching unbearably from the unlubricated assault…he had been angry that he couldn’t perform because of the drug use and used something foreign on her, something painfully large and hard…she felt sure that the sticky substance on her thighs was blood and that her back and arms were bruised by the fists he hit her with when he couldn’t reach completion. And why had he taken her picture?...as a trophy, proof of his depravity?

“Cover yourself, Puta!…I will arrange for your boy to be taken to Medellin…it is safer for us to drop him there than in Bogota…and this lovely picture of you lying dead on the floor of the tent will go to a friendly farmer with an urn of ashes from the next cremation. Then perhaps they will stop hounding me. Cover yourself and go back to your tent.”

He waved a Polaroid that had just been taken of her and grinned, happy with his plan, with the way she had given in, the violence he had inflicted on her totally sating him…for now.

She swathed herself in the remnants of her dress and stumbled painfully back through the camp, was locked to the bolt in the rock once more and lay awake for hours, suffering silently but not alone…Sally quietly waited until the guards left, then used most of their sparse supply of water to wash her gently, weeping silently, unable to do more for her friend than hold her hand in comfort throughout the rest of the night.

**

**
Urs:

The new CD was completed and just in time since they needed to get back into the swing of promos and concerts. The first big event was in London, a huge party held in front of the Palace to celebrate the run up to the 2012 Olympics and Il Divo had been asked to perform.

It felt good to meet up with the crew again and the guys…so much had happened in all their lives that needed to be caught up on though they had periodically reached out via phones or computers. Still it was nice to share pictures of the twins born to Seb and his lovely Renee, to hear about David’s girlfriend who was having wonderful success with her group, The Three Graces and Carlos adorable wife and her skyrocketing career. Even Alicia was there in her role as management with one of her new clients, an up and coming new singer who seemed destined to reach the top judging by the swift climb she was having through the charts.

Urs kind of felt the odd man out since he had little to report, not of good news at least. He had retreated to his usual private personae, cheerful and pleasant but offering nothing of his personal business when they chatted and the guys didn’t intrude, knowing all too well now that he would only reveal what he wanted and in his own time.

Fortunately the call from Cody came as they were in the limo leaving the performance, much better than before they had sung. They had decided to have dinner at Seb’s new home in London and were teasing him about being such a family man now when Urs mobile vibrated in his pocket and he pulled it out to check the caller ID.

“Sorry, guys…I have to take this…it’s Izzy’s brother.”

There was dead silence for a heart beat in the limo as they all stared at him. This was the first time since they had got together that their friend had mentioned the little Major’s name.

They talked quietly among themselves as he answered the call, spoke briefly then listened, his face turning dead white, then grey with stress as he silently listened, finally managed to choke out a few words and disconnected.

‘She’s gone!!...those bastards had her all this time and didn’t admit it…and now she’s gone…all that’s left is ashes…and a child…my child…the timing is right since they say he’s nearly 2…why didn’t you tell me, Liebe? Did you not know?...how could she be gone and I didn’t feel it?...Mein gott how can I go on?’

Slowly he became aware of the voices around him, concerned voices, speaking to him, asking what had happened, what could they do to help. He blinked and raised his eyes to stare around him at the faces of his friends and opened his mouth to speak but words failed him at first.

“She…my Isabella…Oh Gott….she’s…dead….and I have a son…”

He felt his chest aching, his lungs straining for air, his stomach burning, and blindly reached for the handle of the door, needing to get out, to breathe, to walk, to scream at God for allowing this to happen, unaware of the panic he created as David restrained him, Carlos yelled at the driver to stop the limo and Seb grabbed his hands with a viselike grip, nervously chattering in rapid fire French that he didn’t understand what Urs was talking about.

The limo pulled over to the side and came to a stop and he was out in seconds, stumbling to the side of the street and leaning on a brick wall around an apartment complex.

It was a few minutes before he had enough control to face his friends and try to explain what had just happened.

“I’ve kept this inside for so long, I’m not even sure where to begin. All the moodiness and the times I’ve been sick over the past couple of years…I know it’s been hard on you guys too and you have no idea how much I appreciate your patience…but it was my problem and I didn’t want you to have to worry too…now I think I was wrong not to be honest with you all right from the start…sharing personal things has never been easy for me…it still isn’t but if you’ll just bear with me I’ll try to explain.”

There was a small park just half a block away and he nodded his head towards it.

“Can we sit over there? My legs are kind of wobbly and this is going to take a few minutes.”

So they sat on the benches in the park and he told them everything, starting from his foolish over thinking of the stressful relationship with Izzy due to her work and ending with the phone call today.

The three men were silent except for muttered curses now and then and groans at the decisions he had made alone.

“…and so I have to go to Toronto…Cody is going to Columbia to get the photograph and the urn and to arrange through the Army to bring the boy to Canada…”

He looked up at his friends and winced when he saw the emotions plainly revealed on their faces…anger, pain, disappointment, sorrow.

“I don’t know whether I want to beat you senseless for being so ****ING STUPID or hug you until you can’t breathe….Man you have made some very bad moves, the worst was thinking you had to break up with Izzy…the second worse was not letting us help you!!! You’re supposed to be the quiet, logical one of us four…how could you screw up this bad?” David glared at him, clenching his fists and stomping in a circle as if he wished that Urs head was under his feet.

“Enough! That is the past and does no good now…we must go on, help repair the life this idiot brother of ours has managed to royally **** up!!” Again Sebastien lapsed into rapid French as his own anger got the best of him.
Carlos had been silent up to now and Urs looked at him with resignation.

“What about you, Carlito? You want a piece of me too?”

Carlos shook his head and smiled slightly.

“Non, hermano…I believe you have suffered enough…now is the time to make the plans…you have been blessed with a son…you must give him the life his mother would have wished for him…and we will be there to help….Come, let us get off this street and go on to Sebastien’s casa, drink his excellent vino and plan how to get you to Toronto AND keep Sam happy.”

And so they did just that.

HI all: I think you'll be happier with this chapter...and I'll post another later today since this one is kind of short..
REE

CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN

LONDON

It had been relatively simple. A few phone calls and favors asked of friends made over the years and suddenly Sam was on the phone to them with the news that a request for an interview and air time on a TV show was in the works in Toronto, Canada of all places. What a surprise!!!

The guys gave in reluctantly to the request even though it meant cutting short their free time and they would have to be ready tomorrow evening for the the interview.

Unknown to Urs, Sebastien had taken it upon himself to call Gerd in Switzerland and without any explanation whatsoever asked Urs’ brother to come to London to be with him. All it had taken was a heart felt… ‘Urs needs to have some family with him right now’ ..and Gerd started packing.

Seb had prepared for an argument with his friend but Urs merely stared at him for a moment then smiled shyly and clapped Seb on the shoulder.

“Merci, mon ami.. vous êtes véritable malin. Je fais nécessité famille à moi….. et amis. »*
{*Thank you, my friend…you are very astute…I do need family with me…and friends.}

Urs sent an e.mail off to Cody to let him know where he would be and when, desperately hoping that he would get one back that said something to the effect that it had all been a mistake…all that long night he kept glancing at the computer, hoping for a reply, the unit open on the table near him, the sound turned up high, but when the reply finally came it was terse and to the point… ‘K…no more news yet…will contact you if I hear anything’

He was restless and slept poorly, waking often in the unfamiliar surroundings…Renee had insisted that he shouldn’t be alone tonight and set up the guest bedroom for him to stay in, quietly mothering him in such a sweet way that he couldn’t refuse her.

He tried for calm but his thoughts were jumbled, the pain too fresh, his heart still not believing what his head was almost convinced was true. Visions of Izzy laughing kept invading his mind, her free spirit so vibrant and ALIVE…it seemed impossible that she was gone…and what did he know about raising a child? He felt inadequate, unsure, completely out of his depth. If love was enough then they would be fine for he already felt love for this child he hadn’t known existed, this part of his own body…and hers…the only living portion of her that he could ever have now.

During one of his waking periods he heard movement in the house and crept down the hall to the nursery to find Seb talking to his son while he changed a wet diaper, the tiny little girl beginning to fret in her crib.

“What’s up little lady? You need some fresh knickers too? Come to Onkle Urs…” he crooned in a soft, sing-song voice as he picked the little girl up and took her to the other changing table.

“You look very natural doing that, mon ami.”

“Lots of practice…she’s beautiful Seb….there, Sweetie we’ll get you more comfortable…ach, what a lovely smile… Girls are easier to change…they don’t give you any unexpected showers….Now Rose, have you given any consideration to becoming a Nun? It would bear thinking about, Liebe….you have so many Onkles to watch over you that no teenage boy is ever going to be able to get close to you…it’s not too soon to think about it….ach, you think it’s funny do you?..just wait until you hit those teen years….there now, isn’t that more comfortable…I think she likes the sound of my voice….”

“You have such a charmant way with the women, Swiss.”

Seb grinned at him, waiting as Urs washed his hands off , then handed him a warmed bottle from the little unit on the stand when he picked little Rose up to cuddle.

“Here, ONKLE Urs…you might as well make yourself useful….”

Urs looked at him in surprise.

“I thought Renee was nursing?”

“She is…she has this pump thingy and fills bottles for the night time or when she has to be away…that way I can share the work and she can get some sleep. We don’t want to get a nanny yet…though I think I have to convince her soon…we will need one once the tour starts.”

The two men sat in matching rocking chairs in the spacious nursery, two of everything in the room, and fed the nearly six month old babies, softly singing a French lullaby that Seb started and Urs knew so joined in, harmonizing perfectly and smiling at each other while the little mouths finished their snack and eyes drooped as sleep called again.

Soft rubbing on the tiny backs eased the bubbles out and they were returned to their cribs for the rest of the night.

Seb switched the monitors back on again and they left the nursery, pausing in the hall.

“You think you can sleep now, Onkle Urs?” Seb whispered with his hand on Urs shoulder.

Urs smiled.

“Will you sing me a lullaby?” He laughed quietly. “I’m fine now, Seb…thank you for sharing your babies with me.”

He did feel better, calmer…he could do this…he could grieve for his lost love and care for his son…it didn’t mean he had to forget her…he could never do that…the last 2 years had already proved that to him…but at least now he would have a tangible proof of their love to always keep her memory alive deep in his heart.

He went back to the guest room and slept peacefully the rest of the night.

**


COLUMBIA

The convoy of trucks pulled into the camp before everyone was awake, horns blaring and creating a mass exodus from the tents of half awake rebels who brandished their weapons before realizing that it was friends arriving and with much need supplies.

Even Izzy and Sally came as far out their tent as their chains would allow and watched while the newcomers were greeted.

“It’s the medical supplies…and food…at last!” Sally exclaimed.

“And Dolores is with that last truck…thank God,” Izzy answered. The past week had been agony for her with nearly nightly demands from Eduardo…now that Dolores was back that would taper off…Duardo seemed a little intimidated by the feisty woman and hopefully wouldn’t stray far while there was the possibility of her catching him.

Sally put her arm around Izzy’s shoulder to give her the only comfort she could. Macca had been sent out on a raid so she had been lucky this week…none of the other men would dare to risk his anger by messing with the woman he had chosen as his.

“They’ll probably come for us to help put away the meds. We should get ready.”

Izzy went in the tent to collect Adam. He was awake because of all the commotion, sitting in his little bed and watching patiently, his face wreathed in smiles as she approached.

“Good morning, Mama…Kiss?” he said, raising his hands and sweet face as she lifted the netting.

“Good morning, Love…yes I would like a kiss from my favorite litte man.”

She kissed him and lifted him out of his bed.

“Well done, Adam…you’re dry again this morning…do you need the bano?”

“Por favor,” he said with a grin and she let him down to toddle on unsteady legs over to the trough that was their bathroom.

He wiggled his under pants down off his little bottom and peed in the trough, stepped out of the pants he wouldn’t need again until evening and came to her with them in one hand, lay the pants carefully in his empty bed and held his hands out to be washed.

“Face first, Love…there now we’ll wash those little hands. Did you see the trucks come into camp?”

“Big trucks…food?”

“Maybe…but more importantly there should be medicines so people don’t get so sick. There, all clean, dry off now and we’ll see if we can find something for breakfast.”

Izzy looked at Sally who shrugged and rummaged through the almost empty woven basket hanging from the tent pole.

“Aha!! How about some banana? I think most of this one should be good.” She triumphantly held up a very dark fruit with a few splotches of yellow still showing.

One of Eduardo’s men was jogging towards the tent and Izzy nodded toward him, picking up the sling that she often carried Adam in still, but now that he was bigger he rode on her back.

“You two…Eduardo says you must direct where the medicine and equipment are to go…Hurry…he has not had coffee and is in a bad mood.”

Sally helped her get Adam into the sling and on her back, passing the good parts of the banana to him once he was situated and muttering something about ‘coffee!!…I’m not in a good mood either…haven’t had coffee for 2 years’…Izzy shot her a grin as they waited to be unlocked from the collars then hustled after the nervous man.

They approached the first truck and moved around to the open back.

All the boxes were labeled in both Spanish and English so the job wasn’t going to be as difficult as Izzy had first thought.

Sally took charge immediately, since organizing was more her skill than Izzy’s and with the help of a short, stocky man scrambled up onto the back of the truck to direct the line-up of waiting men who were eager to help unload.

The work went quickly, Izzy accompanying the first load that would go to the Infirmary and staying there to organize placement. Most of the boxes were sent to the storage shack, placed on shelves that Sally had already labeled, empty shelves since almost all of the former supplies had been used.

The second truck was handled as well but the third held food supplies and Sally was sent away while that truck was emptied into the other shack. She returned to the Infirmary where Izzy had just finished sorting through the equipment and stored it on the makeshift shelves.

“They sent almost everything we asked for…too bad we don’t have any refrigeration or we could have asked for the more perishable drugs.”

“Beggars can’t be choosers, Sal….we have to be thankful for what we got. Those jugs of antibacterial soap are a godsend.”

Neither of them mentioned the boxes of food stuff that were being taken to storage, both aware that their limited menu would not likely change regardless of the new stock.

A shadow fell over the doorway and Izzy turned to see who had arrived.

The stocky man who had helped Sally up into the truck stood in the doorway with his left hand held out in front of him, a long, jagged cut running from his palm up nearly to his elbow and blood dripping on the ground.

Izzy held her hand out to him, beckoning him to come in.

“Please let me help you,” she said in Spanish and motioned him to one of the chairs beside a low dressing table, the other side of the tent from where Adam played under her desk.

She slipped her hands into latex gloves and bent over his arm, inspecting the injury and smiling gently at him as she wiped the blood away with a clean swab to get a better look.

“It doesn’t look too bad…did you catch it on a nail?”

“Si.”

“You are going to need a couple of stitches but I think most of the wound is not very deep.”

She continued to clean the wound while he looked around at the empty Infirmary then studied the woman in front of him.

“I wanted it to bleed a great deal, but also heal quickly… Major,” he said in excellent, but whispered, English and when she looked at him in surprise he leaned forward slightly and whispered one more word…. “Lapidary”.

**

Second part of today's post...Next chapter tomorrow but one only!!!
REE

CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT

If the man in front of her had suddenly turned into a poisonous snake she could not have been more alarmed…she jerked in surprise, standing upright and stepping back, one gloved hand going to her mouth to quell the scream she felt trying to get out.

“Who are you?” she managed to hiss out through a mouth that felt frozen.

Jorge watched her carefully, choosing his words with care and economy in case someone came in.

Again in English he whispered…. “A friend…I must trust you with my life, Major…if I am found out they will surely kill me.”

She drew in a deep cleansing breath and stepped back to stand inches from him, bending over his wound once more.

“Speak Spanish…we are punished if we speak English…who sent you?” she tried to attend his wound but her hands were shaking and so she swiped at areas already cleaned, whispering in Spanish and stealing cautious glances at his face.

“Jorge Soldano, Captain, Columbian Special Forces…Captain Santores gave me your password in case I should find you….there are locators in the medical supplies…I am pin-pointing the camp locations for a massive raid…and was sent to rescue the Betancourt woman.”

She steadied her hands and reached for a sterile suture kit on the dressing table.

“You should have a tetanus shot as well since it was a nail that did this,” she said at normal volume and turned to address Sally. “Sal could you bring me a syringe with tetanus vaccine please.”

Something in her voice alerted Sally that there was a problem and she brought the syringe a few moments later, bending over to look at the wound and raising her brows at Izzy.

“I need you to warn me if any one is coming…I’ll explain later…GO!!” Izzy hissed at her and without question Sally went to the door, lounging against the pole that held the flap open and watching the emptying of the last truck.

“You did this on purpose, didn’t you?” she said, more a statement than a question as she gave him the tetanus shot and lay the syringe on the table.

“Seemed a good way to get a chance to talk to you….I’ve done worse a few times,” he said with a slight smile.

“You may regret it…even with the new stock we can’t spare anything for the pain of sutures.”

“No sweat,” he said and the North American slang almost made her smile.

“I think Senora Betancourt is with the prisoners…Sally and I aren’t allowed contact with them, but I think I’ve seen her at a distance….and the word is that Eduardo is going to move them soon. They have a helicopter now that works…”

“I know…the pilot is ours…part of the plan…”

“…you must take my son when you rescue her…Sally too if you can…”

“How many prisoners are here?”

“I’m not sure…I think less than 20 now…they make Eduardo nervous and he’s been marching them out in groups all week.”

“Haven’t you finished with him yet, Doctor?” Sally called out to her and she took up the pre-threaded needle to begin suturing the wound in his palm, the rest just needing taping with butterflies.

“Almost…could you bring me that roll of dressing please?”

Constancia bustled into the tent, her face flushed and the skirt of her dress pulled up as a carrier for something.

“Meymo is on supply duty and…Oh…I didn’t know there was a patient.” She moved rapidly between the empty beds and behind a screen at the far end, coming back a few minutes later with her skirt down and empty, stealing shy glances at the patient Izzy was just finishing with.

“There, Senor…you must come back tonight, just as the sun is going down so I can be sure there is no infection…do not forget…I will wait for you.”

Jorge rose from his seat and bobbed his head, his voice and accent completely different now as he assumed his rebel personae.

“Graci, Medico… cuándo el sol es durmiente… »

He left the tent and Constancia went to the flap to check if anyone else was near, then turned to Izzy with a grin.

“Meymo gave me some supplies for you…for the nino…I put them under the clean towels behind the screen. I must go…he gave me some chocolate to share with him tonight.”

She giggled and skittered out of the tent, intent on meeting with her sweetheart.

So many feelings flooded through her that Izzy felt dizzy and had to lower her head between her knees for a moment until she felt better. Gradually she straightened up and saw that Sally had begun cleaning up the debris from the treatment she had given Jorge.

“Sally, I think Adam has had enough excitement for a while…I know you wanted to tidy up the towels at the back…could you take him with you?…I’ll stay here in case another patient comes in.”

“Sure…c’mon little guy, come help Tia Sally with the towels.” She scooped Adam up and moved to the back before he had a chance to do more than grin at her and wave at his Mama.

Izzy crouched in the doorway, watching the people milling about, Jorge among them, using his good arm to carry boxes to the storage shack, never looking her way, chatting occassionaly with the other men.

Rescue!! Was it possible after all this time? And what a brave man…he was right…if Eduardo found out who he really was he was a dead man! Now the most important thing, to her at least, was to get Adam away from here…

She pictured Urs at Reve, Adam riding on his shoulders as they walked among the grapevines, both laughing, the sun shining, both of them with their long, wildly curling hair tucked back behind tidy ears, Urs muscles rippling under his tight tee shirt and snug jeans as he took long strides, Adam clutching at the dark curls as Urs bent down to retrieve a pretty stone for his son’s inspection…she could almost smell the fertile earth, the clean air wafting down from the Jura, could hear the bees as they went about their work pollinating the lush growth on the vines….somehow this day dream must become a reality!!

Sally and Adam came back and she took the boy in her arms, kissing him lightly and tasting…peanut butter!!!

She glanced at Sally and saw the huge grin, handed Adam back and scurried down the aisle to go behind the screen…there, on the shelf next to the towels…they had left her two crackers, spread with the thick creamy peanut butter they had enjoyed. She bit into one and nearly groaned out loud…Heaven!!!

She had just finished the second one when she heard voices and carefully wiped her mouth clean, straightening her shoulders and returning to work with HOPE the dominant emotion in her heart now.

**

TORONTO

“So, you guys get to fly first class like that all the time?” was Gerd’s first comment when he came through the arrivals gate and found all four of the Divos waiting for him.

Their flight had landed only minutes before his so they waited for him to get through customs, inordinately pleased with the surprise on his face when he spotted them as the doors slid open with a swoosh.

“You get more points for first class,” Urs said with a smile, accepting the offered hand then grabbing his brother around the shoulders for a huge hug.

Hand shakes all around out of the way they grabbed their carry-ons and wound through the throngs greeting the new arrivals and bustled out to the waiting limo.

Once they were moving smoothly into traffic Gerd’s patience was at an end.

“So do I get an explanation now?...I mean I don’t mind a break from the daily grind but Scheisse…do you know how tough it was to get a leave of absence when I couldn’t even explain why I needed one?”

Urs had thought he could handle explaining what was going on but when the actual moment came he felt his throat tighten and could only look mutely at the other Divos for help.

“Urs finally had some news about Isabella…and it isn’t good…well some of it isn’t,” David began, leaning forward in his seat opposite Gerd and capturing his eyes.

“His sweet Bella has gone to be with God,” Carlos continued, his deep voice soft and serene, his eyes nearly liquid with sorrow. “All this time she has been a prisoner of the rebels in Columbia…they returned her ashes…and some news.”

“There is a child,” Seb said softly, stealing a glance at Urs as he heard the Swiss take a sharp breath.

“I didn’t know,” Urs said so gently that at first they weren’t sure he had spoken. “A boy, nearly 2….Cody says she had asked for an emergency leave just before she was taken, so I guess she just barely knew herself. The rebels have said they are going to return him…soon.”

Gerd opened his mouth to say something but he was stunned and words failed him for a moment.

As if drawing strength from the others around him, Urs took a deep breath and sat up straighter in his seat next to Gerd.

“Cody is arranging to accept the transfer of the boy and bring him to Canada…that’s as far as the Army authority can grease the red tape. I want to take him to Switzerland, to raise him as she would have wanted….and I’m tired of trying to cope with everything alone…” he smiled wryly. “It seems that I manage to **** things up royally when I don’t have someone to kick my butt now and then…that’s going to be your job I think.”

Gerd shook his head and tried for a smile.

“It’s a day for miracles it seems…Big Brother is finally admitting that he’s not the fountain of wisdom and logic that he prefers us all to think. Izzy was the one time you went with your heart rather than your head and you managed to screw that up when you started over- thinking….Sorry but you know me…I call it as I see it.”

Urs smiled, a real smile this time that actually reached his eyes and crinkled the corners.

“And THAT is the main reason you’re here.”

“We managed to create a need to be here in Toronto for some promos and we can stall management a certain amount but the album release is coming up in a couple of months and if Urs isn’t present most of the time the rumors will start flying…you may have to handle some things for him, either for the Divo side of things or about the boy…we don’t know how much red tape there will be to handle…we’re hoping that the UN will smooth the way but at this point we just don’t know.” David had assumed the role of narrator again and Gerd nodded at him.

“Admin seems to be a skill of mine…just let me know where you want me and for what…looks like this might turn into a long leave of absence.”

Urs clasped his brother’s arm in a tight grip.

“I’ll make it up to you GB.”

“Don’t be an ass, Ursy…we’re family!”

**

“You’re different,” Cody commented as he and Urs wandered aimlessly in center field of the east baseball diamond at Stanley Park on King Street, the place he had chosen to meet with Urs since it was easily accessible from the flat over BELLA and from the Hotel where the Divos were staying…and it would give them some privacy to talk.

Some progress had already been made.

They had done the interview with Ben Mulroney for E Canada, Gerd had started talks with the Swiss Consulate and now it was late afternoon and Urs was meeting with Cody to learn all that he could.

Urs glanced at him, big and reliable but his eyes shadowed with sorrow and pain…and just a tinge of repressed anger.

“I think I’ve finally begun to mature…I’m going with my gut more now instead of worrying a problem to death…and I’m finally appreciating what good friends and family I’ve been fortunate enough not to alienate over the past few years.”

Cody reached in the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a wrinkled photograph, a Polaroid by the look of the backing on it, plus another paper that looked like a fax.

“I got the photo but not the urn…it needs a special clearance to go through the mail so the Army will bring it on their next flight….this is hard to look at…but I thought….”

“Ja…I would like to see it,” Urs said softly, holding his hand out for the photo.

It was nearly his undoing.

She was completely naked, laying crumpled partly on her side on the ground as if tossed there by some uncaring person, like garbage. Her body was badly bruised, painfully thin with her bones evident through the discolored skin, the streaks of blood on her bottom, inner thighs and the ground evidence that she had been cruelly used. He slid his thumb over the portion of the photo that showed her body, trying not to be distracted by the pain and anger he felt when he looked there, centered his eyes on her face, the photo not doing her justice… he could discern the sprinkle of freckles across her cheeks, the long lashes fanned out over the dark circles below her closed eyes.

He moaned and tore his eyes away from the photo, unable to look at it any longer when his gaze caught the purple and blue bruising around her throat, clearly the mark of a metal collar that had encircled that tender flesh he had loved to rest his lips against.

“What is that?” he asked, the quaver in his voice indicating his stress as he nodded at the sheet of paper.

“They faxed me a photo of the urn, and the note that was with it…the farmer who found it in front of his door kind of crumpled the paper but it’s still legible.”

The first picture was of what appeared to be an ordinary clay Olla, this one with a lid taped in place, the rim chipped in several places. It didn’t look like anything that would contain the mortal remains of such a vibrant person.

Below it was a ragged square of paper, pinned to some sort of bulletin board and the wrinkles still apparent though they had been smoothed out somewhat. Words in Spanish had been printed on it.

‘Major Isabella Santores…Descanso en Paz..

Allí es un niño, nacido Noviemb 2006…. él estará cuentagotas desconectado en Medellin al central mercado por el Huarache cabina Agosto 20

Eduardo Montoya, El Jefe, F.A.R.C.’

“You read Spanish?”

Urs cleared his throat.

“Ja…”

His mind was playing mental gymnastics, instantly converting the terse, unfeeling message to German, Sweitzer, Dutch, French, English, even fractured Italian… but it still read the same…

‘Major Isabella Santores…Rest in Peace

There is a child, born November 2006…he will be left in the central market in Medellin near the Huarache booth August 20

Eduardo Montoya, El Jefe, F.A.R.C.’

**

CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE
“May I keep this to show the others?” he asked and received a nod.
“It’s a copy. I’m going down in 2 days to be there for the hand off…and no it’s not a good idea for you to go…there may be trouble…it could be a trap, you know…you are a rather valuable commodity. Anyway I need you here to get things rolling with the consulate…I want to be involved in the boy’s life as much as possible but there’s no family to help me with raising him…that’s why I never even considered keeping him myself…you do want him, don’t you?”

“Mein Gott, Ja!…Yes ! He’s my son ! »

“Good…I’d hate to have to lay another beating on you!”

The big man chuckled to lighten his comment but Urs wondered if there wasn’t just a bit of truth in the implied threat.

“So what are your plans?” Cody asked him as they headed back to where the Divos and Gerd waited impatiently, pretending to watch a couple of people who were playing fetch with their dogs in right field.

“For the next few months we’re really bouncing around all over the place, starting in September and October…the Promos for the new CD and the upcoming tour…then we’re sort of off until February…so I think the most sensible thing is for the boy to be at my Mothers…I have a house near Lac Leman and I’ll find one of my relatives who would be a good nanny and use it as a base, but have him with me if he can stand the pace of so much traveling…we’ll just have to play it by ear and see how he is handling losing his mother. I really like my work…but if it means neglecting my son, I’m prepared to leave the group.”

Cody took a few more steps and then stopped, raising his eyes to lock on Urs’ and in a flat, unemotional voice making his next comment.

“Have you considered that you might meet someone and marry…that you could provide him with a mother?”

Urs felt his spine go rigid and curbed his urge to drive his fist into the mouth that had just made such a distasteful suggestion.

“THAT is never going to happen! I already made the mistake of thinking I could live without her or replace her in my life…the boy will just have to be content with me…I will love him enough for both of us!”

He was still bristling with anger when they reached the others and soon after, Cody left, secretly pleased with the changes he had seen in Urs. He was stronger now, mentally as well as physically, no longer consumed with uncertainty and angst…that little spark of anger had been heartening to see, a clear confirmation that Urs was prepared to do the best he possibly could for the motherless boy and the child would have the love he needed to get over losing her.

The five men returned to the Hotel to be confronted by Sam who thought that since they had opted to stay in Toronto for a few days of R & R they should get in some more promo time and was making enquiries as to what air time or print time would be available. In this he met a united front of refusal and withdrew to lick his verbal wounds, wondering what had happened to make his formerly malleable charges so willful.

It was all a waiting game now, something that none of them was particularly good at.

Urs put up with being smothered with concern for as long as he could then vanished, going out to walk the streets for several hours, actually ending up across the street from BELLA but unable to go in…the memory of their time in the flat and watching her in the workshop was too painful to relive yet and he went on, arriving back at the hotel to join the others for dessert in the Hotel restaurant then crashing in his room to stare at the ceiling for hours as sleep eluded him.

By morning he had come to a decision and was up just before 5 to shower and breakfast on yogurt from the bar frig. He tried reading one of his motocycle magazines, left that and browsed through a book Gerd had left on the coffee table, then in frustration threw it across the room.

The moment that the sweep hand of his watch hit 6 A.M. he was on the phone to the rental agency, ordered a bike to be ready for him, threw on his leathers, shook Gerd half awake with only a “…going out for a ride…don’t wait up..”, and at 6:20 was signing the papers for a sleek Harley.

**
In COLUMBIA

“Cuando me vi desnudo y sin aliento
Arando un mar desierto y sin amor
Cuando pense que mi alma habla muerto
Llegaste tu como la luz del sol.

Por ti sere mas fuerte que el destino
Por ti sere tu heroe ante el dolor
Yo sin ti estaba tan perdido
Por ti sere mejor de lo que soy.

Donde no hay fe no puede haber milagros
La oscuridad terminar con la luz
Cuando cai vencido en la calvario
Aparecistea levantarme tu.

Por ti sere mas fuerte que el destino
Por ti sere tu heroe ante el dolor
Yo sin ti estaba tan perdido
Por ti sere mejor de lo que soy.

Por ti sere mas fuerte que el destino
Por ti sere tu heroe ante el dolor
Yo sin ti estaba tan perdido
Por ti sere mejor de lo que soy.

Por ti sere mas fuerte que el destino
Por ti sere tu heroe ante el dolor
Yo sin ti estaba tan perdido
Por ti sere mejor de lo que soy.

Por tie sere mejor de lo que soy. »

The words and music of the song in Spanish rang out over the water as they bathed in the slow moving stream, even Sally joining in tonight …she had heard it often enough over the past 2 years to be word perfect now.

It had almost seemed a miracle that Eduardo, now in a magnanimous mood, had sent word that they were free for the afternoon and could, if they wished, go to the stream to bathe, today not having to take anything from the Infirmary to wash in the stream…. lately doing the laundry had been the only reason he saw for them to go down there, bathing not being high on his list of priorities, for himself or for others.

Sally loaded up as much as she could carry of the illicit supplies without it being obvious and went to the tent for the comb with only a few teeth missing that they had found discarded near the stream one day, buried their treasure, wrapped safely in discarded plastic bags, in a dark corner of the tent and joined Izzy and Adam at the shore with a lazy guard lounging nearby.

Somehow the words of the song seemed appropriate today….and the fact that a few of the rebels who were also bathing, liked the song and joined in, made the whole thing rather surreal. No matter…their mood was so upbeat that nothing could spoil it today.

They lounged near the edge of the water after they had bathed so long that their skin began to prune, taking turns easing the tangles out of each other’s hair, watching as Adam built an enormous sand shack, patiently adding stones for a wall around it and sticks against the wall to form his initial A so everyone would know that this was his camp.

Izzy had managed to tell Sally all that she knew of their only patient this day…it wasn’t much but the bare bones of what and who he was did give them hope. Now they had only to wait to have the entire plan revealed to them and learn what they must do to assist.

As the day wore on and the smells of cooking began to waft out over the camp they looked at each other and smiled. This time, not being offered a share of the bounty didn’t seem so bad…after all they had a stash of small containers of peanut butter and crackers…and the possibility of freedom that they had almost begun to think would never be returned to them.

**

She returned to the Infirmary just before sunset, laying out a sterile tray of dressings and puttering, waiting in the dimly lit interior for her patient to return.

It was impossible not to think about what could be in the near future, though she tried, after all this time not wanting to jinx the plans by dwelling too much on them.

‘No…best to just be ready for anything, let others who have done the planning turn them into reality…the important thing now is that nothing go wrong, that whatever it was that Jorge was risking his life on was not in vain…and that Adam get to Urs!’

That thought alone filled her with such elation that she felt like singing, like dancing and crying out with joy! But she didn’t, limiting herself to a huge grin as she straightened the coarse covering on one of the rough cots and softly humming something she remembered as one of her mother’s favorite hymns…Beautiful Isle of Somewhere.

‘Somewhere the sun is shining…
Somewhere the blue-birds dwell…
Hush then thy sad repining…
God lives and all is well.

Somewhere, somewhere…
Beautiful Isle of Somewhere…
Land of the true, where we live anew…
Beautiful Isle of somewhere…’

She heard voices approaching and turned to look at the open tent flap, surprised when Jorge entered but with another rebel.

The second man squatted in the doorway while Jorge came closer.

“You look at my arm, Senora?” he said loud enough for his voice to carry outside the tent.

“Sit over here,” she instructed, leading him to the already set up dressing station.

“He is a friend also…he will keep watch…we must be fast so no one gets suspicious…do your work and I will talk.”

She nodded and began taking the dressing off his wound.

“I am not the only friend here…as we speak another is talking to El Jefe,” he began, managing to make the sobriquet sound like an insult. “Circumstances have co-operated nicely for our purposes…the broken video camera is fixed and ready for pick up in Medellin…Chico is planting the idea with El Jefe that new videos should be done and that the best way is to combine the filming with the relocation of the remaining prisoners to the camp closest to Medellin, Camp 3, I believe…If we can get him to go too it will be a bonus since we will take over the chopper once it is airborne and fly to an abandoned airstrip to the west where the Army is waiting.”

“He will not go,” she whispered. “He’s terrified of flying…”

Jorge hesitated a moment as she coated his injury with a liberal smear of antibiotic cream, then he went on.

“Now that the medicine is here we also are hoping he will make the decision to inoculate the rebels at Camp 3 against typhus…it would be a good reason to include you and Lt. Carruthers on the flight.”

“He is sometimes easy to manipulate…the man isn’t really very smart and if you appeal to his ego…..but I don’t think he will let me go…he has decided that when his girlfriend isn’t around I’m his dog.”

He looked at her in surprise, letting his rebel personae slip for a moment.

“Senora…I am sorry…we had heard that both of you women were protected.”

She shrugged.

“Only while the old Commandante was alive…it doesn’t matter…what is important is getting the others out of here. What can I do to help?”

“Be surprised when you officially hear the news, perhaps act reluctant to make a video since you are already ‘dead’…and keep your son calm…if he raises a fuss he may not be allowed to go….or worse. The flight will be at night, perhaps tomorrow.”

She shook her head quickly.

“No…if Eduardo agrees it will be tonight…he acts without due thought, as the whim grips him and when things go wrong finds a scapegoat to blame…if your friend is successful it would be tonight.” She finished with the dressing and rose from her perch on the stool in front of Jorge.

“It looks good…come back tomorrow and I will put a fresh dressing on. Good night, Senor.”

Izzy tidied up the used dressings, putting them aside to be washed since nothing could ever be wasted, discarding the tape and putting the instruments in a pot to be boiled in the morning…if there was a morning.

Inside, her thoughts were in turmoil…hope mixed with dread…

‘There is no use thinking about being free myself…it isn’t going to happen…he won’t let me leave…I want Adam out of here but now that I’m faced with being separated from him will the pain be too much? NO! I can do this…he deserves a life, not this mere exsistence!...Dear God, let everything work out!’

She filled a clean syringe with a few cc’s of liquid, capped it and slipped it carefully into her hair, hiding it just above her ponytail in the messy curls.

Then with shoulders back and a determined stride she went out of the tent to take the steps to her quarters, stood silently while the guard reattached her chain and went inside to watch her son sleeping and wait.

**

CHAPTER SEVENTY

BANCROFT…Urs

He was surprised to see that the sun had risen above the trees into the pale sky, hidden now and then behind scudding clouds that still promised rain though nothing had fallen yet.

‘Well so much for making some decisions… though it was good to remember what we had, even if our time was so brief…so many ‘if onlys’… damned fool!!! There can never be another woman like Izzy…I know that now….be thankful for the gift she left you, Looli…be thankful and be the kind of father she would expect you to be…that’s all I can do now to cherish her memory.’

He rose from the perch he had been sitting on most of the morning, in the general area that he had rested in before, overlooking the falls and the pond below, this time the view, the birds singing, the crisp, fresh air were wasted on him as his mind replayed the time they had spent with each other.

‘I’ll bring the boy here when he’s older, to tell him about his mother…I wonder what she named him?’

“Ers Boohler?”

‘Not likely…Izzy never had any problem pronouncing my name.’

“Are you Ers Boohler…from Switzerland?”

It took a moment for him to register that he was not alone and that the man standing below him on edge of the river, the man in the working uniform of an RCMP* constable, was speaking to him.
*{Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Canadian police force that is used in many of the small communities and in the northern lands of Canada.}

“Ja, Urs Buhler…that’s me…is there a problem, Officer?”

The tall young man tipped his head back and smiled as he waited for Urs to come down off the pile of rocks.

“Well Sir, I don’t rightly know…there is a message for you….a Captain Santores, from JTF is trying to get hold of you…says it’s urgent and kept stressing that it was something good…said he didn’t want to worry you but he needs you found and brought to Trenton Air Force Base ASAP. He thought you might be here…said your brother told him you likely would be.”

“How did Gerd know? He’s much smarter than I gave him credit for…or I’m more transparent…”

They hurried down the trail towards the parking area, speaking now and then but there was little more that the young officer could tell him.

Passing the cottage the Mountie called out to another uniformed officer who was peering in the windows and jogged over to catch up with them, arriving just as Urs slipped on his helmet and threw his leg over the Harley, preparing to follow the RCMP SUV back into town.

Once they were on the paved road Urs was suddenly impressed with the seriousness of the search for him when the siren began shrieking on the patrol car and the vehicle sped up, forcing him to increase his speed or be left behind.

‘Is the boy sick?...no…they said he was, but he was getting better…and it’s supposed to be something good…what could be good coming out of that forsaken place? It even made me ill to perform there, the thoughts of her somewhere, held hostage, suffering, was so strong…Man I don’t even remember much of the few hours we were there…Whatever it was that someone slipped in my juice sure knocked me out… it was better when I went down to talk things over with Cody…then at least I felt productive…’’

They barreled, lights flashing and siren wailing, through the town, slowing imperceptibly at the main intersection and spraying gravel as they pulled into the parking area in front of the large warehouse type building that housed the RCMP offices. A military helicopter was idling lazily on the helipad towards the back of the property and before he could do more than look around Urs was hustled towards it, the panniers from the bike over the shoulder of one of the young officers, the other taking the bike keys from him and grinning as he said something about it being a pleasure to return the bike to the rental company in Toronto for him. Hands helped him climb in the open side door of the chopper, others clipped him into the harness and clapped a helmet on his head and suddenly the ground was receding as they went airborne…He just had time to wave at the two officers as they watched him leave, then the nose dipped and they throbbed down the valley, just above the tree tops, heading south- east.

The trip to Canadian Forces Base, Trenton, wasn’t long as the crow flies so to speak, especially since the Air Traffic controllers on the way kept the airspace freed up for the priority military flight. At first Urs tried to sort out what was happening and why, but gave it up and leaned back against the solid seat and just let it happen…he had no real idea what was going on but had managed to develop a certain amount of patience over the past year and knew that eventually someone would tell him what this ‘good’ thing was.

Trenton was a beehive of activity but once again other flights were held back so the fat chopper could gently wind through the hangars and come to a barely felt landing near the huge open doors of one, doors that had a giant-like officer standing with his arms batwinged, feet spread apart and impatience fairly oozing out of the grin he aimed at the chopper.

Urs felt the impatience rising in him again as he divested himself of the harness and helmet, vaulting from the open door and jogging, bent over, towards Cody.

“What’s going on?” he called out in his back of the house voice as he got closer.

“Don’t you civilians ever read a newspaper? Didn’t you hear about the Betancourt lady and 13 others that were rescued?”

“Ja…just before I picked up the bike…it made me sad that it was too late for Isabella but happy for them.”

Cody grinned and lay his arm around Urs shoulder, half dragging him further into the hangar.

“Well as usual the reporters were off, just a bit…there were actually 16 people freed from the camp…Sally and Adam were the other two…”

Urs tried to stop walking but the pressure of that muscled arm kept him moving. Instinctively he knew who Adam was, instantly approved and felt a surge of love that she had picked a name that he really liked…but he HAD to ask.

“Adam?”

“Your son…and as of three days ago, all of the adults say that our Bella is alive.”

Just in time they reached an area with several deep, cushioned chairs clustered around a series of small tables that held equipment for coffee, the spot Cody had hoped they would reach before Urs heard the astounding news. It was fortunate, since he was able to push Urs into one of the chairs when the stunned man went legless, beginning to melt in slow motion as his mind and body absorbed what he couldn’t quite believe he had heard.

“Tell me,” he gasped when he could control his mouth again and speak in little more than a whisper.

Cody sat backwards on a handy kitchen chair, pulling it closer and leaning his beefy arms on the back.

“Okay, this is what trickled down to me, though I put in a search request for you before I even tried to get the details out of Columbia, so its sketchy.

“There was some kind of subterfuge done by the Columbian Army…an infiltrator who managed to orchestrate the movement of some of the hostages, Jorge, I think…remember we met him?…I’m not sure of the details of that…at the last minute Sally and Adam were included as well but a very much alive Bella was held back for some reason…the rebels weren’t aware that it was a trick, that at least one of the supposed rebels was a mole and he had friends who were going to be well paid to help out…they took over and the pilot, undercover as well, flew them to safety where a cargo carrier was waiting that flew them to a military base and then to Bogota. They were all debriefed and it was then that it came out that Izzy was alive …I don’t know much more…except that she knew of the trick …Adam is fine and with Sally…and I’m heading for Bogota in half an hour…there’s a jet if you want to go too.”

Urs was staring at him, unblinking, trying to get his head around what he was hearing but in shock, replaying ‘SHE’S ALIVE!!’ over and over in his befuddled mind. He shook his head to clear it and opened his mouth to speak but couldn’t get his mind to stop ping-ponging in all directions.

“I…I have so many questions but I don’t know where to start…or if you even have the answers yet. Of course I’m going with you…I have my passport…what else do I need?”

Cody chuckled and stood to clasp Urs on the shoulder, a grasp that made the Swiss man wince slightly…the big soldier had no idea how strong his grip was.

“Good man! Just your credit cards…you’ll have to buy clothes when we get there…no time to stop in Toronto at the Hotel…lets go get your clearance to fly military transport. I was pretty sure you would want to go so I had them start it.”

Urs glanced at the big man and smiled.

“Pretty sure of yourself, weren’t you…and all because you managed to catch me off guard and beat the stuffing out of me, one time only. Just wait until we have a re-match.”

“Any time, Bird Boy…anytime!!” Cody said with a laugh, not prepared to take offense at anything, not today with such good news filling his heart and soul.

**

There was just enough time to send out a batch of e.mails {helped by a nice young techie in the office} letting Sam and the other three Divos know that he was leaving the country. Gerd he phoned and spoke to briefly, not having many details so he couldn’t pass much on. Gerd merely wished him luck and said he would be happy to glue Sam back together when he melted down over Urs’ escape. And the next thing he knew Cody was hustling him out of the hangar and into a jeep for a fast trip out to a couple of military jets. Without even a moment to think about it, Urs was stuffed in a flight suit, a helmet was clamped on his head and he was shown how to get up past the wing and into the one extra seat…the X harness was fastened swiftly, the canopy eased down and they taxied, flinging into the sky with a force that snapped his head back against the padded rest.

It seemed like the flight to Bogota would never end but in reality it was much faster flying in a military jet than if they had gone civilian class. They stopped once, briefly, to refuel, just enough time for a quick foray into the hangar lavatory and then off again.

“How you doing Sir?” he heard in his helmet and chuckled.

“I’m in shock I think…everything is happening so fast…but I could certainly get used to travelling this way…everything looks so different this high up…I can almost understand why so many people want to go into space.”

“ JTF pulls a lot of weight and the orders were to get you two down to Bogota ASAP…it’s Okay with me…gives me a few nice weeks in tropical weather…anytime you need a ride I’ll be happy to take you since you don’t toss your cookies like some civilians.”

To prove his point the pilot did a barrel roll when he changed course…Urs decided not to tell him how close his stomach came to rebelling at that move.

“Actually the cover story is that this trip is part of a favor we’ll be doing some Columbian pilots in the next couple of weeks…some training on their new jets….lets say that if we finally knew where some of ours were being held captive down there by those rebels that cause so much trouble, then we would, unofficially, do everything possible to get them home…just like we have for the past two years…if it were true of course…”

It was a relief to finally land in the steamy heat of the semi tropical climate amid all the other jets on the Columbian Base and stretch cramped muscles while shedding some of the excess clothing.

Urs paused in the sticky heat only long enough to shake his pilot’s hand.

“Good luck, Sir…and good hunting.” The pilot said with a grin and Urs smiled as he thanked him. Izzy had told him once that nothing travels faster in the military than secrets and in this instance he had first hand knowledge of how true that was.

An escort had been laid on to take them to the Base Hospital where Sally and Adam were still receiving treatment, all the other rescued hostages now either gone on to a civilian facility or in seclusion from the press. The Liaison had wisely decided not to release any news of UN involvement…it would have been a difficult thing to explain since they had never admitted to involvement in the negotiations, so Team Zeta did not really exist….and the blackout on information made Urs and Cody very happy for Adam’s sake…the little boy would have enough to cope with now and didn’t need to be hounded by the press.

The Medical Center on the Base was a long low building, surrounded by lush lawns where patients with their nurse minders were able to sit in the shade of the shrubs and trees, getting fresh air or visiting with family who had received passes to come and help with their recovery.

Urs and Cody were directed by their escort through a long corridor to the back of the building and out the doors at the end onto a cement patio, then down a pathway into a sheltered alcove with a grassy area, benches and a few children’s toys scattered about, obviously a play area for the few children this facility would have to treat.

Urs heart was pounding as he stopped at the entrance and looked for the first time at his son…

Adam was playing quietly in a sandy area, building something with some twigs and stones that he had found somewhere. He glanced up, alerted that someone was approaching and Urs felt his heart lurch at the sight of tear streaks on the plump little cheeks…he had been crying…those huge, slanted hazel eyes, so like his own, were filled with sadness, the little rosebud mouth was unsmiling…he wanted to rush over and hold the boy, to tell him that everything would be alright now, but wisely held back, not wanting to frighten him. Instead he watched as the boy turned back to his project, continuing whatever it was he was doing without much real enthusiasm for the job…it was as if he was performing just to while away the time, as if it was expected of him to occupy himself at something, as if there was no spark of joy left in his wee body.

He was small, but then he wasn’t 2 yet. Except for his plump baby face he was thin but looked healthy, his mop of shoulder length curly hair not quite as dark as Urs’ but so similar. Urs thought about Tedi, his chubby cheeks and easy smile and thought that Adam looked a bit on the thin side but that it was understandable after the way he presumed they had been living. Adam stood and toddled off slowly to gather some more twigs and Urs realized that he was taller than Tedi, would maybe be a tall boy and man, especially now that he would receive proper care.

“Sally…” Cody murmured from beside him, his tone pained and when Urs turned to look where he pointed, knew why.

She wasn’t a robust woman he remembered, rather had been tall and lanky but pleasant looking, slender rather than thin. Now she reclined in a lounge chair, her body concentration-camp thin, all bones under paper thin, dry, stretched skin, her blonde hair long and pulled back into a tight ponytail that accentuated the skeletal structure of her face, the cheekbones prominent under deeply inset, shadowed eyes.

She rose from the chair with ease, however, her thin legs protruding from shorts that were much too roomy for her slight body, looking like they would snap if too much weight was put on them, but striding quickly across the grass with a surprising strength as she smiled and held her hands out to the two men.

“I feel better than I look so stop trying to look anywhere except at me…I’m so happy to see you two.”

Cody hugged her, gently, afraid he would break her if he let his emotions out of control.

“I tried…I tried so hard to find you two…well three as it turns out…we never gave up….”

“She said you wouldn’t…it was knowing that there was someone out there looking that helped us cope…Urs…I feel I know you so well now…I don’t think there was a day passed that Izzy didn’t talk about you…she sang your songs to keep our spirits up, thought about what you were doing, where you were, how successful Il Divo was, how much you would love Adam if you could have been with him…she was so sure of that…she talked about you to him all the time, almost like you had just stepped out to the corner store and would be back soon….once, when we first learned she was pregnant, I promised myself that if I ever saw you again I would slap you until your teeth rattled for leaving her…but you’re here and that’s the important thing…Come and meet Adam.”

He looked terrified, glancing uncertainly at the boy who was now watching the adults talking.

“What do I say to him? He’s been crying…I want to comfort him, to hold him but …I’m ackshully scared.”

Sally smiled.

“He’s very bright…you may be surprised…he understands Spanish and English…just tell him your name.”

They approached the child. He stood, waiting patiently, almost with resignation for whatever new thing was about to happen to him.

Urs crouched down in front of the solemn child and smiled timidly.

“Hi Adam…my name is Urs.”

The long dark lashes blinked closed over sad hazel eyes, then resumed their stare…was he doing a blinky wink? A smile crept over the tear streaked face as Urs took a chance and blinked back at him.

“My Papa Urs?”

Urs couldn’t breathe, his throat constricted, his head felt light and the world tilted, nearly knocking him off balance. Somehow he managed to answer.

“Yes, Adam…I am your Papa.”

In an instant his arms were full of a wiggling little boy trying to hug him, to kiss his cheeks, to climb up on his bent knees to get closer. Adam placed his grubby little hands on either side of Urs’ face and stared intently into his father’s eyes with a huge smile that made dimples appear in his little cheeks.

“Papa…Adam needs Mama…Por favor, Papa…bring Mama to this camp.”

CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE…BONDING


Sally had intervened when she saw how distressed Urs was, whisking the little boy away before he could see the tears that were threatening to stream from Urs’ suddenly overflowing eyes. She took Adam over to a small table and poured him a juice then sat him on one of the little chairs to drink it, keeping him busy while Cody and Urs walked slightly further into the little nook, both overcome at the heartfelt plea Adam had made and not sure how to answer.

Sally came up behind the two men as they were trying to regain their composure and put an arm around each of them.

“Like I said…he’s very bright…Izzy never talked baby talk to him…and she made it a policy to never lie to him either…there are gaps in his knowledge that you’ll hear in the next few days, things he has never seen before…like he doesn’t know what a house is, or at least he didn’t until we came here…or a home…he’s lived in camps since before he was born, little huts or tents made out of whatever could be scrounged…he’s very uncomfortable inside so we’ve spent most of today, his first day out of the ward, out here since he got over the drugs that Izzy gave him to keep him calm during the rescue….. And he misses her terribly…I catch him quietly crying often though Izzy has trained him to never cause a fuss so he’s what the nurses and doctors consider a well behaved child…actually he’s been conditioned to be good since being naughty or noisy meant that his mother was punished and he loves her very much.”

“Tia Sally…can I still drink ALL the juice? No saving for later?” Adam called out in his little tenor voice.

“No more saving for later, Adam…not unless you feel full.”

He looked thoughtful for a moment then ****ed his curly head on the side and asked another question, the action so like Isabella when she had a question to ask that both men drew in sharp breaths.

“Is that a ‘MAYBE’ or a ‘PROMISE’?”

Urs mind immediately slipped back to a scene in the hotel in New York and Izzy’s explanation of why she braved the snow storm to get to him.

“Urs there are two kinds of Promises…there’s the ‘Maybe’ kind which means ‘I’ll try if at all possible’ and then there’s ‘I Promise’, which means that ‘nothing can stop me from keeping my word’. I Promised you I would be back as soon as I could…a little walk in the snow wasn’t going to keep me from you.”

Sally laughed and went over to tickle him a bit on his round tummy.

“That’s a Promise, Short Stuff…we don’t ever have to go hungry again. Your Papa and Tio Cody are going to feed us very well.”

Adam looked at the two men approaching again and swung his feet back and forth under the edge of the chair, appraising the man he hadn’t met yet.

“Mama telled me you are good soldier, not like the men at camp…”

“No, I’m not like the men at the camp…I’m like your Mama and Sally were when they were soldiers…”

“The men at camp don’t cry…they just hurt people….”

Obviously their ploy so he wouldn’t see them weep hadn’t worked.

Urs crouched down beside his son again, no longer over-thinking what he needed to say, just letting his heart lead him to the right words.

“It’s alright for a man to cry, Adam…sometimes it’s because you are so wery, wery happy and sometimes it’s just that you are sad, missing someone you love wery…very much. Cody and I are going to try to find your Mama and take her away from the camp…because we love her very much and don’t want her to be unhappy anymore…and because she will want to be here with you.”

The hazel eyes were serious again as he stared into Urs’ own tear filled eyes.

“Try…that’s a Maybe…Please, Papa and Tio…Try very, very hard!”

**

Sally wouldn’t talk about the events leading up to their rescue, promising to be more forthcoming later when Adam was sleeping.

“He notices everything, hears even the slightest whisper or maybe reads lips, I don’t know, but nothing is ever secret around him. I think he’s a very advanced child…Izzy says he’s just smart because he’s never really been treated like a baby…” She stopped talking when she saw Adam move over to the flower bed along the line of shrubs and urinate on the ground. When he finished he ran over to Sally and held his hands out for her to pour water on them from the water bottle on the table. She did, then dried his hands and sent him off with a smile and a ‘Good boy, Adam,’ but added something that made Urs just a tad nervous.

“Adam, next time you need the bano, please ask Papa to take you inside and show you how to use the new bano …we have to learn some new manners now that we no longer live in the camp.”

She turned back to Urs and Cody and leaned closer to speak very softly.

“The staff put him in a crib and used diapers on him when we first got here…when he woke up he was upset, about the ‘cage’, the ‘dirty pants’ and scared of the noisy commodes and the doors that closed him in…being outside is a compromise that I worked out with the staff…I knew you were coming and thought you could handle the commode introduction since you can teach by example and I can’t.”

Urs nodded and Sally smiled as she saw him blanch a bit, willing but maybe not mentally prepared quite yet to jump in with parental duties like potty training.

“I have a nephew about Adam’s age…Adam seems very advanced…Mein gott, he speaks in almost complete sentences even if he does switch back and forth from Spanish to English….but then I believe Isabella was way ahead of her age group in school.”

Cody laughed and nodded.

“I was almost10 when she was born…by the time she was two she could read simple books…after that there was no stopping her…..at 4 she spoke two languages, was learning a third and helped me with my Grade 8 homework…yeah, you could safely say she was way ahead of her age group.”

Adam had gone back to his sand pit to play again when he saw the adults talking quietly but he kept glancing at them with longing until Urs excused himself and rose to go over to keep him company.

It was the right move, since the little face beamed with pleasure when he saw his Papa approaching.

Urs sat beside him, Indian style, folding his long legs up and leaning forward to look at the marks that had been made in the sand.

“What are you building?”

“Afflabet…see, you make marks ‘n fill them in with little sticks.” Adam pointed to what was clearly recognizable as an A.

“A is for Adam,” he said with a grin.

“Al-pha-bet…yes A is for Adam…and what letter is for Urs?”

“Silly…P is for Papa and U is for Urs but I ran out of sticks…..Al-pha-bet…yes that’s right…Good boy Papa!”

Urs burst into laughter, making Adam grin again. They played together happily for the next half hour, doing the usual B is for Boy thing and so on, collecting more little sticks from the flower beds and making the letters in the sand.

After a while Adam lay down in the sand with his head on his arms, clearly tired, his eyes heavy, so Urs held his arms open to him and was rewarded with a smile as his son scrambled into his lap and nestled his face against Urs’ ribs, one little hand on the knotted muscles of his Papa’s stomach.

It felt so perfect having his son in his arms, so right and once more Urs felt the tears threatening as he watched the hazel eyes close in sleep , his son’s breathing settle and even out, and felt the little body relaxing, completely at ease.

A wave of pure love surged through him, leaving him weak, love for his child, for the woman he wanted so desperately to find and protect from harm ever again…

‘If it is humanly possible I will find her and bring her home, my Son…and that is a Promise, not a Maybe…I need her…we both do!!!’

**

“Urs,” Sally appeared at his shoulder and when he looked up she motioned for him to bring Adam over to the small mattress pad she had beside her lounge chair. He rose carefully so as not to wake his son and walked over to place the little boy on the mattress gently, skimming his hand over the messy curls softly before straightening to look at Sally.

Cody had disappeared and she motioned Urs away from the boy so they could talk.

“Both of us need to rest for a while…this entering into civilization thing is very tiring…Cody went to do some phoning around and e.mail to some officials about something…He should be in the second room on the left as you go down the corridor….and there’s a coffee machine in there with excellent coffee.”

Urs smiled his thanks at her and took off, looking back at the doorway to see her settling onto the Lounge beside his sleeping son.

Cody was just finishing up whatever his business had been and nodded his thanks for coffee when Urs waved a mug at him. A few minutes later he joined Urs at one of the round tables in the nearly empty room.

“I’ve contacted General Haggerty and asked for an extended duty…it’s best to go through him since he has more pull than I do…and I talked to Jorge, the mole who orchestrated the rescue…he’s going to meet with us as soon as we have a place to stay….which will be up to you since you’re the one with all the money.”

“No problem, we’ll get a hotel suite for now…but what do you think about renting a house?…a nice big one with a yard and lots of bedrooms…I’m assuming that you’ll call in some favors and have a team to help us find Izzy so they’ll need some place to stay, to eat, maybe to train…also I’d like to get Sally and Adam out of here and someplace where they can recover without the interference of well meaning medical staff and the possibility of the press catching on. We may be here for a while, Cody…I’m not leaving until we find her and bring her home.”

Urs could feel the sweat trickling down his back and squirmed in his chair, speaking up about the next matter that had to be dealt with.

“One of us has to go do some shopping too…clothes for Adam and Sally and something a little lighter for us…this sweater and leathers is fine for bike riding in late summer in Ontario but I feel like I’m in a sauna here.”

“I’ll go and get the basics for you…I’ve got my tropical kit…I’ll take Sally if she’s up to it…give me a list of the toiletries you want and your sizes…and your credit card.”

“….and here I thought you liked me for myself,” Urs joked as he flipped his card across the table.

“Who lied and said I like you? Actually I’m not as poor as I let on…it’s just that your name will mean nothing to secure information or the equipment we need so I don’t want to touch my accounts until I have to do some bribing or pay for illegal arms…my name will carry a lot of weight since I have a reputation for square dealing. So you take care of the day to day stuff and I’ll work the underground angles.”

He rose just as a group of nurses came in the room and began giggling and whispering among themselves when Cody flipped them a cheeky grin.

“Good idea about the house…I know just the guy to contact…leave it with me…I’ll do that and when Sally wakes up we’ll go shopping. You can teach your son how to pee in a toilet.”

Cody laughed at the uncomfortable look on Urs face and ambled off to the computer console again.

**

It turned out that Sally was delighted with the prospect of a shopping trip since all she had was some ill fitting things that had been scrounged from the Quarter Master stores.

“Adam needs to eat when he wakes up…I try to get him to eat often so his little belly gets used to food…he was bordering on malnutrition after Izzy had to stop nursing him and it’s a slow battle to get him on a normal schedule…he hasn’t mastered a spoon really well yet since we only had one big one so he’s kind of a messy eater…and don’t push him…he’s not used to eating big meals ….our quarters are through that door and there’s a frig and a nuke…the mess always sends us way too much food so help yourself if you’re hungry.”

He gave Sally his list of needs, one of the things he had done in the coffee room along with sending Gerd a very short e.mail message, and sat down on the Lounge chair she had been resting on to watch his son sleeping…. but not for long.

Adams eyes slowly opened and he smiled at the sight of his father sitting beside him.

‘Mein Gott he reminds me of Izzy…she always woke up with a smile too….’

“Nice rest?”

“Good dream!..” Adam sat up and put his hands over his groin, clearly uncomfortable.

“Papa…we go the new bano now?”

The very private Urs cringed but Papa Urs was stronger and stood, holding his hand out to his son.

“Yes…show me where it is, Adam.”

The first attempt was more or less successful, though even with the little stool to stand on Adam would have to work on his aim and it did mean a quick swipe of the floor before washing hands in the sink…that part was a big hit but Urs thought that they may have to use a bit more control and not spray water all over the bathroom by putting little hands so high under the running taps that the water sprayed everywhere…Still it was a good solid first attempt with only one minor embarrassing incident when Adam looked at his father’s exposed member and asked if he would also have a big PEENEE when he was a big boy…hopefully that would stay just between father and son.

Urs reminded himself to remove Adam’s shorts completely before the next bathroom break as he dropped the sprayed pair in the laundry and helped him don a fresh set. There was a lot he would have to learn about being a father, he could see that now.

They rummaged in the frig for something to eat and settled on rice with a few vegetables that Urs heated in the microwave, a glass of milk that Adam made a face at but said nothing and some cut up fruit.

In a moment of inspiration he took Adam briefly into the small room where he and Cody had been for coffee and found the tin of chocolate powder he had noticed earlier, slipped it under his sweater and once back in the room added two heaping spoonsful to the milk Adam had made a face at…of course it was a hit!!!

CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO….HOPE

It was late and Urs body was aching for sleep but his mind kept replaying the day in an endless loop that wouldn’t let him relax. So much had happened…had it really only been early morning that he had thrown his book across the room, pulled out his cell phone and called the rental agency for a motorcycle? Gerd hadn’t seemed surprised when he shook him partly awake and announced that he was going out, didn’t know how late he would be back. Of course he wasn’t surprised…he had known just how broody Urs was, how hard it was for him to put on his professional face in spite of the turmoil that was going on in his head with the staggering news that he had a son and the love of his life was dead.

By late afternoon he had heard that Izzy was alive, traveled thousands of miles to Columbia, met his son, seen Sally and now, at well after midnight was in yet another Hotel room, mulling over what Sally had told them after Adam was bathed and down for the night, not in the ‘cage’ this time but on a little pallet on the floor beside Sally’s bed.

The three adults had gone back outside to sit on the small cement patio and talk quietly and it was then that Sally filled in some of the gaps.

‘Mein gott how she has suffered…and to still to be so strong…it must have torn her apart to sedate him like that even though she knew it was something he would easily recover from…and Adam…he’s incredible!...it’s going to be a challenge helping him to have a normal life…he’s so bright…we’ll have to be very careful, help him reach his potential but not push him or expect too much…Izzy has done such a wonderful job with him so far…and who would have thought that Cody would be wise enough to buy those books for him…I kind of expected him to come back with toys, but books, art materials, modeling clay…he’s smarter than he lets on…tomorrow I’m going to call Gerd and ask if he’ll come down here…I need someone I can trust to be with Adam so Sally can go home…she didn’t say anything but reading between the lines I know she wants to see her parents….and tomorrow we get to meet with Jorge….Hang on just a little longer Liebeling….don’t give up…don’t ever give up!”

He rose and used the facilities, wondering if he would ever be able to perform this very basic function again without thinking about Adam and his first attempt. The second time had been much better…also there were no embarrassing questions that had to be handled calmly and with diplomacy.

Back in bed with a light sheet over his AC cooled body, he drifted off to sleep finally, inanely going through the alphabet and smiling as he remembered “Silly…U is for Urs and P is for Papa”.

**

Gerd answered on the first ring, as if he had been impatiently waiting with the phone in his hand.

“Urs…what’s happening? Did you meet the boy? Is he alright…and Izzy…. what in Hell is going on? I got your e.mail but all it did was confuse me.”

“Yes, I met Adam…he’s amazing, so advanced, so much fun to talk to…and looks just like those baby pictures of me…I can’t wait for Mami to meet him…more about him later…Gerd, Izzy is alive…it was a trick…they wanted to keep her because of her being a doctor…I don’t have time to explain it all now but she’s still a prisoner and we’re working on plans to go get her…Gerd I need you down here…will you come?”

There was no hesitation in Toronto.

“Of course…I’ll check out flights right away and let you know when…Urs, I need something to tell Mami…she’s phoned 3 times…you know her…that 6th sense is on full alert…she knows something is up.”

“Tell her everything you know…we’re looking into getting a house for a while…just until we get Izzy out…as soon as we get settled a bit I’ll call Mami and try to tell her more… and bring my laptop please…I need to touch base with Claude about the house…oh right, you don’t know about that yet…well that’s one more thing we’ll cover when you get here. Has Sam been hounding you for information?”

Gerd laughed.

“Not this morning…last I saw of him he was verging on having a stroke…”

“If you have time, talk to Carlos…strangely he’s the calmest of the lot…tell him everything…and that I’ll be in touch as soon as I can…until then they’ll have to make some kind of excuse for my absence. Have to go…Cody is here…we’re heading out to look at a house.”

**

For a moment he wondered just how much crap he was going to be in with Management over his absence… then shelved it as unimportant in the greater scheme of what was happening. If he got booted from the group, it was a price he was willing to pay…he had to find her, had to bring her home and at the very least tell her how much he loved her, how he wanted, needed them to be together, a family now and forever…and he had done enough soul searching to know that it wasn’t just about Adam…he had felt this way BEFORE he knew about his son… ‘OUR son’, he corrected himself mentally. He had to make sure that Izzy knew that he wanted her for herself, not out of duty.

‘Why do I have this over powering feeling that she still wants me? Is it because of what Sally said?...Nein…I knew it before we got here and talked to her…I think it’s just that I know Izzy…I know how she keeps her promises, doesn’t say things she doesn’t mean…she said she would be waiting for me and I believe she is…Mein Liebeling…I’m going to spend the rest of my life making sure you know how much I love you…but first we have to find you!’

He had waved at Cody in the Lounge as he talked with Gerd and now rejoined him, tucking his new tee shirt in and then buttoning the fly front of his jeans and doing up the silver studded belt.

“That was fast with the house…I didn’t expect to have something to look at already.”

“I have a friend in the Columbian Army who takes care of accommodation for teams that come in for a few months at a time. He happened to have one that sounds like just what we need…the bonus is that it’s mostly furnished and he can supply us with a discrete housekeeping staff to come in on a regular basis…and a couple of vans for transport… Ready?”

The heat hit them the minute they left the air conditioned hotel. Cody flagged a taxi and gave the driver the address, rolling the window down all the way to let a little hot air waft over them and chuckling at the sweat pooling already in streaks on Urs’ clean tee shirt.

“Your body isn’t acclimatized yet…takes time…just wait until I start you training…”

“Training?”

“Like I said before, I’m not even going to argue with you about going on the mission…I know how stubborn you would get…but I need to know I can count on you, so yes, you’re going in training until I’m satisfied you can handle the pace. This isn’t going to be a walk in the park you know.”

“No sweat,” Urs answered then laughed at his own choice of words. “I can handle anything you dish out.”

Cody grinned at him and nodded, watching some pretty girls on the sidewalk but then turning back to Urs.

“We’ll see.”

They left the downtown area and entered a residential neighbourhood, some apartment buildings and long, low houses, then passed on to rolling hills that rose in elevation, the road winding around larger estates with high fences and gates. Soon the taxi slowed, watching for the address and pausing at an iron gate.

Cody got out and spoke into an intercom at the side and returned just as the gate swung open. The drive was short but curved past a thick hedge and circled in front of a 3 storey split level house with wide verandas and thick vines curling up over the walls, a sloped lawn just visible beyond a roomy parking area that held 3 military vehicles, 2 vans and a Jeep. An officer came from the open carved wooden door and stood waiting for them to exit the taxi.

“Captain Santores? It is a pleasure to meet you at last…Welcome to Casa Rosario…and you must be Mr. Buhler…I am Captain Miguel Hidalgo, Columbian Special Forces.” He extended his hand as he greeted the two men in excellent unaccented English, his manner crisp and military but his attitude friendly, his dark eyes glinting with a cheerful smile. He was about the same height as Urs, though a little older, well built as if he too worked out and often.

“As you see this is a gated casa, actually patrolled like all the other buildings in this neighbourhood by a team from Special Forces. There is also security in the building and on the grounds. The casa itself is nothing fancy…it is furnished but only for convenience, not esthetics…there are 4 bedrooms in the main house, each with a private bath, a rather extensive gym and infirmary, medical staff on call 24/7 and an attached bunkhouse just off the dining salon and kitchen if you should require any additional squad members. We can supply you with housekeeping and kitchen staff if you desire…come this way, gentlemen…I think this room will be of interest to you especially, Captain Santores.”

They entered the building and walked down a hall on the first floor. The officer keyed in a code on the number pad and the door opened into a room filled with electronic equipment. Two enlisted men sat at computer consoles watching something diligently.

“Those screens,” he said indicating a series of monitors just below the ground level windows, “ are of the grounds and surrounding areas, which are monitored 24/7 when someone is in residence or an operation is ongoing, like now. The medical supplies from the UN are on this monitor… the other is one of our infiltrators…he is gradually gaining their trust and working his way up the chain of command….just like Jorge did in order to get the Betancourt party out…and Lt. Carruthers and your son, Mr. Buhler …out of the main camp. We have a system of relaying short messages attached to it since radios always seem to be detected….code seems to work much more reliably.”

Urs watched the little blinking light and felt his throat constrict.

He coughed to clear his voice and pointed to the screen.

“Is that where she is? Is that the infirmary?”

“We believe she is there…Jorge planted one of your chips on her dress but it seems to have been deactivated…the equipment isn’t there now but soon will be…the prisoners are constantly moved around and when the rescue took place, at the same time they sent a medical team including your lady to this camp, about 20 K from the infirmary…there was an outbreak of illness which needed treatment, perhaps cholera or typhus which is prevalent in the camps…Jorge’s information seems to indicate that she will be returned to the headquarters and the infirmary since there are a number of patients with serious injuries from a skirmish with one of our raiding parties. In the past she would not have been sent out into the field, would have been asked to delegate one the trainees she and the Lt. have been forced to train… but since the death of the founder and Commandante, unwise decisions seem to be the norm. Our man at the headquarters will signal us if and when she arrives back in the Base camp.”

He indicated another locked door and lead them inside. It was a remarkably well equipped armoury, weapons, fatigues, gear for forays into the jungle …everything that could or would be needed to accomplish a clandestine mission.

Urs gulped as he saw it all…This was Cody’s world, the type of thing he was accustomed to, lived with without any second thoughts…and his too now, if he was to be of any use helping to rescue the woman he loved.

Izzy:

The Jeep bumped over the rutted road, not slowing much even though in places they had to veer off almost into the jungle to avoid some of the major holes.

Izzy clutched the edges of the seat, her legs splayed to provide balance and wondered at the haste. Did this mean that the rescue attempt had succeeded and Eduardo was furious? Or was it something more sinister…had he found out, stopped the flight, and now was eager to punish anyone he thought would have known what was planned?

There was no use worrying about it…stressing herself out with suppositions was only going to make it harder for her to handle the facts when they finally arrived back at Base Camp. The last few days had been hard enough…without her son or her friend, not knowing their fate…thank God she had been too swamped with work to spend time brooding.

So much had happened, in such a short time.

Shortly after her second meeting with Jorge she had been summoned to Eduardo’s tent for a meeting.

He was smiling, joking with his men when she arrived, a rebel she didn’t recognize sitting at the end of his desk and sipping something from an old brown coffee mug, Jorge standing off to the side with his weapon at rest across his shoulder, his injured hand tucked in between the buttons of his shirt.

“Ah, my own personal Doctor,” Eduardo said with a smirk, waving one dirty hand at her as she stood in front of the desk with her collar still on but the chain in loops hanging from one hand.

“My men have reported that there is an outbreak of typhus in Camp 9…bag whatever equipment and medicines you need and go there, treat my loyal soldiers…I have plans for them soon and they must be in good health.”

“When?”

“Tonight…you have been a good little doggy lately,” he said with another smirk and his men dutifully snickered, “so I will let you go in my own personal Jeep…it will wait to bring you back when you are done…and get your son ready and the nurse…they are going in the helicopter to Camp 3 with the last of the prisoners…Macca is there and will take the boy into Medellin as I promised….if he can tear himself away from the nurse.”

He laughed again and was echoed through the tent by the nervous men, most wondering how long his good mood was going to last this time.

The newcomer raised his mug and gestured towards the liquor bottle on the desk, voicing a mild concern as Eduardo lifted the bottle and poured a generous amount into the mug.

“Is the nurse worth much? I thought it was the doctor that the UN people kept asking about…”

“They hound me about both of them…but the doctor is DEAD…didn’t you know?” He went on to describe the trick that he had thought up with the urn and the photo. The new man smiled, congratulating Eduardo on an excellent scheme.

“And you won’t really ransom the nurse will you? She would tell that her friend still lives.”

Eduardo looked confused for a moment then laughed…

“Of course not…we will merely keep them quiet for a while with the videos and if they agree to ransom her she will have to have an ‘accident’ during the hand over. I have, of course, thought of everything.”

Izzy had managed to steal a quick glance at Jorge, not surprised when she saw that he hadn’t reacted at all to the orders Eduardo had given.

“Is there anything else?” she asked.

“No…go now…the Jeep is waiting.”

Her mind was nearly numb with emotion as she walked back to the tent where Adam slept and Sally waited nervously.

‘I knew this was a possibility but I didn’t know it would hurt so much…Okay, calm, girl!!…you need to be very calm so Sally doesn’t lose it…think of the positives…they’ll be in danger, yes, but then they are every day in this Hell Hole…and if it works they’ll be free, able to get on with life…and how will I ever manage without them?’

For the briefest second she had allowed herself to feel the despair and loneliness she could see in what little future she had…then she steeled herself to do what must be done and entered the tent, leaving her shadow, the bored guard, outside.

“What happened?” Sally whispered, coming close enough to talk without being over heard.

“You and Adam are going on the chopper tonight, just as we thought…they want you to make a video…and Macca will take Adam on to Medellin for the pickup and to retrieve the camera I think….of course if the plans work you’ll end up in Bogota and safe at last.”

“And you?...”

“I’m dead, remember…Duardo is sending me to another camp to deal with a typhus outbreak…in his Jeep would you believe…Sal, I can feel you getting angry and obstinate…Don’t!! There’s nothing we can do about this…take Adam and go…tell whoever is trying to find us what you know…. and see that Adam gets to Urs…Cody will help you….Please, you know I love you like a sister….I have to concentrate on the fact that you and Adam will finally be safe…don’t make this any harder for me than it already is.”

She reached into her hair and dug out the syringe.

“I’m going to give him a 1cc shot to help him sleep…I don’t know exactly when you are going but it’s safe to give him another one in 4 hours…hide it in your hair…I’m leaving as soon as I can get the meds collected.”

She went to his little bed and picked him up, his sleepy body nestling against her as she whispered to him and kissed his little face.

“Mama loves you, precious boy…but now it’s time for you to be with your Papa and let him love you too. Remember me!”

Before she could falter she bared his little bottom and injected him quickly, rubbing the spot as Sally took the syringe, capped it and hid it.

He woke briefly at the sting of the injection but it passed so quickly that he drifted off again. Izzy kissed him once more and passed him over to Sally.

They didn’t say good-bye, merely clasped hands and Izzy left, the image of her friend standing silent with her son wrapped protectively in her arms was the last she saw of them as she nodded to the guard and went to the Medical storage shack.

And now it was a long four days later and she was on her way back…to what she wasn’t sure…and hardly cared…she had to believe that the attempt had been successful…nothing else mattered….if Adam was safe her reason to co-operate and stay alive was gone.

**

CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE..TRAINING

Urs:

Gerd tried not to appear too excited about traveling First Class and clear to the other side of the world but it was difficult. If the circumstances had been better he could perhaps have enjoyed the trip, taken in the sights without a single minded determination to get down here and help in anyway he could…. somehow he felt just a shade guilty about enjoying himself when so much was going on.

He spotted Urs the moment he came through the gate, pulling his large wheeled suitcase with the carryon strapped to it and toting Urs’ laptop case over his shoulder.

“I’m so glad to see you…Good flight?” Urs said with a smile as he wrapped his sibling up in a bear hug then took the laptop from him, indicating the exit where he had parked.

“Like I have much to compare it with…real pretty flight attendants though,” Gerd answered and laughed when Urs swore as he spotted a police officer eyeing the illegally parked military van and trying to decide whether or not to give it a ticket.

“Sorry officer…just picking up someone for Special Forces,” he called out in rapid Spanish as they approached.

The cop saluted awkwardly and moved on while the two men tried to keep grins off their faces and loaded up the luggage so they could leave.

“Scheisse, is it always so hot here?”

Urs chuckled, today quite comfortable in a loose fitting yellow cotton shirt, sandals and khaki shorts.

“You get used to it they tell me…until then a couple of showers a day helps…and we have a pool at the house…you should see Adam swim…He’s like a little seal…we moved in yesterday and he scared me half to death jumping in the deep end…I dove in fully clothed to rescue him and there he was swimming underwater with a big grin and bubbles coming out of his nose. It’s been interesting setting rules for him…there’s a lot more to this being a father stuff than most people realize.”

They drove around the city on the by-pass and Urs pointed out some of the sights as they zipped along.

“The guys said Hi and wish you luck…Carlos had a talk with Sam…I don’t know what was said but he’s calmed down considerably…very politely asked if you would be able to manage some event in Croatia in September and the Promos set for October.”

Urs shrugged.

“I’m not leaving until we get her back…but I’ll send him an e.mail to keep him soothed. And Mami?”

Gerd chuckled.

“She made me promise to send her a long e.mail once I’m here and know what’s going on…I told her what I know…first she cried, then just said to bring the boy..Adam…nice name…and Izzy, to her to recover. How are the plans going?”

He glanced at Urs and saw his jaw clench as his eyes got that haunted look again.

“She isn’t back at the Base camp yet, they don’t think…they lost the signal from the GPS that Jorge managed to put on her …but there’s another infiltrator at the camp and he’ll try to install another as soon as she’s returned. It’s a waiting game now…waiting and planning.”

“And this house you have back home…you mentioned Claude…did you manage to buy Reve at last?”

Urs swung his eyes from the road momentarily to stare at his brother.

“You knew I was trying to? …and never said anything?”

“Of course…everyone in the family knew…you know how many relatives we have…nothing is ever secret from them for long…someone always blabs and then it spreads.”

Urs roared with laughter, managing to gasp out as he brought himself under control... “Why didn’t you say something?”

Gerd grinned. “It was your secret to announce officially or not…I’m just glad it worked out…I’ve always loved Reve and I know how much you do.”

Twenty minutes later Urs slowed for the driveway, keyed in the code for the gate on the remote clipped to the dashboard and they entered the complex to wind slowly down past the hedges to the house.

They left the luggage just inside the door and went around the house to the yard where they could hear voices.

Adam was playing in the sand box that Urs had constructed for him, arranging colorful plastic letters into combinations and scrambling to his feet to churn his wobbly legs as fast as possible toward Urs when he spotted him, chanting “Papa come!” in his little sing song voice.

Cody and Sally had been going over some papers at the table under the umbrella and rose when they saw the two arrivals.

“This is Adam,” Urs said proudly, lifting the happy boy up for a hug and kiss, surprised when he looked at Gerd and saw him stunned into silence…not by the smiling boy, but by the two people standing on the patio.

“Angel,” Gerd whispered and as if the one word had released him from a thrall, he took long steps towards the woman who was watching him with her hands clutched to her chest.

He stopped just in front of Sally and reached out a trembling hand to take hers.

“I’ve been looking for you for so long, my Angel” he said, his voice shaking with suppressed emotion.

“What took you so long?”

He tugged and she melted into his arms, snuggling against him and sighing as if she had completed a very long, arduous journey and was at last, home.

**

Belated introductions had been made to Cody and Adam and the little group was clustered around the patio table with Adam on Urs lap, everyone partaking of some juice or beer and a snack while Sally and Gerd explained.

“When I graduated from nursing school and was thinking about signing up with the Army, my parents gave me a graduation present of a skiing holiday in Switzerland. I went to Rigi and had a wonderful time for the first few days…then that first weekend this group played at the resort…The Conspiracy…there were so many really pretty girls flocking around, I didn’t think the attraction I felt for the lead singer would ever amount to anything until I was on the hill the next day and he came up to me.”

“She was the most beautiful woman at the resort…I could hardly get through the set and after, when she vanished back to her room I was so upset I drank myself senseless. It was like a miracle to see her the next day, just about to get on the lift…I nearly created a riot, jumping the line to get on the same chair.”

“We knew right from the start that each of us had lives that we would go back to, so we stole every moment possible to be together while we could…on Monday morning he was gone…by Tuesday I couldn’t stand it any longer…the joy of the resort had gone for me, so I checked out and cried all the way back on the flight to the U.S.”

“I just missed you…right after work on Tuesday I went back to Rigi…but you were gone.”

Cody was following the conversation, his head swiveling back and forth as if watching a tennis match and snorted a laugh.

“Is there a recessive gene in your family, Bird, that makes all the men fall in love instantly, then screw up in a major way?”

“Screw up!” Adam said with a grin, not sure what it meant but was pleased with the reaction he got when he imitated his uncle.

“Little ears, Cody…watch the language!” Sally rebuked the big man who had the grace to hang his head.

“Adam, Onkle Cody is sorry for saying that…it’s a rude thing to say and we don’t like being rude, do we?” Papa said calmly and gave the boy a hug when he agreed solemnly.

“So does this change your plans about going home to see your parents?” he asked Sally.

“You never asked me if I was going…I’ve talked to my parents quite a few times, on the phone and on IM…they understand….I have no intention of leaving until you have Izzy out of there…depending on how she is, I may go for a few days…”

“Switzerland is wery nice at this time of year,” Gerd said with a hopeful smile.

Sally said nothing, merely smiled and slid her hand under his on the table top.

**

Urs looked up from the book he was patiently going through with Adam to find Sally and Cody approaching.

Urs found that he wanted to be with this small person, to learn about him, to laugh at his antics and the quick little mind that constantly surprised him.

He was a quiet little boy most of the time, conditioned to be that way, wary when he accidentally made what he considered too much noise, something which confused Urs until Sally explained.

“In the camp he was the only child and was expected to be almost invisible…if he made a fuss, cried too loud, accidentally broke anything and the guards or Eduardo took offense, then Izzy would be punished, usually a whipping with a stick or a belt on her back or legs…so he thinks that all men are like that…give him time, Urs…he doesn’t know you very well yet.”

“Hand the boy over, Bird…time for some road work,” Cody said with a grin as he approached.

“C’mon Munchkin,” Sally said as she scooped the boy up and blew raspberries against his tummy, making him giggle. “Show me what you’ve learned. Is Papa a good teacher?”

Urs chuckled.

“I don’t need to be…he absorbs everything like a little sponge…Adam, I think Onkle Gerd is going to go swimming with you when he finishes on the computer…and I’ll see you in a little while, Okay?”

“If you survive,” he heard softly coming from Cody behind him.

They went back in the house and Urs questioned him about the training.

“I work out all the time, jog several miles a few times a week, so this is old news for me…what have you got planned?”

Cody smirked at him and guided him down the hall to the bunk room.

“You’ll see….”

The first thing he saw when they entered the bunk room was a pile of equipment laying on one of the empty bunks….not just fatigues but special gear with many pockets that closed with Velcro tabs, heavy, steel toed boots that laced up the ankles, long sleeved, thick camo pants and shirts, again with many pockets, a padded vest with numerous dulled metal rings at various points, two knives in scabbards that would clip on a belt, one long, the other smaller, both razor sharp; a compact Mac 10 with folding stock and extra clips and assorted other gear…night vision goggles, insect repellant, camo grease paint, water bottle, small radio, folded plastic bags, something drab looking but so thin that when folded up it looked like a khaki hanky, a tiny med kit, a selection of freeze dried and vacuum packed food.

“Get dressed,” Cody ordered with a grin.

Somehow he managed, stuffing things in the pockets that Cody said were appropriate until he met with approval but looked like a khaki covered stuffed sausage. He wandered around the room, getting used to the weight, the awkwardness of being dressed like this, knowing that at any moment his drill instructor was going to order him out onto the road and demand that he run.

No Sweat!!

Cody ran beside him when they started out, chatting, his voice not in the least strained…but then he was dressed in shorts and a tank, running shoes on the snow-shoe sized feet.

“Jorge was by again last night while you were getting your beauty sleep and we came up with a plan…sound carries really well in that area, because of so much water…it was really a very smart choice of where to locate the headquarters…but it means a long trek through some very dense jungle for us…we can get to within 15 miles by chopper, then have to take to the river…it winds around so it will be about an hour on the water then another 2 through the jungle, navigating by compass. What you have on is what you will be wearing on the trip inbound.”

In the extreme heat Urs found that he was already drenched with sweat, the bandana he had tied around his forehead fortunately soaking up the salty moisture and keeping it out of his eyes.

‘Okay, so this is a little harder than running on the road in shorts…but I can do it…I HAVE to…I’m not being left behind!’

“How many on the team?” he asked, pleased that his voice showed no signs of lack of oxygen.

“Two,” Cody answered, stealing a quick look at his running mate.

‘No wonder he’s concerned…he has to be able to count on me, to take up the slack and do the job…Scheisse…no pressure, Buhler!’

“What kind of terrain?” he asked lengthening his stride slightly and forcing the bigger man to increase his to keep up.

“Uneven, no major hills, just lots of growth and trails the rebels have made through the jungle…unfortunately they grow over rapidly so we have to use the compass and some times the machete…we’ll use a small Zodiac on the river…I assume you know how to paddle?”

“Canoes…”

“Same thing only bigger…Turn off here, there’s a trail through the brush…I’ll lead.”

Cody effortlessly surged ahead, for a big man moving lightly, almost soundlessly. Urs concentrated on lessening the impact of his heavy footfalls on the ground, finding that the trick was to make his stride smoother, to re-distribute the weight quickly, having the next step in motion as his leading foot made contact. The branches slapping at him on the narrow trail was another matter…but after the sting of the first few he just became grateful of the heavy clothing and learned how to duck instinctively to save his naked face.

It seemed surreal, running through the dense growth without talking, going and going…the image of the Energizer Bunny came to him and he grinned, almost missing the fact that Cody had come to a stop in front of him.

“We will be in silent mode…by the way nice job on quieting your footsteps…you learn almost as fast as Adam…anyway as I said we will be in silent mode…you have to keep an eye on me when I’m leading for signals and directions…this means stop…” he held his clenched fist up at head level… “miss or ignore it and you’ll run right up my back…this…” he opened his fist and thrust his hand forward… “ means keep going…and if it’s done twice it means run! When you see the Stop sign twice you are to drop into a crouching position to present a smaller target…don’t get dehydrated…your water bottle is in the front so you can take a swig often…anytime we’re near fast running water, top it up…there’s a tube of purifying tablets next to the bottle…drop one in each time you add fresh water….there’s a button on the side to depress…it allows only one tablet out at a time. Let’s go.”

It was another hour of winding through the lush growth, practicing the signals until they became second nature to Urs, before Cody called a halt again.

“How do you feel?” he asked, crouching beside Urs and tilting his water bottle up for a good long drink.

“Winded, dirty, like I had a shower with my clothes still on…a couple of blisters starting from these boots…I’ll do better next time out.”

Cody chuckled.

“You’re honest…I like that…you’ve done well…you must have been working out a lot while I wasn’t around ….I have a little present for you…”

He stood and let out a shrill whistle.

Moments later they heard someone approaching from the west, the direction where Urs had thought he could hear running water. A figure parted the branches and stepped into the little clearing where they stood.

She was young, her dark hair tied back in a low ponytail, her skin a soft amber. Her garment was a longish cotton dress, her shoes soft, like mocassins, her height on a par with Izzy’s though she was much younger and thinner than Izzy had been.

“This is Carmelita…Jorge tells me that Izzy has lost a lot of weight…I asked for a girl her height and approximate weight now and Carmelita volunteered.”

“For what?” Urs asked, not sure if he should be angry…did Cody expect him to….one night stands were one thing but this girl…Mein Gott she didn’t look like she had even hit puberty yet… “She’s beautiful but she’s a child!”

Cody laughed then gave him a jab in the shoulder that was meant to be gentle but actually staggered him back a few feet.

“Get your mind above your belt, Bird… I’m likely a better shot than you, certainly trained for this kind of work…so you get to be the mule and I’m guard…I don’t think in her present shape Izzy can walk or jog out of there…so we have to carry her and you are elected…you can train by carrying Carmelita on your back, see how it feels…see if you can do it.”

Urs felt his cheeks redden…of course…how could he have even considered anything else?

He took a few steps away, passing the girl who was watching them with a faintly amused smile on her face.

“Going to fill my water up…I can hear a river nearby.”

Cody nodded, fully aware that Urs was embarrassed and needed a moment to soothe his bruised ego.

‘What’s the matter with me? It seems the longer I go without, the more I think about sex…I better get used to it…Izzy may not want me that way anymore…or she may not be in any kind of shape to feel desire…for sure she’s going to be happy to be with Adam but after the way she’s been abused, sex may be something that turns her off, not on…I can live with that if I have to…it’s the closeness, the laughter, the sight of her sweet face, knowing she’s safe and happy, that she’ll be there to share my life, good times or bad, that’s what is important now...we have so much to look forward to…and if making love isn’t on the agenda then, so be it…there are other ways I can show her how much I love her.’

He filled his water bottle, dropped in a tablet and went back to join the others.

They were both sitting on the ground, talking quietly, knees raised and arms draped comfortably over them, the girl shredding a flower as she listened to something Cody was saying and then laughing when he pantomimed being tired.

Cody looked up as Urs approached and smiled.

“Did you remember the tablet? Good boy, Papa!”

Urs laughed at Cody’s imitation of his nephew and dropped down to the ground facing them.He held his hand out to the girl and smiled in apology for his churlish behaviour before.

“Thank you for helping us, Carmelita…I’m Urs.”

“My pleasure, Senor Urs…my Papa asked if I would like to do this and I said yes…Mama is redecorating and if I was at home all day she would have me working very hard…this way I can practice my acting skills…I want to study drama at the Universidad in a few years so this is good practice.”

“I’ve told Carmelita that the woman we are going to rescue is thin and no longer strong…she will tire easily even if she is being carried so you must learn to assist her with a sling when this happens…and before you ask, no you can’t use the sling right from the start…getting out of the camp will be the time we are most at risk…if we’re discovered then you may have to dump Izzy on the ground and help me defend our position…if she’s tied up in a sling that would be impossible…there may be times when you have to keep her quiet, forcibly if necessary…you must give no thought to being forced to hurt her…think of the goal and the results if she cries out and we are detected…a few bruises are a small thing compared to a lifetime of being a prisoner….”

They talked a while longer then suddenly Cody rose.

“Mount up!”

For the next 3 hours he carried the girl, a feather weight at first who held on to his vest and placed her legs in a vise around his waist. Gradually she relaxed her hold so that he felt her slipping lower on his back and he transferred his hands from the chore of keeping branches from slapping her face to holding her slender wrists, her heels hooked into pockets on each side of his camo pants. Soon even that wasn’t enough and he tried to manipulate the sling around her bottom without stopping, the first time making a mess of it that ended in a tangle that nearly tripped him, reeling it in and trying again with slightly more skill, then a third time with success.

Cody had lead them on a torturous route along the edge of the river, then inland, back to the river side, across and into the jungle, across again, disorienting Urs completely so that he just followed blindly. His legs were burning, shoulders and back aching but his singer’s lungs still functioning well when they ran along the side of the river again and started an upgrade. Cody surged on ahead and was waiting when Urs managed the last few steps and crested the hill. He looked up at the setting sun and saw the gate to the fence around the casa, saw it open and a little body come hurtling down the grassy slope, a wide, dimpled, crinkled-eyes smile on the little face as he stumbled, righted himself and held his arms out.

“Papa!”

He tried to glare at Cody but laughed instead, wondering just how far away from the house they had actually gone but then thinking of nothing but the laughing boy who clambered on him as he crouched to allow Carmelita off his back.

**