the leader sauntering down the line. She saw the person directly in front of him and her stomach lurched. Natan glared at her and Hassan. His eyes narrow, his mouth turned up in an evil smirk. He didn’t take his eyes off them as the leader approached.
“This land is the land of our Fathers. We must cleanse it of every evil influence, much as we must cleanse ourselves for worship on the Temple Mount.” The last word drained away as he stood in front of the cook and followed the line of Natan’s vision.
He smiled, turned to the cook and touched him on the shoulder. “May the Lord of our Fathers watch over you and your family.”
The leader swiveled slowly on his heel and meandered down to stand in front of Hassan and Annie. Hassan lowered his head and peeked around the bulky fabric of the jacket.
If the leader didn’t up and shoot her she was sure to die from her heart bursting in terror.
He smiled at them and turned his attention to Annie. “I have to question the company you keep, Dr. Grant.”
How did he know her? What was going on? “At least the company I keep doesn’t hijack buses and hold people at gun point.” The steadiness of her voice impressed her.
He raised his eyebrows. “Are you so sure of that?”
Blue Eyes and Long Hair left their posts and came to flank the leader. Old Guy stepped from the bus, the dark blue cooler containing the tissue and blood samples clutched in his hand.
Using her most disgusted voice she said, “What do you want?”
The leader smiled again. “Justice.” He nodded and the two guards grabbed Hassan by each arm. Hassan dropped the sweatshirt, revealing a blood-smeared face.
Before she could react, the leader raised the butt of his gun and smashed it into Hassan’s gut. Annie screamed and lurched for the leader. He met her with the butt of his gun, slamming it into her hip and knocking her backward.
Hassan’s head hung to his chest. He wasn’t even trying to defend himself. The leader bashed him in the belly again. Air left Hassan in a huff and his legs buckled. He started wheezing.
Annie was back on her feet lunging for the leader. Before she could get to him, someone shoved her out of the way. She pulled her head up to see David attack the leader.
The two guards dropped Hassan to the sand and turned on David. Long Hair grabbed the back of David’s shirt and swung him around into the fist of Blue Eyes. The leader stepped back as if trying to avoid soiling himself with the conflict.
Annie barreled into Long Hair, who held David, butting the guard in the kidneys with her head. He grunted and turned toward her bringing up his knee and smashing into her chin.
Her teeth closed on her tongue and coppery blood filled her mouth. Long Hair yanked her upright with her braid and planted his fist just below her right eye. Pain exploded with the fireworks in back of her eyes. Blinded momentarily, she still attacked, fists flailing in an effort to do some damage.
Long Hair grabbed her shoulders and swept a foot across her calves, tripping her in a simple schoolyard move. She went down on her stomach and he dropped onto her back, knocking the air from her lungs. She kicked but was trapped.
David wasn’t fairing much better. He’d managed to bloody Blue Eyes’ nose but he was down on his knees, his arms twisted behind his back.
Hassan lay on the ground. Annie couldn’t tell if he was conscious or not.
The rest of the passengers stood where they were. No one had tried to help. But then, Old Guy held them at gunpoint, the cooler of samples discarded in the sand.
The leader gently set his gun on the ground and stepped forward. His smile, full of venom, revealed yellow teeth. “Enough of this fun. I would love to let my friends practice a few more of their moves but time grows short.”
He turned his back on them, nodded at Old Guy and advanced on Hassan. “Leave him alone,” Annie shouted, fighting to throw Long Hair off her back.
Boots thudded up the bus steps
“This land is the land of our Fathers. We must cleanse it of every evil influence, much as we must cleanse ourselves for worship on the Temple Mount.” The last word drained away as he stood in front of the cook and followed the line of Natan’s vision.
He smiled, turned to the cook and touched him on the shoulder. “May the Lord of our Fathers watch over you and your family.”
The leader swiveled slowly on his heel and meandered down to stand in front of Hassan and Annie. Hassan lowered his head and peeked around the bulky fabric of the jacket.
If the leader didn’t up and shoot her she was sure to die from her heart bursting in terror.
He smiled at them and turned his attention to Annie. “I have to question the company you keep, Dr. Grant.”
How did he know her? What was going on? “At least the company I keep doesn’t hijack buses and hold people at gun point.” The steadiness of her voice impressed her.
He raised his eyebrows. “Are you so sure of that?”
Blue Eyes and Long Hair left their posts and came to flank the leader. Old Guy stepped from the bus, the dark blue cooler containing the tissue and blood samples clutched in his hand.
Using her most disgusted voice she said, “What do you want?”
The leader smiled again. “Justice.” He nodded and the two guards grabbed Hassan by each arm. Hassan dropped the sweatshirt, revealing a blood-smeared face.
Before she could react, the leader raised the butt of his gun and smashed it into Hassan’s gut. Annie screamed and lurched for the leader. He met her with the butt of his gun, slamming it into her hip and knocking her backward.
Hassan’s head hung to his chest. He wasn’t even trying to defend himself. The leader bashed him in the belly again. Air left Hassan in a huff and his legs buckled. He started wheezing.
Annie was back on her feet lunging for the leader. Before she could get to him, someone shoved her out of the way. She pulled her head up to see David attack the leader.
The two guards dropped Hassan to the sand and turned on David. Long Hair grabbed the back of David’s shirt and swung him around into the fist of Blue Eyes. The leader stepped back as if trying to avoid soiling himself with the conflict.
Annie barreled into Long Hair, who held David, butting the guard in the kidneys with her head. He grunted and turned toward her bringing up his knee and smashing into her chin.
Her teeth closed on her tongue and coppery blood filled her mouth. Long Hair yanked her upright with her braid and planted his fist just below her right eye. Pain exploded with the fireworks in back of her eyes. Blinded momentarily, she still attacked, fists flailing in an effort to do some damage.
Long Hair grabbed her shoulders and swept a foot across her calves, tripping her in a simple schoolyard move. She went down on her stomach and he dropped onto her back, knocking the air from her lungs. She kicked but was trapped.
David wasn’t fairing much better. He’d managed to bloody Blue Eyes’ nose but he was down on his knees, his arms twisted behind his back.
Hassan lay on the ground. Annie couldn’t tell if he was conscious or not.
The rest of the passengers stood where they were. No one had tried to help. But then, Old Guy held them at gunpoint, the cooler of samples discarded in the sand.
The leader gently set his gun on the ground and stepped forward. His smile, full of venom, revealed yellow teeth. “Enough of this fun. I would love to let my friends practice a few more of their moves but time grows short.”
He turned his back on them, nodded at Old Guy and advanced on Hassan. “Leave him alone,” Annie shouted, fighting to throw Long Hair off her back.
Boots thudded up the bus steps
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