“Well, Yvonne, you… Forget it, come inside first. I’ll tell you all about it.”
Sean led me into the big yard and to the dorm inside. He said something to the guards at the entrance and left in a hurry. Initially, I did not suspect anything. After waiting for a very long time, it suddenly dawned on me that Sean had no intention to tell me anything about Christopher. He actually wanted to keep me here, refusing to let me take the risk.
Everyone was baffled at my desire to come here, especially because I did not possess any special capability that would be of any help. They probably felt that I was just creating more trouble for them. What they did not know was how terrified I was whenever I thought about Christopher being left alone somewhere. He was probably injured and had no way to call for help. Death might have crossed his mind multiple times.
At night, I took a peek outside. There was a group of soldiers gathering at a spot nearby, but they dispersed soon after. Did they leave to go find Christopher? I was so frustrated.
“Lyle, I can’t stay here and keep waiting. Time is running out,” I said under my breath.
Lyle was here to bring me dinner. He felt so helpless at my remark. “The police is everywhere. Sean has instructed us not to leave. There’s no use to fret. With the number of people searching for him, I’m certain we’ll receive good news soon.”
I sighed as I picked up the utensils, but I had no appetite at all.
At midnight, I got up discreetly and strode toward the living room. When I was about to go out, I heard some noises behind me. I turned around only to realize that Lyle was sitting on the couch in the living room.
Frowning, I asked, “Are you going to stop me.”
“I knew you’d sure find a way to escape.” Lyle glared at me while pointing outside. “The guards here are on an hourly rotation. They will take a fifteen-minute rest during the changing of guards. Half an hour has passed. Hang on for a while more until the next rotation. Then, we shall have fifteen minutes to leave this place.”
I paused before saying, “Thank you, Lyle. I really appreciate it.”
It was my first time expressing my earnest gratitude toward him. His understanding made me feel more confident as a divorced woman in distress.
During the changing of the guards, we sneaked out of the room. When we were on the second floor, I heard a faint conversation from one of the rooms. Quietly, I leaned further to eavesdrop.
“Sir went missing at the borders without any solid signs or clues. It’s ultra-dangerous in the desert, with no food or water… Still being chased by John? We should get rid of John and ensure that there’s nothing else that bothers Sir…” I recognized that it was Sean’s voice.
The bits and pieces of information picked up were sufficient to make me panic. Nonetheless, those were very precious clues. I exchanged glances with Lyle. In a flash, I made up my mind to go look for Christopher in the desert.
Escaping the premises was easier than I had imagined. The soldiers probably did not expect us to do so, so they let their guards down. We left the town in total darkness. Along the way, I went to get some food and water. The town was located at the border, so it was not a challenge to get out of it.
I whipped out the map and studied it. Then, I said to Lyle, “I’m really thankful that you helped me so much. I’m heading to the desert now, and you should go back.”
He did not answer me. Conversely, he marched forward and went ahead of me. When I called out to him, he replied placidly, “Start walking now. Otherwise, they will locate you in the morning and bring you back.”
Stamping my foot, I dropped the topic.
The desert was ready to devour any living souls at all times. During the day, it was scorching hot. The heat rising from the burning sand made it feel like an oven, and anything could practically be cooked when placed under the sun.
During the night, the temperature decreased drastically. The prevailing wind blew from all directions, resulting in a cold climate. Our hands were stiffened as if we had experienced frostbites. Indeed, nature is our greatest enemy.
Under the unforgiving sun, two figures arched their backs as they moved forward with great difficulty at snail’s pace. Upon completing quite a distance, the person in front suddenly collapsed.
“Zach!” Christopher bent down to lift Zachary. Seeing his cracked lips and bleary eyes, he hurriedly reached for a bottle of water and fed him with the last drop.
