Cover art by Richard Stroud
Purchase link to Desert Shadow
We couldn't stand by while they took these children. We both had guns, but so did they, and we knew a firefight wasn't the answer. We would definitely lose, and some of the children might be hurt. I couldn't think of a single way to create a diversion that would keep us from having to confront these thugs. There were only moments left before we'd have to act. Paul and I tensed in readiness to rush out in a hopeless effort at rescue, when somewhere behind the smugglers and their charges the Shadow Wolf group rose.
Excerpt:
We could see shapes moving, and now and then a flashlight would come on for a few moments. Once again, without discussion, we rose and started working our way closer. So far we saw no sign of the Shadow Wolves. It didn't worry us, because they seemed to have mastered the art of remaining invisible. It wasn't long until we could see the smugglers weren't alone. They were leading a group of ten people toward the area where they parked their SUV. They were getting close, but we kept moving slowly in their direction.
Where were the men who had promised to "handle it?" If something didn't happen right away, they were going to be gone, and the illegals with them. We kept working our way closer and closer and before long we realized with horror that the group being led by the smugglers was all girls. If nothing else happened in the next few minutes, Paul and I were going to have to do something. We couldn't stand by while they took these children. We both had guns, but so did they and we knew a firefight wasn't the answer. We would definitely lose, and some of the children might be hurt. I couldn't think of a single way to create a diversion that would keep us from having to confront these thugs. There were only moments left before we'd have to act.
Paul and I tensed in readiness to rush out in a hopeless effort at rescue, when somewhere behind the smugglers and their charges, the Shadow Wolf group rose. The men abandoned the children and ran for cover to confront the threat. At that moment, the illegals were alone. Paul and I jumped up and ran to them. We wanted to move them away from the conflict to somewhere safe, but they were confused and resisted. I used what little Spanish I knew. They were so frightened none of my efforts had any effect.
Out of nowhere, a young boy appeared next to me and began speaking to the group in Spanish. They calmed down then and began to follow us. I thought we might get away unseen, but one of the men noticed the girls moving away. I don't think they could recognize Paul and me from that distance, but they knew someone was interfering and trying to steal their night's work. Whoever had seen us began hollering at the others, and guns started turning in our direction. When I began to be afraid that the escape attempt had failed, a wall of fog descended between us and the fight below. The boy beside me said in perfectly English, "Go now and go quickly! Those men will see only desert for a short time. They cannot see you, but you must hurry!"
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