Thirteen hours later, Dan swung the vehicle to a standstill on a roadside promontory, braking to a stop at the steel barrier that gave way to a steep ridge at the edge of the small Spanish-held coastal enclave of Ceuta.
He’d swapped over with Mitch two hours ago, letting his colleague stretch his legs in the passenger seat and make a call to David and Mel as soon as they were within easy reach of their final destination. Dan thought it wise to keep their plans to themselves until the last minute, worried their position would be intercepted before he’d had a chance to get Anna to safety once and for all.
Despite his concerns, their journey out of the dunes had been uneventful, and both Mitch and Anna had fallen asleep to the drone of the pock-marked asphalt of the northern route passing under the wheels of the four-wheel drive. Anna had remained in slumber as he’d stopped the vehicle on the side of the road an hour ago to refuel the tank from two of the fuel canisters he and Mitch had liberated from the Russians’ vehicles earlier that day.
‘Do you think she’ll be okay once she gets away from here?’ Mitch had asked.
Dan had looked up from his position at the rear of the vehicle as he lowered the now-empty jerry can and peered through the back window at Anna’s slumbering form.
She’d curled up across the back seat, her features peaceful.
‘I think so,’ he’d said. ‘Her father will make sure of it – and her mother is amazing.’ His mouth quirked. ‘Actually, I’m pretty sure she’s going to be okay.’
Now, he leaned on the steering wheel, his eyes roaming the layout of the town sprawled out beneath their position, the late afternoon sun casting a dappled pink light across the roofs and terraces of the small Spanish enclave.
Anna yawned as she pulled herself upright and leaned between the front seats. ‘Are we there?’
‘Yes. It’s only a ten-minute drive from here to the hotel where we’re meeting David and Mel,’ said Mitch.
They sat in silence for a moment, savouring the view.
Dan chuckled. ‘I don’t know about you two, but I could murder a cold beer.’
Anna groaned. ‘I’ve been dreaming about a hot bath,’ she murmured. ‘What are we waiting for?’
Dan grinned and released the handbrake, steering the vehicle back to the road. ‘Come on then.’
The road dropped through a short series of narrow switchbacks until levelling out at the bottom of the hill, where the urban sprawl of the port town encroached.
Mitch navigated using his smartphone, and they found the hotel with ease.
Dan slowed, applied the handbrake, and got out, tossing the keys to the bewildered parking valet who was staring at Dan’s state of undress, his eyes wide.
‘Y-you can’t park there,’ he stammered. ‘It’s for paying guests only, not backpackers!’
Mitch roared with laughter as he helped Anna from the four-wheel drive. ‘Bad luck, pal – we are paying guests.’
Dan grinned at the valet, then joined Mitch and Anna at the wide double doors to the hotel. He glanced down at the assortment of paperwork Anna clutched to her chest that she’d liberated from the Russians’ vehicles. ‘Got everything?’
‘Yes. Thank you,’ she said. She placed a hand on his arm. ‘Thank you for everything, Dan. And you, Mitch.’
Dan nodded.
‘Taylor? Are you actually lost for words?’ said Mitch.
‘I think he is,’ said Anna, smiling.
‘Right,’ said Mitch, and held the door open for them to pass through. ‘In that case, last one to the bar buys the drinks.’