He rose from his cot, threw the tent flap back, and walked out. The Kenyan army detail that had rescued him from the cave was scouring the village for their belongings—and for their fallen comrades who had died during the night raid on the camp.

Millen had known they would leave, but he hadn’t expected it to be so soon. Last night, the CDC and WHO had evacuated all their personnel from Kenya. A flight with the field teams had left from Mandera; another from Nairobi evacuated the support personnel. Millen had been ordered to be on the flight that left Mandera, but he had refused. Evacuating meant leaving Hannah and Dr. Shaw behind. He had decided to disobey orders—to stay, wait, and hope there was something he could do here.

And now, when the troops left, he would be alone in the village.

Kito approached him.

“We’re pulling out, Dr. Thomas. Orders.”

“Where?”

“Nairobi. The government has declared a nationwide state of emergency. Martial law. They’re setting up containment camps in every major city.”

Millen nodded.

“Come with us,” Kito said.

“No. I need to wait for my people.”

“If they’re rescued, they won’t return here.”

Millen had been thinking the same thing.

“Where will they take them?” he asked.

“I’m not sure.”

“What’s common in kidnap and ransom—after the rescue?”

Kito considered the question a moment. “Depends on the rescuers. If they’re operating from a ship, they’ll be taken back there—somewhere in the Indian Ocean. Or perhaps to the closest airport. Mandera, likely.”

Mandera—it was his best shot.

Kito read his reaction. “A word of advice, Doctor.”

“What’s that?”

“Set out at daybreak. It will be safer.”

“Yeah, that’s a good idea.”

“We’ll leave you a four-wheel drive, water, and rations.” Kito paused. “And a gun.”

“I won’t need it.”

“We’ll leave it just in case. You have a solar charger for your phone?”

Millen nodded.

“Very good. Best of luck to you, Dr. Thomas.”

“You too, Kito.”

As the Kenyan was walking away, Millen yelled to him. “Kito!”

When he turned, Millen said, “Thanks again for getting me out of that cave.”

“It was the least I could do. You came here to help us. We won’t forget it.”

When the cloud of red dust settled from the convoy’s departure, Millen returned to his tent, ripped open an MRE, and ate in silence, surveying Hannah’s neatly ordered side of their shared domicile.