Chapter 302: Separate Escape, Giving Us More Chances

Sarah's POV:

Stefano bounced back quickly, eating like a horse every day, his appetite way bigger than before.

I teased him, "Trying to get rid of my care already?"

Chewing on the bland, coarse local bread, he replied, "I once had this crazy idea of trapping you here with some little lies, keeping you in Sudan with me forever. We'd be colleagues, roommates, living like a married couple here, forever."

I rolled my eyes.

"But now I realize it's not fair to you. You shouldn't live this life because of my selfishness. I promised to get you out, and I will. I'll send you back to a world where you have the freedom to choose."

"You've finally given up on me, I'm so heartbroken," I said with a smile.

He glanced at me. "You don't look heartbroken at all. Don't worry, I won't hold you back from meeting your husband. You have my word."

But the MSF vehicle had already left, and it was unlikely they'd send another one soon. How else could we leave?

Things took a turn quickly. Dr. Hassan pulled some strings and arranged a trip for us to Asyut, a small town near the Egyptian border, within the RSF-controlled area.

Handing us a thick folder, he said, "Once you reach Asyut, it's less than 50 miles north to the border. Here are some documents that might help if you encounter military checkpoints. After that, you'll need to use your own wits and courage to find a way across the border. This is the last thing I can do for you. May Allah bless you."

He gave Stefano and me a heartfelt hug, his gaze lingering on my abdomen before exchanging a complex look with Stefano and silently slipping a handgun into his hands.

Soon, we packed everything useful, along with some basic medical supplies and drugs, and left Khartoum in Stefano's beat-up van.

I looked back at the city, its streets in disrepair, buildings of varying heights. A few people in bright orange traditional African attire caught my eye.

Suddenly, the gray city seemed to come alive, with the Nile River rushing through, and wildlife moving freely as they had for millennia. Khartoum, the heart of Sudan, never stopped beating.

Two days later, exhausted, we arrived in Asyut and spent a night in the storeroom of a small local hospital arranged by Hassan. Then we set off for the border early the next morning.

Stefano looked pale but determined. He said he didn't want to waste any time on the road. We were no longer MSF, no longer doctors. Our mission in Sudan was complete; now, the most important task was to save ourselves.

The van stopped in a small village near the border. Looking north, we saw dense forests and rolling hills.

Stefano struggled to communicate with the villagers, barely understanding the situation. The forest had RSF troops, and Egypt had long sealed the border. No documents would get us through.

That night, we slept in a simple cowshed. The next day, we spent our last bit of Sudanese currency on a hearty meal and packed some bread.

Waiting until midnight, I changed into dark clothes, discarded useless items, and quietly followed Stefano along a shepherd's path into the dark forest.

I didn't know how long we walked. Every time I stopped to catch my breath and looked up, the sky was pitch black. The trees were tall, their leaves sparse, but I couldn't see any stars or the moon through the gaps.

Stefano's weak condition became apparent. After all, he had just recovered from a near-fatal illness, and Sudan didn't have much nutritious food to help him regain strength quickly.

He tried to pull me along, easing my burden, but I felt the weakness in his grip. I held his hand tightly, walking shoulder to shoulder, stepping over low shrubs and dry slopes.

In the darkness, I occasionally caught Stefano's eyes glancing at me, glowing faintly blue, and heard our intertwined breaths.

We must be close to the border. But what awaited us? If we encountered border patrols, what would we do? Could Stefano's gun be enough?

"Sarah," Stefano's weak voice broke my thoughts, "if there's danger, remember, just run north. Don't worry about me."

I hesitated, "What about you?"

"I'll run too, with all my strength. I want to live too, don't I?"

I nodded. "Splitting up gives us a better chance, right?"

He smiled, "You and Federico made the same promise, didn't you?"

I smiled back. "Yes. But you said he abandoned me in the most critical moment, hitting me without mercy."

He apologized. "I wouldn't miss any chance to belittle him. I'm that dark and despicable, willing to let the man you love die to win you over."

I snorted sarcastically, "Seems my love has changed you, made you kinder."

He suppressed a laugh, whispering, "Since I learned what Federico did for me that night, I couldn't hate him anymore. Though he designed such a foolish escape route for your honeymoon, he survived the government troops and even thrived. He must be a remarkable man. I admire him."

I squeezed his hand, and he returned the grip. Then he took the gun from his waist and placed it in my hand. "Remember, if there's an emergency, we split up and escape."

I swallowed hard, hesitating for a second, but I knew now wasn't the time to argue.

I took the gun. "See you in Egypt."

He whispered, "See you in Egypt. Just like you and Federico promised."

Suddenly, a few flickering lights appeared in the forest. His hand trembled, and he pulled me close, both of us crouching behind a small bush.

The lights flickered again, and we heard dogs barking.

My heart sank. Dogs! Our tracks would be discovered soon.

Stefano's muscles tensed immediately, and he growled at me, "Run!"

I stood up and ran northwest with all my might. A louder bark came from behind, and I turned to see Stefano running northeast, a huge beast-like dog leaping towards him in the darkness.

I couldn't think. I had to keep running. Branches slapped my face, stinging like needles.

Thick trees appeared before me, forcing me to change direction constantly, nearly crashing into them several times.

Suddenly, a beam of light swept past me, and I glanced back in terror, seeing two tall figures closing in fast.

"Stop! Or we'll shoot!" someone shouted in English.

My heart skipped a beat. They spoke English, and it sounded quite standard. Were they Egyptian border patrols?

I didn't stop, my chest burning with pain from the exertion.

A bullet whizzed past me, and my legs nearly gave out in fear.

No, I couldn't stop, couldn't look back. I had to reach Egypt. Federico must be waiting for me there.

"Hey, stop! We don't want to kill you!" another voice called in perfect English.

Could they be CIA? Had the CIA not given up on hunting us? It had been at least 40 days since the post-election chaos in Nairobi. Were they still after us? But they couldn't know my route. Had they been patrolling the entire Sudan-Egypt border, waiting for us every day?

Was hunting us really such an important mission?

Suddenly, I slipped and fell, my face scraping against the rough sand, pain shooting through me.

Before I could get up, a powerful foot kicked me down again.

I rolled over, seeing a man in black clothes ready to pounce. I pulled out the gun and fired without any hesitation.

He screamed in pain, "Fuck, this bitch has a gun."

Another man rushed over, punching the gun from my hand and hitting my face hard. I lost consciousness immediately.