“Tripped. Sprained, I think.”
“Come on, then.” Calan shoved his shoulder beneath Thomas's armpit and swung an arm around his waist. “Let’s get you to safety.”
They’d only made it a few yards when the sound of someone approaching crackled in the air.
Thomas stopped. “Go. I’m slowing you down.”
“No.” Calan continued walking, holding Thomas up.
“They’ll catch you.” Thomas yanked from his grip. “I’ll be okay.” He didn’t know why, but the last thing he wanted was for this Deviant to be caught.
“I’m not leaving you here alone.” The ex-Navy SEAL’s tone gave no room for argument.
They started on their way.
“Stop or I’ll shoot!” The command came from behind them.
Thomas turned to see two NWO troops pointing guns straight at them.
???
Uttering a growl of frustration, Kyle followed it up with some choice cuss words. “They know we’re here. But how?” No time to figure it out, he began spouting orders, sending his men this way and that. “I want them all caught. Alive!” he yelled, before gesturing for his second in command to follow him and rushing into the brush.
Pulling his Glock from its holster, he charged ahead, eyes focused for any movement. He cussed again. The only way he’d be able to discover the location of UnderHisWings now would be to capture and torture one of them into telling him. No problem. They had methods that would make a man order his own mother’s execution. This was only a temporary kink in his plans.
With Smitty, his second in command by his side, Kyle swatted away branches and tree limbs as they made their way quietly through the thick forest. He had to catch at least one of these Deviants. Failure was not an option. Not if he wanted to advance in the NWU Reformation Security Forces. It would take much more than his alliance with Jura or any of the Tall Whites. He had to either provide intelligence that would lead to the arrest of many Deviants, or he had to perform those arrests himself, preferably both.
But finding any of them in this forest was like searching for a gnat on a tiger.
Wait.
A female voice drifted to him from up ahead, ever so hushed, but there, nonetheless.
Gesturing with his head in that direction, he led Smitty forward. Careful not to step on any twigs, they approached a small clearing where three women and a child could be made out through the web of leaves surrounding them.
They had no weapons that he could see as they huddled together and shared water from an old canteen.
Nyla! His sister rose from the group and looked around. Her stomach rounded into a ball in front of her. Pregnant?
Kyle dove behind a shrub, Smitty following.
She looked good, strong, even carrying a baby. But then again, she always was the strong one. And he’d been the weak druggie, the black sheep of the family. Pain pricked his heart. He had loved her once, and she him.
Until she had betrayed him.
One of the other women looked his way. Tori Griffin! Ha! Catching her would be a huge feather in his cap.
Shecontinuedlooking his way, as if she could see right through the foliage into his eyes.
Kyle shifted uncomfortably.
Tori whispered something to Nyla, and she nodded, motioning for the other woman to stand.
Slowly the black lady rose, gripped the hand of a child beside her, and dashed into the brush, Tori by her side. Nyla disappeared into the forest on her right.
Somehow, they knew Kyle was there. Cursing, he leapt from behind the bush. “Go after Tori and the black woman,” he ordered Smitty, while he darted after his sister.
???
