I knew what I had to do, and it was either completely crazy or moronic. Likely both. But there were no other options left, and no time to come up with a better plan. I would do anything to save my Wastelander.
“Hey, Sergeant!” a man’s voice called, uncomfortably close to our hiding spot. “Looks like somebody’s camped here recently.”
Heart in my mouth, I took my pistol and tucked a pocketknife into the ribbons of my swimsuit at the shoulder. I crawled deeper into the gulley as John instructed, until I was far enough away that I was no longer in arm’s reach. I looked over my shoulder, watching John carefully. He was waiting in position, watching to see what they’d do before he made himself known.
I had seconds before the first shot would be fired.
I sprang to my feet and ran up the slope, towards the voices, screaming as loud as I could.
“What the fuck—?” another male voice shouted.
I reached the top of the slope and briefly caught a glimpse of my pursuers—men in military uniforms like the ones they’d worn back at the Cave. No black Order uniforms. No Eye masks. No markings of the cult anywhere.
Who are these people?I had no time to contemplate. Instead, I put my plan into action.
“Bear!” I screeched like a ninny, pointing behind me in the opposite direction from where John was still hidden.
I sprinted like a marathon runner for the woods, suddenly very aware of the fact that I was barefoot and wearing nothing but a bikini and John’s oversized t-shirt. I pulled on my braid, loosing my long, redhair. Instantly recognizable, easy to spot in almost any landscape—a beacon to my pursuers.
“I’ve got eyes on her!” someone yelled stupidly, as though that wasn’t exactly what I wanted.
That same someone gave chase. He was closer than I’d anticipated and gained ground on me quickly. We were still on the beach—flat and open, no trees to conceal me. Only a few feet from the treeline, I cried out as a hand closed around my hair and yanked me backwards, toppling me onto the sand. I dropped my pistol.
No, I need to keep running, I thought frantically. I need to draw them farther away.
“Sir—” the soldier holding my hair began calling, just as a deafening bang split the air. I yelped as I was splattered with hot, sticky blood. The right side of the soldier’s head was now a gushing, gory mess of tissue. Blood spurted out, and he let go of my hair, collapsing like a marionette with its strings abruptly severed.
As always, John’s aim was impeccable.
The soldiers scattered, yelling to one another and struggling to find cover. I sprang up and retrieved my pistol from the ground.Deep breath, Claire.I screamed again, louder and longer, and bolted for the trees.
I heard a cacophony of cursing behind me, and more men pursued me. I couldn’t be sure it was all of them, but I hoped it would be enough. It had to be enough.
I ran through the woods, wincing as my feet scraped over sharp rocks and tree roots. I got caught momentarily on a branch and pine needles rained down on me, but I used the surge of adrenaline to keep going.
The soldiers weren’t used to the rough terrain of the forest, and though their apparent inexperience slowed them down, I had been running for far longer and was beginning to tire. I darted behind a large tree trunk for cover, gasping for air, then peeked around the side.
“You see where she went?”
He was only twenty feet away, his grey tactical uniform practically a flashing red light in the green of the forest, and I didn’t give myself time to overthink. I aimed my pistol around the tree trunk and fired, hitting him square in the chest. John would’ve been proud of that shot.
He fell backwards, and there was immediately answering gunfire. I stayed with my back pressed against the tree until it stopped, and mercifully, I wasn’t hit. I took off again and we repeated the pattern: I hid in the thick brush and fired on them when I could.
I took out two more soldiers, but there were still at least three following me. I didn’t know how long I could keep this up. I only had a handful of bullets left, and I hadn’t planned this far ahead. My single-minded goal had been to draw them away from John.
“There!”
They’d spotted me again, and I started running once more. I burst into a large clearing. Without the cover of trees, there was nowhere to hide, and my lungs were screaming in protest.
A soldier entered the clearing and let out a feral yell as he caught sight of me. My whole body ached with exertion, begging me to rest, and I could hardly breathe. He was gaining on me. Ten paces away, then five, then two, then…
Pain exploded in my head as I was slammed into a tree trunk on the opposite side of the clearing, face first.
“Drop your weapon,” a furious male voice growled in my ear. “Now.”
I panted helplessly, my strength gone, and released my grip on the pistol. It clattered to the ground.
“Don’t fucking move.” Cold steel pressed against the nape of my neck—the barrel of a gun. “Or I swear I’ll blow your fucking head off your shoulders.”
