Page 25 of Touchdown

We were both giggling. Even giddy. We hadn't let ourselves think how unlikely this plan was to work until it actually started working.

“Any more cans?” I asked. “I'd like to finish him off.”

“Hold on a sec.”

Off in the distance, the screams and curses cut off like somebody hit a switch.

“No more cans that size,” Noah whispered.

I touched his arm to tell him to go quiet. We both held our breath. Listened hard.

Couldn't hear anything.

What was happening down there?

Were they sneaking up on us? They'd learned their lesson about rushing in.

You thought the naked gay boys were going to be so easy. Ha.

They hadn't packed our supply kit. They didn't know how many more cans we could bean them with. So now they were all, “Approach with caution. Assume the subjects are armed and dangerous.”

Alas, I was no longer armed and dangerous with twenty-four-ounce cans of peaches. At least, we still had the second half-carton of eggs. Not to mention plenty of other random food and beverage containers.

We'd never have the tech and gear advantage. Better engage while I still had the psychological edge.

“C'mon, motherfuckers,” I shouted. “You got something to say to me, come over here and say it to my face.”

Chapter 17

The dark, damp forest was quiet for a long moment. Did they expect me to believe they hadn't heard my challenge?

“Really?” I shouted. “That's it? I get in a couple of good shots, and the big bads with automatic weapons, jungle gear, and bulletproof vests run screaming home to Mommy?”

“I'm good over here.” The man sounded calm. Even a little bored.

“Oh, yeah? How good is your friend?”

“He's good.”

“Why don't he speak for himself? He had plenty to say ten minutes ago.”

A pause. Was it really necessary for the guy with all the toys to spend so much time thinking? It seemed a little unfair.

“Ask him,” I yelled. “Let's hear him say how good he's doing.”

“He don't owe you any answers,” was what came back.

OK. This was officially weird.

Good weird, maybe? Could I have possibly gone two for two with the knock-out shots?

Noah took hold of my elbow like he was pulling me back from the edge. “What's going on? You didn't knock out that second guy. Why does he want to make us think he's out?”

“Don't know,” I said. “Probably so we'll underestimate them?”

“Or he's sneaking up on us.”

“He can only sneak so far. We'll hear if he tries to climb this tree.”

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