Page 118 of Last Light

Travis’s eyes are searching, but he doesn’t say anything else. After a minute he turns toward Mack. “You and the others could try to go around the long way. No sense in taking the risk if you’re not on a timeline like us.”

“We are on a timeline. I know the general area where Maria will be for the next week or so. But after that, I’ll have no idea. We got to get there soon enough to find her or she could be anywhere.”

“How do you know where she is?” I ask, genuinely curious.

“We got that network I mentioned last night. Of folks willing to help others who need it. The guy you got the message from was part of it. We’d get people to Fort Knox or Fort Bragg or some other safe place. Maria helps out when she can. We have a system for communicating. Through notes. Last one I got from her said where she’d be for the next couple of weeks.”

“Oh.” I smile at him. “That’s really great. That you do that.”

He clears his throat, ducking his head and then giving me a sheepish smile. “Yeah. Uh. It’s not that great.”

“Yes, it is. You really help people.” I glance over and see Travis was watching me, but he turns away when I look in his direction. “So we’re all going to try to cross that valley when it gets dark?”

Anna looks as nervous about it as I feel.

Travis says gruffly, “You sure y’all wanna do it? Be makin’ yourself a target.”

“The women can decide for themselves,” Mack says, meeting Travis’s eyes. “But look at me, man. You think, even before it all went to shit, I had a lot of days when I wasn’t somebody’s target?”

I stare at him, strangely affected by his words. He’s big and handsome and rock hard. He’s still a soldier even though the Army as we knew it doesn’t exist anymore.

Travis’s mouth tightens almost imperceptibly as he holds Mack’s gaze. “Yeah. Yeah. Got it. Thanks. Be glad to have you with us.” He looks over at Anna. “You’re in too?”

“I’m in. I’ll talk to Maisey and Jenna, but I’m sure they’ll follow our lead.”

“Okay. It’s a plan then. We wait till dark.” Travis catches my eye. His expression softens just slightly. He raises a hand to brush his thumb along my cheek.

The gesture surprises me. Makes my heart palpitate. My lips part as I gaze up at him.

“Got some dirt,” he murmurs. He drops his hand and turns away.

I see Anna watching me as our little group disperses. I have no idea what she’s thinking, and I’m not about to ask.

***

THE AFTERNOON IS LONGand nerve-wracking as we wait for the sun to set.

We get as close as we safely can to the valley we need to cross. We’re close enough that we can hear the rumble of engines and the pounding beat of whatever music they’re blaring at full volume.

It sounds dangerous.

I don’t like it.

And I don’t like that we have to get so close to them.

There are six of us. Four of us are women. And women are always more at risk from groups like this.

But our only other choice is to give up on our plans.

And we have nothing else to do.

All of us are quiet and tense as the sun finally dips below the horizon.

We wait until it’s completely dark. It’s probably just around eight thirty, but it’s so pitch-black that it feels more like midnight.

We’ve already decided how we’re going to travel. I’m going to drive the Jeep, and Anna is going to drive the pickup. We’re going to move as slowly as possible since any sound—even the crunching of leaves and branches—might bring attention. Travis and Mack will walk alongside the vehicles. We’re going to stay as close to the row of trees as possible, keeping out of the light of their bonfires.

The group in the valley might sound like they’re having a party down there, but they’ll definitely have posted guards around the perimeter. Those are the ones we need to watch out for. If even one of the guards sounds the alarm, it will be over for us. They’ll all come after us.

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