Page 65 of Citadel

I wince as my body stretches. He wasn’t exactly easy on me, but it was exactly what I wanted.

“You still good?” he asks, eyeing me sharply.

I smile. “Yeah. It was amazing. I’m just worn out now.”

“Well, we’ve got some more time before we need to go back to scout out the camp. Why don’t you get some more rest?”

I hesitate but can’t think of any reason not to. So I end up taking another nap.

9

It’slate in the afternoon when we head back toward the gang’s camp.

As soon as we get into a vantage point to see, it’s clear that something is different. For the past day and a half, they’ve been aimless, undirected, like they’ve simply been waiting around, but now everyone we see down near the tents and vehicles appears to be working.

“What do you think they’re doing?” I whisper. We’re crouching down among some thick bushes. No one will be able to see us unless they get within a few feet of where we’re hiding. No one appears close to us at the moment, but they regularly use perimeter scouts, so we need to be careful.

“Not sure. Maybe getting ready to leave. Look. That guy is siphoning off gas from the Jeeps.”

“So they’re going to walk?”

“Or take fewer vehicles.”

“There’s no way they’ll all fit. They barely fit in the vehicles they have.”

“I know. Maybe they’re splitting up. That would be good.”

That would be a godsend. A miracle beyond comprehending.

“Oh my God,” I breathe, peering down at the camp and wishing my vision was as sharp as Cole’s so I could see more details. Squinting only helps a little.

“They’re putting the siphoned gas in one of the other Jeeps,” Cole explains, evidently noticing my trouble seeing but not calling attention to it. “I bet a smaller group is going to take that one and the others go on foot.”

“That would be helpful. Maybe give us a better chance to get to Breanna.”

“Yeah, but we’re gonna have to know which group she goes with. We’ve got to spot her somehow.”

“How can we do that unless she comes outside? I assume they’re keeping her in one of those tents.”

“Probably.” Cole looks around, cutting his eyes over the entire expanse of the valley. “There’s got to be a way to get closer.” His face tightens briefly. Indecision.

“I can stay here if you want to get closer to scout things out,” I offer, hating the idea of it but unwilling to be stubborn where Breanna’s welfare is concerned. “If you think it’s safe.”

“It’s definitely not safe. I’m not letting you out of my sight. It looks like there’s plenty of cover on the north side. Let’s head over there, and we’ll see if we can get closer.”

It’s a tense, quiet walk, skirting around the surrounding slopes and coming up on the valley from the opposite direction. It feels like there could be a monster around every corner. Or a sentry who will sound the alarm.

We won’t have much of a chance if that happens.

Cole and I would end up dead, and Breanna would have no escape.

At one point, Cole pushes me abruptly against a tree, blocking me with his body. It’s only then I hear the rustling in the woods. Someone or something is passing by.

When the noise disappears, he steps back and takes my hand to pull me along in the right direction.

We eventually make it over to the north side, and we keep low to stay out of sight in the thick brush as we creep down closer to the camp. I take a bad step and lose my balance, almost tumbling into a creek that’s flowing down toward the valley, but I bite back my cry of surprise and Cole grabs me before I fall.

When we get as close as Cole will allow, we settle in the cover of the bushes and watch.

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