Page 79 of Thunder Pass

“I saved you!” the man hissed. “So shut the fuck up.”

“What’d you save her from that’s worse than you,” Gunnar taunted. “Sounds to me like she thinks you’re the worst option.”

The man slashed the knife at Gunnar, who jumped back, then whirled around and kicked the man’s arm. The knife flew through the air and into the forest. Sarah made a move to go after it, but Ruth grabbed at her to keep her close. Gunnar didn’t need a wild card disrupting the situation. Besides, she had a knife herself, and if she had to use it, she would.

“You have no idea who you’re messing with here,” the man growled, pulling out another knife from his boot.

“Don’t I? You’re former military. I can see that. Now you’re a mercenary because you have no morals. What kind of person kidnaps a young girl and pretends it’s for her safety?” Gunnar aimed a low kick at the man’s knees, and he staggered, nearly falling. He stabilized himself and went into a low squat, switching the knife to a throwing position.

“I’m not a monster.”

“You are too!” Sarah shouted. “I told you I just wanted to go home. You wouldn’t listen!”

“You don’t understand. There is no going home. That little town down there, forget about it. It’s ours now. Everyone down there will either have to go or stay and serve us.”

Ruth and Sarah exchanged a glance of alarm. Wasn’t that what Luke had tried to do before? He’d wanted to wall off the Chilkoots from the rest of the world. But this was different. This was taking an entire town away from the people who lived there.

“Bullshit,” Gunnar spat. He prowled around the man with slow, deliberate steps, ready to react, ready to attack, ready for anything. Strength and power radiated from him, and she could see that the man already saw him as a worthy opponent. “They tried that shit once and got sent to prison. That’s where you’re going too, for kidnapping.”

“Who’s going to make me? There’s no police out here, no judges, no courts. No one is coming to save this stupid little dot on the map and all its burnout weirdos. A deal will be made.”

“What kind of deal?”

“The kind where we can do what we want. You oughta join us. It’s a man’s world. We’ll all be kings.”

Gunnar scoffed as he took a swipe at the other man. “Kings who get gold and sixteen-year-old girls? Is that what Luke promised you? You sound delusional, just like Luke. If you were smart, you’d get off this train now.”

“It’s not just Luke. You have no idea how deep this goes.”

“That’s enough,” barked an all-too-familiar voice.

Sarah clutched at Ruth’s arm as they both swung around to see Luke stepping into the clearing, with about ten armed men behind him.

“Step back,” he told the man with the knife, who instantly obeyed. Gunnar slowly straightened from his fighting stance and faced the posse. Ruth’s heart clenched in fear for what they’d do to Gunnar. But Luke, his face grim, a day’s growth of beard on his jaw, simply nodded.

“Hello, Gunnar. Hello, Ruth and Sarah. You don’t have to worry, we’re not going to hurt you. You all have value.”

“Everyone has value,” Ruth said despite the fear beating a drumbeat through her blood.

“Don’t be absurd. Only some are able to contribute. We only have room for those who add value, not those who drag us down.” He swung his gaze to Gunnar. “But you have a choice to make, young man.”

“What about us? Don’t we have a choice?” Sarah burst out, even though Ruth was holding on to her arm so tightly she was probably numb by now.

Luke ignored her and kept his focus on Gunnar. “Your father has been a thorn in my side for more than two decades. I know he’s in Alaska. If you can find him and get him off my ass, I’ll let you stay in this new world we’re building. You’re a good mechanic. We could use you. You can marry Ruth, as I hear you want to do, and you can live a happy life.”

Gunnar stood so still that Ruth wondered if he’d even heard Luke. “You think I would abandon all my friends in Firelight Ridge?”

“They have a choice to make, too.” Luke shrugged indifferently. “Leave, or go along.”

“Or fight back.”

“There’s no option to fight back. There are too many of us. All communications are shut off, all routes in and out are under our control. No one in the rest of the world even knows what’s going on.” His stern expression cracked for a moment, letting out a sneering smile. “Gotta love this place. It’s so far out there, no one will even notice or care when it disappears from the maps.”

“What happens if I say no?” Gunnar asked.

“You can say no. I told you that you have a choice. If you say no, we’ll take you back to headquarters and keep you locked up until all this is over. Then maybe you’ll make a different choice.”

“Ruth,” Gunnar called to her, making her jump. “Do you want to weigh in on this?”

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