Page 123 of The Unlikely Pair
We have much to accomplish before nightfall.
We seamlessly divide the tasks between us. After forty-two days, we have become adept at working together.
“Good luck.” Toby gives me a hard kiss before we head in different directions.
“Stay safe,” I reply.
I watch for a moment as his curly head recedes into the forest, trying to swallow the lump in my throat.
Then, I set about completing my assigned tasks. Because I am definitely not going to be the one to let the team down.
As darkness starts to fall, I arrive back at the rocks to await Toby’s return.
I’m using the knife of the multitool to shave off the top of the stick I’m holding to a fine point.
Sharper.
Sharper.
I will go into this armed with a sharpened stick in my hand.
And if someone tries to harm Toby, I will be ready for them.
The feeling welling up inside me is frightening. I thought I was civilized, refined. But after forty-two days in the wilderness, I’m not. Apparently I’ve acquired feral tendencies from the wild animals we’ve been surrounded by.
Because I will use my bare hands to tear the fucking limbs off anyone who tries to harm Toby.
Someone approaches through the undergrowth, and I immediately raise my head, my heart rate increasing.
But it’s just Toby. Unscathed, unharmed, smiling.
Relief courses through me, and before I know what my legs are doing, I’ve stood and closed the distance between us, kissing him ardently.
Toby kisses me back with equal fervor.
“Is everything in place?” I murmur against his lips.
“All set,” he assures me.
I take a deep breath as I step back from Toby to focus on the last logistics we need to discuss.
It is going to be a long night.
We wait until night has fully descended before setting off down the hill.
The full moon is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because we don’t have any other light source, so the light shining from it makes it easier to navigate the now-familiar trails. But it also means we can’t use the cover of darkness to help our plan. We will have to be careful.
We creep cautiously closer to the clearing where we earlier discovered Kade and his two friends have set up camp.
Three small pup tents are clustered in a semicircle because our friendly terrorists obviously don’t understand the benefits of huddling together to stay warm.
The eerie light from the full moon casts a ghostly pallor over the scene.
One man is sitting on a stump, a gun propped up against the base. But as we watch him for a few minutes, it becomes glaringly apparent he’s nodded off.
“Should we be offended they don’t think we’re dangerous enough to need good sentries?” Toby’s breath is a whisper against my cheek.
“Feel free to complain afterward if necessary,” I whisper back.
