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“Shit,” he muttered.
Looking down at his ankles, he realized they were wrapped in thorn- covered vines, twisting and winding around his ankles. Panicking, he tried to pull the vines from his legs, only cutting his hands.
“Roman,” said DJ, looking at his own ankles. “What is this? What the hell is happening?”
The two men tried to call out for help, but Frank, Tommy, and Rusty must not have heard them. Even the kids didn’t turn around. The vines continued to twist and turn up their legs, around their torso, and then their hands, binding them together in bloody thorn-covered strands.
“What the hell?” said Roman, panicked. Suddenly, the two men were surrounded by more than two dozen beautiful women.
“What in the world?” whispered DJ.
“You two like stealing little boys?” growled Nat, her fingers throwing sparks and flames toward the men.
“Stop! Stop! N-no, we didn’t want to take them. It was Frank and Tommy.”
“Where are they going?” asked Kari. The two men just stared at the women, squirming in pain from the vines.
“My friend won’t ask you again,” said Mary. “Where are they going?” She pulled the pistol from her backpack, cocking the hammer, ready to fire if needed.
“The caves. They’re taking them to the caves. They stashed some money there after they robbed an armored car. The kids were insurance for them.” Marie looked at the other women and nodded.
“Hannah, Sara, Lissa, Ro, and Jenna. Run back down the trail and get the guys. Tell them where we’re going and that we will not turn back until we find those boys. We know they’ll be pissed, but they’ll find these two right here.”
The women nodded, jogging back down the trail, toward camp.
“Tory and Alexandra, you stay with me so we can be sure these two idiots don’t get away. Ivy? These will hold?” asked Mary.
“They’re not going anywhere,” she nodded.
“Good. The rest of you. Go get those kids. You know what we have here,” she said, looking at Nat, Valentina, and the other amazing women. “Be careful.”
“Let’s go,” said Erin. “I want to get those kids back to their families safely and make sure no one is hurt. If my husband kills me, it’s going to be for a very good reason.”
“You’re crazy,” said DJ. “You’re all crazy. Didn’t you hear me? Those men are killers and don’t care who you are. Those men will kill you and those kids. They won’t care. They’re nuts!”
“Good news,” smirked Lena. “So are we.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Hannah, Sara, Lissa, Ro, and Jenna ran back down the path toward the campsite and could see the cloud of dust and anger running toward them. Wilson ran ahead, gripping his wife and hugging her, then pulling back ready to yell.
“Do not yell at me,” she said. “Just listen. Five escaped convicts took those boy scouts and are headed to the ridge with all the caves.”
“We know,” said Gaspar, frowning at them. “Mama and Ruby told us about the convicts, and the scout leader told us of the boys. Where are the others?”
“Tory, Alexandra, and Mary are guarding two of the men.” They all stared at them, open-mouthed. “Ivy was able to wrap them up in thorny vines, tying their legs and arms together. They’re both non-violent criminals, and Mary has a gun.” Angel smirked, nodding.
“That’s my girl.”
“Believe me, no one wants to screw with Alexandra or Tory either. The others are following the three escapees and the kids. Ashley put a sound barrier over them so that the convicts won’t hear them coming, and if the dogs bark, they can’t hear it. We didn’t set the dogs on them, concerned that they would get killed or hurt one of the children.
“The plan is to follow them to whatever cave they are headed into, get the kids, and then the men. Inside one of those caves is money they stole from an armored truck, years ago.”
Ghost looked at the women, then back at the rest of the men.
“Anything else we need to know?” he smirked.
“Nope. Just don’t be angry. We thought we’d watch the sunrise, and that’s how we saw the kids being taken.”
