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“Now, if they want to leave, we’ll get them out of here. But I seriously doubt if you’ll get them to move. And I damn sure don’t intend to try.”
The four men nodded.
“Alright,” said Grace. “We know that you’re Peter and you’re Saul. Who are you two?”
“Chevy Moore. This is my partner, Kip Boggs.”
“Got it,” said Bull, looking at the others. “Again, I’m Bull, that’s Angel, Gabe, Nash, Bryce, Vince, Baptiste, and Luc. The two men in the tent with all the electronics are Code and Sly.”
“I’m surprised they can get anything to work out here,” said Peter. “The iron in the rocks and mountain causes things to go haywire sometimes. We typically rely on just two-way radios. Everything else doesn’t seem to work.”
“Well,” smirked Luc. “That’s why they’re the experts.”
“Dinner’s ready, boys. Y’all go wash up and come on back,” said Ruby.
“What are we having tonight, Miss Ruby?” asked Bryce.
“Jambalaya, peach cobbler on the open fire, and green beans cooked in fresh spring water and bacon grease.”
“Damn. Do y’all eat like that all the time?” asked Chevy. Gabe laughed, nodding.
“Every day, brother. Every day.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Tommy glared at the little boys lying on the dirt floor of the canyon. He had to admit, they were tough little bastards. Not one of them had cried or tried to run. He was almost angry about that. He needed some shooting practice.
Instead, the kids were unbelievably cooperative and did everything they asked. Two of them had even caught several fish in the stream, allowing them to have dinner.
“Put the fire out,” said Frank.
“It’s gonna get cold tonight,” said Rusty. “The kids will freeze.”
“Not my fucking problem,” said Frank. “I could give a shit if one or two of them die.”
Rusty said nothing, staring at the frightened faces of the kids. He cupped a handful of sand and tossed it on the fire.
“Sorry, kid,” he said to the boy closest to him.
“It’s okay, mister. We’ll be okay.” Rusty had to admit they were some damn brave kids.
When they felt certain they weren’t being followed, Tommy found a rocky ledge that they could hide beneath, just in case of rain. It was only a hundred feet or so from the stream, allowing them to get fresh water and for the boys to catch the fish.
In the distance, Rusty saw flashes of lightning and felt his gut tighten. If it rained, the stream would swell, and they could all be caught in a flash flood. As the boys fell asleep one by one, he watched the skies, praying it would hold off a little longer.
Tommy and Frank were whispering among themselves, making plans for when they found their cave and their money. They looked back at Rusty, thunder filling the cavernous space around them.
“Stay here,” said Frank. “We’re gonna see what’s up ahead.”
“Frank, the rain will make the river swell, and we might all be trapped. Let me get these kids out of here,” said Rusty.
“Don’t fucking move, you coward,” he growled, waving the gun at him.
Rusty only nodded, watching as the two men walked off into the darkness. It seemed they were no sooner out of sight than the rain came tumbling down.
Rusty watched the stream become higher and higher until it was a river, raging with ferocity through the canyon.
“Hey, mister,” whispered one of the little boys, “we gotta get out of here. That’s gonna get higher than us fast.”
