Chapter 34
Briana
What was I thinking? I never should’ve left Kade with the killer. If he’s dead, it’s on me.
Tears well as sunlight glares off windshields. Vacation homes and motels blur past, their signs flickering at the edges of my vision. Swallowing hard, I swipe my sleeve across my wet face and put the truck in park.
Toughen up, buttercup. There’ll be time to mourn later. Mumbles must die.
Kade stashed his S&R pack behind the driver’s seat, along with the drone. I drag both onto the grass and tear through his gear searching for the control app.
The notepad’s locked—of course. Probably password-protected. Another hurdle. Shit. The screen blinks at me. But… others on his team must use the drone too, right?
He’d make it memorable or—
I flip the tablet over.
No way.
Taped to the bottom?
S3arch@ndR3scu3
Yes!
In my head, I hear Kade’s voice: “Way to go, Flygirl.”
Soon, the hovercraft buzzes as it climbs into the clear blue sky. Once it disappears, I wipe the sweat from my brow. Next step—find a weapon. It doesn’t take long to find a pistol under the spare tire.
Ready.
Bootstrings tight, I shrug on his knapsack and climb like my life depends on it—because it does.
The thick canopy muffles my footsteps, my heartbeat, my breath. Halfway up the hill, a dart whizzes past and lodges in the tree.
Shit. How the hell did Carmine beat me here? I only stopped for a second.
I hit the dirt, inhale fresh pine needles, and crab-crawl into the thick pines.
A second dart pins my jacket to the ground—missing flesh by a millimeter.
Maybe, if he thinks he hit me, he’ll drop his guard.
Time to flip the script.
“Fuck! You said the game would start where we left off. Not fair. We’re not there yet.”
“New game, sweetheart.”
Wait—what? That voice. It’s not Mumbles… but familiar.
Think, Bree. Think.
Oh crap. State Trooper… whats-his-name?
Griffin?
Suddenly, everything clicks.
He’s the second hunter.
“It’s over, officer.” The thick vegetation swallows my voice.
Even yelling, I sound small. “Carmine gave himself up. He’s talking up a storm.”
The psycho lets out a low, cold laugh. “Good try. I left him and the sheriff dead. You’re the only loose end.”
“No, you are.” Yanking the pistol from my waistband, I fire, then sprint a few steps before fake-stumbling behind a thick oak.
“You’ll have to do better than that. Run.” He’s still laughing, but not for long.
Bang-ang-ang. A bullet echoes off the mountains and slams into the dirt near my foot. The next one rips across my bicep.
Shit. Kade did not die for nothing. This bastard is going down. Clutching my arm, I plunge deeper into the forest.
Cursing every step, branches snap as he crashes after me. Unlike Mumbles, Griffin doesn’t savor the hunt—he just wants me dead.
I drop behind a fallen trunk when the sound of his pursuit fades. On my knees, I rip open the sack. Wound pinched shut, I bite off the cap and seal the hole.
When I rise to my feet, I swat at an insect in my ear.
Wait. That’s no bee.
It’s the drone.
One-handed, I fumble open the control app. A single infrared figure glows on the screen—me.
As I zoom out, Griffin’s heat signature appears to the south. Two more shapes close in—probably hikers.
A gunshot cracks through the forest.
Seconds later, a sharp, terrified scream sends chills down my spine.
The madman pursuing me bellows, “Give yourself up or I kill her.”
Eyes locked on the screen, I move closer. “How’re you gonna explain this, Griffin?”
He chuckles. “Easy. You shot them.”
“Not this time. Forensics, pal. You’re screwed.” Voice steady, I drop to my belly and crawl toward their signals.
Tablet down. The drone overhead. Lying in a small gully, I assess the situation.
Griffin’s got a pale, trembling teenager locked to his chest. Her friend lies nearby, groaning—but still alive.
He’s too far away for a clean pistol shot.
Surrendering won’t save me. Or them.
It’ll just get us all killed.