Disturbance

FORTY-NINE

I tucked the gun into one of the pockets of my parka and ran in a zigzagging motion, concentrating on not tripping or falling. I ran until I realized no one was chasing me or firing bullets at me.

I crouched behind a large pine, feeling the rough bark on my hands, and tried to catch my breath.

I knew I was far from home safe, but I could not prevent a sense of exhilaration from sweeping over me. I had defended myself. I had fought Nick Parrish, and taken his gun away from him. I had escaped their control. Now all I had to do was stay free.

And alive.

Time to better assess my situation.

I reached into the parka and took the gun out. It was a.22 semiautomatic. I checked and saw that there were only two bullets left. Better than no bullets. I put the magazine back in.

I was not all that comfortable with firearms. Frank was a marksman, but I hadn’t taken the time to do more than learn the basics. Still, I knew those basics, and if Frank managed only to drag me out to a range to practice twice a year, at least I knew I had two bullets and a gun that Parrish did not have.

In addition to the clothes on my back and the gun, I had half a dozen energy bars, a collapsible water bottle, and a survival blanket. A small mirror-which could be used as a signaling device. I peered into it, confirmed that I looked as if this was casual Friday at the insane asylum, and quickly put it away.

What I had thought was lip balm turned out to be a small container that had once held aspirin and was relabeled “water purification tablets, use 2, wait 15 m.” So I had food, a way to carry and purify water, and something to help me stay a little warmer and drier. I began to feel more hopeful about my odds. Plus, it was all very portable and didn’t add a lot of weight to the jacket.

The item that nearly made me weep was a pair of dry socks. I immediately sat down and changed into them.

I stood and checked another pocket, the flap of which felt a little lumpy, and made a major discovery-a book of matches tucked inside a small hidden space, a sewn-over hem that was just tacked down. They weren’t super-duper camping matches, but who cared? I wouldn’t be forced to test my ability to start a fire from two sticks. I felt along the bottom hem and found another of those lightly tacked places. I pulled at it and withdrew a long, thin cord that had a strong wire at its core. It took me a moment to realize what it was-a garrote.

I looked at that for a long moment. Not a defensive weapon, the garrote. A tool of self-preservation, perhaps. I wondered what Donovan-because without a doubt, he was the one who had prepared this walking survival kit for me-had had in mind. It didn’t take a lot of imagination. If I had a chance to kill Kai or Parrish in their sleep, this was designed to help me take it. I tucked it back into the parka.

I supposed there weren’t too many weapons he could risk hiding on me. For one thing, he had to make sure I didn’t accidentally hurt myself before I discovered them. For another, there would always be the risk that Parrish or Kai would search me. So as much as I might wish for a knife-for its usefulness as a tool in the outdoors more than as a weapon-I could understand why this might be the only weapon he thought could stay concealed.

On the downside, my shoes and the bottoms of my pant legs were still wet from the stream, which could cause problems, especially if it got much colder. I didn’t have shelter, but I might be able to manage with the survival blanket.

Oh, and I had just pissed off a couple of serial killers whose desire to kill me was the nicest thing they had on their Things to Do with Irene list.

Not to mention that I didn’t know exactly where I was. A consequence of running into the forest in a blind panic. That thought almost sent me into another one, until I realized that I could hear the stream. I could follow the stream toward the road, the road toward help.

I wondered where Donovan was. I thought of him telling me to have faith. I had such mixed emotions about him. I could not forget that he’d helped Parrish take me hostage. Yet from that point, he had taken many risks on my behalf. Actually, I realized, he must have planned to help me even in advance of kidnapping me. I couldn’t make sense of it. But right now, thanks to him, my chances of surviving had greatly increased.

I thought about the warm clothing and realized something else. Donovan had chosen a parka of a color that blended in with the forest, would provide some camouflage. His parka was the same color.

Parrish’s and Kai’s light-colored parkas, on the other hand, would be easier for me to see.

I needed to think more like Donovan, I decided. I figured out that I was overdue for a meal. If I was going to stay clearheaded and have enough energy to keep moving through the forest, I needed to eat. So I carefully opened an energy bar, saved the wrapper, and immediately realized that the damned thing was salty and made me feel thirsty. Okay, next stop would be the stream.

The trouble was, Parrish was a hunter, and water was an obvious place to wait for game. And going to the stream would also mean going back toward the cave, and possibly crossing paths with Parrish and Kai.

I couldn’t just hurry to the stream like a rabbit.

I took out the little mirror again, careful not to let it catch the light as I placed it on the ground. I reached down into the damp earth and scooped up a handful of dark soil and rubbed it on my face and hands, checking in the mirror to ensure I was well covered. Parrish had talked of having supplies in the cave, and they might include a pair of field glasses. I didn’t want to provide any reflective surfaces to catch his attention. When I was muddied up, I carefully put the mirror away again.

I needed to move differently through this forest than I had thus far. I had to be quieter and reduce any signs of my passage. I forced myself to be as still as possible, and to think through where I was headed next.

I felt a temptation to spy on Parrish and Kai. To stalk them, instead of being their prey. Wait for them to leave the cave and then raid its supplies. But the risks were too great that I would simply be delivering myself into their hands when what I needed was distance.

Frank would be coming for me. I knew that as surely as I knew anything. I needed to make it as easy as possible for him to find me and get me safely back home. Ideally, he’d have an army with him, and Donovan would get out, too.

I began heading toward the sound of the stream. I did not take a direct course. I moved carefully and walked as quietly as I could, thinking about every step, avoiding leaving footprints or an obvious trail of crushed leaves. I wondered what had become of Donovan.

I had no sooner thought this than I heard raised voices. Kai and Parrish. I could not make out the third voice, which wasn’t as loud, but I knew it must be Donovan’s. What if he was in danger? He might have come back for me, not knowing that I had escaped.

He would figure that out. If I could help him, I would, but in the meantime, I returned to my goal of a few minutes before: to get safely to the stream, then put more distance between me and Nick Parrish and Kai.

Suddenly I heard a faint but familiar sound: a helicopter. A big one, it seemed. My hopes soared. Should I start a signal fire? No. Parrish might see the flames first.

I needed to keep going.

I had taken no more than two steps when I heard their voices again. They were much nearer.

I froze, then very slowly crouched low to the ground. I made myself stay as still as possible.

Too close. They’re too close.

After a time, I realized that I couldn’t tell whether they’d come closer or veered away, because the wind was blowing harder through the trees. Birds were making one hell of a ruckus. There was less light.

Helicopter or no, Parrish and company or no-a storm was coming.

I tried to hear what they were saying. All I could tell for sure was that Donovan was definitely with them. I had a horrible feeling about that, more fear for him in that moment than for myself. He was, I thought, being taken to his execution. I had to do what I could to help him get away. But what? I strained to hear them and finally caught a glimpse of them moving through the trees.

I took out the gun.