“It’s done.” Dave jumped up from the ground.
Cam released a breath, turning to check on Dave, who was already packing. Cam refocused his binoculars.
Blood had blossomed on John Slains’ chest. He staggered a few steps and fell, not moving.
The blonde, who must be his wife, shouted and scooped the two smallest children into her arms once more. She yelled at the men losing their battle with the massive blaze now engulfing the house, the fire spreading across the roof. Glass shattered, and the fire roared as it gained momentum.
Shelby Slains’ shrill voice carried on the wind. “Save anything you can from inside the lower story. It’s all going up in flames.”
Several men tossed their buckets behind them and dashed inside. The rest concentrated their efforts on wetting the other buildings to keep them from catching alight from sparks.
Behind Cam, Dave had his rifle broken down and his tripod folded. He closed the case with a click. “Mission successful. Let’s go.”
“You okay?” said Cam, noting Dave’s pallor.
“That was the last time,” Dave said. “I’m retired.”
Cam clapped him on the back. He didn’t blame the other man for wanting to be finished. Even when it was justified, it must be difficult to carry the weight of someone’s death. “You earned it. Thank you for your service.”
They walked back to their vehicle and headed out. Behind them, thick smoke filled the sky, and flames leaped higher than the surrounding wall. If the Slains were lucky, they might keep the smaller buildings from burning. Despite his guilt about letting the fire burn unchecked, it felt like a victory. He wished Rod and Amanda hadn’t paid the ultimate price to save their children.
While Cam drove, heading back to xTerra at full speed, he couldn’t help but regret their mission had come to this. Both Rod and Amanda were dead, and their children parentless. In the long run, Cam didn’t know if their sacrifice outweighed the death of John Slains, but he hoped things would rebalance in the future and xTerra would have time to flourish and rebuild.
Thoughts of the future brought Lissa and her drive to the forefront of his mind. Cam hoped her drive to xTerra had gone smoothly. He swallowed the lump in his throat. He’d have to break the news to the children that both of their parents were dead.
Chapter 29: Lissa
Lissa glanced in the rearview mirror, the air squeezing from her lungs and her shoulders tight. She clutched the steering wheel in a death grip. The drive to xTerra was only an hour, and Cam had said there shouldn’t be any pursuit. He’d also plotted her several routes on a map. At first, they’d been lucky, but halfway to xTerra, a high-pitched whine became apparent, buzzing like a mosquito. She turned her head, trying to home in on the sound’s origin.
“On the left.” Little Rod shouted.
Two bounding dirt bikes appeared in the periphery of her vision. They weren’t on the road, but raced along in the nearby fields, jumping and catching air where they hit bumps. She lost sight of them as the road twisted and turned, hoping they would vanish. For a few minutes her mirrors showed nothing, but before long the bikes reappeared, running parallel to the road a few hundred yards away.
“Get on the floor,” she instructed the kids. Both complied without argument. She didn’t want to take chances if someone wasn’t just curious and shot.
Daisy, her eyes once more wide and fearful, remained calm. Lissa had to give her credit. Until her parents had moved, she would’ve had few rights and had to maintain a low-profile. The girl had grown up in a strange world—an odd combination ofsheltered and terror-filled. At least in xTerra, Daisy would grow up free of oppression.
“Who’s on the dirt bikes?” said Daisy.
“I’m not sure. I might be over-reacting.” Lissa glanced at Daisy, crouched on the floor of the passenger-side front seat. “Can you find me the fastest way back to the main highway?”
Daisy spread the map on the seat and traced the route with her finger. “Turn left at the next two junctions. That should put us on Route 471.”
“Hold on.” Lissa took the first left, the bikes still too close and gaining. They remained in her rear-view mirror at the second turn when she left the gravel road for the cracked pavement. She stepped on it, hoping to gain some ground despite the potholes and crumbling roadway. The bikes followed, continuing to run near but off-road. A couple of times, they detoured for gates and fences, but each time she hoped they were gone, she was disappointed.
So far, there had been no shooting.
She raced past the rock formation she’d scaled the night she was shot, the boulders seeming larger in daylight. “We’re almost there. When we stop at the gate, grab your stuff and run to the gate. Understand?”
Daisy nodded and worried at her lower lip.
“We don’t want to be shot.” Rod’s loud voice sounded excited. To him, this might seem like an adventure, but Lissa worried about getting there before being overtaken.
The SUV bumped off the pavement onto the maintained, smooth dirt and gravel of the final section. She didn’t slow her pace, the quiet land surrounding the road a blur of pale green and brown. A glance in the mirrors showed the two bikes, now farther back but on the road. Still following.
“Hold on.” She maintained speed until the last second, then slammed on the brakes. The SUV skidded, stopping just in front of the iron gate blocking the road. “Now.”
All three flung open their doors and ran for the gate. Her heart racing, Lissa carried her cat carrier while Daisy held the small suitcase Amanda had packed. Lissa grabbed Rod’s hand, making sure he kept up as they dashed toward safety.
