Candy stepped back from the edge of the building and pulled her radio from her belt again. “Wally, they’re looking for Hatcher.”
“Fat lot of good that will do them. He’s long gone.”
Candy watched as the helicopter banked and began to swing back in her direction. “They don’t know that though.”
“What are you going to do, Candy?” Wally asked nervously. “We don’t know who these people are.”
“They know Hatcher is here. Well, that he was here.” She watched as the chopper slowly approached, its message growing louder than the chop of the blades. “I’m going to see if I can get their attention.”
“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea, Candy.” Wally waited for her to reply, then keyed the radio again. “Candy?” He turned and looked to Vicky who only shrugged, her eyes wide. “Candy!”
Chapter 5
“How do I know you aren’t just hiding him?” The tall military man stared at Candy, doing his best to intimidate her. She shifted her rifle on her hip and smirked.
“Why the hell would I have to hide Danny from the likes of you?” She cocked her head and gave him a sideways look. “You sure sound paranoid as hell for someone who’s just looking for the man.”
“Experience has told me when someone is being searched for, they’re usually going out of their way to not be found.” Hollis did his best to sneer at her. He was getting the distinct impression this woman would not be pressured. “I just need to grab the man long enough to escort me and my team back through Yellowstone.”
Candy snorted a laugh and shook her head at the man. “You’re so full of shit I can smell you from here.” She tapped her chest where her badge used to sit. “I was a cop long enough to know bullshit when I hear it, and my bullshit-o-meter just pegged out.”
Hollis sighed and slumped his shoulders. “Look lady, I’m not bullshitting you. We were sent on this mission by the president of the United States himself. We know that Daniel Hatcher hailed from this area and assumed he’d return here when things got…bad.”
“You mean when shit hit the fan, you figured he’d tuck tail and run home?”
“No, not at all. We just assumed he’d want to check on his family…why are we even having this discussion? Just hand him over, please. I need to speak with him.”
She cocked a brow. “And if he doesn’t want to talk to you?”
Hollis blew out a breath and shrugged. “Could you at least tell him we have scientists who are this close to finding a cure to this thing? The virus has mutated, and they need the original strain in order to find a working vaccine.” His features softened and he averted his eyes. “The only chance we have of getting in and out of that place is Daniel Hatcher.”
Candy read the man like a comic book. She knew he wasn’t lying. Once he dropped the false bravado and the intimidation techniques, she could tell he was being honest. Or, rather, there was at least a kernel of truth to his story.
The rifle that leaned on her hip had been pointed slightly in their direction. She slowly swung it to the side and nodded. “Okay. I buy your story.”
Hollis’ face brightened. “So, you’ll let us talk to him?”
Candy shrugged. “I would, but he’s not here. He left with some people who showed up here and—”
“Wait!” Hollis interrupted, his head swiveling to check the surrounding area. “He’s out there now? On foot?”
“No, they took a truck. A big military truck.”
“Son of a bitch!” Hollis made a motion with his hand and his team began loading up the helicopter again. “Which direction did they go?”
“North. Toward Colorado. They’re headed to some CDC place…” Candy trailed off as Hollis spun on his heel and jogged back toward the helicopter.
“Get us in the air! Now!” The chopper began spinning up the rotors as Hollis’ men loaded back inside.
Candy shielded her face from the dirt and debris that washed up toward her from the rotating blades. She debated on trying to get close enough to finish telling him why they had left, but she shook it off. If they found Hatcher, he could tell them. If this guy was really trying to find a cure, he’ll definitely be interested in the woman Hatcher was escorting.
Hatcher rolled the window down and hung his arm out. He continuously scanned the area ahead and to the sides as the truck pushed onward. Skeeter seemed to be clinging to Bren as the truck bounced along the highway. Hatcher tried not to notice the whispered talking between the two as he drove, but the tension was definitely building.
“Something you want to discuss?”
Skeeter turned to him and shook her head a little too quickly. “No, sir.”
Hatcher continued driving, his mind in a hundred other places when Skeeter finally turned to him and asked, “Why didn’t you tell me the Free Zone was a lie?”
Hatcher barely cast a glance her way before answering, “I thought you were old enough to know better.” He shrugged in a defeated manner. “I guess I didn’t realize how powerful hope was.”
Skeeter was unreadable as Hatcher continued driving. She nearly jumped out of her skin when Jason began banging on the cab of the truck. She heard him yell something, but couldn’t make out what it was.
Bren rolled down her window and Jason leaned toward the opening. “We got dust trails behind us. I think some of the folks from that ambush are following us.”
Hatcher tried to study the side mirror and read the roadway behind them. “I can’t make it out.” He dug in the door panel of the truck and withdrew a pair of binoculars. He held them out the window for Jason. “See if you can tell how many.”
Jason spun around and braced his back against the headache rack of the truck. He
