Jared remembered Bart teaching him how if someone thought they were being followed, they could set up an ambush and wait for their pursuers to walk right into their sights. Hell, Jared thought. This method worked just the day prior.
“We need to get back to John.” Stephani panted as they ran.
“No, we can’t just lead these guys back there. We could end up getting one of them killed. We need to get close, then signal them somehow.” Jared kept running, his pace flattening off slightly as he spoke to Stephani. “I know there are at least three, maybe more, I don’t know for sure.” His mouth was dry and in need of a drink it would not be getting anytime soon.
Half a block up the street, Jared turned to his left and dogged it down a new street. As far as he could tell, their fence-jumping maneuver had placed all three of the pursuers to their rear, which was better than having them in a position to flank him and Stephani. Jared was scared, but the adrenaline was dulling the fear just enough to allow him rational decision-making abilities based on things he’d learned over the past three tumultuous months.
Jared made several more turns as he wound his way back in the general direction of Solar Green. He knew the business was on a major street that lay to their left, so he continually moved forward and slightly left as he jogged through the deserted streets of San Jose. As they drew nearer Solar Green, Jared came upon the street the business was on. He immediately veered off on a side street, remaining off the main street as his mind raced for an answer on how to contact John without leading their pursuers back to Solar Green.
The idea hit Jared like a sledgehammer, almost causing him to exclaim out loud. He hoped John would understand what he was about to do. Back when their small party had been attacked the day prior, the attackers used whistles to communicate. One whistle was meant to identify a persons’ exact location, while three whistles summoned another party. Jared turned back toward the main street and, when he reached it, turned in the direction of Solar Green. When he was three blocks out, Jared gave three sharp whistles before turning right on the next side street.
No return whistle came as he and Stephani chugged along the side street for a block before turning left to parallel the main road. Jared knew his assailants would also hear the whistle and begin to close on his position, but if he could get John up and running, this would greatly increase his odds of making it through this ordeal alive. Jared gave three more shrill whistles and kept moving as his ears waited for a return on his whistle investment.
No one whistled back, which threatened to push Jared’s panic button as he moved along a portion of the road he guessed was nearly directly to the rear of Solar Green. Jared was becoming desperate as no return whistles came, and began to formulate an alternate plan to possibly save Stephani. He could have her hide while he led their pursuers away—if she agreed. Jared held serious doubts Stephani would cooperate with his alternate plan and knew they didn’t have time to quarrel about it. Jared’s mind wandered for a moment, trying to sort out what could have become of their Solar Green party. Had they simply left when Jared didn’t return the night before? Jared wondered worriedly.
He didn’t have the answers, but the thought brought forth the realization he and Stephani hadn’t slept in nearly twenty-four hours. Jared wasn’t sure he could keep going at this pace and was even more fearful of Stephani’s physical condition. The woman had recently spent the better part of a month chained to a wall with zero exercise, and now he was asking her to run what was quickly amounting to a 5K. His only saving grace was the fact that the two had partaken in a spectacular dinner just a few hours before, giving them the much-needed nutrients for a long-distance run loaded with packs and weapons.
Jared was about to give three additional whistles before heading towards the ranch house when, to his delight, one crisp whistle rang out like a heavenly trumpet. Jared instantly shot a glance over his shoulder, where he saw Stephani mouth an exhausted smile of relief. He mouthed back the word yes, then blew three more loud whistles and kept moving away from John and the rest of their friends. Jared and Stephani ran another block before Jared blew three more sharp blasts from his lips. A single blast rewarded his three and seemed to be coming from their right now when Solar Green was on their left.
As Jared continued moving forward, he wondered what John was up to. Every half block or so, Jared would send John three loud signals and keep moving. He felt himself slowing and was starting to worry about Stephani even more, when he realized she looked in better shape than he felt. Her face was flushed with fear, but to her credit, Stephani hadn’t lagged back even half a step. As he was giving the woman a quick study, Jared heard John blast out three whistles of his own.
Jared frowned at Stephani as they ran, slowing his pace even more. What is John up to? he wondered inwardly. Jared was nearly half a mile past Solar Green by this time, with John’s signals coming approximately a quarter mile to his rear and south maybe an eighth mile; then it hit him.
Jared reached back and grabbed Stephani by the hand, pulling her up
