Relieved, I went back to the cave to keep aneye on Sara. It was always possible that, left to her own devices,she would try something stupid. I’ve never known anyone who couldhold a grudge like she could.
When I got back, it was to see Sara kneelingover my body with a wet rag, trying to get some water into my mouthone drop at a time. It was rather touching actually, like a motherbird with a new chick. She kept it up for about an hour beforecrawling back to the entrance and resuming her post.
It was uncanny seeing how long she could laythere without moving. I had thought her story about the enemysniper in Afghanistan was an exaggeration, but I no longer doubtedher. For someone with such a volatile temper, she could also showincredible patience.
It was far more patience than I had. Itchingfor something to do, I decided to see if I could locate anyone elsein the hills. The two people watching around the pool were still inplace, so I passed them with little more than a glance. I sweptback and forth down the ridge but found nobody else in our area.Wanting to know how far I could go, I started down the stream path,zigzagging over both sides as I went along.
I made it almost all the way down to my housebefore I found anyone. There, in the trees on each side of the pathwere some of Sid’s men. Slowing down to ensure that I didn’t missanything, I circled my house at the tree line to check forothers.
Two of them were watching the road leading upto my house. Continuing, I saw another pair watching the road fromthe other side. I finished the circle around my yard withoutfinding anyone else, so I went to check inside.
There was a man sitting in my kitchendrinking coffee and holding a two way radio. A quick check in mybedroom showed two wounded men lying on my bed, being tended by athird. Scouting out the rest of my house only revealed one more:Sid was resting in the guest bedroom!
Going by the numbers that Sara had guessed,if she was right, then everyone was accounted for. She should knowabout this so she can formulate a plan. Immediately after thinkingthat, I found myself back inside the cave floating over my supinebody. I guess it’s true when they say that you learn something newevery day. I had just learned a new facet of this odd ability.
Firming up my resolve, I braced for the painand rejoined my spirit to my body. I awoke with a ragged gasp.
Hearing my gasp, Sara crawled quickly back tome. “Hey girl, how’s tricks?” Without waiting for an answer sheshuffled behind my head and propped up my head in her lap. “Havesome water, you’re probably parched. Make sure you drink slowlythough.”
She only allowed me a small sip at a time,but each one was like a blast of nectar to my mouth and throat.Feeling much better, I whispered “thanks.” She helped me to sit upfully and gave me the water bottle so I could drink as needed. Itook a few more sips and started into my tale of what happenedsince the explosion.
“So the bastard set up his command camp inyour own home?” she asked indignantly.
Nodding, I replied “Yup. I think whatoffended me most was the fact that he put two people who shot myhouse up in my own bed.”
“He’s got balls, I’ll give him that.”
“What do you think we should do?” I asked.“Should we wait for Mark to come back?”
“That depends. If Mark were to come straightback to the cave, then all will be good. However, if he tries tobring help back to the house, he’ll be leading them into a meatgrinder.”
“Ok – yeah, that would be bad,” I agreed.
“I suppose I should ask how you’re doingfirst. Do you feel up to venturing out? Is your mumbo jumbo up tothe challenge of getting us out of here and engaging theenemy?”
“Well, by waiting so long in spirit form theworst of my headache has passed, but it’s still fairly bad. Notknowing what Mark and Carl will do has me worried though. If I hadto make a guess, I would say that Mark would come here to the cavesince he was worried about me. Carl would probably bring people tothe house for proof that the attack was real, at the veryleast.”
“Both could be dangerous plans. They got outof here easily enough, but coming back he might be spotted. If Sidwent so far as to set up in your house, then it’s entirely possiblethat he would attack Carl if he came with only one or two people. Ithink that we need to go on the offensive if we want to ensuretheir safety.”
“I don’t think I could kill anyone,” I saidwith a shudder.
“I’m sure we can do this without extremeviolence. I’ve been thinking for a long time now on how to use yourability in all kinds of offensive ways, and some of them arenon-lethal.”
“Alright, if you give me a little time togather my strength then I’ll do my part. Besides – you’re not theonly one who would like to see a little payback.”
Grinning evilly she said, “Payback is abitch, and the bastard will soon know how true that is.”
Chapter 24
Mark: Arrested Development
“You’ve got it all wrong,” I said for thetwelfth time. “It wasn’t like you think.”
Hearing no reply to my protestations, Islumped against the bars of our small town jail. They had simplyshaken their heads at our tale of the siege and proceeded to lockus up with the drunks and crazies that were rounded up last night.The deputy who arrested us thought that we were homeless driftersmaking our way from town to town, robbing
