“I’m not in on it, if that’s what you’re wondering,” he said sourly. “But just a guess? Sensei decided to try his hand at war games.”
“That was my guess too,” Rand agreed. “It’s bugged me that Norton didn’t come along on this trip. I don’t think he’s missed before. And with Mac here? But war games? That I can see.”
“With live ammo?” Mac asked. “That goes beyond war games. And we don’t dare shoot back.”
“Why the hell not?” Craig demanded. Rand didn’t say anything, but Mac could see understanding grow in his expression.
“Because then we’ve fired on a law officer, and they would have the right to respond,” Mac said. “Justifiable homicide, no questions asked. Well maybe some questions. But we’d be dead. And they would walk.”
Rand was nodding. Craig looked at the two of them. “Well, shit,” he said.
“Someone needs to go after the one group,” Rand said. “I don’t think it should be me. Ken’s going to come rolling in here pissed as hell and demanding answers. Best there be someone he knows to give answers.”
Mac nodded. He looked at Craig. “Craig, you need to be here too,” he said slowly. “I don’t trust your customers worth a shit. And they won’t listen to me without your backup. So, I need to go. Problem is I can navigate using a compass, no problem, but this is not the country I know well to navigate through.”
“So, I need to go with you,” Angie said. Mac hadn’t even heard her come up. “I know the terrain. I know how to navigate with the compass. And to be honest? I would feel safer being with you.”
Mac considered her for a moment. His first instinct was hell no. He wanted her safe. And what he was going to do wasn’t safe. But her last sentence made him reconsider. He could keep her safe — at least safer than she’d be back here without him.
He sighed. “OK,” he said. “The two of us go. Give me that backpack, Craig. I may need the med kit, and all those nice emergency supplies you’re carrying. And you might have Rand here take a look at Scott and Ben. Rand, do you have the coordinates list those two guys went out with?”
Rand nodded. “I have copies of all the lists,” he said. “And I’ll fix you two some sandwiches.”
Mac sat down at a table, and closed his eyes. He was tired. It had been a hard day already. It was approaching 4 p.m. and neither of the other teams had made it back. That wasn’t good. He thought Rand’s analysis was good. Ken could handle things. The younger leaders might need some help.
“Here,” Angie said, and handed him a sandwich. He took it, smiled his thanks, and ate methodically. It didn’t matter what it was, he would need the fuel. When he was done with it, he drank a bottle of water. He rolled his shoulders. They hurt from carrying that stretcher out. Scott wasn’t a large man, but even 180 pounds started feeling pretty heavy after two hours.
And let’s face it, it had been eight years — maybe 10 — since he’d had to do something like this. Not even last fall’s assault on Jehovah’s Valley had been as grueling as this. He could do it, he thought. He had no choice. But damn.
He looked at Angie. She was showing the strain too, he thought. Her eyes had dark circles under them. There were strain lines around her mouth. “How are you doing?” he asked. “Really. How are you?”
She considered that. “Tired,” she admitted. “The hike this morning, and I walked it almost twice getting photos. Then the shooting. I didn’t do much, but I’m not used to holding an eight-pound rifle and my shoulder hurts. More photography. And then the last three hours of hiking. So yeah, I’m tired. But I’m going with you, Mac. I can help. And the idea of being left behind makes me sick to my stomach.”
Mac nodded. “Rand would protect you,” he said quietly. “And Craig too, I think. Ken as well. But yeah, I’ll feel better if you’re with me. And you’re right. You’re more comfortable with the terrain than I am.”
“So, I navigate. You scout and protect,” she summarized.
Craig handed Mac his backpack. “I feel like I should go,” he muttered. “But I can’t argue with your logic.”
Mac grinned at him. “If Ken isn’t back by the time I get back, someone has to go out,” he said. “You can be the hero for that one. And in the dark, too.”
“Gee thanks,” Craig said with a laugh. He sobered. “Truly, Mac, I had nothing to do with this.”
Mac nodded. He believed him, he thought. “Do you know who Sensei is?”
Craig shook his head. “I only know the online version.”
“What about MLK4whites?”
Craig rolled his eyes. “I’m pretty sure that’s Norton,” he admitted. “But to be honest? It could be Malloy. If so, he’s in closer contact with Norton than he admits.”
“One last question,” Mac said slowly, watching the man carefully. “Rangers found a dead hiker two weeks ago — after your last weekend trip. It looked to me like he’d been hunted. Head ranger said he wasn’t the first. Have you been re-enacting the Most Dangerous Game out here? One of the men who went berserk told his wife he was ‘blooded now’ and he was ready for the call when SHTF. You know anything about that?”
Craig hesitated. “Not me, not my gig,” he said finally. “But, I usually take the first group out on Sundays, those who need to get back. Malloy stays back with a few who want a bit more target practice. Ken packs up the camp and brings his crew out, and Malloy follows.”
“And you’re wondering what kind of target Malloy might be using?” Mac asked.
He shrugged. “It doesn’t seem likely, Mac. Not really. Malloy’s in this for money, and he makes that down at his range. Not up here shooting hikers.”
“Some of
