“Right, but Virginia is beautiful,” Markowitz said. “I may be prejudiced, but we’re one of the most beautiful states in the Union, and we have mountains, rich valleys, seashore, you name it. History, architecture...”

  “Lots of snow right now,” Sharpton noted dryly.

  She waved a hand in the air. “A lot of people, who work day in and day out in Washington, D.C., like to get out to the countryside. That’s us—beautiful countryside. No, there aren’t many places out here. But another ten miles or so...anyone working in human-jam area needs to get away. I believe there are several influential men and women who have getaway homes out here. We all know fanatics—no matter what they’re fanatical about—can be dangerous. That’s what I’m thinking. I don’t believe a poor fellow—suffering nightmares from bombs exploding by him and bullets whizzing by his ears for twenty years—is out to hurt American civilians. Or that he blew up a road. It’s going to be my suggestion this incident should be taken very seriously.”

  “And,” Sharpton added quietly, “the state and feds get a group together to comb the forest before nightfall. Say what you will that rabbit needs to be rescued, not shot down.”

  “I agree. Most vets I know suffering different degrees of PTSD are ducking from the bullets—not trying to make anything fly or explode,” Brodie said.

  “If you have friends in the right place…” Markowitz said.

  “A road exploded. I guess we can call that a possible terrorist threat,” Brodie said. “Anyway, I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Might want to check out that hospital,” Markowitz said.

  “Elise,” Sharpton murmured wearily.

  “Well, doctors can be creepy—especially the ones who deal with mental illness, right? Don’t you have to be a little crazy yourself to help?” she asked.

  “Not sure about that!” Brodie said. “But what’s the deal with the white rabbit if you find him?”

  “We take him in. I guess the guys from the funny farm come and get him. Unless he’s done some kind of damage or hurt someone, we have to let them come and take him back. That’s where he’s being ‘treated,’” Sharpton said. “I would like to get him first, though. I think it’s...I think it’s ridiculous the hospital has sent out armed security men. Because he has a machete. Yeah, like their security men should need rifles against a crazed rabbit.”

  “I am hoping we find him first. At least that way, we can hear his story before he ends up back in the hospital’s care. Since he is now ‘armed and dangerous,’ the hospital has a right for its security people to carry arms when they’re searching for him. And to be fair, he is a combat vet who saw all kinds of action over many years.”

  “Well, here’s hoping there’s a happy end—and an answer—to all of this,” Brodie said.

  He thanked the two of them and turned to head back around the blown-out asphalt, glad he had parked some distance further west in the trees. It would give him a good excuse to slip back through the trees.

  He was anxious to get back to Kody and more than anxious to see her and the white rabbit safely back to Austin’s place, where he had more control than he did amidst a heavy forest. Bryan and Bruce would be there soon; and with them watching over all, he could pay a visit to the old asylum the Virginia Hansom Hospital.

  “Hey!” Markowitz called as he walked away.

  He turned back.

  “If we don’t see you again, Merry Christmas, or happy holidays, whatever they may be. And happy wedding!”

  “Thanks. And happy holidays to you, too!”

  ***

  From their vantage point, Kody and Captain Lynch could see anyone coming from any direction, but they couldn’t see the troopers or Brodie or hear anything that was being said.

  Brodie made a point of being visible as he approached them, but even as he did so, he made a motion that they should be silent.

  He slunk low as he neared them, tense, watching, listening.

  Still Kody jumped and nearly let out a squawk as they heard the sound of a shot.

  Thankfully she choked down any sound, and Brodie headed straight for them then. She thought the shot had been distant.

  These woods might well contain hunters, though Kody knew nothing at all about what people might hunt—presumably deer?—or what hunting season this might be, but she could tell by Brodie’s expression he didn’t think anyone was out hunting deer.

  He beckoned to them indicating the road to the west.

  He kept low.

  “Intelligence, soldier?” Lynch asked Brodie as he met with them.

  “We need to get to headquarters, sir, and regroup. They’ll be calling in other troops. It’s time to reconnoiter, sir.”

  Kody thought at first Captain Lynch was going to be belligerent and protest.

  “The dragon slayers are out there,” he said. “Maybe the Golden Dragon has been forewarned. If we can’t get to the dragon slayers, maybe we can get to the Golden Dragon ourselves and warn him about what’s going on.”

  “Yes, that would be an excellent plan, sir. But communications here are sketchy at best, sir. Back at headquarters, we have satellite communication that can help us find the Golden Dragon—and those who might help us stop the dragon slayers.”

  Captain Lynch frowned, blinking, as if trying to shake off an odd feeling.

  Brodie glanced quickly over at Kody, a slight twist to the angle of his head.

  She thought he was silently telling her, “See, they’ve had this poor bastard on something; he’s starting to come down now. We need to get him away—quickly.”

  “Sir, we need to get you to safety,” Kody said to Lynch. “I know you like being the commander in the field, taking fire right along with your men, but you’re also the one man with real knowledge about the Golden Dragon and the dragon slayers, and we need to get you to communications.”

  “We keep low,” Lynch said. “We have a vehicle?” he asked Brodie.

  “Yes, sir, we do. We all need to stay low and head west sir, skirting the road, making use of the trees.”

  Lynch nodded; he knew how to creep through a jungle, a desert, and a forest.

  Kody crept behind Brodie who had set an arm on Lynch’s back as they kept down and headed toward the car.

  She kept close to him, and asked softly, “What about the officers—troopers—on the road? Would he be safer with them?”

  He turned and looked at her, his expression troubled. He shook his head. “I’m not sure, but...I wonder if they even think I have Lynch—or that I will find him. They don’t like the security guys in the camouflage. They told me if they find him, they have to bring him into headquarters—and then the men in white get to take him from there. They’ll take him back. Kody, I don’t trust what’s going on, and I don’t think the troopers do, either. Anyway, he’s best with us for now. I’m afraid if the people who are supposed to be helping him reach him first, well…”

  “There will be no Christmas for Captain Lynch,” Kody said softly. “We need to get to the car. Let’s get him back to Austin’s place.” For a moment, she hesitated. “Brodie, should we bring him to Austin’s place? What if that puts him and Julia in danger?”

  “Austin grew up out here. He’d be highly insulted if you were to suggest he couldn’t take care of himself. And Julia...she was in the Marines. There’s no such thing as an ex-Marine, you know. We just have to get to Austin’s, and then find out what the hell is really going on.”

  She grimaced. “Yes, I agree. Absolutely. And preferably, before the wedding and Christmas!” she told him.

  Chapter 5

  Kody stepped into the back seat of Austin’s jeep leaving the front passenger’s side for the White Rabbit.

  Brodie had apparently decided that while the man might be suffering from something that seriously deranged his brain, the man was trustworthy. Of course, he had been a serviceman. Still, while citizens owed their servicemen and women the greatest thanks, it didn’t mean they were all sane or incapable of evil deeds.

  As they got into the vehicle, all he said to Captain Lynch about his machete was, “Captain, do me a favor—watch out for the upholstery. Government employees, you know. I can’t afford a redo on this jeep.”

  “Ah, yes, I will be most careful!” Lynch promised.

  During the ride, Captain Lynch kept an eye out on the terrain. Kody thought he was looking for the enemy at every turn, but the men in white camouflage wouldn’t be expecting their White Rabbit to be driving away.

  Brodie put a call through to Austin. Kody couldn’t know what Austin was saying in return, and she hoped he understood something of what going on because Brodie was keeping up the charade for Captain Lynch.

  “We have Captain Lynch with us, and we’re looking to reconnoiter and come up with a plan. Dragon slayers are out to kill the Golden Dragon.” Brodie said. “We’re not sure how and when he might be due out here, but I have talked with local authorities, saying nothing about the captain, lest they not understand the mission.” He nodded toward Lynch as he spoke.

  Austin evidently responded to him, and Brodie ended the call with, “Be there soon; over and out.”

  He glanced over at Captain Lynch again. “We have more soldiers at our command, sir. My brothers have arrived at our meet location.”

  “They made it through the road?” Lynch demanded, surprised.

  “They know this area. They skirted around the bad road, heading west first and then south.”

  “Good soldiers, knowing their terrain,” Lynch said with approval. He looked out the window again. Kody saw his face in side mirror; he looked perplexed.

  “Snow...how odd. Yes, of course, we’ve moved on; I have my troops in the mountains.” He glanced over at Brodie. “So much has been in such great, dry, blazing heat! But winter comes, and the mountains…”

  His voice trailed.

  Luckily, Brodie drove fast, and it wasn’t long before they arrived at Austin’s place.

  He’d kept the integrity of the original structure—reputed to have been built under specifications by Thomas Jefferson for one of his nieces. Way back when, it had been a small farm, working tavern, and inn.

  Kody had seen it once before. She wanted to be married, but a massive fairy-tale wedding hadn’t been something she’d dreamed of all her life. She was sometimes afraid that made her an odd duck, but when she had fallen in love with Brodie, all she cared about was she be with him. Then naturally, the concept of marriage came up. She’d met the almost-in-laws already, a charming couple who truly “haunted” their sons at the basic meaning of the word, and she enjoyed the ghostly pair—having more patience for Maeve’s dramatics than Brodie. Maeve wanted a wedding in a theater. But when Austin—an old friend of the family and all three boys—had stepped forward to offer the old tavern and inn before his reopening in January, it had seemed perfect.

  Just as great as Austin was his wife, Julia, who had been a medic with the marines and become an M.D. when she had left the service. She was capable and fun—and as casual about details as Kody was herself.

  The couple had conceived the idea of the wedding. Not a theater, but a place where the ceremony and the reception could be at the same place. Where the guests could stay on if they chose to do so, and where they could also spend a wonderful family Christmas—a great, feel-good occasion all around!

  But now...

  They were bringing Austin and Julia a large white rabbit who was really Captain Avery Lynch, who was on the run from someone while being on the hunt himself!

  Brodie brought the jeep around the drive and directly to the front of the inn and tavern—now greatly expanded from what it had been at its long-ago conception. They’d made sure the central building had been kept as it had been in those days long gone—broad wooden steps led up to a great porch with chairs and small tables so that the outside might be enjoyed. A large door led into the “tavern” area, where they had told her the old bar would be the check-in desk and the historic “pocket” doors to the right of the bar would lead into the restaurant and bar and the area where the great hearth and fireplace remained, too, just as they had been.

  Austin and Julia were on the porch when arrived along with Bryan and Bruce, Brodie’s older brothers.

  When Lynch exited the jeep, he surveyed them as any commander might assessing his new troops.

  “Captain Lynch,” Brodie said, introducing the man. “Austin and Julia Newton; they are sympathizers who have kindly offered us this headquarters. And, sir, my brothers, Bryan and Bruce McFadden, who will work with us on the mission.”

  “At ease!” Lynch said. He looked at Brodie. “Where do we meet?” he asked.

  “This way, Captain!” Austin called.

  The others stepped aside as Austin led Captain Lynch into the tavern along with Julia, a small but wiry blonde filled with energy.

  Brodie hung back, as did Bryan and Bruce. Trusting in their friends, Kody stayed with the McFadden men.

  Brodie explained to his brothers, “He has acknowledged he is Captain Lynch, but apparently he believes dragon slayers are out there. He says the dragon slayers caused the road to explode because they are trying to kill the Golden Dragon. The first dispatch made it sound as if there was just a crazy man running around who needed to be apprehended quickly. I think there’s a lot more to this.”

  “If you think there is, I’m assuming there must be,” Bryan said.

  “Thank you...thank you, both,” Brodie said, addressing his brothers.

  “Hey, we’re just here twenty-four hours early,” Bruce said, “and on the bright side, this is all happening today and not Christmas Eve. Kody, you okay?”

  “Yes, I’m fine—just concerned for Captain Lynch—and the Golden Dragon,” she said. “You should have seen the men in the white camouflage. They looked like they were on a military detail in Siberia, and I...I didn’t get the feeling they meant to take him alive. I think he knows something, or he overheard something, and the Golden Dragon is...I don’t know. Maybe someone they intend to assassinate. Does anyone have any idea of who he might be?”

  “No, but we’re going to find out,” Bryan said with grim determination.

  The brothers were an impressive lot. Maeve had been a good five-foot-eight and Hamish tall in life, six-three or so. Each of the brothers stood a good inch over that. Bryan and Brodie had very dark hair; Bruce’s was tinged with red. Bryan seemed to have facets of blue, green, and brown in his eyes; Bruce’s were blue-green with a gray cast, and Brodie’s eyes were a dark blue. Maeve had told her they squabbled as children, as children were wont to do. But as adults, they had each chosen law enforcement in their own way. Bryan had been a cop, Bruce had been a Marine, and Brodie had gone into the U.S. Army. They had then gotten P.I. licenses, and until the offer from the Krewe of Hunters had come to them all, they had been about to form their own agency.

  They would always be there for each other.

  “I want to get over to that hospital. They didn’t say it was a questionable place in so many words—well in a way they did—but I don’t think the troopers who arrived at the site where the road exploded think much of the hospital. Nor did they think much of the ‘security’ personnel sent out by the hospital. But then, as Kody described, you get my meaning. Oh, the troopers said if they brought him in, unless he’d seriously hurt someone, he’d be released back to the hospital right away. I don’t think we can let that happen.”

  “Everyone is going to have their opinion on an institution that deals with mental disabilities,” Bruce said. “This may be...it may be drugs. Well, I think the captain was probably given some kind of drug. Julia should be able to help where his physical and mental state come in.”

  “I’d like to get out there—to the asylum, but I’m afraid of leaving Captain Lynch, when he thinks I’m his top aide.”

  “You don’t need to worry about that,” Bryan said.

  “Oh?”

  “Julia, again. We’ve been talking. She is an M.D.”

  “And?” Kody asked anxiously.

  “I believe he’s having tea right now,” Bryan said. “Nighty-night-tea. Lots of water to wash out any hallucinogenic that might have been given to him and a mild sleep aid. He’s been on the run for hours now, so hopefully, whatever he’s taken will already be wearing off.”

  “I think it is beginning to wear off. He was confused by the snow, and then figured he had his troops in the mountains,” Brodie said.

  Julie appeared at the door to the tavern. “Gentlemen, he’s already out!” she said, looking at the group of them. “We have him upstairs in the first bedroom. I believe he’ll sleep soundly for a few hours and then...well, we have taken the precaution of getting rid of the machete.”

  “I’m gone then,” Brodie said. He hesitated. “I’ll be claiming the FBI sent me—”

  “No problem. Jackson Crow is in on it all. You’re cleared. But I think I’ll go with you,” Bryan said.

  “And I’ll head up the ‘troops’ here,” Bruce added, “just in case men in white camouflage suits come around looking for trouble.”

  “I’ll get my computer to see what I can find, and sit with the captain,” Kody told them.

  “All right then,” Brodie said, “we’ll get on it.”

  He paused. He didn’t say anything. He caught Kody by the shoulders and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. His eyes lingered a minute, searching out hers.

  “Hey, I’m good!” she told him. “After all, he is my white rabbit. I found him.”

  “Yeah, he’s your white rabbit,” Brodie said.

  Bryan followed his younger brother out to the car and called out over his shoulder to Kody.

  “Hey, Kody—great way to throw a wedding!”

  She grinned and watched them go.

  ***

  “Do you remember coming out here when we were kids?” Bryan asked as they drove to the asylum. “I remember Dad being furious one day when he found us exploring the old halls.”

  “Yeah, I remember,” Brodie said. “You two were a bit older. I was scared, but I didn’t want you guys to know. It was supposed to be haunted and it was creepy as hell. Everything had been painted that sick shade of green. No one had been in it in decades —except for kids—and it still seemed to have a horrible smell. I remember the stuffing coming out of the walls in the padded cells, and all the bars where they kept the patients...it was creepy. Horrible. Made me aware all hospitals—for veterans, for mental patients, for anyone—needed to be decently funded.”