Senna nodded. “We do, true. But unless they’ve managed to place a tracker on the vehicle or someone tipped them off—and let’s be honest, we’ve played safe not telling anyone except Michael, Jonah, and Daniella—who would know? Even Clarissa wasn’t included in order to keep the information limited.”

  Sliding down into the seat, Senna nodded, sliding a pair of binoc-glasses on and scanning the surrounding areas.

  “Anything?”

  “Not a thing that I can see. The only thing that’s obscuring my view is the rubble of the buildings razed in the early days. Nothing else. No movement and no warm life signs.”

  “Good.” He punched the accelerator, welcoming the forces that pushed him back into the seat. “Once we’re in the open countryside, get some shut-eye. I’d like to get a couple of hours under the belt before we change over.”

  “You know, I was checking the maps again, and I’m sure I can find a quicker route. When we looked at the roads, we kept to the main highways, but even though this is a pretty heavy machine, I think some of the backroads would let us cut maybe another twelve to fifteen hours.”

  He considered her words. “Tell me more.”

  “Well, at Caningham the highway forks, and if we turn to the left, we’re on the old Cross-Country highway. We go north from there.”

  In his mind, he checked her calculations and impediments. “Towns?”

  “There’s a couple, so we can take breaks. They’re small enough that any children will be noticeable, particularly of the warrior kind.”

  “You’re pretty good at this strategy thing, aren’t you, Senna?”

  She colored at his words. “I like to plan. It’s like a game or a puzzle. I’ve always been good at them.”

  “I would never have guessed.”

  She laughed, and it intrigued him.

  “Where I grew up, I was looking for things to keep my mind active,” she continued. “This was the answer as far as I was concerned, and I spent hours reading, doing puzzles, and drawing.”

  “Drawing?”

  “Yeah. I guess that’s what made me so good with picking off clues. You could say I’ve been training my whole life. But what about you? You’re awesome with a rifle, and even though you tried to get yourself killed, which I might add gave me a heart attack, you’ve got mad fighting skills.”

  Now that did surprise him. “You were concerned?”

  Her face took on the look of a deer being stalked. He almost laughed at the way her eyes widened, and her mouth opened, shut, then opened again. “I… Yes! I was. I mean you’re a friend, or were, sort of.”

  “Sort of, huh?”

  But the teasing died away as she swallowed hard. “I saw what you did, Franklin. That night of the attack? It was both brave and foolish.” Tears glistened on her lashes, and she blinked rapidly. “You, uh, didn’t tell me about your skills though.”

  Staring at the road ahead, he inhaled. “There’s not really much to it. At school I showed an aptitude. My coach picked me out, trained me. When I left and joined the corps, I was shunted into a specialist advanced frontal assault unit for a while. They trained us well, then I slid sideways into the guards. Told me the added benefit would assist my charge to remain safe. The usual stuff.”

  His gut churned. He wanted to tell her everything, but would she turn away once she knew the full extent of his background?

  He cleared his throat and continued, because they couldn’t have any kind of relationship without honesty. “When you grow up like I did…” He licked his lips. “My father, I told you about him? Well, I spent as much time away from home as I could after my mother died. Took every advantage I could scrape together. The coach saw a scrapper and honed me. Gave me the entry I needed to escape the old man.”

  Senna stared at him as her hand reached out and touched his. The small act warmed him.

  “You made yourself the man you are, Franklin.” In her eyes he read not the pity he’d always expected but triumph. “Never be ashamed of that. You’ve already achieved more.”

  Uncomfortable with the intimacy of the moment, he pushed his mind back to the conversation they had been having. “With the rifle, I’ve always been interested in devices like them.” He stole a quick glance at her from the corner of his eyes, noting her tiny smile as if she understood what he was doing. “It’s not like I’m some weapon nut though. I trained on as many as I could during my time in the assault crew, learned how they work. How to repair them, because that understanding makes you a better marksman. Built a couple of my own.” His hand caressed the tiny pistol on his hip, his first and arguably the best one yet. “I’ll show you later, if you’d like.”

  His glance this time found her staring, mouth wide open. “You built a gun?”

  “A couple, but it’s my little one that’s still my fave. Fits my palm and built of plasti-carbon fiber. Holds only five bullets, but she’s true, small, and even better, waterproof.”

  “And you still put yourself down,” she murmured. “You’re a wizard, Franklin. An absolute wizard.”

  Two days passed, and Senna ached. The car that had seemed quite comfortable at the beginning of their mission now resembled a war zone. They’d only stopped for the necessary ablution breaks and to change over drivers. Food was consumed on the road and the wrappings discarded into a container, but the blanket they’d draped over themselves while sleeping during the day tangled into the headpiece of the seat.

  Drink containers filled the rear floor, mounded over their personal packs.

  Senna stretched as much as possible. “We must be close.” She yawned.

  Franklin rubbed at his red eyes. “Yeah. I checked the map on my last break and calculated the distance. I’d reckon in the next hour or two we should start to see signs of habitation.” He craned, looking between the trees, and Senna winced, jostled by the ruts in the dirt road. “I’m not surprised that some chose to come here though. It’s…” He seemed to search for the right word. “…calming.”

  “I know. It’s cool and dark, and I feel like I should be whispering. And that makes no sense, right?” She felt the smile stretching across her face. “I’ve not spent a lot of time out of the city except, you know, during the battle. This is totally different. Like being in another world.”

  “Yeah. I like it.”

  She couldn’t contain her nod. “Me too.”

  Silence stretched as they made their way up the road until a rumble grew.

  Senna leaned forward, peering. Itching settled between her shoulder blades, and she reached out, her hand sliding over his wrist. “Franklin? I think we should stop. Get off the roadway.”

  He grunted but pulled the vehicle off to the left, arrowing it between the trees until he was sure they were obscured from the roadway.

  “We need to clear the tire tracks,” he whispered, and she nodded her agreement. “Stay here, and keep an eye out.”

  She watched as he picked up a spy-ear and slid it in, then slid one into her own ear, ensuring they’d have the ability to communicate no matter the circumstances.

  Heart beating like a timpani, she waited, watching his movement, all the time aware he was keeping an eye up the road, as he rubbed at the tracks with a branch he’d snapped from a tree before retreating. It was just in time as a truck, loaded with warrior children, passed by, followed by a second and a third, but not before she spied David and Erin in the front of the second truck.

  Finger to the depression point, she spoke quietly. “We have to get them out.”

  “We can’t use the vehicle, they’ll hear it and see it.”

  Senna scratched her head. “The jet packs. Are they limited or long-range battery units?”

  His grin warmed her as he gazed through the window of the vehicle, opening it so she could step out. “Long-range.” He popped the back of the vehicle, and they unpacked what they needed, including several pieces of armament and skinsuits capable of repelling munitions. Senna stashed some sleeping gas balls into her pocket.

  “We’ll have to be quick,” she said, climbing into the skinsuit then sliding into the jetpack.

  A solar charger went into Franklin’s pocket, then assured they had everything they needed, they scurried to a clearing. Hands on the bars, they lifted off.

  They sailed just above the treetops, hunting for the road, then keeping it in sight as they trailed the trucks.

  The sun dipping below the horizon would assist in keeping their location from the view of any lookouts, but the trucks didn’t go far, simply turning off some fifteen minutes later into an abandoned quarry.

  Franklin and Senna set down about half a mile and moved in on foot, having discarded the jet packs. They noted the location though, unwilling to lose such valuable tools.

  “Looks like they’re setting up camp,” she whispered as they crouched on the perimeter.

  “Yeah, but where are David and Erin?” Two tents had been set up on the edge of the clearing as the children gathered around the fire.

  “I’m not sure, but we need to go in and get them. It doesn’t look like they’ve posted sentries. I’m quicker, and you’re better with a rifle, so give me cover. I’m going to try the smaller tent first.”

  “Senna—” His gaze clouded.

  She moved in, nearly whispering against his ear. “It makes sense, Franklin. They’ll have them in a separate area, and I’ll bet the big tent is the for the children. We’ve already seen they’re adroit at certain kinds of strategy but lacking in others. I’m willing to bet this is one of those times, looking at the way they’re sitting there.”

  Before he could say otherwise, she was off across the clearing. Senna kept her steps as light as she could, watching for rocks and stray sticks that might betray her if she stepped wrong, staying low, aware that every move made her more of a target.

  Reaching the canvas structure, she took a moment to calm her breathing. Slowly, she moved so she was able to peer through the flaps.

  With a trembling finger, Senna slid a flap to the side, widening the gap. David and Erin sat in the center of the tent and no one else appeared within.

  She listened, scanning for the sound of footsteps, but there weren’t any. Carefully, she rose, keeping an eye on the surroundings and moved within the tent.

  David raised his head, mouth open. He was bruised, a trail of dark, dried blood from the corner of his lip to his chin. Erin didn’t move.

  Senna raised a finger to her lips, reminding him to stay quiet as she shuffled forward.

  Reaching into her boot, she tugged out a knife and sliced through the knotted rope that tied him to the central pole before doing the same with Erin.

  She moved close enough that her cheek touched David’s. “Franklin is outside. We need to get out.”

  He nodded and scooped the unconscious Erin into his arms.

  At the flap, Senna carefully peered, and sighting no one, she indicated he should move into the woods and held up three fingers.

  One deep breath, then they dashed, silent and quick. “This way,” she whispered and led David to where Franklin, waited.

  “What happened?” Franklin demanded, and David grimaced.

  Before anything more could be said, Senna poked Franklin in the side. “Later.”

  David repositioned Erin over his shoulder. They ran as fast and quietly as they could, everyone aware they needed to put as much distance as possible between them and the children.

  Once they were back in the clearing where Franklin and Senna had stashed the jetpacks, Senna turned, and David lowered Erin to the ground. She checked the woman’s injuries, satisfied they weren’t, as far as she could tell, life-threatening.

  There wasn’t time for them to do more than catch a few minutes rest, and Senna demanded, “What the hell happened?”

  “They were waiting for us. We’d almost got to Homewoods when they appeared. They must have worked out where we were going, because they had a roadblock set up. We never made it. I still don’t know if Astrid and Jude are bringing reinforcements or found another way. But when they got us, they held us until they were joined by their illustrious leader. We’re half-right though. Lilly is a main player, but the head is her mother.”

  Senna blinked at David’s words. “I thought Senator Montaine’s wife was dead.”

  David’s laugh lacked any mirth. “She is and she isn’t. I don’t know when you saw us—”

  “We were about an hour or two out of Homewoods when the convoy passed us by.”

  David stared at her. “What?”

  “Three trucks. We followed you from not far out of Homewoods.”

  “We’d been on the road for several hours. So, they took us I thought toward their base south of here. Obviously not.” He closed his eyes. “Erin wasn’t caught straight away. She tried to get word to the reinforcements, but they caught her two days ago. They knew there were two of us, they’d been told we were together.”

  David ran an unsteady hand over his wife’s face. “They beat her in front of me, and there wasn’t any way I could help. They kept us in cells next to each other.” His voice broke, and when he looked at Senna, her heart quivered.

  “They’ll pay, David. But first we have to get out of here. Before they track us down. But Montaine’s wife. I need to know.”

  “The woman who is Montaine is a different body but the same person. They’re perfecting the process of the brain transplants. Taking someone who’s dying and transferring them into another body. Lilly spilled the truth when they were questioning me.”

  “God! We need to get back then. Tell Jonah and Daniella. What about the reinforcements? Are they still coming?”

  David shrugged. “I don’t know. We didn’t get that far.”

  “No, of course not.” She hesitated for a moment. “Is there another way back?”

  David nodded.

  “Good. We get to the vehicle and get out of here. We need to get back and see if Astrid and Jude’s people got out too.”

  Franklin and Senna picked up the jet packs, hefted them so they wouldn’t leave them behind, and David gathered up Erin again. “The vehicle is about a mile or so away. We need to move quick and stay away from the main road.”

  “We only crossed the road once, so if we head straight for it now, and wait for a break, we should be able to make our way through the forest. It’ll cut off some time if we go direct.”

  Senna considered Franklin’s words. Given David’s condition and that he was carrying Erin they would be slower. “Franklin, take Erin.”

  “No. I’ll take her,” hissed David.

  There wasn’t time to argue, so with a look at Franklin, brows narrowed and a worried look on his face, they headed out.

  Night fallen during the rescue and subsequent discussion of tactics. The dark was all encompassing, and they had to move much more slowly. Much as Senna wanted to rest, and knew David probably needed it, there wasn’t time. They set a brutal pace, and once across the road, they continued in a straight line in almost silence. The only noise that betrayed them was the crunch of leaves and sticks underfoot.

  Sometime later, David called a halt. “Water, do you have any?”

  Franklin took Erin while Senna extended the small canteen she pulled from her hip. “Let us help you, David.”

  He drank, throat moving with each swallow. “No. My responsibility.”

  “But you’re in no condition—” added Franklin.

  “She’s my wife.” David wiped his brow. “Look, I can’t explain it, but I carry her, okay?” The bravado melted away, and his voice quavered, “Senna, shouldn’t she have come around by now?”

  Senna had pondered that too. “The jostling won’t be helping, but I’ll take another look when we get to the vehicle. At this point we’re out of options. It’s probably something simple like a concussion.” The only thing was, as David had pointed out, the longer she was out, the worse the condition could likely be, and concussion was never simple. They all knew that.

  As David bent to pick his wife up again, Erin roused, “David? Where are we?” Erin’s voice was groggy, but the concern that had written itself over David’s face melted away.

  David screwed his face, tears dribbling down his cheeks. “Oh baby, I was so worried about you.”

  “My head hurts. Lots. And where are we? Is that Franklin and Senna?” She tried to shove up, but Senna crouched down and stilled her.

  “Let me take a quick look at you.” In her makeshift pack, she had a small torch, and she pulled it out and shined it in the woman’s eyes. Her pupils were dilated, but there was no sign of blood. “Stiffness, nausea?”

  “My stomach is a little uncertain, but I don’t remember much about how we got here.”

  Senna nodded. “Okay, David’s going to carry you. We need to get to the vehicle—”

  “But how did we get here in the middle of the forest? The last I remember is…”

  David swooped in and kissed her, and Senna looked away, uncomfortable with the caress between the couple.

  “We have to move, honey. I’ll explain once we’re safe.”

  The sound of movement had Senna’s head snapping up. “We have to move. Now!”

  It might be wildlife or the children. Whichever way, she didn’t want to see it, especially since they had two injured with them, making them more of a target. Senna hurried them on, Franklin at the front while she cleared the rear.

  Whatever the sound was, it didn’t follow, and they reached the vehicle with no further problems, although they were all breathing heavily from exhaustion. Erin was the worst, and after another quick check over, Senna dosed her with a light painkiller and water, theorizing it was better to do something than nothing at all.

  They rearranged the vehicle so Erin and David were in the back, the munitions in easy reach, and dumped the unimportant items into the forest. There wasn’t room, and they could be replaced, unlike the couple in the back seat.

  Franklin took up position as the driver while Senna and David worked out their route.

  An old, rough logging road wound in the direction they needed to go, so they headed that way. It was the dead of the night, and no one shared the old road. Within an hour, they’d reached the other side. At the highway, Franklin stopped the vehicle. “If we go that way, we might run into the children.”