The Vanishing Gary Brown (booksvooks TXT) 📖

“Not long. They’re on the move. So are we.”

“Consider us in the air,” Pike replied.

64

REISA OPENED THE creaky cabin door and peered out into the rain-soaked forest. Water fell from the trees, smacked loudly on the rickety wooden verandah, pooled on the path, and drowned out the peaceful silence of the night.

He looked back. Sky was shivering.

“You cold?”

“Freezing,” she replied, her arms wrapped around Blessing. The little girl sat in her lap and played happily with her doll.

“Sorry I can’t make the place more comfortable,” Reisa said. “I can’t risk starting a fire. No one’s supposed to be here. The smell of the smoke would be a sure-fire giveaway where we are. Anyway, Virgil should be here any minute. Then we’ll decide whether to stay or go.”

“I know,” Sky replied. “Thank you for helping us, Reisa. Virgil should think himself lucky to have a friend like you.”

Reisa shrugged. “I gave him my word I’d keep you both safe, and that’s exactly what I intend to do. Besides, there ain’t nothin’ he wouldn’t do for me. Just try to stay as warm as you can. We’ll be out of here soon.” He looked at Blessing as she talked quietly to her doll.

“How’re you doin’, sweetheart?”

“Fine,” Blessing replied. She stroked the doll’s hair. “But Miss Emily’s getting a cold.”

“Really?”

“Yup. She’s got the sniffles. And she’s been coughing a lot, too.”

Reisa played along. “Well, you tell Miss Emily to keep herself wrapped up tight in her blanket. As soon as daddy gets here, we’ll take you both someplace nice and warm. She’ll be feeling better before you know it. Okay?”

“I guess,” Blessing hesitated. “Where is daddy, Uncle Reisa?”

Reisa heard branches snapping on the path. Someone was coming.

“Sounds like him right now, honey,” Reisa said. He turned to Sky. “I’m gonna go see if he needs help. You two stay put. Don’t open this door until I get back. Understand?”

Sky nodded. “Be careful, Reisa.”

“Nothin’ to worry about. I’ll be fine.” Reisa pulled his collar tightly around his neck, stepped outside, and shut the door behind him.

A stiff wind blew down from the mountain and through the trees as Reisa walked down the path. The chilly night air passed through his jeans and made him shiver. The cabin was too damp and cold for Sky and Blessing. They would need to leave tonight.

The muddy path was slick from the rain. A fallen tree limb lay beside the path. He picked it up, used it for support as he negotiated the treacherous terrain. Several times along the way his makeshift cane saved him from falling as he stepped into unseen potholes or slid over lichen-smoothed rocks hidden beneath the blanket of wet leaves. When he had reached a bend in the path, he stopped and listened. The forest felt preternaturally still, as though on guard.

“Virgil?” Reisa whispered. “Where are you?”

A figure, steeped in shadows, approached from the foot of the clearing.

“Geez!” Reisa exclaimed. “What took you so long? I was beginning to get worried that somethin’ might have happened to…”

Moonlight glinted off the silver barrel of Fallon’s gun as he stepped into view. He trained it on the big man. “Somehow I just knew you’d be as stupid as Lutt,” Fallon said. He advanced up the path, met Reisa. “To assume otherwise would be an insult to my intelligence.”

Reisa looked past Fallon at the small group that accompanied him.

“It’s true, Reisa!” Virgil called out to his friend. “Everything I told you about Prophet and Amanda. It’s all true!”

“Shut him up!” Fallon yelled over his shoulder, his gaze never wavering from Reisa. To the big man he said, “You’re going to head back the way you came. My guess is you know about the cabin, so you’ve just been elected as tour guide for this romantic evening stroll.”

“Ain’t gonna happen,” Reisa replied firmly. “Why don’t ya just put the gun away before ya hurt yourself with it.”

Fallon ran his fingers through his wiry hair. “Now that is simply not the response I was looking for.” He pointed the gun at Reisa and fired.

The bullet tore through Reisa’s leg. He cried out and crumpled to the ground.

“No!” Virgil screamed. He tried to break free from Earl Bentley and Martin. “Reisa! REISA!”

Reisa lay on the ground, unconscious.

Fallon walked back down the hill and faced the group. “Listen to me!” he yelled as he paced up and down the line. “I warned you all… do not fuck with me!” He pointed to Reisa. “That man is going to bleed to death tonight because he was a fool. Unless you want the same thing to happen to you, I suggest you do exactly as I say. Now move!”

Virgil shuffled along the path, spoke to his fallen friend. “Oh God, Reisa,” he said. “I’m sorry! I’m so, so sorry!”

65

MARK PLACED A call, tried to downplay the urgency in his voice. “Jonathan, we have shots fired. Where the hell are you guys?”

“Shot’s fired,” Pike acknowledged over the thrum of the helicopter rotors. “We’re six minutes out.”

“Not good enough,” Mark replied. “I need you here now!”

“Copy that, Mark.”

Pike yelled at the pilot. “Get us the hell out to those coordinates!”

“I’m doing my best, Commander,” the pilot replied.

“Then do better, dammit!”

The engine revved. The nose of the chopper dipped abruptly, picked up speed.

“Sir,” the pilot yelled. “Time to target is three minutes.”

“Copy that,” Pike confirmed. To his men he yelled, “Lock on. Stand by for my go.”

The four members of the tactical team stood two aside on the helicopter landing rails and fastened their safety harnesses.

“Two minutes to target, sir!”

“Roger that!” Pike yelled. “Give me a heat lock.”

The Bell LongRanger swooped sharply over the peak of the mountain and began its descent to the Brethren compound.

A narrow beam of light struck the ground. The laser measured the distance below. “Clear to deploy in 300 feet,” the pilot called out. “200… 100… 50… Teams are good to go, sir!”

Pike yelled. “GO! GO! GO!”

The tactical team dropped their fast