Redeeming (14 page)

“Did he go this way?” Tricia asked.

“I don’t know…” Daniella replied. “There’s only one way to know for sure.”

It didn
’t take long for Tricia’s nerves to get the better of her. She stopped dead in her tracks. “Daniella, I… I think this is a really bad idea. I think we should just go back to the car. I’m scared.”

“Well, I am too…” Daniella said. “But, I’m not going back. If you want to go then go a
head but I’m going to keep following.”

Tricia remained frozen in place as she considered her options.

“Tricia…” Daniella groaned. “For the last time… what’s it gonna be? Time is wasting…”

“Fine…” Tricia said. “Go… Just go.”

For several minutes, the women followed along the well-worn footpath. They kept close to one another as they moved in virtual lockstep. The wilderness was eerily quiet. Each step they took seemed to echo like the clash of a cymbal into the still night air. How no one would be aware of their presence seemed impossible for Daniella to fathom. Her heart skipped beat after beat and Tricia’s labored breaths from behind did little to calm her already frayed nerves.

“Daniella…” Tricia whispered as a thick twig snapped beneath her foot. “Do you have any idea where to go?”

“No,” Daniella replied. “I am assuming the trail will take us to wherever it is Owen is headed.”

“Well, what’s going to happen when, or if, we find it?”

“I don’t know.” Daniella replied. “I haven’t thought that far ahead yet. If nothing else, we’ll know where they are so if something happens we can get help for them.”

“And if we are the ones who need the help?” Tricia asked.

Daniella didn’t respond but Tricia had a point. In fact, the further and deeper they traversed into the wilderness, the more concerned she became. But as her worry started to amplify the self-doubt in her mind, the trail opened into a clearing where it split into several different directions. They stopped and looked around.

“Which way?” Tricia asked.

“I don’t know,” Daniella began as she craned her neck, looked, and listened for any sign of what to do next.

“Hey,” Tricia said as she pointed in front of them. “What’s that?”

Daniella squinted and looked in the direction of Tricia’s extended index finger. About fifty yards in front of them was a fence and a partially opened gate.

“I don’t know.” Daniella shrugged. “Let’s go find out…”

As they approached the gate, Daniella noticed a large sign in the middle of it that read, “No Trespassing. Violators Will Be Shot.”

The fence, constructed of barbed wire and thick oak posts, stretched as far as she could see in either direction. She walked up to the gate and saw a heavy chain
with a lock attached on the ground. She knelt down, picked up the chain, and examined it.

“Tricia,” she said. “Look at this…”

Tricia knelt down next to her. “What?”

“Look here,” Daniella said as she pointed to a broken link in the chain. “This looks like it was just cut. Doesn’t it?”

Tricia took the chain link in her hand. She held it up in the moonlight and rubbed the edges of it with her fingertips.

“Yeah, I think you’re right.” She said. “Do you think Owen went this way?”

Daniella wiped the rust of the chain from her hands. “Only one way to find out.” She said as she stood.

Tricia dropped the chain to the ground as Daniella spoke.

“If you want, I can go ahead a little bit while you wait here.” Daniella said as she squinted to see what lie ahead of her.

“Wait here?” Tricia replied. “I’m not staying here by myself. Are you nuts?”

“Okay then, come on.”

With that, Daniella pushed the heavy gate open a bit further so they could both pass through it. It groaned as she did and the chain clinked along the trail until the gate came to a stop. They traveled along on the new trail inside the fenced off property. Almost as soon as they started down it, a thick canopy of trees enclosed the footpath.

Of course Daniella had no idea who’s property she was on or if the threat to shoot and kill was serious or not. But, for the first time since they’d ventured onto the trail, she felt a deep sense of dread come over her. Poor Tricia was nervous enough for both of them already. The last thing Daniella wanted to do was make that any worse. And so in spite of her own fear, she decided to stay strong for both of them. As it turned out, they needed it…

All of a sudden, just beyond a rise in the trail ahead of them, the women heard
a noise. From behind, Tricia’s hand clinched onto Daniella’s upper arm.

“What was that?” Tricia whispered in terror.

Daniella shook her head but didn’t respond. For several seconds, they remained frozen in place, riveted to the ground by collective fear. The sound drew closer and louder. Panic stricken, Daniella looked to her left and then her right for a place to hide but the forest floor was largely bare. Tall, thin Aspen trees bristled in the night air but did nothing to protect them from whoever, or whatever, approached them from the other side of the hill.

Tricia tugged at Daniella
’s shirt. “Let’s get out of here.” She whispered.

Daniella
’s mouth fell open and she nodded in agreement but just as they began to turn and head in the opposite direction, the source of the sound appeared at the top of the hill. Dead ahead, an immense bear ambled into the center of the path.

Even from a distance, it looked enormous. Paralyzed by primal fear, the women froze as the animal stood on its hind legs and looked directly at them. It opened its mouth, bared its teeth but didn
’t roar or make any noise louder than a low growl. In the next second, it fell back down on all fours and began to walk straight towards them.

“Oh shit, holy shit…” Tricia said as she staggered backwards away from Daniella.

Daniella turned over her shoulder. “Tricia, no. Don’t run.” She warned. “You’ll never make it. He’ll catch you.”

“Well, I’m not just going to stand here and get eaten, damn it
!” She exclaimed.

As they quarreled, the beast continued to move towards them in a deliberate manner.

“Dan… iella…” Tricia choked in terror as she clutched at her friend’s shirt.

But as the space between them and the bear narrowed, Daniella got a closer look at the furry menace. Upon further examination, she swore she recognized it.

“Don’t worry…” Daniella said with a reassuring tone in her voice. “We might be in trouble but you’re in no danger.”

Unable to speak, Tricia clutched Daniella
’s midsection with a death grip.

“What?” S
he gasped. “What do you mean… no danger?”

Daniella nodded.
“Trust me…”

As she spoke, the immense animal came to a complete stop about six feet in front of them. It shook its entire body like wet dog. As it did, it underwent a terrific transformation. Though it was something
familiar to Daniella, the foreign spectacle riveted Tricia’s attention.

“Daniella…” Tricia gasped. “I…”

“No. Shh, it’s okay.” Daniella replied. “Watch…”

The pair stood frozen on the trail as the beast
’s body buckled and gyrated. In the span of a few seconds, what was a five hundred pound monster moments earlier changed before their eyes into Owen.

“Oh my God…” Tricia said as she raised her hand to her mouth.

“I told you…” Daniella said as she smiled.

But Owen was in no mood to entertain or impress. He ran up to them with a look of anger in his eyes.

“Daniella,” he began. “What have you done? You know you shouldn’t have come here…”

Tricia was still in a state of shock and unable to do much else but stare
slack jawed at the bear shifter. For her part, Daniella didn’t want to hear what she could or couldn’t do. She opened her mouth to protest Owen’s accusatory remarks, when he interrupted her.

“We need to get off the trail, now…” he said with frustration in his tone. He grabbed both of the women by the arm and led them into the woods. The underbrush crunched beneath their feet as Owen guided them along from behind.

“Ow,” Daniella moaned. “Owen, you are hurting me.”

“Quiet.” He said. “Keep moving…”

***

“Give me your purses.” He said.

“What!” The women replied in collective disbelief.

“No way,” Daniella began. “Everything I have is in there.”

Owen shook his head and without wasting a second, he snatched both of their bags, snapping the straps in the process. They groaned and complained in disapproval but it didn’t matter. With his backpack over his left shoulder, he held both of theirs in his right as he looked at them.

“Wait here.” He said. “Don’t move or even breathe until I get back.”

The women nodded and sat down on a large boulder nearby. Owen climbed up an embankment and vanished from sight.

“He seems really pissed, Daniella.” Tricia said. “I’m starting to think this was a huge mistake…”

Daniella nodded. Owen was mad, there was no doubt about it, but she was prepared to deal with it. Whatever they planned to do here was going to involve her whether he liked it or not. Just then, Owen reappeared from over the hill and skidded back down to where the women sat. He paced back in front of them for several seconds and rubbed his chin in silence. At last, he stopped and turned to face them.

“We don’t have any time.”

“Time… Time for what?” Daniella asked. “Owen, where is our stuff?”

“Don
’t worry about it…” he grumbled as he continued, “Time to get you out of here.”

“Owen… we aren’t going anywhere.” Daniella huffed.

Owen glared down at the women. “Daniella, this is no place for you. Especially someone like you. Now, do as I tell you and…”

Owen stopped mid-
sentence and raised his index finger to his lips. He motioned for the women to stand and without a word, gestured for them to head towards the stream. As she stood, Daniella heard voices in the distance. Tricia grabbed her arm, nearly yanking her to the ground as Daniella lost her footing on the loose dirt beneath her.

“Go…” Owen whispered. “Now…”

Daniella’s heart raced as the three of them turned and headed towards the stream. But before a single second passed, high-powered flashlights glared into their eyes from all sides. The bright light made it all but impossible to distinguish any faces.

“You…” one of the men said as he gestured with his gun in Owen’s direction. “Turn this way. Now…”

Owen cursed under his breath for a moment and then slowly began to turn his head. As he did, the men staggered backwards.

“Shit Rudy,” Another man said. “Who’s that?”

“I don’t know… Never seen him before.” Rudy began. “Don’t move fucker. If you even try to shift, we’ll shoot. Do it and die.”

The men cocked their weapons and aimed them at Owen. As they did, they all made their way down the embankment. By Daniella
’s count, there were four of them.

“Hands up old man! Same goes for you two women. Now…” Another of the men commanded.

“Where are you from? Where’s your clan?” Rudy asked. “What are you doing out here with these human females?”

“Which question
do you want me to answer first, kid?” Owen said.

Rudy stepped towards Owen and pressed the barrel of the gun into his cheek.

“Watch it.” He warned. “I’ll waste you right here.”

Owen looked straight ahead and without so much as a flinch replied,
“I’m sure Kane would be none too pleased if you did that.”

The man kept the barrel against his face for a moment longer and then dropped it away.

“Last time old man… Who are you?”

“No one to trifle with.”

The man scoffed at Owen’s words. He shook his head, turned towards the man on his right and said, “Call it in…”

The man nodded and grabbed at a
walkie-talkie strapped to his shoulder.

“Team two to command one…”

Daniella and Tricia looked at one another as the response crackled to life.

“Copy that team two. Go ahead…”

“Command we’ve got three in custody here. Southwest corner of quadrant four. Two flesh… one unidentified kindred.”

There was silence once again.

“Sorry team two… Sounded like you said ‘unidentified kindred’…”

“Copy that command. Unidentified…”

“Any identification on them?”

“Negative on that command…”

“Um, okay… Copy that two.”

The radio fell silent once again. After a few seconds, the man pressed the button on the device and spoke into it once again.

“Command… standard procedure with the flesh?”

With that, several of the men engaged their weapons and aimed them at Daniella and Tricia.

Standard procedure?