Moon - New Moon Part 67

"Logy, but better." Lance sat up and pulled on a s.h.i.+rt, then looked toward the front seat. "Thanks for saving my a.s.s."

"Anytime," Ross answered.

THE soldiers marched Rinna along the gravel strip at the edge of the smooth road. It was hard to walk because she had an iron cuff on one leg and another on her wrist, both of which were attached to one of the soldiers, so she couldn't escape.

Men in back of them carried the tent and the other supplies from the camp. Avery and Brusco were at the back of the column, since the old man was having trouble keeping up.

As they walked, she watched the drivers of cars slow to gawk. So much for Falcone's fitting into this environment. He didn't have a clue how much she and the warriors stood out.

They pa.s.sed several driveways, and finally the soldier named Kenner stopped. "This is it."

The one named Shafter, who had also gone with Falcone, started up the narrow lane. The man who was chained to her gave a tug, and she followed him.

Behind her tires squealed, and she jerked around to see that a car had stopped in the middle of the road. And another one had almost smashed into the back of it.

"You stupid d.i.c.khead," somebody shouted.

"f.u.c.k you!"

The wheels on the car in front spun on the road, and the vehicle shot forward. The other driver stayed where he was for a moment, staring at her and the men. Then he also sped away.

They proceeded up the driveway and rounded a curve, where she saw a house even bigger than the one she and Logan had borrowed a few nights earlier.

The front door opened, and Falcone stepped onto the porch. It looked like he'd gone upstairs in the house and found clothing that belonged to the owner. He was wearing a leather jacket over a white T-s.h.i.+rt and a pair of very tight pants.

He walked down a couple of steps to a bricked-in area in front of the structure and gave Rinna a satisfied look.

"I'm settling in here nicely."

She met his eye squarely. "On the contrary, I think you've made a mistake," she said.

"How?" he challenged. "You weren't even here."

"Not at the house. On the road. There are no slaves here. They don't walk women around in chains. A lot of people who were pa.s.sing by stopped to look at us."

Falcone's gaze shot to Kenner. "Is that true?"

"Yes, sir."

"Did anybody see you come up this lane?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then perhaps we'd better move to a new location."

In the distance, Rinna heard a siren. "I think it's too late," she murmured.

"Too late for what?"

"The police are already on the way."

"Carfolian h.e.l.l." Falcone looked around at the group. "Everybody in the house. Hurry."

LANCE tossed a s.h.i.+rt and pants to Ross, who wiggled into them.

Logan turned onto a side road so he could climb into his clothing.

"What the h.e.l.l was that thing that grabbed my mind?" Lance asked.

"A trap for a shape-s.h.i.+fter. I guess Falcone figured I'd come after Rinna. Like I told you, I stepped into a trap meant for her, and she came along and got me out of it. She could have run in the other direction," he added. "But she didn't."

"It clamped hold of my mind, and it was reeling me in," Lance muttered. "I still feel like my head is full of steel wool."

"Yeah. I know the sensation. Only, believe me, it's worse if the d.a.m.n thing actually catches you. I gather from what Rinna said that if it grabs you, you can't get out by yourself. And she couldn't touch it."

"Then how did she get you out?"

"She got me to change, and while my cells were... were in flux, she pulled my leg away."

"A brave and resourceful woman," Ross said.

"Yeah. After that, it took me a couple of days to put coherent thoughts together."

"Is there anything we can use as a s.h.i.+eld? In case we run into another one?"

"Maybe Rinna knows."

"And they have her in their d.a.m.n camp. The only good news is that the trap is probably close to where they're holding her. But we'll have to be careful when we go back."

They were debating what to do, when a police siren interrupted the conversation.

One patrol car sped by on the highway. Then another.

The three men exchanged glances.

"It sounds like something big is going down."

"Yeah," Logan muttered as he turned on the radio to an all-news station.

"Breaking news," an announcer said. "A militia group has taken over a house in the Huntington Woods section of Mount Airy. Eyewitness reports say they've taken a woman hostage."

Logan felt an electric shock travel along his nerve endings. "Rinna," he breathed.

"You don't know that for sure," Ross cautioned.

"What else could it be?"

Another patrol car sped by and he turned on the engine, then lurched away from the curb. He was on the road and heading for the highway before anyone else could speak. Whipping onto the blacktop, he followed the red and blue flas.h.i.+ng lights.