Homefront. Part 39

The kid had seen his face.

He lurched out the door into the garage, then into the driveway. Saw the open bas.e.m.e.nt window, the scrambled snow where she'd crawled out. Different. Looking around, he realized the snow had stopped. Had stopped before he even got into the house. Just this huge white silence and the kid's tracks leading through it. Looking across the yard, he saw her standing at the edge of the woods, looking back at the house. A lump of shadow against the white trees. Maybe eighty yards. Too far, but he took a shot anyway. She disappeared into the trees.

Now I'm really p.i.s.sed.

He dug through his parka pockets. Found his bandanna, tied it around his screaming thigh, knotted it, and limped along the trail of small boot prints, leaking blood.

Chapter Forty-seven.

"We'll use the Jeep, Griffin needs the truck," Broker said, guiding Nina. His thoughts mirrored the flurries driving at his eyes. His mind seemed erased, full of white noise. Never been to this numb hopeless place before. Griffin needs the truck," Broker said, guiding Nina. His thoughts mirrored the flurries driving at his eyes. His mind seemed erased, full of white noise. Never been to this numb hopeless place before.

They got in the Jeep, and as he turned it around, they glimpsed Griffin and Kit appearing and disappearing, climbing into the Tundra. Broker drove to the end of the driveway and stopped. At a loss for which way to turn.

He turned left, made it maybe four hundred yards down the road, pulled over, stopped, and put the s.h.i.+ft in neutral. They sat, eyes fixed straight ahead, and listened to the heater fan grind cold air.

Nina stared at the webbed maze of the dream catcher hanging from the rearview mirror. Then down the headlight beams pus.h.i.+ng into the snow. The electricity struggled out maybe twenty yards and fizzled. White or black. What's the difference. She had lost the light.

She snuck at a look at him, slouched back, chest caved, snow shadows fluttering over his face, the muscles rippling in his cheeks. He grimaced, rose up, reached behind, removed the bolt for the AR-15 from his back pocket, and placed it on the dashboard like a compact steel indictment.

Still didn't look at each other. No words left. And no moves either. Cratered.

Someone had to make a start. "I got scared," she said.

He turned, looked at her, and brought up his right hand, palm up, fingers curled, like he'd packed it all-their whole history, all his h.o.a.rded resentments-down into an ice ball he could grip in his hand. The hand shook. "You got scared? What about Kit? What about-" He was yelling now. More out of control than she'd ever seen him. got scared? What about Kit? What about-" He was yelling now. More out of control than she'd ever seen him.

"You?" she yelled back, grabbing his shaking fist and yanking it hard. "Listen. I got scared, G.o.ddammit!"

Their hands parted, and they both took a breath. "Jesus, Nina, you stuck an AR in my face, in Kit's," he blurted, his voice still shaking, but lower, reeling in.

"I thought I saw-" She stopped, began again. "The reason I got scared is because I knew I had to tell you something, and when I did, I'd have to face it myself. Really face it."

They both looked up as a set of low beams materialized out of the gloom and a car slowly slipped past, this gray silent shadow.

She fluttered her hand, an explosion of nerves, and reached for her cigarettes. Clicked her lighter. "Christ," she said, blowing a stream of smoke, making a bitter laughing sound, "look at me, just talk about it and I start to panic..." Nina shook her head. "Must have tripped something. Call it what you want, post-traumatic whatever...scary how real it seems." She jerked her head back toward the house. Then tossed her hair, worrying her fingers through the sweaty ponytail. Turning back, she saw she had his full attention now. So she just said it. "Broker, this whole ugly thing we've been through. It's not about Janey and Holly. Oh, it's about loss, all right. A selfish, small loss. It's about me, G.o.ddammit." Her voice started to shake. "It's about losing me." losing me."

"Okay, okay; take it easy," he said, his eyes deeply engaged in the sudden fury of emotion on her face. As Nina steadied herself, puffing on the cigarette, the winds.h.i.+eld cleared, the world returned. The wind collapsed, the snow vanished. A pristine winter road stretched before them; spruce, balsam, and cedar decked in white. The low clouds unwound, almost electric with saffron light.

"See," Nina said. "When I call them at Bragg, I have to tell them it's over. They know. Just waiting for me to accept it."

"Over? What's over?" He drew himself up, like the jury was in and the verdict was about to be read.

Nina bit down on the cigarette between her teeth and slammed her left fist into her right shoulder. Then she thumped the fist on the black logo type across the front of her sweat-suit jacket. "The f.u.c.king Army. That's what's over. I'm coming home, Broker. There, you happy now?"

"Jesus, Nina, hey-"

"It's my shoulder, I got the shoulder of a fifty-year-old woman. It's wrecked. Irreversible tissue damage. I been faking it with steroids and narcotics for years."

Broker blinked, trying to take it in. Then he turned his head, squinted at her, like...

They both jerked their heads alert, "You hear that?" Nina wondered, looking around.

"Yeah," Broker said, gritting his teeth, sitting up. "Sometimes you can get this thunder snow-"

"There it is again," Nina said.

Broker waved his hand at the smoke filling the interior of the Jeep. "Crank down the window." As she did, he opened the one on his side. They listened, straining...the silence almost creaked, like this wishbone...

The snap carried through the icy air, pointed and resonant. Their eyes locked. Instantly, Broker jammed the gears.h.i.+ft, popped the clutch, and spun the Jeep in a giddy fishtailing turn, mashed on the gas.

"Small-caliber, about four hundred yards. Pistol; back by the house," Nina's voice rose, she flipped the cigarette. "Give it to me!" she shouted. she shouted.

Broker never took his eyes off the road as he yanked up his coat and handed over the Colt. She was the handgun expert in the family.

Chapter Forty-eight.

Kit Broker stood shaking at the edge of the woods, looking back across a field of new snow that glistened like a million sequins. She could see her boot prints stamped in that clean snow like a line of huge black ants. at the edge of the woods, looking back across a field of new snow that glistened like a million sequins. She could see her boot prints stamped in that clean snow like a line of huge black ants.

She saw the bad man who shot Uncle Harry stagger into the driveway, inspect the bas.e.m.e.nt window where'd she'd escaped the house. Then he started across the yard, following her tracks, and saw her. He yelled something and raised his hand. His hand twinkled, and then she heard a sharp crack. Branches snapped farther down in the trees.

Shooting at her.

People kept getting shot in her young world. Auntie Jane. Uncle Harry. She knew she should move. Get out of here. But she kept looking down the road, her eyes pleading for headlights, for her mom and dad. Go in the woods, and she'd lose the road. The cell phone Uncle Harry gave her made a lump in her jacket pocket.

The man was coming. With his gun.

Still she couldn't move. She was rooted in the snow, so far inside the shaking, she couldn't find a way out. She didn't understand what was happening to her. What do I do? What do I do?...I don't know. Just some words Mom and Dad said: What goes up comes down; don't quit, don't cry... Just some words Mom and Dad said: What goes up comes down; don't quit, don't cry...

Words.

He was almost halfway across the yard now, this lumbering shadow, coming to hurt her. Worse. Uncle Harry...And then, finally, she did know something. Balling her gloved hands into fists, she yelled at her pursuer: "I am not a little s.h.i.+t!" "I am not a little s.h.i.+t!" Galvanized by the sound of her voice, she turned and plunged into the forest, pumping her arms and knees, running zigzag through the trees and bushes. Galvanized by the sound of her voice, she turned and plunged into the forest, pumping her arms and knees, running zigzag through the trees and bushes.

Heard him behind her, cras.h.i.+ng in the brush. Something else. Like a horn?

She fell headlong, plunging her arms into the snow, felt sharp things in the dirt tear at the palms of her hand; pushed herself up on her stinging hands. Lost her hat, branches ripped her face. Tasted blood. Got her feet under her.

A doe bolted in front of her, so close she could see the bulging white of the terrified animal's eyes. Just running like crazy.

Run faster. Have to run faster because...

Because he was running faster than her, because he was running beside her, this shadow flitting through the trees, against the clean sparkles. Then crossing in back of her, back and forth. But quiet, not cras.h.i.+ng. Silent.

And then he was on the other side too. He was everywhere. She sobbed for breath and ran harder, but he stayed with her, and then she saw a long low shape that was too short to be a man. More than one. Running on either side, pacing her. Hard to tell. Looked like dogs. One of them bounded ahead of her and stopped, watching her with s.h.i.+ning eyes. Then it raised its pointy head and howled.

Kit stopped running and stood absolutely still.

Not a dog.

Dumb little s.h.i.+t. Where did she think she was going? Blind man could follow these tracks. Shank pushed on, gaining ground, driven by a raging necessity to lay his hands on that kid. But by the time he made it to the trees, he knew something was seriously wrong. His left pant leg was stiff with frozen blood, crackling at every step. More disturbing was the deadening cold in his hands and legs. When he gripped the SIG, the pressure stopped in his palm, didn't make it to his fingers. Swung his eyes at the hostile trees. Not that cold out. Shank pushed on, gaining ground, driven by a raging necessity to lay his hands on that kid. But by the time he made it to the trees, he knew something was seriously wrong. His left pant leg was stiff with frozen blood, crackling at every step. More disturbing was the deadening cold in his hands and legs. When he gripped the SIG, the pressure stopped in his palm, didn't make it to his fingers. Swung his eyes at the hostile trees. Not that cold out.

Was it?

He didn't know a whole lot about anatomy. Just knew he was bleeding way too much for a flesh wound. f.u.c.ker. Musta got the vein... f.u.c.ker. Musta got the vein...

The cold was inside, not outside coming in...

All his warm stuff was dribbling out.

He blinked, and it felt like his eyelids were sealed, glued. Vaguely he realized he had stopped sweating. His breath no longer fogged the air. No heave to his chest. He lurched, reaching for the trunk of a pine tree. Pressed his cheek into the rough reddish bark. Rest a second. Rest a second. Squinting. Limbo light through the branches-clouds spun with amber in the tree breaks, like cotton candy. His eyes focused, and he noticed that the kid's tracks were crisscrossed with other smaller tracks. Lots of them. His left leg buckled, and he b.u.mbled down, hugging the tree trunk until he collapsed heavily in the snow. Rolled over on his back. Squinting. Limbo light through the branches-clouds spun with amber in the tree breaks, like cotton candy. His eyes focused, and he noticed that the kid's tracks were crisscrossed with other smaller tracks. Lots of them. His left leg buckled, and he b.u.mbled down, hugging the tree trunk until he collapsed heavily in the snow. Rolled over on his back.

A blur of movement against the snow, low, to the right. He swung the pistol and fired twice. When he tried for a third shot, he realized his numb hand was empty. He'd lost the SIG.

Amazed, as his kidneys released, he became fascinated with a tiny wisp of steam rising from his crotch. Warm there. His stiff right hand fumbled for the warm. Couldn't feel it. When he raised his hand, his fingers looked like they were covered with sticky oil. When he brought the oil to his lips, it tasted like blood. The hand fell to the snow and he couldn't raise it.

When the eerie summoning howl bounced off the trees, Shank barely heard it, just part of the rus.h.i.+ng background noise draining from his mind.

He didn't see them gather at first, sniffing the blood trail, circling patiently in the creepy shadows. By the time he did see them sitting patiently in a semicircle around him, that's all he could do. See.

Last picture his brain took. Snapshot from the dawn of time. Hot yellow electric eyes, electric fur. A flicker of teeth. Deep in his still chest his heart might have screamed. One furtive thump. He didn't feel the rough tongue lick at the b.l.o.o.d.y thigh. He was gone before the first tearing bite.

Kit found herself suspended in a strange breathing bubble inserted in the ocean of fear. Entranced, she watched the wolves sniff the air, then wheel and bound away. Slowly, soundlessly, she walked though the trees, putting distance between her and the snarls of the feeding pack. When the sounds faded, the bubble burst and the fear rushed in, but it was a hot fear now, angry. She broke into a run. Not sure what happened back there. But she hoped it was him they got. Hoped it hurt.

Then she saw the slow moving light tremble through the trees. Sprinting now, she dashed toward it, falling, getting up, breaking out of the trees, tumbling in a ditch, getting up again, running up the road shoulder toward the now stationary headlights. Screaming.

"Mom. Dad. Help!"

Chapter Forty-nine.

After Shank called, Sheryl put the car in gear and crept down the white tunnel of County 12, alternately checking the odometer and the shoulder at the side of the road. Had the radio going on country-western, some guy crooning about a woman who only smoked when she drank. Something to keep her sane. When she got past 1.5 on the odometer, she saw a red Jeep Cherokee idling at the side of the road, waiting out the storm. Sheryl put the car in gear and crept down the white tunnel of County 12, alternately checking the odometer and the shoulder at the side of the road. Had the radio going on country-western, some guy crooning about a woman who only smoked when she drank. Something to keep her sane. When she got past 1.5 on the odometer, she saw a red Jeep Cherokee idling at the side of the road, waiting out the storm.

Her first thought: Smart move. What I should be doing. Smart move. What I should be doing.

Then. Too close. Too close.

A minute later she caught a break, and the snow stopped. Still creeping, she eased around a turn and saw the edge of the green cabin in the trees. Thought she heard something. Was worried she'd hit something on the road. She tapped off the AM. Kept going until she drew up even with the foot of the driveway. Stopped.

Was supposed to wait here till he came out and waved her in...

What the f.u.c.k!

Shank? Yeah, it was Shank. In that white-and-black branchy coat flapping on his back. What was he doing, running across an open field, away from the house?

She pounded the horn. Probably not a good idea. He kept going.

s.h.i.+t. Now what?

She put the car in drive and accelerated down the road, past the woods where he'd disappeared, slowed down, trolling, peering into the trees. Made another turn, pulled over. Tried to think. Decided she should turn around, at least get pointed in the right direction. After she carefully executed the turn, she switched the high beams on and off. Although it had stopped snowing, it seemed like the snow was still there, latent in the gray air, ready to jump out any second. Looking up, she saw the clouds had this weird orange glow, like something getting ready to bust out.

Dark everywhere she looked. Scary out here.

She forced herself to get out of the car and yell, "Shank, over here. Shank?"

Screw this. She hurried back inside.

Getting real nervous now, she palmed her cell, put it down, and flashed the lights again. Then kept them on. She lit a Merit. Waited. Turned up the heater.

Huh?

First she saw the branches shake along the road, snow flying off, then this...kid in a green coat...tumbled out and fell into the ditch not twenty yards in front of the Nissan. The kid scrambled to her feet and started running toward Sheryl. Arms waving. Yelling. Sheryl zipped down the window, heard the kid screaming, "Mom. Dad. Help!" "Mom. Dad. Help!"

Oh, f.u.c.k me, now what?

Sheryl opened the door, got out, eyes darting up and down the road. The kid was now doing the same thing, wild eyes tearing around, looking at Sheryl, the car, the road. A girl, red hair coming out of a ponytail, stuff matted in her hair. She staggered the last few steps and threw herself on the hood of the car. Like it was a safe place. She was covered with snow, her trousers were torn, and she had a long bleeding cut across her cheek.

"Help. There's a man with a gun. He shot Uncle Harry," she panted.

Great. Who the f.u.c.k was Uncle Harry?

Sheryl moved forward and took the kid by the shoulders. Two powerful diametrically opposed emotions clashed in her chest; she felt an instinctive impulse to comfort her. And she wanted her to disappear.

"Jeez, kid, what happened?" Sheryl said, feeling the bone-deep shudders coming off the kid's shoulders, into her hands.

"He's in the woods. He's after me," the kid said, panting for breath.

"Okay, okay." Sheryl tried to think. "He's after you. How far away is he?"

"I don't know, they got him," she panted.

They?

"Hey, maybe we should get you out of sight," Sheryl said, eyes darting up the road, then at the dense hostile trees.