Left Behind Series - The Remnant Part 23

"I ought to be there is what I'm saying."

"Deputy Commander Konrad?"

"That is correct," Chang said, his voice electronically modulated, "and this had better be Nelson Stef anich. "

"It is, sir, and l'

"Commander, I want to know what in the world is going on over there."

"Yes, sir, we "

"I sent my senior commander all the way from New Babylon to talk directly with your prisoner."

"And that will happen, sir. I "

"I don't appreciate him getting jerked around when you had fair warning and plenty of time to make arrangements. "

" I know. We " THE REMNANT.

"I'll expect a full report transmitted to my office by noon tomorrow."

"I'll definitely do that, sir, because it is explainable."

"Is Johnson meeting with Sebastian now?"

"Not quite yet "

"Even as we speak? Because if not, I want to know why not."

"There was some mix up with our local team, sir. They thought they heard "

"I'll look for those details tomorrow, Commander, but meanwhile I'm going to a.s.sume you're effecting this meeting. "

"Yes, sir."

"And not making Johnson come to you."

"Sir? "

"He's gone as far as I expect him to have to go. Anywhere he is, is a secure environment, so you have your people get the prisoner to him."

"Yes, sir. Deputy Commander, could I inform you of some good news?"

"There is no good news until I know Johnson has access to Sebastian."

"I just wanted you to know that we have located the central underground headquarters in Ptolemals and plan to raid it at midnight." CHLOE WATCHED Socrates froth inside the shack until

he disappeared, limping down toward the road. Then

she tiptoed out, went ninety degrees into the trees, huried past the Fifty and the DEW, which her quarry had

issed some forty feet to his left. She found it no ch.o.r.e to

keep up with the lame Socrates.

Chloe held tight to the grip on the Uzi, pulling the

ap taut to keep it away from her body and from

icking into the Luger. She turned sideways and mince-stepped the decline, carefully crossing the gravel road.

Stopping on the other side, she heard movement in the

underbrush, someone heading left, east, hurrying and

it worrying about snapping twigs and thras.h.i.+ng through

the thick stuff. Chloe squatted and regulated her breathing, gauging direction and distance to keep from following too close and giving herself away.

There was no need for her to step into the overgrowth. CHAPTER SEVEN. CHLOE WATCHED Socrates from inside the shack until he disappeared, limping down toward the road. Then she tiptoed out, went ninety degrees into the trees, hurried past the Fifty and the DEW, which her quarry had pa.s.sed some forty feet to his left.

She found it no ch.o.r.e to keep up with the lame Socrates.

Chloe held tight to the grip on the Uzi, pulling the strap taut to keep it away from her body and from clacking into the Luger.

She turned sideways and mincestepped the decline, carefully crossing the gravel road. Stopping on the other side, she heard movement in the underbrush, someone heading left, east, hurrying and not worrying about snapping twigs and thras.h.i.+ng through the thick stuff. Chloe squatted and regulated her breathing, gauging direction and distance to keep from following too close and giving herself away.

There was no need for her to step into the overgrowth. She could easily keep pace staying at the side of the road in the soft, silent dirt. The only danger was overtaking her prey and being seen. It had to be Socrates. When he came even with the shack again, though he was below the line of sight from the front door, he stopped, apparently to listen. Hearing nothing must have encouraged him, because now out he came, maybe fifty feet ahead of Chloe and also choosing to stay on the quieter surface next to the road.

Chloe stood stock still in case he decided to turn around. She couldn't imagine being seen in the darkness, but who knew what kind of vision the limping, unarmed man might have? Some people could see or sense shapes in the darkness. Mac had proved that.

And maybe this character knew the area, would notice a silhouette between trees that should have provided a clear shot to the stars.

Chloe waited until he went around a bend, then hurried to where she could again hear the labored footsteps. She peeled her eyes and save or at least imagined that he was testing the knee, trying to walk more upright, more normal, and not succeeding.

Occasionally she heard a grunt or a moan. He was in pain, and he certainly was taking the long way to town.

No, Socrates was going to lead her to George Sebastian. Chloe just knew it. Should she attempt a quiet transmission, let Mac know Hopalong was headed the wrong way? How much of a lead could he get if that took thirty seconds? Mac and Hannah could catch up with her quickly, and they could overtake him in no time.

But Mac was double checking the shack, and Hannah was outside alone, making sure no ambush was afoot. Chloe would never forgive herself if a needless transmission gave someone an audible target. If Socrates led her right to this lean to or whatever it was, unless she was seen, she couldn't be in any danger. If the other three were there even if Stefanich was there she'd still have plenty of time to call for the others.

Mac knelt in the cool dampness of the cramped cellar. The single bare bulb hanging from the ceiling revealed irregular shapes on the earthen floor. With his flashlight he tried to determine whether George had been mistreated. It was impossible to tell if those were flecks of blood among the footprints and indecipherable shapes. It's where I would terrorize a hostage, Mac decided.

He s.h.i.+ned his light in every corner, flipped off the cellar switch, and was headed upstairs when his phone chirped. Eager to get outside to the rendezvous but hesitant to be on the phone in the open air, he paused on the stairs and flipped it open. Was it his imagination or had he heard a voice from out back? He a.s.sumed Hannah would have done her perimeter scan and would be waiting with Chloe by the tree in front.

Mac didn't dare say anything, so he just listened to the phone.

"Mac

It was Chang, but Mac didn't want to acknowledge. He pressed a b.u.t.ton on the keypad. "Mac? That you?"

He pressed the b.u.t.ton longer.

"Okay, you can't talk, but neither can I until I can confirm it's you. One beep if the following is true; two if it's false: After the first book in the New Testament, the next four have exactly the same number of letters in their t.i.tles."