while
pushing past tree branches. He was panting, his face red and sweaty.
“Trav, I was down canyon about a half mile scouting
the area for springs when I heard some people talking. It looked like some of
those bikers by the way they were dressed. There were three of them, and they
had two women tied up on their motorcycles.”
“Were they headed this way?” said Travis.
Pete leaned on an overhanging branch and paused to
take a breath. “I don’t think so. They were parked on this one-lane bridge
talking about what to do with the women. These looked like some bad dudes
Trav.”
“Yeah, seems like those are the only kind to be
found these days. Doesn’t anybody take a break from killing,” he said, smirking
in Jim’s direction.
“Alright, I’ll grab LB and we’ll head down. Stay
here with the others. If you hear any movement other than ours, head up canyon
and disperse amongst the boulders by the rim. That will at least give you the
advantage of having the high ground until we return.”
Travis retraced his way up to the alcove racing over
the rock-strewn path.
“I am going with you,” said Katy from behind.
“Like hell! You’re staying here with the others. LB
and I will handle this.”
“Is this a boy’s club now? I can fight! You guys
aren’t the only ones who know how to use a gun.”
He stopped and turned. “Katy, I don’t have time to
give you a crash course on how to combat tactics. Just stay here.”
“I’m coming Trav. My dad was a police officer and I
grew up hunting. I sure as hell ain’t no stranger to pulling a trigger.
Besides, someone skilled with a gun needs to stay here in case there are more
bikers in the area,” she said, glaring back at him.
God damn civilians- they never did as
they were told. He turned towards her, his face taut.
“The way this works then, is you follow my lead and do exactly as I say. You
got that Xena!”
He sped up to the alcove. The others had already
arisen and were moving around. “What’s going on?” said Evelyn.
“There are some bikers down canyon. Katy and I are
going to head there. For now, grab your stuff and wait here. Pete will explain
the rest,” he said donning his gear and grabbing the lever action rifle which
was resting on a small shelf of sandstone. He did a partial-chamber check of
the Glock and then took off down the trail while Katy followed behind with the
shotgun on her shoulder.
Chapter
13
As they neared the location Pete described, they
could hear the men’s voices faintly resounding off the tight canyon walls. He
stopped and crouched in a thick undergrowth of bushes, listening for any
movement while he scanned the boulders to either side. About a hundred yards
ahead was a single-lane bridge which spanned forty feet and was six feet off
the streambed. Three motorcycles were parked in the shade over to the right.
Two young women were handcuffed to the back bars of the bikes they sat on. One
looked to be around twenty with her hair in a jumbled ponytail. She wore jeans,
a western-style plaid shirt, and cowboy boots. The other one, who bore a
resemblance, was about sixteen and dressed similarly. Both women had bruises on
their cheeks, and the older one had a tinge of blood coming off her lower lip. Slung
next to bulging saddlebags, on two of the bikes, were AK-47s. Beside the
younger woman was a skinny biker who was running his fingers through her hair
and laughing. The two other heavier-set men were standing a few feet away
snorting something out of a small tin.
Travis scanned the rocky, stream bottom leading to
the bridge. The area didn’t make for a quick rush or offer any chance of
stealth.
He looked back at Katy. “You’ve got seven rounds of
buckshot in that shotgun. If this turns ugly, just put the front sight on what
you want to hit and make damn sure that ain’t me.”
She lowered the weapon and looked it over, keeping
her finger indexed above the trigger. “Got it!”
“I only see one way for
pushing past tree branches. He was panting, his face red and sweaty.
“Trav, I was down canyon about a half mile scouting
the area for springs when I heard some people talking. It looked like some of
those bikers by the way they were dressed. There were three of them, and they
had two women tied up on their motorcycles.”
“Were they headed this way?” said Travis.
Pete leaned on an overhanging branch and paused to
take a breath. “I don’t think so. They were parked on this one-lane bridge
talking about what to do with the women. These looked like some bad dudes
Trav.”
“Yeah, seems like those are the only kind to be
found these days. Doesn’t anybody take a break from killing,” he said, smirking
in Jim’s direction.
“Alright, I’ll grab LB and we’ll head down. Stay
here with the others. If you hear any movement other than ours, head up canyon
and disperse amongst the boulders by the rim. That will at least give you the
advantage of having the high ground until we return.”
Travis retraced his way up to the alcove racing over
the rock-strewn path.
“I am going with you,” said Katy from behind.
“Like hell! You’re staying here with the others. LB
and I will handle this.”
“Is this a boy’s club now? I can fight! You guys
aren’t the only ones who know how to use a gun.”
He stopped and turned. “Katy, I don’t have time to
give you a crash course on how to combat tactics. Just stay here.”
“I’m coming Trav. My dad was a police officer and I
grew up hunting. I sure as hell ain’t no stranger to pulling a trigger.
Besides, someone skilled with a gun needs to stay here in case there are more
bikers in the area,” she said, glaring back at him.
God damn civilians- they never did as
they were told. He turned towards her, his face taut.
“The way this works then, is you follow my lead and do exactly as I say. You
got that Xena!”
He sped up to the alcove. The others had already
arisen and were moving around. “What’s going on?” said Evelyn.
“There are some bikers down canyon. Katy and I are
going to head there. For now, grab your stuff and wait here. Pete will explain
the rest,” he said donning his gear and grabbing the lever action rifle which
was resting on a small shelf of sandstone. He did a partial-chamber check of
the Glock and then took off down the trail while Katy followed behind with the
shotgun on her shoulder.
Chapter
13
As they neared the location Pete described, they
could hear the men’s voices faintly resounding off the tight canyon walls. He
stopped and crouched in a thick undergrowth of bushes, listening for any
movement while he scanned the boulders to either side. About a hundred yards
ahead was a single-lane bridge which spanned forty feet and was six feet off
the streambed. Three motorcycles were parked in the shade over to the right.
Two young women were handcuffed to the back bars of the bikes they sat on. One
looked to be around twenty with her hair in a jumbled ponytail. She wore jeans,
a western-style plaid shirt, and cowboy boots. The other one, who bore a
resemblance, was about sixteen and dressed similarly. Both women had bruises on
their cheeks, and the older one had a tinge of blood coming off her lower lip. Slung
next to bulging saddlebags, on two of the bikes, were AK-47s. Beside the
younger woman was a skinny biker who was running his fingers through her hair
and laughing. The two other heavier-set men were standing a few feet away
snorting something out of a small tin.
Travis scanned the rocky, stream bottom leading to
the bridge. The area didn’t make for a quick rush or offer any chance of
stealth.
He looked back at Katy. “You’ve got seven rounds of
buckshot in that shotgun. If this turns ugly, just put the front sight on what
you want to hit and make damn sure that ain’t me.”
She lowered the weapon and looked it over, keeping
her finger indexed above the trigger. “Got it!”
“I only see one way for
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