of that past? The door opened, and I pulled myself free from thoughts of my unknown history to make sure my shield was in place before the cop left the house. She took a deep shuddering breath, trying to compose herself, and I realized the strong front she’d put on was simply a show for her little sister. And the same was true of the younger woman. She was putting on a show, trying to protect the Tracker’s brother from having to deal with the emotions of others, while he dealt with his brother leaving him.
Strangely, the brother’s emotions were clear and calm. Like he knew his brother would be okay, and there was nothing to worry about. It was something to explore. The only reason he could be so calm is if he knew that his brother was leaving, and possibly where he was going to be. It was something to look into. Meanwhile, I had a job to do, so finding the Tracker would have to wait.
TWENTY-THREE
Jason
The decision to leave had been impulsive, but when had I ever really thought things through? Any time I felt the need to run, I had to run. It was as ingrained in my being as breathing. I’d told Sam where I intended to hide, and that I would try to call later that day. Assuming of course that Kindred didn’t find me first. The only hope I had was that his abilities had limits, the same as mine. If I wasn’t where he expected me to be, maybe he would be unable to take over my mind.
Getting to my first stop, the farmland surrounding the city, had taken quite a while. I didn’t want to be found yet, so I avoided public transportation in favor of walking. More time consuming, but it was also easier to get out of town without being noticed. Walking, and the occasional jogging, was also good for the stress I felt about staying in one place for so long. So far, my bet that Kindred would be asleep had paid off. He hadn’t noticed my exodus, and I had stayed…well, me, for the entire walk.
But right now, I was exhausted. After so many nights of restless sleep, the long walk had drained me. When I saw an isolated patch of woods, I decided to stop for the day. It was time to get some rest, so I picked my way around fallen logs and underbrush to conceal myself deep within the wooded area. There was a slight clearing beneath two large pine trees, and I crawled under the branches, shivering slightly in the cool morning air as I dropped my duffel bag wearily. There was a field nearby, and I wasn’t sure if the farmer who owned it would be working that day, so I knelt and concentrated my energy on the ground around me.
By the time I was done, I had a comfortable little dirt cave under the pine trees. I had hardened the outer edge, packing it as tightly as I could as a layer of protection in case anyone, or anything, came along. If my hiding place was discovered, I would have time to block the opening and harden the entire structure to shield me as I tunneled out. For now all I could do was drink some water and eat a granola bar I had grabbed from the house before I’d left.
There was a small town nearby that I would try to get to after I got some sleep. I would gather some supplies, and then disappear into the countryside. The area I was intending to go I figured no one would think of; Mason’s farm. It was remote enough to hide people to torture and kill, so it would suit my purposes just as well. And it was where I told Sam I would be in case something went wrong. If for some reason I didn’t call tonight, he was supposed to wait until morning and tell Alice to check the Farm for any message I’d be able to leave. I was only about a mile from there right now, at least as far as I could tell.
To be honest, I wasn’t sure how long I’d be able to stay away from my friends and brother, but I needed some time to myself to figure out my next move. That would have to wait; I was having trouble keeping my eyes open as I finished munching my granola bar, and adjusted my duffel bag to use as a pillow. I sent a little
Strangely, the brother’s emotions were clear and calm. Like he knew his brother would be okay, and there was nothing to worry about. It was something to explore. The only reason he could be so calm is if he knew that his brother was leaving, and possibly where he was going to be. It was something to look into. Meanwhile, I had a job to do, so finding the Tracker would have to wait.
TWENTY-THREE
Jason
The decision to leave had been impulsive, but when had I ever really thought things through? Any time I felt the need to run, I had to run. It was as ingrained in my being as breathing. I’d told Sam where I intended to hide, and that I would try to call later that day. Assuming of course that Kindred didn’t find me first. The only hope I had was that his abilities had limits, the same as mine. If I wasn’t where he expected me to be, maybe he would be unable to take over my mind.
Getting to my first stop, the farmland surrounding the city, had taken quite a while. I didn’t want to be found yet, so I avoided public transportation in favor of walking. More time consuming, but it was also easier to get out of town without being noticed. Walking, and the occasional jogging, was also good for the stress I felt about staying in one place for so long. So far, my bet that Kindred would be asleep had paid off. He hadn’t noticed my exodus, and I had stayed…well, me, for the entire walk.
But right now, I was exhausted. After so many nights of restless sleep, the long walk had drained me. When I saw an isolated patch of woods, I decided to stop for the day. It was time to get some rest, so I picked my way around fallen logs and underbrush to conceal myself deep within the wooded area. There was a slight clearing beneath two large pine trees, and I crawled under the branches, shivering slightly in the cool morning air as I dropped my duffel bag wearily. There was a field nearby, and I wasn’t sure if the farmer who owned it would be working that day, so I knelt and concentrated my energy on the ground around me.
By the time I was done, I had a comfortable little dirt cave under the pine trees. I had hardened the outer edge, packing it as tightly as I could as a layer of protection in case anyone, or anything, came along. If my hiding place was discovered, I would have time to block the opening and harden the entire structure to shield me as I tunneled out. For now all I could do was drink some water and eat a granola bar I had grabbed from the house before I’d left.
There was a small town nearby that I would try to get to after I got some sleep. I would gather some supplies, and then disappear into the countryside. The area I was intending to go I figured no one would think of; Mason’s farm. It was remote enough to hide people to torture and kill, so it would suit my purposes just as well. And it was where I told Sam I would be in case something went wrong. If for some reason I didn’t call tonight, he was supposed to wait until morning and tell Alice to check the Farm for any message I’d be able to leave. I was only about a mile from there right now, at least as far as I could tell.
To be honest, I wasn’t sure how long I’d be able to stay away from my friends and brother, but I needed some time to myself to figure out my next move. That would have to wait; I was having trouble keeping my eyes open as I finished munching my granola bar, and adjusted my duffel bag to use as a pillow. I sent a little
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