as we run, but the pace should be controlled enough for you to stay alert. If the coast is clear, the temptation will be to focus on areas in the distance to see what’s coming, but that’s a mistake. If we see abbies coming from a hundred, two hundred yards out, there’s time for us to react. Worst thing that can happen is a surprise ambush. One of these things coming out of a bush, around a corner, and then you don’t even have time to raise your weapon. So watch your danger areas. That’s top priority. If you pass a bush and you can’t see what’s behind it, you cover that bush. Got it?”
Maggie’s shotgun had begun to tremble in her grasp.
Ethan touched her hand. “You’re going to do fine,” he said.
She turned away suddenly and threw up in the grass.
Kate patted her back, and whispered, “It’s okay, honey. It’s okay to be scared. It’s right to be scared. It’ll make you sharp.”
Ethan considered how utterly unprepared this woman was. Maggie had never been exposed to anything approaching this level of horror and pressure and yet she was slugging her way through it.
Maggie wiped her mouth and took a few deep breaths.
“You okay?” Ethan asked.
“I can’t do it. I thought I could but—”
“I know you can.”
“No, I should just go back.”
“We need you, Maggie. The people in the cavern need you.”
She nodded.
“You’ll be with me,” Ethan said, “and we’ll take it one step at a time.”
“Okay.”
“You can do this.”
“I just need a moment.”
He’d seen this in war. Combat paralysis. When the total horror of the violence and the constant threat of death overwhelmed a soldier. In his time in Iraq, the nightmare scenario was a sniper’s bullet or an IED. But even on the worst days in the streets of Fallujah, there wasn’t anything that wanted to eat you alive.
He gave Maggie a hand up.
“You ready?” he asked.
“I think so.”
He pointed across the street. “We’re going to cross to that house on the corner. Don’t think about anything else.”
“Okay.”
“You’re going to see some bodies in the street. Just want to warn you. Ignore them. Don’t even look at them.”
“Danger areas.” She tried to smile.
“You got it. Now stay close.”
Ethan picked up his shotgun.
Butterflies in his stomach.
That old, familiar fear.
Five steps out from the side of the house, the bodies in the street were in full view. And you couldn’t not look at them. He counted seven people, two of them children, literally ripped apart.
Maggie was keeping up.
He could hear her footsteps a few feet behind his.
They hit the street, nothing but the sound of their footfalls on the pavement.
Their panting.
Up and down First Avenue—nothing.
It was so quiet.
They crossed into the yard and accelerated the last few steps to the two-story Victorian.
Crouched down under a window.
Ethan glanced around the corner.
Made another scan up and down First.
All clear.
He looked back at Kate and Hecter and raised his right arm.
They came to their feet and started jogging, Kate out in front and moving with confidence, like she knew what she was doing, Hecter a few uncomfortable paces back. Ethan could tell the moment they saw the bodies. Hecter’s face fell and Kate’s jaw set and they couldn’t tear their eyes away.
Ethan looked at Maggie, and said, “You did great.”
Then all four of them were together again.
Ethan said, “Street’s empty. I don’t know why it’s so quiet, but let’s take advantage. All four of us this time. We’ll head out into the street and go right down the middle of it.”
“Why?” Hecter asked. “Isn’t it safer to stay near the houses, not so out in the open?”
“Corners are not our friends,” Ethan said.
He gave Hecter and Kate a minute to catch their breath.
Then he stood.
“What’s the next destination?” Kate asked.
“There’s a green Victorian two blocks down on the other side of the street. A row of juniper
Maggie’s shotgun had begun to tremble in her grasp.
Ethan touched her hand. “You’re going to do fine,” he said.
She turned away suddenly and threw up in the grass.
Kate patted her back, and whispered, “It’s okay, honey. It’s okay to be scared. It’s right to be scared. It’ll make you sharp.”
Ethan considered how utterly unprepared this woman was. Maggie had never been exposed to anything approaching this level of horror and pressure and yet she was slugging her way through it.
Maggie wiped her mouth and took a few deep breaths.
“You okay?” Ethan asked.
“I can’t do it. I thought I could but—”
“I know you can.”
“No, I should just go back.”
“We need you, Maggie. The people in the cavern need you.”
She nodded.
“You’ll be with me,” Ethan said, “and we’ll take it one step at a time.”
“Okay.”
“You can do this.”
“I just need a moment.”
He’d seen this in war. Combat paralysis. When the total horror of the violence and the constant threat of death overwhelmed a soldier. In his time in Iraq, the nightmare scenario was a sniper’s bullet or an IED. But even on the worst days in the streets of Fallujah, there wasn’t anything that wanted to eat you alive.
He gave Maggie a hand up.
“You ready?” he asked.
“I think so.”
He pointed across the street. “We’re going to cross to that house on the corner. Don’t think about anything else.”
“Okay.”
“You’re going to see some bodies in the street. Just want to warn you. Ignore them. Don’t even look at them.”
“Danger areas.” She tried to smile.
“You got it. Now stay close.”
Ethan picked up his shotgun.
Butterflies in his stomach.
That old, familiar fear.
Five steps out from the side of the house, the bodies in the street were in full view. And you couldn’t not look at them. He counted seven people, two of them children, literally ripped apart.
Maggie was keeping up.
He could hear her footsteps a few feet behind his.
They hit the street, nothing but the sound of their footfalls on the pavement.
Their panting.
Up and down First Avenue—nothing.
It was so quiet.
They crossed into the yard and accelerated the last few steps to the two-story Victorian.
Crouched down under a window.
Ethan glanced around the corner.
Made another scan up and down First.
All clear.
He looked back at Kate and Hecter and raised his right arm.
They came to their feet and started jogging, Kate out in front and moving with confidence, like she knew what she was doing, Hecter a few uncomfortable paces back. Ethan could tell the moment they saw the bodies. Hecter’s face fell and Kate’s jaw set and they couldn’t tear their eyes away.
Ethan looked at Maggie, and said, “You did great.”
Then all four of them were together again.
Ethan said, “Street’s empty. I don’t know why it’s so quiet, but let’s take advantage. All four of us this time. We’ll head out into the street and go right down the middle of it.”
“Why?” Hecter asked. “Isn’t it safer to stay near the houses, not so out in the open?”
“Corners are not our friends,” Ethan said.
He gave Hecter and Kate a minute to catch their breath.
Then he stood.
“What’s the next destination?” Kate asked.
“There’s a green Victorian two blocks down on the other side of the street. A row of juniper
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