Page 169 of Massimo

I had to move quickly. There was no telling when the other teams would get there.

I threw a couple dozen cans of food into my backpack, then wrapped the bottle of brandy in a hand towel and shoved it in. I figured I could use the alcohol to bring her around when we got to safety.

I found my lighter and can opener and stuffed them in with the food.

I saw my phone and was about to grab it –

Then I thought, What if that was how they found us? What if they tracked it somehow?

So I left it behind.

I ran to the bedroom and grabbed a few of Lucia’s clothes – especially her jacket – and a few of mine.

I looked for the Sig Sauer pistol I’d given her but couldn’t find it –

So I just grabbed my hunting rifle from the corner and ran back to the kitchen.

Lucia hadn’t moved.

I stuffed the clothes in the top of the backpack, slung the rifle over my arm, and put the backpack on over it.

I thought about bringing the five-gallon water canisters but decided against it. I had to move fast, and carrying extra dead weight didn’t make sense. Plus, this house had running water; I could keep going until I found another cabin that had it, too.

I did, however, grab our canteens, fill them at the kitchen sink, and sling them around my neck on their straps.

Finally, I bent down and picked Lucia up.

I was terrified for her.

I went out the back door and carried her far enough away that she wouldn’t see what I was about to do.

I set her down in the pine needles, then went back inside the barn.

I grabbed the first dead man’s pistol, a Beretta M9.

I searched his hunting jacket, found a couple of magazines full of bullets, and shoved them in my backpack.

Then I went to the other dead man and tried to ignore the bloody ruin that had once been his face.

His Glock was ten feet away where I’d kicked it. I grabbed it, searched him, and added a few more magazines to my backpack.

I thought about taking my shotgun, too…

But I was afraid that the sight of it might traumatize Lucia further once she finally came around.

Plus, I’d forgotten the shotgun shells inside, and I didn’t want to waste more time retrieving them. The two dead men’s compatriots were probably getting closer by the second.

I put the Glock in my jeans and held the Beretta in my right hand…

Went back outside the barn and scooped Lucia up in my arms…

And I ran.

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Once I thought we were out of immediate danger, I slowed down to a walk. I needed to be able to listen for pursuers.

But as much as I strained to hear anything, there was nothing but birds chirping and the wind blowing through the trees. Occasionally we passed by a burbling stream.

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