Page 44 of Dark Medicine

“Thank you,” said Uri with a shaky breath. “I knew they were safe, but still, I worried.”

“It’s okay, you know,” said Fiona in a sleepy voice from the back seat. “We understand that you weren’t given much of an option here. I don’t know what I would have done if they threatened my family.”

“It’s not just me,” said Uri. “The others are threatened as well. The only one willingly walking through this gauntlet right now is Groome, or at least, that’s what it looks like. He doesn’t have any family. Parents are dead, no wife, no children, and no siblings. I’m not sure how he got mixed up in this.”

“Do you think they’d help us?” asked Adam.

“I don’t know. I just don’t know if we can trust them yet. They’re all scared, and Moore and K have them brain-washed to believe there’s nothing for them to do. I’m not sure they would listen to us.”

“Their families are being held as well?” asked Fiona.

“Yes. Cullen left the military because of his sexual preference. He thought he would be free of the scrutiny, and Moore played right into that promising him things he could never deliver. Cullen’s husband, Bill, is bisexual, but he didn’t know that when he married him. He was actually seeing the woman, K. Cullen had no clue who she was or what Bill was doing. She has pictures, e-mail messages, you name it. She would destroy them both.

“Dan Henry and Norris Fredricks both have families. Dan’s wife and three children are under lock and key by Moore. He has no idea where, but they are able to Skype once a week. Fredericks, he tried to escape once and paid the price. Moore damaged his leg so badly they made sure he could never run again. His wife was killed, but they’re keeping his sons under house arrest to keep him under control.”

“And Groome?”

“He has no one, but he seems willing to follow this chaos to the end.”

“Wait, if Dan Henry’s wife and family can Skype with him once a week, shouldn’t Spook be able to track the Skype call or trace the previous calls?” Fiona leaned over the front seat, looking from Uri to Adam and back again. A huge smile spread across Adam’s face.

“And that, Uri, is why I love this woman,” said Adam, smiling. He leaned across the seat and kissed her soundly. Uri couldn’t help but grin, even with the pang of wanting for his own wife. “Let me call Spook.”

“Spook, yea, we’re good, brother. Listen.” Fiona and Uri listened as Adam explained the situation, wondering if Spook could truly track down Henry’s family. “Let me check. Is there a certain day of the week he gets to speak to his family?”

“Yes. Yes, it’s Tuesday. I guess I never thought about that before, but it’s only on Tuesday mornings at 10:10 a.m. Always 10:10 a.m.”

“Yea, brother. That’s right. Tuesdays at 10:10 a.m. Got it.” Adam hung up the phone and looked at his carmates. “Spook said he can track them. He’s going to try and find the signal from the last Skype call, but if not, tomorrow is Tuesday. If we can locate Henry’s wife and children, we can send in someone to get them. That should make Henry come to our side for sure.”

“He definitely would. Dan Henry is a good man. They’re all good men forced into something they never wanted to be a part of.” The phone rang once more, and sure enough, it was Spook.

We found them. They’re outside of Boulder in a cabin up in the mountains. Kane is sending Flip and calling in Ted.

Uri and Fiona listened as Adam placed the call on speakerphone. Uri’s eyebrows lifted at the thought of Spook finding them so quickly. He still didn’t understand the man’s skills, but then again, he didn’t need to.

“Thanks, Spook. I won’t even ask how.” Spook laughed on the other end of the line as it went dead.

“Let’s stop for some food,” said Adam. “If I’m hungry, I know that both of you must be, too.”

“I could eat,” said Fiona, grinning.

Uri pointed to a blue highway sign indicating several fast-food restaurants and hotels. Within a few miles, they pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant specializing in tacos.

“Tacos? In Montana? Well, I’m hungry enough I’ll try anything,” said Adam.

Fiona marveled at the amount of food Adam consumed. Uri was close behind, eating a half-dozen tacos and one massive burrito. She shook her head as she ate her one taco and a small portion of nachos.

Finished with their meal, the team felt rejuvenated and headed in the direction of Wyoming and Uri’s family. As dawn broke, Uri nudged Adam, careful not to wake Fiona.

“We’re almost there,” he said quietly.

Adam sat up straight in his seat, turning his neck, the familiar popping and cracking echoing in the car. Looking out the windshield, he admired the massive rock peaks, thick forests of pines, cottonwoods, and aspens. It was the most peaceful place Adam had ever seen.

“It’s beautiful,” he whispered.

Uri nodded, smiling. He turned down a rough dirt road, the rental car taking a pounding on the potholes and large rocks.

“Where are we?” asked Fiona sleepily.

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