Page 147 of Darling Wildfire
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said. “Do you know where he was stationed?”
“The last I heard, he’d disappeared somewhere in Syria. That’s all they’ll tell me.”
I nodded. If he was MIA—missing in action—chances are he was either dead or had been taken by the enemy and was being held. Neither option was pleasant to think about.
Dawn began to break just as Nyx and Atlas finished cleaning up the kitchen.
“Are you guys in some kind of trouble?” Macy asked.
“Better if you don’t know,” I said. “Do you have a map of the area?”
She nodded and disappeared down the hall only to reappear a few minutes later with a few folded up maps. She spread them out on the tableand I ran my hands over them to smooth them out, my fingers tracing the mountains as I got my bearings.
“We’re here,” she supplied, pointing to a spot on the map.
I followed the forest back the way we’d come, tracing my finger over the forested area. I stopped on an isolated area with enough land for Vetticus to run his operation. The estate had to be somewhere in that area. I looked back at where this farm was and traced it to the nearby cities and towns.
“Can I keep this?”
She nodded. “Are there other farms around here?” Atlas asked.
“Yeah, they’re spread out along this valley,” Macy said, tracing a part of the map.
Atlas met my eyes over the table, concern written all over them. Vetticus would surely check the farms. I didn’t want to bring that trouble down on Macy. If I was him, I’d be busy sweeping all the farms in this valley knowing if we made it, we’d pop out somewhere around this area.
“We’ve already been here too long,” Nyx said.
I nodded. A week here was pushing it.
“Can you take us into town?” I asked Macy.
She nodded. “I take it you want some supplies…” It wasn’t a question but I nodded all the same.
“And any guns or weapons you can spare—minus the one Atlas is keeping safe of course.”
Macy stood up and disappeared down the hallway.
An hour later, we had three packs full of supplies, clean clothes and best of all—two 9mm handguns and a rifle. Macy had been hesitant to part with the weapons but she knew I’d steal them regardless so I let her take her time choosing which ones.
We piled into the pickup, Nyx and Atlas in the bed and I sat in the passenger seat while Macy turned the key and the truck rumbled to life. We were just pulling out of the drive when a radio crackled in the truck and then a voice came through.
“Macy, come in, Mace. Over.”
“Who is that?” I asked. I snatched the radio before she could grab it.
“He’s my neighbor on that side,” she said, waving her hand off down the valley. “He helps me out here and there.”
“Macy, come in—” The radio cut out. “—men—guns—”
I heard Nyx curse through the open back window.
“Drive,” I said to Macy.
She pulled out of the front yard and turned the truck towards the road leading into the woods. The radio crackled again but the warble of the man’s voice couldn’t be understood. Macy’s hands gripped the wheel tightly and her face was lined with worry.
I handed her the radio. “Pick it up. Don’t mention us.”
She nodded. “Finn, I’m here. Are you okay? Over.”
