Page 45 of Tracking the Alpha
“So you can ruin my hunt again?” she riposted.
“We promise to keep radio silence, but we want to keep track of your location so we can be ready to swoop in and secure the beast. Now I assume you’ve already chosen where to spring this trap.”
“I’ll have to get back to you on that.”
“Why the delay? You claimed only yesterday that you returned to study the maps to decide where you’d be setting up next.”
“When did I have time? You had Dr. Lindt here asking me questions a good chunk of the afternoon,” Tanis complained.
The major’s lips pressed into a tight line. “You have this morning to figure it out. I want a location before lunch.” Not asked, demanded.
Tanis didn’t tell him where to go with his attitude. She nodded. “I can do that.”
What she couldn’t do was find a way to let Barrett know what had happened because when she returned to her room, he was already gone.
Chapter Fourteen
The major had given an order, and Tanis had no choice but to obey. When she couldn’t find Barrett to advise him of the change in plans, she headed to the ops room, where Stevens had left satellite imaging of the terrain for her to peruse. It didn’t take long to find a few nearby clearings with space enough to tether bait and trees sizeable enough to hold her weight. She settled on one and circled it on the map, even as she memorized the direction and approximate distance from the compound.
As she packed some stuff, she wondered how Barrett managed to leave the barracks without being seen. Did it simply take wearing a uniform to be ignored? Even if that worked, he couldn’t go many places. The main building, with its facial-scanning security measures, would never give him access. Knowing he roamed kept her distracted as she waited to be summoned. After the midday meal of a shitty sandwich with mystery meat and a soft apple, she headed to the loft to stare out the window, which was where Wet-behind-the-ears found her.
He had a wide grin as he said, “I finally get to leave the base.”
Hardly a base but she didn’t correct him. “Where are you going?”
“With you into the woods. Major says I’m to carry a wolf for you and help secure it.”
“Are you insane? You can’t carry a wolf. It will take a chunk out of you.”
The boy chuckled. “It won’t be awake. Major’s gonna have it drugged. Says we’ll have plenty of time to get it where you want.”
Guess this would be happening. So much for Barrett joining her in bed tonight. “How long before we’re supposed to set out?”
“Within the hour. Major says they’ve already got the bitch ready to go. Just need to give Dr. Lindt time to spray me down.” He grimaced. “Gonna smell like dog piss until I can shower.”
“Dog?”
“Guess I should say wolf. Doc says the spray should have me smelling the same as the female I gotta carry. Not sure why I need to be skunked when you don’t.” He eyed Tanis with question.
“Because I know how to have my scent meld with the forest.”
“Why can’t I do what you do?”
“I don’t share my secrets.” How to explain she’d always had the ability to blend in? She couldn’t have said how or why. Did it come from her heritage? Had she simply spent so much time in the forest that her body didn’t smell like other humans? Not to say she couldn’t be tracked. Barrett claimed he could smell her, and yet, when she went hunting, more often than not, animals never knew she lurked nearby.
The young man left, and Tanis paced, knowing the time for departure arrived quickly and she’d not seen Barrett. Best she could do was leave an obscure note in her room that looked as if she’d been making a checklist.
Bring rations. Ropes for snares. Change batteries in flashlight. Blanket for overnight.
Would he get the hint she’d gone back out into the forest?
Would he be okay without her?
Would she ever see him again?
With more questions than answers, she met up with the young soldier in the courtyard. She smelled him a few paces away and wrinkled her nose.
“Ew. That’s a strong scent of pine,” she commented. “And not wolfish at all.”
