Page 51 of Fighting for Mallory

Judd and Faith had arrived only an hour ago. Their flight from California had been delayed due to the severe thunderstorms plaguing Tennessee. Luca applauded their tenacity. Because they found Dr. Khalil, they now had a recent picture of Neheb and a general idea of his travel plans. By their calculations, he’d already left California on a thirty-two-hour drive to Tennessee. He’d probably drive ten to twelve hours a day, then stop to rest and change vehicles. Though Tex couldn’t join them in Tennessee, he was running Neheb’s photo through databases and checking every traffic camera between California and Tennessee to track him. Unless, of course, he was already here.

When the military trucks rolled into the parking lot, the team gathered their gear and slipped rain ponchos over their heads, for another wave of thunderstorms had hit the area. Faith reached for an extra poncho, intending to go with the team, but Clayton stopped her.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Stoker, but you’re stayin’ here. I’ve been followin’ your career for years and know how capable you are in tough situations, but this is different. These extreme weather conditions have increased the level of danger. We don’t have a clear picture of what we’re dealin’ with. Again, I’m sorry.”

He flashed a charming smile at her, and she melted. “All right. I wouldn’t want to make the situation worse by possibly putting myself and the others in jeopardy.”

Judd rolled his eyes, apparently not impressed with Clayton’s southern charm.

Luca tossed him a duffel bag filled with equipment and a rain poncho. “You’re with us, Morgan.”

One member of the team stayed behind with Faith to monitor the communication system’s audio and visual feed. Since the team had left Jefferson County, Detective Scope and his partner had been keeping an eye on the bar and grill in Memphis. The waitress, whose help they’d enlisted, had texted Scope pictures of young men with the fanged copperhead tattoos. So far, they hadn’t been back to the bar and grill in a couple of days.

Two groups of five loaded into the dark green army trucks. Parts of the highway they traveled were flooded. Stranded motorists sat in their cars. There wasn’t anything the team could do for them except call 911. Debris littered roads that weren’t under water. Within half an hour, they turned onto a county road that ran east and west. Mud and rainwater caused slick conditions. Twice they stopped and moved giant tree branches out of their way.

As they neared their target spot, they received a radio communication. “Look sharp, guys. In 1000 feet the road is washed out.”

“Copy that,” the drivers answered in unison.

They slowed their speed and came to a gentle stop when they approached the danger zone. The team jumped out of the back of the army trucks and surveyed the damage. A recent mudslide and heavy flooding had caused the asphalt to buckle under the pressure and opened a fifty-foot fissure in the road.

Blinding rain assaulted them. Above the wind, Luca shouted, “What do we do now?”

“We go on foot!” Clayton responded. “Follow me!”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The team hiked on sodden, uneven ground. A canopy of trees prevented the downpour from hindering them too much, though rain ran down their ponchos and faces. They headed east across the terrain, sometimes slipping and sliding their way down muddy inclines. After trekking almost three miles, they came to the spot where Tex had lost track of Mallory. Three members of the team took metal detectors from their equipment packs and began to sweep the area. Finding the tracker in Mallory’s earring would prove they were in the right place. Luca, Hutch, and River tramped through mud, fallen trees, and an abundance of broken branches searching for a sign or a clue that Mallory might have left for them. Clayton used a thermal imaging device to scan the area for heat signatures.

“Anything?” Luca yelled.

“No!”

“Mallory is down there,” he insisted. “I can feel her.”

Clayton didn’t argue with him. “All right. We’ll keep lookin’.”

As they canvassed the area, the storm intensified. Heavy winds and rain whipped at them. It grew too dangerous to remain outdoors, especially with the air sizzling with lightning strikes nearby. When Clayton gave the order to return to their trucks, Luca protested.

“It’s too soon! We have to keep looking for a way underground!”

“And we will,” Clayton promised. “When it’s safer.”

Luca screamed Mallory’s name and dropped to the soggy ground. Hutch and River flanked him and lifted him to his feet.

“Let’s go,” Hutch said in a quiet but commanding tone of voice. “You heard Clayton. It’s not safe to stay here any longer.”

“Mallory is down there,” Luca repeated. “She’s down there, and she needs me.”

“We’ll get to her, Luca. Just not right now.”

Luca stiffened. Just not right now wasn’t what he wanted to hear.

The flooding grew worse and created even more hazardous driving conditions, but the army trucks handled it well. When the team arrived back at the motel, they retired to their separate rooms to change out of their wet clothes. Afterward they met in the command room where Faith had a hot meal waiting for them.

Luca forced himself to eat, then returned alone to the room he shared with River, in no mood to socialize with the others. He stretched out on one of the double beds and plotted his next move.

“I’m not leaving you down in those caves to fend for yourself. I know you’re hurt, scared, and in pain. I can feel you crying out to me. Your voice is in my head. I’m coming, Mallory. Can you hear me? I’m coming to get you. Tonight.” Luca rolled onto his side facing the window and closed his eyes.

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