by Dale Mayer
The wind had picked up, causing a brutal chill. The sun had long gone. It was the middle of summer and Grant couldn't believe he was zipping up a fleece vest and still cold.
Blame it on Roystan Park. It was so heavily wooded neither sun nor heat reached deep or stayed for long.
He checked his map again. The geologist had showed him which side of the park to search and the approximate width of the long strip that held the most potential.
Kali had to be upset at missing this. Well, she'd been through too much already. With any luck, they'd find Julie soon. If luck was on their side. Grimly he returned his attention to the long red strip on the map in his hands. They'd be bloody lucky to cover half this mileage tonight. Forty men weren't close to enough.
"Hey, Grant. Let's get these men moving."
Grant passed over the spare sheets in his hands. "Here are the maps. Let's go."
The hard work began.
***
The cold had settled deep under her skin. Julie hated the endless dark. Exhaustion had set in. Not enough, though. Her body still screamed with pain every time she twitched.
How much longer?
Surely someone would notice the pipe in the ground soon. She wasn't done yet. That bastard could gloat all he wanted but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of dying in this underground hell. She fanned the faint flames of anger. It kept her warm at night. Endurance had stepped in. Replaying memories of happy times kept her mind busy, which helped, but reminded her of those people already gone from this world.
And that she might join them this night. She was so cold. A part of her was ready to die.
Kali and Shiloh, Stan, all those SAR specialists probably didn't know she was even missing. How ironic. She'd been pissed at them for entering her home before. Now she could only hope they were still concerned enough to check on her again.
Typical, you never knew the value of your friends until it was too late. Or the value of law enforcement. She hadn’t even been nice to the guard waiting for her at home early this morning. She'd booted him out so fast.
God, she was a fool.
Closing her eyes, she twitched slightly. Nerve endings jumped to life like a thousand hot needles throughout her body. Julie spit the grime from her mouth but couldn't do anything about the hot tears streaming in rivers her cheeks. Who'd have thought she'd end up like this - again?
She'd been saved once before. What were the odds of being saved a second time?
Kali, where are you?
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Kali picked up speed, giving Shiloh a long lead. She couldn't afford to slow the pace, neither could she allow Shiloh to take off. Whatever the doctor had given her allowed her to maintain a strong steady pace. Kali didn't want to sprint in her condition unless she absolutely had to. Who knew when the shot would wear off?
She figured Scott would be behind her, possibly with one or more of the other men, but the pace had been brutal so far and the night was far from over. She couldn’t waste time finding him. He should be able to follow her lights, anyway.
The twilight resembled a gray fog, blurring light and dark. Not a street lamp in sight. No, this wilderness park deserved its name. It housed many long-lived species of trees and plants. The tree canopy was full and heavily covered in green leaves, leaving the moonlight to search for pathways to the under layer. It was also cold.
Kali kept an ear tuned for Grant's group as she raced thirty feet parallel with the fence. She was grateful the stuff the doctor had given her hadn't smothered her other senses. The tingle at the back of her neck stirred, keeping her focused and moving forward.
Thank heavens for commercial flashlights. Hers circled the woods in a continuous movement, adding a weird glow to the night. Nothing like adding gloomy and creepy to kidnapping and murder. Kali shook her head, throwing off the ugly vibes with determined effort. Julie. She needed to find Julie. Nothing else mattered
As the miles churned under her feet, Kali searched for landmarks, anything that twigged. There were lots of flat heavily treed areas that wouldn't take kindly to digging. A sinking knot settled into her stomach. She faced a huge job, especially in the dark. Grant should have a dozen canine units out here. This park was massive. People were known to get lost in here for days.
Kali understood the trust issue, but Julie's life ebbed by the minute.
Tonight Shiloh's skills came into play, with Kali's as the handler. As she moved through the brush, her mind locked on her weird skills. She'd yet to take the time to study it. She'd always assumed they happened naturally. Lately natural had become wild and weird. It confused, terrified and if she was honest, delighted her, at least since meeting Stefan and having the realization that she might be able to control these skills. They had found David and Melanie. Now if only she could find Julie...alive.
Every action had an equal reaction, and energy left a record. Happy events left a happy energy. Violent acts left an angry energy. Murder was the most violent act of all. Even a violent death had a softer tone than the jagged black-edged forces of a murder. The energy left behind was the wildest, most pissed off energy signature of all.
It belonged to the victim.
The trick to finding these victims of violence was really in their angry energy signatures. Energy clung, whispered and twisted in churning threads. People who died in their sleep left no energy. They didn't have the same anger or need for retribution as ones who died through violent means.
It was possible she could find other victims if she paid better attention. Any devastating event, accidental or not, would also leave an energy signature. But fear was damn powerful. Her resistance to the process had stopped their softer presence from making it into her psyche.
The bottom line was that Kali saw violence - whether the victim was alive or dead.
There was a strong possibility Julie was alive. There was no doubt the method of her incarceration was extremely violent. The energy signature would be there, only fainter. Theoretically, Kali should be able to sense it, to see it. Maybe the ribbons would be thinner? Softer or lighter in color? She didn't know. This was uncharted territory. The truth would be found with practice.
"Shiloh, how are you doing?" Kali found comfort at the sound of her voice. "Being alone out here is unusual, isn't it? Normally, we're surrounded by people." Although Scott should be close by soon.
Shiloh ran toward Kali to say hi. Her ear twitched as she accepted a caress then took off again, her nose to the ground, her lead stretching a solid ten feet in front. Kali walked faster to narrow the distance between them, but with the slack in the lead, Shiloh pulled forward.
"Take it easy, girl. We need to conserve energy."
Shiloh ignored her and ran ahead. Kali caught the same sense of urgency and quickly caught up with her, using the powerful light of the flashlight to illuminate their way. A wind picked up, filling the woods with a chilled rustling. Kali pulled the zipper of her multi-pocketed vest up to her neck. The shiver that overcame her was a sign of her lowered health. The doctor's stuff wouldn't sustain her for long at this rate. Kali hunkered deeper in her vest.
The moon peeked out behind the clouds for a brief moment, illuminating the eerie darkness. Branches cast villains and bushes whispered dire warnings. Kali hurried to stay behind Shiloh. Her watch illuminated the time. An hour had passed. One hour and she'd already reached the cold sweat stage.
Kali's cell phone rang. She jumped at the noise.
"Hello."
"Kali?"
"Hi, Grant." Kali closed her eyes, caught off guard. She struggled to regulate her heavy breathing. Shiloh tugged her forward, forcing Kali to quickly juggle flashlight, lead and cell phone. She shuffled the flashlight to her left hand and picked up her pace.
"Are you okay? Your voice is...shaking?"
"I'm fine, tired maybe." Just a little. "How's the search going?"
"It's in progress. It's weird though, one of the teams thought they saw someone else out here at the same time?"
Kali spun around, searching the woods, expecting someone to burst through the trees at any moment. Had she been spotted? An agent would have approached her, surely? Refusing to be deterred, she plowed forward.
"Kali, what do I hear?"
"What?" Kali glanced at her phone. "What do you hear?"
"You're at the hospital, aren't you?" he questioned, his voice rising. "Those noises make it sound like you're running? Puffing with exertion?" Kali couldn't stop the wince at the aggressive accusation in his voice. He didn't know the half of it.
"Uhmmm," she hedged.
"Kali, where the hell are you?"
The shit was about to hit the fan. She sighed heavily and confessed. "I'm probably a couple of miles behind you."
"What?" Shiloh whined. Kali slapped her thigh, calling Shiloh over. "It's okay, Shiloh. Everything's fine."
"Like hell it's fine," Grant roared. "You're supposed to be in the hospital. God damn it, Kali." This time, Shiloh barked at the voice thundering through her cell phone.
"Stop it. You're upsetting Shiloh."
Grant spluttered. "I'm upsetting the dog? What about me? What about how upset I am?"
"Get over it." She snapped. "I'm cold and tired and don't want to be out here." Kali shivered in the cool air. She wanted to be in her bed. Julie wanted the same thing, and she deserved to have it. Kali wouldn't quit.
"Then don't." The phone line crackled with bits of conversation trickling through from Grant's side. "Go home."
"I'd love to," she said, letting her irritation grow. It helped dispel the fatigue. "Except this isn't about you or me. This is about Julie. And I didn’t come alone. I brought Scott, the guard from the hospital...except he was supposed to be behind me and he hasn’t caught up yet."
"Shit. There are forty good men here."
Kali shook her head, interrupting, "And not one dog team. Shiloh's sense of smell beats your forty men in a heartbeat. And then there's me."
"Where are you?"
"I'm searching twenty feet off the west fence." Kali searched the gloom to identify a landmark. "A hard walk for an hour plus, I'd guess we're about four miles in. Maybe four and a half. Hard to say with the rough terrain." Kali tripped as she spoke. "Shit."
"What happened?" Grant said, concern overriding the anger in his voice.
She bit back the moan as the burning in her back heated up. Thank God for the pain shot. And how long would it last?
"Damn it, answer me."
"I'm here. Give me a second," she whispered. She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "I tripped on a root. I'm fine." And she would be. She had to be for a while longer.
"Shit, Kali. I'll be there in a couple minutes. Don't move."
Like hell. "Grant, I haven't stopped moving." She searched the gloom for the halo of flashlights. Nothing yet. "Either walk toward me or wait and I'll get there in a bit."
"Jesus, you're stubborn."
Kali smirked. "I've heard that before."
Nearby, the brush rustled. Kali stopped, her hand to her throat. "What was that?"
"What did you hear?"
"Noises. In front of me." Shiloh growled deep in her throat, the sound raising the hairs on the back of Kali's neck. Kali's gaze followed Shiloh stare. The shadows stilled, blending bushes to trees into a dark silhouette. Clicking off her flashlight, she hunkered close to the ground, one arm wrapped around Shiloh. "Grant. Did you say someone else is out here?"
"There are several teams out here. I have men everywhere, damn it. I don't have an update pinpointing everyone's location. Where’s Scott?"
"I’m hoping that’s him, but I don’t want to call out...just in case." Memories of startling the killer at David’s burial site filled her mind. "Can you get one please?" Impatience gnawed at her. She hated the reminder that the killer could be here watching her. She'd refused to consider it before and could hardly change that now. "I'd really like to know if friend or foe is in my area."
She did not want a repeat of the last incident where she'd come upon the killer in the dark.
"I can't. I'm talking to you. As I can see just enough to run, I should be within ear shot within about five to ten minutes."
"Thank God," she whispered, wishing he'd already arrived. She could hear his uneven breathing as he covered the ground between them. Kali stayed quiet, hugging Shiloh. Scott would have trouble finding her like this, but her light was still on.
Poor Julie, she must be going through hell. Cold, tired, worn out with the effort of staying alive. Survival wasn't for the weak. Kali buried her face in Shiloh's warm fur and waited.
"Kali."
Kali snapped upright, frowning. Had someone called her name? Grant? No, he'd call out several times. Not a grated whisper. Her heart pounded. She wasn't alone.
Noises crashed through the underbrush up ahead. No attempt at being quiet. Kali slipped further into the shadows.
And was grabbed from behind.
Kali screamed and struggled to free herself. Shiloh barked and jumped at her attacker, dashing in for an attack before retreating, dancing out of reach of the kicks, then rushing in again.
"Shit." The man grunted, the muffled sound blasting in her ear.
A gloved hand slapped over her mouth. Kali fought, a scream gurgling past his leather covered fingers. The strong arm pulled her backwards. Fire tore across her shoulder. She cried out with pain, tripping and falling to one side. Her movement broke free of the one restraining arm. Pivoting, she kicked up at him, screaming at the top of her lungs for Grant.
"Kali?"
The distant shout sounded off to the left. Grant. Although she couldn't be sure for Shiloh's constant yipping. At least Grant would hear her, too.
Her attacker dropped on top of her, trying to pin her arms down, his shoulder shoved against her mouth, pinning her head low. Pain stabbed at her constantly as her stitches argued with the hard ground.
Twisting and kicking with only limited success, Kali managed to slide one arm free. She immediately raked her nails across his face.
"Bitch!" But it was enough to loosen his grip on her mouth.
"Grant help!" Pain enveloped her entire body. Fire surged across her shoulders. Christ, she hurt. Kali ignored her injures as she strove for freedom, while the movements pulled at her stitches. Bile climbed the inside of her throat.
Shiloh added to the nightmare, barking, and nipping at any body part she could reach.
Her attacker roared, his arms clamping on hers, pivoting her onto her belly, his knee slammed against her spine as his weight came down holding her there. "Fucking bitch."
Kali gasped for breath, but couldn't get any oxygen. Her spine felt seared and she couldn't imagine the damage to her back. "Shiloh," she whispered.
Shiloh charged. Her attacker screamed again. Suddenly, his weight lifted and Kali scrambled to her feet, bolting into the darkness in panic.
"Shiloh. Here Shiloh." Kali raced ahead in the blackness of the night.
"Grant. Scott," she screamed. "Grant, help. I'm free."
"Kali."
Strong arms reached and grabbed her. She screamed and panicked.
"It's me." Grant pulled her tight into his embrace. "Stop, it's alright. Calm down. It's okay now."
His words finally penetrated her pounding blood. "Grant." She burrowed against his chest, her body quivering in fear.
Grant held her gently, careful to keep his arm low and away from her injuries. "Easy. It's going to be okay. We'll get him. Calm down."
Kali twisted to peer into the darkness behind her. "In this light he could hide out here all night. And there's nothing stopping him from going over the fence."
Grant considered her comment, pulled out his phone and within minutes, he had tapped another team of men.
"Wow," Kali said, pulling back to smile up at him through the tears that had arrived now that she was safe. "A man of action, I like that."
Grant snatched her close again, his chin dropping to rest on her head.
; Several more men broke through the brush from the way Kali had come. Scott in the lead. He slowed down, shaking his head when he saw her. "Jesus, when you said catch up, Kali. I didn’t figure you’d be sprinting for miles." The men dispersed on the hunt for the killer. .
Comforted, Kali closed her eyes and leaned in. Just as tension drained from her spine, Grant tilted her head back to snap, "Why the hell aren't you safe in the hospital?" He demanded in angry frustration. "God damn it. Why the hell can't you stay in one place like you're told to? Do you know how much shit I'm going to do to Scott for letting you out?"