Shinobi (A Katana Novel)

by Cole Gibsen

  His smile wavered. “How about we try really hard not to let that happen?”

  “That’s the plan.” I yawned. Now that I was sitting, the exhaustion that had been chasing me all day finally had the chance to crash over me. I rubbed my burning eyes with my palms. “You think this shack has an espresso maker?”

  He laughed. “No. But you know how many Starbucks are in the world, right? I bet there’s one in a cave nearby.”

  “Oh man, wouldn’t that be great?” I dropped my head into my hands. “I could sure go for a triple-shot caramel macchiato right about now.”

  He nodded and pushed the empty chili can aside. “Or a chai tea latte. That would be amazing.”

  “Well, we can’t stay here. Let’s go look for that Starbucks.” I stood, only to have my legs buckle from exhaustion. I fell back against the chair.

  Quentin frowned. “You know, you look really tired.”

  I made a face. “I hate it when people say that—that’s just a nice way of telling someone they look like crap.”

  “Okay then, you look like crap.”

  I narrowed my eyes.

  He held up his hands in defense. “All I’m saying is maybe we should rest for a few—just long enough to gather our strength.”

  I shook my head and used the table to help myself stand. “We don’t have that kind of time, not with the Network catching up to us.” No sooner had I spoken the words than a tingling sensation prickled my skin. I jerked toward the window, straining to hear any unusual sounds from outside. And that’s when I realized

  it—I didn’t hear anything. None of the usual night noises, like an owl’s screech or a coyote’s howl, could be heard.

  And that could only mean one thing. The animals were hiding from something.

  Quentin stiffened. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

  The sound of my own heartbeat thrashed in my ears. “I’m not sure … ” I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on the feeling—like the softest brush of a finger down the back of my neck. I opened my eyes. “I think I’m having what’s left of a danger premonition.”

  He glanced wildly around the cabin. “What does that mean? Are they close? How long do we have?”

  I shook my head as my pulse rocketed through my veins. “I don’t know. If I was in my body with my ki at full strength, I could tell you. But now … I don’t know.”

  Quentin rushed to the broken window and leaned his head outside. “I think … yes, I definitely hear something.”

  I darted beside him. “What do—” But I didn’t bother to finish my sentence because at that moment I heard it too—the sound of barking dogs. A second later, a flashlight beam broke through the tree line and confirmed my worst fear.

  The Network had found us.

  19

  What do we do?” Quentin hissed.

  I dashed to the cabinet, squinting in the darkness until I located the can of dog food. “We have to get out of this cabin. We’re basically sitting in a trap.” I snatched the knife from the table and slammed it into the lid, working it furiously around the can until I was able to pry the jagged lid open.

  He leaned back from the window. “What are you doing?”

  “Insurance.” I handed the can to Quentin, and motioned for him to follow me to the door. “Stick by me. We don’t know what these guys are packing. They could have night vision for all we know.”

  “Night vision?” he squeaked.

  “Well, yeah, along with the dogs and tranquilizer guns.”

  “Right. And to combat all that you’ve decided to go with … ” He looked at the can in his hand. “Dog food? Are you sure the exhaustion hasn’t made you delirious? Can we at least take those jagged can lids and use them as throwing stars?”

  I shook my head. “Weapons won’t help us now. We’re horribly outnumbered and outgunned. We can’t fight them. Our only option is to run. So stick close, understand?”

  He pressed his lips into a thin line and squeezed the can into his pants pocket. “Okay.”

  I pushed open the cabin’s door with my shoulder and glanced out. The barking grew louder by the second. I motioned Q to follow and sprinted in the opposite direction of the approaching flashlight beams. My stiff muscles screamed in protest. I could only clench my teeth and push through the pain.

  Quentin matched my stride. Together, we forged through the dense brambles and tree branches blocking our escape. But no matter how fast we ran, the barking continued to draw closer.

  A voice called out from behind us. “Over here! I see them just up ahead.”

  Quentin glanced at me. Even in the moonlight I could see the terror in his wide eyes. “Do we throw the dog food now?”

  I shook my head. “No,” I answered, panting. “Not yet.”

  His breathing came in rapid bursts. “I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up.”

  I knew exactly how he felt. My legs felt like rubber bands on the verge of snapping. Every muscle inside my body screamed at me to stop. I tightened my fists and pressed on. “Hang on.”

  Just then, a pop sounded behind us.

  I grabbed Quentin’s arm and yanked him toward me just as two darts sailed over his shoulder and sank into a tree. When we reached the tree, I paused long enough to yank the darts from the bark before I continued on.

  “What are you going to do with those?” Q panted.

  “I have an idea.”

  “Good. Because they’re getting closer.”

  Something snarled behind us.

  I glanced over my shoulder to see a dark shape push through the brush and hurtle toward us. Its bared teeth glowed an almost ethereal blue under the moonlight.

  Cords of fear tightened around my chest, and I skidded to a halt. There was no way we could outrun it.

  The dog slowed its pace. Its lips rippled as a deep growl emanated from its chest.

  I sucked in several ragged breaths, but no amount of air could quench the fire burning in my lungs. I’d never fought a dog before—but I had to assume the same principles I’d learned in hand-to-hand combat would apply. And being small, I relied on one lesson above all else: use your opponent’s energy against them. I squared my shoulders and balanced my weight on my back foot.

  “Rileigh?” Quentin called nervously behind me.

  Before I could respond, the sleek brown dog lunged for me.

  “Rileigh!” Quentin screamed. “Look out.”

  There was an old samurai saying that the greatest opponent a warrior had to overcome was himself. Because if you doubted your abilities for even a second, you’d lost the battle before you even drew your sword.

  The dog’s lips curled back, revealing all of its sharp teeth. I tightened my sweat-slick grip on the tranquilizer dart. I had to believe I could do this. My heart pounded against my ribs with so much force I thought it might burst through. “You can do this,” I muttered to myself. I had no other choice.

  The dog’s mouth widened, its eyes locked on my face. With its teeth inches from my neck, this was my moment.

  I dropped to the ground just as the dog’s jaws snapped shut over my head. Before the animal could complete his arch, I jabbed one of the tranquilizer darts into its soft belly, thrusting upward as I did.

  The dog somersaulted through the air before landing on its side with a grunt.

  I took a step back, preparing to bolt if my plan hadn’t worked.

  The dog raised its head and blinked sleepily. It growled once before its eyes rolled back and its head dropped to the ground.

  I couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt. “I’m so sorry, doggy,” I murmured before turning back to Quentin.

  “You’re sorry?” Q asked. “That thing tried to rip out your throat!”

  I shrugged. “Technically, it tried to rip out Sumi’s throat. That makes him a very good dog—my
favorite dog in the world, actually. Remind me if we ever get out of this alive to send him a steak.”

  Before he could answer, the pop of a dart gun sounded behind us.

  “Duck!” Q cried, and we both hit the ground as several more darts sailed overhead.

  “Don’t move!” a voice screamed.

  But not just any voice.

  “No.” My voice was barely a whisper. “It’s impossible.”

  A dark silhouette walked toward us. As he approached, the moonlight gradually revealed his features, like a mask pulled from his face.

  Kim stood before us, dressed in the black uniform of the Network. He held a tranquilizer gun, which he aimed at my head. “Don’t move,” he growled.

  My lungs seized from the shock of it, and I struggled to breathe. For a brief moment, hope blossomed inside me. Now was our chance to explain what had happened. Once we convinced him what Sumi and Whitley had done to us, we’d finally be safe.

  “Kim! Thank God!” Q took a step toward him and Kim jerked the gun in his direction.

  “I said don’t move!” he screamed again.

  “But Kim,” Q continued, “it’s me, Quentin. And that”—he pointed at me—“is not Sumi. That’s Rileigh. Sumi performed some sort of ceremony during our fight and switched our bodies.”

  Kim’s eye’s narrowed. “You expect me to believe something so crazy?”

  “It’s the truth,” I added. “You have to believe us. We don’t have much time to switch our bodies back. Please, help us!”

  He gave me a disgusted look. “This is one of your mind tricks, isn’t it?” He aimed the gun’s muzzle at my chest. “Save it, Sumi. Everything that comes out of your mouth is a lie.”

  The venom in his words stomped the hope inside of me flat. “Kim, please!” My voice wavered as hot tears welled inside my eyes. If I couldn’t convince Kim, what chance did I have? “We’re telling the truth.”

  “Enough!” He took a step closer, his eyes bright with fury. “We’ve all suffered enough because of you. I’m not going to let you hurt anyone ever again. I don’t want to hear another word out of your lying mouth!”

  The first hot tear burned a trail down my cheek because I knew that no amount of convincing would make Kim believe I was Rileigh.

  “Ri?” Q whispered in my ear. “What are we going to do now?”

  The only thing we could do—leave without Kim. I discreetly reached for Q’s hand and pressed my remaining dart into his palm. “I need you to tranq him when I give the signal,” I whispered back.

  His eye bulged. “I’m going to what?”

  “Both of you, stop talking!” Kim ordered. He pressed the walkie-talkie on his shoulder and spoke into it. “I’ve apprehended the fugitives. Once I have them secured, I’ll meet you back at the truck for transport.” He dropped his hand and looked at us. “I mean it. One word, one funny movement, and I’ll use the gun. Got it?”

  I glanced at Q and he gave the slightest shake of his head, as if silently begging me not to do what I was about to.

  Unfortunately, if we had any hope of escape, I had no choice.

  Kim pulled a zip tie from his pocket and motioned me forward. “Give me your hands.”

  I lifted my hands and took a step forward. A jagged lump pushed up my throat. Kim and I were so evenly matched, there was no telling who would win an actual fight between the two of us. Luckily, I didn’t have to beat him—I just had to catch him off guard.

  He reached for me, and I knew I wasn’t going to be given a better opportunity. The moment his fingers closed around my wrist, I stepped back while simultaneously grabbing his wrist and pulling him toward me. With my free hand, I pushed his shoulder forward and sent him tumbling to the ground.

  “Now, Q!” If Kim regained his balance before Q struck, we were sunk.

  “Q?” Kim glanced at me even as he fell, a question in his eyes.

  “I’m so sorry!” Quentin added before he jabbed the dart into Kim’s back.

  Kim cried out and pulled the dart from his back before falling back to the ground. He blinked lazily up at the night sky.

  “Son of hibachi,” I muttered, clasping my hand over my mouth. Even though he’d tried to apprehend us, I still hated to see him put down this way.

  Kim’s eyes rolled in my direction. “What did you just say?” he slurred.

  I opened my mouth to answer him when the bark of another dog sounded behind us.

  Q’s hand tightened around my arm. “Now what?”

  I placed my hand over his. “We’re going to have to run.” But before I could pull him with me, he yanked out of my grasp.

  I blinked at him. “What are you doing? We have to go!”

  He shook his head. “No. We can’t keep doing this. I think—I think it’s time to split up.”

  “What?” I took a step back. “That’s a horrible idea. We need to stick together.”

  Q gave me a sad smile. “As long as we’re together, they can keep tracking us. But I can lead them in the wrong direction. That should give you enough time to get away.”

  I couldn’t speak as I tried to process his words.

  “Don’t worry.” Q pulled the can of dog food from his pocket and proceeded to smear the greasy slop across his boots. “The person with the greatest chance of making it back is you—so you’re the one who has to continue on. I’ll be fine. All that matters is you get back home in time to switch our bodies. I’m certain it has something to do with the bracelets they used.”

  “Q, I—” But I couldn’t finish. His plan was a good one. Still, I didn’t want to let him go.

  He drew me in for a hug and squeezed tightly. “You can do this,” he whispered. “I know you can.”

  Before I could argue, he pulled back and screamed into the forest, “Hey! I’m right here!” He ran past me, only to stop and glance at me over his shoulder. “What are you waiting for? Get out of here!”

  Right. I cast one last look at Kim’s now-unconscious body. A pang of regret shot through me. If only I had more time. Maybe I could have convinced him …

  “Rileigh!” Q shouted. “Go!”

  I took off running in the opposite direction. I jogged at a pace fast enough to keep covering ground but not one that would tire me out quickly. It wasn’t long before the sound of Q’s shouts and the barking dogs faded into nothing. And then I knew our plan had worked. He’d successfully led them away.

  But at the same time, I knew something else.

  I was completely on my own.

  20

  I’m going to drop dead,” I muttered as I slogged through the shin-high stream.

  Despite the warm morning sun filtering golden rays through the gaps in the trees, the icy water surrounding my bare feet had my teeth chattering and limbs trembling. My body ached from exhaustion, not to mention that a black haze had gathered around the edges of my vision and threatened me with unconsciousness each time I blinked.

  I’d decided to wade through the creek to keep the dogs from scenting my path, but it’d been hours since I last heard a bark. Assuming I’d shaken my pursuers for the time being, I climbed up the embankment and collapsed against the soft mud. The desire to lay my head down and succumb to the fatigue pulling at me was overwhelming. But Q hadn’t sacrificed himself so I could take a nap—he was counting on me to get home and get our bodies back.

  And it wasn’t just Q I had to protect. I knew Sumi would never hurt Kim, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t kill Braden, Michelle, or Drew if they suspected something wasn’t right. A hot wave of fury rolled over me, providing me with a second wave of energy. I withdrew my dry shoes from my waistband and tied them on my feet. I couldn’t let that happen.

  I trudged up the embankment, occasionally using small trees and vines to keep my footing in the slippery grass. It appeared nothing on this journey would be
easy.

  Or at least that’s what I thought until I reached the top of the hill.

  At first I thought it was my imagination or a trick of the dim morning light. I shielded my eyes with my hands and blinked several times to make sure.

  Just ahead, through a part in the trees, it beckoned me.

  A road.

  I barely held back a squeal of joy as I plowed through branches and brush. Thorns raked across my skin, but I barely felt their sting. A road! I emerged from the forest and stood at the edge of the dusty road. I fought the urge to fall to my knees and press my lips to the gravel. It wasn’t a paved road, which was a good thing. That meant it wasn’t a main road, so the odds were slim the Network patrolled it. But it also wasn’t overrun with weeds, and that meant it was a used road. And a used road had to lead somewhere—hopefully, to a place with food, supplies, or better yet a vehicle.

  So all I needed to do was find where that somewhere was.

  After about fifteen minutes of walking, the wall of trees surrounding me opened up to reveal a clearing. My heart leapt, forcing me to pause long enough to pinch myself to ensure I wasn’t dreaming. There, just ahead, sat a faded brown trailer surrounded by the carcasses of three rusted pick-up trucks. Behind the trailer stood a sun-bleached wooden barn.

  Even from a distance, I could tell the vehicles in the yard were worthless. One had been stripped nearly to the frame, while the other two were tireless and propped up on cinder blocks. Still, I quickened my pace to a trot. I’d come too far to give up so easily. Besides, there had to be something drivable here, otherwise there wouldn’t have been tire treads in the gravel road.

  I set my sights on the barn. If there was a running vehicle here, that was where I’d find it. Normally, I would have performed a quick sweep of the property to determine if the occupants were at home. But without the luxury of time, I had no choice but to barge in.

  As I approached the barn, I noticed the overgrown lawn contained more than rusted-out cars. Several large metal barrels were scattered about in the tall weeds, like rotten Easter eggs waiting to be discovered. Also among the barrels were the deflated remains of a kids’ pool, a red cooler missing a lid, and a splintered shovel—nothing that would do me any good.