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"You two are totally fucked," the deputy said

"I believe the basic code for that is ten-forty-five-F"

Less than an hour later we crossed Interstate 35, still heading east

"My friends are up north," Skarda said

"Mine aren’t," I replied

Deputy Olson didn’t say anything He si sounds

We ended up on County Road 30 and followed it toward the Wisconsin border Near the tiny town of Duxbury it turned froe dust followed us down the road This was no-man’s-land, thinly populated, little traffic

The radio crackled, its signal not nearly as vibrant as it had been

"Six-twenty-one"

I ignored it

"Six-twenty-one, do you copy?"

"Aren’t you going to answer?" Skarda asked

"Nope Let ’em wonder"

The turnoff came up so fast that I was fifty feet past it before I could stop safely I put the Charger in reverse, backed up, and then turned in It was a logging road used so long ago that noas little rown trail with plenty of potholes that er bounce like a carnival ride I followed it deep into the forest until we reached the edge of a sht have been the Lower Tamarack; I didn’t know for sure and never cared to ask

"Six-twenty--"

When I turned off the engine, the radio ith it

Trees--poplar, birch, and fir--surrounded us The only noise cale of the slow-h in the sky, and there were few shadows on the forest floor It was the kind of place where a guy ht pitch a tent and try his luck with a fly rod, where enerally take for granted

"Gentlemen, this is where I leave you," I said

"Here," the deputy said "Here?"

"Your guys aren’t going to be looking for s first, right? It’s going to take a long time to find you here, GPS or not By the time they do and turn their attention to e speed of a round is two et on foot?"

"All the way to where a car is waiting Do you think I’, Deputy? C’mon"