Page 29 (1/2)

Katie…

Juan pushed her up onto the next ladder "Come on, Loca Get up there"

Jason reached down to her and she crawled up to hi, then he was pulling her down the steps someone had made and pushed up to the wall for easy access Jack was at her feet whining

"Katie left…"

"She’ll be fine, Mohtly to him and helped her walk

"But we’re a teaet her That’s hoorks That’s hoorks"

"Travis is with her, Mo and she ith him

Jenni felt numb, disoriented, and overwhelmed Katie needed to be here or she needed to be with Katie That was hoorked They had to be together, as a teaet theain…

She fainted

3 And Further Still

Katie looked at the gas gauge and frowned As the truck tore over the buripped the steering wheel tightly to steady herself and her nerves She let out a slow sigh

"It’s up ahead Soon," Travis assured her He was peering at a map, much like Jenni used to

Jenni…

Katie wondered how she was doing She had a feeling Jenni was not taking their separation well Actually, she wasn’t either They had bonded so quickly, so tightly, to be separated felt odd and disorienting Travis’ presence was different than Jenni’s It had her a little off balance She wanted to reach out and take Jenni’s hand and feel that it was all going to be okay Instead, she gripped the steering wheel tighter

"I’m sorry," Travis said softly

"Why sorry?"

"It was my stupid idea to have us leave and now…" He shook his head

"I’m sorry, Katie I’ve never been a real leader before I’ your best Hell, none of us have any idea e are really doing"

"Except Juan with his zouns were i about blades," Travis said grimly

"Guns are effective They just draw a lot of attention fast," Katie reun than a blade with so about that He keeps co that they’re supposed to be slow But some of the ones that aren’t as screwed up are really dah "Actually, Jenni spent a good deal of ti"

"Gas station should be just around that bend" Travis looked at her with an unreadable expression "I’m really sorry"

"It’s okay It’s not like I haven’t done this before" She sasoline station Travis pointed to "After two days of this, I’ with peeling white paint and heavy bars over the s, but the pumps were new A beat up, very old trailer was nestled behind the weathered gas station Travis looked out his

He turned to her "It looks clear I’ll see if I can get into the building and turn on the pu, so the electricity isn’t out here"

Katie pulled her credit card out of her pants pocket "We could just try this"

Travis looked at the card, then at her, and finally smiled "I knew there was a reason I had you with aze sweeping over the terrain She was feeling a little too hot and lanced toward Travis to see that the credit card had worked He grabbed the nozzle and gave her a wink

"We’re in business," he said

"Just e ran through her intestines

Da around the front of the truck, she looked all around, studying the shadows under the trees and the buildings in the distance

"Do you have food and water, Travis!" It was a wo, perky

Travis whirled around, as did Katie

A young woman with red hair had slid open what looked like afor after hour payments

"A bottle or two of water would do us fine, Rachel," Travis answered