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When he saw the coordinates, he swore under his breath Into the phone he said, "We're going to need cold weather gear, sir We're headed back to Russia"

Just then, the tinyin the door of the cabin shattered, David jerked and his head slaainst the blood-spattered wall behind hiers and he crumpled to the dusty floorboards with a dull thump

Noelle screamed

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Caleb tried not to jostle the boy as he and Grant hiked back down the road to where they'd left the truck This was the only road leading to his cabin, and with Grant's battered old Ford parked across it, no one was getting through this way--at least not withoutto et to the hospital," said Grant

Caleb glanced down at the kid His breathing was shallow and his skin was ashen

The i in his aruilt It had been almost a year since he'd carried her out of that cave, and there wasn't a day that went by that he didn't think about her There wasn't a day that went by that he didn't hate hi those bastards hurt her

She'd lived Maybe this kid would, too "You're probably right, but I have to try"

"I know We're not going to give up on him" Grant's tone was hopeless Flat

"You want to lay him out in the back or keep him in the cab?' Grant's rifle was in his skilled hands and his eyes were on the trees

He could hit nearly anything he could see with that rifle, but that did little to ease the tension that had started growing between Caleb's shoulder blades ever since they'd found the bloody kid "I'll hang on to him Try to cushion the ride for him"

As they neared the truck, Caleb and Grant both slowed, surveying the area for signs anyone had come this way

"Looks clear," said Grant

Caleb saw nothing, but that nagging worry was still grating against hiave hi?"

"Yep"

"God, I hate it when you get those"

"Me, too We'll drive up to the cabin to check on David and Noelle before we head back down theon"

Grant opened Caleb's door so he could er's seat The truck dipped under his weight, squeaking in protest Grant hurried around the truck, still keeping his eyes on the trees He slid in behind the wheel and stowed his rifle in a custom-made slot in the driver's side door

The inside of the truck was as beat-up as the outside, with a wide crack running along the top of the dashboard, ed vinyl seats The knob on the love compartment was busted so that it had to be held closed with duct tape The truck s foa else that Caleb didn't recognize--a harsh smell, like week-old sweat and a faint che he hadn't encountered for years

Grant put the key in the ignition

Homemade explosives That was the smell Holy shit!

Grant's wrist twitched as he started to turn the key

"Stop!" shouted Caleb, and ripped Grant's hand away from the keys

The kid didn'thit the dash because of Caleb's jerky n

"What the hell?" snapped Grant, as he tried to tear his aro

"Get out of the truck It's wired to blow" Cold sweat broke out along Caleb's ribs

Grant opened the door slowly and eased out of his seat Caleb leaned down, following his nose to where the s to lean over the kid, but hecolunition to a squat metal can that still had some of the tuna label attached:Talk about homemade He could probably disarm it, but it would take time Time the boy didn't have

Ti to kill them, and David needed to know it, pronto

"We need to get back to Noelle," said Caleb

Grant nodded and grabbed his rifle "Catch up when you can," he said, and took off sprinting up the trail back toward the cabin

Caleb eased out of the truck and laid the boy a safe distance away There was nothing he could do for him, now

Somewhere in the last few , and without enough blood to keep it pu, no amount of CPR would help The boy was dead

Caleb stood over hi on his hands and clothing Soblood So much innocence lost