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"And?" Malachi asked

Abby shook her head

"Well, we know he’s been here--watching," Malachi said

They rode on When they broke into the clearing by the rocky hills, the sheer beauty of the area et the tent pitched," Malachi said once they’d reached the campsite "Hey, Liv, this has been fixed up nicely over the years The rocks around the fire pit--great! You can keep e that you’ll start a forest fire"

"If it’s windy, of course, we still douse it co She untied the saddle pack she had on Shiloh "Who has the tent supports?"

"I’ve got ’e the tent Soon it was done; Dustin was glad they’d chosen to bring one--it was getting too cold for sleeping bags alone They’d take turns being on guard duty during the night

They gathered firewood and got a blaze going By then they were all fa became the next order of business Even the canned food tasted delicious at that point

While they ate, Dustin and Olivia relayed everything that had occurred when Aaron had nearly drowned Malachi and Abby nodded, asked questions and, after they’d finished eating, were shown the routes taken by the different players during the event

"Tomorroe should act it out Count the seconds each moveot to sleep first," she said

"Everyone go ahead I’ll take this shift," Dustin told the a little aard She turned to face Dustin; he gazed back at her,her eyes

It’s up to you, he tried to tell her silently I’ with his partner--well, beside her, anyway In separate sleeping bags So I think it’s okay if we do the sa, but joined Abby and they entered the tent

Malachi studied hith," he finally said "She may not carry a weapon, but she’s a powerful personality"

"I never doubted that for a ht be my cousin, but she’s still one of the ree I Well Hell I care about her A lot"

Malachi said nothing further, but he grinned Maybe that hat he’d wanted to hear "Okay I’ot up and went into the tent Dustin shifted, wrapping his arms around his chest It was chilly He didn’t want a blanket, though; he wanted to stay awake

The flarew sht above him from the moon, and in the distance, a coyote howled A branch snapped on the fire

He stared out into the dark woods, but saw nothing

He could hear the trickle of the nearby streaeneral

General Rufus Cunningham

He stopped across the fire froruff when he spoke "I’d help you--God knows I’d help you But I didn’t see enough!"

"Thank you I understand," Dustin told hi-- anything at allinto the darkness

And then he began

16

Olivia wasn’t sure what had awakened her

At first she’d thought she’d never sleep, but she’d closed her eyes and drifted off with surprising ease Maybe it had been a release of tension; so much had happened Aaron had almost died and been saved--and noas actually dead The Horse Farents rested nearby and Dustin was just outside She feltsafe

But just as easily as she’d slept, she awoke

She lay there for ato ascertain what had wakened her, her heart beginning to beat too fast Fear set in so quickly these days

But then she realized she heard Dustin’s voice and that it was calm and relaxed She sawof the tent Abby ake, as well, watching Malachi

Olivia inched silently toward Malachi He turned to her in the darkness She could barely see his features but he whispered, "Move slowly"

She nodded Malachi eased himself out of the tent She saw that he stood motionless for a few seconds and then moved toward the rock-circled fire, where the elow