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The cemetery, situated in the shadow of the forest, was touched by traces of sunlight It was difficult to tell if anyone had used the trail leading to the cens of recent use, he couldn’t be sure Still, as they neared the sraves, Dustin becaht--and that Jiht, as well

He reined in before they ca in the woods Behind him, Malachi and Abby stopped, too

He slid down from Chapparal and walked back to Malachi "There are some broken branches here that seem fresh I think they dismounted a short distance ahead and walked to the ce to crawl through some of the trees and bushes to approach froet a clean shot at Mariah"

"Take it," Malachi told him "I intend to do the sa the old trail"

Dustin tried to move as quietly as possible--and as quickly as possible

He thought of the different situations he’d faced in his life

This was just one wo at Olivia

He paused, stepping on bracken and expecting to hear the crack of a branch But he heard nothing Until,forward, he heard voices

"Olivia, I’ht here You’re froet it, Mariah? It’s all connected The city needs the country, the country needs the city Look, if you want to see the generalyou have to be open to him And he has to be in the area"

Malachi finally carew around the little area, as if they were nature’s horave site

Mariah had Olivia by the ared into Olivia’s side He could take a shot; he could kill her easily But there was no guarantee she’d go down before she pulled her own trigger

Mariah suddenly swung Olivia around Dustin could see that she eating, agitated The hand that held the gun against Olivia was jerky The trigger ht be pulled easily

"Where is he?" Mariah deht at where he stood Dustin straightened his cavalry jacket and pulled the plumed hat he wore lower over his forehead

"Mariah," Olivia said "I told you--I’ve tried to explain Ghosts don’t appear on command They exist, and if you’re just open to theeneral!" Mariah shouted "He’s part of ot ten seconds, Olivia--ten seconds!"

Olivia suddenly spun around, jerking so out from under her shirt She fumbled with it; Mariah, thrown from her, fired

Thankfully, the shot ild

Olivia fired, too The recoil sent her falling back and she tripped, crashing into a torasp Mariah stumbled to her feet and half walked, half crawled over to Olivia, rising with the gun aimed directly at her

"Miss Mariah!" Dustin said in a hollow voice, stepping from the trees

Tension knotted in him fiercely; he was no actor

"Miss Mariah!"

Mariah turned and looked at him For a moment, she stared at hiun "You’re not a ghost!" she said "But good try, Agent Blake"

"I’o down in a hail of bullets"

She aioes withtouch hi that the real general had come A man seemed to rise froeneral It was Marcus Danby

"I ahost because you killedpeople were doing You won’t join me, Mariah, when you die I’m not sure what lies beyond this--where I aht--and all you can feel is darkness"

Mariah’s gun re to ascertain how they’d created the illusion she was seeing

Soreen shadows of the little ceeneral to come, Mariah," Aaron said "But he doesn’t want to know you"

"This is bullshit!" Mariah cried She turned to take aiain

Dustin moved as he’d never moved before He was out of the trees as if he were propelled by a sudden spark of fire He caught Mariah in a tackle and brought her down, rolling with her