Page 96 (2/2)

"Looks like that last sprint was for nothing," Valentine said "The tractor trailer pulled in here We wouldn't have intercepted anyway-this ood stretch of road"

"How do you figure that, sir?" Stafford said, searching the con of the tanker truck they'd spotted crawling through the rain thatThe platoon dashed cross-country in order to aet Thanks to the state of the roads in this part of the Kurian Zone, the rig couldn't move much faster than the Wolves could run

"Look at the ruts by the gate, turning off the road They've got to have been hteen-wheeler," Valentine said

"Could have been from yesterday-even the day before, Lieutenant"

Valentine raised an eyebrow "No puddles Rain would have filled in so that deep Those were o?"

"Err okay, yeahso the truck's in one of those big garages getting worked on We get in touch with the captain, the rest of the coure fifteen or twenty guarding this place at most Ten's more likely"

"I'd like nothing better, Staff Tih"

"Val, I know food's short, but what else is new? There's enough gae in these woods-"

"Sorry, Gator," Valentine said, taking the binoculars back "Ishort for them"

Stafford's eyebrows arched in surprise "What, ly, but since when have we gotten dead over the punishments handed out by these little Territorial commandants?"

"I don't think it's just punishment," Valentine said, his eyes now on the two-story house

"Hell, sir, you know these collaborator creepsThey'll flog a wo the skid marks out of their skivvies These four probably were last out of the barracks for roll call or so God knows"

Valentine waited for a"I think they're breakfast There's a Reaper in that house, maybe more than one"

Sgt Toure that, sir?"

Valentine read the sergeant's fear with a species of relief He wanted a subordinate in mortal fear of the Reapers Anya couple of Hoods was either a fool or inexperienced, and there were far too many inexperienced Wolves in Foxtrot Company Whemer or not the whole lot, officers included, were fools was a question Valentine sohts