The Chemist

  "What now?" he murmured. "Are we supposed to wait here?"

  She was just about to say that as an escape, this didn't quite answer, when Einstein was back, tugging Daniel down again. She got on her hands and knees and followed as Einstein led them out the door they'd come in. Khan was still there, bringing up the rear again. This time Einstein led them due north, though she didn't know of any additional structure that way. It was probably going to be a long crawl, she realized, and her hands were already deeply scratched from the dry stalks of grass. She tried to protect her palms with the cuffs of the coat's sleeves, but that part wasn't lined, so it only helped a little. At least there were too many furry shapes in the night for a shooter to bother with four that weren't attacking. She looked back toward the house in the distance. She didn't see any new lights on. They hadn't started clearing the house yet. The dog sounds continued, faraway growling, the baying of Lola's pups, and random staccato barks.

  She lost track of time, only aware of the amount of sweat she was producing, the rasping sound of her panting, the fact that they'd been going slightly uphill the whole way and now Daniel was slowing some, and that her palms were being pierced again and again, despite the coat. But she didn't think they'd gone very far when Daniel gasped quietly and stopped. She crawled up beside him.

  It was the fence. They'd reached the northern boundary of the ranch. She looked for Einstein, wondering what they were supposed to do next, and then she realized that Einstein was already on the other side. He looked at her, then pointed his nose down to the bottom edge of the fence. She felt her way along the place he indicated and found that the earth dropped away from the line of chain link; what she'd thought was a shadow was actually a narrow gorge of dark rock. The space was easily big enough for her to slip through. She felt Daniel grab her ankle, using her for guidance. After they were both through, she turned to watch Khan struggle his way into the gorge. She winced, knowing the bottom edge of the chain link must be gouging into his skin. He didn't make any audible complaint.

  They came out on top of a shallow, rocky ravine. It had been invisible from the house, hidden in the lee of the slight rise of land; she'd never guessed that there was any end to the flat plains stretching north toward Oklahoma. Einstein was already scrambling down the rocks. It looked like he might be on a faint, narrow path. Khan nudged her from behind.

  "Let's go," she whispered.

  She lifted herself into a low crouch and, when Einstein didn't object, started carefully down the slope. She could feel Daniel following closely. There did appear to be a path, though it could have been a game trail, too. There was a new sound in the darkness, a gentle whooshing that it took her a few seconds to place. She hadn't realized the river came so close to the house.

  It was only about fifteen feet to the bottom of the ravine, and when they reached it, Alex felt it was safe to straighten up. The water coursed quietly past them in the dark. She thought she could make out the far side; the river was much narrower here than it was by the barn. Einstein was yanking at something under a ledge, a place where the water had cut away the bank, leaving an overhanging shelf of stone. She went to help and was thrilled to see that it was a small rowboat. She thought she understood the protocol now.

  "I will never say another bad word about your brother," she muttered rashly as she helped tow the boat from its hiding place. If Kevin was still alive--and if she and Daniel lived through the night--she would no doubt break that promise, but for now she was filled with gratitude.

  Daniel caught the other side of the boat and pushed. They had it in the water in seconds, the eddies swirling around their calves. Her coat trailed so much lower to the ground than his that the bottom edge was already in the river. The fur soaked up the water, getting heavier with each step. The current ran faster than the smooth surface implied, and they had their hands full hanging on to the boat while the dogs jumped in. Khan's weight lowered the stern of the boat dangerously close to the rippling water, so they both piled into the prow next to Einstein; first Alex while Daniel held the boat, and then he leaped in next to her. The boat took off like an arrow shot from a bow.

  She threw off the hot, heavy coat. She'd never be able to swim in it, if that became necessary. Daniel followed suit quickly, whether because he'd thought of the same danger or just because he trusted her to do the right thing.

  The strong current pushed them swiftly westward. Alex had to assume that this was part of the plan; Kevin hadn't left any oars. About ten minutes later, the water began to slow as it widened out around a broad bend. Her eyes had adjusted enough for her to make out what she thought was the far edge of the water. The current was pushing them toward the south bank--the same bank they'd started off from. Einstein was anxious in the prow, his ears pointed sharply upward, his muscles stretched taut. She wasn't sure what he was watching for, but when they'd passed some invisible boundary, he suddenly launched from the boat and into the water. It was deep enough that he had to swim, but she couldn't guess how far beneath his churning legs the bottom lay. He looked back at them and yelped.

  Realizing it was probably a good idea to get out before Khan did, Alex jumped just a second later. The cool water closed briefly over her head before she surged back to the surface. She heard two splashes behind her--first a small one, then a huge one that sent a wave rolling over her head again. Khan swam past her, the water foaming white around his legs, and found his footing just a second before her toes scuffed against the sandy bottom. She turned to see Daniel fighting with the current as he tried to drag the wooden boat toward the bank. She knew she couldn't help him if she was in too deep, so she waded downriver and met him when he reached the shallows. She grabbed the prow, and he pulled from the middle, his hand wrapped around the bench. It didn't take long to get to the shore, where the dogs were shaking themselves off. They lugged the boat ten feet out of the water, then Daniel dropped it and looked at his hands. She did the same; the rough wood hadn't been kind to her already torn palms. They were bleeding freely now, drops of red trickling from the tips of her fingers.

  Daniel wiped his right hand against his jeans, leaving a bloody streak, then reached back into the boat and retrieved the gun and something smaller--a phone; it must have been Kevin's. Daniel had had the good sense to keep both out of the water--impressive, given the shock and pressure they were both under. Luckily everything in her backpack was carefully Ziplocked.

  She examined his face quickly. He didn't look like he was going to break down, but there might not be much warning.

  Daniel grabbed the coats and held them awkwardly bundled in both arms. She was about to tell him to leave them, but then she realized that there was going to be a murder investigation in the near future. Better to hide what evidence they could.

  "Put them in the river--the boat, too," she whispered. "We don't want anyone to find either."

  Without hesitation, he hurried back to the edge of the water and dropped the coats into the current. Heavy as they were, it didn't take long for them to saturate and disappear under the surface. Alex started shoving the boat, and Daniel joined her, pulling it downhill. In seconds, it was racing off across the dark water. She knew it was marked with their blood and prints, but hopefully it would travel far enough tonight that no one would connect it with Kevin's house in the morning. The boat looked old and weathered, certainly not valuable. Perhaps the people who found it would consider it trash and treat it accordingly.

  Alex imagined Kevin and Einstein on the red water in the daylight, running the route for practice. They must have tried it many times. Kevin would probably be upset about her losing his boat, regardless of the value.

  She and Daniel turned back toward land together. The barn was easy to see, the only tall shape in the flat darkness. As they ran toward it, a solid square being suddenly reared up. Alex startled, expecting the dogs to react. Then her eyes made sense of the shape--it was one of the firing-range haystacks. She took a deep breath to settle herself and ran on.

>   They reached the barn and then raced around to the front doors. Daniel's longer legs got him there first, and he already had the lock free when she caught up to him. He yanked the door out of the way, waited for her and the dogs to get inside, then shut it behind them.

  It was pitch-black.

  "Gimme a sec," Daniel whispered.

  She could barely hear his movement over the sound of her own heartbeat and the panting of the dogs. There was a tinny creak, and then a quiet metallic groan. A faint green light glowed to her right. She could just make out Daniel's shape--his hand lit up as he touched a glowing keypad. Suddenly, brighter white light burst through a long line beside him. As he yanked the crevice open and more light flooded the space, she saw what he was doing. He was at one of the old cars on blocks. He'd opened the fake battery, entered his birthday code, and the false engine had opened. It was the stash of rifles, illuminated from the inside.

  "Put some of those in the Humvee," she whispered to Daniel. The low volume was probably unnecessary, but she couldn't make herself speak louder.

  The light was enough to brighten a space about fifteen feet around him in every direction. The two dogs stood by the door, facing out as if expecting intruders, waiting and panting.

  Alex sprinted to her duffels and threw off the old tarp. She unzipped the side of the bottom bag and grabbed a pair of latex gloves. She pulled them over her bleeding hands. She took a second pair and stuffed them halfway into her front jeans pocket.

  When she turned, Daniel had already moved on to the hollow tractor tire. He had two rifles slung over his back, and cradled in his arm were two Glocks and the shotgun she'd been wishing for. As she watched, he reached for the SIG Sauer he'd seen her practice with. He might be new to her world, but his instincts seemed up to the task.

  It took her two trips to get her bags into the vehicle hidden behind the hay bales. On the first trip, she gave Daniel the gloves as they passed each other. He put them on without asking for an explanation. She was happy to see the Humvee's interior lights had been disengaged. After her stuff was in, she loaded the grenades but chose to leave the rocket launchers behind--she wasn't sure she could figure out how to use them without blowing herself up.

  "The cash?" Daniel asked when she passed him.

  "Yes, all of it."

  He moved quickly in response, and for one crazy second she had a sense of deja vu. They worked well together--just like doing dishes.

  There was a supply of Kevlar. She put a vest on and tightened the straps as far as they would go, but it still hung a little loose. It wasn't unbearably heavy, so she guessed it had ceramic plates. She pulled another for Daniel. There were a couple of Batman wet suits, but they were too big for her and would probably take too long for Daniel to struggle into. She smiled when she found two thick baseball caps. She'd heard about these but thought only the Secret Service used them. She stuck one on her head and took the other to Daniel along with the vest.

  He put both on silently, his face determined and pale. She wondered how long he could hold it together. Hopefully, the natural adrenaline would last until they got out of this.

  She strapped a long, thin blade to her thigh, wrapped a holster belt under her usual leather utility, then slung another over her shoulders. She went to the back of the Humvee. She took one of the Glocks and put it on her right hip. She put the SIG under one arm and her PPK under the other. Then she holstered the sawed-off shotgun on her left hip.

  "Ammo?"

  He nodded. He'd left his favorite rifle slung over one shoulder. She jerked her chin toward it.

  "Keep that on you, and take a handgun, too."

  He picked up the other Glock and gripped it in his gloved hand.

  "We need to wipe down everything you touched."

  Before she was finished speaking, he was in motion. He grabbed the tarp that had hidden her bags and tore off two long strips. He threw her one and went out to the lock, Einstein shadowing him. She started on the first car he'd opened. It didn't take them long to get everything. There was blood on the pieces of tarp, so she stuffed them into the back of the Humvee, too.

  She stopped to listen for a moment. Nothing but four nervous animals breathing.

  "Where do we go now?" Daniel asked. His voice was strained and more inflectionless than usual, but he sounded in control. "Your place up north?"

  She knew her expression was hard--and possibly frightening--as she told him, "Not yet."

  CHAPTER 18

  You're going back," he said in a hollow whisper.

  She nodded.

  "Do you think Arnie might still be--"

  "No. He's dead."

  Daniel's body swayed ever so slightly in reaction to the cold certainty of her words. "Then shouldn't we be running? You told me if they come for us, we run."

  He was right, and it was also her nature to run.

  She wondered if this was the feeling those mothers had--the ones you read about in the news who lifted the minivan off their child. Desperate, terrified, but also as powerful as a superhero.

  Alex had her way of doing things: plan, plan, plan, plan for every possibility, and then, when disaster hit, execute the plan that was the best fit. She did not do spur-of-the-moment. She did not do instinct. She did not do fight; she did flight.

  But she didn't just have herself to protect tonight. She had a minivan to lift.

  There was no plan, only instinct.

  Her instinct was that a serious attack was happening, a well-coordinated one organized by people who had more intel than they should have. She and Daniel could run, but who knew what else the hunters had set up? There could be another trap.

  If she could find out who they were and what they knew, her escape with Daniel had a much better chance of success.

  Finding things out was her specialty, after all.

  Attacking was not, but that just meant it would not be expected. Hell, she was more than a little surprised herself.

  The hunters didn't know about the Batcave, or they would have been waiting for her here. They didn't know about the resources she had access to.

  If she thought this through at all, she would probably change her mind. But she was high on her own adrenaline now, and trying to make the smart choices. Not just the ones that would save them tonight, but that would save them tomorrow and the next day. She couldn't make the right choices if she didn't have the right information.

  "Running would probably be safest in the short term," she answered.

  "Then?"

  "I haven't had this chance before--to interrogate one of the assassins sent for me. The more I know about who they are, the safer we'll be in the future."

  A second passed.

  "You're not leaving me behind," he stated evenly.

  "No, I need your help. But only on one condition."

  He nodded.

  "You have to do exactly what I say. I don't care if you like it or not."

  "I can do that."

  "You have to stay in the car."

  His head jerked back just a little, then his lips tightened.

  "Exactly what I say," she repeated.

  He nodded again, not pleased. She was not convinced he meant it.

  "I'll need you to cover me," she explained, "and the Humvee is the best place for that. You can't watch my back if someone shoots you. Okay. This is going to get ugly. Can you handle that?"

  "I've handled ugly."

  "Not like this." She paused for a second. "My best guess is that these guys think they're here for Kevin and you. There's a chance I'm already dead, as far as the people who matter are concerned. That means I have to do things differently than I usually would. I can do only those things that Kevin could do. It's going to be old school, and we won't be able to leave any survivors."

  He swallowed, but nodded once more.

  "All right, take the night-vision goggles, you're driving."

  She truly wished he didn't have to see what was coming--to see her the way she was going to
have to be--but there was no help for it now.

  As they drove carefully through the barn door, the dogs silent in the back of the Humvee except for some heavy breathing, she could feel herself changing, getting ready. It was going to be both ugly and very, very messy. That was, if they didn't get her first.

  She pulled a small syringe from a bag in her pack. Her last, but then, if she didn't use it now, she might not live to need it another night.

  "Do you trust me?" she asked him.

  "Yes." The way he said it gave unusual weight to the simple affirmative.

  "I've got only this one dose left, so we're going to have to share a needle, like junkies. My blood's clean, I promise."

  She stabbed herself in the leg and depressed the plunger a little less than halfway. Daniel was bigger than she was.

  "What is it?" he asked nervously.

  She'd forgotten. He didn't like needles. "A synthesis of dextroamphetamine and an opioid--kind of like... adrenaline and painkillers. It will help you keep going if you get shot." Anywhere but the head or heart, she didn't add.

  He nodded, and then very carefully kept his eyes forward as she stabbed him through his jeans and into his thigh. He didn't wince. She pushed the rest of the solution into his body. It was enough to last for thirty minutes at most.

  "How well can you see?"

  "Surprisingly well."

  "Can we go faster?"

  He stepped on the gas as his answer.

  "When you're in place," she instructed, "get in the backseat and crack open these little side windows. Shoot anything human that isn't me. I shouldn't be hard to pick out--I'll be a lot smaller than anyone else you'll see."

  His lips tightened again.

  "You stay in here no matter what, you got that?"

  He nodded.

  "Are you going to have a problem shooting these people?"

  "No." He said it forcefully, then clenched his teeth.

  "Good. Anything goes wrong--your gun jams, someone gets into the Humvee somehow, whatever, you throw a grenade out the window. That's the signal that you need help. Do you know how to use a grenade?"