Elusive Memories (The Hunted #1)

  *****

  A sound startled her awake. Sam sat up, suddenly alert, and shielded her eyes from the sun sliding into the room and blocking her view. A few decent meals and a couple nights had banished her aversion to any light.

  “Janey?”

  “No, Samara.”

  She stilled. Very few people called her that. “Coop?”

  One of the curtains slid out of its holder, sending part of the room into shadows. She pulled up her blankets and watched as Coop finished arranging the curtain so the sun wasn’t in her eyes.

  “In the flesh.”

  Finally. “How did you get past everyone? And where the hell have you been?”

  Coop looked around the room before his eyes came to rest on her. “Ahh, let’s see.” He held out a finger. “To your first question, it’s because I charmed my way past everyone.” Sam frowned at what couldn’t be the truth, if the past was any indication, but he just smiled and held out a second finger. “And to your other question, it got a little dicey at the compound. I had to stay longer than I wanted.”

  “I wouldn’t know anything about staying longer than I wanted.”

  He chuckled, ignoring her sarcasm. “Nice digs.”

  “It gets a little old after you’ve been confined for a couple days. I’ve had enough of being confined.” She couldn’t keep the annoyance from her voice.

  He instantly came to attention. “What happened?” Crossing the room in a few purposeful strides, he slid onto the bed next to her, searching her face for answers.

  “Reed came back. There was a tracking device in my ankle, which would have been nice to know before we left.”

  Coop swore under his breath. “I didn’t know about it. It’s not exactly standard procedure.”

  “Jones shot him.” He’d deserved it too, after what he’d done to her and Janey.

  He reached up and stroked her cheek. “I shouldn’t have left you.”

  She wasn’t going to disagree with that. “They removed the tracking device. They carried me back to the house and—” Perhaps she shouldn’t tell him what happened with Jones. “Janey started talking.”

  “Janey hasn’t said anything for at least a year. Why would she start talking now?”

  “I thought you’d like to know. Since you were the one to save her from the compound.”

  He stroked her back and sounded absent when he said, “I am glad to know. Janey’s had a hell of time. But something else happened at the house.”

  Sam tensed and climbed out of bed, coming to stand at the window. “It’s really nothing.”

  Coop was silent, but she sensed his movement behind her.

  “Tell me what happened.”

  His words made her jump. Sam jerked her head up, accidentally blinding herself with the sun, and let the other curtain down. “The sun was hurting my eyes.” She winced at how lame she sounded.

  “Tell me what happened, Samara.”

  They weren’t in total darkness, but with the curtains closed, it cast the entire room in a deep shadow. It felt strangely intimate. Her heart pounded. “I, uh, took some food and a bottle of water. They weren’t pleased.”

  Coop didn’t respond.

  She rushed to fill the silence. “I wasn’t trying to steal or anything. I just didn’t want to be left without food or water again. I don’t ever want to be that vulner—”

  Coop put his fingers on her lips. “I believe you. And you shouldn’t ever be that vulnerable again. I’ll see to it.”

  Anger surged. “If the past couple days is what I can expect from your help, I think I’ll pass.”

  “I’m not going to let you go until I’ve made it right.”

  “Make what right?” She didn’t understand.

  “Well,” a voice drawled, “this is cozy.”

  The overhead light came on, revealing Coop’s look of annoyance at the interruption. When he faced Jones, he’d schooled his face into a smile. “Just checking to see how well you’ve treated your guest.”

  “She’s fine.”

  The smile on Coop’s face transformed into something that made chills race down her back. It was a smile, but not. “You confined her to this room after she’d just escaped the Hunters’ prison. You’re no better than they are.”

  “She’s alive, ain’t she?”

  “I’m not sure I have you to thank for that.”

  Jones’s face mottled, but before he could respond, they heard the report of a gunshot. Sam jumped, but Coop continued staring at Jones.

  The color in his face drained. “I’ve gotta find Janey.”

  Coop’s gaze followed his retreat before returning to Sam. “We should probably figure out what’s going on before we leave.” He held his hand out to her. “What do you say?”

  She could barely hear him over the racing of her heart. “How are you so calm?”

  “I’ve had years of practice hiding my emotions.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her to his side. “Like my hands? Cold and clammy.”

  She squeezed. It was warmer than hers, but she felt better. Until she remembered they had yet to leave. “How are we going to get out of here?”

  They both flinched as another gunshot sounded. Coop looked at her, his blue eyes blazing. “Run. And if we encounter any problems, create a diversion.” His lips curved into a smile that softened the hard planes of his face. “For example, I may have accidentally set a fire in the labs at the compound before I left.”

  A fire in the labs meant no more experiments until the Hunters could rebuild. Sam couldn’t help raising an eyebrow. “Accidentally?”

  “Okay. Accidentally on purpose. I don’t think we’ll have to resort to that here, but nothing is too drastic. We’ve overstayed our welcome, and I strongly suspect that whatever’s happening outside has to do with us and the Hunters.” Like there would be any other reason. “If my guess is right, it’s Jennings. By the time I got back, Reed had been notified of your escape and set off to find you himself.” He paused. “Obviously, had I known about the tracking device, I would have stopped him somehow. But Jennings is desperate to get back in his good graces.”

  As much as Sam wanted this information, they had a more pressing situation. “We have to leave now.”

  “Right.”

  A thought occurred to her. “We should grab supplies. Make sure we have enough water.”

  “It’s not going to take us long to get where we’re going.” He turned to exit.

  She shot his back an annoyed look. He didn’t understand what it was like to be locked away without access to water and food. It may not take them long, but she didn’t want to be caught without again. “Maybe I want it to throw in your face for leaving me here.”

  “Hmm.” Coop glanced over his shoulder and waggled his eyebrows. “Like a men’s wet t-shirt contest? Excellent. I’m sure I’ll win.”

  Sam elbowed past him without responding. He’d be the sole participant in the contest—not that she was thinking of what he’d look like in a wet t-shirt—and it was a ridiculous idea. She’d grab the water herself and hoard it.

  Sam stopped abruptly when she reached the bottom of the stairs, causing Coop to bump into her. But rather than stepping back and giving her space, she felt the heat of him, lurking behind her. Not quite close enough to touch.

  “Janey. Are you okay?” Something about the girl was off.

  Janey scowled. “I’m fine. They left me here while they went to deal with the raving lunatic out there.” She hitched her thumb at the window behind her.

  To Sam, the view looked peaceful. Two vehicles marred the landscape of endless corn fields and sky. She cocked her head. The sky did bear a striking resemblance to Coop’s eyes, though it lacked the variation of blues. She shook her head.

  “Are they still outside?” If they were casting some kind of illusion, it’d be difficult to tell. Her memory-bringer Gift couldn’t help her. She was at a distinct disadvantage.

  Janey’s eyes lit with comprehension. She turned.
“My dad was stalking him through some of the outlying buildings earlier.” Janey looked at Coop. “You’d better leave now. This is the second time the Hunters have been here and my dad won’t be happy.”

  Sam could only imagine.

  Coop nodded. “Already on it.”

  Sam jumped when Coop’s hand brushed her back.

  “Will you take me with you?”

  The question took Sam aback. Why would Janey want to leave her father? But Coop had no problems answering. “We’ve already pissed your dad off enough. Some other time, okay?”

  Janey slumped in her chair. “I don’t want to stay here.”

  “You need to spend more time with your dad. And Samara and I have some issues to iron out.”

  Understatement.

  “You wouldn’t even know I’m there. I can even be useful. Do your chores.”

  Coop’s fingers flexed on Sam’s waist. “Sorry, sweetheart. Come join the army when you’re older.”

  Janey perked up. “What army?”

  “Uh. The army Samara and I are going to create to beat the Hunters.”

  Sam’s startled “What?” got lost in Janey’s excited whoop. “I had hoped you weren’t lying about that to make me feel better.”

  Sam tried to turn to confront Coop, more than a little surprised he’d had the same idea and included her in his plans, but he kept a tight hold on her waist. To Janey, he said, “I wouldn’t lie to you, sweetheart. Give our love to your dad. We’ve got to be going. And train hard, Janey. We’ll need you.”

  Coop steered Sam to the kitchen. “Grab your bottles of water so we can get out of here.”

  “But what you said to Janey—”

  “No time for chitchat. Let’s get going.”

  Sam barely snagged a couple bottles before he pulled her to the door.

  “I think we need to talk.” And not just about this army.

  “Escape now. Talk later.”

  She gritted her teeth as he pushed her out the door.

  “Whoops.” Coop grabbed the back of her shirt, tugging her back and stepping in front. “Careful now,” he murmured. Louder, he asked, “Is someone there? Show yourself.”

  “Well, Coop. This is certainly a surprise. When Reed said to follow him if he hadn’t returned with the memory-bringer in forty-eight hours, I didn’t expect him to send you too.”

  Sam cringed. Jennings.

  “Maybe he didn’t trust you enough.”

  Damn Coop. Now wasn’t the time to piss him off. She peeked around Coop, but saw nothing more than a floating gun. Jennings must have worn the body suit. Thank goodness it didn’t extend to the gun too, or she wouldn’t be able to see him at all.

  Not that being able to see the gun stopped the tendril of fear spiraling through her.

  The gun wavered. Coop was getting to him.

  “I see you’ve found the memory-bringer. Congrats. I never knew you were so devoted to the cause, Coop.”

  “Right. I was just about to take her back to the compound.” He motioned to his car. “If you’ll excuse us, I’ve just got to get her in the vehicle.”

  Sam’s heart thudded against her chest.

  “I know you think I’m stupid, but I’m not. Reed used the tracking device he implanted to find her. Didn’t know about that, did you? No, the only way you could know where she is was if you put her there. So it was you. You put the body suit at the edge of the compound so people would think she’d escaped on her own. But it wasn’t something she could have done on her own. I knew it.”

  “Guilty as charged.”

  “Both of you are going to help me find Reed and then we’re all going back to the compound.”

  “Or what? You’ll shoot us both?”

  “I—how do you know I have a gun? I’m wearing the body suit! You can’t see me.”

  “Well, it obviously doesn’t extend to objects you’re holding.”

  Jennings ripped off the hood. “Then how was I able to get past so many men earlier?”

  Coop shrugged. “Can’t say. Wasn’t here.”

  She pulled on his shirt. “Coop, knock it off.” He needed to stop goading Jennings. “He’s got a gun.”

  “That’s not all I have.” Jennings smiled and reached into the body suit, pulling out an aerosol can. “I also have this.”

  “Are you planning to spray our hair into submission?”

  “Shut up. Just shut up.” Jennings shook the can. “This stops illusions. I can stop anyone here.”

  “You realize that’ll stop the body suit too, don’t you?” Coop asked.

  Jennings ground his jaw together. “Shut up!” He paused and lifted the weapons. “Where did you guys go? Dammit!”

  Coop pushed Sam to the ground, barely landing before Jennings got a shot off. The bullet whizzed above their heads and through the open door where it embedded in a wall. Sam gasped. Janey was in the house.

  Jennings marched forward, kicking the ground and spraying the air. Coop hauled her up and pulled her toward his car. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jones. He must have made them disappear with an illusion. But if Jennings wasn’t completely crazy, whatever he was spraying meant they’d be revealed if he got any closer.

  Jones stepped into Jennings’s line of sight.

  “W-who are you?” Jennings aimed his gun at him.

  “You’re trespassing on my property. We don’t take kindly to people who destroy our stuff. Get out now.”

  “No. You listen to me. I’m the one with the gun. I came to get Reed and I’m not leaving without him—or those other two. I don’t care if I have to kill you. You’re just another Gifted.”

  “Your Reed is trussed up in my barn. If you want him, go and get him.” Jones disappeared from sight.

  Jennings growled and threw the aerosol can up in the air toward where Jones had been standing.

  “What is he—”

  Jennings brought the gun up and when the can arced down toward the ground, he squeezed the trigger. The bullet hit the can, making it explode, large flames billowing out. Jones popped back into sight as he crumpled to the ground.

  “Time to go,” Coop said, throwing open the passenger side door and shoving Sam in before sliding over the hood.

  Jennings turned back toward them, and for the first time, Sam realized that he was just as bad as Reed. He smiled and took aim. “I can see you again.”

  Coop started the car and shifted into drive. “Past time to go. Get down.” He slammed the gas pedal at the same time Jennings took a shot at them. They fishtailed, avoiding the bullet, and took off toward the road.

  Coop lifted his eyes to the rear view mirror. “Well, that could have gone better.”

  Chapter Twelve