Termination Orders(57)
Morgan’s lips turned up in a smile of restrained relief. “I know I shouldn’t presume too much here,” he said, “but I’m really thankful for the benefit of the doubt.”
Jenny hugged her daughter. “That’s my girl. Twice as thoughtful and caring as any adult I know.”
“I just had some time to think, is all,” Alex said, holding her mother. “And I can’t take all the credit. Dylan said some things that really got me to see things a different way.”
Morgan’s heart sank as he heard these words. It was as if a black cloud had suddenly obscured the silver lining. “‘Dylan said’? You mean, you talked to him?”
Alex stepped back nervously. “I gave him a call, and we talked for a while,” she said, faltering at the change in his expression. “It helped a lot. Don’t worry,” she added quickly, “I didn’t tell him any of the specifics, about you or everything that’s going on.”
“I really wish you hadn’t done that,” he said, going through all the implications in his mind.
“Dan, come on,” said Jenny. “She just wanted to hear a friendly voice. Maybe you could cut her some slack this once.”
“Look, Dad, I knew you wouldn’t like it,” Alex said apologetically. “But I didn’t tell him what’s going on or where we are. Not even a hint.”
“When?” he said urgently. “When did you make the call?”
“I don’t know. I-I . . .” she stammered. “It must have been hours ago. I was venting to him for a while, and then I walked some more. I had to think some things through.” Her tone changed from defensive to self-assured. “I didn’t use my cell phone. I’m not stupid, Dad. I’m not a spy, but I know something about this electronic-surveillance stuff. I called from a pay phone in the gas station down the road.”
Morgan wasn’t reassured. “There are pictures of you two together online, aren’t there? Connections in social networking sites and whatnot? Meaning that anyone with an Internet connection could easily find out that he’s your boyfriend?”
“I . . . I guess . . .”
“Dan, don’t hound her,” said Jenny.
“We need to go right now,” Morgan said with adamant resolution. “Take only what you can’t live without.”
“Again?” exclaimed Alex.
“Could you just stop for a minute and explain?” demanded Jenny.
“There’s no time! We need to get moving right now.”
“No,” said Jenny, firmly. “I need you to tell me what’s going on before we pick up and leave again.”
He looked at her, ready to argue; but he was incapable of speaking harshly to her, even in this situation. Instead, he took a deep breath. “I know how the Agency works,” he said, hurriedly but methodically gathering up items that were strewn around the cabin. “They won’t be just tapping our phones. They’ll be monitoring the people we’re likely to call. Family. Friends. And, unfortunately, that includes boyfriends.”
“But I called him from a pay phone, Dad! How will they know it was me? How are they going to find us here?”
“You mean even if they weren’t listening in to the call?” he said, without looking up from packing. “They would still check out the number and send someone out here regardless. And this place is registered under a known alias of mine. If we hadn’t called their attention to this area, they never would have found us. But now it won’t take them long to put two and two together. We need to go. Now.”
He walked toward the loose floorboard to retrieve the hidden items, when he noticed Neika scratching at the door. “Quiet!” he mouthed, holding up his hand and perking his ear to listen over the low rumble of the generator. “There’s someone out there,” he whispered. “Get under the table.”
An ashen Jenny ushered Alex below and then huddled underneath it, as well. “Dan, what are you going to do?”
He picked up the rifle from the table and switched off the light, immersing the cabin in darkness. “Stay put. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He patted Neika, who was still clawing frantically at the door. “Sorry, girl, but you’re taking the lead on this one.”
“Dad, no! What if she—”
“She could save our lives, honey. Sit tight.”
He opened the door, and Neika shot out of the cabin, her syncopated gallop rustling the undergrowth. He followed her into the darkness, treading as lightly as possible, the sound of her footsteps and her intermittent grunts leading him through the dim, branch-filtered moonlight. She ran off ahead of him into the blackness. He continued to run after her until he heard her yelp and then tumble to the ground. Someone was out there. Someone had gotten her. He raised his rifle, but it was no use. There was nothing to see or target.