Chapter 13 · Two Red Dots

The second dot blinks three times and goes solid red.

I'm still holding Derek's detonator. My thumb's numb from pressing the safety lock. Blood's dripping off my chin where the silver muzzle burned through.

Cain's across the gorge. With Vera.

I shove the detonator in my jacket and run.

The trail splits at the ridge. Left goes down to the logging road. Right goes up to the cable bridge Cain told me never to use. He said the Guild cut half the planks two winters ago, left it hanging there like bait.

I go right.

My boots slip on the wet stone. The trees thin out and then I'm at the edge. The bridge is worse than he said. Just two cables and a few planks, most of them rotted black. Forty feet down to the rocks and white water.

I can see them on the far side.

Vera's standing. Cain's on his knees.

There's a silver chain in her hand.

I step onto the first plank. It creaks but holds. The cables are slick. Moss or rain or both. I grab on anyway and start across.

Don't look down.

I look down.

The water's loud.