Something has changed. It seems like nature is on our side today. And a strange thought comes to mind. Maybe nature has come to the rescue. Not nature, but Nature with a capitol N. As in Gaia. The torrential rain and wind, just as the clan’s attack began. The animals joining in the fight. Maybe Gaia not only exists, but this superorganism thing that Juneau keeps talking about might just have a will. And a means to execute it.
Both guys fall back for a second. I take that chance to lift my crossbow and aim low at the guard, shooting to maim, like Juneau said. It’s hard to see clearly, but I focus and exhale and shoot.
For a split second nothing happens, and then the guard drops his gun and falls to the ground, holding his leg in his hands. The cougar pounces, landing in a sprawl on the guard’s back, and goes directly for his neck. It whips its head back and forth with a force that reminds me of my mom’s cat with its prey, trying to break its neck. The poor chipmunk never had a chance. And neither does the guard.
Cordova leans forward, hands on his knees, trying to stay upright. Looking at me, he nods his thanks, and then collapses to the ground. I throw my crossbow over my back and run for him. “Are you hurt?” I ask, as I sling his arm across my shoulders and help him back to his feet.
“Bullet,” he groans, and lifts a hand he’s pressing to his side to show oozing blood washing away in the rain.
“Let’s get inside,” I say, and half carry him to the garage, where the doctor’s dark sedan is just starting to back up. I sit Cordova down where the Hummer used to be and walk over to the car. The windows are completely steamed up and the doctor’s sticking his head out the driver’s side in order to see.
I bend down and knock on the half-open passenger window. “I’ve got a patient for you,” I say.
“Go to hell,” the doctor yells.
I raise my crossbow and stick it through the window. “I said, I’ve got a patient for you,” I state. The doctor turns and sees me and sticks his hands in the air. “Turn the car off,” I order, “and hand me the keys.” The doctor quickly obeys my command. “Now get out of the car and come take care of this gunshot wound. I’ll give you your keys back as soon as our man is stable.”
Juneau runs in out of the rain. “I saw you come in with Cordova. Is he okay?” she asks breathlessly.
“I’m fine,” Cordova says, lying flat on the ground. “It’ll take more than a bullet in the side to send me back to Gaia.”
The doctor pops his trunk, gets a first aid kit out of the back, and begins to work on the wounded man.
From where it’s parked at the side of the garage, the ATV starts up with a roar. Without turning its lights on, it backs up and parks right next to us. One of my father’s security men is behind the wheel, the other in the passenger seat, and in the back are my dad and Whit. Juneau’s old mentor opens the door and steps down into the shelter of the garage.
He waves his arm toward the backseat and says, “Get in, Juneau.”
“You’re more delusional than I imagined if you think I’d ever come with you,” she replies, and reaches backward for her crossbow. But before she can grasp it, Dad’s guard swings a gun out the window. “The man told you to get in,” he grunts, and aims the barrel at Juneau’s head.
“Hey!” I yell, and make a lunge toward Juneau, but she holds a hand out to stop me.
“Drop your weapon,” the man insists.
Juneau unstraps her crossbow and lays it on the ground at her feet. Her eyes never leaving the guard’s, she carefully stands and folds her arms over her chest.
“Go ahead,” she says. “Shoot me.”
53
JUNEAU
“NO NEED FOR HISTRIONICS,” WHIT SAYS, QUICKLY stepping between the gun and me. “Just let me talk to her for a second.”
“Fine,” Mr. Blackwell says sarcastically. “It’s a bloodbath out there, but really, Mr. Graves, take your time.”
Whit ignores him and, taking my hand, says, “Juneau, we have to talk.”
I try to pull it back, but he’s got a viselike grip on me. He shoots Miles an annoyed look, and then peers outside where the torrential rain has abruptly stopped, and the noises of warfare are suddenly audible. “Juneau. Come outside and talk to me just for a second. At least say good-bye.” And he gives me a sad smile that reminds me of all of the gifts he’s ever given me, of the care he took in teaching me, of the last twelve years he’s spent preparing me for my role.
“Okay, I’ll talk. But, Miles, keep your crossbow trained on Whit, and shoot at my signal.”
“Thank you for that vote of confidence, my dear,” Whit says, looking ruffled. He lets go of my arm, and I follow him outside to stand a few yards to the side of the garage, away from the fighting. Miles trails behind us, leans against the garage’s outer wall, and aims his crossbow at Whit’s back.
Whit stands close to me and speaks earnestly. “Juneau, we need you,” he pleads.
“You need my blood,” I respond.
“Yes, we do. But it’s not only I who will profit from it—the whole clan will be rewarded lavishly, as I’ve tried so hard to explain to you.”
“Whit, once the clan is safely out of here, my duty toward them has ended.”