Chapter 2

"I have to make a stop at UNH. I'll show you where to turn, when we get there," said Cam.

"No way!"

"OK. If you don't want me to pay, that's fine with me. I'll get out at the next light."

The driver pulled into a delivery alley behind a Mall. She brandished a wicked looking switch blade knife, and said, "Give me your cash now, Squirt, or I'll cut you!"

'I must really be tired, or something. I should have noticed the dilated pupils on this bitch, before now, ' thought Cam.

"Put that away, or you are going to be very, very sorry," Cam said firmly.

The drug-addled brain of the driver could not comprehend why this kid wasn't afraid.

" GIVE ME THE MONEY! NOW!"

Cam had been digging in her backpack at the time. She quickly jammed the pack into the face of the girl, hard. At the same time, she wrapped her left arm around the knife wielding right arm of the driver. She lifted it over her shoulder, bearing down hard on the wrist, until she heard the elbow crack loudly.

"I'm sick and tired of everyone trying to fuck me over!" yelled Cam.

Her attacker was now screaming at the top of her lungs. Cam didn't want the screams to attract attention, so she just gave the girl a hard tap to the solar plexus. The girl's eyes went wide. Her broken elbow took a back seat to her inability to breathe.

Cam leaned close to the girl's ear and said, in a menacing voice, "Make another sound and it will be your last! I will rip your throat out. Do you understand?"

As the breath slowly returned to the girl, she whispered a 'yes' as she nodded.

Cam placed her hand on the girl's windpipe, and squeezed just hard enough to get her full attention.

"Now I'm going to ask you some questions. First off, is this your car?

Looking more fearful, the girl shook her head in the negative.

"Is it stolen?"

The girl hesitated, and Cam applied a small bit of pressure to the girl's windpipe.

"YES, IT'S STOLEN!"

"FUCK! YOU WERE JUST LOOKING TO MUG ME FOR DRUG MONEY, WEREN'T YOU?" yelled Cam in a fit of rage, as she gave the girl's throat a vicious squeeze.

The girl started to turn blue and began to struggle, trying to free herself with her good arm.

"How long ago did you take it?" asked Cam as she released her grip some.

"A couple of hours ago. My mom threw me out, 'cause I won't stop using. So I stole her car when she went to sleep. She works the third shift, and needs to sleep in the afternoon."

"What a fucking waste of air you are! Stealing from your mother!"

Cam grabbed the knife, and got out of the car, after taking the keys. Going around to the driver's door, Cam pulled the girl out of the car.

"Get into the back seat, and keep your mouth shut!"

Not being able to use her right arm, and in considerable pain, the girl struggled to get into the rear seat of the car. Cam then took a rag, and wiped the car down, obliterating her fingerprints.

"I'm not what you think! I'm not a kid. I just look like one. You already know that I can hurt you badly, so here is the deal. Never mention me to anyone! If you do, I will come back, and hurt you more than you can even imagine," Cam said, as she tossed the keys to the girl and strode off.

"FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! What am going to do now?" muttered Cam as she walked into the Mall.

Cam went right up to the Mall directory, and studied it for some time, formulating a new plan.

She would have to get a better disguise, and she needed to eat.

"Well, food, first. Then the Party/Costume store," she said to herself.

Two hours later, a very different Cam left the Mall. She hailed a cab, went to the bus station and 'got the hell outta Dodge'.

Once in Durham, NH, Cam went to the house that had been her home while she attended UNH. She had wonderfully fond memories of the old blind man, who had been her landlord.

"Hello, George. How is my old friend?"

"Cam honey! It's so good to hear your voice. And how is my girl?"

"Thanks, George. Not too good, right now. Have you heard the news today?"

"Yes, I'm so sorry about your family, Honey. But why are you here?"

George was one of the few people that Cam trusted, fully. She told her story, the whole story, without any editing.

"I see. Well, in a manner of speaking, anyway," said George, trying to raise Cam's spirits even jut a little bit.

"So you see, I need to get to Grandpa's cabin on the Allagash, but I don't have a car. Hell, I don't even have a license."

"As I remember you did a lot of trail riding with the gang. How did you manage that?"

"We did our riding on private land, so I didn't need to be licensed."

"Do you still know how to ride?"

"Sure, why?"

"Remember Joey, my Grandson?"

"Yes?"

"Well, he moved to LA for a job, and left his bike here. The plates are still valid, and it is in good repair. Why don't you use that? If you ride at night, and within the law, I don't think anyone will stop you."

Cam jumped up and kissed her old friend in absolute joy and thanksgiving!

"Thank you sooooo much!" said Cam, as she continued to hug George.

"Easy girl! You're about to strangle me!"

Cam apologized, sat down again and said, "You have no idea how much I needed something to go right, for a change. I'm just hanging on by a thin thread. The only thing that is keeping me from losing it, is the anger I feel for that rich drunk, and that pedophile. I'm going to get them both! I'm going to destroy them!"

Suddenly filled with concern for his young friend, George said, "Be very careful girl. Revenge and hatred can eat a person up. They change and lose the very things that make them good people. They become cold, heartless beings; that, very often, are worse than their foes."

"Perhaps so. But the latest news report had already moved the blame for the accident from the drunk to my Dad. They are now saying that my Father ran the light and caused the crash.

"I will NEVER let them besmirch my family's integrity!"

"Just be careful, ok?"

"I will. Anyway, I'm exhausted. Could I spend the night?"

"You can use your old room."

"Thanks. Oh! Jack is overnighting a package to me, here. And please, don't tell anyone that I was ever here."

"Of course, but haven't you been seen already?"

"No. I'm wearing a disguise. I look like a guy."

"Oh."

"Good night, George."

"Good night."

Cam slept until late afternoon. Shortly after she finished her breakfast, the FedEx man delivered her package. It was much bigger than was needed for the things that she had requested. With an attitude of questioning, she opened the package, and found a note from Jack.

Raven,

I'm so sorry about all of the things that have happened to you. Your folks were good people, and I will miss them. BUT I am very worried about the path that you have chosen to follow. Please remember that revenge is a poison, you could lose your spirit, forever.

I know that iron will of yours, though. So, I thought that you would need your spirit bag, knife, tomahawk, and other things that no warrior should go into battle without.

Be safe,

Windwalker

P.S.: I have included all of the cash that was in the safe.

"Thank you Windwalker," said Cam as she hugged the note to her heart.

Next in the package lay her experimental Satellite Phone, and her computer with the solar battery charging system. These items were in development for the NSA. They were designed to be able to break into any electronics system. Finally, at the bottom of the package, there was a bundle of one hundred dollar bills. Cam did a quick guesstimate, and found that there was at least fifty thousand in the pile.

Now, she was equipped to do battle! First, though, she had to get beyond the reach of her enemies. Sending a prayer to the Great Spirit, Cam shoved everything into her backpack, and went down stairs.

"I'm ready to go. Thank you for your help and support," she said as she hugged the old man fiercely.

"The bike is gassed, and ready to go. I had Tommy, next door, check it out."

"What did you give for a reason?" Cam asked, almost getting upset.

"Not to worry! I told him that I sold the bike to a student."

Cam dug in her bag and pulled out some cash.

"If the police check you out, you will need this to cover your ass, you tricky old bear," said Cam.

She shoved five hundred dollars into George's hand, and gave him a final hug. She then mounted the bike, and sped off into the growing dusk.

With three pit stops for food, fuel, and to relieve her bladder; Cam arrived at the cabin, ten hours later. She hid the bike in the shed. She then aired out the cabin, as she started a fire in the fireplace.

When smoke started to billow into the cabin, instead of going up the chimney, Cam remembered. Her Grandfather always put a chunk of metal, weighted with a stone, on top of the chimney. This was to prevent animals and birds from nesting inside of it.

"You stupid bitch! If you don't start thinking, you might as well give up, right now!" Cam yelled at herself as she climbed to the roof, and corrected the smoke problem.