Chapter 23

Hope collapsed on the ground in tears. She had felt Leon so strongly before, now there was no emotion from Leon at all. What was she going to do? Out here by herself, lost afraid and nowhere to turn. She thought of the local authorities, could she trust them? Probably not, after what they did to Leon years ago, she had no trust in authorities. After these last three years of hell she no longer trusts the government. She was on her own. Perhaps she could reach Fang and Shadow, she had to try. First she needed rest.

Leon was still unconscious on the ground at the military base. Fang was tending to shadow. Thanks to her intervention the gunshot that was meant to kill Shadow only grazed him. Suddenly fang felt a dart not unlike the one Leon had in his neck sting her in the flank. The drug only took seconds to render her unconscious. The military personal took Fang and Leon into custody and without bothering to check shadow to see if he was dead as they abandoned him to the wilderness.

Hope had gathered all the materials she needed to survive the night, wood for a fire, soft pine needles to lay on, and some plants and wild berries for her hunger. She started a very small campfire and laid down on her makeshift bed. Tomorrow was a day for planning.

General Markus A Ford was not a happy person, the one he wanted to control or kill had escaped. Seventeen of his men had serious injuries one was already dead. The MP's brought him Leon and Shadow, now he had to babysit this kid and wolf that came from nowhere. They disabled a car down the road, the brat's parents were badgering the MPs on their son's whereabouts. He had a mess to clean up, and this is the second time there was an escape. The last cost them two of the most powerful psionic humans they knew. And now this girl, she can do things psionic people only dream of. With her power he could rule the government, perhaps even the world. He found someone to blame and now there's one more soldier on the list of causalities. Maybe now the rest won't fuck up so much.

Several hours later Shadow awoke, cold and alone. He couldn't sense fang or Leon anywhere. For the first time in a long time though he felt hope. Shadow headed north, Hope must be near.