*****

“We’ve called you together because we need a team to go to the other camp and speak with their leaders. From everything our visitor has said, they’re more than willing to unite with us, but we need to get a message to them, let them know of our situation, and learn of theirs,” Larry said to the group sitting around the table.

He’d called in John, Chastity, Jayden, Phoenix, Brian, and Sadie. Phoenix was surprised he wanted them to go instead of some of the elders. She hadn’t thought he’d ever allow her to leave the premises again. She wanted to go – she was just surprised he wanted her to do it. As if her father could read her mind, his next words explained.

“I can see your confusion, Phoenix. I know you thought I’d keep you under lock and key forever, but this is a much younger group of people. From my understanding, there aren’t a lot of adults in their cave. Many of them are teenagers, so I think it wiser to send in people their own age. You six have proven repeatedly how well you handle a tough situation, even under extreme pressure. You know the lay of the land from the many hours of hunting and picking you do, and you know how to make people feel comfortable. We need to join forces with them if we ever want to get our freedom back,” Larry said.

It made sense, and she was tired of being cooped up in the caves. She’d be willing to do just about anything to be out for a while.

“I’m sending soldiers with you most of the way, then they’ll wait for you at a safe distance from their cave. We don’t want to scare their camp by our men coming in with full gear and weapons,” Larry said.

“Are we going on foot?” Sadie asked.

“No, it would take too long and that’s dangerous. There are narrow paths so you’ll have to take the ATVs, two per unit. I want you to pack extra supplies in case you need to escape on foot and abandon the vehicles. Hopefully, it won’t come to that,” Larry said.

They spent the next couple of hours going over the route they were to take, instructions for what they needed to say to the other survivors, and safety measures. If Phoenix heard the words be careful one more time, she thought she might pull her hair out.

“Are there any more questions from anyone?” Larry asked. Phoenix silently prayed none were asked because she knew it would lead to another hour in the stuffy, closed cavern. No one asked anything so Larry led them to the supply room.

The group gathered everything they’d need for their week-long mission, then loaded it on the ATVs. Phoenix could feel the excitement bubbling up from her toes. They were leaving at first light. She figured sleeping that night would be hard. She was wrong. All the excitement about the trip wore her out and before she knew it, she was completely out. She was awakened suddenly when Sadie came running in the room and bounced on her bed.

“Wake up, Phoenix, it’s time to get ready,” Sadie said, already fully dressed. “I can’t believe we were chosen for this. I’m so excited I can barely stand it. I know I should be more subdued or even worried, but an entire week of freedom from the caves, without having to go into a full-blown battle, is just what I need,” Sadie said without taking time to breathe.

Phoenix was glad she wasn’t expected to answer. She climbed from her warm bed and quickly bundled up in her warmest clothes, then trudged behind Sadie to the kitchen. They arrived before most of the other people and were quickly served breakfast. There wasn’t anything else to do since they’d packed the night before.

“You ready for this?” Jayden asked as they made their way toward the car cave.

“More than ready. I think I’m going to enjoy wrapping my arms around you for hours every day,” she said with a flirtatious smile. Jayden’s grin widened and she saw the hitch in his step. They both thought back to the other night. Phoenix’s stomach tightened with longing.

“It would be even more pleasant if it were just you and I,” he growled, then leaned down and quickly kissed her. The short kiss sent a surge of awareness through her and she found herself wishing the same thing. She knew Jayden wouldn’t try to push her into anything but she loved how he made her feel. It was euphoric. She wanted to rush forward with their relationship, but luckily he reminded her of who she was because he didn’t want her to have regrets. He was undoubtedly on his best behavior. She grinned to herself thinking of ways to torment him while on the back of the ATV.

She clung to his large hand as the group continued down the long hall. Soon, they were in the cavern and everyone piled on their ATVs. Only two soldiers were going with them, but they each rode alone and had enough weapons to start a war. Phoenix shuddered, hoping they wouldn’t have to use them.

She shook off the thought and rebuked further negativity. She was imagining she was just like any other normal teenager, and they were nothing more than a group of friends going on an adventure together. Thinking of what was really out there took away all pleasure, and as she climbed behind Jayden and wrapped her arms around him, she wanted only good thoughts to enter her mind.

“Gosh, Phoenix, do you have to hang all over him?” John grumbled as he climbed on his own ATV and glared at Jayden. She heard Jayden chuckle, which caused John to shoot daggers from his eyes. Phoenix rolled her eyes as Chastity climbed behind John and wrapped her arms around him, making his face go all soft.

“Leave them be, John,” Chastity said. She leaned forward and kissed him on the neck and Phoenix suppressed a laugh as she watched her tough brother sigh. Hypocrite, Phoenix thought.

Sadie was thrilled because John was so busy watching Phoenix, he paid her no mind. She got comfortable behind Brian and thought she could stay just like that the entire trip. She, too, decided to only think of the ride as one big adventure.

The ATVs were modified so they weren’t nearly as loud as most off-road vehicles, which was good, because as long as they weren’t going too fast they could all talk, at least where the roads allowed them to ride side by side. For extra caution, in case they got separated, they all wore earpieces as well.

Phoenix watched the scenery fly past her. It was a warm morning and as the sun crested over the mountain, she enjoyed the beautiful sunrise. They passed through different terrains, from densely wooded areas to wide open fields. She was delighted when she spotted a herd of deer wandering peacefully through the tall grass and wildflowers.

She knew the boys must have been itching to hunt, but they continued on and she watched as the deer’s white tails disappeared. There were several good picking spots beyond the perimeters Phoenix had never been allowed to go to, and she wanted to stop and pluck berries, but they were on a schedule and could only stop at designated times. Otherwise, they’d end up having to camp in an unsafe area.

They only had to camp one night in the wooded hills, and Phoenix was disappointed about that. She’d never actually camped in a tent before. Some of her favorite books had adventures of camping in the woods, with friends telling stories by the fire all night long. She knew her life was kind of like one big camping trip, but it was different being out with her friends and getting to actually sleep in a tent.

She knew she wouldn’t like it so much if she were forced to live in a tent permanently, but for that night it would be part of the adventure. The soldiers would be with them, adding another safety measure.

After riding on the bumpy quad for several hours, the adventure was less appealing. Phoenix and Sadie were both getting stiff and begged for a break when they approached a picturesque stream. It would be great to wash some of the dirt off their faces and out of their hair. The men grumbled but they caved in and stopped.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Sadie said as she rained kisses all over Brian’s dirty face.

“If I’d known I would get that reaction, we would’ve stopped an hour ago,” he said with a laugh.

“If I would’ve known all it would take was a few kisses to get you guys to stop for a break, I would’ve started kissing you sooner,” Phoenix chimed in with a giggle, which was cut off when Jayden kissed her long enough for John to grumble some more.

Sadie and Phoenix jumped from the quads and rushed to the water, both of them dropping to their knees and sticking their hands in the frigid stream. It was icy cold and completely refreshing. They guzzled down handfuls before washing their face and arms. Once they got brave enough, they helped each other dip down and rinse their hair out.

By the time they were done, both of them were shivering, but it was well worth it. The rest of the group joined them and copied what they were doing. Soon they all had renewed energy and were ready for a meal before they started on the trail again.

The soldiers had already scaled the trees, done a perimeter search, and assured the group they were safe. No one saw Chastity wink at Jayden. They wouldn’t have stopped had the area not been secured. They weren’t taking any chances with the ones they loved.

“I’m going to use the bathroom,” Chastity said, before turning from the group.

“Don’t go far,” John told her, and Chastity rolled her eyes at him before turning to jog behind some trees.

Jayden and John both knew she was really scouting ahead, much farther than the soldiers could see. She wouldn’t be gone long enough to arouse suspicion, and Jayden would know if they needed to change course. She came back and only Jayden saw her nod that all was clear. He relaxed.

They ate lunch, and too soon it was time to start on the way once again. Phoenix and Sadie both grumbled. They were being good sports but it was so nice to stretch their legs.

“I need to use the woods for a moment,” Phoenix said. Jayden looked like he was going to say no, until she raised her eyebrows at him. He nodded his okay, and now it was Phoenix’s turn to roll her eyes.

“I’m going with you,” Sadie told her. The girls slowly started walking toward the trees.

“Don’t go far,” John called. They didn’t turn around, just waived their hands at the overprotective boys.

“I love them all to pieces but you’d think we were five,” Sadie grumbled. They walked far enough away that they could have privacy, then separated behind some trees. Phoenix walked a bit farther, then heard shuffling in the bushes. She looked toward the area nervously. She didn’t hear anything else, so she quickly did her business and got up to find Sadie.

“Where are you?” Phoenix called.

“Over here,” Sadie answered. She’d gone a little farther than Phoenix expected. Phoenix started heading toward her when she heard the bushes rustle again. She turned and spotted a bear cub about twenty yards away. She smiled, relieved, as the little cub tumbled into the water playfully.

As if the cub finally caught on that someone was watching him, he looked up. He glanced in her direction for a moment before he turned back to what he was doing. It looked like he was unsuccessfully trying to catch a fish. She let out a quiet giggle and turned to find Sadie. She opened her mouth to call out again, when she froze in terror.

Phoenix couldn’t move – she didn’t know if she should try to run, scream, or climb a tree. She heard Sadie in the distance, heading in her direction, and that snapped her out of the trance. She couldn’t let anything happen to Sadie.

“Sadie, run to the others, now!” Phoenix shouted. She didn’t have time to be frozen in fear anymore. She took off running through the woods as fast as she could. She heard the thrashing of bushes behind her and wanted to fall apart, but knew she couldn’t. John would never forgive her if she didn’t fight for her life.

“Phoenix!” she heard Sadie cry out, but she was relieved to hear Sadie was still a distance away. She could tell by her voice that she’d listened and was running toward the boys.

“Keep running, Sadie!” Phoenix yelled. She could hear the brush breaking and practically feel the hot breath on the back of her neck. Her leg muscles were screaming from her sprint. Her lungs were on fire and she could barely gasp any oxygen into them.

She saw the field ahead. Only about twenty yards to go. She would’ve laughed, thinking the distance had seemed so close when she’d turned and seen the large bear about the same distance from her. But those twenty yards may as well have been a mile. She knew she was running out of time. If she could just break through the last of the trees, into the clearing, the boys would see her. They’d be able to save her.

With an effort she didn’t think she had left in her, she put every bit of strength she had into picking up her speed just a bit more. The gap closed in what seemed like slow motion and then she felt the sun on her face as she broke through the trees.

She saw the boys turn and their eyes widen in horror as she ran through the trees. John grabbed his gun and pointed it over her head, his finger pressed against the trigger. His eyes darted around her.

“Where’s Sadie?” he shouted. Jayden was moving toward her, she was so close…

Phoenix couldn’t speak to tell John Sadie would be coming out at her left. Sadie must have broken through the clearing, though, alerting John to where she was, because his finger pressed on the trigger and the gun exploded just as Jayden reached her side and grabbed her up in his arms.

He ran toward Sadie, with Phoenix grasped against his chest. He swung Sadie up against his back and she flung her arms around his neck. Without even losing his breath, he ran back to the group.

They stopped and turned toward the woods. There the bear was, at the edge. The shot John had fired over her head startled the bear and she turned and retreated into the woods.

“What happened?” Brian asked, quickly grabbing Sadie from Jayden’s back. Everyone was staring at them, but neither Phoenix nor Sadie could catch their breaths enough to speak. They were both trying to get oxygen back into their burning lungs.

Someone handed them each a canteen and they greedily gulped the water between gasps for air. Sadie was the first to recover her voice.

“I don’t know what happened. I was heading back toward Phoenix when she yelled out to run. I didn’t take time to argue. I did what she told me to do. I could hear her heading toward the clearing so I knew it was safest to just run parallel to her and I could find out what was wrong once we were free from the woods,” Sadie said. She was wrapped in Brian’s arms, her body shaking, mostly from the fear of not knowing what was after them.

“I’m okay, now, Jayden. You’re squeezing me too tight,” Phoenix gasped. His arms were locked around her, his hands rubbing up and down her back.

“Sorry,” he said and loosened his grip, but refused to let her go.

“I was going to find Sadie and spotted a bear cub in the creek. I turned and saw his mom not too far from me. I was between a mother and her cub and I knew she would rip me apart trying to keep her baby safe,” Phoenix explained with wide eyes.

Everyone nodded. They all knew the danger of coming between a mother bear and her cub. The animal would see the person as a threat.

When Jayden had first seen Phoenix break through the bushes, and the look of panic and fear on her face, he’d thought soldiers had somehow gotten through. He didn’t see how it was possible without him knowing. He’d been focusing so hard on men being in the woods, and hadn’t thought of the danger of animals. He shouldn’t have allowed her to come so close to harm. He was furious with himself.

“It’s not your fault,” Phoenix whispered, pulling her head back so she could look in his eyes. He smiled at her, unsuccessfully trying to hide his inner turmoil. She knew him well, and knew he was berating himself.

“How did you reach them so quickly? You were at both girls before I could shake off the shock and move,” Brian asked. His eyes were rounded in shock and he was shaking his head in confusion. Jayden hadn’t even thought about moving at human speed. His only thought had been to protect both Phoenix and Sadie.

“I don’t know, it must have just been adrenaline,” Jayden said. “You know, people being able to lift cars and all that,” he finished, hoping Brian would buy into it.

“Yeah, that stuff’s freaky,” John piped in, having Jayden’s back.

“I don’t know…,” Brian said, but he let the subject drop. He was just relieved both girls were safe.

“We need to leave if we’re going to make it to our camping area,” Chastity said. Everyone started moving at once, loading the ATVs and quickly heading out. They wanted to get far from the bears and the area. The peaceful serenity of nature was now shattered.

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