Cabal - Book 1 - Chapter 1

 Chapter 1 – On the Lamb 

Emily leaned out from the thick trunk that housed her. Her eyes swept the constant movement of underbrush and waving fronds carefully, pulse pounding. Four days of running; four days since the last time her feet had touched the ground. Tree bark didn’t taste half bad, but the lack of rainwater and something with flavor was starting to get to her. Her vision swam with a quick-passing vertigo and she pulled back into the tree, clinging to it until the feeling passed. Her toes dug into the uneven bark, locking her in place. 

Did she dare? Forty feet below, the forest looked small and empty. She hadn’t seen anyone in days, but what did that mean when the men who chased her were cold-blooded killers? They were probably good at hiding; or looking for a better weapon to reach her up so high. She didn’t stand a chance if they found her again. 

The familiar hyperventilation started in her chest, making her hiccup.  

“Breathe, Emily,” she told herself. Tears slipped through even as she fought them. “Breathe. Stop this and breathe. You might die if they’re still out there, but you’ll definitely die if you can’t get yourself under control. You can handle this, and you know these trees. You have the advantage.” The internal reprimand and pep talk helped.  

She had to. 

Carefully, and with the speed of a sloth, Emily made her way down the tree. At thirty feet, she stopped again and listened. The killers had slaughtered her entire family, set fire to their cabin, and chased her into the surrounding forests. They would want no witnesses.  

Her growling stomach pushed aside her caution bringing her down the tree a little faster. At six feet off the ground, she paused to listen, then shrugged. By now they could have shot her or rushed out and grabbed her if that was their fancy. They must be gone. 

A strange, inhibited relief oozed through her. She didn’t trust her luck. Would ten soldiers with guns give up so easily, or were they rallying? She jumped as the wind rustled branches around her. Even while her heart hammered, she sunk to all fours at the edge of the river and lapped up the freezing water. 

She promised herself to re-enter the trees as soon as she finished. She’d get in a bit of distance before she slept. The sun sunk directly in front of her. If she were her brother, that would have been the only information she needed to find habitation, but Emily was never one for directions. If she always kept the sun either directly in front or behind, she should go straight, right? 

* * * 

Jim flipped the page of his romance novel, too involved in the storyline to hear his twin’s approach until the leaner man batted aside the volume. “Come on, we’ve got to work. I’ve got to pay off my honeymoon, and you’ve got to pay the mortgage on this place by yourself from now on.” 

“Work, shmirk.” Jim retrieved the fallen novel. “Since when do you care about work? Oh, that’s right, your girl is on a trip with her father, isn’t she?” He smirked making immature kissy faces at his twin. 

“At least I have a girlfriend.” Leo fired back. He settled himself in front of a high tech set of joined monitors and equipment. “You haven’t had a steady relationship in three months.” 

“I’m not a college player anymore, and now that sis has made us famous, I’m not as interested in the types of girls we’re running into lately.” Jim turned back to his book, not really reading anymore, but unwilling to give his brother the satisfaction of knowing he’d caught Jim’s attention. 

“Here’s one.” Leo flipped the farthest of four monitors so Jim could see it. 

“Nope.” Jim shook his head. “Try again.” 

“What’s wrong with her? You don’t even know what she’s done.” 

“Doesn’t matter what she’s done. I’m attracted to her, so that’s Rule Zero.” 

“Rule Zero isn’t a real rule. You made it up.” Leo shook his head, already typing again. 

“Rule Zero became a rule when you almost got us killed.” Jim glared. “Do I need to remind you about Harley?” 

Leo waved a hand and dragged a new image onto the screen. “This guy is wanted for murder. He killed his father and older brother. Bounty is set for 6% of bail. The authorities are saying he attempted to take over the family business by force. I guess the rest of his family received threatening letters, too.” 

“All that is in the report?” Jim sat up, peering over the top of the main monitor. A newspaper covered half of the screen while the open bounty report covered the other half. “Tell me you’re not looking up related tabloids.” 

Leo shrugged. “Sometimes they have useful information.” 

“Stick to the facts. He’s wanted for murder. Where? What’s bail?” 

“The last known is right outside of Portland. Looks like it’s set at $340,000” 

“He’s huge.” Jim made a face. “Not worth the effort. I want an easy mark.” 

Leo didn’t say a word, but his raised eyebrow and disapproving glare were enough.  

“Alright.” Jim broke. Jumping over the arm of the couch, he headed toward his room. 

The renovated house looked like a combination bachelor pad and arsenal all in one. One retrofitted bedroom housed a massive armored safe complete with retinal security, and another  provided containment on the off-chance they ended up housing a mark overnight. The high-density steal enclosures had cost a pretty penny, but they’d more than paid for themselves over the years. Jim headed toward the arsenal first, grabbing his favorite dart gun. “What do you want?” 

“Taser, darts, and gas balls.” Leo called from the other room, still caught in his research. “He used guns, so no guns.” 

Rule One, never give a mark their favorite weapon. It meant the twins often resorted to oddities in their arsenal but that gave them an edge most hunters didn’t have: non-lethal means of control for an easier take-down. Jim filled a duffle, including a beanbag gun as he pictured their mark’s size. He dropped the first bag onto the couch, already holding a second. “How many days?” 

“Make it four, just in case.”  

Returning to his bedroom, Jim added enough clothes for the required days for both men. “You call our sister-mother and I’ll drive.” 

“No way. Jen wanted me to clean out her attic tomorrow. You call her, and I’ll drive.” Leo grabbed the Land Rover’s keys before Jim could reach them and slipped the loaded bag of weapons onto one shoulder. 

Three days later, the two men sat across from each other at some random mom and pop restaurant in the Middle of Nowhere, Oregon. Jim played with a piece of pie that reminded him a lot of the plastic pie slices from his niece’s kitchen playset. “Well?” 

Leo glanced up from his laptop, “The guy killed himself, apparently, so that case is closed. And our second runner-up, the kid who blew up his house with everyone in it, just got caught.” 

Jim sighed, “Where does that leave us?” 

“With a lot of wasted money, or one last option in the area.” He turned the laptop to show off the last remaining choice. 

“We can’t. Rule Zero.” 

“Rule Zero doesn’t apply when we’re up against a deadline. Our loan payment to big brother is due next week. We miss this payment and he’s going to make you work for him again.” Leo gave his broader twin a half-smile, prodding expertly at the sore spot. 

“Can we even get approval for her from here? If we have to drive home anyway—” He stopped as Leo pulled out his cell phone. 

Leo dialed, lifting the rectangle to his ear. The victory in his gaze shifted to alarm. “Hello? Kimberly! Hi!” He relaxed back into his seat. “How’s the trip going? Sorry about dialing in your ear, we’re on a case.” 

Jim sucked in a breath, doubly annoyed. His eyes rolled as Leo started to backpedal, trying to dig himself out of admitting that he’d taken another bounty. Kimberly hated the danger and practically demanded that he quit and come work for her father’s company instead. 

Jim shoved the small pie plate away and rose. Pacing outside, even with the high wind, beat listening to the two lovebirds converse. As he moved between restaurant and car, he glanced at the only available hotel in town—or should he say, hamlet. “Welcome to Odell” He counted down the days until they made it home to a warm shower and king-sized bed with modern conveniences all around. 

Jim pulled free his laptop and logged in the searchable database. He confirmed his brother’s assessment regarding the lack of local work, then opened the only available job. 

The woman in the photo gave reporters a brilliant smile. Long black hair, curled in the current fashion of the rich and famous. It hung well past her shoulders, framing her oval face. She wore an elegant dress that reflected enough of the camera’s flash to show off its dazzle. The dress hugged her in all the right places. Jim grunted. She was dangerous. Behind the ready smile for her fans, the princess’s eyes were calculating even through the flat image. Muscle on both arms showed that she wasn’t a stranger to heavy lifting. Despite her petite figure, he had a feeling she could handle herself. 

A man stood behind her, her opposite in many ways. Her figure pinched and curved, his was bulky and burly. A bodyguard? No, the man captured his own attention from a different group off to the left and out of the picture. A boyfriend? The similarity in their appearances made it difficult to believe. They must be brother and sister. As Jim studied the pair, he realized they were holding hands in the way of close siblings. The detail caught and held his attention. Not many adults would be comfortable with such a pose in this kind of spotlight. 

Shaking his head, Jim flipped back to the report. Murder with bail sat at half a million. He read through the synopsis and looked again at the photo. It listed three direct family members and her brother’s wife and two kids, all victims. She’d killed her brother? The thought nagged at him. Born of gut instinct and years of experience, this case could be the most dangerous one they’d ever taken. There was an invisible black aura over this whole thing. 

Turning to more current information, he found logs from three other hunters who had attempted, and failed, to catch her. The first he recognized: a man who belonged in the bayou rather than the city. He carried a shotgun with him to every job and dressed exactly like his name implied. Billy Bob was not Jim’s favorite bounty hunter. He scanned through the man’s irritated log for anything relevant. She’d escaped from his custody using a container of hotel soap he’d brought along with him. He warned not to let her near soap and water. 

Chuckling, Jim turned to the next. Rathbon, whoever that was, said she’d climbed a tree like a monkey on steroids and jumped like a flying squirrel between the trees and thirty feet off the ground. Rathbon tracked her from the ground for a quarter mile before he lost her. He gave her coordinates and Jim typed them into his camping GPS. Only fifteen miles southeast of their current location. Glancing back at the date, Jim grunted a third time. More than a week. She’d be long gone by now. 

Flipping open the third report, he confirmed the girl’s acrobatics as the third hunter attempted to track her through the trees. She’d managed to follow her for a day. He pegged her vertical height at between thirty and fifty feet up in the massive firs. He’d never gotten close to catching her, but included an updated physical description: Short, scraggly hair, no shoes, clothes several sizes too big and looking the worse for wear. He gave her last known location as well. 

Jim looked at the date—only a few days ago—and typed in the coordinates, surprised to find that they were within two miles of the previous report. In a week’s time, she’d managed only a mile but lost at least three bounty hunters in the process. Dangerous indeed. 

A tap on the passenger window made Jim’s heart jump. He looked up at his brother. 

“I’ve got permission. They’re going to fax over the forms to Jen and she’ll forward them where we need them when we’ve got her.” 

“I don’t like this.” 

Leo shook his head, dropping his bag onto the back seat. “$400,000 at 6% is enough to pay our loan for the rest of the year. You can spend the rest of the time just living off shareholder distributions and play. Keep your head in the game and we’ll be fine.” 

“$400? That’s not right, she’s at half a million.” Jim pointed to the document. 

“What?” Leo bent down, inspecting the screen. “I swear she was only $400K. Even better then!” He rose, his smile widening. 

Jim’s gut roiled. “Bail doesn’t change.” 

Leo blew off the minor difference. “I must have seen it wrong. Come on, we’ll need camping supplies. From what the other reports suggest, she’s stuck in the middle of the Mt. Hood. I’ll put fifty down that she got lost.” 

“Got lost, for weeks on end?” Jim gave his brother a hard stare, trying to get him to realize what they’d be walking into. “No one mentioned supplies. How is she surviving?” 

Leo, a trained EMT, paused. “All the more reason to find her. Grab extra food packs and get the high-fat content ones and some Gatorade.” 

“I suppose I get to carry it all too?” 

Leo chuckled. “That’s why you’re the muscle, and I’m the brains.”  

He pointed at the only general store in the area and Jim grumbled, “our account is empty.” 

“Already handled it. Jen transferred some for us.” 

“I love my sister.” 

“And Alex made sure to let me know that he’ll add it to our loan balance.” 

“Why do we have an older brother anyway?” Jim’s smile disappeared. Alex’s demands that they pay back what they borrowed weren’t unreasonable, but their start-up loan never seemed to diminish, and he hated being beholden to the hard-nosed man. 

After supplying, the two drove to the nearest parking lot within the boundary of Mt. Hood National Forest. Loading up, they settled into an easy, fast-paced hike straight into the heart of the trees. Within minutes Jim understood her dilemma. The dense pack of trees and brush in some areas combined with rolling terrain. Getting lost in this place wouldn’t be hard.