And just as dangerous, would Drake be able to warn Caine? He should find out soon. Either way, Sam doubted that Caine could resist a face-to-face confrontation. His ego demanded it.
Sam’s walkie-talkie crackled. He had the volume turned down low and had to hold it to his ear to hear Astrid.
“Sam.”
“Are you okay in the church, Astrid?”
“We’re both okay. We’re all okay. The day care?”
“Safe.”
“Thank God.”
“Listen, get everyone in there to lie down. Get them under the pews—that may give them some protection.”
“I feel useless here.”
“Just keep Little Pete calm, he’s the wild card. He’s like a stick of dynamite. We don’t know what he might do.”
“I think a vial of nitroglycerin would be a more apt analogy. Dynamite is actually quite stable.”
Sam smiled. “You know it always gets me hot when you say ‘apt analogy.’”
“Why do you think I do it?”
Knowing that she was right there, just fifty feet away, smiling sadly, scared but trying to be brave, sent a wave of longing and worry through him that almost brought tears to his eyes.
He wished Quinn had been able to eliminate Drake. But he suspected his friend would not have survived with his soul intact if he had. Some people could do things like that. Some couldn’t. That second group were probably the luckier ones.
“Come on, Caine,” Sam whispered to himself. “Let’s do this.”
Brianna blurred up next to him. “Drake went to his house. You know, the place where he was staying.”
“Is Caine there?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Good job, Breeze. Now go into the church. Go slowly so Bug can see you if he’s watching.”
“I want to help.”
“That’s what I need you to do, Brianna.”
She trudged off, making a show of it. Sam was alone. The normals huddled at the far end of the plaza as Caine had ordered. The freaks—Sam hated using the word, but it was hard not to—were in the church.
And now it came down to him and Caine.
Would Caine come?
Would he come alone?
Sam glanced at his watch. In just a little over an hour, it wouldn’t matter.
From not far enough away, he heard a coyote howl.
FORTY-FOUR
01 HOURS, 06 MINUTES