Cordelle stood over him, yelling, “I got this one. He’s dead. Go after the others.”
Raven tried not to draw attention, but the pain in his flesh made his stomach muscles twist. He bit down hard to keep from groaning. When he heard Vessler’s voice, he understood. Cordelle had decided to do his old stable buddy a favor.
“Stay with the body,” Vessler yelled. “It’ll be useful. I’ll send a team back to pick it up.”
As soon as the footsteps faded completely, Cordelle dropped to Raven’s side. “I … I shot you.”
“Yeah, way to go.” Raven’s stomach convulsed, but he grabbed Cordelle by the collar. “Get out of here. Take your family and go. It’s not worth it, Cordelle. Vessler will destroy you for helping me.”
Adam swiped his hand across his face, where fresh tears mingled with sweat. “I gotta get you out of here. We can go. I’ll bring my car around …”
Raven clamped a hand over Cordelle’s mouth. “No. You can’t help me anymore. I’ll go on my own.”
“Go where? You can barely move.”
“Help me to my feet. I heal fast.”
“You’re fooling yourself. You’re bleeding out, Raven.”
He tugged at the front of the man’s shirt. “Just help me to my feet. I have to rest.”
“Where can I take you?”
“Nowhere. Don’t you get it? Vessler will kill you. Then, for good measure, he’ll go kill your wife and kids. Take your family and get away from him.”
The outburst caused Raven to black out for a moment. He awoke with Adam Cordelle trying to carry him. He’d managed two steps. Adam was mumbling. “I won’t leave you. I won’t leave you.”
Raven reached up and turned Cordelle’s face so their eyes met. “Okay. Listen, if I can get back into the vent that leads into the lab, I can rest there. It’ll be safe.”
Cordelle nodded. Once he was in place, Raven paused at the vent’s trap door to regain a little strength, then he shimmied inside. Outside, Cordelle bunched leaves and pine needles to cover the blood trail they’d left.
“Now go,” Raven said. “Before Vessler comes back.”
Cordelle bent and peered into the vent. “Is it true you have wings?” he whispered, almost reverently.
Raven couldn’t help but smile. “It’s true.”
“Sorry about shooting you. I was trying to help. The second shot was an accident. Didn’t realize I was squeezing the trigger.”
“I guess I should take that as a compliment. Good aim on the first shot, by the way. It’s in my stomach, but I think you missed all my vital organs. If the bullet is where I think it is, the wound will heal in no time.”
Cordelle’s eyes widened. “I was aiming for your shoulder.”
“Well, you got it with the second shot. You’re not cut out for this kind of work, Adam.”
He nodded eyes serious. “Everything happens for a reason. Maybe I was here to help you.”
“Maybe. You saved my life.”
Cordelle started to say something, but Raven shushed him. “They’re coming back. You need to go.”
Cordelle walked away from the vent as Raven scooted deeper inside. From deep within, words filtered to him.
“I was going to the barn to get a blanket to cover him — couldn’t stand those dead eyes staring at me — and halfway there, I heard something. He rose, Mr. Vessler … rose from the ground like a ghost with wings and he … he flew. Blood and grass and dirt on him. He was dead. Not breathing. I know what I saw.”
After a short inspection of the area, Vessler and his men lost interest in checking Adam Cordelle’s story.
If the authorities came, Raven knew he would get some help, as the plan to hide in the vent wasn’t working out that well. But it didn’t sound like any of the good guys would be coming.
Just below him, Vessler was speaking to one of his lackeys. “Luckily, I was able to reroute that ridiculous FBI enquiry.”
Tears of anguish stung Raven’s eyes. He touched the wound on his shoulder. The shot had passed clean through. No bones hit, no arteries nicked, and already it was healing. But his side still oozed fresh blood, even if it seemed as though it was slowing. He told himself he just needed to rest. Give his body time to heal. There was no reason to hurry anyway. Nikki was gone. She may not be dead, but she wasn’t his.
Trembling fingers reached into his back pocket and found the photo of Jessica Richmond. Through his blurred vision, the beautiful girl at the ocean’s edge smiled at him as if her grin carried the secrets to life and the universe. Raven realized he was smiling back. He brushed hot angry tears from his eyes. But Jessica continued to smile. To coax.
Sleep well, my hero, she seemed to whisper, for tomorrow another adventure awaits.
Raven closed his eyes and slept. When he did, he dreamed. No, his journey wasn’t over. In fact, his journey was just beginning.
Acknowledgments
My wonderful critique partner, Lynn Gutierrez. I couldn’t do this without you.
My beta readers, Diane, Pops, and Mel.
John, Isaac, and Jake — for bringing me food, listening to me yammer about the story, and for having great plot ideas when I get stuck.
Thanks Dr. Alejandro P. Rooney, Research Geneticist with the U.S. Department of Agricultural Research Service, who spent time explaining genetics in laymen’s terms and who knew about cold process experiments. Your insights made for a stronger story.
A special thanks to my church family, who prays for me continually, ‘cause, well, I need it.
Other Books by Heather Burch
Halflings
Guardian
ZONDERVAN
Avenger
Copyright © 2013 by Heather Burch
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