Scene 43

Park in Rural North Carolina

Ms. Raven had been ready for my command. When I had signaled here earlier, she had quickly slipped out of the cuffs. Anyone who knows her would know that this was not a great feat. I have never known any bonds to hold her for long. She jumped up behind Anna and pulled her to the ground.

At the same time I spun around quickly, raising my rifle as I did. The butt of the rifle caught John directly on the temple, knocking him senseless. Even before he hit, I was already taking his pistol from the holster.

“Sorry, John,” I said as I moved away from him.

I quickly moved to help Ms. Raven get Anna to her feet and I placed the pistol against Anna’s neck to show anyone watching that Anna was our captive.

We began to move back towards the van. As we stepped back, a shot rang out and a burgundy clad man fell from the tree line.

Ms. Hawk was doing her job.

“Where are you taking me?” Anna asked.

“Nowhere,” I answered. “You’re just going to get us out of this park.”

“You’ll never make it,” she said. “I have people all around us.”

Another shot rang out and another burgundy-clad man fell from cover. Anna saw him fall.

“I think you may be mistaken,” I said with a smile.

As we made out way back to the van, none of Anna’s people took any shots at us, afraid they would hit her. Meanwhile, Ms. Hawk continued to selectively take out those who dared to expose themselves from cover.

When we got back to the van, I saw our companions had disabled the two agency men and had the van ready to go.

“Are you going to kill me?” Anna asked.

“No,” I answered.

“What? Why not?” she asked, obviously confused.

“Because we are not terrorists, we’re fighting an oppressive government. You are on the wrong side Anna. I know someone very much like you and she would realize that. I’m giving you the opportunity to learn the truth.”

My companions were in the van and waiting for me. I pushed Anna away and she stumbled to the ground.

“Think about what I said,” I yelled to her as I jumped into the van and closed the door.

Michael stepped on the gas and the van sped away. We saw Julie and Ms. Hawk running to the road ahead of us, so Michael slowed the van to a crawl and I threw open the door.

The two ladies jumped inside and Michael again guided the van down the road.

When we got to the highway, Michael turned the van north.

“Where are you going?” I asked.

“The Bureau knows we operate from somewhere in South Carolina. They’ll have all the roads south covered, watching for us,” Mike answered.

“Where will we go then?”

“I know a place,” he said. “We’re going to Franklin.”