The Serpent and the Crow

Book 2: Chapter Ten

Wade stopped the car in front of a barrier, blocking the trail ahead. The rusted chain-linked fence covered in weeds. Jador stepped out of the vehicle.

"You don't have any bolt cutters in the back?"

"No," Wade said, "I don't think any type of ammunition is going to dent that lock either."

"Looks like we approach on foot."

"We will trespass the rest of the way. We should give Hank a buzz."

Jador tried the walkie to no avail. The chain-link fence would've been easy to mow down with the four-wheel-drive, except there was a second sturdier steel fence with wooden bollards in front to prevent that from happening. It was electrified.

"If Dale was right, there are some signal jammers in operation."

"Who's Dale?"

"We can climb that Ponderosa and hop over. Are you up for it?"

Wade traversed the tree and landed on the other side with ease. Wade stood below with his arms stretched out. He caught her. The pair shared a moment. It was nice to hold someone again, he realized. Embarrassed and wanting to hide his thoughts. He smiled.

"You can put me down now, Detective,"

He put her down. Her smile faded, and Wade wondered why. He glanced around to catch what she was looking at, and he sees a cascade of snakes slithering in the pine needles.

"A nest,"

"What did you say?"

"That's what you call a group of snakes," Wade said, "A nest of snakes."

"I get that shit feeling we're on the right path."

The detectives drew their sidearms. He picked up the shotgun Jador threw over. Snakes that had entwined its body around the barrel. Wade chucked it over to Jador, who slung it behind her back.

Jador said, "we should stay off the road."

It was a good idea. Wade knew that whoever built this road would've done so to see who was approaching. If Dale was right, then whoever was growing crops out here would have seen it.

The two detectives disappear into the woods, following the road but to the side of it. Wade stopped Jador.

"What is it?"

Wade kneeled as he ran his finger along a filament line that was connected to a claymore.

"Fuck, is that a mine?"

"It's going to be a long walk if we're going to watch out for these as we go."

"Pretty shit choices if you ask me. We stick on the road, and we're spotted. Go through the woods, and we're a bunch of dead corpses feeding a nest of snakes."

Wade thought the same thing. But it kept people on the road.

"I've got a plan," Wade said with a smile.