The Chosen Ones

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

"Are you okay to do this?" Casey asked Matt.
He sat up and exited the truck. He had to be okay. There was no tomorrow, after tonight either Shannon and Tyler would be dead, or the leader of the cult would be. The latter was the only option. He was going to use anything he had left in him.

"Let's go." He said.
Casey drew her 9mm and took point. Matt stayed in the middle with the shotgun and Shaun had his rifle. They had started with seven. Now, they were down to just the three of them.

The march up to the front of the cabin was uneventful. The moonlight lit the way. A slight breeze blew the top of the pine trees back and forth and branches snapped under their feet as they walked. It would have been a perfect fall night in the mountains.

The front door was closed and the lights were out. Casey turned the knob and it opened, proof that Jonah was here with Shannon and Tyler. She remembered Matt locking the door when they left a couple days ago.

Matt wasn't sure how Jonah knew about his cabin. Maybe he had followed him up here when he took Casey and Tyler a few days ago. Or maybe he made Shannon tell him a place to take Tyler and herself. Another thought was maybe Shannon tricked him into going there, a place Matt knew well.

Casey had the gun pointed out with her right hand and held a mini flashlight with her left when she entered. Shaun kept his back to the house as he guarded their backs.

Matt and Casey searched room by room. Nothing. The house was clean. Shaun walked in and the three stood in the living room.
"Did he switch up where he was going?" Casey asked. "Maybe he saw the text Shannon sent you?"
"Maybe." Matt replied. "Let's check out back."

They made their way onto the back deck. The sliding glass door was also open. It was a sure sign that they were indeed there. The question was, did they already leave?
The water was calm. Matt's boat swayed side to side, still tied to the dock. Shaun lowered his gun.
"What the hell?" He whispered. "Where are they?"

Just when they were about to give up and leave, they heard it. The scream.
"Dad!" Came Tyler's voice.
Shaun ducked to one knee, aiming his gun at the mountain. Casey and Matt crouched behind the fire pit.
"The mountain." Matt whispered. "They're up on the mountain."

"That was definitely Tyler." Casey said.
"Did they see us?" Shaun asked.
"I don't know, but they're on top or close to the top up there." Matt replied, motioning with his head.
"Well, let's go." Casey said.

They started the trek. Matt had hiked it before, and it wasn't easy, even if you were in the best shape, which he wasn't at the moment. His breathing had turned to wheezing. He wondered how Jonah was able to make it up there while dragging Shannon and a four year old up there with him. Matt knew he was just as banged up as he was, if not more.

About halfway up there was a clearing, much like the one they killed Daniel at in Maple Brook. This one overlooked the lake. It was normally a beautiful spot, and unlike the one in Maple Brook, this one was shared by nobody except Matt and his family and friends, it was his spot.

He had a sinking feeling Shannon and Tyler were there with Jonah right now. If you went to the cliff of the clearing you could see Matt's cabin below. Tyler had probably seen them and called out. Which meant Jonah knew they were coming.

They tried to stay quiet and under the radar, but with all the dead leaves and branches in the path it wasn't easy. The crunching and cracking under their feet was a sure giveaway.

Shaun and Casey had to help Matt get through the tougher terrain.
They were about a hundred feet from the clearing when they stopped. They needed a plan of attack.

"You really think they're at the clearing?" Shaun asked.
"I don't think Jonah can make it to the top in the shape he's in." Matt said. "But it would be the perfect spot for him to rest, and do whatever he was thinking of doing."

"Let's just put a bullet in his head." Casey suggested.
"Just got to be careful." Matt said. "Can't put Tyler and Shannon in the crossfire."
They wheeled around quickly as they heard the bushes rustle. There was nobody there, it could have been an animal, everything had them on edge.

"Why don't you join us up here!" Came a man's voice.
It had to be Jonah. He knew they were there, and he had Tyler. They no longer were in control. They marched up the hill to confront their fate. There was nothing they could do now. They were out of moves.