Hunted

HUNTED Chapter 8

Birds squawked and flew out from the trees, to escape the madness that played out on the ground below.

Forest just outside Las Animas, Colorado

Nell stayed as still as death, high up in the oak tree. She focused only on her breathing, trying to shut out all sounds from around her--an almost impossible task.

After the first vehicle had pulled up, a second came to a halt. Its engine rattled and was in need of repair. That's when the arguing began.

A woman's voice pierced through the male voices. She was tough, as she told the new comers to head home. Nell found this voice easier to understand, the male voices were mumbled and she couldn't understand a thing.

The first gunshot echoed through the forest. Her body jolted, but she stayed firm in her position. A gun battle begun below her. Gunshots from both sides continued. She could hear footsteps below her, making their way into the forest.

She closed her eyes and prayed again, that no one would find her footprints and look up. She was a sitting duck if they did. How many had been involved in her kidnapping? It sounded like a gang in a battle against two males and a female. But none of the voices were familiar to her.

Her heart continued to beat rapidly inside her chest. Her hands held firm their grip onto the trunk of the oak. She was thankful it was summer, all the threes were thick with leaves to provide cover. She was as high as the oak allowed her, any higher, then she'd be exposed. The risk of a branch breaking under the pressure of her weight, would give her position away immediately.

The gun battle moved further into the forest, closer to the edge of the river. She could hear the rushing water nearby, faster than below the dam wall. She thought she'd made the right move to stay on the road, but she'd been found. Why else would the first vehicle have stopped? Who were they and why were they now in a gun battle below her? Was this about her? Or was this just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time?

A third vehicle pulled up along the road. She couldn't see from her position who it was, but they moved silently, not a word from any of them. Swift like a sneaky fox, they moved below her. Now she understood how birds felt during hunting season. If only she had wings to fly far away from this place.

She was exhausted and her eyes began to droop. Stay open. This is not the time to let your guard down. She looked below her, a blond figure, a woman, held her weapon like a trained Federal Agent. She knitted her brows closer, had she been found by the team? Who were these people? A male figure backed her up, even up in this high position, she recognised the figure and his movements--Callen. How could she not recognise the man she loved?

Her heart thumped heavily in her chest. But where was Sam, Deeks and Kensi? Her team--her family, had come to save her. She wanted to call out and tell him she was up there, but fear for whoever had taken her, prevented her from doing such a move. More gunfire echoed through the forest. Birds squawked and flew out from the trees, to escape the madness that played out on the ground below.

More vehicles pulled over along the road. More men in uniform, made their way to the battle. The Sheriff and his deputies. She was certain there were more on her side than on the kidnappers by now. But as more gunfire rang out, she realised the battle was far from over.

She tried to get her bearings. The reservoir was to her left, the road to the front, the river behind her. The last few vehicles had come from a different direction, to her right. She had been going in the right direction. What if she climbed down and made her way to one of the vehicles and drove away from here? Did she have the courage to do it?

Another vehicle arrived at the scene. She'd lost count on how many had come since she made her way up this tree. The occupant were quiet as they moved through the forest like the previous ones. She looked down and smiled. She'd recognise that shaggy blond hair anywhere. He wore a green plaid shirt, one of her favourites on the Detective. She ripped some bark from the trunk and threw it in his direction.