The Hunt

Chapter 34: Hanna

I can see my team, shivering in the cold, holding their weapons close. Usually that's what I would do, but I have to pretend that the forest doesn't scare me. I have to seem undaunted in front of my team.

"Jonas, you take a group along that side, I'll take a group this way," I point.

Jonas starts picking out people, including Stephan and Minea, and comes up close to me.

"Be careful," he whispers into my ear, and brushes my arm lightly. I just nod, and then lead my group in the other direction.

The truth is, I'm not worried about myself. I'm worried about Jonas. Sure, he's got athletic skill and brains. But he also takes a lot of careless, audacious risks, and doesn't respond to a voice of authority, even mine.

Viktoria, Trent, and a handful of other kids are jogging behind me. I keep the wall on my right hand side, and keep my gun aimed towards the forest. When we're so far out that I can't see Jonas's group, I stop so everyone can catch their breath. Including me. I check the time. It's been thirty minutes.

"Jonas, where are you?" I say into the MBT.

"About three miles off the main gates," his voice comes through.

"Keep me informed," I instruct.

"Roger that, captain," Jonas says, with a hint of mockery.

"Don't do anything stupid," I smile as I recall the way he used to mess with our former captain, and how he used to poke fun at Carlyle.

Carlyle, who's gone.

Carlyle, who died out in the forest.

This forest.

Suddenly, I feel a little nauseous.

"What do we do now?" Viktoria asks.

"I want us to spread out in this close part of the forest. The exile should be coming into range within minutes," then I remember the ambush, "And check in with me every two minutes, maybe even more than that. The second you hear or see something, I want you to tell me. Immediately. The emergency signal is......woodpecker."

Trent and a few of the guys start laughing.

"This is not a laughing matter. If someone gets ambushed, you need to repeat the code word, or we'll all be dead," I snap.

Everyone fades uneasily into silence.

"Okay, start spreading out. I'll tell you when to stop," I mumble, and wave them off.

"Hanna, you good?" Jonas's voice comes through my MBT.

"Not so sure. I don't think anyone realizes how dangerous this forest is," I reply.

"Relax. We learned from the ambush, it won't happen again," Jonas reassures me.

I don't respond, just keep walking towards the edge of the forest.

I can hear it in his voice, he's just as terrified as I am.

"My guys are all spread out. You?"

I check my map, and see the blinking dots of the team, including the ones far away, that signal Jonas and his group.

"Yep, we're all good," I say.

There isn't a lot of warmth to be found in the forest. Not even the thick canopy of pine trees can shield the cold that winter brings as it's creeping up. There's no snow, or frost, or even dampness from rain. It's just bitter, dry cold. The vegetation is dead. The colors of autumn, though not very prominent in these woods, are dulled.