Gone (Gone #1)(128)

That was too much for Drake. With a furious snarl he ran from the alley.

Sam was slow getting up. To Quinn, he looked like an old man standing up after slipping cn the ice. But he looked up at Quinn and performed a sort of salute.

"I owe you, Quinn"

"I'm sorry I didn't get him," Quinn answered, Sam shook his head. "Man, don't ever be sorry you don't want to kill someone." Then, spotting Brianna, he shook off his weariness and said, "Breeze: With me. Quinn, anyone comes back toward the day care, you don't have to shoot them, all right? But tire into the air so we know." "I can do that," Quinn said.

Sam ran toward the plaza, confident that Brianna would catch up quickly. She was with him in seconds.

"What's up?" she asked.

"Everyone's putting on a show of complying with Caine's terms. If we're lucky, Bug will report back that we're obeying before Drake gets back to tell Caine that weVe retaken the day care."

"You want me to go after Drake*"

"Use those fast feet. Find him it you can, but don't try to fight him, just tell me."

She was gone before he could add, "Be careful"

Sam broke into a trot that seemed paintuily slow compared with the way Brianna moved. The kids, the normals, more than a hundred of them, ail who could be rounded up on short notice, were milling around at one end of the plaza. Sam was counting on Caine not knowing exactly how many kids were in Ferdido Beach, or how many were in town as opposed to hiding in their homes. He needed to make it look convincing, but Caine's demand left room for some tew to still be hidden away with Edilio.

Astrid and Little Pete, Dekka and Taylor and the rest of the Coates Freaks were entering the church, protesting loudly, making a show of it.

Sam strode to the fountain and jumped up on the side. "Okay, Bug, I know you're watching. Go tell Caine we've done what he asked. Tell him I'm waiting. Tell him if he's not a coward, to come here and face me like a man "

He jumped down, ignoring the stares of the hundred or more kids huddled scared and vulnerable in the plaza.

Had Bug seen what went down in the day care? lie had certainly heard the shots. Hopefully he would interpret them as coming from Drake himself, or as target practice.

And just as dangerous, would Drake be able to warn Caine? He should find out soot. Either way, Sam doubted that Caine could resist a face-to-face confrontation. His ego demanded it.

Sam's walkie-talkie crackled. He had the volume turned down low and had to hold it to his ear to hear Astrid. Sam.

"Are you okay in the church, Astrid?"

"We're both okay. We're all okay. The day care?"

"Safe."

"Thank God."

"Listen, get everyone in there to lie down. Get them under the pews—that may give them some protection " "I feel useless here"

"Just keep Little Fete calm, he's the wild card. He's like a stick of dynamite. We don't know what he might do."

"I think a vial of nitroglycerin would be a more apt analogy. Dynamite is actually quite stable"

Sam smiled. "You know it always gets me hot when you say 'apt analogy.'"

"Why do you think I do it?"

Knowing that she was right there, just fifty feet away, smiling sadly, scared but trying to be brave, sent a wave of longing and worry through him that almost brought tears to his eyes.

He wished Quinn had been able to eliminate Drake. But he suspected his friend would nol have survived with his soul intact if he had. Some people coulc do things like that. Some couldn't. That second group were probably the luckier ones.

"Come on, Caine," Sam whispered to himself. "Let's do this."

Brianna blurred up next to him."Drake went to his house. You know, the place where he was slaying" "Is Caine there?" "f don't think so."

"Good job, Breeze. Now go into the church. Go slowly so Bug can see you if he's watching." "I want to help."

"Thai's what I need you to do, Urianna"

She trudged off, making a show of it. Sam was alone. The normals huddled at the far end of the plaza as Caine had ordered. The freaks—Sam hated using the word, but it was hard not to—were in the church.

And now it came down to him and Caine.

Would Caine come?

Would he come alone?

Sam glanced at his watch. In just a little over an hour, it wouldn't matter.

From not far enough away, he heard a coyote howl





FORTY-FOUR


01 HOURS, 06 MINUTES

"THEY'RE DOING IT." Bug yelled as he burst through the door.

"All right" Caine said. "Showtime. Everyone load up. Into the ears."

There was a scramble lor the door. Chaz, Chunk, Mallet, and a much-abashed Frederico, who had finally freed himself from duct-tape bondage, all raced for the station wagon in the garage. Diana, oozing suppressed rage from every pore, followed. Panda grabbed Lana by the arm and pushed her toward the door.

Only then did Caine realize someone was missing. "Where's Howard?"

"I... I don't know," Panda admitted."I didn't see him leave."

"Useless worm. Without Ore, he's dead weight," Caine said. "Forget him."