Peter eased the RV’s door open and slipped out, moving into the roadside tree line. Just to be sure he took a compass reading and then when his night vision peaked, moved quickly due west for ten minutes. Peter thought, Yuri was not hit hard. The amount of blood in the pickup didn’t look like anyone had a bad wound. Also he wouldn’t have left on his own if he was really hurting. So he must be alert. He saw our lights. Saw them stop. His plan must have been for Horace to drive right into the chokepoint. Therefore he sensed danger and moved to a better defensive position where he can see the narrow road and the planned pickup point. He’s thinking he can’t be sure the vehicle is not being driven by Horace or someone sent by Horace.

He will be on high ground close to the road. He’ll not be making a sound and I have to move in quickly. I’m bound to make some noise. If we didn’t need to get Terry medical care, I wouldn’t be doing this. I’d get in a good position, and Bernadette and I would bracket the high ground and search for him in daylight from cover. Much better odds than now. He has the advantage. It depends on how badly he is hurt.

******** 

Yuri was settled in a good defensive position on high ground. Come daylight he would be able to command the area. He knew someone was out there in the dark near this little pass. He couldn’t understand why the vehicle stopped and turned its lights off. Horace wouldn’t have done that. Yuri had struggled to get this far. A bullet had carved a deep furrow high in the outside of his left thigh. He had gotten the bleeding stopped but it started again when he moved positions.

Yuri knew the attack wasn’t by government forces. They would have completed the attack and taken prisoners and collected evidence. No, the camp was attacked by a few highly skilled professional fighters. What did they want? Were they looking for him? Horace must be dead or captured. Otherwise he would have been here hours ago.

He had a half canteen of water, some candy bars, and an extra 13-round magazine for his 9mm Browning automatic. If Horace didn’t come, he would have to walk out through the forest tomorrow. This place will be swarming with security forces shortly after sun up. He ate two of the candy bars, drank deeply from his canteen, and came to a decision. He had to leave now. His ride wasn’t going to happen. The longer he stayed, the worse the odds of his escaping became. With that thought, he was on his feet and moving into the forest close to the road.
Even with his slow pace he would be back where he could get help by nightfall tomorrow.

Peter entered the small pass area from the west, as Yuri left eastward. If Yuri had waited another five minutes, he and his old friend, Kalin, would have met in the darkness.