Chapter 9: The Reckoning in the Woods
The mud softened the impact, but the breath was knocked out of Julian’s lungs. He scrambled to his feet just as the intruder lunged with a heavy punch. Julian dodged to the side, counter-striking with a firm blow to the man's ribs, sending him sprawling into the brush.
The first intruder recovered, pulling a small stun device from his belt. The arc of blue electricity crackled menacingly in the dark mist.
""Marcus said you'd put up a fight,"" the man sneered, stepping closer. ""He said you were always full of self-righteous pride.""
""Marcus is a coward who hides behind hired guns,"" Julian spat, backing up slowly toward the woodpile near the cabin wall.
The man lunged. Julian ducked beneath the swing, reaching down to grab a heavy oak log from the stack. With a powerful sweep, he struck the man's arm, knocking the stun device into the mud, before shoving him hard against the cabin wall.
The man hit the timber with a heavy thud and slumped to the ground, unconscious.
Panting heavily, Julian turned back to the second man, who was struggling to get up from the mud. Julian stepped over him, grabbing the fallen weapon and tossing it far into the deep brush.
""Tell Marcus,"" Julian said, his voice dripping with venom, ""that if he wants this book, he'll have to come look me in the eye himself.""
Without waiting for a response, Julian turned and ran back up the porch steps, bursting into the cabin and locking the heavy door behind him.
He hurried to the back bedroom and knocked twice—their agreed signal. The door unlocked, and Clara pulled it open, her face pale with terror.
""Julian! Are you alright? You're covered in mud!""
""I'm fine,"" Julian breathed, wiping sweat and rain from his forehead. ""They found us. Marcus tracked the car. We have to move now.""
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""Where can we go?"" Clara asked, holding Lily tightly against her chest. ""If he can track your car, he can track your phone, your credit cards, everything!""
Julian looked at her, his mind racing. ""Then we disappear into the city where he least expects us. We go to the one place my father never kept track of.""
