Chapter 18

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Chapter 18

Linda helped Adam to his feet, steadying him as they walked arm in arm toward the van. 

"What about the driver?"

Linda nodded in the direction of the ditch alongside the road. "Out cold."

Adam caught sight of a pair of legs splayed out near the road edge. "Great job."

"It wasn't me."

Adam took a good look at the man in black as they drew nearer. The eyes—big, round and yellow stared at him without blinking. Hints of epicanthic folds gave the stranger an oriental air. A sullen, swarthy skin tone added to the inscrutable flavor. When they were a few paces away Adam whispered to Linda. "Strange looking character."

Linda agreed with a nod. They stopped a pace away and Adam was first to speak.  "I understand we have you to thank for getting us out of this mess."

Thin lips widened into a smile. He held out the medallion in his gloved hand and said, "I think this belongs to you."

Adam gratefully accepted it and stowed it in his trousers pocket. "How did you get this?"

"From the … farmhouse."

Impatient for more details, Adam continued, "Now, don't get me wrong, but who are you and how did you come to be here?"

"We came here because of that disk."

"That really doesn't help. We? Because of this 'disk'?" asked Adam.

The man straightened up, nudging himself off the van, and winced. A red streak stained the leg of his jogging suit.

"You're hurt," Linda said.

            "Yes. It appears that I have been … wounded."

            Adam bent down to take a closer look. He pulled up the tattered black cloth. "Looks like you ran into some BBs. I'd say from a shotgun?"

            "It is a minor lesion. Of no consequence."

            "It might be minor, but it must hurt like hell. How about we get out of here before Herman sends more of his people out after us? I'm sure that Otto was supposed to call in or return by now."

            Adam asked the stranger, "You have transportation?"

            "Not here."

            "Then how did you …" Adam caught himself as he noticed a dark red smear along the corner of the van.

            Linda ran over to Otto and went through his pockets. "Got the keys!"

            She dug farther and came up with a cell phone. Repeating the search on the driver, she tossed both cell phones into the woods. She then gathered up the two handguns. The three clambered into the Pathfinder and took off the way they had come. Dawn had arrived and the ominous outline of the Knox Coal Mine breaker followed them through breaks in the tree-lined road. They were travelling along a rise that followed the winding contours of the Susquehanna river.  The colliery sat on the opposite side a few miles away. 

            Linda turned to the man in black seated in the rear. "So what's your name, if you don't mind us asking you? We appreciate what you did for us back there. You saved our lives."

            "The name is not important, but if you prefer, you can call me Alpha."

            "Alf?" asked Adam.

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