Part 5

"OK, I've got everything set up," Kermit began, coming back into the cabin. Looking at his watch, he noted to himself, 'Five hours before we become the hunted.' "How's Paul?"

Peter finished packing a small backpack with bandages, water, and food. "He's starting to run a fever, but the wound is not bleeding. The cauterization is holding. He's sitting up right now, drinking some coffee."

"I don't suppose either of you brought your guns?" Kermit asked as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

Facing Kermit, Peter nodded and explained, "We had them in the tackle box. Last time we came up here, the snakes were still out. Thought we might do a little target practice." Peter's lips turned up into a smile as he remembered Annie laughing at the idea of shooting snakes for target practice. 'What, do you two make bets on who can shoot better?' she had teased.

The memory gone, reality inserted itself back into his mind. "Wait. I think Paul left that old .38 here. You know, the one he first got when he became a police officer." Peter didn't wait for an answer. Instead, he went to the spare bedroom and removed a framed portrait of an eight-point buck standing in the woods. Behind the picture was a safe. Peter turned the dial, hearing the gentle clicking of the tumblers as they fell into place.

Kermit watched from the doorway, having followed Peter to the room. "I forgot about that safe. What all does he have in it?"

Peter pulled out the snub-nose gun, gently stroking the wooden grips. "When I first came to live with them, Paul showed me this gun. He said it wasn't practical for police work, but he loved the color and the feel. He taught me how to shoot with this." Breaking the hold the memory had, Peter reached back into the safe and retrieved a .9mm handgun. It's was silvery blue with black grips.

"I don't remember Paul having this." Peter commented as he looked and found the clip for the weapon. The clip held nine bullets. He found no more ammo. Picking up the snub-nose, he counted six bullets in it. "Guess Morgan didn't think Paul would have anything in the house."

Both men walked into the living room. The lights were off to keep Morgan from seeing where they were in the home, just in case he changed the rules. The fire gave off enough flickering light for Kermit to see the paleness of Paul's face and the fine sheen of perspiration on his cheeks and forehead.

Paul looked toward Kermit and Peter and saw the 9 mm the young man was carrying. "Should have known you'd go snooping for presents."

Peter looked up, a question springing quickly to his lips. "Present?"

"Yeah. I was going to give you that one for Christmas. Figured you couldn't find it here like you could at the house."

Peter tried to look innocent at being charged with attempting to find presents before they were given.

"Look, I am only going to slow you two down. Give me the gun and I'll protect myself here while the two of you go on ahead. He won't be expecting that," Paul offered, not looking at either Peter or Kermit.

"NO, Paul! I told you that I will not leave you behind so some maniac can come in here and kill you. I won't," Peter responded, holding back most of his anger Anger that Paul would even suggest he be left behind. Anger at the man who put them in this situation, possibly causing Peter to loose his other father.

Paul looked into Peter's eyes, seeing the defiance that burned there. "OK. But you have to promise me you won't let me slow you down and get caught."

Kermit didn't say anything. He had been under these conditions before, and had left some good men behind in similar situations. He looked at Peter, seeing the war that tugged at Peter's mind and heart.

Peter bit back the words that threatened to charge forward. Taking a deep breath, he thought about the words he was about to say, "Dad, there is no way I could live with myself if I left you behind. You are my father. I love you and will not leave you." Peter paused, hoping to stem the tears that threatened to fall. "Please, don't ever ask me to leave you again."

Handing Peter a knife from the knife rack, Kermit gave Paul another look-over. "Morgan likes the thrill of the hunt, so he'll let us get as far away as possible before he comes for us. We'll go as far as we can. We can't rest often, Paul."

"I know. I'll try and keep up." After hearing the pleading in Peter's voice and seeing the pain in his eyes, Paul vowed to be optimistic.

"He's changed the rules, Paul," Kermit started. "I found a trap about twenty-five feet from the cabin. I'm sure he has more. We are going to have to go after him. With you in this shape…"

"I can pull my own weight, Kermit," Paul stated. "What's the plan?"

"We decided to take you up to Painters Ridge and hide you there, and then attack Morgan and his men. We thought about going out now, but with all the traps they've probably set, we decided to just get as far away as possible, then turn around at first light and go after them. I don't think he'll expect that. He knows you've been shot and took a tumble into the lake. Most wounded animals run off."

Peter listened to the two men. Thinking of the time he lived at the temple when he and his father had gone out to help a wounded puma, he absently stated, "Yeah, but when cornered, they can turn on you."

"Let's just hope that is one lesson Morgan doesn't know."

Walking through the woods and its thick underbrush reminded Paul of the jungles of Africa and Vietnam. 'Only thing missing is the vines.'

"What?" Peter asked, having heard Paul mumbling as they walked side-by-side.

Peter watched as Paul bent over in an attempt to catch his breath.

Looking up through the tall pines and maples, Paul saw the first sign of dawn breaking as the midnight blue curtain above started to turn lighter. He had awakened many mornings amazed at the color changes as the sun slowly rose, spreading light orange that mingled with the blue. "It's starting to get lighter. He'll be after us soon."

"There's an overhang just to the left of us," Kermit pointed out as he came back onto the path. "We can set up a defense there. I didn't see any signs of Morgan being this far. Last trap was about 50 feet southwest of here."

At the familiar sound of a trap being sprung, Kermit yelled out a warning, "GET DOWN!"

Paul's feet had started to refuse to operate properly. His dragging toes pulled on the trip wire that had been strung across the path. The wire pulled a trigger, causing a log to swing toward the threesome, picking up speed as it went down its descended. Peter spotted the movement of the tree and pushed Paul to the ground as the log passed over them. It continued to swing back and forth, its arcs becoming slower until it stopped.

Paul didn't move. He lay on the ground, gasping for air. Peter slowly turned him over as Kermit kept watch around them. Blood stained Paul's shirt, fresh blood from the reopened shoulder wound.

"Come on, let's get you to that overhang."

Paul didn't argue, instead concentrated on breathing and walking. Peter and Kermit each lifted one of Paul's arms and supported him between them. He felt the familiar tightness in his chest that signaled the dunk in the lake had done more than give him an early bath.

The overhang jutted out from the mountainside. Its top was thick limestone slab. Small trees grew out from the ledge and taller ones to the side, forming a wall that could shield the three from Morgan and his men's line of sight.

Kermit searched the area under the ledge and signaled to Peter that all was clear.

Paul tried to ignore the searing pain to his shoulder and the tightness in his chest as he allowed Peter to help him up the rest of the way to their makeshift shelter.

They set up their defensive post. Kermit used the ropes from their enemy's sprung traps to set up their own.

Morgan and his two men found out the hard way where the first trap they had made was. One of them had forgotten where it was and, stepping into the noose on the ground, activated the trigger mechanism. The unfortunate was sent flying through the air, hitting his head on a rock at the base of the tree, to end up hanging upside down. His limp body continued to swing gently from the momentum.

"Great! You two can't even remember where you set the things up? Well, that was his payment for stupidity!" Morgan yelled as he stalked off, leaving the man hanging, not caring if he was dead or alive.

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