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“Not much we can do about them,” Roger replied. “We have Ashley though.”

“She seems to think these are some sort ofsuper wolvesand that I won’t be of much help,” Ashley replied, scepticism dripping from his voice.

“If that is what Steph thinks, then I am inclined to trust her,” Roger replied. “I have seen enough out my window to know they have something about them. However, I was more suggesting that you would make the tastiest meal out of us all!”

“Why me?” Ashley replied, allowing himself a smile.

“Simple; you are not as large as Baz, but you still have more muscle meat than either Steph or Martina, and you’re younger and therefore less tough to eat than me!”

Ashley chuckled as he opened the door and got out. Roger followed. Steph looked at Martina who narrowed her eyes. Sighing, Steph got out of the cab.

Steph walked with her knife out. She decided that, in the current circumstances, it made more sense to be prepared. Ashley went ahead with his rifle unslung, scanning left and right. Martina had picked up a stick. Steph noted that she kept sizing up both Roger’s and Ashley’s heads. She was pretty sure that Roger was aware of it, but as with most things his smile suggested that he found it mildly amusing.

They followed a direct route southeast. There was no clear path, so it involved navigating through shrubbery and up and down small slopes, but Roger insisted it was the most direct route to the outer fencing.

“Shouldn’t we head to a gate?” Steph asked. “I’m not sure we can scale an electric fence that has a voltage designed to subdue a one-ton bear.”

“You could be right,” Roger replied. “But if we are walkingalong the fence, we might see a conveniently placed tree and branch that could speed up our escape. If not, we simply follow it to the nearest gate. However, it appears to me, although correct me if I am wrong, most of the bigger predators don’t spend too much time by the fencing. It’s not the ideal place to hunt?”

Steph thought about it. She supposed he was right, from what she had seen.

“I guess that’s true. Although, nothing ever follows one rule perfectly; there is always a chance the wolves are there.”

“For sure,” Roger replied. “But that’s life, and we can deal with eventualities when they come up.”

This felt like a fair assessment.

Ahead of them, Ashley kept turning his head left and right whilst Roger kept a close eye on Martina. He had no weapon that Steph could see, but he kept a firm presence around her. Steph was so focused on watching this strange non-interaction, that she didn’t notice the figure lurking behind the trees. Neither did Ashley.

The shape of something bolted from its hiding place just feet from Ashley, sending him tumbling to the ground. Steph held back. Roger grabbed Martina’s arm, seemingly more concerned with what she might do than his own safety.

Everything happened so fast. Steph was acting before her brain could think how to act. She suddenly realised that her knife was raised and that she had taken a stride towards the two figures locked in combat on the floor, with Ashley starting to get the upper hand. Then Steph’s brain clicked into gear.

“Stop!” she shouted. “Just stop!”

The mass of grappling limbs seemed to slow itself until the two bodies untangled and got to their feet panting.

“Ah,” said Roger, smiling. “I assume it was probably you who fiddled with the car battery?”

Ahead of him, Davey turned a scowling eye. He was bruisedand filthy. His right cheek had a large gash on it with dark dry blood caking the area underneath. His left arm hung limper than the right.

Steph couldn’t believe it. She didn’t know how it was possible. Roger, on the other hand, seemed perfectly at ease with the revelation.

“But why didn’t you simply steal the truck?” he asked.

Davey continued to look at him, his chest heaving. Then he looked at Ashley to check he was where he had left him. He too stood panting, a small cut beneath his right eye, his rifle somehow ten yards or so from where he stood. They had rolled some distance in each other’s unfriendly embrace.

“I couldn’t let you know I had survived otherwise you’d know I was coming.”

Roger nodded.

“And has everything gone as planned since?”

“Sort of. Although, I had hoped to knock this one off.” He flicked his head in the direction of Ashley who derisively snorted with laughter.

“Ah, I see. Well, that is an inconvenience for you then. However, I’m sure your plan was based on what I’d call ‘old information’. I suspect that you’d find trying to ‘knock off’ Ashley now, to be quite a waste of everyone’s time.”

Davey frowned. He turned to Martina and then to Steph.