Page 36 of Five Survive

“Who is this?” Oliver repeated, holding down the button this time.

Static.

“You know who this is.”

Static.

“No?” Oliver said.

“I’m the one outside with the rifle.”

Red swallowed, forcing it down her too-tight throat.

“What do you want from us?” Oliver said, pacing away from the cockpit and down the length of the RV. The rest of them followed. “If it’s money, I don’t think we have much cash on us right now. But you can have it all. And my credit card. I’ll give you the PIN. Take as much as you want. It’s yours. Just let us go.”

Click.

Static.

“I don’t want your money,” the voice said.

A shadow crossed his face, confusion in the draw of his eyebrows. If only it had been that easy, Oliver. Throw money at the problem.

“What do you want, then?” Oliver paced. “I’m sorry if we’re on your land. We didn’t mean any offense. We got lost. We were never supposed to be here. Just the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Static.

The walkie-talkie crackled, a strange, hitching sound. Was he laughing at them?

“What if I said you were the right people, in the right place at exactly the right time.”

Oliver lowered the walkie-talkie, glancing up at the rest of them, eyes drawn. His mouth flickered silently, words dying before he could breathe life into them.

Maddy’s arm tensed, pushing against Red. Simon on her other side, holding on to her sleeve. She didn’t move, staring at the walkie-talkie in Oliver’s hand, molding the static into empty whispered words in her head.Right people, right place, right time.

“What does he mean?” Arthur said, voice rasping and low, catching on the sides of his throat. His eyes darted to Red’s, but she couldn’t give him any answers there.

Oliver sucked in a shaky breath and raised the walkie-talkie to his lips. He pressed the button, and the only sound in the RV, in the world, was Red’s breath, too heavy in her chest.

“What do you mean?” Oliver asked of the man out there in the wide-open nothing.

Static.

“I’ll tell you what I mean.”

Static.

“Oliver Charles Lavoy.

“Madeline Joy Lavoy.

“Reyna Flores-Serrano.

“Arthur Grant Moore.

“Simon Jinsun Yoo.

“Redford Kenny.”