Page 39 of Trusted Instinct

There was a good story just waiting to be told. She needed to find it and report on it.

Danger shivered in the air.

Yup, something sinister had Auralia by the craw and wouldn’t let go.

Chapter Eleven

Creed

Bedlam.

When the survival mind turned on, logic flew away in the gust.

If the crowd had been stunned into silent stillness, that phase had come and gone.

It was worse for the rain.

It had started shortly after the rumble of thunder when fat droplets danced through sunrays. It was the kind of rain that painted rainbows across the sky,

But then the dark rolled up.

It went from day to night in the snap of a finger.

Temperatures dropped as the rain hit with stinging velocity, and the men of Iniquus pulled on their ball caps, then the raincoats that covered their winter jackets. Hoods came up, and the cord was cinched down. In this way, they could stay dry and maintain a clear visual field.

Rou was positioned between Creed’s legs. His all-weather tactical pants and the bulk of his torso could shield her a bit from the wet.

He pressed his sternal mic. “Creed for Striker.”

“Go for Striker.”

“These cars slipping around on the clay make me worried for Rougarou. I’m going to chat with this woman who looks like she’s in some distress, then take Rou up to the highway and put her in the crate in our transport. Over.”

“Striker. Copy. Out.”

Creed had been watching a woman move to her car, two middle-school-aged kids in tow.

She’d been standing there for a while now, hand on the door, searching around, shivering.

He wondered if she was missing someone or perhaps she was dealing with adrenaline. When Creed called out to her, she didn’t turn his way. And when he touched her elbow, she jumped, then clutched at her heart.

“Can I be of assistance, ma’am?” He pulled one of the emergency ponchos from the side pocket of his pack. It was a cheap, clear plastic deal, but it would keep this woman dry as they spoke.

“I’m from Arizona.” She unwrapped the poncho and worked to unfold it with trembling hands. “I don’t drive in the rain, and everything’s flat where I come from. I don’t know how to get up the hill in this mess.”

“You can’t stay here.” Creed reached out to help guide the poncho over her head as it whipped in the wind. “Things are going to get worse instead of better.”

Hand on her head to keep the hood in place, her eyes went wide and unblinking.

“Do you know where you’re going once you get out of here?”

“I’m heading south over the bridge. I thought if I could get to the next town, we’d just pull over at a fast-food place and hang out until the weather passed. I think I saw a motel there. If it keeps coming down like this, I’ll go there. Better safe than sorry.”

“How far are you from home?”

“Forty-five minutes on a dry road. I just moved here. It doesn’t rain where I’m from. Well, not never. It’s infrequent, and most people I know stay in. I guess it’s like driving in an ice storm here. It happens, but it’s dangerous if you don’t knowwhat you’re doing.” She stared as a car started to slide sideways on the hill.

Horns blared, and the driver was able to regain control before hitting the car behind him. Creed was imagining dominoes.