A Walk in the Woods

by brihana25

A teacher takes his student to the mountain on a search for balance. A sensei takes his champion to the mountain on a search for answers. Their weekend in the woods becomes a battle for their lives, and to survive it, they will all have to rely on the last the last thing they ever expected to need. Each other. (WIP)

4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"Mike."

It took every ounce of courage and strength he could summon just to force the name past his lips. Part of him wanted to believe it was a nightmare, and as long as he refused to give into it, he would wake up, safe in his bed with Amanda at his side. He closed his eyes and grit his teeth, forcing the fear down. It was a nightmare, but it wasn't a dream.

It was real. Mike Barnes was standing in front of him, and he was very, very real.

Of all the emotions screaming in his head, anger and fear were the loudest. And, as had become too common in his life the past few years, it was anger that took control of his mouth.

"What the hell are you doing?" he demanded. He turned toward Johnny with the intention of kneeling down to check on him. "You can't just …!"

"Ah, ah, ah." Mike's right hand slipped into the pocket of his jacket.

Daniel froze.

"Good boy." Mike raised his eyebrows, tipped his head, and grinned. "Hey, you wanna talk? Let's catch up. How've you been? How's the wife and kids?"

Daniel narrowed his eyes and glared at him. He wanted to move, and he needed to make sure Johnny was okay, but the possibility of a threat was enough to hold him still.

'You haven't seen a gun, LaRusso. You don't know he has one.'

He was going to ignore the fact that the voice in his head sounded a hell of a lot like Johnny Lawrence.

'I don't know he doesn't. That's the problem.'

"You can tell me all about how you became a rich Porsche salesman, and I can tell you how I became, well … remember when I beat you up for money, Daniel, and I was just a kid? What do you think I do for a living as a man?"

He didn't want to answer that question. He didn't want Mike to answer it, either.

"So, whatever you're thinking over there, whatever you're wondering, ask yourself: would I come into this unprepared? What do you think happens if you piss me off?" He held his hand, still in the jacket, out toward Johnny's head. "Do you want your buddy there to find out?"

Daniel shook his head, slowly and carefully, and backed up.

"Very good." Mike walked forward, swinging the branch like a pendulum in front of him. "You won't do that again, will you?" He kept his hand in his pocket as he moved closer, but he stayed on the other side of the tree.

'Come on, LaRusso. You can take this guy.'

'Not from over here I can't. And not if he's got a gun.'

"Do you want to play a game, Daniel? I like games, don't you? Let's play a game."

He remembered Mike's games all-too-well. He'd spent most of his life trying to recover from them, and there was no way he was going to let himself get sucked into another one. He glanced down at Johnny. He hadn't moved since he'd hit the ground. Was that normal? What grade of concussion did that make it? How badly hurt was he?

"Look, Mike, I don't know what you're doing here, or what you want, and I don't care. But this isn't a fucking game."

"Isn't it?" Mike laughed, and the sound of it made every hair on Daniel's back and arms stand up. "Come on, Daniel. Of course it's a game! The only question is … which game are we going to play?"

Mike started walking back and forth, his right hand still in his pocket, still swinging the branch with his left, with that damn grin on his face.

"I like Simon Says. How about you? You ever play that when you were a kid? Ya know, like … Simon says close your eyes."

'Don't do it. Don't you dare do it. You're a grown man, not a damn dog.'

"No."

Mike spun on him, raising the branch in the air then slamming it against the fallen tree so hard that part of it broke off. Daniel jumped and ducked the piece that flew at his head. "Simon says close your goddamned eyes, Daniel!"

Daniel closed his eyes.

'What the hell are you doing? You're not just gonna do whatever this guy tells you to do?'

'If it keeps him from snapping like that again, yes.'

"Simon says put your hands on your head."

He could hear Mike walking around, but he couldn't tell where he was. The echo between the trees was throwing his depth perception off. Had he moved closer? Further away?

He put his hands on his head.

'He's fucking with you. It's one of his mind games. Don't let him do that again.'

'I know what it is. I've dealt with this before. I can get through this.'

"Simon says ... lace your fingers together."

Where was Mike? His voice definitely seemed closer, but Daniel couldn't be sure. Was it coming from in front of him? Or to his right? Why couldn't he tell?

He slid his hands together on the back of his head without a word.

'Don't just stand there!'

'I don't have a choice!'

"Turn to your right."

That came from right in front of him, no more than a foot away. When had he gotten that close? Jesus Christ.

Daniel turned.

'Do something!'

'I can't!'

"Ah, ah, ah." And that was whispered right in his fucking ear. He could feel Mike's breath on his neck and cheek, and he jerked his head away. "I didn't say Simon Says."

'Great job not getting sucked into his game, LaRusso.'

'Shut up!'

The branch slammed into the back of his right leg, and he bit off the cry of pain that tried to escape as he fell to his knees on the ground.

'Why didn't he hit the left one? He hits that one, you're done, right?'

'Just be glad he didn't. I am.'

"That's better." Mike wrapped his fingers around Daniel's hands and through his hair, then pulled his head back. Daniel didn't make a sound as he felt the jagged, broken end of the branch pressing into the skin under his chin. "Are you having fun, Daniel?"

He squeezed his eyes more tightly shut and held his breath. He didn't answer.

'Atta boy, LaRusso. Don't play his game.'

Mike pushed the branch higher and pulled harder on his hair, arching his head back so far that it made his shoulders hurt. "I said are you having fun?!"

"You didn't say ... Simon Says." He forced the words out through his stretched throat and clenched teeth. He was ready for whatever consequences he'd have to pay for saying them.

Mike's laughter bounced through the trees. "Oh, that's good, Daniel," he said. "Very good." Then, right in his ear again, "You always were fun to play with." The branch was pulled away, and Mike shoved Daniel's head forward before letting go of his hair.

"I'm bored with this game now. Time to play something else."

Daniel knelt on the ground, with his hands on the back of his bowed head and his eyes closed.

'Mr. Miyagi would know how to deal with this shit. What would he say?'

'Breathe in through nose, breathe out of mouth. Breathe in. Breathe out.'

He couldn't move his arms, but he concentrated on the breath moving in and out of his lungs. He needed to focus. He needed to concentrate. He needed a plan.

"Stand up. Open your eyes, and put your hands down. You look ridiculous."

He did, grateful to at least be able to see again. Mike had crossed back to the other side of the tree. He hadn't put his right hand back in his pocket, and he was still carrying that branch around.

'This is not good, LaRusso. This is bad. You gotta do something.'

'I'm doing the best I can.'

"Do you like chess? I do. I hope you don't mind that I took my turn first." He pointed the branch at Johnny's still form. "I'm taking your pieces off the board, one by one."

Daniel took an instinctive step to his left, moving closer to Johnny before he realized he'd done it.

Mike turned slowly. "I saw that," he said. "I thought I told you to stay away from him."

Daniel raised his open hands in apology, but he didn't move.

Mike resumed his pacing.

"Anyway, back to our game. I've captured my first piece. I took your knight. Who's next? Which of those boys is your bishop, Daniel? And which is the pawn?"

"You're crazy," Daniel said. "I thought you were nuts before, but you have completely lost it."

The grin vanished, and when Mike whirled around, his face was flushed, his eyes were wild, and his lips were pulled back in a snarl. "I've lost exactly once in my life," he said, venom dripping from every word. "And it cost me everything. Do you have any idea what you took from me?"

"No," he answered honestly, shaking his head. "I don't."

"I was going to be a very rich man. I was going to own half the dojos in the state. I was going to be the Crown Prince of the Cobra Kai empire. All I had to do was beat you." Mike's expression grew impossibly darker. "But you … you had to go and win. With your stupid fucking kata, of all things. You and that stupid, worthless slope teacher of yours. You ruined everything!"

Daniel clenched his hands into fists, but then he took a deep breath and pushed the anger those words stirred down. His inability to control his temper had gotten him sucked into Mike, Kreese and Terry's web the first time. He couldn't afford to let it happen again.

"I learned, though," Mike continued. "I learned that if I want to win, I have to play by my own rules. And I don't lose anymore." Mike narrowed his eyes and moved toward Johnny. It was just one step, but the intention was clear.

Daniel moved to his left again. He wasn't even trying to be subtle, and he ran the risk of pissing Mike off again, but he didn't care. He'd put himself between Johnny and the very real threat that was Mike Barnes. That was what mattered.

Mike smiled again. "That's sweet," he said. "Always gotta be the hero, don't you? I bet you still think you can protect them."

Daniel didn't answer.

"But, see, the thing is …" Mike waved the branch around, gesturing at the trees with his arms as he spoke. "You don't know how many moves I've already made, do you? I've been following you all day, and you never spotted me. I could have killed you a dozen times over, and you'd never have known what hit you. You have no idea. You don't even know if your pawn and bishop are still standing."

Daniel's blood froze in his veins, and he had to force himself to stay where he was. His heart was pounding, his head was swimming, and a giant black hole had opened in his stomach. He wanted nothing more than to run back to camp to make sure the boys were okay, but he couldn't leave Johnny alone with Mike. But the boys … they were just kids. He couldn't let them be hurt. Yes, he was mad at Miguel, but he was still just a boy, and he wouldn't stand a chance against Mike. Robby's shoulder wasn't fully healed, basketball in the driveway notwithstanding, and he wouldn't be able to defend himself, either. And Johnny was injured, unconscious, and defenseless. He couldn't let him be hurt any more than he already had been.

He'd sworn to Johnny that he'd do anything to help him protect those kids. With every minute that passed and every word Mike spoke, the enormity of that vow only grew. It was becoming obvious that he was going to be forced to keep that promise a whole lot sooner than he could have expected. But no matter what happened to him, Johnny would make it off that mountain to stop Kreese. And the boys would be safe with him.

Mike's sudden reappearance couldn't have been a coincidence. He knew with everything in him that it wasn't. The timing was too perfect. If the plan was to take Daniel out, then so be it, but he had to make damn sure Johnny and the boys got out of the mess he'd somehow managed to get them dragged into. He didn't know how much damage Mike had already done, but he had to keep him from doing any more.

What was it Mike had said? He always won because he always played by his own rules? Maybe Daniel could take control of the situation after all. Maybe he wasn't as choiceless as he thought he was.

"You wanna play a game?" Daniel asked. His voice was rough, and he had to force the words out, but he thought that might actually work in his favor. Maybe it would be best if he sounded like he'd been beaten. He had a plan, but he only had one chance to pull it off.

'Don't play his game. Make him play yours.'

"Okay. I'll play. But it needs to be something more entertaining than chess." He had to make it interesting. He had to make it worth Mike's while. He had to make it appeal to Mike's twisted and warped sense of humor. "You up for some hide and seek?"

'What the actual fuck are you doing?'

'If he's focused on me, he'll leave them alone.'

Mike's eyebrows shot up, and his grin widened. "Oh, I like that, Daniel. I like that a lot." His gaze fell on Johnny again, and Daniel felt his muscles stiffen. "You're still thinking you're getting off this mountain, though, aren't you? You expecting blondie there to wake up and save you?"

Daniel shook his head slowly. "No," he said. "He wouldn't do that, because this has nothing to do with him. He hates me almost as much as you do, anyway."

'No, he doesn't. You know that's not true.'

'Maybe it is. Maybe it isn't. It doesn't matter right now, anyway.'

No matter how much Johnny might hate him, Mike hated him more.

"Besides, we're not going to play here." No, they weren't going to be anywhere near Johnny and the boys. If he managed to pull it off, the three of them were going to be completely out of harm's way just as soon as Johnny was back on his feet. "Where's the fun in that? It's not hide and seek if we can see each other, is it?"

'This might be a bad idea.'

'I know these woods. He doesn't.'

Mike rubbed his chin, and Daniel knew he was seriously considering it. "So, which one of us is It?"

"We both are," he answered. "We both hide, and we both seek. That way, it's about which one of us finds the other first."

'That isn't safe. It's a bad idea. It's stupid.'

'But it'll work. And it's all I've got.'

Mike nodded in amused agreement. "That would be fun."

Daniel had him.

'Oh, you've got him, huh?'

'Shut up.'

"Just one condition before we start," Daniel said.

"My rules!" Mike screamed, exploding forward once more.

Daniel managed to not jump when the branch hit the tree that time. He raised his hands in placation, but he held his ground. "Of course," he said. "You make the rules, Mike. It's your game. All I ask is one small favor."

"What?"

"I need to know there's a point in playing. Let me see for myself that the boys are okay."

The sound of that laugh made Daniel's hair stand on end. "Oh, that's adorable." If Mike had one weakness, it was the same one he'd always had – arrogance. He was so convinced of his own invincibility that he was going to give Daniel what he wanted. "Fine. Call the brats up here. But you let me see your face the entire time. And just remember, for all you know, I can shoot them all down right in front of you."

Mike put his right hand back in his pocket, pointed the branch at Daniel with his left, and stepped back until he was almost hidden in the treeline again. "We're playing by my rules, Daniel. And if you break them, you're not the only one who never leaves this mountain."

Daniel nodded slowly, then turned his head just far enough to yell over his shoulder.

"Robby!" He shouted as loudly as he could, but he never took his eyes from Mike's face. "Miguel!" He took a deep breath and resisted the urge to glance down and check on Johnny, to see if he was starting to come around at all. "Boys! Come here!"

He heard them before he could see them, the crunch of the leaves beneath their feet and the snapping of twigs as they ran telling him just how fast they were moving. They burst through the trees, and Daniel saw them from the corner of his eye. Miguel appeared first, followed less than a second later by Robby, who was holding his left arm with his right, keeping it immobile as he ran.

It took them both less than a second to react to what they saw.

"Sensei!"

"Dad!"

There was a slight hesitation as Miguel's steps faltered. Daniel didn't understand what had caused it, but he didn't have time to wonder about it, either. It didn't last very long, and they were both on their knees at Johnny's side before he could have asked, anyway. Neither of them had seen Mike yet.

"He's okay, boys," Daniel said carefully. He didn't turn toward them. Mike did, though, and while he was looking away, Daniel slipped his right hand into the pocket of his jeans, hoping like hell that he looked like he was just trying to appear casual. "He'll be fine."

Miguel jumped back to his feet, stalked toward him angrily, and shoved Daniel in the back. He stumbled forward, but he caught his balance quickly, and his gaze never wavered.

"What the hell did you do?" Miguel demanded. "What did you do to him?"

"Nothing," he answered. "He hit his head. He'll come around. Just give him a minute."

It was Robby who noticed Daniel's odd behavior, and he pushed himself to his feet slowly. He followed Daniel's gaze into the woods, and he gasped when he realized they weren't alone. Miguel shoved him again, obviously not having noticed that anything was wrong. Robby reached out and put his right hand on Miguel's arm, pulling him back slightly. Miguel spun on him.

"Of course you'd choose him!" he spat. "You would pick LaRusso over your own father!"

The hatred in Miguel's voice turned Daniel's stomach, but again, he didn't have time to worry about what was causing it. Johnny could figure it out and work them through their issues. Later. Much later. When none of them were anywhere near the mountain.

Robby shook his head slowly, and he tipped his head very slightly toward the trees. Miguel picked up on the subtlety of the movement, and he turned his eyes without turning his head.

Mike knew he'd been spotted, so he stepped forward, laughing again. He flung the branch toward them, laughing harder when Daniel flinched involuntarily at the sound of it hitting the fallen tree.

The whole situation had been intentional. Mike had stayed in front of the treeline on purpose. He'd known the boys would see him. That's why he'd made Daniel look at him. He'd wanted them to see him.

Mike hadn't allowed Daniel's condition. He'd used it. He hadn't let him call the boys up because of arrogance. He'd done it for leverage. Daniel had wanted Johnny and the boys together so it would be easier for them to get away. Mike had wanted them together so it would be easier for him to take them out. He should have realized that.

'Fuck!'

"Boys," Daniel said slowly, his mind scrambling for a way to pull Mike's attention back to him. "That's … that's Mike. He's a … friend, an old friend … of mine." He was actually impressed by how well he was lying, but he couldn't keep it up forever. "I'm just gonna go talk to him. I'll be right back."

"Mr. LaRusso, no!" Robby jumped forward and grabbed his arm, eyes wide. "You can't! You …"

Daniel shook his head, slightly but quickly, stopping Robby before he got started. There was no point in giving Mike any more ammunition than he already had. He did use the excuse Robby had just given him to pull his hand out of his pocket.

"I'm fine, Robby," he insisted softly, pressing the palm of his right hand against the back of Robby's. He felt the boy's hand turn under his, and he wrapped his fingers around it. "Stay with your dad. Take care of him." In his peripheral vision, he saw Robby's eyes widen ever-so-slightly, and Daniel knew he understood. "Miguel," he said without turning around. "Johnny needs you. He'll wake up soon, and he'll need both of you."

"Yeah, Mr. LaRusso. Of course." Miguel had obviously picked up on the seriousness of the situation, because when he answered, he didn't sound angry anymore. He sounded like the scared and confused kid he had to be.

"I'll be back. We'll get Johnny to the hospital, and he'll be fine." Without being able to see Miguel, Daniel didn't know if he had caught on to everything he wasn't saying, but he was confident that Robby had. When Robby pulled his hand away and put it back inside the sling, looking for all the world like he was just supporting his injured arm, Daniel stepped forward.

"Okay," he said, jumping up on and then down from the tree to cross it. "Let's do this. Let's go talk."

Daniel refused to look back as he walked away. He trusted that the boys would get Johnny and themselves to safety. All he had to do was keep Mike away from them long enough for them to do it. He closed his eyes briefly, but he'd opened them again before he reached Mike's side.

Mike made a show of throwing his arm across Daniel's shoulders with a huge smile on his face. "Sure is great to see you again, buddy! I've missed you so much."

Daniel's skin crawled at the touch, but he didn't let it show. Once they were far enough in that the boys couldn't see them, Daniel threw Mike's arm off and started to run. Mike's laughter echoed through the trees behind him. If he was playing by the rules, Daniel had until the count of twenty before Mike started following. Whether he was running away from Mike or from the lie he'd just told the boys about coming back, he didn't know, and he didn't think it mattered either way. The result was the same.

The boys would take Johnny and get off the mountain. And Mike would be Daniel's problem to deal with alone.

---

Miguel and Robby stood, side-by-side, and watched Mr. LaRusso go into the woods with the stranger he'd called Mike. Silence descended around them, but the tension of the past few minutes remained.

"What's going on?" Miguel asked softly. "What the hell just happened?"

Robby shook his head. "I don't know. But whatever it is, it's bad. This is so fucking bad." His breath hitched in his throat when he realized the implication of what Mr. LaRusso had put in his hand. "He's not coming back."

"What?" Miguel turned toward him, eyes wide. "How do you know that?"

Robby pulled his right hand out of the sling, opened his fingers and held it out to show Miguel what he'd been given. Miguel turned his head back and forth quickly, between the woods, Johnny, and the keys in Robby's hand.

"Who the hell was that guy?"

"I have no idea," Robby answered, shaking his head slowly.

"What do we … how do we … what are we supposed to do?"

Robby hadn't moved, and he didn't know if he even could. He was numb, from head to toe. "We're supposed to take my dad and leave," he said. Without his car, Mr. LaRusso wouldn't be able to get off the mountain. He'd given Robby his only means of escape. "Without him."

Miguel was the first to move, as if Robby's words had reminded him they weren't the only two people there. "Sensei!" He fell to his knees at Johnny's side again, pushing the hair away from the bloody gash above his eye. "Sensei, wake up!"

Robby watched for a few seconds, torn between the man on the ground and the one who'd walked into the woods.

There was no doubt that the man named Mike was a threat. But what kind of threat was he? And what, exactly, had happened? How did his dad end up on the ground, unconscious and bleeding? Was Mr. LaRusso already hurt, too? Why hadn't he taken the guy on and fought him off? Robby knew for a fact that he could. Why had he chosen to go further up the mountain with him, alone?

There was only one answer.

"He's drawing him away," he said softly. "He's giving us time to run."

"Seriously?" Miguel's voice broke into his thoughts. "You heard what he said. He just took off with a buddy of his. Left Sensei here, hurt, and took off. They're probably leaving together."

Robby turned his head and looked down at him. "Are you that fucking stupid? Who the hell do you think did that to my dad?"

Miguel looked up at him. "Yeah, your dad," he said. His voice was sharp again, angry, but Robby didn't feel like reacting to it. "Ya know, the guy laying here on the ground bleeding while you're staring at the trees? He's your dad?"

"Yeah," Robby answered. "I know that."

"That's funny," Miguel shot back. "Because I didn't."

"Wait, what?" Robby closed his eyes and shook his head. "You didn't know?"

"No, I didn't know! How the hell was I supposed to know? No one told me!" Miguel busied himself checking on Johnny, though it was obvious he didn't actually know what he was doing. His hands hovered above Johnny's chest and shoulders, like he wanted to touch him but was afraid to. "Apparently, I don't deserve to know. It's not like it's important or anything ..."

Robby rolled his eyes and turned back to the woods. "Jesus, whatever, man. Get over yourself. We've got more important shit to worry about."

"Yeah," Miguel spat. "Like your dad isn't waking up, and you're just standing there!"

Mr. LaRusso's orders had been clear. He'd left no doubt what he expected them to do.

'I'll be okay. I'll be back.'

But he didn't come back.

Darkness. Pain. Blood.

On the ground. On his hands. On his face. On his clothes.

Where was it coming from?

'Mr. LaRusso?'

'Robby …'

Where was he? He could hear him. Why couldn't he see him? Why couldn't he move?

'Mr. LaRusso!'

'Go ...'

He was lying on the ground in the darkness. He tried to stand up, but he couldn't.

His leg was bent wrong. His hands were pressed against his stomach.

And there was blood. So much blood. Everywhere.

'I'm coming!'

He had to get to him. He had to help him.

'Mr. LaRusso!'

'Robby …'

Pain. Darkness. Brown eyes closing. Dying. He was dying.

He couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't reach him.

He couldn't save him.

'Robby … go …'

"No!" he shouted. Eyes he didn't remember closing shot open as he pushed the nightmare away.

Miguel jerked his head up in shocked surprise. "What?"

Mr. LaRusso's orders be damned. Robby wasn't going anywhere.

His decision made, Robby turned quickly and took the three steps to his father's side. He knelt down next to Miguel and held the keys out to him. "Take these," he said.

Miguel took them, but it was clear he didn't know why he was being told to. "Wake him up. Get him out of here, you hear me? Take care of my dad for me. Get him to the hospital."

He took one last look at Johnny. He knew what he had to do, but there was a part of him that was still conflicted.

That was his father in front of him, injured, maybe badly, and he needed to stay with him. He'd been ordered to stay with him. But how could he do that knowing Mr. LaRusso was out there alone? What was happening to him? What had he given himself over to? What was he sacrificing himself to protect them from?

The nightmare wouldn't leave him alone. The thought was ridiculous, and he was stupid for even thinking it, but he couldn't get it out of his mind. He knew – he knew – that if someone wasn't there to stop it, Mr. LaRusso was going to die.

Robby couldn't let that happen. He wouldn't let that happen. He would trust Miguel to take care of his sensei, and he would go save his.

"I'll be back," he whispered, brushing the blond hair away from his father's face gently. "We'll be back."

He pushed himself to his feet, slipped the sling off over his head, and dropped it to the ground. Without another word, he turned toward the fallen tree.

"No!" Miguel was suddenly in front of him, his hands on his chest, shoving him back. "You said we're supposed to stay here!"

"I don't care," he said, trying to push by him.

Miguel shoved him again. "You can't leave him!"

"I can't leave Mr. LaRusso, either!" Miguel reached out to grab him, but Robby brought his hands up in a block, side-stepped, and spun past him. "You don't understand."

"No, I do understand!" Miguel yelled at his back. "I understand you're walking out on your father when he needs you. And you're doing it because of LaRusso? Really?"

Robby turned on his heel, raised his hand, and pointed right at Miguel's face. "You need to shut the fuck up. You don't know shit about me, my dad, or Mr. LaRusso."

"I'm not letting you leave," Miguel said simply.

"Whatever, man." He started to turn away once more.

Miguel grabbed his upper arm. "Robby, stop!"

"Robby? Miguel?" The voice came from behind them, and they both turned toward it.

"Sensei!"

"Dad!"

Cloudy blue eyes blinked at them as they knelt beside him again. Johnny tried to push himself up from the ground. "Ow, my head."

"Take it easy," Robby said.

"You're bleeding," Miguel added. "Be careful."

They got him upright and leaned against the tree, and he pressed the heel of his hand against his left eye. "What the hell hit me?"

"I think it was a tree branch," Miguel answered, glancing at the one the Mike guy had thrown at them.

"You'll be okay," Robby said. "Take a minute to get your legs back. Then Miguel is gonna …"

"We are gonna," Miguel interrupted, glaring across at him, "take you to the hospital."

Robby shook his head as Johnny muttered, "That sounds like a good idea."

Silence fell again.

Robby needed to go. He really needed to go. Every minute that passed was another minute Mr. LaRusso was alone and in danger. But he couldn't leave his dad until he knew that he hadn't suffered any serious damage, and that Miguel would be able to get him down the trail and back to the car.

While those thoughts were swirling through Robby's head, Johnny was looking around the woods in confusion. His eyebrows lowered, and he tilted his head.

"What is it?"

"Sensei? Are you okay?"

"Wait … wait!" The confusion in Johnny's eyes turned to alarm. The fact that he'd been unconscious less than two minutes earlier didn't seem to matter as he jumped to his feet and turned in a circle. Then all the blood drained from his face, and he started to pitch forward. The boys jumped to their feet, grabbed his arms, and caught him before he fell.

"Easy, Dad."

Johnny was shaking, wobbling, and pale as a ghost, but judging by the look on his face, whatever had startled him hadn't faded. He turned his head back and forth between the boys.

"Where is he?" he demanded. "Where the hell is LaRusso?"