Chapter 14

I glanced to my left, as I followed the group through the woods, to find Jag next to me. He had a determined look on his face as his eyes scanned our surroundings for a threat. The fact that we hadn't been shot or chased was clearly bothering him.

I had just assumed that the Bark-breaths had chased another group as they escaped.

We ran for a minute or two when Phenix slowed to a jog, and then came to a full stop.

"Take five." He told the group. "This should do for now."

I nodded, gratefully, as I clutched my side and tried to catch my breath.

I flopped down on a dirt embankment that had tree roots coming out of it. HAH-233 sat next to me as I lay on my back, still panting silently.

"Dam," She said, breathlessly. "I think I need a new set of lungs."

I nodded in agreement as Jag squatted down by my feet.

"You holding up ok?" He asked me.

I nodded in response, almost caught up on air.

"Good." He replied. "Cuz I think we should keep moving. We don't know…"

He was cut of by red mist erupting from the right side of his chest.

A cry of pain escaped his mouth as he flopped forward into the dirt, a red stain growing on the back of his shirt as he lay face down.

My eyes bugged out of my head as the group around me started to panic and scramble every which way.

I rolled onto my stomach and crawled over to Jag, trying to keep the dirt hill between me and where ever the attack had come from.

When I reached him, I saw the stain on the back of his shirt was an entry wound of a bullet and I instantly had a flashback to the bed of our old truck. Fear flooded me as I rolled him onto his back to find he was barely conscious and the front of his shirt had a large red stain from the exit wound.

He looked at me with confusion written all over his face.

"Wha?" He asked, sounding out of it. "What happened."

Not knowing how to respond I glanced around, hoping someone could help us. Instead I found something that would haunt me for years.

Deep in the trees to my right was a man. He had brown hair, fair skin, and yellow eyes. Two scars ran from the bridge of his nose to his right cheek. As I stared at him, he gave me a menacing smile and held up a handgun, wiggling it for emphasis.

He then leveled the barrel of the weapon at me and winked.

There as a loud bag. A lot of them actually. But they didn't come from his weapon.

I turned towards where they came from to find Phenix firing his assault rifle in the direction of the Bark-Breath who shot Jag. I then looked back towards the Bark-breath to find him disappearing into the trees, not a scratch on him.

Rage flooded through me. He couldn't get a way. Not with hurting Jag.

"I'm sorry."

It was almost a whisper. I even thought I imagined it but when I turned to the source, I found Jag staring at me, a distant look in his eyes.

I shook my head at him, hoping he understood that there was nothing to be sorry for.

"Looks like they finally got me." He said with a grim smile.

"No," I whispered, my throat screaming at me. "Stay."

Jag looked taken aback at my words before pain and sorrowful happiness took over his face.

"Wish I could, Kid." He told me, taking my hand in his. "But you have to go."

He then angled his head to Phenix.

"Het her out of here." Jag told him. "Keep her safe."

Phenix nodded to him, taking a knee next to Jag and scanning the surroundings.

"I will." He promised Jag, placing a hand on my shoulder. "That Bark-breath might have called for backup. We need to leave before they get here."

I shook my head and gripped Jag's hand tighter.

"Go." Jag told me.

"No." I managed to choke out, both from the pain in my throat and the knot I felt in my chest.

"We both know," Jag began before gasping for air as blood trickled from his mouth. "That I ain't gona make it. So, go. For me."

His gasps became more labored and more blood started pouring from his mouth.

"Come on." Phenix told me gently, rapping a firm arm around my waist and picking me up.

"NO!" I screamed as he lifted me up and pulled me away from Jag.

"I'm sorry." Phenix told me, carrying me away on his shoulder as I reached out towards Jag.

The last time I saw him, he was lying on the dirt hill, raising a bloody hand towards me. It shook feebly as he gave me a weak smile and a reassuring nod, tears forming in his blue eyes.

"JAG!"