“The old man will be running things,” Mickey said from beside him. “He’d have it all planned right down to the last detail, so the boy will be doing what he’s told is my guess. That bastard will have manipulated and messed with his son’s head since birth. We need to get to some cell coverage so I can see if that picture has been emailed through.” Mickey held up his cellphone. “Dale said he’d do it ASAP.”

The Trainers were disappearing every few feet, off the main trail and back again while they searched each section for signs that people had come this way.

“Help!”

“Ava!” Dylan heard his sister’s cry and started running in her direction. “Where are you?”

Crashing through the bush, he knew the others were on his heels.

“Ava!” He heard her coming from the left; seconds later she burst through the trees sobbing his name. He caught her as she threw herself at him.

“It’s all right, I have you now.” His grip was punishing, but he couldn’t make himself release her.

“Where’s Piper?” Joe Trainer appeared.

“H-he has her.”

“Who, Ava?” Dylan eased her off his chest.

“Zander. He’s the one who’s been d-doing all this stuff to us he told me.”

“Zander!” Like everyone, Joe looked shocked.

“He said he’s doing it for his father.”

“Where, Ava? Where has he taken her?”

“I don’t know. Piper knocked into Zander, and screamed at me to run, so I did, but she didn’t follow because he caught her. He has Buzz too.”

“Christ!” Luke Trainer echoed everyone’s thoughts.

“He’s using her as bait to catch you, Dylan.” Ava looked up at him. “He—he said he was going to k-kill us, and make you watch.”

“He’s not killing my cousin!” Joe roared. “Do what you do best, Dylan, and find her now!”

“Where is he going, Ava? I need you to think hard about what he said.”

“Upward.” She looked to the top of the mountain they were currently standing on. “He’s going up until dark to hide, then he’ll come down and implement his plan.”

“Okay, most of us know every inch of these mountains, but still, it’s never easy to track people if they don’t want to be tracked,” Fin said. “Can you lead us back to where you were, Ava? If we can start from there, it would help.”

She grabbed Dylan’s hand and held it tight.

“I know it’s Zander, Ava, and I know this must hurt.”

“It does, but I’m angry too, and scared.”

“Hold on to the anger, little sister.” While I hold on to the fear.

They found the place Zander had grabbed them, and Jack found the bullet hole in the tree.

“He was firing at me,” Ava said. “And he told Piper to stop or he’d shoot her.”