Andreason held up the walkie-talkie. “Eric, by the time you reach the spot where you left your horses, you’ll still be in radio range. If Rod and Chet can get them out, you’ll know it. If they don’t…” He shook his head. “Cliff and I will stand a better chance of getting away if we don’t have you two.”

He was right, and Eric knew it. “Okay. Good luck.” Eric turned and reached for Nicole’s elbow. She was still lying on the ground, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she tried to get her breath from the hard run. “Come on, Nicole. One shout and I’ll gag you, out of breath or not.”

“No, Eric. Please. I can’t. I can’t go any further.”

“You can and you will,” he said firmly, pulling her up and putting his arm around her to support her. “It’s only a hundred feet, then the horses will do the work. Come on!”

Eric had just released their lathered mounts and was untying their own horses when the radio at his belt burst out again. “Eric, this is Rod.”

He swung up the walkie-talkie. “This is Eric. Have you got them?”

“That’s affirmative, Eric,” came the jubilant cry in his ear. “We’re away and clear. We’re headed up now and hope to get another half an hour or more head start before they even know we’ve gone.”

Eric’s head dropped momentarily, and the breath went out of him in a great whoosh of relief. “Thank you.”

“You are most welcome! See you at Home Base. Over and out.”

His arm slowly lowered until the radio hung limply by his side. When he finally looked up, he saw Nicole watching him. “They got my family out,” he said.

She nodded. “Believe it or not, Eric, I’m glad.” Then she turned and walked quickly to her horse and untied the reins. As she put her foot in the stirrups and started to swing up, the horse shied a little, and she lost her balance, nearly falling. She moved to try again, and Eric strode over and took her elbow. “Here, let me help you.”

She spun around as if he had laid a hot iron on her arm. “Don’t you touch me!”

Eric jerked his hand away in stunned surprise. Tears had spilled over and left wet streaks down her cheeks, but her eyes were twin sparks of emerald fire behind the glossy shininess.

“I was just going to help you up,” he apologized.

“Don’t you understand?” she shouted at him through the tears. “I hate you. I hate what you’re doing. To me, to my city, to everyone you touch. Now leave me alone!”

She gave the reins a vicious yank, tried to mount again, this time successfully, and sank her heels into the mare’s flanks.