The woman said, “Who’s Bailey Mae?”

“The little girl your friends held in a cell up in that bunker. She’s coming with me, and I don’t care how many agents with guns try to stop me.” I gave her the stink eye, although I think it had little impact.

Agent Kravitz looked at my ear and said, “So, Mr. Mitchum, you were trespassing when someone tried to stop you. Dress it up any way you want, but you got what you deserved.”

“Dress it up any way you want, but this is bullshit. Those men in there had no due process. Your people ran amok.”

“I never said they were ‘my people.’ I just said we were taking them. And that is exactly what is going to happen.”

My blood was rising, and I felt the flash of heat in my face. “The other men have to stay. They need medical attention. There’s no way we’re gonna let you take those men with you.” I had to look over at Timmy to make sure we were in agreement. I was going to need help if I took on the federal government in the form of Cheryl Kravitz.

Agent Kravitz considered my comments, then glanced back in the cabin at the men huddled in the living room. I could see her working through the scenarios in her head. All these witnesses could cause a lot of trouble. She couldn’t take us. Could she?

Finally the federal agent said, “Be my guest, but the three men and the woman are coming with me right now.”

“You don’t care that one of the men is a murderer?”

“On the contrary, Mr. Mitchum, I do care and we will deal with that issue. But due to national security, that’s not going to happen here in front of a bunch of locals like you.”

Two of the men from the SUVs stepped past us into the cabin to gather up the people they intended to take. As long as Bailey Mae was safe and they didn’t try to recapture any of these dispirited men, I didn’t intend to engage in a shoot-out.

I stepped inside and herded Bailey Mae, Natty, and Hassan toward the group of men we had liberated. I stood between them and the Homeland Security agents as Agent Kravitz stepped inside and motioned for the former jailers to follow her.

No one said a word. At this point I didn’t want Timmy and his people to risk getting hurt, either. Agent Kravitz paused by the door and took one last look around the cabin.

I glared at her.

The federal agent chose not to even acknowledge me and turned back to Timmy. “I’ll need your people to get their vehicles out of the way so we can leave.”