"Nate, tell me what's happening."

"Please, come. Fast."

"Are you hurt?"

"He took her. Hurry." It was getting better. He could almost see again.

If only the room would stop spinning.

Brady said, "Tell me what's going on."

The front door was open. Nate stopped at the screen and looked outside. How much time had passed? He'd thought, if he hurried, he could get a glimpse of a car. But there was no car.

He almost pushed out the front door but stopped. There they were.

Two forms frozen in the middle of the road. The man was hurting Marisa, and a wave of rage overwhelmed Nate.

The rage brought with a fresh course of throbbing.

He could hardly move. He took a deep breath.

"Nate?"

"They're..." He watched as the man pushed Marisa, and she walked farther down the gravel road. "They're walking."

"Can you follow?"

"I can try."

"Okay. I'm on my way. Keep the connection open. I'll mute my end."

Nate kept his eyes on Rick and Marisa. He took a deep breath. His strength was returning. He touched the screen door's latch and worked it silently.

He pushed the door, slowly, slowly. The slightest creak. He froze. Watched to see if Rick turned.

The kidnapper didn't react.

They were a few cabins down the street now, and Nate strained to keep them in sight as they passed behind the trees and shrubs that lined the road.

Nate pushed the door all the way open and stepped outside. He lifted the phone to his lips and whispered. "I'm following."

"Don't do anything until I get there."

Nate kept the connection open and crept down the stairs.

He stumbled to the street and followed, keeping to the edge blocked from the moon's rays, hoping between the trees and the bushes and the darkness, he would be hidden in the shadows.

His head felt like it might explode. Black circled his vision, tried to close in. He stopped, leaned against a birch tree that edged the road, and waited until the feeling passed. When he could see again, he pushed his feet forward.

Marisa and her captor were out of sight. Nate moved faster, desperate, around a bend until he saw them again.

Nate watched as the man pushed Marisa toward a cabin. Past a car. Through a door.

The black came again, pinching his vision. He lifted his phone. Started across the street to get closer. Maybe he could hear. Maybe he could rescue.

"Brady." He whispered the word, hoped his friend could hear.

"Where are they?"

"Beyond..." The black was winning. "A cabin." The world spun. He squeezed out the last two words. "The car."

He hit the ground with a thud.

Chapter 34

MARISA IGNORED THE gravel digging into her feet, ignored the cold wind blowing through her thin pajamas, ignored the image she'd seen of Nate on his bed, blood trickling from his head. She couldn't think of those things.

Ana.