THE SOS CREW stumbled blindly through deep woods, with the guards showing no mercy. Therri tried to get a better look at their tormentors, but a guard jammed a gun into her back with such force that it broke the skin. Tears of pain ran down her cheeks. She bit her lip, stifling the urge to cry out.

The forest was dark, except for lights glowing here and there through the trees. Then the trees thinned, and they were standing in front of a building whose large door was illuminated by an outside floodlight. They were shoved inside the building, the guards cut the wire binding their wrists, and the sliding door was slammed shut and locked behind them.

The air inside smelled of gasoline and there were oil stains on the floor, evidence that the structure had been built as an oversized garage. No vehicles were parked inside, but the garage was far from empty. More than three dozen people-men, women and a few chil- dren-huddled like frightened puppies against the far wall. Their misery was etched into their tired faces, and there was no mistaking the terror in their eyes at the sudden appearance of strangers.

The two groups stared warily at each other. After a moment, a man who had been sitting cross-legged on the floor got to his feet and came over. His face was as wrinkled as old leather and his long gray hair was tied in a ponytail. He had dark circles under his eyes and his clothes were filthy, yet he projected an aura of unmistakable dignity. When he spoke, Therri realized why the man looked so familiar.

“I'm Jesse Nighthawk,” he said, extending his hand in greeting.

“NighthawJ” she said. “You must be Ben's father.”

His mouth dropped open. “You know my son?”

“Yes, I work with him in the SOS office in Washington.”

The old man glanced past Them's shoulder as if he were looking for someone. “Ben was here. I saw him run out of the woods. He was with another man, who was killed.”

“Yes, I know. Ben is fine. I just saw him in Washington. He told us that you and the villagers were in trouble.”

Ryan stepped forward and said, “We came to get you and the oth- ers out.”

Jesse Nighthawk gazed at Ryan as if he were Dudley Do-Right, the cartoon Mountie who always arrived to save the day. Shaking his head, he said, “You seem to mean well, but I'm sorry you came. You have put yourself in great danger by coming here.”

“We were captured as soon as we landed,” Therri said. “It was as if they knew we were coming.”

“They have watchers everywhere,” Nighthawk said. “The evil one told me this.”

“The 'evil one'?”