Free Taken by Charlotte Abel Page B

name?”
    “I belong to the Smith clan. My name’s Jet.”
    “What’s your power-name?”
    “Jet is my power-name. It’s why I’m so fast. And that’s why I’m here. I’m practicing for a race.”
    The man’s eyebrows shot up. “A race. What sort of race?”  
    His enthusiasm reminded Josh of Channie’s father’s and gave him an idea. “Have you ever raced against a man on a bike? How fast are those horses?”  
    Jimmy said, “Oh no you don’t. Either we kill him, or we take him back to Kentucky.”
    Ryder said, “Go get my horse.”
    “What are you gonna do iffen he gits away. We already ruffed him up. I don’t want to start no feud with the Smith Clan.”
    “There ain’t no Smith clan. And even if there were, he ain’t gonna git away. Ain’t no way some kid on a bicycle is gonna outrun me on a horse. This won’t be much of a challenge, but we been stuck out here for months without so much as a whiff of any of them damned Kerns. I’m bored.”
    Josh could barely conceal his relief. But it was short lived. All they had to do was backtrack and it would lead them straight to Channie. His trail was so obvious, even the misdirection spells wouldn’t stop them. Wisdom had warned him about this very thing. Why hadn’t he listened?
    Jimmy said, “I ain’t in the mood to go chasing no damn monkey-on-a-bike all over the damn mountain.”
    “So don’t go.”
    “Let’s just kill him now and be done with it. I wanna take a nap.”
    “Fine. Take a nap. But I’m gonna have me a little fun. I ain’t never chased nobody on a bicycle.”
    Josh turned to Ryder and said, “If you’re bored, why not make it more interesting and give me a ten minute lead.”
    He grinned but Jimmy said, “Five minutes. That’s all you get.”
    Josh swallowed and nodded. He seemed to be doing a lot of that.
    Jimmy’s foul breath burned Josh’s nose as he leaned over to untie him. “No funny business. Or I’ll skin you alive then hang your hide out to dry.”  
    “Got it. No funny business.”
    Josh rubbed his sore wrists and stretched his cramped legs then mounted his bike.
    Ryder put a hand on Josh’s shoulder and said, “Hold on a sec.” He waited until Jimmy ducked inside the tent then packed another wad of tobacco into the side of his mouth. “Let’s make this interesting. I’ll give you ten minutes plus however long it takes me to saddle up. If you make it to the river before I do, I’ll let you go.”
    “Where’s the river?” Josh didn’t trust the tracker to keep his word, but he couldn’t stifle the hope swelling inside his chest.
    “It’s at the bottom of the mountain, dumb-ass. Just go back the way you come.”
    Josh would have more of a chance to outrun the tracker if he used the mountain bike course he’d already scoped, but that would lead him closer to Channie. It wasn’t worth the risk.  
    “I’ve already ridden that course. You aren’t the only one that gets bored.” He pointed at the opposite end of the meadow where the trail picked up again. “Let’s go that way.”
    Ryder grinned. “I like your gumption, boy. It’s a doggone shame I’m gonna have to kill you.”
    “I thought you promised Jimmy he could do it.”
    “Jimmy’s got a mean streak in him. I’ll do it myself and make it quick. You won’t feel a thing. Consider it a reward for your bravery.”
    Josh settled his helmet on his head and clicked his shoes into the quick-release pedals then tried to mask his terror with sarcasm. “Gee, thanks a lot.”  
    Ryder turned his head away from Josh to spit then grinned at him and said, “You’re welcome.”  
    ~***~
    A chain with a metal sign that read, “Closed, due to erosion,” blocked the trail. Josh ducked under it and took off for the race of his life.
    He’d hoped for a steeper angle of descent, but the trail cut across the face of the mountain in a giant zig-zag pattern of switchbacks. The weather had been completely dry since the blizzard almost a month