Free Out of the Night by Robin T. Popp Page B

happen. When the body came falling toward them, they almost didn't move aside in time.
    Davis's body hit the ground with a resounding thud and lay there, broken—and dead. Everything suddenly started moving in real time once more.
    "Are you all right?" Mac asked, standing beside her.
    "I… I think so." She searched the branches for a sign of Burton, but saw nothing but the black of night. "Where did he go?"
    She looked around for her father, but found that he, too, had disappeared. A feeling of despair settled over her until she remembered the softly whispered words.
I love you
. She fought to swallow the lump in her throat as she hurried to Davis.
    Placing the flat of her fingertips to the side of his throat, she felt for a pulse and found none—not that she'd expected to. She closed the lids of the young man's eyes and rested her hand briefly against his cheek. She hadn't known him well, but no one deserved to die like that.
     
    Killing Davis had proved to be an effective distraction, Mac thought ruefully. It had given Burton and the professor their chance to escape—and not just the two men; the creature was gone as well. Mac had recognized it immediately as the one that had attacked him; though why it was docile tonight, standing beside the professor, was a mystery.
    It seemed strange that Burton would risk coming back for it, which meant he wanted it for some reason. That thought bothered Mac, a lot.
    The sound of shouting voices and running feet brought him out of his reverie.
    "Go inside." Mac grabbed Lanie by the arm and pushed her toward the building, his eyes searching the darkness above them. "Tell Dirk what happened. Have them take Davis's body and put it with the others."
    "What about you? You can't stay out here by yourself. Burton could be anywhere, waiting to attack when your back is turned."
    Mac shook his head. "No, he's gone."
    "How can you be so sure?"
    "I heard them moving through the forest."
    A strange look flitted across her face, but all she asked was, "What are you planning to do?"
    "Go after them."
     
    Mac moved through the jungle, vaguely aware that he was making exceptionally good time. He'd never run this quickly before, not even when his leg had been healthy. He hurtled through the dense undergrowth as if he were running across short grass, grateful that the moon always seemed to be lighting his path, no matter where he went, letting him see everything clearly.
    Every thought focused on finding Burton. He'd been certain that he'd hit Burton when he'd fired his gun. In his mind, he saw the replay of Burton's shoulder jerking back with the impact. Yet there was no trail of blood anywhere. Even seeing as well as he could, Mac hadn't found a single trace, but he wasn't worried yet. He knew they'd been this way. While Burton might have been trained to leave no trail, Dr. Weber had not.
    What further amazed Mac were the three-clawed animal prints that he found in the dirt following alongside Dr. Weber's path of crushed plant life. The creature that had virtually made mincemeat out of him seemed to be almost domestic in the presence of Dr. Weber and Burton. Why was that?
     
    Hours later, Mac returned to the research facility empty-handed. He found Lanie waiting for him inside and when she saw him, she hurried forward, searching him with her eyes for signs of possible injury.
    "Are you okay?" Her hands strayed to touch his chest and his arms. He wasn't sure she was aware of what she was doing, and her concern warmed him for no reason he could understand.
    "I'm fine."
    He noticed that she was alone in the foyer. "Where's Dirk? And why isn't someone sitting up here with you?"
    "They're all out searching for Burton. Did you find him? Or my father?"
    "No, I lost them in the jungle."
    "Well, it was dark," she offered comfortingly. "Do you think they'll come back?"
    "I doubt it. Burton knows we're waiting for him. Besides, I think they got what they were after."
    She nodded gravely. "The adult