Free Until the Beginning by Amy Plum

California and maybe cougars. But lions . . . I doubt it.”
    Juneau purses her lips and looks back at the water. “No, I definitely see a couple of lions. And a zebra.”
    “A zebra? Are you sure the water’s showing you New Mexico?” I ask, trying not to sound skeptical.
    “Positive,” she replies, and turns back to me. “It’s all part of a huge fenced-in area that encloses the desertlike land where my clan is, stretching all of the way up into faraway hills with sparse trees, where the animals are.”
    “Okay,” I concede. “So what’s the plan?”
    Juneau weaves her fingers through mine and I try to ignore the current running between us and concentrate on what she’s sayingas she leads me away from the water, back toward the camp. “There are armed guards driving around in jeeps,” she explains, as we edge by a bush of prickly leaves that sting me through my jeans. “So we can’t just scale the fence and wander through. But we could follow the fence around the perimeter until we find my clan. Their huts are definitely visible from the fence—I’ve seen it behind them in all of my Readings. We need to get there first, though, and see it for ourselves before we plan our strategy.”
    I stop and rub my stinging leg. “You’re saying ‘we’ as if I’m going to be a part of the strategizing,” I point out. “After all of the stupid things I’ve done, you’re going to trust me to help you come up with a plan?” Okay, I know I’m digging for compliments, but maybe after all we’ve been through I need a bit of encouragement.
    Juneau lifts an eyebrow. “You’ve learned to make a fire, pitch a tent, and cook since I met you. And you didn’t do too badly at target practice yesterday. At this point I’m considering you an asset.”
    “Why, thank you,” I reply, satisfied now that I’ve gotten the back pat I needed.
    “Plus, I’ll bet you’re good for more than that,” she adds. “I saw metal boxes at several places along the top of the fences. With lights on them. Do you know what they do?”
    “That probably means the fences are electrified,” I say.
    “As in, if you touch it, it shocks you?” she asks.
    “Exactly.”
    Juneau brushes a branch out of her way and turns to me. “See. You’re a definite asset. Yes, we’re going to be creeping around inthe wilderness, which is my domain. But we’re doing it in a modern world that I still haven’t gotten close to understanding. Your domain. Like my Seattle oracle so prophetically put it, I need you just as much as you need me.” And she gives me a smile that fills up all the empty places inside me.
    We emerge from the trees into our clearing, and Juneau kneels down next to the atlas. “Here’s where the point on Whit’s map was,” she says, tracing a barren-looking area with her finger, and then moving it to the left where some green appears on the map. “It’s not far from where this tree line starts. That’s got to be it. At least, that general area. My clan can’t be too far away. Maybe a three-hour drive.”
    Juneau crosses her arms, staring at the map. “Are you okay?” I ask.
    She nods. “I’m fine. But from what I saw, my clan is being guarded by men who are well armed and well organized. We can’t take them head-on. We’ll have to come up with a plan to whisk my people out from under their noses. We can strategize while we drive.” She sits down and begins pulling food out of the grocery bags.
    “Breakfast, then we go?” I ask.
    Juneau closes her eyes. Her worry is almost palpable. I want to take it from her—to see her in one of the rare moments where she forgets her “mission” and seems almost carefree.
    She exhales, and then raises her face toward mine. “How about kiss me first, and then breakfast, and then we go.”
    “Gladly,” I respond. I take her face in my hands and kiss her softly. “How did you know what I was thinking?” I murmur.
    “You’re easy to read,” she replies, and then asks,