Freefall by Traci Hunter Abramson Page A

were.
    They stayed in the shadows for several minutes after the convoy passed. Finally, Brent turned to Amy and motioned for her to mount up as he did the same. He started forward, estimating they should be within an hour’s ride from the port city.
    After a few minutes they came over a rise and saw the first evidence that they were on the right path. The lights in the distance brought both relief and a sense of trepidation. Finally, the end of their long journey was in sight, but at that end was danger beyond any they had faced so far. Those tanks in the distance had been headed straight for the city.
    Brent didn’t know how they could secure transportation if the city was under attack, or whether there would even be any transportation available. For all he knew, the residents of the city could have vacated the same way the villagers several miles back had when the battles came too close.
    Suddenly the trees were behind them, and the river opened up into the ocean. Realizing that the horses were about to become more of a hindrance than a help, Brent stopped and dismounted. He looked back to see Amy also dismounting.
    They were both exhausted, but neither of them even considered stopping. Just a little farther and they might be able to get word out.
    â€œDid you want to water the horses again?” Amy asked as she rolled her shoulders.
    â€œWe’ll be too noticeable on horseback from here on,” Brent explained. “It’s only about three or four more miles.”
    Reluctantly, Amy nodded in agreement. She helped Brent remove the makeshift bridles so the horses would look like strays and then watched him bury the rope in the sand.
    Brent dusted off his hands and turned to Amy. Surprising them both, he reached out and took Amy’s hand in his, leading her down the stretch of beach. Everything was eerily quiet, but then Brent didn’t imagine that many towns generated much sound at two in the morning.
    They easily crossed the first mile and most of the second. Then they came upon a grouping of huts overlooking the beach. Using hand signals, Brent told Amy to stop. He listened for a moment before motioning her forward again. Together, they crept along the water’s edge for over a half mile until they passed the cluster of huts.
    They were barely clear of them when something rumbled in the distance. Grabbing her arm, Brent pulled Amy down to the sand. He ignored the pain shooting through his arm.
    With Amy lying right beside him, Brent held a finger to his lips as the rumbling continued in the distance. Amy nodded in response, lying silently on the sand except for the pounding of her heart and her slow, deep breaths. Minutes passed by and still the rumbling continued. A moment later, the ground shook, followed by a flame shooting up into the sky.
    Brent shifted to gauge the distance of the artillery. He knew instantly that it was now or never. “Stay close to me.”
    Amy nodded, rolling onto her knees and then standing when she saw Brent stand up. He started out at a slow jog and then increased his speed when he realized that Amy was keeping up. They reached a pier five minutes later, and Brent led the way beneath it. He motioned for her to stay quiet, but he needn’t have bothered.
    He scanned the water for a boat that would serve their needs. Not finding any viable options, he continued down the last of the beach to where a rocky pass shielded them from whatever lay beyond. Slowly, they climbed the slippery rocks, reaching another stretch of beach just as another explosion rocked the ground.
    Amy looked up at Brent to see him grinning.
    She turned to see what he was looking at but was unable to make anything out in the darkness. She followed him another mile before she was able to identify the shadows in the distance as a small dock just outside of a beachside hotel. At the dock were several small motorboats.
    They crept along the beach slowly, for once grateful for the lack of