Read Conquest ~ Indian Hill 3 ~ A Michael Talbot Adventure for Free Online Page A

screamed whisper came again.
    “What?” She felt paralyzed, the desire to flee was there, but the body was not willing. She wanted to scream but what was the point, she was caught as effectively as a fish in a net.
    “Come here.” The voice said semi frantically.
    As she scanned the woods she was able to see a small arm motioning her onwards. Like a moth to a flame she was powerless, she hesitantly moved toward her doom.
    “Faster lady or he’s going to see you.” The voice said near hysterics.
    Beth understood that fear, even if she had no clue as to what was going on. She half hobbled, half shuffled toward the diminutive figure. He wasn’t the man from the outpost, this was a boy probably not much older than ten or eleven from the size of him.
    “Come on ,” he said urgently.
    She had no sooner reached the boy when he pulled her arm down and with her earlier fight spilled out of her, and relief flooding through her, her whole body dropped into a heap.
    “Who — ” she tried to ask. T he boy was having none of it. He clamped his hand over her mouth with a strength that belied his size. And this is it she thought, he tricked me and now it’s done. Fear and surrender overwhelmed her . S he hated herself for being so weak.
    The boy held up one finger to his mouth and with the hand that was previously cupped over her mouth he pointed to the roadway. Less than fifty yards away a fatigue covered behemoth of a man seemingly appeared from nowhere out of the woods on the opposite side of the highway almost directly across from their position. He was heavily armed.
    God, he has to be strong just to be ca rrying all the weaponry he had , s he thought.
    “Where are you , bitch! ” he yelled. “ I know you’re close, I can smell your fear!”
    And she didn’t think he was lying . H er pupils dilated , her chest heaved, sweat poured out of her . The boy crouched even lower into the forest floor. She followed suit. The man crossed the westbound lanes and stood m otionless in the divider for what seemed an eternity.
    “You can’t hide forever , bitch! I know you have no food and I know you have no weapons . I found the gun you killed my brother with! I’ll never stop hunting you! If you come out now I promise to make your death sort of fast!” At twenty- five yards , Beth could see the rage that possessed him. He quaked with the force of it. She was almost tempted to take him up on his offer, better to get it over with now than to keep up this cat and mouse chara de. He began to cross the south bound lanes almost on a direct route to their hiding spot. Fifty feet … fo rty- five … forty. Beth thought her heart might just crash through her ribs at any moment. And then he stopped, his gaze swiveled f a rther up the road. He grunted as he set out on a slow trot, a pace that Beth felt she couldn’t match right now if she was at full tilt
    “Johnnie , head toward F ort O ne , ” h er small savior said into thin air.
    “Huh?” Beth muster ed , her senses still in hyper- drive , the cascading adrenaline rush was beginning to subside and her limbs felt like stone. Heavy motionless stone, exhaustion washed over her. It was then that Beth heard the tinny response.
    “Roger , that Max , ” t he voice r esponded a little out of breath but not panicky.
    “What’s going on here?” Her curiosity began to peak now that the initial threat had been averted.
    “Well , first things first , lady . L et’s get back to Fort One. And then I’ll tell you what’s going on.” Max was doing his best John Wayne impression. Beth wanted to laugh, but she didn’t want to hurt his feelings . H e had saved her life —who was she to question him?
    “Alright, Max? That’s your name?” The boy nodded. “ D idn’t you tell your friend to meet us there?”
    “That’s right ,” he answered , doing his best to not be annoyed by th e grown-up ’ s lack of understanding.
    “So won’t that man follow him there ?” she asked ,