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The way the valleys were situated in that area basically meant that they were trapped.  He gunned it and raced towards the highway that went into the Nantahala River Gorge.  They were about a mile from the intersection that took them to the gorge when gunfire started to his left and he swerved out into a field next to an old school.  About that time he heard a huge boom in front of him.  Marcus hit the brakes as an explosion on the ground erupted in front of him. The blast from the explosion threw Marcus and the girl off the bike to one side and the motorcycle went out of control and crashed in to an old set of monkey bars on the school’s dilapidated playground.
     

Chapter Thirteen
    Marcus’ ears were ringing and he hurt all over.  He raised himself up and shook his head to try and clear it.  He glanced around and saw the girl lying next to him.  She wasn’t moving.  He glanced quickly at her chest and was relieved to see it rise and fall.  She had blood running down her arm and scratches on her face.  His helmet was offline and busted.  The face shield was completely missing.  He had scratches all over his arm and his shoulder was bleeding. 
    It was then that he finally looked up and saw that they were completely surrounded by about twenty-five Jackal cutthroats, all with their guns trained on him.  They were standing in the headlights of their vehicles.  It was then he noticed that he had about ten red laser dots on his chest.  He slowly rose to his feet. 
    From his front left, an individual stepped forward.  He was not carrying a weapon.  It was immediately obvious just from his charisma and swagger that this was the leader.  He was of medium height, well-muscled, and arrogant. As he stepped forward, the big man to his immediate right also stepped forward. This man was armed and he had his laser sighted .357 magnum pointed directly at Marcus.
    “Easy now partner,” the leader said with a scowl.  “You don’t want to start something that you can’t finish do you?  You realize that you and that girl have slowed us down.  We were supposed to be in Raleigh by tomorrow.  Chasing her has gotten us off schedule but I’m going to give you a bargain.  You back away from the girl and we will end your life relatively quick.  Just a little torture…,” he snickered. “A guy has got to have some fun.  Anyway, my brother is coming off the mountain and should be here shortly.  He is highly ticked that she got away.  As soon as he gets here the festivities can begin.”
    In this post apocalyptic world Marcus had learned that a split second decision one way or another could mean life or death.   The odds were definitely stacked against him and he probably was going to die here, but he wasn’t going to go down without a fight.  If he let them get to him there was no way he was going to make it.  His only chance was surprise.  The pair began to walk toward him.
    He stuck both hands in the air and said, “Hold on guys.  I give up. Let me just get my gun out of the holster.”  Marcus eased his right hand down to the holster and was slowly easing it out.  As the gun cleared the leather holster, he quickly flipped it up and shot the leader in the chest knocking him down.  As soon as Marcus fired the big man fired twice hitting Marcus in the chest and stomach. Marcus was thrown backwards and landed in a heap on the ground next to Savannah and was motionless.
     

Chapter Fourteen
    Jocelyn had been quietly moving the MAV into place behind the group that had encircled Marcus.  Kim watched as her brother stood facing them.  Jocelyn was trying to find a place that wouldn’t put Marcus in the line of fire.  She saw the leader and the big man step forward.  It looked like Marcus was saying something to them and slowly surrendering.  He was taking his gun out when all of the sudden, he flipped the gun up and fired.  The leader went down.  Immediately the big man fired twice hitting Marcus.