Chapter 5 - The Red Horizon
The cellar vents flashed with brilliant white beams of halogen lights. Outside, the low, throbbing idle of diesel engines signaled the arrival of reinforcements. There was no time for tears, no time to mourn the wedding that would never happen. Clara stared at the contents of the trunk, understanding the heavy burden her father had passed down through Marcus, and finally to her.
""We can't hide here,"" Hawk said, hauling a heavy duffel bag from behind the cider press. ""They'll burn the barn to smoke us out.""
""My car is parked behind the catering tent,"" Mark offered hurriedly, clutching his bruised wrist. ""We can take the service road through the back orchard. The trees will hide us.""
Hawk looked at Mark, his eyes narrowing. ""They know the service road. It's the only way out besides the main highway. We don't run together. Clara comes with me on the bike. You take your car and lead their sweep team toward town.""
""No!"" Clara objected, reaching for Mark’s hand. ""We aren't leaving Mark behind as bait!""
""I'm not asking, Clara,"" Hawk said grimly, packing the notebooks and the cassette into his duffel. ""Your father gave twenty years of his life to keep you anonymous. They don't know Mark. They don't care about Mark. They want me, and they want the daughter of Thomas Vance.""
A heavy crash sounded against the barn doors above. Men were shouting, followed by the distinctive smell of gasoline pouring through the floorboards.
""They're pouring fuel,"" Hawk said coldly, tossing Clara a heavy leather jacket from the trunk. ""Decide now, Clara. Stay and burn, or ride.""
Mark looked into Clara’s eyes, terror warring with shame. Slowly, he pulled his hand away from hers. ""He's right, Clara,"" Mark whispered, backing toward the rear exit. ""I can't fight these people.""
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The sting of Mark’s retreat cut deeper than any blade. Clara pulled the leather jacket over her lace wedding dress and zipped it shut. ""Let's go,"" she said.
As they kicked open the rear hatch into the orchard, a voice boomed over a loudspeaker from the front lawn: ""Hawk! We have Thomas's brother. Come out, or his head comes off first!""
