ENDING OF PREVIOUS POST:

Soni moved forward. "I'm getting a closer look."

"Wait! New guys came out of the cabin. That's a total of sixteen. Those aren't good odds. We need back-up." Jim watched Soni continue to move closer. "Or not." He looked up at the sky. "Kuruk, did you just see what your granddaughter did? If I can't save her, you'd better."


TODAY'S POST:

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Part 2

Soni rubbed her nose before she turned toward Jim and mouthed, "I smell something awful." When he indicated he didn't understand, she moved closer and said, "I smell a cross between cat urine and paint thinner. Do you smell it?"

Jim stood and sniffed. "No. You need to stay put until we know what we're up against."

She ignored Jim's request and returned to her original spot. Soni paused before she edged her way closer to the cabin. I wonder what's making that awful smell. The closer I get the stronger the odor. She moved even closer. We need a distraction to see how many we're dealing with. Soni removed an arrow. This should do the trick.

*****

"Cat urine and paint thinner?" muttered Jim. "A meth lab!" He motioned for Soni to return. As he took a few steps toward her, he saw something move to the left of the cabin. He stopped and stared. By God! It's Tatiana! He glanced at Soni looking ready to shoot a flaming arrow at the house. "NO!" he yelled. "Damn!" Jim aimed his rifle and killed a man ready to shoot Tatiana. The arrow hit the house. An explosion occurred. The blast knocked Tatiana to the ground. Jim ran forward and shot his Squad Automatic Weapon at men who ran from the house. Some on fire. Jim, shaken by the blast, was under siege. Men returned gunfire. Not as fast as Jim's weapon fired.

*****

Amid the smoke, flames, and flying debris, with bullets ricocheting around her, Soni dropped her bow and ran to the fallen woman whose blouse was in flames and rolled her on her back, snuffing out flames. "Tatiana!" She covered her body with her own.

Soni searched the area. "Jim needs help, but I've got to get you to safety." Soni grabbed the only mother she had known by the armpits, half-carried and half-dragied her behind some boulders.

A short burst from Jim's weapon killed two men, putting an end to the closest danger to the women.

She laid Tatiana on her stomach, removed her own blouse, leaving on a tank-top, and covered the injured woman with it. "I'll be back. Stay here." She motioned to the dogs.

Goliath and Mack lay beside and guarded Tatiana. Soni grabbed a handgun from the back of her jeans and used it and the boulders for cover as she moved away from Tatiana. I hope I can draw them away from her.

As the returning fire lessened in intensity, Jim worked his way closer to Soni.

When he was within hearing range, Soni yelled, "What happened?"

"Your flaming arrow blew up a meth lab."

"What's Tatiana doing here?"

"She was kidnapped."

"Thanks for telling me," snapped Soni.

"Too many things have happened." Jim now knelt beside Soni. "I never got a chance. How is she?" A gunshot missed him by inches. "They're circling us."

"She's alive." Soni heard a snarl. She turned and saw Goliath take down a man coming from the area by Tatiana.

Jim removed his cell phone and studied it. "Still no signal." He began to type a text.

"You're wasting time."

"Maybe, maybe not. Sometimes texts eventually get through. We need help, and Tatiana needs medical care. Any other ideas?"

"Maybe only half a dozen men left. The others are either dead or ran away. How you doing on ammunition?"

"Okay for now, but we can't hold out forever."

Soni scooted toward Tatiana and fired at a man coming up on her rear. "Neither can they." She paused. "How long will that smoke hang around?"

"I'm not sure, but it can be deadly. We need to stay upwind from it."

Slowly a soft rain began.

Jim looked up at the sky. "Where'd that come from? Just a minute ago, the sun was shining, and not a cloud could be seen."

"Mother Nature works in mysterious ways." Soni grinned. "Thank you, Grandfather." She looked behind her and pointed at two helicopters. "Is that good or bad?"

"I don't know. I can't see them well enough."