A loud motor vehicle startled Tom awake. Ellie jumped, too. They both sat up and peered into the darkness in the direction of the noise as it made its way from close by and zipped further away. Tom reached for his gun under his bag and gripped it tightly.

"It's going northeast," Ellie whispered.

Tom looked around. "Where's Brooke? She should have come running after hearing something like that. Where is she?" Tom jumped to his feet. Panic surged through him. They had ...