Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 45251 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45251 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
“That about sums it up for Justin too,” Jameson confirmed. “And he’s stubborn as hell.”
In other words, we had our work cut out for us.
It wasn’t a high-risk event without drilling safety measures into the skull of every participant, and same with the restrictions. Nobody was allowed near Ryan’s cabin; if someone ran close enough to see it, they had to move away immediately.
They could split up, they could stick together, they could try to hide, as long as they didn’t dispose of their trackers, which would give us a twenty-five-yard radius to locate them. But again, we didn’t know which tracker belonged to whom.
Safewords were repeated once more, including the private safewords of two prey, in case they accidentally blurted out the wrong ones. Lastly, the prey were given the option to bring some minor supplies, stuff Tracy was already carrying in his pockets. Kit, Cal, and two others were prepared similarly, but they opted to add whistles and flashlights. No using the whistle unless it was an emergency.
Multitools were all right, but no knives that could unfold automatically or with assisted opening.
We didn’t need to add more risks.
Ryan’s military background was clear as day in the basket of Olight and 5.11 tactical gear. I wasn’t a stranger to those tools either, though that stemmed from my upbringing on a boat and in the woods.
“Do you get sponsored by Ralph’s?” I joked. It was the top-choice store for anyone interested in fishing, hiking, and hunting in Camassia.
“I wish,” Ryan laughed. “My man’s a fucking snob too, so he’s gotta have the best of the best. Oh, and he falls for cheap sales tricks. Last week, he bought kindling. I was all, have you looked out the goddamn window, boy? Kindling is free.”
Angel giggled.
I grinned. Sounded like Novi. She knew her way around the outdoors, but she liked the unnecessary luxuries you could buy for your daypack.
“That’s nothin’,” Jameson huffed. “Justin and Alex came home with a four-hundred-dollar cooler before the summer.”
“It’s superior!” Justin argued.
“You’ve used it once,” Jameson pointed out.
I chuckled and rubbed the back of my neck. To be fair, my first boat had cost me less than my cooler.
“This is nice and all, but are we gonna get started anytime soon?” Abel drawled.
“Oh right, I forgot you were still here,” Ryan replied. He scratched his forehead and shrugged. “All right, go.”
I smirked. Nothing like fucking with the brats, even if that included an anticlimactic start. In fact, they didn’t move. They looked at one another, confused.
Ryan switched to Sadist real quick. “Do I have to tell you again? Fucking go!”
That did it. The prey expressed their bemusement at Ryan’s behavior and scrambled a little, but then Tracy and Kit nodded toward the thick of the forest, and they were off. Both groups.
“No kiss goodbye or anything,” I heard Tracy mutter. “He really is a Sadist.”
I grinned.
I’ll kiss you everywhere soon.
They picked up the pace and started running before they disappeared, and now we waited a few minutes.
“That was fun.” Madigan smiled.
Ryan handed out the tablets, one to the non-interrogators and one for our group.
I took the opportunity to shed my windbreaker. My hoodie and undershirt were enough—or would be, once I got the blood pumping. The others were dressed similarly, jeans or utility pants, hoodies, gloves for some, beanies for Dave and Ryan.
I rolled my shoulders and cracked my knuckles, finally feeling the anticipation build up within me. It usually took me a while, because before an event, I was so focused on preparations and observing my partner. This time more than ever. My focus had been on him all day.
“Please don’t let my husband torture our boy too much,” Lucas requested. “They’ve been goading each other nonstop since we woke up.”
I smirked, and Madigan and Ryan chuckled.
“Because of your display of faith in me, I’mma torture him extra, darlin’,” Colt promised.
Lucas sighed and rolled his eyes.
Seeing Jameson with our tablet, I stepped over to him and eyed the screen.
“They’re not scattering,” he noted.
Not a whole lot anyway. They were still running farther into the woods, with both groups sticking together for now. I wished we could see more of the terrain on the screen, but as it was, the night-mode map only revealed streams, elevation, and the fact that it was a forested area. We kind of already knew that last part.
The prey appeared on the screen as little red dots.
Colt came over too, and he smirked when he studied the screen. “It’s startin’ to look a lot like they want a fight.” He glanced over at Madigan. “They’re not scatterin’.”
“We should still pick them off one by one,” I said. “But a few of us will have to ward off the sideline brats.”
“Agreed,” Ryan answered, closing the distance too. “Have they split up into two groups, at least?”