98. Hot on their heels!

Rambo, walking in front, gestures with his fist that they must stop. He nears a small tree with some of its branches somewhat blocking the way in the footpath on one side. Carefully he studies it. Then he waves to Joss to join him.

Joss reaches him and looks at the bush Rambo shows him. A small twig is snapped and is only hanging on its bark. Rambo lifts the twig and whispers: “Look, this is a rather fresh snap. I reckon yesterday or the day before and what is more, it is too high for some or other animal to cause it. This could only have been caused by a human being. There is your proof.”

Amazed Joss looks, ponders it for a while to fully apprehend Rambo’s words until everything falls into place. “Hell, the fucking, shrewd pig!” he yells in a whispering voice and looks at Leo who has joined them.

Leo is curious: “What is it, Joss?”

“Luckily, we have an excellent tracker with us. Rambo has just found what we were looking for.” He gestures at the twig. “Look at this tender, fresh snap high enough to tell us that a human being caused it not long ago out of reach of any animal.”

Leo frowns. “Maybe someone has walked here by chance and has broken it. It is possible.”

“I’m telling you, it was broken when Hunter removed the people when they evacuated the place.”

Rambo concurs: “Thus far I haven’t said anything, but as far as we have followed the footpath, I’ve seen different tracks at some places that tell me a whole lot.”

Leo frowns: “Like what ...”

“Different people have not long ago walked up and down this footpath and some of the spoors are deeper in the direction we follow away from the houses. That underscores Joss’s theory that they trekked along this footpath and removed their belongings. This twig is proof of what I have seen and tells me they evacuated yesterday or the day before.”

Leo nods. “I understand what you are saying but let’s first have a look at the caretaker’s place. It’s not far from here.”

Having kicked in the door had no use. Both dwellings were deserted. When they looked for signs that people were living there that absconded quickly, they found the place had been occupied and well-equipped. A little building seemed to be a fridge but it was empty and the compressor removed. They also found signs that solar panels and probably also wind turbines were on the roof. A battery bank with invertors was also removed. Only some of the furniture remained behind and the beds were without mattresses.

It seemed that the place was thoroughly emptied and that all the necessary things were taken along. Very little was left behind as to indicate that it had been used by people. Joss and Leo strongly believed that Hunter and his people hid here but without proof, they decided to follow the footpath to Robert, the caretaker’s, hut. They knew that from there a bush path connects with the national road and they thought they would find more evidence there. The original road is overgrown and their vehicles probably came and went via the caretaker’s road. From there they could reach the houses. In this way, they could effectively hide in the woods with no direct road leading to the houses. This could probably confuse trespassers into believing the place is desolate. Very clever!

Joss was anxious to find out. “Let’s move our asses.”

Quickly they followed the rest of the footpath and eventually reached an opening with Robert’s wooden hut. This was also empty and no vehicles were in sight but Rambo stopped them when they came out of the hut. He studied the earth thoroughly right around the hut. Eventually, he gestures for Joss to join him with Leo following Joss.

When they reach him, he bends and points at a few deep tracks that one or more vehicles wheels imprinted in the soft, muddy earth.

Rambo is quite excited when he explains: “Look here, Joss! Quite interesting vehicle tracks that tell me a long story. Luckily, the recent rain hasn’t washed it away. The earth is still muddy and soft in certain places and left perfect tracks. You were right, Joss, quite a few vehicles departed from here and you will be amazed if I tell you what vehicles they were.”

Joss is impatient: “Just tell us, Rambo.”

“Two cabs came and went a few times. Naturally, they moved the belongings and the one is a cab reminiscent of our Ford Rangers but the other tracks are very interesting. It must be an old model for it has interesting wheels.”

Leo affirms: “That limp caretaker has an ancient, rusted Dodge cab.”

Rambo points at the narrower tracks. “Yes, it might be it. But this is not the interesting vehicle. You will never guess what other vehicle was here.”

Joss now becomes irritated with this guess-what-game: “Come now! Straight to the point. We don’t have time for games.”

Bent over, Rambo moves forward and shows them a deeper, bigger track. “Come. Have a look and tell what made this track.”

Joss walks up to him annoyed, looks, and frowns: “It looks like a lorry’s track. So, what about it? Of course, they would have used a lorry to remove their things. Why is this now so interesting?”

Rambo grins and shakes his head: “No, even more interesting, my mate. This track gives away the game completely.”

“Shit man, tell us.”

“It’s a Casspir’s track.”

Flabbergasted Joss calls out: “What!?”

“Yes. I even see very interesting proof of what jumped out of that thing and climbed back also.”

“I’m all ears. Spit it out before I slap it out of you.”

“The Casspir came here and left almost immediately. The driver remained in the vehicle. Footprints indicate two small boot imprints that jumped out from next to the driver and they met with two mighty dogs imprints. It looks almost like lion footprints so big they are.” Rambo moves to the place and shows them.

Now Leo’s head twitch in amazement: “What?”

He bends down scrutinizing the proof of that and stares at it as if he can’t believe his eyes. “Can you make out if it is women's or men’s boots or can’t you see the difference?”

“It looks like a smallish female and the dogs were excited to see her. They stood up against her on their hind legs probably hugging and licking her.”

Shocked Joss and Leo look at each other before Joss manage to utter the one name: “Chloe!”

Rambo continues and follows the tracks carefully.

“Look here. Another four dogs jumped out and they were on their way to meet the other dogs but I think those two had only interest in the woman. Okay, here are also tracks of three soldiers that got out of the back of the Casspir. Just stand there! I don’t want you to mess up the leads that these tracks are going to reveal.”

Rambo now follows the tracks that go towards the hut. “The tracks of four persons together with those of the two dogs came from behind the hut while the soldiers who got out of the Casspir just stood there, probably watching the scene.”

Joss now is very curious: “Who came from the hut, Rambo?”

“It looks like two women and two men. The one is a cripple. And then another interesting fact: the woman who was initially overwhelmed by the dogs, suddenly ran towards the normal man and must have jumped on him. Look, here are his tracks deeper where he was forced to step back and hold a weight in his arms. Probably jumped into his arms and hugged him. It seems to me she was as glad to see him as the dogs were glad to see her, if you ask me.”

Joss grabs Leo and plucks him roughly from balance and looks into his eyes exhilarated: “Fuck, what do you say now, you cunt? Now we know for sure it was Chloe who was excited to see her hero again that she even jumped into his arms. They were ignorant of the fact that we have a brilliant tracker who can read all their secrets. Fucking cunt, I’ve told you and you wouldn’t believe me. What do you say now, cunt?”

Leo only looks at him dazed as if in a stupor: “Fucking hell! You were right all the time. Hunter takes us for cunts.”

Rambo suddenly stands up: “What have you said just now?”

“He takes us for cunts …”

“Who? What was the name you’ve just mentioned?”

“Hunter.”

Rambo now is very curious. “Hunter? Who is this Hunter?”