Dead Ringer *Watty 2016*

Peak

The shifts moved along smoothly that night and the watch proved unnecessary as nothing uneventful happened.  They arose with the sun.  "It would be safer to attempt to free her at night."  Archer commented.

"They will realize we are gone in a few hours though and then they will be looking for us," Everett pointed out.

"Its now or never," Sanders added and the decision was made. 

They carefully climbed out of their hide away and put the large rocks back to cover the entrance.  Then they walked quietly up the hill. trying to hide behind rocks and stay close to the mountainside whenever possible.  Each traveler prepared themselves in their own way.  Larkin envisioned seeing Briar again and knew the risk was worth it all, Sanders allowed his anger over Wilder to fuel him up the mountain, Oakley reminded herself of Cora's plans, Everett enjoyed the adrenaline of it all, Archer worried about every life that he was leading into danger, and Harlow empathized with the scared girl tucked away in a cell.  Not one of them considered turning back, there was no place left in them for fear.

The top of the mountain was only a few feet away from them when Archer called them together at the face of a rock.  "Get low and press your body against the rock," he instructed quietly.

They all did as they were told and waited for the next piece of instruction.  "Now the minute we step atop the hill we are sitting ducks, the entrance to the headquarters are on the other side but there will be traps on the top.  It makes no sense for us all to rush over the hill together."

"Then whose going to go?" Larkin asked.

"I can't tell you who is going to risk their life that's your decision."  Archer said.

"I'll go," the group said in unison then they all looked at one another waiting for someone to back down, Sanders was the first one to speak.

"I know the terrain, I will find another way around the mountain, find someone safe and meet you on  the other side at the bottom," he offered then he turned to Larkin, "Keep her safe."

"She won't be willing to go if he is there," Harlow pointed out, gesturing towards Everett.

"Then I'll go with him."  Everett offered.

It was obvious that Archer and Larkin would go so Harlow and Oakley stared each other down, each willing the other to say that they wouldn't go, as usual Harlow relented first.  "Be safe," she told her friend, "remember Briar has been through a lot.  She isn't a bad person have some compassion."

"I'll keep that in mind," Oakley said with a bitter edge to her voice.  Harlow through her arms around her friend.  Then she shocked everyone by turning and doing the same to Larkin.  The group that had volunteered began to make their way around the edge of the rock slowly but surely maneuvering to the other side of the mountain.

"I knew this was the way it was going to work out," Archer said.

"This is who she would have wanted it to be."  Oakley said.

"I don't have any idea what is waiting for us up there, all I know is that we have to make it to the other side and into a cave opening.  Once inside we follow the tunnels to the bottom somewhere on the lowest level is where they will have her."  Archer said then he began cautiously but swiftly moving up to the top of the mountain.

The top was a flat stretch with six large boulders around the edge.  With only slight pause and a deep breath Archer stepped forward, firmly planting his foot on the mountain top.  With just that small impact, all six boulders began to roll in the direction,  "keep going forward."  Archer instructed surging out of a boulders path.

With the boulder directly in front of her and no other way to escape Larkin froze.  Oakley sprung into action, jumping onto the embankment that the had been using for cover and pulling Larkin up with her.  The first boulder hit Larkin hard in the legs and she was jerked towards the bottom of the mountain but Oakley didn't loosen her grip.  Larkin was smart enough to tuck her legs up to avoid the other boulders that were rolling down the hill.  After the last of the boulders passed them they dropped back down on the path below them.  Larkins bruised leg buckled under the impact and she had to struggle to climb back to her feet.  This time Oakley stepped in front of her, intending to go first, but she stopped short, noticing that Archer was laying flat on his stomach to avoid flames that were flying over the top.  Leaning backward to gain momentum then flinging herself forward, Oakley slid along the ground under the path of fire and caught up to Archer.  Just as Larkin was prepared to follow her along the path a large pit opened leaving Oakley hanging onto the edge while her legs dangled.

Archer turned just in time to see her begin to slip and offered her his leg to pull herself up, she clung to him as he began to crawl on his stomach until she was no longer hanging.  Larkin slid on her stomach, careful to go around the hole.  As she reached the far left edge of the hole the fire stopped and the ground began to shake with a mighty force.  Larkin lifted herself to her hands and knees, trying to crawl to the other side.  She had nearly made it when she heard the screams behind her.  The entire path that Oakley and Archer had been crawling on electrified, they both convulsed with every shock that went through the path.  Larkin couldn't go back for them and she hoped that reaching the other side would trigger the traps to stop so she kept crawling.  Just as she guessed, the minute she pulled her body over the ledge to the other side, the electric current stopped.

Archer recovered quickly and he lifted Oakley into his arms carrying her to the other side.  She lay limp and her breathing was labored but she still had a pulse.  Arch climbed easily over the ledge thinking that he would be out of danger.  The minute he hit the ground he realized that he was wrong.  Standing only a few feet away was an entire swarm of alert official guards.