Book II Chapter 14

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TREE OF LIFE BOOK II

CHAPTER 14

Nicole strode up toward Brian and then stopped about twenty feet away. Meanwhile, at Brian’s signal, the fifty or so men that had come with him fanned out and took up positions behind him. These were dressed in full military gear, with assorted weapons on their belts, and radios, the whole bit. From the look in their eyes, they were seasoned soldiers, veterans of action, every one. At the rear of these men, Nicole could see a group of villagers, the ones who had gone off with Willibald earlier to lead the first response against Brian in the forest. Now they were being herded off to one side with their hands tied behind their backs. Prisoners. Prisoners of war.

Wilson jogged up and whispered into his boss’ ear. Brian nodded and Wilson moved back into position.

Brian crossed his arms on his chest. “Well, Nikki. It’s good to see you. Had a nice hangover?”

Nicole smirked. “It’s good to see you too. So the fall didn’t break your neck?”

Brian smiled. He laughed aloud. “Touché, touché!” He glanced to his left and right. “Where’s Julian? You know, it took me quite some time to find you, this time.”

“How did you find us?”

Brian smiled. “You know that shot I gave you? Well, it wasn’t just a tranquilizer. There was a radioactive tracer in it as well. I had an electronic finder with me but that was knocked out by Julian’s e-bomb. It took me a few days, but I got a replacement shipped in from head office just yesterday. And here I am.” He took a bow.

Nicole shook her head. “You should leave now, Brian.”

His eyes widened. “And if I don’t?”

“Brian…” She sighed. “…it’s pointless. You’re not going to get what you want.”

“And how do you know that? How do you…”

“It doesn’t work like that. Not the way you think anyway.”

“Yeah, but…”

“The Tree explained it to us. It won’t work…”

“It will work!” Brian took two steps forward. He jabbed his finger at Nicole as he spoke. “It will work because I’ll make it work and when it does, when I have made cancer just a footnote in the history books, you and Julian and everyone else on the planet will be lining up to congratulate me and thank me.”

She shook her head. She looked away and chuckled. “What happened to you, Brian? What ever happened to the Brian that I knew?”

Brian smiled. He lifted his hand and combed it through his hair. “I grew up.” He licked his lips. “You should too.”

Turning around, Brian gave a signal to Wilson. In turn, Wilson gave a signal to the rest of the men.

A group of Brian’s men, not dressed in military fatigues but in white hazmat-like jumpsuits, moved forward to approach the Tree by the cliff. In their hands were collection kits and silver, shiny instruments, including knives, saws and axes.

“Hey! Stop!” Nicole raced off for the men, but before she could get near, shots rang out.

Diving to the ground, she dodged most of them, but one bullet grazed her left shoulder, scratching it. She ignored it and it healed up fast enough. Getting to her feet, she picked up a pair of good-sized rocks, one in each hand. Leaving the lab guys, she changed direction and stomped toward the soldiers by the edge of the clearing where the bullets had come from.

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