They Will Run You Down

Twelve: Doctor's Note

Harley heard shouting somewhere within the enclosure as she scaled down the wall by means of a massive wooden stake that had been driven into the ground and wedged up against the barrier for support.

She rushed over to John, dropping to her knees and proceeded to shake him, "John. . . John!" She repeated as she rattled him around.

Harley's attention shifted suddenly as three armed figures approached cautiously from the far side of the building that stood near the wall.

"Stand up and let me see your hands," a tall guy with a baseball cap ordered sternly.

Harley gazed down at John for a moment then stood and raised her hands. She shifted anxiously on her feet, tempted to flee, but she couldn't bring herself to abandon John.

The two guys kept their guns trained on Harley as a serious looking young woman with her hair slicked back in a tight bun approached from the side, clutched Harley's backpack and tried to pull it down her shoulders.

Harley jerked her body away from the woman's grasp defensively and the two men took a step closer, raising their guns a little higher.

Harley put her hands back up.

The woman moved toward Harley again, this time turning her around with a push, "Hands on the wall," she demanded.

Harley glanced at John again before hesitantly complying.

The young woman pushed the palm of her hand into the back of Harley's neck, holding her in place, then quickly pulled the gun from Harley's back pocket and tossed it over to where the guys stood.

"Do you have any other weapons?" The woman asked as she patted Harley down.

Harley didn't speak as the woman quickly found the leather sheath on her hip that contained the folding knife. She pulled the knife out and tossed it over to the guys.

"Remove your backpack," the woman ordered.

Harley hesitated, trying to think of a way out of the situation she was in.

"Remove your backpack, now," the woman spat impatiently.

Harley swore under breath as she tugged the straps off of her shoulders and the woman waisted no time snatching it away and dropping it carelessly onto the ground.

Harley winced at the woman's roughness and turned toward her.

"Hands on the wall," The guy with a scraggly beard warned.

Harley put her hands back on the wall and watched nervously as the woman knelt down on one knee and proceeded to unzip the large compartment.

The woman flinched in surprise and her brow furrowed, "What the-"

She reached into Harley's backpack and pulled out a squirmy, flailing pup.

The woman looked at the two guys with an eyebrow raised and a goofy smirk then put Rebel down on the ground and continued rummaging through Harley's things.

Harley kept her eyes locked on Rebel as he sniffed the dirt a little, then squatted his chubby little legs and took a pee.

"Are there more of you?" the baseball cap guy asked from behind Harley.

"No," she answered deadpan.

Rebel waddled over to where Harley stood and viciously assaulted her shoelace.

Meanwhile, the woman emptied the contents of Harley's backpack onto the ground, finding and tossing Harley's lucky screwdriver over to the guys.

"She's good," the woman decided as she stood upright.