Part 52 (2/2)

I've got to do this, she thought. If I don't, then I'll never get my own questions answered about the existence of the creature.

Annja plunged into the woods.

The sounds ahead of her stopped. The creature wasn't eating anymore.

Annja heard a soft whiff of air. And then she felt something pierce her skin just below her heart. She looked down and then brushed her hand down the front of her s.h.i.+rt.

She came away holding a tranquilizer dart.

Since when does the Sasquatch use tranquilizer darts? she wondered as she slipped into unconsciousness.

Chapter 27.

Annja groaned as she became aware of the painful throbbing in her head. She tasted something in her mouth, something faintly sweet, and wondered just what drug had been used to take her down.

”Ugh.”

She opened her eyes and looked around. She was in a cave of some sort, but exactly where she had no idea. She could hear the steady drip-drip-drip drip-drip-drip of water falling from the cavern ceiling to the floor below. Combined with the ache in her head, the dripping water seemed to echo her pain. of water falling from the cavern ceiling to the floor below. Combined with the ache in her head, the dripping water seemed to echo her pain.

The area where the dart had struck her felt a little tender, but the wound was nothing too serious. I've probably got a nice welt there, she thought. It wasn't the first time she'd been struck with a drugged dart. It probably wouldn't be the last, either. Annja almost grinned at the thought of how ridiculous that sounded.

Her hands were bound tightly behind her and movement was difficult. But at least the ropes flexed some when she moved her hands. She'd been in handcuffs before and that was far worse.

The ambient light in the cave seemed to be coming from somewhere else. She wondered if there was a way to get to the outside and, if so, was sunlight somehow penetrating the cavern? She couldn't be sure, but it felt as if she'd been out for the better part of several hours. That would make it coming up close to dawn.

From behind her, she heard something s.h.i.+ft and Annja tensed, expecting the worst. Instead, when she turned around, she saw Joey and Jenny. They were tied up, as well. Jenny was trying to sit up, but was clearly not used to being bound.

”Are you all right?” Annja asked.

Jenny nodded as she finally succeeded in righting herself. ”I think so, aside from one h.e.l.l of a bruised ego.”

”David?” Annja asked.

Jenny nodded. ”The b.a.s.t.a.r.d conned me, Annja. And he did such a great job on me that I was distracted and I never even noticed he was setting us up.”

Annja shrugged. ”I got conned, too. It happens.”

”What happened to you? We saw you go into the bushes and then it sounded as if you'd fallen.”

”As soon as I stepped in, someone shot me with a dart. I didn't see a d.a.m.n thing,” Annja said.

Jenny smirked. ”I did. Don't worry, you didn't miss much. It was just a guy dressed in some kind of special suit I've seen soldiers wearing before. It covered him from head to foot in strips of burlap and stuff like that.”

”He wore a gillie suit?”

Jenny nodded. ”That's what they call it. Thanks. Yeah, he was in one of those. He came walking out, raised his gun and shot Joey first. Then he nailed me. As I went down, I heard David telling him what a great shot it was. Jerk.”

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