They didn’t have much time. For this to work, they needed a little bit of space between them and their pursuers.
Kara pulled the pack off her back. Along the bottom of the bag was a small, long pouch. In it was the tools she needed to make their escape possible. She handed the pouch to Angelique.
“OK, kid. You run forward and find a big enough tree. Zip up it, wrap the webbing around a big limb for an anchor, and clip the carabineer and pulley on with the rope. When we get there, you and I hoist his broke ass up the tree, then you follow him up. Then the hard part; you two hide and blend into the tree.” Kara said in a rush.
“And what are you going to do while we are up the tree?” Angelique asked, even though she suspected the answer.
Kara grinned, not a happy cheery one though. It was a sad smile.
“I’m going to be the bait, keeping them moving along so they pass you guys by. When they are good and far, you two come down and make your way to one of the hasty pick up points.”
“And leave you here by yourself in the woods? Bullshit!” Angelique exclaimed.
“Look, all three of us stay together, we get caught, and some or a lot of people die. We do this, everybody lives.” Kara said. She knew they didn’t have time for long discussion but she needed Angelique to understand and be on board for it to work.
“Why can’t we all just hide in the tree?” Angelique was grasping at straws and she knew it. She knew Kara had a solid plan, but…it brought back shades of the city, where Kara ran off to play bait for the jeeps to keep them away from her.
“Because if the tracks just stop, then they search harder and find us all.” Kara took a big deep breath. They didn’t have time for this. “You’re stronger than me, if it comes to it, you have a better shot at carrying him out of here than I would. I’m faster than you. I can keep just past their grasp for hours on end. When you’re clear, I’ll turn up the speed and leave them in my dust, get my ass to one of the pick-up points and we all go home. Now, get us that tree. I will help him get there.”
Kara’s tone left no room for either Angelique or Zed to object.