“We need to track them down,” Earl decided. “Shut down whatever they got going and deliver them to the rangers to take care of.”
“Is that all?” Ty asked drolly.
“Dad,” Deuce started uncertainly.
“I will not have people gettin’ killed in these mountains!” Earl snapped stubbornly. Deuce and Ty both looked at him oddly, obviously surprised by the vehemence. “Those men think they’re safe up here, not being careful,” Earl went on. “All the noise they was making, they’re not trying to hide sign.”
Ty looked at him doubtfully but remained silent, refraining from reiterating his opinion from a few moments ago.
“If they’re setting more traps like this around, we may be the ones getting killed,” Zane argued.
“Son, if you want to head on back and bring in the cavalry, you do it,” Earl said with a look at Zane. His voice was calm and cold, and it raised Zane’s hackles. “That goes for you too,” Earl said as he gestured at Ty and Deuce. “But the next goddamn word I hear that ain’t helpful is gonna be met with violence, that clear?”
Deuce didn’t even look up; Ty was watching Earl calmly. Zane stared at Ty, gritting his teeth, waiting on his decision. This was a truly shitty situation, but he would not leave Ty behind. Ty glanced at him and met Zane’s eyes for a moment. Zane had always detected a spark of enjoyment in Ty’s eyes before, even in the most dangerous of situations. That spark was gone now, replaced by something more sedate and sad. Resigned. Ty sighed and looked back at Earl. “If we’re going to follow them, we need to get going,” he suggested softly. “Trail’s getting cold.”
Earl continued to fix a glare on Zane for a moment longer before he turned and nodded at Ty. He handed him a clean handkerchief as he passed by him. Ty took it and looked down at it with a mumbled, “Thank you, sir.” He used it to wipe at his face as he turned and followed his father back toward the small clearing.
Zane clasped both hands behind his neck and just watched him go. He’d never seen Ty behave this way, as if someone had just taken all the spirit and fight in him and crushed it to dust. It was acutely painful to see, especially after seeing him so relaxed and carefree just a few hours ago.
Deuce stopped next to him, and they watched the other two move off. “He’s not usually like this,” he told Zane in a whisper.
“No. He’s not,” Zane agreed, fully aware that Deuce was talking about Earl and that he wasn’t.
Deuce glanced sideways at him. “Can you blame him?” he asked finally.
Zane sighed, dropping his arms and watching the rigid line of Ty’s shoulders as his partner walked away. How could Earl not see the pain coming off Ty in waves? “No,” he said quietly. “I can’t.”
Deuce shook his head and started through the thick foliage, muttering to himself as he went. After another silent curse, Zane followed.
WITH Ty on point, following the trail through the dense woods, they were making excellent time. Earl watched Ty’s back as he moved, the set of his shoulders, the somewhat jerky movements. Every time Ty glanced over his shoulder to make certain they were still on his six, Earl felt a pang of guilt. He knew what he’d said had been inexcusable and unnecessary and patently false. Ty was anything but a coward. Now, though, was not the time to apologize. It would keep until the danger had passed, he told himself.
Zane Garrett was getting on his bad side, though. The boy just didn’t know when to keep his mouth shut. Earl glanced over his own shoulder to look back at the FBI man doubtfully. He wasn’t certain why Ty didn’t just demand Richard find him a new partner. He couldn’t imagine how Zane was an asset to him.
Ty stopped and held up his fist to halt their progress. Earl slowed and watched as Ty stood with his head lowered, listening. Finally, Ty turned and looked back with a deep frown. Earl followed Ty’s eyes; Ty wasn’t looking at him. Ty was watching his partner. Zane patted Deuce’s shoulder and walked forward, passing Earl without comment and joining Ty at point.
“What’s up?” he heard Zane say quietly.
“This feels wrong,” Ty responded with a shake of his head. He lowered his head closer to Zane’s as they spoke. “A toddler could follow this trail. Why aren’t they being more careful?” he asked.
“It’s not like they’re expecting trained Recon Marines to be tromping around,” Zane said, just a touch of humor in his voice.
“But they know someone’s close,” Ty argued. “Someone who recognized that can for what it was.”
Earl watched them silently, not intruding in the conversation simply because he was so fascinated to see them actually working together.
“And you said they dismissed it,” Zane reminded Ty.
Ty looked at Zane for a long, silent moment before he lowered his head and rubbed at his eyes. “It just feels off,” he murmured as he looked around almost nervously.
Earl frowned as Deuce came to stand beside him. Ty’s behavior reminded him too much of the times he himself had seen ghosts in the shadows. An explosion like that could easily have triggered a few flashes. Earl knew something about those. He thought Ty would mention having that problem, though. His boy knew how dangerous they could become.
Zane nodded slowly as he tipped his head to one side, watching his partner. “We’ll be careful. You know what to do,” he said quietly.
Ty looked back at Zane, the frown still set on his face. But as Earl watched them, he could see a hint of calm come over his son. Earl had never seen anyone have that effect on Ty, and it truly surprised him.
Ty sighed heavily and nodded. “Just… be on your toes,” he requested of Zane before he glanced at Earl and Deuce and nodded at them.
“Everything okay?” Deuce asked carefully.
Ty shook his head in answer. “We’re gonna slow down some,” he told them before giving Zane one last look and then turning around.
Earl watched Ty for a moment and then turned his chin to observe Zane as the man watched Ty walk off. Then Zane shifted his weight and took four long strides to catch up, and he stopped Ty by saying something quietly enough Earl couldn’t quite make it out. Ty turned and responded just as quietly, reaching out in what appeared to be an unconscious gesture to fix the strap of Zane’s pack before turning around again.
Deuce moved to follow, his head down as Earl stared after them all. He couldn’t quite figure Ty and Zane out. He wouldn’t call them friends, exactly. They were always mouthing off and antagonizing each other, much like Ty and Deuce did. But when the situation became tense, their relationship changed. The closest thing he could compare it to was him and Mara.