Rogue (Book 2) (The Omega Group) by Andrea Domanski Read Free Book Online

were
seriously injured. Jackie, along with two Havasupai women, dealt with the
moderate injuries while Carter and Han were relegated to cuts-and-bruises duty.
    There were only two patients that came close to not making
it. They’d both lost a lot of blood through the deep gashes they’d sustained,
but a few pints donated by relatives, and more than a few stitches, had them
stable within an hour.
    The line of people coming in to check on their loved ones
was never ending. Many tears were shed, and many angry looks were thrown at
Carter. Bidzil’s words played over and over in his mind, giving him the
strength to ignore the hostility.
    By the wee hours of the morning, all of the patients were
sleeping soundly. The nurse offered to spend the night in case of emergency, so
the others said their goodbyes and left the hospital behind.
    The air outside was cool, and Carter took a deep, cleansing
breath. He’d had a very long day and wanted nothing more than a good night’s
sleep and a bag of ice for his ankle.
    But that was going to have to wait.
    Carter’s father strode toward him with Bill at his side.
Apparently, during his absence, his one-time friend had become the chief’s
right-hand man. Why am I not surprised?
    “Carter,” the chief said. “The Council has voted and a
decision has been made. You are not welcome here any longer. You and your
friends must leave at first light.”
    Bill’s smug smile began to eat away at the thin layer of
control Carter had managed to keep. To his surprise, though, it was Bidzil who
responded first.
    “As always, the council’s decision will be abided by. But
you should know that this action will have consequences. I fear there is more
going on here than even you realize, and that we are ill prepared to deal with
it. I urge you, and the council, to reconsider.”
    The smile left Bill’s face, replaced by a look of nervous
anticipation. He obviously hadn’t expected anyone to question the chief’s
orders and was worried he might rescind them. The anxiety, however, was
short-lived.
    “The decision is final,” the chief said flatly. “You and
your friends will leave at dawn.”
    Carter couldn’t help himself. “Your wife’s fine, by the way,
Bill.” He gestured toward Jackie. “You can thank my unwelcome friend for saving
her life.” Having no interest in hearing his response, Carter turned and walked
away, followed closely by his friends.

Chapter
8
     “People actually do this for fun?” Jackie took a swig
of her water then wiped the sweat from her brow. She was obviously not enjoying
herself.
    They’d begun the arduous eight-mile hike from the village at
dawn. The chief and several members of the council met them out front of the
lodge and escorted them to the trailhead to ensure they left as instructed.
Although Carter had expected to see Bill’s sneering face among them, he’d
apparently chosen to sleep instead, no doubt basking in his victory.
    Bidzil was the only kind face in the group. He’d graciously
given Carter and each of his companions a backpack to replace their roller
suitcases, and encouraged them to not lose faith in the tribe. “This decision
was made out of fear, anger, and petty jealousy. It does not reflect the wishes
of the whole tribe.” Although Bidzil spoke the words to Carter, he said them
loud enough to make certain all of the others heard him.
    At the trailhead, Bidzil pulled Carter in for a hug and
whispered in his ear, “Be careful, my friend. I believe things are not as they
seem. There is much we still do not understand and I fear that will be our
downfall.”
    Those words had been echoing in Carter’s head since they
started their trek. Although the Havasupai tribe didn’t have any special
psychic abilities, Carter had often suspected that Bidzil’s insights were more
than just intuition. He’d long ago learned not to ignore the old man’s advice.
    “We’ve got to be missing something,” Carter said, more to
himself than