Dr. Dante moved his head in what might have been a nod if Johnathan hadn’t had a tight hold on him.
Seung let go of Dr. Dante’s wrists and scooted back, giving him space.
“You can let him go, now.” She didn’t look at Johnathan when she said it.
“I don’t think—”
“I do the thinking, Dekker. Not you. Now let him go.”
Johnathan removed his hand first. Blood coated his palm, but the wound had already healed. He loosened his hold on Dr. Dante.
Seung smiled. “See. Like I said, no one will hurt you.”
Dr. Dante nodded.
“Give him some space.” She jerked her chin at Johnathan.
He scooted back, making enough room to sit upright with his feet on the floorboard.
“Are you okay now?” Seung petted Dr. Dante’s back.
He wouldn’t look at either of them.
“How far are we from the highway?” The quicker they could get away from the military set up, the better, as far as Johnathan was concerned.
“Two miles?” Frost slowed the truck, and the ground dipped. Water sloshed against the undercarriage as the vehicle crawled across the shallow creek.
Dr. Dante dove over the console between the two front seats.
Johnathan made a grab for his leg only to get a bare foot shoved into his nose and a whirlwind of limbs as the man blew through the cab.
Frost jerked the truck to a stop. The front passenger door opened, and Dr. Dante took off.
“Son of a fucking bitch.” Johnathan followed.
Seung yelled, but the thunder in Johnathan’s veins drowned it out. The color bled away, and Dr. Dante’s form burned with particles darting in and around trees.
Johnathan hurdled a pile of dead wood and landed in front of Dr. Dante, cutting him off before he could get fifty feet from the truck.
“Look, Doc—”
“Get the fuck away from me.” Dr. Dante snatched up a rock and threw it. “You’re dead.”
Johnathan slapped it away. “That was—” A second one clocked him on the forehead.
“Nash killed you.” Dr. Dante grabbed another. “You’re dead, you’re dead….”
“I’m not—” A wad of roots and dirt hit Johnathan’s shoulder. “Paul.”
Dr. Dante grabbed up sticks, more rocks, what might have been a lump of clay, and he hurled it at Johnathan while trying to retreat.
“Godamnit, man, will you listen?” Johnathan marched forward.
Dr. Dante fled, colliding with Frost as he came around the pile of dead wood.
He seized Dr. Dante in a bear hold and promptly earned a headbutt to the face. Blood gushed from Frost’s nose, and he glared at Johnathan.
Reese thrashed “Hel—”