Dog Warrior Read Online Free PDF Page A

person, yes.” Atticus sighed. “What are we going to do with him? We can’t keep him locked in the basement.”
    â€œHe’s not going anywhere soon. We give him a phone to keep him happy, stuff him with food, and let him sleep. It’s only for a few days, and then when we’re done here, we can deal with him properly.”
    â€œIf we let him call the Dog Warriors, they might come here.”
    â€œHe doesn’t know where he is. We picked him up a hundred miles from here, and he was in a car with Pennsylvaniaplates—who knows where those butchers actually killed him?”
    â€œHe’ll ask.”
    â€œYou are just so fucking truthful sometimes it hurts.” Ru laughed softly. “We lie to him.”
    â€œWhat if he knows this area? He’ll recognize it.”
    â€œWe improvise. It’s what we’re good at.”
    â€œI don’t want you hurt,” Atticus said.
    Ru reached out and brushed his hand down Atticus’s side and paused, letting it rest on Atticus’s hip. And they stood a moment in quiet prelude—the wordless question waiting for a silent answer. One would think, after all this time, he’d be less hesitant, more comfortable with their relationship, with himself. There was still that point, though, where love and desire didn’t completely mesh. So delicate was the act of engaging both, that a single word could derail him. So they learned this silent dance, temporarily reversing their normal roles—Ru taking lead and he nearly passive—until they could bump over some deep-seated block.
    Atticus nodded, and Ru stepped close, hands warm on his back, mouth softly coaxing him into the full unity of love and want.

CHAPTER TWO
    Hyannis, Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Monday, September 20, 2004
    Kyle’s anxious whisper woke Atticus. He stood at the foot of the bed, jiggling the mattress. “Atticus. Atticus.”
    â€œWhat?” Atticus untangled himself from Ru, who was awake but not stirring. Wise man.
    â€œThe power is out.” Kyle wore pink bunny slippers and black silk pajamas that he plucked at nervously.
    Atticus fumbled for his wristwatch. He’d been asleep only four hours. Outside, the howl of the wind drowned out the roar of the surf. “Fuck.”
    â€œI can’t run the security systems without power. My laptop has only six hours of power, max. The outside line is dead too.”
    â€œFuck,” Atticus repeated, scrubbing at his face. “Remind me to kill Sumpter next time I see him.”
    â€œWhat do I do?”
    The heat must be off too—the air was chilly. The temperature had dropped outside, sucking the heat of the house through the great expanse of glass.
    â€œTake the Explorer and find a rental place,” Atticus told Kyle. “Pick up a generator. Get fuel for it. There’s a fireplace downstairs, right? See if you can pick up some firewood.”
    That was all that was needed. Kyle nodded, calmed byhaving a direction pointed out to him. “Okay. It will take me about an hour or two.”
    Atticus crawled out of bed.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” Ru grunted, not even opening his eyes.
    â€œScouting around the house, getting used to the lay of the land.”
    â€œI’ll come with you.” Ru stirred feebly.
    â€œGet more sleep. One of us should be sharp enough to deal. Besides, I want you to stay with my little brother.” It felt weird saying that. Little brother.
    â€œHmmm? Hmm! Oh, yeah. The Dog Warrior. Okay.”
    Â 
    Atticus took a cold shower, leaving the hot water for Ru. Dressing, he pondered his taste in clothes. He would have thought such outward choices were dictated by upbringing, not something genetic. Somehow it seemed impossible that Ukiah could be so feral and yet wear the exact same boots. Atticus laid out warm clothes for his brother, and then tried to banish him out of his mind; he had bigger things to think about.
    Putting