Judgement: The Undergrounders Series Book Three (A Young Adult Post-apocalyptic Science Fiction Thriller) Read Online Free PDF Page A

behind a tree trunk and take a deep breath. I guess I'm closer to the horses than I realized.
    I sweep the forest in front of me for any sign of Jody. She must have climbed a tree already. It's not a bad idea for me to do the same. Safer than prowling around and spooking the horses before we're ready to make our move.
    I suss out a tree that looks relatively easy to climb but is still tall enough to give me the perspective I need. Planting the heel of my boot on a nub, I push off and pull myself onto the lowest branch. The next one is too flimsy to support my weight, so I stretch a little farther to reach for the branch beyond it. I grit my teeth and feel with my foot for a crevice in the tree trunk. I push off again, but my boot slips, and my pack swings sideways, yanking me hard to the left. I scramble to catch hold of the branch below me and manage to grab it at the last minute. Weak with relief, I drape my body over it, then watch in horror as my water canteen tumbles from my pack, clips a branch, and lands with a dull thud in the pine needles below.
    I stare down at it, blood pounding in my temples. No one in the camp could have heard it fall. But I need to retrieve it in case a patrol comes by and spots it.
    I glance around at the neighboring trees, but there's no sign of Jody and I'm not high enough up to spot the horses. I wipe my clammy forehead and adjust my pack for the descent. I lower my right leg down and balance the toe of my boot on the branch below me. I'm getting ready to let my weight drop when a drunken voice belts out "Whoa, living' on a prayer."

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    I meld with the tree trunk, my pack protruding like a swollen stick insect. It must be a patrol.
    "Take my hand an' we'll make it I swe-ar."
    He's coming this way.
    The rough bark scrapes my cheek when I turn my head to get a better look. He's not in view yet. The only real cover is higher up in the tree, but there's no time to scale the next few branches. I'm dead anyway if he finds my water canteen. In desperation, I grab a pine cone and hurl it as far as I can into the brush. The footsteps come to an immediate halt. I hold my breath and listen. I don't know if I've bought myself enough time to make a run for it, or only prolonged the inevitable.
    The Rogue mutters something to himself. He thrashes around like he's looking for something. I hear the sound of a cartridge being slammed into a gun. I swallow hard, my brain ticking over like a time bomb, as I scramble to come up with some avenue of escape. I'm fast, and he's drunk, but if I try to outrun him I might lead him straight to the other riders. My only other option is to take him out. I reach over my shoulder and slide my rifle out of my pack.
    The thrashing sounds stop. Then a rasping laugh cuts through the shadows. " There you are. Perched up in them branches like a scared bird with its wings all tucked in."
    The nape of my neck prickles. My fingers curl with a life of their own around the trigger.
    "Shimmy on down now, cowgirl, before I shoot you clean out of that tree."
    Cowgirl?
    I hesitate. There's a prolonged beat of silence. Several trees over, the leaves rustle and part.
    "Hold your fire," Jody says. "I'm coming down."
    I clamp my lips together to keep from screaming out loud. I peer tentatively into the shadows and catch the glint of a gun. I lean out a few more inches and spot the Rogue grinning up into a tree. Jody's leg dangles down from the leaves as she reaches for the branch below her. I cock my gun and take aim at the Rogue's chest. The shot will alert the camp to our presence, but I have no choice. I can't let Jody fall into The Ghost's hands.
    Before I pull the trigger a whistling sound goes by my ear. The Rogue keels over with a heavy thump. Jody freezes, one leg in midair.
    Heart pounding, I vault to the ground and run to her.
    "Jump!" I hiss, gesturing at her to hurry.
    She snaps back to life, half-sliding the rest of the way down from the tree.
    She embraces me and then turns to