Hybrid Zone Recognition Read Free

that, eventually, would lead to my death of starvation.”
    There really was no stopping her when she was tirading. You just had to ride it out. “Side effects?” I queried, not trying to hide the skepticism coloring my voice.
    “Yes,” she stated firmly. “Like energy depravation, and foggy brain syndrome, and…and,”
    She was reaching this time.
    “Biteyourheadoffitis,” she finished.
    That was new, but not very original. Still, I couldn’t help but grin. “The last one being purely to alleviate the prior two symptoms, I’m sure.”
    “Precisely. Anyway, the taste benefits in my scorebook, as you well know, way exceed any nutritional benefits, which are considered merely an added benefit of marginal importance.”
    What? I shook my head in amusement. “There were a lot of words in there, Mir. Just save me a moon pie, okay?”
    “Already done. Where are you now?”
    “Same place. I’m pinned behind a tree. No one’s shooting at me from this side, so I think there’s only the one shooter.”
    I heard rustling in the trees to my right and inched my way closer towards the sound. Another shot rang out, confirming the shooter’s continued presence.
    “Dad gum it!” I swore, quickly jerking my foot back. That was three shots now.
    “Still with me, Greer?” Miranda suddenly belted in my ear.
    I jumped again at the sound of her voice. Pressing my hand to my chest, I took long deep breaths, trying to calm my heart. I wasn’t afraid. Startled, tired, hot, hungry and really annoyed, but not scared of the person with the gun. Maybe I was getting used to being shot at. It had been a rough couple of years.
    I angled my boot to look at the bottom outside edge. It had a rivet running the length of it. Once again, that was too close. Thank goodness for thick soled boots. My shooter obviously wasn’t the shoot and run type, which meant he was probably a professional. As if the impossible distance and near misses weren’t indication enough.
    “Macy!”
    “Yeah, I’m here,” I confirmed. “And, stop yelling.”
    “Sorry, Big Chief. It’s a little stressful.”
    “It ain’t all that and a bag of chips here either.”
    I wiped the sweat from my eyes with the back of my hand. I could do with some chips. Barbeque flavor maybe. Yeah, barbeque potato chips with a homemade hamburger right off the grill sounded great. And a big slice of apple pie. Or peach. Any fruit pie would do.
    My food reverie was interrupted when I spotted Kenny through the undergrowth. He was bent down working at something on the ground. With a knife?
    Making sure to stay firmly hidden behind the tree, I angled myself to get a better look at him. He was cutting the fishing line! Great. Just freaking great.
    “Kenny is making off with the sample,” I relayed to Miranda.
    “Oh, no,” she groaned. “This is unbelievable.”
    I completely sympathized with her groan.
    “That makes this what, five failed attempts? And now, we have to do this all over again?” she whined.
    Yep. Assuming I lived and that he’d be dumb enough to fall for this again. “Way to boost my confidence, Mir. I was feeling a little down in light of my still smoking failure.”
    “You know I live to be the wind beneath your wings,” she retorted.
    “Oh, I’m soaring. Where eagles fly.”
    “And mountain’s high?”
    “Something like that,” I sighed.
    Kenny grinned and waved the dart at me.
    Yeah, I see you. I smirked at him and waved back. Didn’t he know I was being shot at? He probably thought I deserved it. Maybe he was right. Then he was gone. He was getting faster.
    Miranda’s voice was sullen when she asked, “What do you want me to do?”
    I sighed again. Not much we could do. We weren’t supposed to be here, and what we were doing here wasn’t supposed to exist anymore. Leaning my head back against the tree, I thought about my options.
    “I guess I’ll have to wait him out. It’ll be dark in a couple of hours. Maybe I can shake him then.” Unless