Cut and Run 2 - Sticks and Stones

muttered, still fussing with the dirt on his face. “Either we walked through a time warp, they have no idea where the fuck they are, or they were banking on scaring anyone lost and eavesdropping.”
    “I vote time warp,” Deuce said thoughtfully.
    “Would make the retelling more interesting at the water cooler,” Ty agreed in all seriousness.
    Earl was rubbing at the bridge of his nose as he listened. “What’s your point, son?” he asked finally.
    “I’m just saying, they might’ve known I was there,” Ty answered.
    “Don’t you think they’d have just shot you instead of playing mind games?” Earl countered.
    Ty remained conspicuously quiet, his head down and staring at the ground devotedly. Zane felt his chest tighten as he looked at his partner. He’d never seen Ty back down from an argument when he thought he had a case to make. Anger bloomed again in Zane’s chest and he turned on Earl to speak, but the older man beat him to it.
    “We need to track them down,” Earl decided. “Shut down whatever they got going and deliver them to the rangers to take care of.”
    “Is that all?” Ty asked drolly.
    “Dad,” Deuce started uncertainly.
    “I will not have people gettin’ killed in these mountains!” Earl snapped stubbornly. Deuce and Ty both looked at him oddly, obviously surprised by the vehemence. “Those men think they’re safe up here, not being careful,” Earl went on. “All the noise they was making, they’re not trying to hide sign.”
    Ty looked at him doubtfully but remained silent, refraining from reiterating his opinion from a few moments ago.
    “If they’re setting more traps like this around, we may be the ones getting killed,” Zane argued.
    “Son, if you want to head on back and bring in the cavalry, you do it,” Earl said with a look at Zane. His voice was calm and cold, and it raised Zane’s hackles. “That goes for you too,” Earl said as he gestured at Ty and Deuce. “But the next goddamn word I hear that ain’t helpful is gonna be met with violence, that clear?”
    Deuce didn’t even look up; Ty was watching Earl calmly. Zane stared at Ty, gritting his teeth, waiting on his decision. This was a truly shitty situation, but he would not leave Ty behind. Ty glanced at him and met Zane’s eyes for a moment. Zane had always detected a spark of enjoyment in Ty’s eyes before, even in the most dangerous of situations. That spark was gone now, replaced by something more sedate and sad. Resigned. Ty sighed and looked back at Earl. “If we’re going to follow them, we need to get going,” he suggested softly. “Trail’s getting cold.”
    Earl continued to fix a glare on Zane for a moment longer before he turned and nodded at Ty. He handed him a clean handkerchief as he passed by him. Ty took it and looked down at it with a mumbled, “Thank you, sir.” He used it to wipe at his face as he turned and followed his father back toward the small clearing.
    Zane clasped both hands behind his neck and just watched him go. He’d never seen Ty behave this way, as if someone had just taken all the spirit and fight in him and crushed it to dust. It was acutely painful to see, especially after seeing him so relaxed and carefree just a few hours ago.
    Deuce stopped next to him, and they watched the other two move off. “He’s not usually like this,” he told Zane in a whisper.
    “No. He’s not,” Zane agreed, fully aware that Deuce was talking about Earl and that he wasn’t.
    Deuce glanced sideways at him. “Can you blame him?” he asked finally.
    Zane sighed, dropping his arms and watching the rigid line of Ty’s shoulders as his partner walked away. How could Earl not see the pain coming off Ty in waves? “No,” he said quietly. “I can’t.”
    Deuce shook his head and started through the thick foliage, muttering to himself as he went. After another silent curse, Zane followed.

    W ITH Ty on point, following the trail through the dense woods, they were making excellent time. Earl watched Ty’s back as he moved, the set of his shoulders, the somewhat jerky movements. Every time Ty glanced over his shoulder to make certain they were still on his six, Earl felt a pang of guilt. He knew what he’d said had been inexcusable and unnecessary and patently false. Ty was anything but a coward. Now, though, was not the time to apologize. It would keep until the danger had passed, he told himself.
    Zane Garrett was getting on his bad side, though. The boy just