Pressed between the trees, Tally felt naked. The Smokies had never fought this way before; they always ran away and hid when Specials showed up. Her Cutter training was all about tracking and capturing; no one had ever mentioned invisible attackers.

She glimpsed Shay's hot-yellow form slipping deeper into the Trails, moving farther away, leaving her alone.

"Boss?" she whispered. "Maybe we should call in some regular Specials."

"Forget it, Tally. Don't you dare embarrass me in front of Dr. Cable. Just stay where you are, and I'll swing around from the side. Maybe we can pull off a little ambush of our own."

"Okay. But how's that going to work? I mean, they're invisible and were not even—"

"Patience, Tally-wa. And a little quiet, please."

Tally sighed and forced her eyes closed, willing her heart to beat softer. She listened for the hum of drawn bowstrings.

A wavering pitch sounded not far behind her, a bow pulled taut, its arrow notched and ready to fly. Then another pitch joined in, and a third…but were they aimed at her? She counted a slow ten, waiting for the snap of a loosed arrow.

But no sound came.

She must be hidden here. But she'd counted five Smokies in all. If three had their bows drawn, where were the other two?

Then, even softer than Shay's calm and steady breathing, her ears caught the sound of footsteps moving through the pine needles. But they were too careful, too quiet for a city-born random. Only someone who'd grown up in the wild could move that softly.

David.

Tally stood slowly, sliding her back up the tree trunk, eyes opening.

The footsteps grew closer, coming up on her right. She eased herself sideways, keeping the trees' bulk between herself and the sound.

Daring a quick glance upward, Tally wondered if the branches were thick enough to shield her body heat from infrared optics. But there was no way she could climb without David hearing.