The Naturals, #2
Killer Instinct
by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Contents
Chapter 45
Overview
Webber frees Cassie to hunt her, but she evades, wounds him with a rock, and survives a near execution by jumping from a tree. Agent Briggs tracks Cassie’s ankle beacon remotely and kills Webber, rescuing Cassie and securing Sterling. Dean arrives with Briggs, and Cassie and Dean finally choose each other.
Summary
Webber theatrically frees Cassie first, promising a two-minute head start. Cassie runs into dense woods, doubles back to mislead him, and climbs a tree to hide. When Webber tracks her trail and looks up, Cassie throws a rock that gashes his head. He raises his rifle; Cassie jumps from the tree, knocking him off balance.
Webber quickly overpowers Cassie and aims at her forehead, reciting his kill creed. A shot interrupts him—Agent Briggs arrives, and Webber collapses, dead. Briggs confirms Sterling is safe and checks Cassie’s injuries.
Briggs explains the rescue: although Sterling hadn’t activated Cassie’s ankle tracker, her meticulous paperwork let the FBI remotely activate the device. With the coordinates, Briggs’s team moved fast.
Dean emerges from the woods, having insisted on riding with Briggs after Sloane suggested the tracker. He confirms Cassie is alive and asks what happened. Cassie admits she hit Webber with a rock and leapt from the tree.
Relief and fear give way to clarity between them. Dean confesses he was wrong to doubt what he felt; Cassie chooses the moment. They kiss, alive and together as the immediate threat ends.
Who Appears
- Cassie HobbesProtagonist hunted by Webber; evades him, injures him with a rock, survives until Briggs’s rescue; chooses Dean.
- Anthony WebberCorrections officer and killer; releases Cassie to hunt her; is wounded, then shot dead by Briggs.
- Agent BriggsLeads the rescue; remotely activates Cassie’s ankle tracker; arrives in time and kills Webber.
- Agent Veronica SterlingHeld captive in the cabin; urges Cassie to fight; later confirmed safe after Briggs’s team intervenes.
- Dean ReddingArrives with Briggs after the tracker ping; comforts Cassie; they finally share a decisive kiss.