19

"Forget it!" Rita St. Clair said. "I'm not doing it!"

Lynn Booker, holding her wounded arm, agreed. "Neither am I. It's stupid."

"It's not stupid," Bolan said patiently. "It's good sense. They're going to be on the lookout for us all through this state and Florida. Look at us. Traveling together we're not too hard to spot."

Rita shook her head. "Okay, then we split up and meet in Miami."

"No. You travel separately, each in a different direction. Except south. That's where they'll be looking for you."

They were parked by the side of the road with a map of Georgia spread out on the hood. The car was a blue Nova they'd hotwired and driven off a used car lot a couple of hours before. They'd switched plates at a roadside diner.

Shawnee looked up from the map at the two women. "Mack's right," she said sadly. "We have to split up for now. Rita can go up and visit her folks."

"Swell," Rita said bleakly.

"Lynn, you take off for San Francisco. Get lost in the Asian community."

The Oriental nodded.

"Let's get moving," Shawnee said, "we've got some plane tickets to buy. At different terminals, of course."

Rita, Lynn and Dodge Reed climbed back into the car. Bolan folded the map and looked at Shawnee. "Thanks for helping me convince them. I can do this better alone," he said.

Shawnee lowered her voice. "Like hell. You don't think I believed that crap, Mack? Sure, I think they should get to safety, but I'm still going with you."

"Uh-uh!" Bolan said.

"They won't be looking for a couple. It'll be an cinch to sneak by them."

"You don't believe that?"

She shrugged. "Maybe not, but I'm going along anyway."

Bolan realized there was no point in arguing. She would do what she wanted and short of knocking her out, he couldn't stop her. Part of him was pleased.

"What about me?" Dodge Reed asked as Bolan pulled the car back onto the highway.

Bolan patted the folded paper in his pocket.

"Is this page everything you can remember from the computer?"

"Yeah, I wrote it all down."

"You positive this is the right address?"

Reed hesitated. "I think so."

"Okay," Bolan said. "You better pick a state with a friendly climate, because that's where you're going until this is all over."

"I've got a girl in Atlanta. Can I at least call her, tell her I'm going'? Ask her to get my class assignments?"

Bolan laughed harshly.

"I wouldn't, Dodge. For the next few days anyway, school is definitely out."