South side

"Suite yourself." Ryder holds the door open for Katie. "Watch the seatbelt - it likes to catch."

Carson winds up in the backseat with Katie, letting Jason take the passenger seat beside Ryder.

Once out of the heavy traffic around the airport, Ryder tilts his hat back on his head and drives at a relaxed speed. He glances at Katie in the rearview mirror. "We got about two hours."

Carson stares out his window, surprisingly quiet. The scenery looked so familiar, yet so foreign. It hadn't been all that long since he'd been to Australia. But it had been a blur, living in a fog while thinking Misty was dead. He didn't really consider that time at all, part of when he spent here. No... what he remembered was years before that, when this was his life... when he'd called this territory his home.

Ryder breaks the silence. "We're going to be roughing it for a couple days. There's been a bit of activity around the location we're going to be heading to, so laying low is the best option at this point." His tone has become a little more sober as he gets down to business. "I work for a private tourist agency on a regular basis. This keeps my income up and is the perfect cover, while I work for TJY on the side. That's why it's worked so well for me to pick you guys up. We'll be staying at a cabin where we've had folks before who want to get a taste of Australia, but not so much as sleeping under the stars."

He chuckles. "We've had some doozies. I'm just glad to get some people here who have a purpose other than to gawk. Reese said he was sending the best."

The drive takes about as long as Ryder had said it would, and by the time the foursome reaches the cabin, stomaches are growling. They seemed to be out in the middle of nowhere. They'd driven half an hour on a dirt road to get here, and there were no other buildings in sight. Just trees and wildlife.

Parking near the cabin, Ryder slides out. "Come on in, the place is empty. We'll scrounge up something to eat too. Later on we can discuss a gameplan, but trust me when I say we've got time at this point. It's too dangerous to make a move right now."

Getting inside, bags are put away and soon sandwiches and water are on the table. A small air conditioner made the indoor temperature and humidity bearable, though it was still warm.

"So..." Ryder takes a sip of water as they sit around the table. "Carson, you know where the base is then?"

"I could probably get there if I looked at a map first." Carson nods and swallows a bite of sandwich. "How'd you get tangled up in this?"

"Oh, I've been feeding TJY for a few years." Something in Ryder's tone had suddenly shifted, almost to make one wonder if he was telling all.

Jason picks up on it.

Interesting. I wonder what's up there. I hope he really is on our side.

"How's security?" Carson questions.

"Tight."

"And the lab?"

"It's on the south side now."