The Soul Stealer. Alex Archer

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      G REGOR NUDGED Annja awake just as the first tendrils of dawn crept over the horizon. Annja blinked her eyes a few times and then crawled out of the lean-to.

      “Good morning.” Bob handed her a cup of coffee and Annja drank it down, feeling the hot liquid warm her insides. Gregor accepted a cup, as well, and seemed to gulp it down.

      Annja looked around the campsite. “You’ve been busy.”

      Most of the lean-to had been dismantled except for the portion covering the sleeping area. The fire had also been doused and the ashes scattered across the blanket of snow.

      “Well, Gregor was kind enough to make it. I figured the least I could do was break it down.”

      “We can go now,” Gregor said. “That is good.”

      Bob tore down the remaining bit of structure of the lean-to and threw the branches into the woods. Gregor got his bike and started pushing it up the hill, back toward the road.

      Annja felt stronger and her head was clear. She got her bike and pushed it up the hill, feeling the strain in her legs as she did so. But it felt good to be exerting herself again.

      They crested the mountain and got back onto the pockmarked road. Bob turned to Annja with a grin. “How about I bring up the rear this time? That way, if any more trucks come looking for someone to smoosh, they can have me.”

      “Wise guy,” Annja remarked.

      He smiled. “Just thought I’d offer.”

      Gregor slid onto his bike. “I will go ahead. Make sure the road is clear.”

      He pedaled off and Annja got on her own bike. “He’s very serious this morning.”

      Bob nodded. “He was awake before you.”

      “Big surprise.”

      “We talked about last night. Gregor is of the belief that we will find trouble in Yakutsk. He is worried about you.”

      “I can watch after myself, thanks,” Annja said with a smile. “Any head wounds notwithstanding.”

      “Oh, sure,” Bob said. “We should get going. If Gregor’s concerned, he’ll pedal like the devil himself was after him.”

      Annja pushed off and found the going much easier. For several hours the road wound its way farther up the mountain, but then started to descend at a gradual pace.

      About a half mile ahead, she could see Gregor working his way down the road. Nothing seemed to faze him. His legs worked easily and he kept glancing around the sides of the road.

      Annja looked behind her and saw Bob just about to start the descent. He waved once and then leaned forward, anticipating that rush of downhill speed that all cyclists enjoy once they’ve finished a hard climb.

      The descent took the better part of an hour, but at the end, the road evened out. They were in a heavily forested area, with tall pines and scraggly birch trunks dotting the landscape. Giant boulders thrown up from the depths of the earth bordered the road as they pedaled on. But Annja saw little to denote civilization.

      Bob rode up next to her. “This part of the country is remote. Even though we’re still reasonably close to Magadan, it’s like another planet out here. Weird, huh?”

      “It doesn’t feel cozy—that’s for sure,” Annja said.

      “And those woods seem anything but friendly. Even the trees seem to be leaning in on us.”

      “It is kind of claustrophobic, isn’t it?” Bob asked.

      “Just a bit.”

      “Gregor’s stopped his bike.”

      Annja looked ahead. Sure enough, a quarter of a mile away, Gregor had stopped. They rode up and he spoke. “We are close.”

      Bob looked and smiled. “There.”

      Annja followed his gaze and saw the first indications of civilization she’d seen since they left Magadan. “Not exactly a bustling city, is it?”

      Gregor shook his head. “Yakutsk is small. Just a few hundred people live there. But they are good souls.” He handed out some energy bars.

      “You’ve been there before?” Annja asked while eating.

      Gregor shrugged. “I was attached to a military unit that operated in this area once. A long time ago.”

      “Any friends still left in these parts?” she asked.

      “Everyone is friendly, once they get to know you. This part of my country is remote. Strangers are not a usual thing to see, so the people living here are somewhat suspicious. But having me with you is okay. They will be glad to meet you when they see me.”

      Bob nudged Annja. “Gregor’s like a VIP ticket to any club back in the Big Apple.”