The sun rose higher in the sky and the trail sloped steadily upwards into the mountains. Everyone in the group was fit, but the FBI agents weren't accustomed to the altitude. The air had half as much oxygen as it did at sea level, which meant the FBI agents, who split almost all their time between Quantico and D.C., were working a lot harder than they were used to.

Sweating and huffing, Special Agent Perry trained her focus on the young married couple 10 paces in front of her. She didn't like how they kept conferring under their breath and conspicuously NOT looking back at her. They were scheming something.

"Agent Watson, find out what they're talking about," she said.

"Yes, ma'am," the junior agent said. She ran ahead and matched pace alongside Amber.

Derek and Amber immediately clamped up at the intrusion.

"I still have the vitamins," Watson said, her voice low, barely above a whisper. She opened her palm in front of her chest, hiding the movement from Perry, and showed them the bottle.

"So you do," Amber replied contritely.

"Special Agent Perry isn't going to let you have them, though. Once she finds the meteorite, she's going to arrest both of you and run a bunch of tests on you, Derek. You'll be a lab rat for the rest of his life."

Derek and Amber looked at each other. "Why are you telling us this?" she asked.

"Let's just say I have a divided loyalty."

Derek scoffed, "You on the Russian payroll?"

"The Russians can't afford me," she said with a sly smile.

Amber was stone-faced. "You expect us to trust you?"

"I expect you to seize this chance. I can't give you these without blowing my cover. When I give you the signal, take them from me and push me to the ground. Then run for it."

"She's lying. Don't do it, Amber," Derek said.

She looked at him. She felt Perry's eyes boring into her. "Maybe this is how we get our hands on those vitamins."

"How do we know she didn't switch the bottle? How do we know they haven't been lying about the vitamins all along?"

"You know they're the real deal because of the lengths I'm going through to give them to you," Watson said evenly. She looked at Amber. "Do this for your husband."

That clinched it. "Okay."

"Em—"

"Shut up, Derek. This is my decision."

Derek found himself accepting Amber's diktat without protest. As he lost stature, his opinion mattered less and less.

They were getting close. They left the trail and headed up the slope. Watson fell back in line with Perry and Chandler as the group tightened up in the close quarters of the backcountry.

They heard a chipping sound, like a hatchet being struck on metal. Derek saw movement through the trees. Matt? he thought. He looked at Amber, then the park ranger. They hadn't seen. He kept his mouth shut.

The group rounded a thicket and the meteorite appeared 50 yards upslope. Matt and his friend were standing on top of the massive, purple rock.

"Hey!" Perry yelled.

The college juniors looked up, then dropped down the other side of the meteorite and tore ass up the mountain.

"Fuck. Watson, Chandler get after those boys!"

Watson put the pull bottle in Amber's hand. "NOW," she hissed.

Amber didn't hold back. She pushed Watson as hard as she could. She flew 10 feet downslope and tumbled to a stop in some tall grass.

Perry grabbed Amber's wrist. "Gimme that!"

Derek saw his young wife being abused by the FBI agent and lost it. He kicked Perry hard in the shin and swept his leg underneath her.

"Ow!" She fell, the back of her head striking a small stone.

Derek and Amber started moving. Only Chandler stood in their way. The park ranger stood off to the side. She didn't sign up for this.

Amber high-stepped through the brush past Chandler, whose outstretched arm missed grabbing her by the hair by inches. While she was off-balance, Derek ran straight at her and dropkicked her in the chest. She collapsed in a heap.

They were home free. Amber didn't stop until she reached the trail. Derek caught up to her less than a minute later and ran right past her.

They didn't take a break for 2 miles.