BRIAN

The drive back to our territory felt completely different from the fast run we made a few days ago. The sky was clear, and the morning sun warmed up the black leather seats of the SUV as we drove down the mountain highway.

Daisy sat in the passenger seat, wearing a clean cream-colored sweater and dark blue jeans. Her hair was pulled back with a plastic clip, and her face had a healthy color. She rolled her window down two inches, letting the wind blow into the car.

I kept my left hand on the steering wheel and reached across the center console with my right hand, holding her...