Page 137 of The Reluctant Hero

I fumble my phone, stop the recording, and start calling the guys one after another. I have to tell them about this. I have to!

Gabriel will know what to do. He’s always calm and cold. He can talk me through this.

That feeling of crushing doom hits me right in the lungs. I’m shaking so hard I drop the phone. I lean down to pick it up and feel a hot wind pass over my shoulder, followed by a loud boom of thunder. A kick of dirt sprays out of the little hill in front of me. I blink for a second and glance over my shoulder.

Two figures are approaching with guns drawn.

Did they just try toshootme?

My panic reaching overdrive, I snatch the phone up and start running. It’s difficult work with the sand shifting all around me. The wind picks up hard enough that I’m surrounded by dirt. It smacks me in the face, bringing my visibility down until I’m convinced I’m running in circles. I’m too scared to look over my shoulder and see if they’re behind me.

The wind cuts out, and suddenly, I can see. Right in front of me is the same driver from before. My eyes widen at the sight as I slam into the side of the vehicle and then manage to get the door open to fall in.

“Go!” I shriek wildly.

The guy takes one look at me and guns it, even with my feet hanging outside the open door. I curl up just in time for him to spin in a U-turn. Gravity takes over and slams the door shut for me.

“Jesus, lady! What happened?”

I’m sobbing on the seat, curled into a ball.

I have to think. I don’t have time to cry!

They had to have some kind of security system that went off, letting them know someone had broken in. Are there cameras? Would they work without electricity? Do they know it was me?

I keep dialing, but no one is picking up!

“Come on,come on!” I scream, ready to throw the damn phone out the window.

“Are you calling the cops?” He’s staring into the rearview mirror with wide eyes.

Cops? I freeze up.

I can’t call the police. Or a lawyer. Or a judge. Oh God. The enormity of what I just found hits me like a ton of bricks. Loser has been down there. And they’re all buddies working together like busy little ants.

“N-no. Just take me home, ok?” I beg him. “Please.”

“Ok. Ok,” he mutters. He goes back to concentrating on his driving, but his eyes keep flicking back to the rearview mirror as I desperately call over and over.

Where is South’s number? Or Shade’s? I thought I had them. Shade used my phone at one point. I try the call history and find nothing. I just want to reach somebody!

The driver squeals to a stop in the parking lot, and I throw some money at him as I run.

What if they saw it was me? What ifBlakesaw? He knows where I live.

The steps don’t matter anymore. I make it up them just fine.

I need to pack a bag. There has to be somewhere to go. I’ll grab some stuff and wait at the Matthias building. Or would they expect that? Blake knows I work there.Shit!

It isn’t until I’m in the doorway that I realize my door is hanging by one hinge, wide open. A single glance is all I need to turn around and run back the way I came.

My apartment is in shambles. The cabinets opened, and ramen packages spilled everywhere. Even the fridge door is open. The drawer full of photos is missing. My clothes are everywhere. I didn’t see much else, but I didn’t have to. Whoever did this knows, and I’m in deep shit.

I can’t go back to the Matthias building and hide out. I’ll have to wait for Harriette to open the doors. Eight o’clock. Can I make it until then?

I’m on the second-floor landing, ready to take another step when something shoves between my shoulder blades.

With my foot raised to take the first step and the phone in my hand I have no way to catch myself. I land on my belly hard enough to bruise and slide painfully. The sudden dazed confusion comes to a hard stop when my face smacks into the ground of the first floor.

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