Chapter 17 Jo
seventeen
Jo
The fresh air fills my lungs as we step through the broken door at the back of the abandoned ward. The sky is dark, the moon is high, and it’s a perfect time for an escape. There’s no time for dilly-dallying though, seeing as we have no idea if Whitmore ratted us out or not.
If he goes to the authorities, they’ll no doubt believe whatever story he’s told them. Or, if Brooks was right, and this goes up so much higher than we thought, then we have high-powered individuals who would do a lot to see us silenced.
So we slip through the hole in the fence, and then we’re running, my lungs burning with exertion as we tread along the fence that separates the facility from the woods.
Turnip squeaks at my jostling, and I wince.
“Sorry, girl,” I mutter, knowing the faster we get there, the faster the shaking will stop.
Declan keeps in stride next to me. “When we get to the vans, I have a secure phone for you guys. Mine and the guys’ numbers are the only ones programmed into it. We’re also the only ones who have the number.”
“Got it.” We make it to the other side of the building where the fights are held and head for the parking lot, where two passenger vans wait.
“Let’s get the fuck out of here!” Rory calls out, half-hanging out of the passenger side. His eyes go to Mabel, still in Dec’s arms. “Holy shit, you found her?”
“Where’s Brooks?” Declan demands. “I don’t want him anywhere near her.”
My brows shoot up, and Hayden and I exchange a look.
“Bound and gagged in the back like a trussed-up pig,” Rory grins, shooting me a wink. “You good, Jelly-Bean?”
I nod as Nolan and Aidan wrap me in quick hugs, ruffling my hair as they go. Surprisingly, none of my guys make a peep. Maybe now that they’ve got a glimpse of Mabel, they have a better understanding of mine and Pack Gallagher’s dynamic.
I nod as Declan places my sister across the middle seat of the passenger van. He steps back, his hands on his hips. “Nolan, get your ass over here. Find a pillow or something.”
Aidan sits in the very back with Fuzzy and Helaena, his laptop on his lap, and Nolan slides into the seat Mabel is laying on, using one of those travel pillows to prop her head up against him.
Something inside me settles at the sight. Mabel will be in good hands. Besides me, nobody will treat her better than they will.
Declan steps in front of me, blocking my view of Mabel and pressing a phone into my hand.
“Here’s that phone I was telling you about.
” Then he hands a set of keys to Sam. “The GPS is pre-loaded with the location of the first safe-house, and the back of the van is full of more duffel bags with everything you’ll need.
Go straight there. I’ll reach out when it’s time to move.
We have contacts that can inform us when they start to catch on to your trail. ”
“Thanks, Dec.” My throat is dry as I swallow and nod.
“Are you taking Turnip with you?” Declan asks, motioning to my pocket.
His nonchalance catches me off guard, and I find myself narrowing my eyes at him. “You don’t seem surprised that I suddenly have a rat-companion.”
“Because I’m the one who sent her to you, Princess.” He chuckles, shaking his head. “Her collar has a microphone. I found someone who trains rats, and figured it would come in handy. Don’t worry, from now on, the mic will be disabled. More for my sake than for yours..”
I unbutton my pocket, scooping my girl out and holding her to my face. “This whole time, it was a lie!” She chitters defiantly, and I laugh, feeling lighter than air. “I’m just pullin’ your tail, Turnip. How about—”
Out of nowhere, the sound of roaring engines fills the area, followed by the quick spray of gunfire, making my ears ring.
Time slows.
“Fuck!” Sam shouts, tackling me to the ground and shielding me with his body.
The impact forces my hands open. “Turnip!” I cry out as she flies from my grip, landing on the hard gravel. A little squeak leaves her, and my pulse thumps in my ears.
“Everybody move!” Declan roars, and before I can grab Turnip I’m being hoisted over a shoulder again.
I see a flash of Nolan covering Mabel’s body with his own in the backseat, as well as Kole, who’s miraculously obtained an AK-47, taking cover behind our van.
Two blacked out SUVs have parked behind the row of cars across from us and are open-firing.
Sam passes me to Hayden, who wraps his arms around my waist.
West waits by the door, ready to climb in after us.
“Wait!” A scream tears from my throat as I watch Turnip scurry across the pavement. I try to pull from Hayden’s grip.
I need to get to her.
I can’t leave her here.
“You’re not bullet-proof, Jo!” Hayden snaps, a hardness in his voice I’ve never heard before. I can’t care. Turnip needs me. The sound of the bullets has her freaking out and running around almost in circles, too confused to make a getaway.
What will happen to her if she gets lost? What if a stray bullet catches her?
I can’t fail her like I failed Mabel.
“We need to go!” Sam is in the front seat, panic lining his voice, but I can hardly hear him over the roaring in my ears.
She needs me. I’m all she has. “Turnip!” I screech, scratching at Hayden’s arms, but he holds fast.
“Gods-fucking-dammit, Jo!” He yanks us backward as hard as he can.
West, who had been about to slide the door closed on us, gets a sudden look of determination on his face as he turns on a dime, and sprints away from the van. “Keep them busy, Kole!” He shouts as he sprints, his trajectory heading straight for Turnip.
My heart drops into my stomach.
Wait.
No.
That’s not what I wanted.
“Dammit!” Sam shouts, banging his fist against the steering wheel. “I swear to fuck, if he gets himself killed…”
“West! Get your ass back here!” If I could alpha bark, I would do it at this very moment, violating boundaries be damned. “Now both of you are in danger!”
“What did you expect, Fireball?” Hayden asks, his hold relaxing slightly as I stop fighting him.
A little bit of relief fills me as I watch my beta catch up with Turnip and scoop her up.
He shrugs off his zip-up hoodie that was over his kevlar as he runs back, wrapping her up in it so the sound of the gunfire is muffled. “We would do anything for you.”
“Includin’ restrain me,” I say bitterly, angry that West put himself in harm’s way for me.
“Jo, what have I told you?” Hayden sighs, rubbing my arms. “There's only one time I won't submit to you, and that's when it'll put you in imminent danger. Besides, at least he has a bulletproof vest on still. You have nothing.”
Right. I suppose running directly into a hailstorm of bullets unprotected would classify as “putting myself in imminent danger”.
West finally gets back, climbing into the backseat and shutting the door. Kole slips into the passenger seat. “Let’s get the fuck out of here!”
He didn’t need to say it though, because as soon as his butt was on the passenger seat, Sam was stepping on the gas.
“Turnip!” I cry out in relief, taking the bundle of West’s hoodie from him.
“Buckle up! They’re following us!” Sam shouts, pulling onto the two-lane road that leads out of the parking lot and through the forest.
I press a kiss to Turnip’s little head before letting her climb into the back row of seats, and put on my buckle. “Thank you,” I say quietly to West, deciding that I can yell at him later.
He nods tightly, pulling on his own seatbelt.
I’m wedged between Hayden and West, the van jostling as we go way over the speed limit. I turn around to see a blacked out SUV behind us, two guys leaning out of the windows as they try to shoot out our tires.
“Shit, they’re shootin’ at us still!”
“Fuck, I know,” Sam snaps, jerking the wheel back and forth slightly.
“This is bad,” West mutters, his expression full of worry.
“How are we going to lose them?” Kole asks, unnervingly calm. “Do we have a rocket launcher?”
“I don’t know!” Sam shouts, and curses as a bullet hits his side view mirror. “Do I look like I have a rocket launcher hanging out of my ass right now?”
“There is no need to get testy.” Kole clicks his tongue, seemingly unbothered by this whole scenario. “I was just thinking that a rocket launcher would take care of the problem.”
I turn in my seat again, checking the back row—just in case.
Declan has been known to get…creative in how he stocks his vehicles.
Six duffel bags, West’s jacket, and Turnip’s head poking out of the fabric.
“No rocket launcher, Sugar Bear—” My eyes catch on our tail through the rear window.
Right behind them is Declan, and based on the way they’re swerving, they’re being chased too.
“Even if we did, it’s a no-go. Dec and Mabel are behind our pursuers, and they’ve got their own shadow.
Even if we lose ours, we’ll still have to worry about Dec. ”
Sam curses under his breath.
“I’m gonna throw up,” Hayden mutters, his hand tightening on my knee. He does look a little green.
There’s nothing but trees surrounding us, and based on the map Declan had me study, in about three miles we should hit a fork in the road. We have three cars following us, on a two-lane road, but only care about losing the one directly behind ours, and the one at the very back.
Why does this feel like the kind of word problem I always got wrong in math class?
Lucky for all of us, I’ve studied a hell of a lot since then. “Speed up, Sammy,” I lean forward, pointing at the GPS screen. “Kole, zoom out on that map for me.”
Another bullet hits us as Kole presses the screen.
“You see that fork in the road comin’ up?
” I ask, pointing to the top right of the display.
“Act like you’re gonna take it right, then swerve left and hit the brakes.
There’s another split two miles down. By the time they turn around, we’ll have lost ‘em. If we’re lucky, they’ll hit the lake since it’s dark.
Dec’s car and their shadow will go past us as well, which will leave us free to take out the tail. ”
Sam meets my eyes in the mirror. “You sure about this?”
I nod, my jaw set. “I’ve memorized the map of the surroundin’ area. I’m sure.”
Sam nods once, and then we’re a mile away.
“Ready?” he asks, pushing the gas so our assailants have to go faster to catch up.
Both West and Hayden put their arms out in front of me.
The split is right in front of us, and Sam turns the wheel slightly so it looks like we’re going to turn right, but at the last second swerves the other way, going into the passing lane, and stomps on the brakes as hard as he can.
I can’t help but laugh as the blacked out SUV whizzes past us, even when the squeal of tires is so loud it hurts my ears, and I’m sure I’m gonna have a bruise from the seatbelt.
“And we’re off!” Sam whoops as Declan and the other blacked out SUV pass us on the right, and we pull out behind them, gaining speed quickly.
“Let us see if we can help your brother out, no?” Kole rolls down his window and leans out, aiming for the tires of the car chasing Declan.
The SUV starts swerving, but it doesn’t do any good.
Kole takes out two of their tires quickly, and they lose control, the car crashing into the forest and smashing against a tree.
Armed men in all black pour out of the car and try to shoot us out from behind, but then we’re gone. We’re tense until we’re past the second fork in the road, Sam following the directions on the GPS, and then slowly, we relax.
“Looks like we lost them,” Sam says finally, and all the tension in my shoulder leaks out.
“Who do you think they were?” Hayden asks, speaking up for the first time since he announced he might be sick.
“They definitely weren’t FBI or any government authority,” Sam answers, meeting our eyes in the rear-view mirror. “If I had to guess, I’d say that Whitmore went to whoever funds him, and they sent their own guys. It looks like he’ll want to keep this under wraps after all.”
A yawn leaves me, and suddenly I’m feeling all sorts of weird. My body is heavy, my thoughts fuzzy, and it feels so good to just rest my head on this strong shoulder…
“...adrenaline crash…” Is that West’s voice?
“No proper nutrition…” Maybe it was Sam.
All I know is that for the first time in a year, I feel safe enough to slip into a blissful sleep.