Chapter 15 #2
Alex’s heart thudded hard against his ribs as he spun to find the man striding toward him. “Raven.”
His voice broke a little, and he struggled to infuse it with more strength by clearing his throat.
“There’s something we need to discuss,” Raven answered.
“What is it?” Alex asked.
“Not here. We’ll take my van–”
“Uhh, no. I’m not…cool with that at all, my feathered friend. I really would prefer that I don’t go anywhere with you.” Alex backed a few steps away. “Also, please don’t spray one of those canisters of knock-out juice into my face.”
Raven heaved a sigh before he stretched his arms to the side. “I’m not going to hurt you, but you need to come with me.”
Alex arched an eyebrow. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“I’m not giving you a choice. We need–”
“Freeze! Nobody move!” a voice boomed from behind Alex.
He instinctively raised his arms as he froze.
Raven snapped his gaze over Alex’s shoulder before he started to back away. “One thirty-seven Mountain View Road.”
After those words, he spun on his heel and raced away from Alex down the beach.
“What?” Alex asked as two men darted past him, guns drawn as they raced past him. One of them fired before continuing the chase. Alex started after them, noting the reflective letters FBI on the back of their jackets.
FBI was after Raven? Did he have something to do with Ava’s death?
And what was with the weird address he’d rattled off?
Alex shoved his hands back in his pockets as he shuffled toward the parking lot of the old resort, planning to walk back on the street.
The last words rattled through his mind, and he wondered if it was some sort of trap.
He tugged his phone from his pocket and input the location into his map. The location was in the middle of nowhere. Why would Raven tell him to go there?
His sneakers slapped the pavement as he walked home, trying to push the situation from his mind. But Raven’s cryptic words gnawed at him, stirring a mix of dread and desperate hope. What if this was some sick game, another twisted manipulation? He shuddered at the thought.
Yet a tiny, rebellious flicker of hope whispered: What if this led to answers?
He clenched his fists, wrestling with the fear of being deceived and the fear of knowing.
He turned into his driveway, his stomach rolling as he considered heading back into the house. A house that was now too quiet without Ava.
He hesitated before he pulled his phone from his pocket and glanced at the map. What would he find if he went to that address?
There was only one way to find out. He eased the front door open, peering inside to make sure he was alone. Slipping in, he grabbed his keys and silently stepped out of the foyer.
Climbing into his car, he sat behind the wheel, hesitating. Why was he going to this address? What did he expect to find?
His fingers clamped onto the door handle, intending to return to the house when he shook his head. He fired the engine and pulled down the driveway.
In seconds, he was on the road, heading for the address Raven had given him moments before he raced away from the agents tracking him.
With each passing mile that he drove, his trepidation grew. What was he doing? Why had he made the choice to drive out here?
Over an hour later, he turned onto a narrow, gravel road, the tires crunching loudly in the oppressive silence.
The forest around him grew denser, the trees closing in like dark sentinels.
The only light came from the car's headlights, casting eerie shadows that danced across the gnarled trunks.
The road was rough, jostling him in his seat as he navigated the winding path.
An uneasy feeling settled in his gut, growing with each mile as the canopy above thickened, blocking out the last rays of the setting sun.
The air felt heavy, charged with an eerie stillness that only heightened his anxiety.
This was getting creepy. He was relieved he hadn’t come here with Raven; that would’ve made things even more uncomfortable.
The trees thinned out and a cabin appeared in front of him. A few lights glowed from within, making him worried someone was here.
He slowed the car to a stop, keeping some distance between the cabin and himself as he stared at it before he killed his engine.
The front door opened slightly, and his heart hammered against his ribs. Someone was in the cabin. But who?
Why would Raven send him to this place?
The front door creaked open, revealing a shadowy figure that hesitated on the porch.
Alex's heart raced, each beat thudding painfully in his chest as the figure moved slowly down the steps. The figure stepped into the pale moonlight, and Alex’s breath caught in his throat.
He blinked, certain his eyes were playing tricks on him. It couldn't be...
His vision blurred with tears as the impossible became real. The world seemed to tilt, and for a dizzying moment, he thought he might faint. But there she was, unmistakably her, as if she had stepped out of his deepest, most desperate dreams.
“Ava?” His voice cracked, barely more than a whisper, disbelieving and raw. He remained frozen, every nerve in his body screaming to move, to reach out and touch her, to confirm that she was truly there. The weight of the world lifted, leaving him light-headed and weak with shock.