57. A Final Adventure
57
A Final Adventure
Matt
We made it to the airstrip just in time.
While the jet that was waiting for us appeared luxurious, the staff on board was less than congenial. Which under normal circumstances may be alarming, but at this point, for us, we didn’t bat an eye in response.
They insisted we keep the shutters drawn the entire flight. And I'm relatively certain that while it felt like the longest flight of my entire fucking life, they spent considerable time flying in circles just to throw us off.
And then, just to add insult to injury, we land in a field in the middle of fucking nowhere.
But at least it’s daylight.
We stand there, watching the jet fly off, and I shake my head, annoyed that I let myself be talked into this. “I swear to fucking Christ, Declan. If this is one big trap and we all die in the middle of fucking nowhere, I'm going to haunt you for the rest of your life.”
“How can you haunt me if I'm dead?”
I glare at him, poking my finger into his chest as I grit out, “Believe me, I will find a fucking way.”
Tony huffs out a breath, his arms crossing over his chest. “So, do you think we literally just got left in the middle of nowhere on purpose?”
“Who fucking knows?” I retort grumpily. “For all we know, the girls got sick of our moping around and came up with this giant ruse just to fuck with us.”
Tony's eyes widen, and Declan barks out a laugh. “Oh, shit. That's highly possible.”
Tony's lip curls, his hands dropping to his sides. ”Carolina likes the box, but I don't know if she likes it so much that she would pull this kind of stunt.”
Declan gives Tony some side eye and shakes his head. “Issa doesn't care for the cage, so if this is true, I can't believe she had anything to do with it.”
I sigh, rubbing my hands over my face tiredly. “Jessica is highly capable, and I have no doubt in my mind that if she thought the three of us needed a little lesson, she would do it.”
Realization settles over all of us, and Tony groans. “Well, aren't we a bunch of fucking daisies?”
“So, do we just wait here? Do you think they're going to come?”
I shake my head, kicking the dirt as if it's going to help. “Not a fucking chance. They won't come for us until we learn some fucking lesson we didn't even know about.”
“What lesson do we need to learn at this point?”
“I don't fucking know. But it's in our best interest if we find some sort of path and follow it.”
Declan snorts. “So, you think there's some yellow brick road around here or something?”
“No way,” Tony sneers. “It would be some bougie color like toasted-teal or crispy-caramel.”
Declan jumps toward Tony, slapping his hand over his mouth. “You just shut the fuck up. They're going to hear you, and then we're really going to be in deep shit.”
Tony grips him by his wrist, ripping his hand away as he steps away from him. “Hear us how? There's nobody fucking here.”
I glance around suspiciously, looking for any indication that we may be being watched. “I'm with Dec on this one. I don't know how, but they would know.”
Tony frowns and then groans. “Fucking women.”
Declan shushes him again, and Tony rolls his eyes and then walks away. “Well, let's get fucking looking, then. The sooner we find something, maybe the sooner we get the hell out of here.”
We spread out, keeping a few feet between us to expand our reach for clues. Declan is on Tony's far side when he suddenly stops. “What in the actual fuck?”
Tony and I walk over to see what he's talking about, then I frown and laugh. “What is that?”
Declan kneels, examining what appears to be a polyurethane slab. Tony and I kneel next to him, and I brace my hands on the ground, bringing my face closer, as I whisper, “Are those actual breadcrumbs?”
“I think they are.”
“How fucking peculiar.”
I get to my feet, stepping to the end of the slab and peering down at it lengthwise. “Oh, you guys gotta check this out.”
They both join me, staring incredulously, and after a moment, Tony mutters, “It's a fucking arrow.”
“An arrow pointing in the opposite direction in which we were going.”
“Do you think this is for the pilot?”
Tony glares at Declan. “And how would the fucking pilot see this from the air?”
Declan shrugs. “I don't fucking know. Maybe it’s illuminated. Maybe you can see this super special product from space.”
“Are you listening to yourself, man?”
Declan sighs. “I'm just drawing straws like the rest of you, all right?”
I don't bother responding; instead, I turn tail, heading in the opposite direction. They quickly follow along, and we spread out once again in the hopes we won't miss another clue.
Sure enough, at the far end of the runway, hidden in the shadows, is a rather fancy golf cart with the keys in it.
I eye it suspiciously and then turn to Declan and Tony who are giving it the same suspicious look. “But where do we take it?”
We ignore the golf cart for now, each of us scurrying off, hoping to find a clear answer on where we're going.
It takes a bit of time, but eventually, Tony yells, “Think I got something.”
Declan and I run over there, and at first, it appears as if he's standing in front of just another line of trees and underbrush. But then he steps back, pulling a few branches with him, and clear as day, there's a path. “It's not color-coded, but I think it'll do.”
Declan takes off toward the golf cart while Tony and I stand here and wait. I don't know about Tony, but there's no fucking way I'm turning my back on this newfound path for fear it will vanish into thin air.
It doesn't take long for Declan to drive the cart back to us, and he immediately vacates the driver's seat, sitting in the back bench seat, giving us an impatient look.
Tony gets behind the wheel, and I maneuver the tree branches out his way and then take shotgun, bracing myself for what I know will be a wild ride because Tony drives a golf cart like he drives any vehicle—as if he has nine lives and hasn't already used up eight of them.
I hold on for my life, but Declan sits in the back, allowing himself to slide back and forth and be jostled around haphazardly.
We come to a steep incline. Tony slows considerably, and about halfway up the hill, Declan exclaims, “There's a fucking cooler back here.”
I twist around, frowning at his statement, but sure enough, he starts pulling beverages from beneath the seat. He hands me a bottle of water, which is so cold that it immediately starts to sweat, and my incredible thirst squashes any hesitation I have about drinking this magical cold water.
Tony also grabs a bottle, immediately cracking it open and holding it in the air. “Fuck it.”
If nothing else, I don't believe the girls would be intent on poisoning us at this point in the game, but there's always that tiny sliver of not really understanding what's happening that has me swallowing it with a cringe.
The three of us finish the water and then relax some when we hit the crest of the hill with no ill effects. We follow the winding path along a flat area, circling a large rock embankment, which is obviously in the middle of a landscaping project.
Tony stops the cart so abruptly that I'm thrown forward, barely managing to put my hands out in front of me to prevent my face from colliding with the dash.
“What the fuck, Tony?” I sputter.
He doesn't reply, and I glance over him to see him staring wide-eyed straight ahead. Slowly, I turn my head to see what the fuck the problem is, only to be met with what looks like a giant construction project.
There's a finished building farther back in the corner, moderate in size compared to what some of us are used to but certainly big enough for the pickiest person to be happy with.
There are other large buildings scattered across the property, each at a different stage of construction.
After another moment, Tony starts the cart and heads to the finished building. Tony's speed is much slower than it had been previously, allowing us to take in some of the surroundings, and that's when I notice something along the perimeter, which I point out as I ask, “Do you see that?”
Tony and Declan turn in the direction I'm pointing, and Tony nods. “Perimeter fencing. Big time, too, if that barbed wire is any indication.”
“Do you think it's a cult?” Declan asks quietly.
I shake my head, my hands coming up in front of me helplessly. “I have no fucking clue, but this seems a stretch, coming from three women who have basically spent every waking minute with us.”
Once Tony stops the cart directly in front of the finished building, I hesitate to move. Tony and Declan have no such hesitation, and they both leap from the cart, running halfway up the stairs before Tony turns and gives me a dirty look, motioning for me to hurry.
Begrudgingly, I remove myself from the cart, trotting over and catching up with them just as they hit the door.
Tony grasps the two large handles and pulls them back. “Watch out.”
Declan and I step back, allowing him room to open the doors fully, and then the three of us stand there, staring into a large room that is obviously a centerpiece of the building. The entire back wall is glass windows, and the large room sparkles with natural sunlight.
Large sliding doors open out into the back, and the three of us walk there, standing in the open doorway, staring off into the impeccably landscaped backyard.
Movement in the distance catches my eye, and a man appears on the horizon, walking toward us, but I don't recognize him from here. I elbow Tony, motioning in that direction, and he looks over there, at first squinting and then frowning. “Is that Ryan Gray?”
I cock my head, the name being kind of familiar, but at first, not placing it. Then it dawns on me that Ryan Gray was the man who treated Carolina way back in California when she was injured.
Unease bubbles up inside me, and I feel that sharp pain where grief and hope collide.
I take off down the stairs, booking it up the hill, not quite running but on the verge. Ryan doesn't slow when he sees me; he just keeps on walking at the same slow pace, but then he stops, turning and looking behind him as he speaks to someone still on the other side of the hill.
Slowly, a seemingly familiar head appears in my line of vision but then, just as quickly, dips down out of sight. Two loud gasps behind me tell me I wasn't seeing things, that it wasn't a mirage or a figment of my imagination.
I take off at a sprint, not even realizing the sheer distance between us and them. Sure enough, after a few feet, that figment takes shape, and I stop so abruptly that Tony and Declan run into the back of me, almost knocking me flat.
We three stand there, standing abreast, looking on in shock as it all coalesces, a month's worth of agony and despair boiling inside me.
I don't dare move, open my mouth, or blink for fear that time and space will crash, and when I open my eyes, none of this will have been real.
Tony's hand on my arm draws my attention to him, and when I turn to face him, he’s staring back at me, wild-eyed. “Is that who I think it is?”
“I think so,” Declan replies breathlessly. He reaches a hand out for me, but instead of grabbing me, his hand slides down my arm as he falls to his knees, his eyes squeezed shut in such a manner it’s as if he doesn’t dare look.
I squeeze my own eyes shut, taking in a few long breaths before forcing myself to open them, and sure enough, the two figures are still there, yet closer now.
Yanking Declan to his feet, we hurry toward them, my heart pounding in my chest, every tear and bellow of agony merging into this one moment.
But then, I stop again. Only this time, Declan and Tony stop with me, both of them realizing at the same moment that things are not as they seem.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Tony growls.
I grind my teeth, and Declan’s hand squeezes my arm as he turns away, his pained expression focused on the back of the house.I know without asking, we all thought the same thing and felt the same moment of relief when hope tried to overtake grief, which makes it hurt all the more.
Bright blue eyes meet mine, matching pain reflected back at me as Agatha says, “I’m sorry. I meant to have you speak to Ryan first.”
I deflate. We all deflate.
Whether we want to admit it or not, even before we saw the top of that dark head in the distance, we all thought the same thing.
We were being called home.