Series: Shifter Ops Series by Renee Rose
Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 65371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
“Hey,” his voice is low, like he’s keeping the call a secret.
“What’s wrong?” I ask. All the things that could be going wrong flash through my head. Geo’s wolf on a rampage, outing itself to the family. Geo hurt. Geo accidentally hurting someone else.
“I don’t know,” Geo hesitates.
“Are you riled up?” By you, I mean his wolf. “Did you forget to do your homework?” I need to do my homework means his wolf is restless and wants to get away from people, maybe to shift.
“I forgot my medication,” he repeats the code I taught him that means his wolf wants extraction asap.
“I got you, Geo. I’ll be there ASAP.” I’m already striding down the driveway. “Text me the address.”
“Thanks. What do I tell Mrs. Meyers?”
I check my phone. It’s eleven pm. “I can explain to her and your mom. Sneak out of the house now.”
“Okay. I think I’m okay.”
“Better safe than sorry. Trust your instincts. Do me a favor and call your mom? Let her know you forgot your medication. She knows the code.”
“Thanks, Uncle Channing.”
“Not a problem. You did good, Geo. Call me back if you need.”
My steps slow as I approach my bike. I loaned Buddy the truck, and Julia’s car has parts missing. I could take Buddy’s car, but he didn’t leave the keys, so I’d have to hotwire it. Even then, he never has much gas in the tank, and the engine is unreliable at best. Do I take the time and risk Geo and me coming home smelling like pot?
I better take my bike. It’s not like I’m in the running for a parent of the year award. When Julia finds out, she’ll shoot me. She’ll have to craft a special bullet to do any damage, but that won’t stop her. She’ll melt down the silverware herself.
It won’t matter. I need to get Geo out of a tense situation.
Maybe that’s why my wolf has been riled up all evening. It knew that something was wrong.
Maybe my instincts are on point after all.
I pull up to Geo’’s friend’s house and grab my phone. I try a few times to dial Julia, but it goes immediately to voice message.
Geo slinks from the shadows alongside the house carrying his backpack. Whatever instinct told me something was wrong dies at the sight of him. He looks calm and relaxed, not fighting the wolf at all. Maybe he just wanted to hang with me.
The thought sets off a starburst of warmth in my chest.
“Mom’s going to shit a brick,” he announces, grinning as I hand him the helmet.
I smile back at him. “Extenuating circumstances. Always ask forgiveness not permission. You hungry?”
His stomach growls loud enough to echo through the neighborhood. Maybe that’s why he couldn’t sleep.
“Hop on before the neighbors think we’re doing a drug deal,” I say, and he does. “We’ll stop and get Chinese takeout.”
Riding at night is one of my favorite things. The cool air, the endless blackness. It exhilarates me.
It’s not how I expected to give Geo his first motorcycle ride, but this was an emergency, so why not enjoy it?
Geo hugs me and leans into the curves like a pro. I should teach him to ride the bike on his own. He’s big enough to handle it. Old enough to understand safety measures. Not legally, but who cares about that?
I’m almost to the restaurant when I notice the black SUV turning onto the street behind us. It would be nothing, except that there’s another black SUV identical to it up ahead, one that’s been with us since we came out of the neighborhood.
I stop at the light and instead of taking the turn to the restaurant, bang a U-ey and reverse course.
“Hey,” Geo bawls in my ear. “That was the restaurant.”
“Change of plans,” I tell him. The SUV following us makes the same U-turn. My instincts were right. “We’re being followed.”
Geo squeezes my middle.
The black SUV knows it’s been made. It zooms close, not bothering to hide the fact that it’s tailing us. Up close, it’s obvious it’s been altered. Why would someone be driving an armored car down the sleepy streets of Flagstaff, Arizona?
I’ve got a bad feeling about this. Really bad.
“Hold tight,” I tell Geo, even though he already is. I rev the bike into a higher gear, taking an illegal turn. If a cop sees me and lights up, it’ll be the least of my problems. A cop might help us at this point. I can leave Geo with them and zoom off to face these guys on my own turf.
Another black SUV darts out and joins the first two. Who are these guys? They’re well funded, if they can afford this many armored cars.
As I zip down side streets and through red lights, trying to lose them, I rack my brain for who would target me like this. All the missions I’ve done, all the blood I’ve spilled, the enemies I’ve taken out–I can’t think of one who’d track me down like this.