Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 78534 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78534 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
A new message pops up on all the screens.
Good. Face the camera’s when you speak, I don’t have audio control.
"Why should we trust you?" Ghost asks, steel in his voice. He moves from my side, to my front, blocking the camera’s view.
I still feel exposed. With all the screens typing the messages, it’s like having an alien supercomputer focused on us. Tex is right at my back, and Riot is right beside me.
Do you have a choice?
"We could walk away right now," Tex says. "Sounds smarter than standing around talking to a clearance sale."
Fine. Let’s make this fast. Victor has recalled one of his commando teams from South America. They are in the air right now, and have his full arsenal at their disposal. If nothing is done to stop them, they will target your compound tomorrow. Once the girls are secured, he intends to do enough damage to destroy the whole compound, and likely the surrounding area.
"Okay, let’s say that’s the truth," Riot snaps. "What the fuck are we supposed to do? Who are you and why are you bothering to warn us?"
There's a pause, the screens fill with vertical lines, jittering across the surface for a moment before they refresh with a new note.
I don’t care about you or your club. I’m risking myself because I don’t believe innocents should suffer for the crimes of others. Jessica needs to be safe and I believe you’re her best chance of staying free from Kane's reach. The threat is real, and I have given you actionable intel.
Ghost nods. "We'll take precautions. I think we’re a harder target than he realizes. Kane isn’t the only one with experience and resources. Doesn't mean I trust you."
As you shouldn't. Trust no one.
I cling to Riot's arm while my mind whirs, then push ahead stomping right up to the camera while I yell at it in frustration. "Well I don’t believe you! If I’m so important, why did nobody care that I was innocent when I was eleven and locked in a cell every night until I could control myself? Or for the ten years I’ve been with him punished for every screw up? Oh boo hoo, so noble that you care about me now. I don’t buy it.”
I can’t stay and explain. They're already tracing me. Watch out tomorrow.
The screens go dark, one by one.
Seriously? This is a load of bad spy movie bullshit. I feel like I was just so close, but behind every secret is just another secret. "Who are you?" I scream at the camera.
There’s no answer. I watch until the very last screen is about to die, right in front of us under the security camera.
Never doubt that I love you, my little baby owl.
The screen shuts off before I have time to process what it said, let alone figure out a response. There's no way. Absolutely no way.
"Mom?"
30
JESSICA
"You're going to be fine," I whisper to Anne.
She sobs into my shoulder. “I’m soooorrry. I was mad but I love you. I don’t want to be sent away. Don’t let them send me away.”
“I love you, too, but you know why we’re doing this, and Bonnie is going with you.”
Of course she's scared, I am, too. If we’re to believe the strange informant—I’m still having a hard time accepting the final message—then she can’t stay in the compound. Hellfire and his men have decided that it’s too much of a risk to have us both in the same place. They are sending Anne away to a safe house for her own good.
We have a warning, which means the Outlaw Sons have the advantage. Or at least that’s what I’m telling myself so I don’t go completely out of my mind.
"Why can’t you come with us?" Anne's grip around my waist tightens as she presses her face against my chest.
“You know why I have to stay, and you’ll have Savage and Crank with you. They’ll make sure you guys are protected. I’m sure everything will be over in a couple days, so pack some books and get ready to watch lots of TV and eat junk food with Bonnie, okay? It’ll be super boring and then we’ll be together again.”
Please don’t let that be a lie.
Behind her, waiting in front of the van that's going to take her to a safe house somewhere outside the city is Bonnie. She nods at me, and smiles. I don’t know what I would have done without her. Probably not gotten close to Riot, Tex and Ghost, because there’s no way I would have let Anne stay with a random biker, no matter how trustworthy they seemed.
"But you're going to do something dangerous. What if something happens to you?" She pulls back to look up at me with tear-stained cheeks.
"I have Ghost, Tex, Riot and all the other Outlaw Sons protecting me. I'll be safe too. I promise." I do my best to keep the nervous quaver out of my voice, but I'm not sure I quite succeed.