Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 78745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
We speed away, the car rattling as we blow through some barricade or fence. The gunfire behind us grows distant, muffled. I can’t tell who’s winning or losing, only that I’m trapped again. I squeeze my eyes shut, wishing I could rewind time just five minutes to when Orion held me.
Suddenly, more shots ring out from the front. The men in the car shout, the driver jerks the wheel. We fishtail, slamming sideways into something—the impact sends me sprawling against the door. There’s a flurry of curses, the windshield cracks, and I hear bullets pinging off metal. Someone’s attacking the car.
“Get us out of here!” Jason yells, voice nearly drowned by the roar of the engine.
But it’s too late. Through the fractured windshield, I see headlights bearing down on us. Another vehicle cuts us off, screeching to a halt, men pouring out with guns drawn. Their silhouettes are too shadowy for me to make out details, but from the way they move, I sense professional training. Obviously they’re Orion’s men?
The driver tries to accelerate, but a volley of bullets rips through the hood. Steam and smoke billow, and the engine dies in a horrible grinding wail. The car shakes as more rounds pepper the side. The men beside me shove open their doors, lurching out to return fire, leaving me momentarily unguarded. My heart hammers. I consider diving out, but fear roots me in place. The gunshots are relentless, deafening.
Suddenly, the back door flies open, and a stranger grabs me. I recoil, fighting, but he yells, “I’m Asher, I’m with Orion’s team!” His voice is urgent, breathless. I glimpse his face in the flickering headlights—young, sharp eyes, fierce determination. Another savior?
I let him haul me out, tears blinding me. He thrusts me toward a nearby truck, barking, “Get down!” The chaos of gunfire and shouting echoes all around, and I half crawl, half stumble into the truck’s cab. Asher dives in behind me, slamming the door. I’m shaking so badly I can hardly breathe.
He twists the key, the engine roars, and we peel away from the broken mess of the other car. The back window’s shot out, glass glittering across the seat. My ears ring from the relentless barrage. I press myself down, arms over my head, tears streaking my face. Please let Orion be alive, please let Orion be alive. My mantra pulses with every beat of my heart.
Asher yells at me to stay down, and I comply, curling up on the floorboard. The truck swerves wildly, tires squealing against pavement. We must be weaving through side streets or alleys. My stomach lurches with each abrupt turn, but I hang on, trying not to panic. We’re escaping. That’s something.
After what feels like an eternity, the engine’s whine settles, and the gunfire fades behind us. My breathing is ragged, tears still burning my eyes. Asher glances down at me, jaw clenched. “You okay?” he asks, voice tight.
I shake my head, my throat too constricted to speak. How can I be okay? Orion’s shot. He might be… he might… I can’t even finish the thought. I choke out a sob. “Is Orion… is he…”
Asher grimaces, eyes flicking to the road. “I don’t know,” he admits, frustration evident. “Comms went down. Dean’s team is still at the warehouse.” He swallows, gaze full of sympathy. “I’m sorry. But we had to get you out of there.”
His words land like punches to my gut. My brain reels. Why is this happening? Tears stream down my cheeks, and I press my forehead against the edge of the seat. Orion, please, be alive. Please.
Asher drives on in grim silence, weaving through back roads at high speed. My skin prickles with the cold air rushing through the bullet-riddled window. Eventually, he pulls off onto a secluded street, trees looming overhead. The headlights illuminate an old cabin-like structure, the windows dark.
“We’re here,” he mutters, killing the engine. “Safe house. Let’s go.”
He helps me out of the truck, quickly guiding me toward the door. My knees threaten to buckle, exhaustion and grief crashing over me. Days of captivity, then the adrenaline rush of near-freedom, only to have Orion ripped away in a flash of gunfire. My mind feels shredded.
Inside, the place is small but secure-looking, with heavy locks on every door and window. Asher flips on a single lamp, throwing a warm glow across a modest living area. There’s no one else here. He leads me to a sofa, gently easing me down. For a moment, he hovers, like he’s not sure whether to console me or check the perimeter.
“Stay here,” he says at last, voice firm but kind. “I need to confirm the property’s clear, then get back on comms with Dean. I promise I’ll tell you anything I find out about Orion the second I know.”
I nod numbly, wrapping my arms around myself. My body still shakes, heart racing with leftover terror. Every instinct screams that I should be out there searching for Orion, but I’m too weak to fight, too emotionally spent. Asher slips away, his footsteps heavy on the floorboards as he checks doors and windows.