No guards ahead, they were all off to the side. One was back behind me. I just moved where those guards weren’t, because I could see them. It was dark, but I could see their lights. They were walking. Probably a perimeter check? But so far, they didn’t know I was here.
I kept going, and thank God for the running I could do. Anyone tells you to show up early for work, ignore them. Be late. You never know when or how it’ll save your life.
I kept going and ran smack-dab into a few trees, their branches cutting my skin.
I kept my head down, running with an arm over my head to protect my face. It sort of worked. I was bleeding in a few spots, but I needed to get to the road.
Keep going.
Keep going.
I started to chant that phrase in my head.
Moving forward, stumbling, hitting a tree, and moving around it. Over and over.
I’d be black and blue by the end of this trek, but it’d be worth it.
Lord be with me today! Today, Lord! Right now! Today. Or tonight. I didn’t think he cared. Sorry, He cared.
Still, I prayed under my breath as I chanted in my head, and then I stumbled down a hill and—ALARM! ALARM!
Lights flooded the woods.
They switched on, one section at a time, and now I saw them coming.
WHO PUT LIGHTS IN A FOREST?! A freaking forest. My GOD!
The lights turned on behind me.
Switch.
Ninety yards away.
I took off, not caring what I was going to hit.
Switch.
Sixty yards away.
I sprinted, blood gushing down my face.
Switch.
Thirty yards.
I couldn’t see the road, but it had to be in front of me. Somewhere. It couldn’t be that far, could it?
BAM!
Switch.
The lights over me came on, and I heard a siren start.
They’d spotted me.
They probably had cameras installed along with those lights, but fuck them if I was going to stop and wait.
I kept going, and since I could see now, I could go faster.
But the yoga shoes/socks weren’t good for running long distance. They were letting me down.
I went another thirty yards before I heard the engines.
My heart sank, but dammit, I kept going. I hadn’t fought when they took me. This might be my last chance.
A four-wheeler appeared and parked on a ridge to my right. All four guards hopped off, spreading out in front of it.
I waited, but they didn’t do anything. They didn’t come for me. They just waited.
That wasn’t good.
Still, I kept running.
A second ATV appeared on the other side, and again, four guards got out, taking point in front of it.
Still waiting.
I heard another vehicle pull in behind me.
Another to the front.
And another, and another.
They were forming a circle, closing me in.
Those fuckers.
Seriously.
Goddamn fucking fuckers.
I kept on, tripping down another hill, and nearly ran into an ATV stopped in front of me.
A figure jumped down from it, pausing, but then making his way to me.
“Carson.”
No, no, no.
I kept going.
I tried for the left side, but the guards began moving towards me. Their guns pointed right at me.
“Carson.” He dropped his voice—trying to what? Be soothing?
Too late for that.
I tried right, and it was the same greeting. Guns pointing at me.
I stopped. I didn’t have superhuman strength or the ability to climb trees.
Game over.
Jonah came closer as I stood still, my head held high.
Not down. Never down. Fuck down.
I wanted to see what was above me and around me. I wanted to make note of what was out here, because this wasn’t the end. I’d try again, and I’d get free.
I would.
I wasn’t done.
I wasn’t out.
Jonah stopped next to me. “Are you done?”
I closed my eyes, my head tipped back. “Fuck you.”
He didn’t respond, but he took my arm, and his guards swarmed.
Chapter Sixteen
CARSON
I put up no fight. I’d decided to store it for when I really needed it. Or that’s what I was telling myself.
Jonah took me to the kitchen of this magnificent dream house and got out a first aid kit. I did nothing to pull my arm away when he started to tend to me.
I sat on the table, and Jonah poked and prodded me all over. He found every scrape and cut a tree or branch had made, and he cleaned the wounds. A couple needed stitches, and he did that, too. He was very proficient.
“This is actually what you do for a living?”
He’d been placing butterfly bandages over a cut on the back of my shoulder, but he paused and stepped back. He circled around in front of me, frowning. “What’d you say?”
It took a second before I realized my mistake.
Oh…
No. I wasn’t supposed to know anything about this guy. Why would I?
He lowered his hands, standing very still.
I gulped, because fuck—this was not good.
I lowered my head. “I mean…”
“No, I heard you.” He set down the tweezers he’d been holding. “You know I’m a doctor?”