Chapter 38

"Get down Get down Get down!" I shouted when James lifted his head to take a peek behind us, then I reached across and pulled his head down until he lay flat against the seat.

"Greyson, if we don't lose them in the next minute, we're dead men!" I shouted over to my partner who ignored my words as he focused on getting us out of harm's way.

"There's a warehouse a mile up, Simon and I did a bust there a few years back, if we can make it there, we can ditch the van and try to lay low till backup comes." Eddie explained.

"You want us to go to some abandoned warehouse in the middle of nowhere? I get that we're in a tough situation but think about what you're saying. There are three of us against at least eight of them and we're already almost out of ammo. We'll be sitting ducks if we go there."

Eddie shook his head then flinched when the van jerked again. "It's like a maze in there. We'll hide out and when they're searching for us, we pick them off one by one, it's our best option."

"Or they could burn the building down with us in it, save themselves some trouble." I countered as I searched for the damn cell phone.

"Then what do you suggest? Keep driving until they blow our heads off?"

"We'll drive to the nearest police station, or go somewhere public, a mall, anywhere, I doubt they'll be dumb enough to make a move with so many witnesses."

Nate cursed, jamming on the breaks, allowing the car to slide smoothly around another bend, then he stepped on the gas and once again we were tearing down another street with minimal traffic.

We'd finally managed to put some distance between us and the assholes in the SUV's but I doubted we'd be able to keep them at bay for much longer.

"We can't risk the lives of innocent people on the off chance they're a little camera shy and the nearest... anything is miles away, we won't make it on the road that long." Eddie tried and failed to convince me.

"Will you two shut the fuck up so I can concentrate?" Nate yelled, his expression one of pissed determination.

I ducked my head under the seat again in search of the thing and came up empty.

Where was the damn phone when you needed it. Beside me the kid was a mess of tears and snot and I shook my head, it was his damn fault we were- something occurred to me then and I looked at him.

"Eddie throw out his phone!"

"What?"

"The kid's phone, throw it out, it's how they found us, probably tracked his damn phone."

Eddie cursed and dug into his pocket before sailing the thing through the smashed window. "You're really a piece of work you know that kid?" he addressed James who was clearly lost in a world of his own.

"Well at least this confirms one thing." Eddie continued, propping the gun on his lap and getting comfortable in his seat beside Nate as if we weren't being chased by a group of men trying desperately to fill us with bullets.

"What's that?"

"We've found Menza's killer."

I thought about it for second, "Yeah but why would Kelly send men after us like this. His kid could get killed the way they're going on."

Eddie shrugged "I never did understand the inner workings of a murderer's brain" then he turned his attention to Nate. "So where to?"

I felt the van dip, then a loud pop before the vehicle went out of control for a few seconds, swerving along the semi empty road as we went. I held on for dear life, managing to bump my head against the door a few times before Nate had it under control again, but by then our speed had been considerably reduced and I had no doubt the bastards would catch up with us in a heartbeat.

We'd blown a back tire. I made a quick glance around and sure enough, there they were, in the distance but fast approaching.

"Where's that damn warehouse." Nate gritted, the decision on our destination clearly made for us and Eddie rattled off the directions, pointing out turns and quick detours along the way.

What was left of our transport bumped along the beaten path we'd taken minutes later and a quick look behind us told me we'd managed to lose them, at least for now.

When I ducked under the seat again, running my hand over the shard-covered flooring, my fingers brushed something out of place and after another half a minute of grappling, I came up with the phone. Without pause, I brushed the dirt off the screen and dialed Simon's number.

He answered on the first ring.

"Jesus John I've been trying to get you for over fifteen minutes now, what's going on?" and I explained our situation making sure to stress our need for backup, rattling off the estimated number of gunmen on our trail, as well as the address of the warehouse.

He didn't seem surprised by the news, instead he listened with a professional ear and gave his two cents accordingly. Then when the conversation was at its end he finally dropped the practiced manner, demanding to know how badly, if at all, we were injured and I told him to send an ambulance with the team just in case.

"...got it, lemme talk to Nate real quick." Simon requested and I shook my head.

"He's a bit tied up right now Sy, I'll call you later with an update, just get everything sorted out." I continued, then made to pull the phone from my ear when he let out a curse.

"Don't you fucking hang up John, I'm telling you to put Nate on, I need to talk to him."

"Simon-"

"Anything could happen out there!" then much softer; "put my brother on the phone... Please."

With I shake of my head I pulled the phone from my ear and hit the speaker button, then tapped Nate on the shoulder to let him know the call was for him.

"He's here." I told Simon then who after a pause, let out an uncharacteristic sigh.

"Nate..." he began uncertainly and I almost felt sorry for him. This definitely wasn't the time for all this lovey-dovey sibling crap.

"What's up? Backup's on the way right?" Nate asked, his eyes still glued to the bumpy road ahead. I snuck another quick glance behind us, glad to see the road was still empty. When we took another turn up a narrow street I could breathe easier.

"Yeah of course...I'd say you've got a good twenty to twenty-five minutes before they get there. Anyway look, just in case of...anything..."

Nate let out an annoyed grunt, "Now isn't the time Sy."

Another pause. "I'm sorry...for everything. I just need you to know that...incase..." he trailed off again and as expected Nate didn't react appropriately to his brother's attempt at mending the broken fence between them. Instead he kept his focus locked on the road, his mouth drawn tight.

"Nate-"

"How's Riley?" Nate interrupted instead and I shook my head.

"Left turn up ahead." Eddie interrupted.

Another uncharacteristic sigh issued from the line. "He's fine, still asleep."

"Wake him up and give him the phone."

Half a minute later Riley came on, sounding half asleep and confused.

"Nate? What's going on?"

I watched my partner smile, his head turned slightly toward the phone. When the look of longing entered his eyes, I had to turn away. The road clearly hadn't been used in a while if the thick vegetation along each side of it was any indication.

"Hey Riles, how're you feeling?"

"Ugh...better I guess, just a little tired. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah of course, we just... hit a little snag but we'll be there as soon as we can alright?"

"Good, did you find guard Kelly's son?"

"Yeah we have him here with us...looks like everything's finally going the way we want." He said weakly, just enough to convince Riley I guessed, but the truth would be out soon enough.

Riley released a relived breath and we could all hear the smile in his voice. "Thank God, just hurry and get back alright?"

I glanced at the rear view mirror in time to catch Nate's expression which was one of uncertainty.

"Yeah of course. I ah... I love you."

"Uhuh." A yawn issued from the line, then "Oh Kyle wants to talk to John, hold on."

I heard the sounds of a phone shifting hands then Kyle came on sounding almost... afraid.

"Johnny?" I heard the slight tremor in his voice and I ended the call, dropping the phone into the pocket of my jeans.

Eddie looked at me but said nothing. I wouldn't be taking part in the 'goodbye parade' today. Damned if I was gonna die out here. We were all making it out of this alive and when I got back Kyle could tell me whatever he had to say in person.

Ten minutes later, we pulled off the road, taking a path between the trees where we would stash the van. The next lap would be made on foot, hopefully giving us more time. I hopped out of the vehicle, dragging the kid along with me. He'd stopped with the pointless tears a little while back. Now he just looked plain scared.

"Come on." I urged him along and after robbing the vehicle of our gear, we set off. It wasn't a long walk before we had the warehouse in our sights, but the moment we spotted it, was the same moment a bullet went whizzing by, embedding itself deep within the bark of a tree up ahead.

I ducked, pulling the kid down with me while Nate and Eddie took cover not far away; weapons drawn.

They'd finally caught up with us.

...................................................

~Riley's POV~

I learned the truth a few minutes after the call with Nate and it felt as if my heart had plummeted to my feet. Kyle wasn't doing much better either and I think it was the first time I'd ever seen him so out of sorts, which only made this whole ordeal a hundred times worse.

I sat on the chair wrapped in a blanket as I watched Simon stuff things into bags while talking harshly on the phone with someone, who I guessed was also from the FBI.

Apparently the guys were in more trouble than I'd thought and a few minutes earlier Kyle had told me he was pretty sure John and the others were being shot at.

I tried to remain positive, remembering the conversation I'd had with Nate but the more I thought about it the more it sounded like he was trying to tell me goodbye rather than see you later.

"What are you doing Kyle?" I asked when he too began stuffing his things into his small bag. He glanced up at me with tired eyes.

"I'm packing my shit. Simon's going to go find them and so am I."

"No you're not." Simon said then, dropping his cell into his pocket before securing his weapon at his waist.

"You know what the beautiful thing about choice is Simon?" Kyle asked then, staring at Simon with the most serious expression I'd ever seen him muster and when Simon said nothing he continued. "You don't get to make it for me."

I flicked the blanket off me and shivered when the cool air touched my skin. In a second I was on my feet.

"I'm coming too."

Simon gave me a disapproving look, for an instant reminding me of Nate. "The whole point of you guys being here is so you can lay low. The case isn't solved yet, if I take you out there and someone recognizes you that's it, you're back in jail and I can't help you."

Kyle hoisted the bag onto his back, looked around the room again, probably to make sure he wasn't leaving anything and turned back to Simon. "Are we gonna stand around and talk all day or are we gonna go save my man?"

I slipped on a pair of shoes and grabbed my own bag which I'd never even bothered unpacking and went to stand by Kyle, who reached over and snagged a roll of hand towels from the bed and handed it to me. I took it with a nod.

Simon only looked around the room, then back at us, probably trying to decide the best course of action, then he picked up his laptop, grabbed his duffel and walked toward to door. "Put on your hoodies, keep them drawn over your face and no matter what, keep your heads down. I don't want any street cameras singling you two out." He said simply then exited the room.

I glanced at Kyle, who looked back at me briefly before indicating the door and with a final look around the place, I turned to go. Kyle closed the door behind us.

Five minutes later we were in a rental which Simon had picked up hours ago while I was asleep and the atmosphere in the car was tense. Up front, Simon glanced down at his phone constantly while we sped through the streets and beside me, Kyle sat with his chin propped on his arm and his gaze out the window.

"I don't think I've ever seen you so serious." I commented and he looked at me.

"You didn't hear what I heard. They're in some deep shit Riley, it sounded like a battlefield over there."

My heart sped in my chest and my palms began to sweat. The more I looked at him, the more nervous I became and the more my worry grew.

"It's Nate and John though, they can get through anything right?" I asked needing his optimism right now, or some form of hope that they would be okay, but he only shook his head, then ever so slightly his bottom lip trembled.

"They're only human Riley."

Only human...

It felt as if a vise had wrapped itself around my heart and just like that the tears began to build. I knew they were only human but Nate could get through anything, he had to. I... I couldn't lose him.

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Thanks for reading. More chapters to come!

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-Double.A

-unedited.