Revolution (Collide, #4)(20)

"Ok," he said and crossed his arms. "What's up?"

I sighed in a groan. "We are going to have to trek it back to that dilapidated dying facility with all the girls and kids and Specials, right there in the open daylight." I hoped he understood my urgency. "One wrong move, one person who thinks something's out of the ordinary, one thing. That's all it will take and we're done. I need you, you get me?"

"I got you," he said strongly. "I get it."

"Good. Now go get Celeste and make sure you have everything." I turned to go make sure everyone was ready. "Because we aren't ever coming back," I called over my shoulder.

Right Place, Right Time



Chapter 9


Sherry



Lily was on my lap as Jeff cranked the engine and began to pull away. She wasn't buckled in, but I could've given a rat's patootie about that right then. If we got pulled over by the cops, her seatbelt would be the least of our worries.

Besides, we were all crammed into the vehicles like disgruntled sardines anyway, there was no room for law abiding citizens anymore.

The Enforcers were in full swing, but Billings, who was in the front seat making a Marissa sandwich with Jeff, had conveniently worn his uniform and said he'd tried all he could to deter them if we did get caught on the way there.

I couldn't help myself. I turned in my seat to watch as the store got smaller behind us. It was just a stupid gas station. An eyesore, a place that held some of my worst memories…and some of my best. It was bittersweet with a side of heartache to leave it.

I felt Merrick's hand on my shoulder and I turned to look at him. He had that look on his face, like he could read my thoughts. "The new place is even better."

"Really? I thought you destroyed it?" I teased.

"Kind of," he said and grinned. "Actually it was your brother's fault."

"I'm not surprised," I quipped and leaned my head on his shoulder. I peeked as a car passed us. It was Cain and Ryan along with their ladies and Calvin in the Jeep. Show off.

"It'll be great," he said with as much spark as he could muster. "It's the perfect hideout, plus Pastor and the others had quite a stash of supplies we had to leave behind there. It should help."

"Food?" I asked excitedly. I felt the pulse jump in my neck.

"Yep. A couple crates if it."

I sighed and sagged against him. "Oh, thank God. I was so worried about feeding everyone. That helps some." I turned my head to lay against his, my side to his front. He rubbed his nose against my forehead, breathing me in.

We heard screeching tires and looked up. The Jeep was swerving and braking swiftly. I gasped as it went up on two wheels trying to avoid whatever was in the road. Merrick pressed me to the seat along with Lily with his outstretched arm.

Jeff cursed and slammed on the brakes, too. The van behind us did the same. The stench of burnt rubber filled the van, but I was barely breathing waiting to see what was going on. Merrick and Jeff both cocked their heads at the same time. Ryan was talking to them. Jeff cursed again and yelled, "It's a trap!"

Merrick nodded, his eyes unfocused as he listened or spoke Keeper talk. I held my breath. Cain's door opened, then Ryan's. That was when I saw the dark object on the pavement. It was a body…

Then people jumped out of the ditch with guns, yelling and pointing, crouching as they barked orders like a military mission. The body from the pavement lifted fluidly and bounced on its toes. It was a girl, or woman I should say, and she was smiling. She trailed her fingers across Cain's chest in a cocky Nana Booboo motion, but that was so stupid. I held in my cringe when he grabbed her around her neck and swung her to hold her hostage against his chest.

The ditch men traded glances that said Is she worth the fight? What was this? Some elaborate, but apparently horribly thought out plan to what? Rob us? I rolled my eyes and huffed. Idiots. I guessed people were just desperate.

But when they started moving toward the van, toward Lillian and Ellie, Cain was done playing. He tossed the woman aside, probably because they didn't seem too worried about her anyway, and clotheslined the guy closest to him. Daniel blurred passed the van to help Cain with Max on his tail.

"Ah, crap," Jeff complained and opened his door just as Merrick was opening his. "Stay here with Billings, sweetheart."

"You, too," Merrick said to me and they both blurred to Cain's side. Ryan had jumped out of the Jeep, too, and was already helping keep the guy's friends off Cain. Though he didn't seem to need much help. He kicked one guy in the guts and then punched another in the throat. They both went down and the other robbers looked around in question. The Keepers yelled back and forth with them, probably trying to get them to join us or something.

The knock on my window startled Lily and I both. I glared at Danny before cracking the door to talk to him. "Don't sneak up like that."

"Sorry. What's going on?" he asked and looked at the fight as if he wanted to join them.

"Someone tried to rob us or something," I mused and squeezed a sleeping Lily on my lap. "What are you doing?"

"Just seeing if they needed help." He glanced at Billings. "Why aren't you helping?"

"Woman and children duty," he said calmly.