What Have We Done (18)

But we need to go now. It’s not safe.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

They’re interrupted when a man appears in the alley. It takes Jenna a moment, but when she sees the ripped knee on his suit pants she realizes it’s the guy from the scooter. With him is another hipster who takes a hit on a vape pen, trying to look tough. They must have used the Find My Phone app.

“Lady, I don’t know what the hell is going on, but just give me my phone back and I won’t call the police. It’s got work stuff on it, and I could get in trouble if I have to report it missing.”

Willow has hopped down from the wall. She looks to Jenna, then the man, then to Jenna again, a flummoxed expression on her face.

Jenna throws the guy the iPhone. “I’m sorry. It was an emergency,” she says.

The hipster catches the device and examines it.

“What is going on with you?” Willow is shaking her head. “I’m calling Dad.” She reaches in her pocket, then seems to remember she’s left the phone at school to avoid the very scenario she’s in now

—her parents tracking her movements.

Willow says, “How did you know where I—” She stops suddenly, releases a bloodcurdling scream.

Jenna turns and the hipster is on the ground, blood oozing from his head. A woman, the one from SoulCycle and Hamilton Hotel, holds a cylindrical pipe that looks like a large flashlight or toy lightsaber. The woman turns to the hipster’s friend, who appears frozen with fear. She puts the end of the tube to his knee and there’s a whoosh sound and he screams in pain, collapsing. Then she twists the canister, ignoring the cacophony of screams, and puts something inside.

Jenna grabs Willow’s arm. Her stepdaughter’s face is twisted in confusion and shock. Jenna pulls her to the wall, tells her they need to run. Willow’s survival instincts kick in as she grasps the ledge and pulls herself up. Jenna pushes Willow’s bottom up and Jenna vaults over the wall after her. On the other side, Jenna hears a plea.

“No, please, no … “

There’s another whoosh sound, then silence.

They run. Up Wisconsin, full speed, past Z-Burger, a Mattress Warehouse, a Chinese food restaurant, and not stopping until Jenna spots a safe place: a bank. The woman with the weird weapon won’t risk the armed guards and security cameras. In the lobby of the Chase Bank, Willow’s face is depleted of all color; she’s shaking, her breaths coming out in rasps.

“Deep breaths,” Jenna says, demonstrating in-through-the-nose-out-through-the-mouth several times.

The guard is eyeing them. He comes over.

“Is everything okay, ma’am?”

“Yes. My daughter suffers from panic attacks. She’s okay, we just need a moment. Any chance you could get her some water?”

The guard nods and quickly ambles off to get the water.

“Don’t leave me,” Willow blurts, grasping Jenna’s forearm.

“I won’t,” Jenna says. “Everything’s going to be okay. Here’s what we’re going to do: We’re going to calm down. It’s a busy street, and the Metro is only a block away. We’re going to walk there, together. I’ll be right by your side. Can you do that?”

Willow’s eyes are large, but she nods.

The guard’s back with a Styrofoam cup. Willow takes it, downs the water, her hand shaking so much it nearly spills.

Jenna continues with the nose-mouth breathing, and Willow follows suit.

“I think she’s okay,” Jenna says to the guard.

He looks at Willow, who nods.

“Thank you so much,” Jenna says.

The man returns to his station. Jenna looks out the glass door. She sees a crowd of what look like

college students—American University is nearby—strolling past the bank.

She takes Willow by the hand, and they join the group on the sidewalk. The woman doesn’t seem to be following. But she could be anywhere.

They make it to the entrance to the Tenleytown subway station and take the stairs adjacent to the escalator.

Still no sign of the woman.

As they reach the platform, Willow makes an unusual sound, a muffled shriek, and Jenna sees the woman making her way through the crowd. Wind pushes through the tunnel, the circular lights lining the track flashing on and off, as the train pulls into the station.

Jenna and Willow try to disappear into the crowd.

The train’s doors open and passengers push out, then the masses move forward to board.

Willow starts to get on, but Jenna holds her back.

Along the platform, several train cars down, she and the woman make eye contact. The automated voice from inside the train is warning that the doors are closing. Jenna pulls Willow inside and watches as the woman does the same. Right before the doors close, Jenna pushes Willow through the opening, sliding out after her as the doors shut.

As the train lurches forward, Jenna sees the woman inside. She looks more amused than angry and gives a sarcastic wave as she blurs by.





CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Jenna and Willow walk quickly to the parking garage of a Whole Foods that’s near the Metro station.

From the second floor, Jenna can see down Wisconsin. District squad cars have clustered in the 7-Eleven’s small front lot. Someone found the hipsters. Jenna feels a pang of guilt. If it weren’t for her … But she needs to push that down, to focus, to think.