Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 73680 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73680 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
The guys speed up, rather than slow down. I beat on Blade’s shoulder. “Train!”
Down the tracks in the darkness, the headlight from the engine peeks through between a couple of warehouses and the horn toots. The guys pay no attention, though. I send out a prayer to whoever’s listening. Anyone will do.
Yellow light bathes the tracks as we reach the blinking barrier arm. Blade deftly dodges around it and onto the tracks. The others follow. The driver blares the horn and brakes scream, metal on metal, but there’s no way it will stop in time.
“Are you crazy?”
My teeth clack together as our tires go over the rails, and the light from the train is so close it’s blinding.
Expecting the inevitable, I close my eyes and wish I never found that stupid tape.
10
FAITH
The crossing is rough, with potholes between the rails, and old wooden planks clanking as Blade navigates between the barricades. All three bikes make it, roaring across the deadly gap and onto smooth asphalt just before the wind of the train rips past. They slow long enough to check on each other. Alpha stands up on the foot pegs, punches an arm up into the air and lets out a victory scream. Blade and Ripper join in, and even I can’t help the shaky laugh that comes out.
The Pit Vipers are stuck on the other side with the cops, and the train still hasn’t come to a stop. With a little luck, it will block the road and give the police plenty of time to deal with our tail.
“Let’s ride,” says Ripper, his voice strong but a little strained. “That’s enough excitement for one night. Even for me.”
We continue, fast, but nothing compared to earlier. Blade takes the lead, with Alpha and Ripper falling in behind us, putting me right in the middle, protected from all sides. Once we’re on the highway, the city falls away quickly, and then the suburbs too. I don’t know where we’re going, but so long as we’re alive, it doesn’t matter. My home is a smoking wreck and I feel numb inside, but I’m here.
For a while, adrenaline and the wind tearing through my thin pajamas keeps me awake, but that doesn’t last forever. Time passes, and leaning my face against Blade’s back, with my hands tucked into the front of his cut for warmth, my eyelids start to droop. I try to fight it, but when I jolt awake for the second time, I bat Blade on the shoulder. I didn’t live through all of that just to tumble off his bike at full speed.
“Falling asleep!” I yell as loud as I can into his ear, hoping he’ll hear me over the roar of the wind.
He nods, though, and makes a hand signal to the others. A flashing sign near the next exit advertises “Lov est M tel”, and beggars can’t be choosers.
We pull off. Blade helps me off the bike, and I nearly crumple on the spot when my legs give out. I can barely feel my slipper covered feet. He huffs and swings me into his arms.
“Put me down. I just need a second,” I insist, but he shifts his hold and makes no sign that he even heard me. I’m too tired to argue.
Alpha swings his leg off his bike. “Blade, get us rooms. Ripper, come with me so we can cover up the bikes.”
Blade shakes his head. “Faith’s about to drop.”
“Yeah, and I’ve got blood all over my jacket.”
“Seen my jeans?”
They both look at Ripper.
He sighs. “Fine. Gimme cash. It’s a sad day when I’m the respectable one around here.”
Alpha gingerly fishes a wallet out of his jacket, and that’s when I notice his shoulder. The leather’s torn and there’s dark dried blood in the hole. The Pit Vipers got him.
He got shot for me.
I wiggle in Blade’s arms until he finally has to either put me down or drop me. “Are you okay?”
Alpha shrugs, then winces again. “It’s not going to kill me. We’ve gotta get the bikes out of sight.”
The only upside to this seedy roadside motel is that they don’t waste much money on landscaping. Big, overgrown bushes line the back, making good cover. Blade pulls out a tarp that they spread over top of everything, creating a shapeless lump. If I didn’t know better, I think it was covering a small car or maybe a pile of building materials.
When we come back around, Ripper meets us with two keys. “I got two next to each other at the end.”
“They give you any trouble?”
Ripper snorts. “You kidding? I paid cash and twice the hourly rate for him to skip over the ID check.”
Alpha holds out his good arm and Ripper tosses him a key. “I’ll take the room with Faith.”
“Wait. Why do I have to share? You said you had two rooms.” I’m only standing because everything is still catching up to me. As soon as I stop, I’m afraid of how bad it’ll be. The last thing I want is to show these guys how fragile I really am.