memory. It’s like when you wake up while you dream of falling and have that mini-panic attack. Your arms grab for the closest thing, whether it’s your pillow, a glass of water, or even the person lying next to you. Either way, you’re scared shitless, thinking you’re going to plummet to the ground and die.
Except, this isn’t a nightmare… I really am going to die this time.
The roar of what sounds like another wave coming in grows louder as I look up, prepared to meet my maker head on. But instead of meeting him head on, Susan meets head on with the front end of our SUV.
Nicole slams the speeding, reinforced vehicle into the Atlantean. His vulnerability is now obvious. When there isn’t any water close by, he’s weaker, borderline defenseless. Unfortunately, knowing how this type operates, I’m willing to bet that not only will he survive the impact, but he’ll walk away unscathed. Probably won’t even bleed. He didn’t after I pile drove him into a palm tree after all. A lesser man would’ve been knocked out, maybe even killed.
Where’s Arnold when you need him?
“If…it bleeds,” I say, woozy, “we can…kill it.”
Even my normally above average Austrian accent comes out garbled, sounding like an angry drunken Irishman instead.
Susan gets thrown over the Honda I hit earlier and lands somewhere beyond it with a thwap . Seeing an opportunity to escape alive, I try to lift myself off the ground, but only get to my hands and knees before being pulled down again.
I hear the telltale sound of a car door opening and feet stomping towards me. A pair of familiar boots appear in front of my face as I’m quickly manhandled off the ground and to my feet. I stumble but am thankfully caught by my extraordinarily strong girlfriend.
“Come on, Hank. Let’s get out of here while we can.”
“Please, do,” I say, my head spinning from exertion. I feel desiccated, starved, and horribly drunk. Come to think of it, the last thing I had was beer, so it makes sense. Either way, I’m completely drained and need time to recover... It’s time we may not have.
She helps me into the front passenger seat and I all but fall in, dragging myself the rest of the way. I hear the clomping of my borrowed boots as she then rounds the front of the SUV, rushing to the driver’s side.
“Nice kicks,” I say, trying to smile. It doesn’t work, though. Instead, I just fold in on myself and squeeze my eyes tight, trying my best to ward off an onsetting migraine.
“Not exactly my style, but they served their purpose.”
I watch as she flicks them off, puts the V8 into gear, and shoves the pedal down to the floor with her bare foot. Thankfully, the road is emptier than normal and the midweek afternoon traffic is light. She easily swerves in-and-out of the few wrecks, avoiding everything in our path.
Hardly able to move, I flip down the overhead vanity mirror and angle it so I can see what’s left of our friend. Susan is on his back and not moving. It’s impossible to tell from this distance if he’s breathing either.
“Get off this road,” I say, closing my eyes again. “Get us away from the coast.”
Without acknowledging me, Nicole quickly turns left, taking us farther inland. I try to reach Kane and Olivia, but neither one answers. Ben doesn’t either.
“Hank, thank God.” Todd does, however. “Are you guys okay?”
“We’re headed to the nearest airport, have something there waiting for us. Private jet. Hush, hush. Get us back to D.C. pronto.”
“I’m not so sure that’s a good idea,” Todd says.
“Why?” I ask.
“What makes you think they won’t try to hit us here again?” he asks. “They’ve seen our hand now. I know there isn’t much that can go up against two Vipers, but that was designed to go toe-to-toe with a human enemy, using modern tech. We need a more secure location, something pretty well off the grid.”
“Safe house?” Nicole asks.
“I think it’s our safest bet,”
Except, this isn’t a nightmare… I really am going to die this time.
The roar of what sounds like another wave coming in grows louder as I look up, prepared to meet my maker head on. But instead of meeting him head on, Susan meets head on with the front end of our SUV.
Nicole slams the speeding, reinforced vehicle into the Atlantean. His vulnerability is now obvious. When there isn’t any water close by, he’s weaker, borderline defenseless. Unfortunately, knowing how this type operates, I’m willing to bet that not only will he survive the impact, but he’ll walk away unscathed. Probably won’t even bleed. He didn’t after I pile drove him into a palm tree after all. A lesser man would’ve been knocked out, maybe even killed.
Where’s Arnold when you need him?
“If…it bleeds,” I say, woozy, “we can…kill it.”
Even my normally above average Austrian accent comes out garbled, sounding like an angry drunken Irishman instead.
Susan gets thrown over the Honda I hit earlier and lands somewhere beyond it with a thwap . Seeing an opportunity to escape alive, I try to lift myself off the ground, but only get to my hands and knees before being pulled down again.
I hear the telltale sound of a car door opening and feet stomping towards me. A pair of familiar boots appear in front of my face as I’m quickly manhandled off the ground and to my feet. I stumble but am thankfully caught by my extraordinarily strong girlfriend.
“Come on, Hank. Let’s get out of here while we can.”
“Please, do,” I say, my head spinning from exertion. I feel desiccated, starved, and horribly drunk. Come to think of it, the last thing I had was beer, so it makes sense. Either way, I’m completely drained and need time to recover... It’s time we may not have.
She helps me into the front passenger seat and I all but fall in, dragging myself the rest of the way. I hear the clomping of my borrowed boots as she then rounds the front of the SUV, rushing to the driver’s side.
“Nice kicks,” I say, trying to smile. It doesn’t work, though. Instead, I just fold in on myself and squeeze my eyes tight, trying my best to ward off an onsetting migraine.
“Not exactly my style, but they served their purpose.”
I watch as she flicks them off, puts the V8 into gear, and shoves the pedal down to the floor with her bare foot. Thankfully, the road is emptier than normal and the midweek afternoon traffic is light. She easily swerves in-and-out of the few wrecks, avoiding everything in our path.
Hardly able to move, I flip down the overhead vanity mirror and angle it so I can see what’s left of our friend. Susan is on his back and not moving. It’s impossible to tell from this distance if he’s breathing either.
“Get off this road,” I say, closing my eyes again. “Get us away from the coast.”
Without acknowledging me, Nicole quickly turns left, taking us farther inland. I try to reach Kane and Olivia, but neither one answers. Ben doesn’t either.
“Hank, thank God.” Todd does, however. “Are you guys okay?”
“We’re headed to the nearest airport, have something there waiting for us. Private jet. Hush, hush. Get us back to D.C. pronto.”
“I’m not so sure that’s a good idea,” Todd says.
“Why?” I ask.
“What makes you think they won’t try to hit us here again?” he asks. “They’ve seen our hand now. I know there isn’t much that can go up against two Vipers, but that was designed to go toe-to-toe with a human enemy, using modern tech. We need a more secure location, something pretty well off the grid.”
“Safe house?” Nicole asks.
“I think it’s our safest bet,”
Similar Books
