Road to Clover (The Breanna Raven Series) by Katarin Haley Pope Page B

chest. Agni grunts and blocks his face with his arms.
    “Say something, Agni.” I say to him.
    “Something Agni,” he repeats with sarcasm.
    He’s okay! I help him sit up, and he places his hand behind his head. He brings his hand back to the front, and there’s blood. I move around to see what the bruising looks like. His blonde hair has dirt, tiny rocks, and blood. When I move his hair out of the way, I can see a bloody scuff mark.
    “It’s not that bad,” I tell him. Of course, it’s absolutely horrible looking, but I don’t want him to worry.
    As I’m helping him back to his feet, King becomes alert. He’s growling at the fence. Miss Kiki stands beside him, and she’s growling, too. That’s a signal for us to get out of there and fast. I look over at Agni’s bicycle. The front tire can’t be fixed.
    “ We’re leaving both bikes,” Agni says breathlessly.
    “Are you sure?” I ask in a near panic.
    “I can’t ride it in the shape that it’s in.” Agni says with annoyance. I don’t argue with him. Obviously, he’s angry.
    I take our backpacks from the sidecars. Agni takes his from me. I call for the dogs. Miss Kiki understands and runs to my side. King does not move. He’s still growling at the fence. I call for him again.
    The only response I get is a big overweight guy with a handgun that jumps from behind the gate. He’s shaking, and I’m terrified that the gun is going to go off. Before he can say a single word, King clamps on his arm. The man’s gun flies across the alley and slides under the gate into someone else’s backyard. The guy is screaming like a banshee as King takes him down to the ground and is tearing into him.
    Agni yells, “King! SIT!”
    The command is like a light switch. King not only releases the man, but he’s already sitting and watching the guy with a keen eye, waiting for him to make one more stupid move. Agni calls him over, and he obeys the command. That dog is on point. He listens, and he doesn’t falter in obedience. At least, when it comes to Agni, he doesn’t falter.
    He grabs my hand, and we back away from the man, who is watching the dog with fear. We take off, and the dogs are right with us. A couple more dashes in and out of alleys, and we’re south of the main town. The houses are farther apart, hidden behind walls of evergreens, underbrush, and palm trees. The loudest thing we hear is the wind blowing. This peaceful, untouched neighborhood is a much needed comfort.
    I let go of Agni’s hand . We have to stop running for his own good. I know his head is pounding like crazy, and jarring movements aren’t exactly the fix he needs after the spill he had. Agni gladly slows his pace to mine. I think we’re going to make it now. There’s no doubt in my mind, and we can take this last trek at an easier stride. I’m sure we’ll need the energy much later.
    Getting to his aunt’s house is just a matter of making it to the end of the current road we’re on, and making one last left on Fuji Mum Court to the dead end. Her house will be the last one behind a wrought iron fence, a fifteen feet tall gate, and thick natural barriers. I just hope she’s home when we get there.

Ten
     
    Agni is looking at the call box like it’s supposed to do something miraculous, and then he looks at the gate. He presses the button and stands back. The gate starts humming, and slowly opens.
    “She must have a generator.” Agni remarks as he adjusts his backpack.
    “How do you know?”
    “The gate needs electricity to open.”
    “If she has electricity, do you think she’ll have running water?” I ask in the hopes of taking a hot bath.
    “I don’t know. We’ll find out soon enough.”
    We enter the property, and the gate slowly closes behind us. The last part of our walk is tiresome as the driveway goes uphill. It’s winding through a dense forest, and there’s one spot where it looks like someone ran off the road and hit head first into a tree. Bark is missing