Page 334 of A Matter of Time

“Sam will murder us if we leave the building.”

“We’re just going to lean out and yell.”

It seemed reasonable, so we both walked to the front door, opened it, looked, and saw no one carrying food, instead only other residents needing to come in. Moving to let them by, we stepped too far out, and the self-locking security door closed tight.

“Well, crap,” she grumbled. “Now Sam’s never going to trust me again.”

I was standing on the other side of her, near the door, when she moved to the keypad and punched in the number for her apartment to call Dane to let us back in.

“It’s fine, don’t worry about—Aja!”

I yanked her back against me as a van came to a squealing stop beside us on the sidewalk and the side door was hurled open. We both saw the gun at the same time.

“Get in the van!” the man yelled at us.

And it was stupid, but my movement was instinctive. I grabbed Aja’s hand and ran. I heard the gunshot, and then we were behind the van, next to the rear right tire.

“Jory!” she screamed as the back doors flew open. I yanked her sideways, and a guy jumped out but missed us.

“Go-go-go!”

We ran across the lanes of cars, heard the blaring horns, squealing tires, and the crunch of metal. We didn’t stop and look, we ran. Stopping to look was never a good idea. There were more gunshots, but we kept running. I took her down an alley, across another street, then through a parking lot, and we huddled together behind a trash-filled dumpster.

“Call Dane,” I ordered as I kept lookout.

“Ohmygod, Jory, they’re really trying to get us.”

I would have laughed at any other time. “Just call him. Hurry up.”

“Baby, we’re really in trouble here.”

She was obviously in a little bit of shock.

“Hurry,” I said and heard my voice get panicky.

I saw the van streak by on the street, and I stopped breathing. Alone, I could outrun them, but not while worrying about Aja.

“Dane,” Aja almost shrieked. “No-no-no, listen-listen—somebody just tried to grab me and Jory. Listen! We’re on the street, we’re running, and I don’t know what⁠—”

“Stop,” I yelled as I saw the van suddenly reverse in the street and start racing down the alley toward us. “Run!”

I grabbed Aja and ran. I took a chance, and we dove across the alley to the opposite side. We hit the bagged garbage and rolled off under wooden stairs that ran around the back of an apartment building. I scrambled to my feet, and a bullet hit the stairs behind me. Ducking down, I tugged on Aja’s hand and pulled her around the corner of the building.

“Dane, tell Sam we’re—shit! I can’t see the—ohmygod, there’s a white van and⁠—”

“Shit,” I yelled, because I saw the van and yanked her the other way, doubling back, heading for the L. “Aja, stop talking and run!”

I felt the change instantly: I was no longer pulling her, she was right beside me, her feet pounding the pavement in time with mine, dropping my hand and keeping pace with me as we both ran as fast as we could. We flew by so many people and crossed behind an apartment building, but then the van was suddenly there and I had to pull up fast or slam into the side of it. Aja grabbed me as the door flew open and the gun was inches from my face.

I put up my hand. “Just me, not her.”

“Both of you, now, or you’re dead!” the voice snarled back.

Aja clutched me tight as I took a step toward the open door. Never-never-never get in a car. Better to try anything, fight wildly, recklessly, than succumb to another’s power and get in the car. I saw the gun and clawed for it, got my hands around the wrist that held it and fought hard.

“Aja, run! Run!” I shouted at her, and she listened because I heard her fumbling behind me and then felt the bump as she pushed away from me and, when I turned to look, saw her running down the road. She was flying, arms pumping, legs a blur, and then my face was covered with a rag. I heard the slide of the door, felt the jolt as I lost my balance, and then nothing.

“Jory, open your eyes. Please, please, please…”