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Nick lifted his weapon but he was too late. Another round pierced his chest. He felt himself falling backwards even as he fought to stay upright, even as he thought about Alexa, somewhere behind him, counting on him to keep her safe.
Then he was on his back, looking up as Juska approached. Juska loomed over him, his gaze pulled to something Nick couldn’t see, and Nick glanced frantically around, trying to figure out what was going on.
He caught sight of Alexa, holding his gun, aiming it at Juska.
Juska smiled and a shiver of icy fear washed over Nick’s body. Alexa was going to die. And it was his fault for not protecting her.
“Police! Freeze! Drop your weapons! Hands in the air!”
Nick wondered if he was imagining the voice that came from somewhere behind Alexa. But then Alexa dropped the gun, and Juska disappeared from view as darkness seeped in around the edges of Nick’s vision.
“Stop, freeze! Police!” Footsteps rang through the parking garage.
A chase.
“Don't leave me, Nick,” Alexa begged behind him. He could tell she was crying even though he couldn't see her face anymore. He wanted to tell her not to cry, that everything would be okay, that he would make sure it was okay, but his mouth wouldn’t move around the sleep that was coming for him. “Please don't leave me.”
It was the last thing he heard before he fell into darkness.
28
Alexa put a hand on Nick’s arm as he reached for the car door. “Don’t you dare try to get that bag.”
“I’m fine,” he said.
“I mean it,” she said, getting out of the car.
He popped the trunk and she reached in for her suitcase. She closed the trunk and took a deep breath.
“You sure you're okay with this?” Nick asked, coming to stand next to her.
She nodded. Her options were limited. She couldn’t stay in a hotel alone - not after what had happened ten days earlier — and if she wasn’t safe in a hotel she definitely wasn’t safe in an apartment.
Living with her parents was out. She wouldn't expose them to any more risk than they already bore through their association to her.
Besides, Nick needed to be home where he was comfortable and surrounded by family.
And she needed to be with Nick.
“I’m sure,” she said.
“It will be okay.” He winced as he bent to kiss her.
“Need meds?” she asked.
He shook his head. “No more meds.”
She knew he was refusing them for her, that he blamed himself for what had happened at the hotel, that he wanted to stay sharp for the next round against the Walkers, whenever it came.
“Don’t be a martyr. There’s no reason to be in pain,” she said. “Especially now.”
The fire at the house had been caused by a Molotov cocktail thrown through the glass doors in the kitchen. The blaze had ruined the kitchen but had left the rest of the house untouched. Everyone inside had escaped without injury, but when Alexa had seen Ronan at the hospital while Nick was in surgery she thought he might actually kill someone then and there.
Nothing had scared her more than the look of cold fury on his face — not even the blank, animal gaze of the man who had been seconds away from killing her and Nick when the police entered the parking garage.
Staying at the Murphy house meant added protection. They wouldn't be alone anymore, something that was doubly important since Matis Juska had managed to elude the police. Nick could rest and recover. Alexa could figure out what was next. She could only hope the Murphys didn't hate her for exposing them to the Walkers.
Nick took her hand and started toward the house.
