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Hours pass. I find my way into Louisiana. I’m so close to her I can feel it. An hour away, forty minutes, thirty. Cora says she’s sitting in the living room staring out the front through the curtains, watching the trees. “I love the patterns sunlight makes through leaves. Have you even been to Louisiana before? I swear the trees here are prettier than they are back in Georgia.”
“Nothing’s prettier than Georgia.”
“That’s not true. Marietta’s a shithole.”
“The town, maybe. But the forests? The streams? The South is hell because of the people, but there’s nothing more beautiful than the landscape.”
“Maybe you’re right and I’m a little prejudiced against it.”
“You’ve got bad memories in that town, girl.”
“How would you feel about moving away one day? I mean, when the war’s over.”
I hesitate and stare at the road. “I’ve thought about it. But I have responsibilities. I have the crew.”
“Would the Valverdes let you leave?”
“I don’t know. Men like me don’t get to walk away, not without a fight.”
“Maybe we could go north. They’re up north too, right?”
“You don’t want to be a Yankee, girl. You won’t like it.”
“I could give it a try.” She sighs like a kitten stretching. “Anything for a new start.”
I’m about to say I’d travel anywhere with her if I could only start over fresh, but I get another call. “Shit, it’s Ben.”
“Go ahead, you can take it.”
I hesitate, frowning. “Are you sure? I don’t want to get off the line with you.”
“Nolan, it’s been six hours and you’re almost here. I think we’re okay at this point.”
“You shouldn’t say that, but all right, I’ll make it quick. Don’t go anywhere.” I pick up the other line. “Ben. What’s up?”
“Nolan, brother, how are you?”
“I’m good, but listen, I’ve got an important call on the other line.”
Ben laughs. “Well, fuck, listen to you, trying to chase me off the phone already. Got big important shit to do, huh? Can’t talk to your old boss?”
“Ben.”
“All right, yeah, yeah, so listen. I’ve got news. Weird news, actually.”
“What’s going on?”
He clears his throat awkwardly. “We’ve been paying the local Marietta Police Department a little extra cash to try to keep out of what’s going down with you and the ORB. And in the process of doing that, I made a few inquiries on my own time with our new cop buddies. And guess what I found out?”
“Aliens are real. Just tell me.”
“I had them look into the person that tipped them off about your girl Cora’s bust. He says the files are classified, that the name of the informant is all redacted, except for the initials.”
My heart starts racing. “You know the initials of my traitor?”
“I don’t know if it’s gonna help you much.”
“What are they, Ben?”
“AS.” He pauses. “That mean anything to you?”
My mind starts spinning. None of my guys match those letters. It vindicates Eric, and I feel bad about suspecting him, but fuck it. “Nobody in my crew with those initials, and I didn’t know anybody back then that—” I stop suddenly as I realize there’s one person, one single person in the tight orbit around that bust, with those initials. My stomach drops into my shoes. “Ah, fuck, Ben. I think I know who it was.”
“You don’t sound happy about it, brother. Should I be worried?”
“No. It’s nobody in the crew. They’re all clean.”
“That’s good news though.”
“It is for you. Look, I’ve got to go.”
“No thank you, Ben, you smart, handsome fucker, you’re smarter than me and you’ve got a bigger cock? None of that?”
“Fuck you, Ben.”
“Fuck you too, Nolan.”
I switch back to Cora. I hear her whispering with Kady and their tones sound uncertain. There’s a noise in the background, a low rumble. It’s a grunting sound, a low distant growl, getting louder. “Is that your end or mine?” I say and I peer out the windshield, looking around for a nearby bike.
“Mine,” Cora whispers and the fear in her tone makes my hair stand on end. “It’s getting closer. Nolan, there’s no road near here, except for the driveway.”
“Get down,” I snap at her, the initials suddenly forgotten. “Lock the doors. Get Kady and hide in the bedroom.”
“It can’t be them. There’s no way they’d ever find us here.”
“Go, Cora. Don’t risk it.”
I hear the muffled sounds of her moving. She whispers something urgently at Kady, and I hear a door close and a lock click. “Okay, we’re in the bedroom. Everything’s closed and locked. Curtains are pulled. We’re just being quiet.” She’s whispering and the fear is obvious in her voice.
I push down on the gas. Fifteen minutes away. Fifteen fucking minutes is an eternity.
“What do you hear?”
“Bikes are even louder. I think they’re out front.” Her tone is trembling. “Oh, god, the engines just stopped.”
“Cora? Are they there?”
“They’ve gotta be out front. I think I hear—hold on a second.”
