AllFreeNovel
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One of those general all-purpose stores, it sells everything from newspapers, to bottled water, to San Francisco themed apparel.
“That one? Are you sure?” Rafe looks at me like I’ve gone crazy.
“Positive.” I take back a tiny modicum of control and march toward the store. Rafe and Hayes trail behind me.
I continue to scan the crowd, but so far, I haven’t made out the third man.
It takes all of three minutes to find a matching hoodie, tee-shirt, and leggings. I glance at my Coach purse I adore and how Hayes clutches it possessively. I hastily grab a cheap purse, lip balm, and other necessities. I walk out with a traveller’s dream kit of comfy clothes, travelling essentials, two books, a neck pillow, new purse, and snacks for the road. Rafe covers the expenses, and together with Hayes, they escort me to a public restroom.
“Not that it needs saying, but put everything you’re wearing back in the bag after you change. We’ll take care of it from there.”
I eye my Coach bag with longing, but I’ve been through too much to resist their efforts to protect me. I could object, but that’s not my nature. Instead, I head into the women’s bathroom, switch outfits, check my appearance in the mirror, and brace myself for whatever comes next.
Upon exiting the restroom, Hayes no longer holds my belongings.
“Where’s my...” I don’t complete my sentence, since they were clear about not leaving the airport with anything I had on, or carried into it.
My anxiety intensifies, and I’ve never felt more lost and adrift.
As we thread our way through the throngs of people, Rafe and Hayes shield me from the crowd, but that uneasy, panicky sensation grows.
I loathe crowds. Crowds hide threats. Anything can happen inside a crowd.
My breaths turn progressively shorter and shallower as we board a packed tram. I must appear confused because Rafe leans in and whispers into my ear.
“We’re shifting to another terminal and meeting our driver at arrivals, in case your flight was tracked.”
I nod shakily and clutch the metal pole in front of me as the tram follows its endless loop of the busy airport. We disembark three stops later and head toward the exit. It’s peak travel time, and I don’t know whether it’s fear, apprehension, or both, but there are more people, more noise, and just more of everything.
Rafe moves at a steady clip and it’s a struggle to keep up with him. With each step, the crowd seems to push back harder than before. Fear takes over, and panic rises within me.
“Take deep breaths.” Hayes grasps my elbow and pulls me close. “We’re almost there.”
But I can’t take deep breaths. It’s as if my body has forgotten how to breathe.
“What’s wrong?” Rafe looks at me.
“Panic attack.” Hayes tugs me to his side, doing what he can to shield me from the throngs of people all around us.
“Miss, we’re almost there.” Rafe steps closer, forming an impenetrable wall around me as the faces in the crowd blur into a mass of hostile eyes and cruel intentions. The air crackles with tension and a desperate urge to run fills me with dread.
About to break free of my guardians, Hayes’ grip on my arm tightens. “Almost there.” He tries to inject confidence into his tone, but all I hear is a droning hum. “Step up the pace.”
Rafe’s pace quickens, and I scurry to keep up. They keep me close as we exit the airport, where there’s a vehicle waiting for us at the curb. On high alert, they scan the area as I slide into the middle of the back seat. That’s when I finally see the third man. I think Rafe said his name was Alec.
The men climb in and the driver, Zeb, eases us into the flow of airport traffic.
“En route.” Zeb’s comment isn’t for me, or the others, but to someone on the phone.
“You notice anything out of the ordinary...” The voice on the other end sounds strained.
“Tom, this ain’t my first fucking rodeo.” Zeb’s irritation shows in his abrupt response. “I know what to do. Your job is to take care of any kinks along the way. How far out are we from Chase?”
“He’s past the traffic accident and making good time. I’ve located a place for you to make the exchange.” Tom replies, rebuffed by Zeb, who looks at me through the rearview mirror.
“Nice to meet you, Miss...” He waits for me to supply a name, but I don’t know what new name I’ll take. Safe in the car, the weight of my circumstances settles on my shoulders. This is not how my life was supposed to go.
It may be rude, but I’m tired and my nerves are fried from the events which led me here. The driver appears to understand, because he doesn’t press me for an answer.
