AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“And once we defeat this new monster, they’ll have to explain why they want to arrest the heroes of Clearhelm,” Marc adds. “They’ll most likely sweep all of this under the rug to save face.”
Sharpe’s shoulders slump. “The JTFPI is over either way. They’ll just tell people they folded it back into the Clearhelm Police Department.”
“I’m sorry for that.” I squeeze Sharpe’s hand. “But you don’t need a badge to fight crime when you’re a multi-billionaire.”
That draws a laugh from him. “Will we be buying masks and capes now?”
I lean closer. “You’d look dashing in a cape.”
He arches one brow. “Oh, yeah?”
“Johannsson said we’re going to the safe house,” Marc interrupts. “But we don’t have one out this way.”
“No, we’ll be heading to the warehouse in the industrial district. It’s the location nearest to the Bone Yard and the area where we first found the bones,” Mayn explains. “We’re just taking the long way to get there.”
We leave New Clearhelm behind, and the mile markers grow farther and farther apart as the road narrows down to a two-lane highway.
In a long stretch of empty road, we come up on an extended-cab truck parked on the shoulder, and we pull up behind it.
Mayn shuts off the engine, and we leave the sedan to head to our new ride.
As we climb in, Savannah turns in the driver’s seat to grin at us. “We heard you started the party without us.”
Relief sweeps through me, and I grin back. “Only the pre-game. The real party will be starting soon.”
She shakes her head. “And here Flint was trying to sell us on a quiet life in Clearhelm. I knew he was full of it.”
“Hopefully, once this is over, we can all take a break.” Sharpe climbs into the third-row seating. “We’ve had enough monsters for this lifetime.”
“Clearhelm certainly seems to attract the beasties.” She fist-bumps Marc when he slides into the seat next to her. “Do you know how far we have to travel to find the kind of action you see here in a week?”
“Lucky us,” Mayn says in a tone that leaves me questioning if she really does think we’re lucky. Sirens like challenging hunts, after all.
She hops into the truck next to me and closes the door.
Savannah looks back at us. “Buckle up, everyone. This is going to be a bumpy ride.”
Clicks fill the air as we all fasten our seatbelts, and Savannah shifts into drive. The engine lets out a throaty roar, and we lurch forward onto the highway.
I grab the handle on the door. “You’ve driven one of these before, right?”
She cackles. “Are you questioning my getaway skills?”
“You’re not usually the driver, so yes.” I suck in a sharp breath when she yanks the wheel to the right, and we leave the paved road.
“Please tell me we didn’t escape prison only to die here,” Sharpe breathes only loud enough for me and Mayn to hear.
The tires bump over deep ruts in the grass road, and the truck’s square nose points toward a narrow gap in the trees where a dirt trail leads into the forest that doesn’t look wide enough for the truck.
I tighten my hold on the door handle and hold my breath as the truck races toward that narrow gap and scrapes by with a hair’s breadth on either side.
The truck sways and jumps as it plows over potholes, and despite my death grip on the door handle, Mayn and I jostle together on the bench seat. After I almost bite my tongue, I clench my teeth to prevent them from clacking together.
“Was that another earthquake?” Mayn asks in alarm.
Marc presses a palm against the dashboard to avoid slamming into it. “How can you tell?”
Savannah laughs and smacks the steering wheel. “That a girl! Get some!”
