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Jack stopped close to the front door and motioned for Zero to stay put. Jack looked out through the window, Zero watching his expression change as his gaze caught on something outside.
Jack cursed, then grabbed Zero by the arm and dragged him back down the hall. They went around the corner and Jack pulled to a stop.
“Stay here,” he ordered and disappeared the opposite way of the front door before Zero could get a word out.
It was quiet for a while and he stupidly thought that was the worst, then the gunfire started, and he realized that was exponentially worse.
He squeezed his eyes closed and kept repeating, ‘Please be okay,’ in his head. Over and over. Until the gunfire ceased.
He didn’t move no matter how much he wanted to because Jack had told him not to and he had to believe Jack was alright. That Jack was coming back for him.
He heard footsteps and pressed his back against the wall, ready to use one of the helmets as a weapon to defend himself because he didn’t have anything else.
“Z?”
A huge breath of relief escaped him, and he relaxed, dropping his arm back down to his side. Jack came around the corner, the blood on his chin causing Zero’s heart to skip a beat.
“The threat’s been neutralized. For now. We need to move,” Jack said, waving at Zero to make him follow.
His steps were cautious as they walked outside. The parking lot was quiet and there were only a few vehicles parked. Fortunately, most of the residents were at work or school. The rest he was sure had hunkered down in their apartments and called the cops, which meant they had to get a move on.
As Jack pulled him across the lot, he spotted a pair of black boots sticking out from behind a car and decided he was better off not knowing.
When they reached his bike, he handed Jack his helmet and pulled his own on. Jack swung a leg across the bike and tugged Zero on behind him. There wasn’t really enough room for the two of them, but at least it had a pillion seat.
He wrapped his arms around Jack’s middle and pushed his body against him, holding on for dear life.
He didn’t realize he’d left not only his wallet and phone behind, but his cut as well. Not until they were already on the road.
He closed his eyes and tried not to think about who might be following them.
Jack swerved between cars to get ahead faster, then suddenly took a right turn and they ended up in a parking garage. They drove up two floors before Jack pulled the bike to a stop and tapped Zero’s thigh.
He got off the bike and pulled his helmet off, waiting for Jack to dismount.
“What—”
“We were being followed. We need to switch vehicles. We’re way too exposed on the bike, not to mention too easy to spot.”
Zero nodded and followed Jack as he made his way down the row of cars. He wasn’t surprised when he stopped at the oldest of them.
Jack pulled out a Swiss knife and handed it to Zero, saying, “You know how to hot-wire a car?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
He doubted Jack would like the reason he knew, protective as he was. Growing up the way he had, boosting a car had been a necessity more than any kind of fun.
He was about to smash the window when he noticed the lock pin was up. At least one thing was going right today.
He pulled the handle and the door opened. He slid into the driver’s seat and got to work cutting the wires.
“Hurry up,” Jack yelled, the note of panic in his voice freaking him out.
It wasn’t more than two seconds later when the gunfire started.
He flinched and ducked lower, grateful when the engine roared to life. He leaned across the seats to open the passenger side door, then stepped on the clutch and jerked the gear stick into reverse.
“Get in,” he yelled at Jack.
