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My phone lit up beside e from an unknown number

It’s me, Buet there

I will, I texted back

I leaned ainst the wall and closedme hard My dad was the only person in the world who’d ever called me that, and it had been years since he had He’d sent in the cavalry and I just had to wait it out God, I hoped they got here before things went to hell

It was pretty telling that I’d called riuess the lessons I’d learned hadn’t been so easy to forget It was instinctive to take care of things in-house, to keep the government—and more importantly, the police—in the dark Maybe if I’d been at home, or a public place, I would’ve called 911 But I knew in ut that Cane was into so in the police would put ht in the middle of it In the eyes of the law, I’d be tied to hi her razor sharp nails against my collarbone

No, it was better if I could just get the fuck out of there before anyone knehat had happened If we could disappear without anyone the wiser, we’d be in the clear We could leave all of this shit behind us

I hated the idea of starting over somewhere new, but I’d do it I could work anywhere Most of my business was military, but I could find a different place to set up shop The east coast had a ton of bases, and I could probably find soo anyway North Carolina was on the coast, and I was pretty sure that I could find a place there for a lot less than I was spending to live here I had plenty of cash, and I could easily sell my condo

I let -ter about the fact that ere stuck in a closet, and I had no idea when help would co inside that closet was not an option I wouldn’t even let myself think about it

Eventually, my mind traveled back to what I’d need to do if so for us My 38 had six rounds in thethat I hit what I was aiood chance if there were less than four men in the house Ideally, I could take another weapon off of so one-handed, because there was no way I could leave the baby behind

My plans were interrupted when a sainst ht she would, but she was i shushing noises, I bounced her as I searched the bag for supplies If she started screa, ere fucked

Just as she started to eat, I heard a sound in the bedrooure out what it was as I slid rabbed my pistol

By the tiht caap in the coats, I stared at the spot in front of us, lifted the 38, and waited

Chapter 2

Mark

I didn’t sleep well Years in theas a private contractor afterward meant I’d seen more than my fair share of shit that liked to replay behind otten used to it for the h that I could get the rest I needed On the worst nights, I foundblonde hair, tanned liood memories to replace the bad Most of the tiuilty about it I hadn’t been able to use any of h, so I’d gotten dressed and headed out to the garage Sout and I had no idea why, but I’d learned not to ignore the feeling, not even for fantasies of a lover I hadn’t seen in nearly a decade

I set ot to work polishing an old bike frame I’d probably sell this particular piece, since I had no interest in coot satisfaction out of restoring it Working withelse did I just wished I had more time for it