“Alreadyon it.I’lllet you know more as soon asIcan.AndJace?Youdon’t have a helmet.Beextra careful.”
Ihave to strain to hear her voice over the sound of the wind blowing past us asIspeed down the road. “That’smy plan.”
Iglance behind me to see that both cars and the motorcycle are behind me, weaving between traffic.Ihead downSpringwoodStreetfor a block and a half, then wait until the last possible moment before turning right onAppleway, tellingCharliethe names of each roadI’mon, even thoughIknow she’s tracking me.
Istay onApplewayfor a distance, swerving in between cars asIgo, trying to get some distance between us and our pursuers.IwishMackenzieandIwere just going on a leisurely drive down some country road because having her behind me with her hands on my torso feels pretty great.
RightafterImake a daring left turn ontoWoodlandAvenue, hoping the carsIjust turned in front of will slow our pursuers,Charliesays, “Okay, we are going to do a moving whale extraction.Wehave agents headed to your area in theWheelyGoodMoverstruck.Intwo blocks, take a right ontoBaywood, then start watching for it nearScarletOakStreet.”
Iglance in my side view mirrors.We’velost one of the pursuing cars, but the other and the motorcycle are still behind us.Iswerve between two cars.Iknow my heart is beating fast becauseIcan hear it in my ears.OnceIturn ontoBaywood,Itwist my head enough thatIhopeMackenziecan hear me.ThenIshout, “Weare going to do something really dangerous.”
“Okay?”Itcomes out as more of a question.Whenshe says she loves adventure,I’mnot sure this is exactly what she means.
“Whateveryou do, don’t freak out and grab my arms.Justkeep hold of my torso and everything is going to be okay.”
Ifeel her head against my back in whatIthink is a nod, just as her grip on me tightens.We’vedriven probably three-quarters of a mile downBaywoodwhenIsee theWheelyGoodMoverstruck pull out onto the road just a few blocks ahead of us.Itake a chance and swerve between traffic even more so that our pursuers can’t see us.
Bythe timeIreach the box truck, they’ve accelerated to the same speed as me, the mechanical door is sliding up, and the ramp is lowering to the street. “Okay, hold on tight,”Ishout, andMackenziesqueezes tightly enough that it knocks some of the air out of me.
Iget us lined up perfectly, then give it extra gas and speed onto the ramp just asMackenzielets out a scream.Thesecond both of my tires are on the ramp,Isqueeze the brake on my grip at the same time asIpush on the rear brake with my foot and slide sideways across the floor of the truck toward its back.Wecome to a stop just inches from slamming into the back end.
“I’min!”Ishout, and the ramp immediately starts pulling up as the door slides back down.
Themoment it is down, blocking out the sounds of the street but not the sound of my heartbeat,Isay, “Icould use an update.”
“Idon’t think they saw you get in,”Charliesays. “Fromthe street cameras, it looks like they aren’t quite sure where you went.Allour agents in the area are swarming in.Weare going to get them,Jace.”
BothMackenzieandIare breathing hard and heavy.Ihear her swallow, and then between heaving breaths, asks, “Whoare you talking to?”
Weboth get off the motorcycle andIlook her up and down, holding onto her shoulders asIcheck both sides. “Areyou okay?Areyou hurt?”
“I’mfine.Jace, what is going on?”
“Wejust needed to get away from some bad guys.”
“Whyare bad guys following us?”
“Charlie, where are we headed?”
Inmy ear, she replies, “Theagent driving has been instructed to use evasive techniques until he’s one hundred percent sure you’re not being followed.Thenhe’ll take you both to a safe house.”
“Notto home base?”
“Isthat your sisterCharlie?”Mackenzieasks.
“No,”Charliesays. “Definitelynot to the agency.You’retoo hot right now.Weneed to get you two safe while we finish the operation and get them captured.We’vegot a horde ofFBIagents helping, too.WithCryptexEndeavor’sleader showing his face, we’ve goteveryoneon it.I’mguessing it won’t be long.”
Ishake my head, the need to help burning bright and hot.
Charliemust know whatI’mthinking, because she immediately adds, “CryptexEndeavorwantsMackenzie.Themost important jobright now is keeping her safe while we capture their team and their leader.That’show you can help the most.Yourjob is the most important one.Keepher safe.”Shepauses for a moment before adding, “BecauseIreally like her.”
“Ido, too.”
“Tellme what is going on,”Mackenziesays. “Tellme why there are bad guys after you.”Shecrosses her arms and looks pretty angry.Idon’t blame her, especially because she hasn’t been hearing anything thatCharliesaid.
Iput my hands on my hips, my feet spread apart enough to keep me upright as the moving truck traverses traffic and look toward the corner of the box truck before meetingMackenzie’seyes. “Theyaren’t after me.They’reafter you.”
Allanger seems to fall from her as her arms drop and her shoulders sag, yet her eyes are wild and alarmed. “What?Me?Whywould they be after me?”
