Titus

by Carly Fall

  “There’s too many cops. We can’t go near that car.”

  Titus studied the situation from the bridge above. A few police surrounded the car, still unsure on why the APB had been issued. He could hear their voices in the light breeze as they tried to figure it all out.

  He looked around the area. The car had been dumped under a bridge at a wash in the west valley, with little else around except some houses about a half-mile away. Therefore, he’d had someone pick him up, or he’d walked Macy and Alaina to his hideout.

  The houses lined the wash, but they stood close together. Would he really take them into a suburb?

  “We need to get into that car. Stay here.”

  He pulled his hair out of the bun so it flowed around his shoulders and walked down the path leading from the bridge. He waved at the three policemen.

  “Hey, guys. My name’s Titus, from Vice.”

  He stuck out his hand and all three shook it while he hoped he’d watched enough cop shows on television while mourning Simon to make the next few minutes believable. He supposed he did look like a Vice cop with the hair and the leather jacket.

  “You guys caught the APB?” he asked.

  They nodded as he moved closer to the car, then one explained they weren’t quite sure what the APB had been about.

  “Vice business, man. But thanks for finding this thing so quickly. Who would have thought one of Arizona’s most wanted would be driving a gold Taurus, right?”

  “Not much of a badass, in my opinion,” one cop laughed.

  They all agreed.

  “You guys can take off. I know you have better things to do than to stare at a Taurus sitting under a bridge.”

  They nodded, and one by one, said their goodbyes.

  Titus waved, then turned his attention back to the car. Frankly, he could give a shit about it. What surrounded it interested him more.

  He saw black ash that had been tossed around by the human’s shoes. For some reason, humans couldn’t see the ash a Colonist left behind when he got excited before, during, or after a kill.

  It surrounded the car, and Titus guessed he had gotten out of the driver’s side and moved across the back to the passenger side where he’d escorted both females out of the car. Based on his knowledge of Colonists, he hadn’t gently guided them, but more push and shove.

  Blake and Nico had filled him that this Colonist had a hard-on for Alaina, and that he had wanted her as his protégée. Instead, she’d rebelled and killed his right-hand man.

  Shutting his eyes, he couldn’t imagine the payback she would be receiving for that stunt.

  But what about Macy?

  She had no skin in this game, and not much to offer in the form of helping Alaina, except for her healing abilities. She detested violence, so he imagined she could be losing her mind right about now.

  Perhaps she could be already dead.

  He pushed the morbid thoughts aside, refusing to believe them.

  Macy lived. He felt in in his bones.

  He glanced at the car again and looked through the window. The driver’s seat was covered in ash. Did the vehicle have some sort of GPS system on it?

  Only one way to find out.

  He slammed his elbow through the glass, unlocked the door, and climbed in.

  Chapter 42

  Macy completed the healing, and Alaina sat up, dehydrated and beaten badly.

  “He keeps grabbing me by my hair,” she said, rubbing the back of her head.

  Macy tore off another piece of her dress and gathered up Alaina’s hair, fashioning it into a tight bun as she’d seen Titus do many times.

  “He’s going to be back soon,” Alaina said. “I need to rest.”

  “No. I need you to get up.”

  Confusion crossed Alaina’s face, and Macy pointed upward. “We can get a piece of pipe and use it as a weapon.”

  Alaina gave her a lopsided grin, her lip terribly swollen, then got to her feet.

  She jumped to try to reach the pipe, but it sat too high for her, as well.

  “I’ll lift you up,” she said.

  Grasping her arms around Macy’s waist, she heaved her upward, and Macy would have laughed if the situation hadn’t been so dire. She’d seen Megan try to lift Killian, and it felt similar to their antics.

  With her little boost, Macy could reach the pipe.

  “I’ve got it!”

  “I’m going to let you go and hopefully, your weight will break it.”

  Alaina stepped aside, leaving Macy dangling from the pipe. She tried to pull herself up, hoping the pressure would help pop it.

  A moment later, she came crashing down to the cement, landing on her butt. She gasped at the pain radiating through her lower back, but at least she had a piece of pipe in her hand. She waited for a gush of water, but none came. It made sense. Why would he keep the water going in a death house?

  “Are you okay?” Alaina asked, helping her to her feet.

  “I’ll live.”

  She would not complain about a bruised tailbone to Alaina, not after all she’d been through.

  The pipe had broken unevenly, giving them a very sharp point about three inches long.

  Alaina sat down and leaned her back against the wall as she shut her eyes.

  “I’m so tired.”

  Macy worried Aliana was going into some type of shock as she began to shake. She’d been badly beaten, and she needed water and rest.

  “Next time he comes in, you take the pipe and kill him.”

  Alaina glanced over at her. “And where am I supposed to hide two feet of pipe, Macy? In case you didn’t notice, my clothes have been ripped off.”

  Of course. She really hadn’t thought that one through.

  “Then, we’ll—”

  This time, she heard the footsteps approaching, and she stood up and shoved the pipe up the back of her dress and put one end in her underwear to hold it in place.

  She leaned up against the wall just as the door opened.

  Alaina had been dishing out just as much as she’d taken. His face was a battered mess with a swollen eye and lip, the side of his face turning purple.

  “Let’s go, you cunt,” he growled as Alaina stood up.

  Looking over at Macy, he grinned. “Say goodbye to your friend. She’s going to die right now, and then I’m coming back for you.”

  He pointed the gun at Alaina, and she walked toward him, stopping directly in front of him.

  “I’m not going anywhere, Daniel.”

  “We’ll see about that.”

  As they walked out, Daniel pulled the door behind him. Macy ran over and stopped it before it locked. Taking out the pipe, she took a deep breath and waited for the courage to do what she needed to do.

  It had better come quickly because they had run out of time.

  Chapter 43

  Titus sat in the car scrolling through the addresses on the GPS attached to the dashboard.

  Roman had been able to hotwire the car—a skill he’d apparently learned from Blake—and now stood outside keeping a lookout for anyone who couldn’t mind their own business.

  Titus figured that one of the addresses had to be where Daniel had taken the females.

  At least, he hoped so.

  He called Blake.

  “I’ve got addresses for you to check.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yeah. I’m at the car and it’s got a GPS.”

  “Where are you?”

  “In a wash in the west valley.”

  A beat of silence ensued.

  “So what do you think happened? He parked there and went … where?”

  Titus sighed. “There’s nothing around here, so we’re thinking he had another car here and switched.”

  “Why would he do that?”

  “I don’t know, Blake! Now, are you going to run these addresses or waste time trying to understand the mind of Colonist? If that’s the case, then I’ll be sitting here a fucking long time until you com
e around and decide to do your damn job!”

  “Give me the addresses, and just for the record, I’m going to beat the snot out of you when you get back to the silo. I don’t know why your panties are in a knot, but I’m not liking the way you’re talking to me.”

  Titus shut his eyes and took a deep breath. He had to chill.

  “Here’s the first one.”

  A moment later, Blake said, “Grocery store.”

  He recited the second.

  “House. I’ll send some of the guys there to check it out.”

  The third and fourth addresses belonged to office buildings, and the fifth was another house.

  “That’s all there is,” Titus said. “Roman and I will take the second house.”

  “Sounds good. I’ll have Nico and Chance meet you there.”

  He hung up, typed in the address to his phone, and then got out of the car.

  “Ready to roll?” Roman asked.

  He nodded, and they headed back to their own vehicle. A small ray of hope entered his soul, and he prayed that they’d find Macy and Alaina within the next hour or so. And if that bastard Colonist was with them, Titus couldn’t wait to wrap his hands around his evil throat and watch the life drain from him in a slow, torturous death.

  Chapter 44

  Macy peeked through the door, her heart in her throat. Her hands shook as she waited for a good time to strike.

  The windows had been blacked out, and the only light in the room was once again a single bulb hanging from the ceiling. She tried not to focus on the blood spatters on the walls.

  Alaina proved to be a fierce fighter, but she couldn't last forever, regardless of Macy's healings. She needed food and water, something they hadn't had in hours. The sweat rolled down Alaina's face, and as it mixed with the blood, it looked as if she cried crimson tears.

  Her plan had been for Alaina to deal the final deathblow, because she didn’t know if she could do it. Even the thought of taking another life made her stomach twist and sent a shudder through her body. However, dire circumstances required action, and if she did nothing, both she and Alaina would die.

  She hoped the Saviors would somehow come through the door and save the day, but they wouldn't know how to find them. Daniel had taken their phones and smashed them, leaving the GPS on both of them out of order.

  No, they were definitely on their own.

  Alaina feigned right, then caught Daniel in the stomach with a roundhouse kick. He countered with a hit to her bare chest, and Alaina stepped back, gasping for air.

  She obviously couldn't catch her breath, and Macy panicked as he hit her again square in the face, sending her to the ground.

  Daniel stood over her, his breath sawing in and out of his body.

  "Get up!" he screamed.

  Alaina didn't move, and Macy wasn't sure if she had fallen unconscious or just couldn't take anymore.

  It was now or never. She needed to act because she felt certain Alaina would die in minutes.

  She opened the door and strode toward Daniel, her bare feet silent on the cold, cement floor. As she approached him, she lifted the pipe above her head, ready to bury the jagged end in his back and hoping she possessed the physical strength to do so.

  Plunging the pipe into his back produced an animal-like scream from him.

  He stumbled away from her, tripping over Alaina and falling to the floor. Macy kept a firm grasp on the pipe, her adrenaline the only thing overriding her terror.

  He tried to crawl away from her, and she attacked him again, this time burying it in his side.

  As he turned to her, she looked into the eyes of Evil, and something overcame her. Her whole body calmed, her mind focused. She could do what needed to be done.

  He lunged at her, and she buried the pipe in his midsection.

  She stood over him and blood pooled at the corners of his mouth.

  "I have to end this. I have to stop your reign of terror."

  A high-pitched guffaw emanated from him, one that confused her, as if he found her words terribly funny.

  "You stupid female," he whispered, catching his breath as he held the wound on his stomach. "You think this is going to stop? I’m merely a small working part in a much larger machine. Killing me won’t stop it."

  He grabbed her ankle, bringing her to the floor. They struggled for a moment as he tried to pull her closer to him, but she fought. She kicked at him as she held on to her weapon for dear life, and he finally let go. Getting to her feet, she raised the pipe and slammed it into his heart.

  His eyes widened and his breath caught. A second later, he quickly disintegrated into a pile of black ash.

  Stepping away from him, she leaned up against the wall and dropped the pipe. As the sound echoed off the concrete, sweat poured off her brow as she took in the room before her. Alaina still didn't move, but at least her chest indicated she breathed. She half expected the pile of ash to reform again and come after them.

  They needed to get out of this place.

  She walked over to Alaina. "I need you to get up."

  Alaina groaned. "I can't. No more."

  "It's done. He's dead. We have to get out of here in case someone else shows up.”

  Alaina opened her eyes and pushed herself up on all fours.

  She knew Alaina needed a healing, but between the healings she'd already done, the adrenaline she'd used to kill Daniel, and her lack of food, water, and rest, she didn't have the energy.

  "Can you stand?" she asked.

  Alaina nodded and got to her feet.

  Macy lodged herself under Alaina's armpit, hoping she'd use her as a crutch, which she did. Macy had to drag her out of the house as Alaina stumbled next to her.

  The crisp night air sent a shiver down her spine, and Alaina began to tremble as goose bumps formed on her skin. Out in the middle of the desert, they had nowhere to go, but Macy knew they couldn't stay in the house. She gazed up at the moon and wondered about the time. It had to be late into the night.

  As she began to sway, she knew she couldn't do any more; she couldn’t go any further. She didn't have the physical strength—it had been completely depleted.

  She eyed the car, then looked back at the house. Both stood as reminders of all the death that had taken place out here, but they needed to rest. Perhaps if she got a few hours of sleep, she could heal Alaina, and they could find civilization or a highway and get some help. Right now, even though exhausted, finding a human to assist them was out of the question as her eyes glowed light yellow.

  Yes, when the sun came up and they had rested, they could discuss their next steps.

  But where should they go?

  The house seemed to be filled with ghosts who had experienced the horror of its owner, so she opted for the car.

  She got Alaina settled in the passenger seat, then she slid into the driver’s. Alaina still trembled, and Macy's teeth began to chatter from the cold.

  Scooting over, she pulled Alaina close, thankful the old car only had a bench seat. Putting her arms around her friend, she leaned back against the ancient, cracked leather seat and shut her eyes.

  Just before sleep overtook her, she wondered if she would live to see Titus again. If she did, she would tell him exactly how she felt about him and let the chips fall where they may.

  Even a long life like hers could be cut short in an instant.

  Chapter 45

  Titus, Roman, Nico, and Chance stood on a hill above the house. Nico looked through the night vision binoculars.

  "What do you see?" Titus asked, keeping his voice low. He didn't want any sounds carrying across the desert floor and alerting anyone of their presence.

  "There's a car parked out front. The door to the house is open slightly, and it looks like there's a light on."

  "Do you see anyone around there?" Chance asked.

  Nico shook his head. "Nope, but we have to assume there is because no one is going to leave their damn front door open with the light on."
/>   "Well, let's move in," Titus said.

  They got into the SUV and drove down the hill, then stopped about a quarter mile away from the house.

  "We hike it from here. We don't want anyone hearing us coming," Titus said.

  Nico nodded, the dashboard lights illuminating his worried features. "Agreed."

  Titus sighed and hoped like hell Nico would be able to keep it together, especially if they came face to face with Daniel. They didn't need a loose cannon, as that could just backfire.

  However, if Alaina had been hurt ... or worse, there would be no stopping Nico and no talking any sense into him. He'd most likely destroy everything and anyone who got in his way.

  And what would Titus do if Macy had been killed?

  He couldn't imagine moving on—he'd just end his life. There was only so much heartbreak a male could take in his lifetime, and if Macy lay dead, that would push way past his limit.

  "Let's do this," Roman said from the back.

  They exited the car and walked the quarter mile in silence.

  "Roman, you and Chance take the back. Nico and I will hit the front."

  The males nodded and disappeared into the nighttime desert. A cloud had moved over the moon, making it difficult to see them.

  "Ready?" Titus whispered.

  They moved to the front of the house, and something felt off to him. The place seemed abandoned, yet heavily populated, and he didn't understand it.

  Nico took the right side of the door, Titus the left. Slowly, he pushed it open, the coppery smell of blood meeting his nose causing panic to surge through him. He glanced over at Nico. His eyes widened, and his face paled. Both went crashing through the door with guns drawn at the same time, protocol and plans be damned.

  When he felt certain the room was empty, he took a good look around.

  The house had been specially outfitted. It looked normal on the outside, but the inside had been fortified with concrete walls and flooring. Blood spatters covered both, and Nico bent down, touching one little puddle that looked fresh.

  Titus noticed the door to another room and wondered why Roman and Chance hadn't come in from the back. He moved into it and saw that it was the same set up—there wasn't a back door to be found.