by Nikki Wild
“Get that bitch,” Dirty groaned from the floor.
The big guys stood there slack-jawed and unmoving. When the instruction finally registered, I was almost by him. He reached out with a slow hand, but it was easy to duck. I delivered a sharp elbow to his big belly for good measure.
“Oof.” He shouted, stumbling after me.
I turned the corner and desperately tried to remember the way they had brought me in. Maybe it was the state I was in, but everything looked the same. I needed a window. Anything, really, that would help me get my bearings.
Heavy footsteps thundered down the hallway.
“She went this way!”
There was a set of stairs to my left. There was no way I was putting more distance between myself and the front door, though, so that was out. It looked like all empty bedrooms and closets behind the other doors.
Make a decision, Addy!
I had to go. I sprinted toward the stairway. It looked like the building wrapped around to another section of rooms. Another hallway started to my right. I figured it was my best shot.
“Where the hell is she?!”
This time it was Dirty’s voice. I had no doubt I could get away from the other one, but Dirty was faster and stronger. Plus, he had the gun.
I made a run for the hallway. I had to balance speed with stealth as I didn’t want to alarm anyone else in the place to my presence.
This place was massive. It was more like a compound than a clubhouse.
The hallway off the wraparound led me to a kitchen. On the far wall, there was a door to the outside. From the sounds of their footsteps, I could tell they ran upstairs to search. It meant I had a little bit of breathing room.
Once I got outside, I’d be home free. I could tell we were surrounded by trees. If I could get out under the cover of darkness, they’d never be able to track me down. The fear would give me enough fuel to run until the sun came up. I’d chance the elements and make my way back to town.
The door flew open under my excited pull. I stuck my foot behind it just in time to keep it from clattering against the wall.
Fresh air. It was almost sweet enough to taste.
Three steps down and my toes sunk into the soft soil.
Run!
I didn’t make it a step before the dog launched himself at my face. He was all teeth and claws, and probably outweighed me by fifteen pounds.
I got my arm up just in time to deflect his snatching jaws. His body torqued as he flew past me. He snapped again as his momentum carried him. Great. Now I have to deal with Cujo.
Woof! Woof! Woof!
The dog sat on his haunches, barking angrily.
“She’s down stairs! She’s trying to get outside.”
Oh no.
The dog blocked the gate that led outside the fence. I could chance running by him or I could run back inside. I decided on the latter as I didn’t want to chance the dog tackling me to the ground.
The kitchen was mostly bare. There were cases of beer and other alcohols stacked around the room, but not much else. I took a quick look through each of the doors in hopes of finding some kind of weapon, but they were all empty.
Go. Go. Go.
I ran for the door… the one opposite of the way I came in. They were coming down the stairs now. I had less than five seconds.
The sound of gruff voice stopped me in my tracks. Angry sounds bounced around the room on the other side of the door. I didn’t chance sneaking a peek because I already knew that was the room where I started. The men were still there. I had to find another way.
I looked across the room. Feet hit the landing at the bottom of the stairs. There was no way back through that door without running head first into my pursuers.
Time slowed down.
Think, Addy. Think.
Hide.
The cupboards. There was no time to think twice. Not even time for a false step. I took a direct angle toward the closets set of cupboards, two down from the sink. If I was wrong, and there was shelving or other goods stored there, I’d be caught. It was a Hail Mary.
I almost ripped the small door off its hinges.
Jackpot!
Empty, and just enough room to squeeze myself in. If I’d grown to be as tall as my mom, I wouldn’t have fit.
I saw a bare foot step into the kitchen just as I pulled the door closed behind me.
“Outside! Outside! Did she make it?” yelled Dirty.
“Naw. No way. Cookie is out there. He would’ve chewed her up.”
Cookie? Great name for your rabid dog.
“They got her then.”
I could only imagine he thought I went through the door and into the waiting arms of the other bikers.
“Let’s get the bitch back in her room.”
I held my breath as the stomped by my secret hiding place, only inches away. My sigh of relief didn’t even make it all of the way past my lips before I realized I’d need to move again. And fast.
Once they saw I wasn’t in the other room, they’d figure out that I was hiding. Unless I could turn invisible there would be no other way about it. I had to believe that even these guys could put two and two together.
I slipped out of the cupboard on to the hard tile floor of the kitchen.
“What the fuck do you mean, nobody came out here?” barked Dirty.
I started back the way I came, hopping through the door frame and scooting just out of sight as they re-entered the kitchen. This time I could tell they had more searchers with them.
“Tear this place apart. The bitch isn’t a ghost. She has to be here somewhere.”
Up the stairs it would be. How ironic, considering I was the first person to yell at every movie when the unwitting, half-nude girl ran upstairs to get away from the killer.
I took them softly, but two at a time. I figured on just enough time to get to the top before they decided I wasn’t hiding in the Kitchen.
“Are you sure she didn’t get outside?”
The voices were growing faint as I put more and more distance between me and them.
“She couldn’t have.”
“Well… are you sure? Get your ass out there and check. She’s got no damn shoes on so she won’t make it far if she is out there.”
The landing at the top of the stairs was just as uninviting as the rest of the place. Old, framed paintings adorned the walls. I had to believe that they came with the building when the club moved in. It looked like a standard setup. Two doors on each side of the hall, with one more at the end. I assumed that one was a bathroom, so I could check it off the list. Bathrooms had notoriously small windows, and if I was going to have to squeeze my way through a window, I didn’t want it to be one of those.
Might as well start with the first one.
Thankfully, it wasn’t latched. I could get a look inside without making too much noise. I sucked in a breath and chanced a look around the corner. Empty. There was a small twin bed parked in the corner, just like the room downstairs but not much else. There wasn’t even a closet to hide in.
Next.
I crept down the hall while keeping a keen ear on the floor below. If I had to step into one of these rooms, I’d do it, but I wanted to use the time that I had to find the best option.
A long, thick rug ran the length of the room. I’d never been so thankful for a tackily misplaced decoration. It worked to muffle any creaks caused by my bodyweight. To me, that made it worth its weight in gold.
I stepped carefully to the next door. This one was closed, tightly. I debated whether or not I should open it.
What if it was closed for a reason?
I decided not to chance it. The other side of the hall had two cracked doors, so if those didn’t pan out, maybe I’d rethink things.
I started with the one closest to the bathroom. A light showed through the gap below the hinges. I pressed myself against the wall and listened carefully. If there was anyone inside, they were either quiet as a church mouse or dead.
This door drifted open easily and silently. Again, I poked my head inside. Again, it was empty. This one, however, had a large open window that faced the same direction as the door that led outside from the kitchen.
I stepped carefully across the room to see if I could get a look at my surrounding. Any little bit of information would help at this point.
There was a full moon out. Under any other circumstances I would have sat and watched it for a while. Tonight, I wouldn’t dwell on its beauty, instead just thankful that it lit the trees.
Heavy boots thundered on the stairs.
Someone was running.
Had I been spotted? Did they see me through the window?
Inside or outside, which way do I go?
There were no good hiding places in these rooms. If I went out the window it would be suspicious. Maybe the person checking would know that the window had already been open. Maybe not. Maybe they’d call for backup and say they knew where I went. If jumped in the closet, it would be the most obvious place to check.
I stumbled and tripped around the room like a scared cat. My feet took me back into the hallway.
Do something!
My eyes stayed glued to the top of the stairs. The footfalls thundered in my head.
As if controlled by some outside force, I moved to the closed door. I yanked it open, twirled inside, and pulled it shut as quietly as I possibly could.
I took in a deep breath to collect myself.
“Hi!”
That simple, sweet word almost made me drop from a heart attack.
My eyes snapped into focus on the source. A tiny head peeked from beneath the pink blankets on the bed.
It was a little girl.
“H… Hi!” I stuttered.
Whoever was coming for me had made the top of the steps.
“What’s your name?” asked the little girl.
“I’m… uh…”
There was a loud crash outside the room. They were searching the place from top to bottom, and I had no guarantee that this one would be last on their list.
Don’t shut down, Addy!
“I’m Adeline,” I said, thinking quickly. “Do you want to play a game with me?”
“Yeah,” she said, excitedly. “I’m Sarah.”
She couldn’t have been more than four or five.
“Okay. It’s called hide-and-seek. Ever heard of it?”
“Yes, I’ve heard of it.”
She fell back in her sheets in a cackling laugh.
“Do you want to play?”
“Sure!”
It sounded like he had just made his way through the last of the rooms. If I was right, he would check here next.
“Okay, Sarah! There’s a man looking for me right now. Do you hear him?”
She turned her ear to the door and listened.
“I hear him!”
“Good! Now, he’s about to come in here looking for me. Will you help me hide?”
By the time she agreed, I was already half way to her bed. I made a swan dive over it that sent me crashing into the wall.
“Remember… you haven’t seen me.”
She nodded, taking her responsibility seriously. I couldn’t believe my life was potentially resting on the poker face of a five-year-old.
I pulled my knees to my chest just as someone barged in.
“Little girl, did a woman come in here?”
“No.” she said, simply.
“Are you sure? I thought I heard a noise.”
“I’m sure. I was reading my book. I would have seen if a woman came in here.”
Damn. She was a good liar.
“Uh… okay,” he said, hesitantly. “Where is your mother?”
“She’s downstairs with daddy.”
“Okay. We’ll, get your stuff together. I’m gonna have her come get you so you guys can go home.”
With that, he stepped out and closed the door behind him. I stayed completely still until I heard his steps retreat and go back down the stairs.
“Did I do good?” she asked.
“You did great. Now, I want you to go to sleep, okay? The game is over.”
She blew an annoyed little breath from her lungs, clearly disappointed she wouldn’t get a chance to hide.
“Fine,” she said as she turned over and yanked the blanket to her nose.
I couldn’t have asked for a better accomplice.
Back on my feet, I tried to decide my next move. If I had nine lives, I’d already used eight, so I would have to think of something better than running around this house. I was outnumbered and the dice were eventually going to come up craps.
The window was the only real option. If I could get on to the roof, maybe I could find a way down to the ground. It would be too far to jump, but maybe there would be a ladder, or something else I could climb.
I checked over my shoulder to see if the kid was watching. Amazingly, it looked like she had fallen asleep in the short time that I used to make my choice. I took a second to envy the ability that kids had to do that. If I could fall asleep at the drop of a hat, I’d love it.
At first, I thought it was painted shut. But upon closer inspection, there looked to be a thin gap. I pushed lightly, hoping it would come up without too much sound.
It groaned under the pressure. While not painted shut, it looked like it had been years since it was last opened. The single-paned glass bowed under the force. Finally, something gave in the track and it went up.
I tossed one leg over the window sill, and then the other. My feet landed on rough roof shingles. There was a bit of a decline, but not enough of one that it had me worried about my footing.
The window went down much easier than it went up. I let it settle and inch or two from the bottom to save the noise of it closing. That small of a gap wouldn’t be noticeable to even the most discerning eye.
On top of the house was the first time I felt I could let my guard down. The constant fear and tension had wreaked havoc on my nerves. I stepped out of view of the glass and took a seat. The shingles felt like sandpaper on my butt.
I knew I didn’t have time to waste, but I needed the moment to collect myself. It was the first chance I’d had to think since I dropped Dirty with that kick.
That reminded me…
That big biker… when he came in to the room, he said… something.
They’re here?
Was that it?
If it was, then who?
My heart jumped at the notion that it might be Hale.
They’re here.
Hale and Jared?
I hoped not. Hale could handle things. Jared couldn’t.
It was time to get moving again. I stood and stretched. The yells and agitated conversations from the men chasing me had disappeared. Or if they hadn’t, I was far enough away that I couldn’t hear them.
I stepped cautiously. The last thing I needed was to catch my foot on a loose nail and fall off the house. The drop was further than I’d anticipated. Maybe twenty-five feet, and that was in the few spots where I didn’t have to deal with a peak.
C’mon. Just give me something to work with.
I spotted a low point and made my way to the edge. It was still a long way down, but what choice did I have? I lowered myself over the edge, hanging from the tips of my fingers. This was going to hurt, but my time in gymnastics had taught me a thing or two about falling.
I let go, my body falling fast. I let my legs collapse on impact. My whole body rolled into the fall, arms tucking over my head as my feet took to the air behind me. I sprang up in momentary disbelief that I’d pulled it off, but I knew there was no time for celebration. Ignoring the pain blooming from one of my ankles, I hit the ground running… in the most literal sense. I’d care for my feet later. The jagged gravel wouldn’t slow me down. All I’d have to do is make my way past the driveway that led up to the dirt lot and I’d be home free. A muffled pop broke the silence. And then another. Then all hell broke out behind m
e. Explosions, gunfire, I didn’t care. I was almost out.
I made it.
I beat them.
Maybe I should have been paying attention instead of celebrating.
The collision knocked me right on my ass.
I was pretty sure it was a body that I hit, but it could have been a brick wall. When I gathered myself, I looked up to see the silhouette of a man.
He stepped into the moonlight. It was my baby brother. And he looked terrified.
25
Roughneck
The blade was slowed by my leather, but it still caught a good amount of flesh. The bastard stuck me and I wasn’t even ready for it. I should have seen it coming. Sly knew I wouldn’t let him live after what he’d done.
I dropped to my knees, much the way Clancy did just a few days earlier. But my face wasn’t painted with shock… it was filled with rage.
And that’s when World War III started.
From somewhere outside the room, an explosion went off, followed by three more in rapid succession. Somebody shouted “PIGS” and all hell broke loose. I could hear one of the bikers firing his gun out one of the doors, and the reply was all hell breaking loose as bullets ripped through the clubhouse. Sly dove away as holes opened up in the wall behind him. I stayed low for cover, pulling the knife free from my side and pulling the Glock out from the waistband of my jeans. The pain of my injury faded to a dull roar. The hellfire opening up around me wasn’t going to draw my mind from its singular mission. I was going to get my Addy back, and I was going to do it by force.
“Roughneck! You alright?” It was Crazy. He was holed up beneath the pool table.
“Yeah! I’m okay. I don’t think it went too deep.”
“What the fuck is going on?” Crazy asked.
The was a loud pop and a shower of glass rained down on my legs. I had gotten as far as I could under the bar, so the glass must’ve been from a bottle.
“I don’t know! I think it’s the cops! Some kind of fucking raid. What happened to the kid?”
“He ran outside. I think he’s going for the shotgun.”
We’d stashed it around the corner before we came in, and I was glad we did.
