Railed (Courage MC #2) (25 page)

“
N
ot so fast
, young lady. Are you okay? Maybe we should get you to a doctor. You hit your head hard back there…” His hand was on my shoulder. I tried my hardest not to shiver out of fear, but I didn’t know how long I would last.

“
N
o
, it’s okay, sir. I feel fine.” I smiled big as if to say, “See?” On the television screen behind him there was a news report on mute. Subtitles ran across the screen: “ON THE HUNT FOR ROSE FISCHER – Main suspect in the case is 6’1,” goes by the name of Jax--”

I
realized
I had to go, and fast. But I couldn’t let the cop turn around and see me. Luckily my hair was short and my clothing was different, but I didn’t want to take any chances.

“
W
ell
, alright then. But if you feel dizzy at all, you tell your mother to take you to a doctor. Okay?” The man straightened his hat and badge, trying to look as professional as possible.

I
kept smiling and said
, “Okay, officer. You got it.” On the television, the news changed and I figured that was my cue to leave. “You have a great day, sir!” I said, running out.

“
F
unny kid
…”
He whispered under his breath. He chuckled and grabbed a glazed donut from the counter, leaving without paying.

C
hapter
13

“
W
hat happened
?” He asked as soon as I got into the car. He looked stern, yet full of worry. His finger was on the trigger. It wasn’t like him to act this nervous.

W
e gotta’ get
out of here, Adam. And fast!” I yelled. He turned on the car and peeled out of the parking lot. We merged onto the highway and carefully drove the speed limit.

“
T
hey’re talking
about us everywhere.” He said. “I didn’t expect this. Who are you anyway, Rose? You didn’t tell me your mom loved you this much. They have the whole west coast being watched.” There was a slight silence that resonated in the car. He was staring straight ahead, palms sweating all over the steering wheel. He gripped the leather hard and pushed down on the pedal.

“
F
uck
! Fuck! Fuck!”
He screamed, hitting the wheel.

“
A
dam
, you’re scaring me!” I cried out.

“
W
ell
, good. You should be scared, Rose. This is no good.” He turned up the radio:

“
A
uthorities are
on the search for a man in his mid to late 30’s. Forensics are analyzing all data to find out all information that points to the whereabouts of Rose Fischer, age 19. We turn to Rose’s parents who are now with us today. Mr. and Mrs. Fischer, thanks for coming.”
My parents…

I
couldn’t help
but listen attentively. Adam reached for the power switch, but I swatted his hand away angrily. “Don’t you dare!” I cried.

“
W
hat exactly do
you know about the situation thus far?”
The interviewer asked with strange glee in her voice. I heard my father clear his throat and a tear formed in my eye. It was pretty incredible that something as small as that could bring back a plethora of memories. I looked at Adam and he bore the look of knowing I expected him to. I had a feeling he also lost his family at a young age and that he would have to live with that pain forever. He reached out his hand and I slipped my fingers in his. I squeezed tightly, promising myself I would never let him go.

“
W
ell the letter
we received was sent somewhere in the southwest, close to Texas. However, we have decided to send search parties up north as well as south. We can’t be too careful with this. She’s our daughter and she’s all that we have…”
There were the sounds of muffled crying in the speaker. That’s when Adam turned the radio off.

“
I
’ll always be here
for you.” That was all he could say. And somehow the words were enough for me. I looked at him, tears and all, and kissed his rugged face.

“
Y
ou may be
an outlaw to some people, but I know the
real
you. I know that kind, gentle, loving man beneath the hard exterior. And I’ll stick by you no matter what.” He smiled and grabbed another cigarette.

“
T
hanks
, kid. I’d like to believe I’m a good person like you see me as. But the truth of the matter is that I’m a criminal. That’s okay with me if it’s okay with you. I can manage staying on the run forever as long as I got you.”

T
hough I didn’t
like the sound of it, I reassured him. “It’s okay with me, Adam. But someday we’re getting out of this life. We’ll end up somewhere remote and beautiful, and free. I know we will.”

“
G
od help us
.” He smiled, taking in a big drag. “Only an hour left, baby.” I looked at the darkened road and the mountains surrounding us. I rolled down the window slightly and breathed in the fresh, cold air.
I’m here because of Adam and our love is the ultimate reward
.

I
'm here
because this is my destiny.

I
fell into a deep sleep
. I was in a bank with a shotgun in my hand. With one hand on the trigger and the other on the pump, I pushed the barrel into the teller’s face and yelled. All that came out was gibberish, but the sentiment was all the same. I looked at the clock in the corner of the room and the numbers were scrambled.

I
turned
my gaze to Adam and he gave me the face of uncertainty back. I suddenly fell to the floor, shaking and seemingly violently ill. A guard from the floor reached for his gun. I turned just in the knick of time and fired a round. A direct hit. Or at least it should've been. Instead, a group of butterflies flew out of the barrel.

I
woke up
.

“
W
e’re here
.” Adam said, sucking down his cigarette. I wiped the sweat from my forehead and stretched my arms. I looked out the window and saw the rising sun come out from the ends of the earth. He pulled up to a row of large bushes, maybe ten feet in height. He put the car in park and honked three times.

“
W
here are we
?” I tiredly asked. There were no buildings in sight. It was just us and endless fields.

“
Y
ou'll see
.” He said, staring ahead. He honked again.

A
ll of a sudden
, the plants moved to the side, revealing a hidden passageway into the forest. An old man, wearing the same vest and insignia, even similar tattoos, appeared in front of us. He stroked his beard and eyed us for a long time.

A
dam stepped
out of the SUV and walked up to the old man. They stood a few feet apart, speaking slowly and carefully. They shook hands and embraced, pounding each other's back, while nodding. Adam walked back in a determined manner, lighting another cigarette.

“
W
e’re good to go
.” He said.

“
T
o go where
? Can you fill me in for once?” I liked being his sidekick and all, but he made me feel like a dumb girl sometimes.

“
L
ook
, there's a reason for not telling you everything. If things go wrong, you're in the clear. Got it? I told you earlier, we’re visiting an old friend.” He looked at me and could tell I was angry. He breathed in deep, staring at me. I stayed silent, glaring out into the green forest that surrounded us. I felt the car pull forward and about a mile into the forest was a small clearing with a cottage in the center of it. He parked the car and got out.

“
S
o you two made it
.” The man said, still stroking his chin. “Almost surprised. News been covering you two for days now. Come on in.” He gestured toward the house. In the driveway was an old motorcycle, covered in dust and old spider webs.

“
W
ho's motorcycle is that
?” I asked him. Adam looked at me as if I had done something wrong. My eyes fell to the dirt and pine needles on the ground.

“
I
don't believe
we met. Name is Bruce Johnston. And that there relic is my old lady Bertha. She may not look like much, but in her prime she was a fucking warrior, man. Adam here knows that more than anyone.” He shook my hand.

“
I
'm Rose
.” I said. He looked me up and down, examining my body.

“
Y
oung and gorgeous
. Just the way we like ‘em.” He punched at Adam’s arm playfully as we made our way into the living room.

“
Y
eah well
, the heart wants what the heart wants.” Adam said to him.

W
e sat
on the ragged chairs by the door to the backyard, while he went into the kitchen’s refrigerator. “Now, I know it ain't much.” He began, tossing us a beer each. “But this here's my little paradise. Ain't as glamorous as your little desert thing, but I get by. I get by…” He took a swig of beer and slammed it onto the table in the center of the room.

“
P
roperty of the federal government
.” Adam corrected him. “Or at least I'd have to think.”

“
W
hat in the
hell are you talking about boy?” He asked him, turning serious.

“
W
e got overrun
by a group of SUV’s. Black. Tinted windows. There were bullets everywhere, and I mean
everywhere.
I'm certain that it's Brianna’s men. They knew exactly where the place was. If it weren’t Brianna, it would have to be Jorge. But he saved our asses back there, pops. I mean it. He pulled some heavy artillery shit back there.”

I
shook
my head in disbelief. Did I hear him right?
Pops
?

“
S
hit
.” Bruce whispered through gritted teeth. “Brianna? You sure?” He took a big swig of his beer and grimaced.

“
I
know
it’s hard to believe, but she ain’t one of us. She’s a fed, dad.”

“
J
esus
. Christ… That bitch used to come in this god damn house all the time. A fed… I can hardly believe it.” He took another drink, this time downing the whole can.
“Motherfucking cock sucker…”
He began muttering under his breath, pondering what he had just heard.

“
S
hit
, I know how you feel. It hit me hard too. But now we gotta’ deal with things. And fast. Hell if I’m gonna’ die by the likes of her.”

H
e looked up at Adam
, solemnly. “She know you’re here?” He asked him.

A
dam shook his head
, staring at the table and picking at the aluminum ring at the top of his beer. “Nah. Just didn’t have anywhere to go. I fucked up. Lost all my fortune. What am I going to do now?”

I
nearly lost all
my patience listening to this. I stood up from the seat. “So you’re his dad?” I asked him.

“
S
ure am
.” He said. He turned to Adam. “She looks like your mother did. You know. Back when I first met her.”

A
dam smiled
. “I can’t remember. But I’ve seen the pictures.”

I
blushed
. “And you know Brianna Baxter?” I nearly screamed the question.

“
I
f getting
drunk and telling her a bunch of times to get off my property, counts as knowing someone, than yeah I knew the bitch.” He stood up to grab another beer. “Look, I get it. This is all new information for you. You’re feeling confused. But you gotta’ trust in my son, kid. He ain’t gonna’ let you down.”

I
looked at Adam
. He was peering out the window, making sure no one had followed us. I suddenly felt safe. I felt good, despite the confusion surrounding our circumstance. After all, this was the new life I chose, right?

“
Y
eah
, I know. He seems okay.” I laughed. Adam smiled and went back to looking out the window.

“
I
t’s
good you came here, you two. You’re safe here. For now at least. I can’t tell you how long that will last. But tonight we’ll have one big family dinner. Like old times, Adam. Remember? Us and the gang?”

“
D
o I ever
. Before I went solo.” Adam smiled, stroking his chin.