disappeared into the darkness beyond the twin glow of his headlights. Mackenzie should have plenty of places to hide, he thought as he scanned left and right. Nothing but black. He was halfway up when the Jeep’s headlights flashed behind him. She’d better be here, otherwise they’d have him for sure.
At the top of the hill, the old gymnasium loomed ahead like a darkened hulking box and around back was the bus turnaround where he and his friends had spent many days smoking weed. Several pairs of fluorescent green eyes flashed in his headlights and two hunching shadows lumbered out from the covered walkway. Raccoons.
He whipped the car around the corner of the gym to face the direction he’d come from, parked it and opened the door. Before he could climb out, two quick staccatos cracked in the night air.
What the hell is going on? Was his sister totally nuts?
He jumped out and heard what he hoped was the low rumble of a motorcycle engine and not a Jeep coming up the driveway. For a split second, when light shined through the underbrush, he considered locking himself in the car. But he realized it was the single headlight of a motorcycle.
In a moment, she’d swung the bike around and was idling next to him.
“Kenzie, oh my God. Did you actually shoot those guys? Please tell me you didn’t.” He had a really bad feeling about this.
She whipped off her helmet and shoved it at him. “Here. Get on. Hurry.”
“You just scared them off, right?” He put it on and started to reach into the car to turn off the ignition, but he stopped and turned back around. “Wait. Why can’t I just drive myself out?”
“Forget about the car. Let’s go.”
“Tell me you didn’t shoot them. You were just supposed to scare them off.”
The whites of her eyes flashed with anger and she smacked him alongside the head with the palm of her hand. “I said get the hell on. Those guys following you are the same kind of guys who killed Dad. Now get your ass on the bike.”
“Jesus, Kenzie.” Both his ears vibrated painfully under the too-tight helmet.
What the hell did this have to do with their father? He’d never seen his normally calm and sensible sister like this. He climbed on behind her and held onto her waist. Dragging her inside foot, she cranked the throttle and leaned into a sharp turn. He did his best to lean with her.
Surprised to see the Jeep idling in the middle of the driveway, Corey could just make out a figure crouched over the steering wheel. Oh God, she did shoot them. Mackenzie actually fucking shot that guy.
“Don’t look, Corey. Keep your eyes straight ahead.”
Thank God, the guy was moving as they drove past. At least the dude wasn’t dead. They could go and figure out—
Mackenzie’s back slammed into his chest and the bike skidded to a stop. What the hell? His head, heavy from the helmet, cracked against hers.
A dark figure dressed in an ankle-grazing trench coat filled the driveway in front of them. Mackenzie patted the pocket of her leather coat, but it was too late.
Without seeing him move, the man suddenly appeared next to the bike, towering over them. Corey couldn’t make out any of his features, but the dude’s breath—or maybe something on his clothes—smelled rank and coppery, like blood. Corey’s easily activated gag reflex made him choke and he tasted barf in the back of his throat.
Mackenzie cranked the throttle and the man grabbed the handlebars. The engine revved high in protest, the tires squealed on the pavement, but they remained immobile. No friggin’ way. How was that even possible?
“Stupid bitch,” the man growled. “Think you’re clever with those silver bullets?” With one hand, he held the bike still and with the other, he twirled a gun, Mackenzie’s gun, on his forefinger.
In one swift movement, he snatched them off the bike and dragged them along the pavement to the Jeep as if they were rag dolls. Corey tried to keep his feet under him, but he ended up being dragged on his knees over the asphalt. By the time they reached the vehicle, both pant legs had ripped and it felt as if a layer of his skin covered the driveway. His hands and knees stung with embedded bits of gravel.
Mackenzie hadn’t fared much better. From what he could see in the pale light, her hands were raw and bleeding, too. He half-expected to hear her