Kindred Spirit - Noah Harris Page 0,59

the next town if they hoofed it, especially because it was looking like they weren’t going to make it to the motel anytime soon.

Jacob reached down, shouting into the store. “Stay down, Laura! And make sure everyone stays in their house, also staying down!”

“You tell those bastards they owe me for my truck!” came the cry back.

“Language,” Levi repeated as he took to his feet.

Jacob yanked him close, kissing him fiercely. “We’re going to run like hell, you understand? Keep behind me, and we’ll get through this.”

“Together,” Levi insisted.

Jacob smiled. “Together.”

And with that settled, they ran like hell, making for the space between buildings, and hopefully freedom.

Levi

As they sprinted, Levi could only curse himself for not having been more diligent in his exercise regimen before. Sprinting across the back lot and into the woods had been one thing. Running between buildings, avoiding the hurdles of trash cans, a couple of bicycles, and a stack of boxes, all while trying to keep ahead of the men on their tail, was something else entirely.

Levi managed to spare a grunt of annoyance as he watched Jacob clamber up over a fence and drop down to the other side without so much as a moment of hesitation. They had sprinted for almost three blocks to get away, and it didn’t look like the other man was even remotely slowing down.

C’mon, Levi, you’ve managed to get some distance, don’t slow down now.

“Oh, blow it out your ass, you little traitor,” Levi grunted as he clambered over the fence as fast as his poor body would take him.

Traitor? Wow, are you jealous?

“Oh, piss off,” he muttered, tipping over the top of the fence.

He would have slammed face first, but Jacob was quicker. Catching Levi, he dropped the man down to his feet.

“Don’t go busting up that pretty face of yours,” Jacob told him.

“Surrounded by guys who think they’re funny,” Levi muttered.

“We really need to find a way for Lou to talk to me if we’re going to keep seeing more of one another,” Jacob said.

“I think the fuck not,” Levi protested.

Bad news.

Levi blinked, not even realizing Lou had disappeared until that moment. “What now?”

The woods ahead are blocked off. And they’re still coming from behind.

“What is it?” Jacob asked.

“We got people at the front and behind us,” Levi told him.

Jacob looked across the road, with the forest behind the row of buildings on that side. If there were people over there, that meant they were waiting to ambush them the minute they had the advantage of cover. To go back or go onward would trap them, and going to the left didn’t offer them many options. The corner of the street was too close, and either group of 2218 members could hem them in easily, even Levi could see that.

“Right?” Levi asked.

Jacob sighed. “Right it is.”

Levi nodded, waiting for Jacob to take off running before hustling after him. Levi had always thought his whole life had been a cat and mouse game, but this was a little too close for his taste. They had no idea how many people they were dealing with in total, and Levi didn’t want to send Lou off to find out. Their only offensive options were Jacob and Lou, and he really didn’t want to send off a heavy hitter in case they needed him immediately. From Lou’s constant presence at his side, he guessed the spirit was thinking the same thing.

A shout from behind had Jacob grabbing him by the wrist and yanking to the right. They found themselves between two buildings once more just as a handful of shots rang out. Levi winced as one of them hit the corner of the nearest building. He really hoped Laura had put the call out, and everyone was taking refuge.

They’re in front now too.

“There’s three groups?” Levi asked incredulously. “Jesus. Just how many people are they throwing at us?”

As many as it takes to kill you.

It was the fury in Lou’s voice more than his words that sent a chill down Levi’s spine. God, the last thing he wanted to do was have Lou lose control again. It had been horrifying for Levi and downright exhausting for Lou.

“We have to move,” Levi moaned, hoping they still had a chance to get free.

“Keep going, c’mon,” Jacob said, pointing down the narrow path between buildings.

It would take them back into town, but their only other choice was to go out where there were possibly three groups of armed men gunning for them. They