Chapter 1: Run!

“Run!”

Riley Carter yelled as she tore into the alley.

In her right hand was a black leather bag—the one Jax had snatched off a guy they’d passed on the main street just moments ago.

“I’m already running!”

Jax’s voice came from behind her.

“Then run faster!”

“You’re the one running too fast!”

“Would you two shut up and run?!”

Tasha shouted.

At the very back, Benji looked like he was about five seconds from death.

“Wait... hold on... I can’t...”

“Two more!”

“Two more what?!”

“Alleys!”

“Use actual distance!”

There was no time for that.

Riley dodged a trash can, vaulted over a stack of wooden crates, planted one foot against the fence by the wall, and scrambled straight to the top.

“Riley!”

“Hurry up!”

“Why can’t we just use the street like normal people?!”

“Because they’ll catch us!”

She jumped down the other side.

Jax followed, then Tasha, and finally Benji, who came over the fence less like a person and more like a sack of laundry.

“I’m dying...”

“Not yet.”

“That wasn’t comforting!”

The four of them took off again.

The shouting behind them had faded into the distance.

Two more turns later, Riley finally stopped.

“Okay.”

Jax braced one hand against a wall, sucking in air.

“What part of this is okay...?”

“We lost them.”

“We wouldn’t have had to lose them if we hadn’t done it in the first place,” Tasha said flatly.

Riley held up the bag.

“This was Jax’s idea.”

“You’re the one who went along with it.”

“You’re the one who grabbed it.”

“And then I handed it to you while we were running.”

“You dumped the evidence on me.”

“That’s what friendship is for.”

“For the first time in my life, I hate friendship.”

Tasha sighed.

Benji was still sitting on the ground, breathing like his lungs had filed for resignation.

“Is that thing... expensive?”

“No idea.”

Riley turned the bag over in her hands.

“I don’t know anything about brands.”

“Then why’d we steal it?”

“Jax said it looked expensive.”

All three of them looked at Jax.

“...Don’t look at me.”

Riley laughed.

And that was when it happened.

A black car pulled across the mouth of the alley.

Long body. Polished finish. Expensive enough that it looked wildly out of place in this neighborhood.

“...What is that?” Tasha murmured.

Riley didn’t answer.

Then came the sound of another engine behind them.

She turned.

A second car.

One in front.

One behind.

They were boxed in.

“Hey.”

Jax looked at the bag.

“Who exactly did you steal that from?”

“I told you, I don’t know!”

“Could it be the mob?” Benji asked, going pale.

“The mob doesn’t show up over one purse!”

“They’re literally showing up!”

The door of the car in front opened.

A black leather shoe touched the pavement.

Then the man stepped out.

Jax and the others immediately fell silent.

Huge.

That was Riley’s first thought.

Black suit. Black tie. Hair cropped short. Sunglasses.

His shoulders looked wide enough to fit two Rileys side by side.

More men in black suits stepped out of the other doors.

“...FBI?” Riley muttered.

“For purse-snatching?” Tasha whispered.

“CIA?”

“That makes even less sense.”

The big man started toward them.

Jax took one step back.

Tasha did the same.

Benji was already three steps behind everyone else.

Riley stayed where she was.

The man stopped directly in front of her.

“Riley Carter?”

His voice was low.

Riley narrowed her eyes.

“...Who’s asking?”

Behind her, Jax whispered,

“Say no.”

“Why?”

“Just say no!”

The man asked again.

“You are Riley Carter?”

“Yeah. That’s me.”

Riley lifted her chin.

“What do you want?”

“Dude...” all three of her friends blurted at once.

The big man stared at Riley for a moment.

Then he said,

“Confirmed.”

“Confirmed what?”

He raised one hand.

Every man in a black suit moved at once.

“Whoa, wait!”

Riley instantly dropped into a defensive stance.

“What the hell? Are you actually FBI?!”

“No.”

“CIA?”

“No.”

“Then who are you?!”

“Your ride.”

“My what?!”

Two men grabbed her arms.

“This is not how you pick someone up!”

“You’ll make this easier if you stop resisting.”

“That is exactly what a kidnapper would say!”

Riley fought.

She kicked.

She twisted, trying to wrench her arms free.

Nobody budged.

“Jax!”

“Huh?”

“Help me!”

Jax took one step forward.

The big man turned his head toward him.

Jax stopped.

“...”

“Jax!”

“Look, I mean...”

“We’re friends!”

“Friendship has limits!”

“That is not what you said five minutes ago!”

Riley was promptly shoved into the back seat.

“Let go of me! Get me out of here!”

The door slammed shut.

On the other side of the window, Jax, Tasha, and Benji stood frozen in a row.

Riley slapped one hand against the glass.

“You are all dead to me!”

The car pulled away.

Her three friends slowly disappeared into the distance.

After a long moment, Benji spoke.

“...What did Riley do this time?”

Tasha stared after the black car.

“Nothing we didn’t do.”

“Then why’d they only take her?” Jax asked.

The three of them looked at one another.

Nobody had an answer.