Chapter 4 :THE TRAP

"Jason is here," I said, my voice empty

Adrian took a moment, wincing as he tested the injury on his arm. "The ex-husband, where did he find you?"

"I don't know," I admitted. "But we don't have time to figure it out, right?"

I crossed the room and peered out the window. Everything was silent but I knew better than to trust the peace, Jason was nothing if not impatient. He would come barreling in, guns blazing, hoping that I would cower before him.

He was going to get a shock,

"Can you fight?" I asked.

Adrian produced a gun from his jacket. "I can manage."

"Good. Because we're going to give him a show he'll never forget."

I knew Jason best because I had watched him for years. I knew he was arrogant, predictable, and always underestimated me, even when he watched me. He would come ambling up the drive, guns drawn, and kick in the door

So I decided to do what he expected me to do.

I left the front door unlocked and I turned off all the lights. I grabbed my crossbow, my taser, and a length of thick rope, and I slipped out the back window with Adrian on my trail. I led him through the trees until we were both crouched on either side of the driveway, waiting.

The moon was high and the light spilled over the treetops, revealing two cars at the end of the driveway. Jason stepped out of the lead vehicle, flanked by two men in dark clothes and wielding bats and crowbars. He didn't have any guns, which wasn't surprising. Jason was cheap when it came to paying his men.

"He's inside," Jason said to his men, "She thinks she's so smart, hiding out in the mountains, but we'll teach her a lesson for stealing from us."

They inched up the driveway slowly, creeping past us, unaware that we were there. I waited until they were between us before I let loose the first shot

The bolt from my crossbow landed at Jason's feet, and he went pale.

"What the." 

"Don't move," I said, stepping out of the shadows.

Jason whirled around, his face ashen. "Sarah, what are you doing?"

"Protecting what's mine," I said coolly. "You should have stayed in the city, Jason."

He chuckled, but the sound was nerves. "You think you can scare me with that little toy? I've got three men and you're alone."

"I've got this," Adrian said, stepping out from the other side of the driveway and leveling his pistol at Jason's heart. He was good, very good. But Jason's men stiffened in fear anyway.

"What the hell are you?" Jason asked, backing away slowly.

"Just a friend," Adrian said, "Now drop the bat."

The men hesitated. One of them took a step forward and I let loose another shot, this one grazing the man's shoulder. He howled in pain and dropped his weapon

"Next one will be your knee," I said. "Wouldn't want to shoot a limb and leave you to die."

They all dropped their weapons. Jason's face was red with fury, but he was smart enough to know when he was outmatched

"Who the hell are you?" he demanded.

"Someone who doesn't like bullies," Adrian said

"Now drop your weapon," I said softly

The men looked at each other, then Jason. He hesitated, then tossed his crowbar onto the ground. The others followed suit.

"What do you want?" Jason snarled

"Nothing from you," I said, advancing until I was inches from his face. "You're already dead to me. But I want you to know something."

I leaned closer and stared into his eyes, the same eyes that had watched me burn. "In twenty-eight days the world is going to end. And when it does, you're going to wish you'd never met me."

Jason looked at me, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"You'll find out soon enough," I said.

I turned and walked back to the cabin, my back straight. Adrian stood down Jason and his men until we were both inside the cabin, then he shut and locked the door.

"That was dumb," Adrian said

"It was fun," I said

But I knew Jason would come back. He would come back with more guns, more men, and most importantly more pride.

We needed to be gone before then.

"Pack your things," I said. "We're leaving tonight."

We drove north for hours, deeper into the mountains. The cabin was a decent place to start but I needed somewhere more remote, somewhere no one would think to look.

Adrian navigated while I drove, his gaze locked onto the road. "Where are we going?"

"My grandma left me a place years ago," I said. "A little farmhouse with a well, a root cellar, and a view of the valley."

"Your ex-husband doesn't know about it?"

"No one knows about it," I said. "I never told them."

Adrian nodded. "Then we have time to prepare."

I cast him a sidelong glance. "Prepare for what?"

"War," Adrian said simply, "The people who created the virus, they're not going to stop. They want the end of the world to happen and they want to control who makes it through. And if they find out you have a stockpile space, they're going to come after you."

I gripped the wheel tighter. "Then let's hope they never find out."

We drove for a while, the road winding into the distance. I wanted to relax, but I knew I needed to stay alert. The closer we got to the city, the more danger we were in. Jason would find us and I needed to be ready when that happened

But Adrian was looking at me strangely.

"Sarah, there's something I should tell you."

"What is it?" I asked

He hesitated. "The people who employed me, they're the ones who created the virus."

I felt a chill run down my spine. "What are you saying?"

"They already released the virus," he said. "It's not going to start in twenty-eight days. It's going to start in ten."