Page 70 of The Reaper

Heath walked to the back-seat window and spoke to my grandparents. It was as if he could read my mind.

“We’re being followed. Twenty miles that way”—I pointed to the road in front of us—“and El Jefe is twenty-five miles that way.” I hooked my thumb over my shoulder.

“El Jefe?” Tobias asked in surprise. I didn’t blame him, I was still catching up myself. “Are you sure?”

I nodded.

“Oh my goodness,” Grandma said, wringing her hands. “Are we in trouble?”

I walked to the back seat, opening the door. “Everything is gonna be all right.” I held their hands to assure them. “But I’m gonna have you wait by the woods for someone.”

“Why, son?” My grandfather asked.

Tobias opened the hatch and Heath grabbed my grandparents’ bags.

I fought back tears and steadied my emotions. I needed to be strong for them. “We’re being followed and we’re going to keep driving because I don’t want them to know you’re with us,” I explained. “And we need to hurry.”

I breathed a sigh of relief when they moved to get out of the vehicle without any more questions. Heath and I assisted them. “We will be back,” I promised. Heath and Tobias rolled their luggage behind some thick foliage, and we followed.

“Be careful, son,” Grandpa said, hugging me.

“Come back to us, okay?” Grandma kissed my cheek. “All of you.” She reached for Heath’s and Tobias’s hands, squeezing them. She returned her attention back to me. “We just got you back, we don’t want to lose you again.”

“I’ll be back.” It was an unfair promise, considering we had no idea which assassins we were up against, but I was out of words when it came to them.

“We’ll be back,” Heath and Tobias said in unison. Thank fuck I had them.

I dialed Zero’s number and she answered after one ring. “What’s the plan?”

“Can you find my exact location?” I asked.

“Yeah.”

“Can you save it?”

“Yes, I can.”

“Good. I have a huge favor to ask and I hope you’ll consider it. I have my grandparents at this spot because I can’t have them with us when we—”

“You want me to get them?” Zero interrupted.

“Yes—or send someone you trust. Listen, I don’t know where you are, but—”

“I’ll be there in forty-five minutes. I’ll send a pic of me so you can show them.” Thank fuck for Zero too. She knew we were short on time.

“Thank you so much.”

“Hey, Reap?”

“Yeah?”

“Take care.”

“I owe you one, Zero. And call me Archer.”

“See you, Archer.” She disconnected, and seconds later a text arrived with a picture of her.

“Grandma, Grandpa, this is Zero.” I showed them her photo.

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