Page 1 of Saving Helena

CHAPTER ONE

Maddox – age 16

"Pike!" My whisper was a desperate plea as I frantically scanned the darkness for my best friend. "Pike!"

Thiswasn’t the first time we’d been in trouble together. Nor was it the first time we’dbeen caught. Things weren’t looking too good either.

I could see the shadows of police officers as they came closer and the blue glow from the lights. There was no way that I could get clear before they got here, no way that I’d be able to run.The chain link fencing on either side was impossible to reach, borderingthousands of acres of Arizona desert.

Panic settled into my chest as I thought of ways toescapethis newest batch of troubleI’d landed into.I’d probably lose my current foster home placement, which was a shame since it hadn’t been bad. There were no groping hands, no looming in the dark.Now, though,I could take care of myself.I’d grown up into a bigger version of the small, crouchingboythat Iused to be.

But the most crushing blow was the realization that Pike hadn’t returned as promised. The feeling of betrayal cut deep. He had been my rock, my constant, in a constantly changing life. I had trusted and believed in him, and now it felt like I had been abandoned.

Bitterness clogged my throat as I peered around again for him before the police officers came around the corner. Finally, I hit the dirt and held my hands in the air—nosense in getting shot.

CHAPTER TWO

Maddox – 23

"Move your fucking ass!"

Grabbing the soldier next to me and shoved him behind the building and into the dirt just as the bullets flew.

No way was I having some kid killed on my last fucking day in the field. That would've been some bad karma for the rest of my life. Not to mention the paperwork I'dbe forcedto fill out.

"That was close, Maddox," my friend Ames said and winked as we returned fire. "I'd hate for you to have paperwork on the last day."

"Me too, me too," I gave him a crooked grin. Ames and I were good buddies these last few years. I wished he were getting out with me, but he had re-upped.

Something had beenpushing me back stateside, but Icouldn’t determine what it was.There wasn’t a lot for me to return to, no friends or family to speak of.I hadthoughtabout staying in for another four years, but the uniform was chafing now, andthe orderswere notsitting as they had in years past.

I'd been encouraged to go into the army by my last foster mother. She didn't know how else to help me since I was aging out of the system, andthere was nowhere else for me to go except the streets or jail. Itcertainlyhadn't seemed like I was going in a positive direction.

With Pike ghosting me,I hadn’t anything elseto do.Enlisting seemed like a pretty solid choice. Then I just stayed in since I was making good money. There had been no reason to leave. It was solid work.

"Move, move, move!" I shouted and returned fire as Ames and my unit moved to cover. Raising my M4, I waited one breath, two breaths, aswe sprinted.

"Nice work, Sarge," Ames shouted opposite me. I didn’t lower my weapon, though. Over time, I learnednot to relax my guarduntil I wassurethe threat was over.

Moving as a unit, we swept the area, turning the bodies and snapping photos to take back to base for verification.

This whole mission had been a shit show, and I was just glad I was ending it in one piece. Of course, I had zero ideas on whattodo once I was out. That was a problem for another day, though.

CHAPTER THREE

Maddox – 24

“Another one?” the bartender asked.

I’ve had more than my share, andthe glasses were dirty, but I couldn’t sayI was picky now.

“Sure, why not.” Giving a little waveto myglass,I indicated another pour.

While enjoying the burn of whiskey, I couldn’t recall the town I had ridden into that morning in Arizona. It felt like I had been riding in circles for a year.

Running a dusty figure over the barsurface,I traced the ring of the glass, tryingto ignore the loneliness that sucked at the edges of my brain and heart. It seemed to be chasing me no matter how fast I rode or how much I drank.

The light beamed as the door to the bar opened, lettingin the Arizona sun and heat. Bikers streamed in, loudlytrudgingthrough the small space in their heavy boots. I turned back to the study of the ring on the bar, twirling a left-over bottle cap. The newcomers held little interest to me.

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