Page 137 of Drift

His look on the treeline, Drift tried to pull West back again.

She shook her head at him. “Get him in here, D,” she said flatly. “Fucking now. Please.”

“Think,” Light whispered heatedly over to her. “Who had access to your phone back home? Who follows you around that you wouldn’t even look twice at? Who also knew this address? Because that kid ran into your bedroom just before you left and neither of you batted an eyelid. Every time we’ve met you, this kid’s been close by. And now he’s here, when you didn’t tell him where you were going.”

“Bullshit,” snarled West. “Lookat him. He’s terrified.”

Drift frowned at Light. Hestayedon Light, but West…

A run of giggles and soft catcalls of “Here Kitty, Kitty” came from the darkness, behind Brighty, and the young lad started to shake, a dark wet stain running down the inside of his trousers.

“Bastards.” West twisted out of Drift’s grip, shifting for the closest tree that would get her over to the roadside. Drift moved in the next breath, catching up to West as she used the trunk for leverage and reached for the first branch. He was on her heel, his roughness and reach for her ankle looking set to pull her down to the floor even if it broke her ankle. But something came from Brighty’s way. Jan barely caught it, but after Drift hissed and grabbed at his neck a moment later before pulling something free, a thin dart fell to the floor.

West reached the second branch, but Drift was up, matching her pace. The trees had long since been felled to a distance that would see any jump only hit fence either side, and Gray’s warning went up, shouting at Simon to get the current cut or risk it killing West on contact.

The current was cut, but some still ran the fence. West hit the barbed wire a moment later and cried out as the force senther back. Then as she hit the ground, adrenaline fuelling every ounce of her wildness, she was up and running at the gate, scaling it a second later as Brighty cried out.

Above her in the tree, Drift matched her pace, actually managing the jump before landing next to West and dragging her down to the floor. Then he was pushing back towards the gates with her as Gray gave the call for them to open and get the electrical current back up and running on the fence.

West fought and kicked to get back to Brighty, and Drift cried out, trying to stand, to drag her up with him, but as he got to his feet, taking West up with him, he staggered, looking dizzy, sick.

A moment later, he hit the ground hard and didn’t get back up.

As the perimeter fence kicked back into life with the electrical current and opened up, Jan sent out a warning cry to get them back, into safety.

West snapped her head his way, then she crouched down, dragging Drift in close, trying to move back as Brighty quickly hid a long blowpipe behind his back, grinning.

“Oops,” he called over. “My bad, Westie.”

West snarled at him. “Youbastard. You utter fucking little cunt. When did you turn? Fucking how?”

“Always been with them. And the name’s fucking Jacob, you dumb bitch.” A few more darts off Brighty hit the floor close to her, forcing West to sit down and bury her head in Drift’s shoulder, her grip trying to shield them both. With the warning made clear to everyone to stay still, she froze, caught just level with the open gates as Brighty stepped back into the treeline, blowing a kiss West’s way.

Martin pressed in close to Jan, forcing him out of the line of fire as his look stayed on Drift, how West cradled him against any more onslaught, how Jan saw he still wasn’t moving.

Light sheltered the opposite side of the gate, behind the wall with George and a second guard, where Gray stayed in front of Simon, Jan’s side. Steve crept up with Gray’s full security team as they slipped into position behind the parked Mercs. Some fifteen in total. All armed.

“That’ll be stale mate, right?” The softer female tones came from the trees, a run of giggles supporting her, and West groaned, her eyes solely on the treeline.

“How did you get to him, Ava? What did you do, you fucking bitch? He’s just a kid.”

“Aren’t we all, love. Aren’t we all…. I mean, look at us here, it’s the wholeLord of the Fliestake over, only without the sexism. The girls run the island. Speaking of which…” A stone hit West’s shoulder, making her cry out. “How you doing… little sis?”

“Not your fucking blood, ever.” West kept her head down, tugging Drift in a little closer. “Fuck off back to the sewers, bitch.”

A chuckle, another stone hit her head this time, forcing a cry out of West.

“Still trying to hold on to what won’t ever be yours, hm? Not fully.” A soft laugh. “Great fuck, ain’t he? Our little brother. So damn… young and tender to the touch.” Quiet. “Oh… My bad. You really wouldn’t know, even now, would you? Still keeping that heart of yours far away from him. Any wonder why he runs back to me each time?”

“I’ll find a fucking way to kill you for you touching him…Grace. You still hate that name out here, bitch? How you’ll always be little Grace to Drift, the scared little girl who was just too damn small to fit into her psychopath stilettos.”

Another stone hit West’s head, a third her hand. Four smacked around her feet, sending up dust.

“Kiki knee-high tall boots, actually,” called Ava. “The kinky sort found in our mother’s closet…. Hard bastards to fight in now, but they got Drift going back when he was ill and I played… doctor on him. Kept his fever burning with all sorts of meds back at home, but gotta start somewhere, right?”

“Eight years old…. he was just a fucking boy, you sick cunt.”

“Maybe I am,” shouted Ava. “Just a little. Hell, maybe a lot. But that wildness of our youth, huh? Shame you missed seeing it play out in my bed, sis.” Chuckles came from the trees.

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