Page 83 of Shea's Hero

Not just intense. Dangerous. Deadly.

He lets go of me to wrestle with the wheel, trying to steer us out of the skid.

“We can still turn around,” he says. “But I want you to get your head down in case they start shooting.”

Shooting? What? Here?

Yes. Of course, here. On this apparently empty road except for us and a bunch of people intent on trapping us, at least.

And why else would they be here if not for me and Oliver?

Just as our spin is slowing, there’s a sharp crack outside.

Having spent time around both Niall and Oliver as they practice, I know what it is.

A gunshot.

Then the right side of our car sags.

“Fuck,” Oliver grits out. “They shot out the tire.”

Our car is now drunkenly limping along, the flat tire pulling us off to the side.

He reaches under the seat and pulls out his gun.

Outside, there’s another crack. The left side of the car drops, matching the right.

And now we’re stuck. Really stuck. With two flat tires and three cars surrounding us.

Time does this crazy thing, slowing and speeding up at the same time. My body feels like it’s moving in slow motion, but around me, everything is in fast forward.

Like the three cars. And the men jumping out of them, racing towards us with guns drawn.

It’s like my worst nightmare come to life.

Not just me in danger, but Oliver. And I know he’ll defend me at the expense of his own life.

I can’t lose him. I can’t.

“Stay in the car,” he says brusquely. “You’re wearing your earrings, right? You need to trigger them. Now.”

It takes a second for my terrified brain to register what he’s saying. The earrings. The ones Blade and Arrow gave me. I need to press one of them, just like Cole showed me. It’ll trigger a call for help, and the team will come right away.

But what if it’s too late? What if they show up to find us…

“There’s a gun in the glovebox,” Oliver continues. “I’m going to get out. Confront them. Only use it if you?—”

There’s another loud crack, and this time, glass shatters.

Someone screams.

No. Not someone. Me.

I look frantically around, half-convinced I’ll find Oliver with blood all over him. But he’s unhurt, just like me. Then I feel a breeze coming through the back, and I realize there’s a jagged hole in the rear window.

The earring. The earring. Press it. Now.

It’s like moving through quicksand, but I manage to press the center of the earring, just like I was shown.

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