Page 38 of Declan's Hope

"What?" Hope lowered the phone and raised her head to get a good look at the scenery passing by their windows. They had indeed missed their turn. And how fast were they going?

"Excuse me," she called out, standing while keeping her phone down by her side. The man driving cut his eyes at her in the mirror over where he sat. "We missed our turn."

She frowned as he shrugged again and looked away from her. But he didn’t slow down.

"Sir?"

His narrowed gaze met hers once more through the mirror. "Sit!"

A shudder ran over her before she tensed at his harsh tone, while several of the children turned their wide-eyed expressions toward her. If it weren’t for them and fear she might cause an accident, she’d have a few choice words for the man. Instead, she gave her students a tentative smile and eased back into her seat—fuming over his attitude. As soon as they returned to the school she’d have to speak to the principal about the man’s behavior.

She ducked down again and pulled the phone back up to her ear. "They switched out bus drivers while we were in the museum. This guy is rude and…" She glanced up and out the window. Her pulse raced to see he wasn’t even attempting to take any of the roads that would allow them to head back toward the school. She hid behind the seat in front of her once more—true worry beginning to set in. "He’s not stopping, and he’s not turning around anywhere."

"Where are you?" Destiny’s even tone held an undercurrent of panic.

"We’re—"

The driver gunned the engine, and Hope looked up just in time to see him blowing through a red light. Children’s screams filled the bus’s interior while screeching tires sounded from other drivers. She was afraid to look out the windows, but kept her gaze on the terror-filled eyes of her students seeking her out.

"It’s okay, class," she said standing and holding one hand tight to the back of the seat in front of her. They didn’t need to see her own panic or the helplessness she currently could do nothing about. So she tried her best to keep her expression mild, while speaking loud enough to be heard over the sounds of the bus. "Everyone just stay in your seats."

She met the eyes of the man once more where his lips twisted in a menacing smirk. Then she retook her seat—keeping the phone hidden the best she could as she kept her eyes on him.

"Destiny, I—"

"I’m almost at Mr. Sheppard’s office."

"Good. And, Destiny…"

"Yes," her friend said on a choking sob.

"Hurry."

Another intersection loomed ahead—this one with a stop sign. She prayed he wouldn’t just fly past it. A low, long breath left her when he slowed. But instead of going all the way to the crossroad, he eased into the parking lot of an abandoned gas station sitting at the corner before slowing to a stop.

A shudder of relief filled. Whatever game he’d been playing must be over.

But that relief proved short-lived when the screech of the door opening had her focusing forward to several men boarding the bus—all dressed in camouflage and similar in appearance to their driver. But that wasn’t the main thing she noticed.

"Guns," she murmured.

"Guns?" Destiny shouted.

"Hope Danford." Her eyes widened at the man at the front of the bus calling her name, while his menacing glare traveled over the children in her care.

"Destiny," she whispered. "I love you. And…" She peeked just her eyes over the seat in front of her. She had seconds to make the declaration she’d wanted to make now for months. And she had to tell someone before she ran out of time. "Tell Declan I love him." There. She’d said it. With that, she left a sputtering and cursing Destiny on the phone, as she shoved it in the pocket of her dress and stood.

"You," he said, pointing his gun at her. "You are Hope Danford?"

"Yes. Who are you? What do you want?" She wasn’t sure if she pulled off her stern teacher voice. By the way the man raked his gaze over her. She didn’t think so.

"You will stay where I can see you," the man said, his heavy accent speaking of a Mexican heritage.

"Why does he have a gun?"

"I don’t know, Toby," Hope said, trying to maintain a calm demeanor. But it wasn’t easy. And she doubted her attempt at a smile reassured her visibly frightened student. "But it’s all going to be okay."

God, let it be okay.

---