Page 6 of Aftershock's Fury

TWO

HARLOWE

Iwatch out the window as the plane circles, preparing to land in Anchorage. My palms are sweaty, and my heart thumps hard in my chest. I feel faint, and my stomach rolls. Fezzik, my service dog, lifts his head and whines, pressing into my legs. Persephone got him for me after I started having panic attacks following what happened in Texas. It’s been over two months since she saved my life and my father was taken from me.

I replay every moment of that day in my head, over and over, trying to figure out where I screwed up, where I might have shown my hand.

How did they find me?

Persephone has assured me again and again that it wasn’t anything I did. She was watching over me, keeping track of everything, and noticed nothing out of the ordinary.

She’s been digging through Daddy’s phone. He received a call right before the attack. We don’t know if it was the killer taunting him or someone trying to warn him. He was only partially prepared. But it was enough to get me into hiding.

While Persephone had me in hiding, I started seeing a counselor who suggested a service dog to help with the PTSD. That’s when I began working with Fezzik. He’s a huge mastiff-lab mix, loyal, protective, and loves me.

Persephone taught me how to work with him, and she had me training every day. At this point, I’m pretty sure I could load and fire a handgun blindfolded with everything she’s drilled into me. We sparred together too. I’m not as good as she is, but she was impressed. I’ve been working out a lot, building both muscle and endurance.

Coming to Alaska is a two-fold mission. I’m here to confront my brother, who should’ve found a way to talk to me over the years. But more than that, I’m here to kill the man who took my parents from me.

Part of me wants to see Crue too. He was my everything before we left. I had the biggest crush on him. I wanted to marry him when I got older. But all of that changed.

Fezzik whines again and presses into my legs. I rub his head as I stare out the window, watching the plane touch down on the soil of my home, the place I never thought I’d return to.

I remain in my seat, looking out across the tarmac. In the distance, I can see parts of Anchorage. The mountains surround it like a bowl, pressing the city toward the inlet. A road north leads to my real home—the Mat-Su Valley.

I was born in Anchorage and raised in Sutton until I was twelve. It’s a tiny town outside Palmer.

I remember the motorcycle club was always there. I was proud to be the club princess. I loved following my brother and his friends around. My cousin Aksel was always around too. His father, Viking, was big and burly, and I loved his accent. He was married to my mom’s little sister.

Then there was Crue’s dad, Cyclops. He always called me Sweet Princess and said I was the daughter he was never given.

I missed all of them so much. And now I’m here, and I don’t know how they’ll react to me, or how I’ll react when I see them.

Fezzik and I step off the jetway and into Anchorage International Airport. I glance around, taking it all in. It’s a big airport for Alaska, but nothing like the one I left this morning in Las Vegas.

I was in hiding in the City of Sin, but I never got to go out. My world was a large penthouse with its own gym and a sweeping view of the city. Persephone, who never told me her real name but whom I nicknamed Seph, became my friend. She wasn’t always there, but when she was, I relished the companionship. When she got me Fezzik, it helped. But I was still lonely for human contact.

As we make our way down to baggage claim, people give me a wide birth because of Fezzik and maybe my resting bitch face. I continue to look around, trying to find something familiar in my surroundings. No one knew I was flying in at this time. Watching the families and lovers reunite makes me sad and heartbroken. My chest aches to have someone waiting for me. I know the plan though. I had to arrive without any fanfare.

I collect the two pieces of luggage containing some of my clothes and cosmetics. Seph saved my books from the signing and off my shelves, along with several other personal belongings, and will have them shipped to me over the next few weeks.

Using one of the luggage carts, I hold on to Fezzik’s harness as we head out to the long-term parking area. I click the fob in my pocket, and my eyes light up when I see the beautiful four-door Chevy Silverado pickup in slate gray. After loading my suitcases under the tonneau cover, I open the back door to let Fezzik jump in, then I climb up into the cab. I always wanted a truck.

We pull out, and I slip the credit card into the slot to pay for parking. The May weather is bright and sunny. I slip on my sunglasses as we head out. Driving through Anchorage, I’m shocked by how much it has grown in the ten years I’ve been gone. But seeing the number of homeless camps in the trees is shocking to me. I don’t understand how they survive in the winter, but I also don’t understand how they are able to be so widespread. In some areas, it looks like tent cities from Anchorage’s old days, when it was settled by fur traders and gold miners. I remember those lessons from school and the pictures.

We hit the highway and start moving out of the city through the smaller communities. My maps app warns me of construction ahead, reducing the highway to one lane in each direction. I decide to pull over at Mirror Lake and let Fezzik out for a walk. I open the safe Persephone told me she was having installed, pull out the gun, and slip it into my pocket. My safety is a top priority.

Fezzik and I walk around the area. People wander nearby, but I don’t pay them much attention. I try to keep myself hidden and unnoticed. Fezzik catches the attention of another dog, so I move him away before it can get too close. We reach the water’s edge, and I look up at Bear Mountain reflected in the lake. That’s how Mirror Lake got its name. I don’t want Fezzik playing in the water. Wet dog smell would cover up the fresh new vehicle scent.

We hang out for a bit before I turn us back toward the truck, and we head out again. Sitting in the construction traffic reminds me of when I was a kid. Daddy used to say that Alaska had two seasons—winter and road construction. I miss him so much. The pain of his loss is still hard for me to bear, even after talking to Persephone’s friend, Diana. She tried to help me, but I couldn’t open up about his death. I remember watching each bullet as it struck him. I remember them torturing him.

Driving across the Palmer Hay Flats, I look around at the surrounding mountains. Snow still covers them from the middle all the way to the top. It’s a beauty that’s hard to explain and a sight I missed every day I lived in Texas.

As soon as we get into Wasilla, I stop at a local grocery store to grab some supplies, then head to a pet store to get things for Fezzik. After checking into our pet-friendly hotel, we make our way to our room. I lie on the bed for a bit with Fezzik stretched out next to me. It’s calming, but I can’t stop thinking about what I’m going to do tonight. The plan is to meet my brother tomorrow at a neutral location. I’m supposed to call him and set up the meeting.

Before I left Vegas, I decided I would scope out my brother first to see if I actually wanted to contact him. Persephone assured me again and again that Rylan wants to see me and that he’s missed me. But in all the years I was gone, he never once reached out. Actions speak louder than words.

CHAPTER

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