Page 99 of Matrix

“If Blackstone’s free, where are Daisy and Angela?” I mutter as I text Talon to see if they’re at the clubhouse. He responds immediately. They aren’t there.

A few days ago, I put a tracker on Daisy’s car. At the time, I thought I was overstepping. Now, I’m glad I went the paranoid route. After tapping through several menus, the GPS app on my phone loads, and a red dot appears on the map. I use two fingers to enhance the image, attempting to zero in on their location. What I see doesn’t make any sense. The signal must be too weak or something. Her car isn’t moving, and it’s not even on the road. According to this, it’s hanging off the side of the mountain.

I jolt as I grasp the possibility that there’s not a damn thing wrong with the app. In a panic, I call Scar.“Are you at home?”

“Yeah, why?”

“I don’t have time to explain everything, but I think Daisy and her sister are in trouble. Daisy’s car is hanging off the side of the mountain.”

“What?” The background noise on Scar’s end of the line transitions from cartoons to the roar of his bike within seconds.“Where?”

“You know that hiking trail around the big pond off Old Logger Road?”

“I’m about ten minutes from there.”

“The beacon is coming from a few hundred yards south, but it’s off the road. I could be wrong, and they could just be broken down—”

“I’ll call when I get there.”

“See you in fifteen.” I end the call and shove the phone into my cut.

My heart thunders as I hop back on the bike. Driving like a pack of wild dogs is snapping at my heels, I race up the mountain. My phone vibrates against my chest. It’s the signal Scar sends to get everyone’s attention. I’m sure he’s rounding up the crew to look for Daisy and Angela. Thank God he’s got my back. I can always count on my brothers to come through for me.

By the time I reach Scar, he’s standing on the side of the road, looking over the edge. My stomach plummets through my feet. I get off my bike and run across the road to join him.

“They’re down there.” Scar points to Daisy’s crumpled car. It’s half-buried in a ravine and covered with mud and debris. The driver’s side door hangs open. Two figures sit inside, but neither moves.

“We need to get down there,” I say.

“Wait! Talon’s bringing the truck with the winch. ETA is five minutes.”

“If they’re injured, we don’t have time to wait. It could mean the difference between life and death.”

“Okay, but I don’t have any rope with me. I could run home.”

“Talon will be here before you get back. I’ll climb down.”

“No. It’s too dangerous.”

“I don’t give a fuck. I need to know if they’re still alive.” My voice cracks.

“Be careful,” Scar says, knowing he can’t stop me.

I have no idea how long they’ve been there or how they ended up in such a precarious situation, but it doesn’t matter. I’ve got to help them.

Sitting on the edge of the precipice, I reach down until one of my boots finds a thick tree root projecting out from the mountainside. I use it as my first foothold before finding another. Gripping the wall of dirt and rock, I carefully inch my way lower. The car is about one hundred feet below me, but it feels like a million. By the time I reach them, my arms ache, and sweat coats my brow. I drop the final ten feet and roll as I hit the ground.

“Daisy!”

I jump up and run to the driver’s side. She’s slumped over the steering wheel, with blood seeping from a wound on her forehead. She’s covered in the broken safety glass from the shattered windshield. As I move to check for a pulse, she groans, and relief floods me.

“Daisy, don’t move, babe. You were in an accident. I need to make sure it’s safe before we try to get you out.” I haven’t had first aid training, but I know enough not to move someone who might have a spinal injury.

“Talon’s here!” Scar yells.

“We’re coming down. Watch out for the winch.” Talon drops it over the edge and slowly lowers it until it reaches the ravine.

Reaper appears beside him. He goes first, gripping the cable with thick work gloves. He wraps his legs around the cable before sliding down it like a firefighter.

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