Page 52 of Collin: Episodes 13-15
Dana Reevesworth slipped out of Barker’s grip and ran toward the woman on the ground. “Mama!”
Barker swore. He pointed the gun at Alice. “Grab the girl and get in the car now.”
“Fine. Fine.” Alice moved toward Dana.
No. Collin’s body filled with ice. Don’t get into the car, Alice. Don’t get into the car. But what choice did she have?
Collin saw it coming half a second before it happened. In the video feed, as Alice bent down and wrapped an arm around Dana’s waist, she swiped the gun from the ground.
She fired as she stood. One, two, three shots.
Barker was so close and so large she couldn’t miss.
Shock registered on Barker’s face for a fraction of a second before he dropped back onto the gravel.
The video feed started to shake.
Over the phone, Alice said, “Fuck.”
“You’ve got to move, Alice,” Collin urged.
“Don’t call the police. Mikhail had friends here. I won’t make it to jail.”
“Fuck.” Collin made a cutting motion to Ash. Ash hung up the phone. He hadn’t reached the right 9-1-1 for Alice’s area yet anyway. “Do you have a car?”
“Yeah. A rental. Two streets over.” Alice dragged in a breath. Against her chest, Dana was babbling and half screaming into Alice’s shoulder.
“I’m going to get help, but for now, you have to move.” Collin forced the shaking in his hands away.
“Damian.” Ash exhaled loudly.
Collin nodded. “Alice, I’m staying on the phone with you, but I’m going to get Richard. Keep moving.”
On the video feed, nothing could be seen but the side of Dana’s head and gravel moving under Alice’s feet. Collin tore himself away from the monitor and out into the hall.
Mikhail stood in his way. He pointed a gun at Collin’s head. “Hello, boy. Say goodbye an’ hang up nice.”
How the fuck is HE here?
Collin nodded. A distant, cold calm claimed him. The shaking disappeared. His mind dissolved into quiet focus. Into the phone he said, “Laoye zài zhèr. Duìbuqi. Zàijiàn.” “Maternal grandfather is here. I’m sorry. Goodbye.” He clicked off the phone.
Please, Ash, for the love of all that is good, remember what laoye means and tell Alice what I just said. And don’t follow.
It was one of the buttons. The only reason Collin had remembered the word was because he’d typed up the damn label for Ash to stick on the door.
Mikhail jerked his head in the direction of the backstairs. “Move.” He motioned Collin to walk past him and ahead. As soon as Collin was in front of him, he pressed the gun to Collin’s back. “Keep going. Staircase. If you call anyone, I’ll shoot them first, then you.”
Where’s security?
Collin walked toward the stairs. A distant, observing part of himself noted how steady his legs were, how normal his feet felt on the ground. How odd that anything was normal.
Veronica stuck her head out into the hall. “Hey, you ready to see the new overlay? We’re waiting for you.”
He plastered a smile on his face. “Give me a sec.”
Veronica blinked. “Oh. okay…” She glanced at Mikhail.
Shit!
