Page 36 of Clean Hack
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Don't Panic
Lucy
I pulled the hood tighter around my face. I knew it wouldn’t really help me from being seen but I did it anyway. I was white. The kind of white that was super pasty. The kind that the moon reflected off of turning my skin into a beacon screaming that I was moving around.
I knew too much for my own good. Yet, I didn’t know enough. I shouldn’t have left the comfort of my apartment. I shouldn’t be here, especially not alone. But I was, because she was my best friend and I’d do anything for her. I now realized that my promise also included a kid. One that I really couldn’t wait to meet. It was insane to think about and also extremely sad. She’d been robbed of too many years and that little boy had to endure so much already.
At least, I knew the little boy was safe. Savage had only grabbed Allison.
I had a plan. I was going to figure out how to get past the gate, sneak in, and then get her out. I knew there was most likely an alarm on the gate but I had faith that I could disable it.
It was a good plan.
Okay, fine.
It wasn’t.
And I seriously doubted my abilities to pull it off. Especially because I was shaking like a chihuahua without a sweater on a snowy day. And I hadn’t even gotten to the dangerous part yet. I couldn’t imagine how much worse I’d be once I was inside.
I had this, I did. Or so I tried to convince myself as I cut through an alleyway. This area was dead. These buildings long abandoned. Which I imagined was why he’d chosen this area to set up shop or whatever. The air was still and the night almost eerily quiet. I waited, hunkered down in the shadows as much as I could.
I took a minute to think of how stupid this was. No one knew I was here. Not Burke. Not Nadya. Not evenmy cleaner. I was alone. For some reason, I thought it was the best thing at the time. This way no one would worry about me or try to stop me. But as I crouched there, breathing so hard I was on the verge of hyperventilating, I realized that it was the dumbest move I’d ever made.
I could do this. Or so I kept trying to tell myself. The first step was to stand back and get a read on what I was getting into. I had no doubt that there were men patrolling the outside. I’d observed people long enough to know that they all had their patterns, the men protecting the building would be no different.
An hour later, I was ready to make my move, semi-confident that I had just enough time to slip over there and do what I needed to do. Checking my surroundings once more, I jumped to a sprint, darting across the street as fast as I could manage. I wasn’t exactly out of shape, but I wasn’t fit and ready for a late night jog at all.
Damn, I should really add more than yoga to my daily routine.
But then again, I hope I’ll never be in another situation like this.
I got to the fence and my fingers shook as I felt around the keypad for the gate, surprised to find that it was high tech. I wasn’t sure why I thought Savage would just put some shitty security up. Maybe I’d pegged him as more evil than smart. But I knew the man was intelligent enough to know how to evade me and the FBI for so long.
It would take me a minute longer than I’d planned but not a big setback.
I looked up to check my surroundings again. I couldn’t help but gasp and practically jump out of my skin when I locked on a set of eyes hidden in the shadows, watching me as if they’d known I was there the whole time. It was like they were just waiting to see what was going to happen. I could feel his amusement from across the overgrown lot.
My body whipped around and I took off in the opposite direction. My legs carried me as fast as they could while my brain tried to get itself together long enough to give my body a direction to go in. I needed to get back to safety. Right now, my motel room was the closest thing to that. I cut back through the alleyway then through the thick line of trees. His booted feet hit the ground behind me and I could tell he was getting closer. Then there were more. Another set of feet further back.
I ran.
I ran even though my legs were shaking and my lungs wanted nothing more than to give out.
I ran with a pain stabbing me in my side telling me that my body wanted nothing more than to stop right now.
I ran even as the fear and anxiety wrapped their suffocating arms around me.
I ran, dodging roots and trees and never once looked back to see how close they were to me.
I crossed the road without checking for cars. But I had a feeling there weren’t going to be any given the was the area seemed like it had been abandoned long ago. I crossed vacant lot after vacant lot with grass and weeds so high the licked at my hands with a biting sting. The back of the shady motel came into view and I ducked my head and somehow managed to run faster. By some miracle, they hadn’t caught up to me, but they weren’t far behind. I dashed around the side, hoping that I’d be able to tuck myself away in my room before they saw which one I went into.
I pulled my key out and tried to get the lock to turn, but my hands were shaking so hard I wasn’t even sure I was turning the key. Then the door flew open and I stumbled into the room. My knees hit the scratchy, old carpet as I heaved and gasped for air. I didn’t have time to stop. I didn’t have a second to catch my breath.
I pushed the door closed, trying my hardest not to slam it and give my location away. I quickly flipped the lock, knowing it wouldn’t be enough to keep anyone out if they really wanted to get in. That point was proven when not even a minute later the door burst open, hitting the cheap wall behind it and causing plaster to crack and fly everywhere. I screamed, because honestly, who wouldn’t? Two men pushed their way inside, practically tripping over one another. Something kicked in my brain and I jumped and scrambled over the bed to the other side of the room. I came face-to-face with the bat I’d bought to protect myself.
“Gotcha now, bitch,” one of them said.
