14. Damion

                                    

                                          
                    
                          
The SUV stayed behind us for another hour. Gemma kept tinkering with her watch, cursing under her breathe and giving orders to Evan on where to turn. I wasn't entirely sure she knew what she was doing, but she was the only one of us with a plan. Madix had slumped down in his seat behind; his knees pushed through the seat and dug into my back. Evan gripped the wheel tight, shoulders tensed. We passed through neighborhoods and towns. 
                          
I watched in the review mirror as Gemma pressed the buttons on the side in quick succession. There was a loud beep and she yelled in triumph. She unbuckled her seatbelt and handed the watch to Evan. "Put it on and pull over." 
                          
"Um, are we sure that's a good plan? Because that sounds like death to me." 
                          
Gemma slugged Madix in the shoulder. Evan clipped the strap in place and turned onto a less populated street. "This has a tazer, doesn't it?"
                          
"Yes. Push the power out and fry his engine." 
                          
"What about his gun?" Madix rubbed his arm. "Can he stop that first?"
                          
Evan pulled to the side of the empty road, lined with small shops and businesses. No one was outside; the car pulled in a few spaces behind us. I pushed the lock button for the doors. The man didn't get out; the windows were too tinted to see anything but a darker shadow. 
                          
"I have a really stupid idea," Evan said after a few tense minuets. "But it might work." 
                          
I sighed. This had to be exactly what he said to Madix before they broke into an abandoned science lab. "You're going to run down that alley, aren't you?"
                          
He inhaled, ready to correct me, and then deflated. "Yeah, it's the best I've got. If I can get over than fence and hide behind the dumpster, I'll have cover to aim at him from behind instead of him going for the car. Once he's down, I can wreck the car."   
                          
"I'll cover you." Evan blinked in surprise and I tried my best not to sigh again. "If I can get in hearing distance, I can make him put the gun down." 
                          
"Why wreck the car when we could just steal it?" Madix mused. 
                          
"We don't need another car," I snapped. "We need to get out of here as fast as possible." 
                          
"But if we-"
                          
"Focus. Gemma, when we run for it, climb up here and get ready to drive. Madix, stay low. You've already almost bled to death too many times." 
                          
Madix huffed. Evan and I put our hands on the handle. I nodded to him. "Now." 
                          
I threw the door open and leaned forward as I ran around the front of the car. Evan was already across the street and entering the alley by the time I got the other side. The car door opened and the man stepped out. 
                          
"Stop!" I yelled. 
                          
He didn't react. I ducked behind the open driver's door as he lifted the gun and aimed. I glanced through the window. A white chord hung down and disappeared in his pocket. Headphones, so he couldn't hear me. Motherfu-
                          
A hole blew through the door, inches from my right shoulder. "Gemma, drive!" I slammed the door shut and bolted across the street. Tires screeched behind me and two more zings bounced off the asphalt around my feet. A shop window shattered as I passed and someone screamed. I jumped the fence and rolled off the top. A bullet whizzed passed my ear and the burn made me stumble. Evan lunged from his hiding place to catch me, and we ran onto the next street. 
                          
"Left!" Evan hissed. The metal fence behind us shook noisily as out attacker climbed it. 
                          
I let Evan go ahead of me, one hand cradling my ear. It was just a graze, otherwise I would be pouring blood. I bit down my anger and projected my thoughts out.