Yeah, I've had a fever for the last three days. I don't have much to do but write, type, draw, and watch Danny Phantom. Actually a very entertaining show, surprisingly. I'd like to make a clarification about this story. I have received some comments on how detailed the places in this story are compared to the last one. This is because I've lived in Texas all of my life and Ft. Worth is a big part of my life now. That's why I can describe it so well. Also, the reference to Sahara in this is just that, a reference. This is not a crossover story! Sorry to anyone who thought it might be! That's my next big project, "Isla de Muerta". (for info, look at my profile and findthe section marked "Upcoming Projects" or something like that.)I'd also love to hear any ideas anyone may have! I'm always looking for new ideas and advice for my current stories! So, on to the main attraction! This chapter is pretty long! (Sorry about the last chapter being so short, that's just how it worked out!) Have fun!

RileyPoolefan

Could someone get me a thermometer?

Chapter 5:

Texas Heritage

Riley was now in control of the silver sedan. Alexis had let him drive after he got worried about her. She told him to stay on I-35 until they hit San Antonio, which was coming up fast. He watched as a sign marked 'San Antonio - 5 miles'.

Quietly, he shook Alexis awake, careful not to awaken Ben or Abigail. "Hey, Lexi…"

"Wha…" She said sleepily.

"We're five miles outside of San Antonio."

"Oh." Alexis said and sat up. In the distance, she could see the lights from the skyscrapers of the city. To their southeast, they saw a dome with four tall pillars rising from its sides.

"The Alamodome." Alexis said quietly. "It's where they hold the UIL state marching band competitions."

"Did you ever go?" Riley asked.

"Yes, I did. It was my senior year in high school. I marched prelims and we were one of the top colorguards, but I couldn't march finals because I slipped on the wet stairs in the charter bus and fell. I ended up fracturing my leg." She said.

"Oh that sucks!" Riley said. "What place did your band make?"

"Ninth in prelims, tenth in finals." She replied. "Ten bands go to finals."

"Oh, that's even worse." Riley said. "Fractured leg after prelims and last place in finals."

"Yeah, but tenth in the state out of two-hundred in our class in the state is pretty good." Alexis said. "I remember how upset I was that night, but I got over it."

"Unfortunately, living in D.C. means no 'statewide' competitions." Riley said. "I never competed in high school."

"You're kidding! Not even in Maryland or Virginia?"

"No. All I did was play the quads at the games on Fridays."

Alexis sighed. "You missed out on a lot."

"No I didn't. I competed with the Pennsylvania State drumline in college. Where do I turn?"

"Take the next exit." Alexis directed. Once they were on the other side of the city, Riley asked Alexis if she was ready to take the wheel. "So, have you had enough sleep, or do you want me to drive for another hour?"

Alexis yawned. "I'll take over."

Riley saw her yawn. "You're still tired. Why don't you let me drive another hour?"

"No, Riley, you don't have to do that. You're just as tired as I am. Why don't we switch off now, and we can switch off every hour after that?"

Riley was secretly relieved. "Okay."

"Pull off over there." Alexis said. Riley pulled to the side of the highway. The bright headlights of other cars flashed by in the darkness. They switched places as fast as they could, then were off again.

Riley was asleep instantly. Alexis felt somewhat sluggish, but managed to stay awake and drive. Her mind wandered from subject to subject. She easily passed the time and the hour was over much faster than she had expected it to be.

She looked in the mirror to check and see if she would run into anyone if she pulled off and spotted a black sedan trailing closely behind them.

"That's strange." She thought. "Tailgating is illegal."

She drove on, pretending that nothing was wrong. "Riley. Riley wake up!" She shook him awake.

"Huh…what?"

"We're being followed." Alexis whispered.

"Followed?"

"Yeah, by a black sedan."

"Take the next exit and see what the driver does." He suggested.

Alexis pulled off on the next exit. The two exchanged worried glances as the black car followed them. They stopped at the stop sign, then continued on, merging onto the interstate again. Still, the black car followed.

"What should we do?" Alexis asked.

"I guess ignore them as long as they don't try to hurt us." The words were barely out of his mouth when a spray of bullets peppered the car!

"Ben! Abigail! Wake up!" Riley shouted, panic evident in his voice.

"What's going on!" Ben exclaimed.

"The car behind us! Whoever's in it is trying to kill us!"

"Hold on!" Alexis yelled and veered across three lanes, thankful that there was barely any other traffic.

Riley held onto the console for dear life as Alexis steered the car hard to the right as another round of bullets smashed into the car.

Ben and Abigail ducked as the back window shattered, raining glass shards on them.

Alexis pushed the little Honda to its limits, the car's speed reaching and passing 90mph.

Riley turned and saw the person in the passenger seat of the pursuing sedan lining up an automatic for another shot.

"Holy Lord…" He said, sinking down in the seat.

Ben chanced a look out of the broken rear window. The face of the man driving was completely shadowed and the passenger had their identity obscured with a large scarf around the bottom of the face.

He ducked down and leaned forward so Alexis could hear him. "Is there any way we can lose them?"

"No, there's no place to run out here." She said, panic slowly creeping its way into her voice. She steered with jerky movements, nearly flipping the car. She wove across the lanes, desperately trying to avoid the bullets that still flew at them.

"If they don't shoot us, they'll make us crash!" Abigail screamed.

Alexis realized she was right. "They'll ram us when they run out of ammunition!"

Riley looked at her in shock.

Alexis had never looked directly into the eyes of someone who though they were going to die, and as she looked at Riley, she saw a look that would haunt her the rest of her life. Was the same look in her own eyes? She was staring death in the eyes, and only her will to survive was keeping her from losing it.

The driver of the sedan put on a burst of speed and brought it next to the silver Accord. For one harrowing moment, Alexis's eyes met with those of the passenger. He raised the gun and pointed it straight at her head. She floored the gas pedal, but the sedan had the Accord outclassed. She knew she was going to die. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the passenger's finger squeeze the trigger.

"ALEXIS!" Riley screamed.

They all held their breath, but no shot came. The passenger turned and yelled something to the driver as the two cars raced along, side by side. Suddenly, the sedan veered to the right, battering the Accord.

The four winced as the car lurched.

"Alexis!" Ben shouted. "Break hard!"

"What!" She shouted in disbelief.

"Just do it!" He yelled.

Alexis jabbed her foot down on the break as the sedan sped by, already in the process of trying to ram them again. They hadn't expected the silver car to stop, and went careening into the ditch on the side of the road and flipped.

Alexis pulled into the median on the other side of the road. She let go of the steering wheel, shaking uncontrollably. Riley wrapped his arms around her comfortingly.

"Is everyone alright?" Ben asked.

Abigail had several cuts on her face from falling glass, but other than that, they had escaped unscathed.

Ben immediately called 911 and reported the accident.

Riley helped Alexis out of the car and let her sit down on the cool grass. He circled the car, surveying the damage. From the bullet holes in the car's frame, he could see just how lucky they had been. Then, he saw the hole in the back of the headrest of his seat, realizing that this was the bullet that shattered the back window. He sank down into the grass next to Alexis, stunned by how close to death he had come.

The police showed up quickly. The two men in the sedan were taken away by ambulances.

One of the officers approached Alexis and Riley. "Hi, I'm Mark Mendoza. If you don't mind me asking, who was driving when this happened?" He expected the young male in front of him to be the driver, but was surprised when the young woman stood. "What's your name?"

"Alexis Lowell." Alexis said.

"And your name?" Mendoza asked, turning to Riley.

"Riley Poole." He answered.

The officer raised an eyebrow. "It was a matter of time." He mused. "Every celebrity ventures here eventually."

Ben and Abigail joined them, also giving their names to the officer.

"Can you tell me what happened?" Mendoza asked.

Alexis quickly related their tale as Mendoza took notes.

When she finished, the officer nodded pensively.

"Who were they?" Ben asked.

The officer closed his notebook. "We don't know. They didn't have any form of identification on them."

"What about the car?" Abigail asked.

"Stolen. Apparently from a Galveston car lot."

The four exchanged concerned glances.

"I'll need to see your license, Miss Lowell."

Alexis pulled her license from her purse and handed it to Officer Mendoza.

"Of course, you're from D.C." He said. "But I'd know a Texas accent anywhere, even one as faint as yours. Where were you born?"

"Dallas." Alexis replied.

He nodded and handed her license back to her. "Is this your car?"

"It's a rental." Ben said.

"Well, let's get you four back to the station so we can arrange a new transport for you."

After Mendoza had called another rental company and arranged for a new car to be brought over, he left the four in the break room of the station.

"You were truly brave tonight." Ben said to Alexis.

Alexis stroked Riley's hair. He had fallen asleep with his head in her lap. She looked up wearily and smiled.

"You reminded me of the cowgirls of the 1800's." Abigail said. "Never ones to give up, even in the face of death."

"I just wanted to survive." Alexis said modestly.

"No, what we just saw," Ben said, "was the spirit of your pioneer ancestors shining through. It was your Texas heritage."