"We don't have to go to Washington," John told Sammi as they packed the following morning.
They hadn't said much to one another the night before, both preferring to turn their thoughts inward. Sammi had found a frozen pizza to cook, John hadn't said a word when she handed him a slice along with a beer. If she didn't care about the drinking age, then who was he to mention it.
There was no talking or reminiscing; both finished eating in silence then retired to the bedrooms. Sammi automatically took the spare room, quietly closing the door behind her.
Up until now, neither had spoken more than a word to the other since last night.
Sammi stopped packing to look at him, surprised. "Where else would we go?"
"I mean, we could take the money and start over anywhere," he continued. "We could be free." From everything, he added silently.
"We're free now," Sammi answered. "Or we will be once we reach Washington. Jack and Sam have gone above and beyond to make it so we don't have to hide in the shadows."
"Yeah, but—"
"No buts, John," Sammi said sternly. "When I agreed to this mission, I knew it meant I could be living the rest of my life on the run. It was a risk I was willing to take for you, but now, we have a chance to be with the people we care about."
"So was I just a mission to you?" He asked sullenly, knowing it wasn't true.
"Of course not," Sammi snapped. "Don't put words into my mouth."
John was picking a fight and he knew it, but couldn't help himself. He was between a rock and a hard place. "You don't have to be the dutiful little soldier anymore," he taunted, knowing it would push her over the edge.
She whipped around, her face flushed with anger. He thought she was about to light into him, but instead she let out a harsh breath.
"I'm not going to let you bait me, you jerk," she said evenly. "What the hell is going on with you?" She studied him. "The only time you act like this is when you feel trapped or are trying to push me away. Which is it?"
John backed up half a step. Damn, she knew him too well. The Sam he remembered wouldn't have confronted him directly like this. He wasn't quite sure how to handle Sammi.
"I keep telling you I'm not the person you remember," he lashed out. "Stop trying to make us into something we're not."
"Fine by me," Sammi barked as she grabbed her bag and marched out the door.
John clenched his eyes shut as emotions slashed through him. He had a decision to make—go with his head or follow his heart. His head screamed it was time he broke away from everyone and everything. Jack would let him go, too, he knew it. That was the exact reason the man had left them so much cash; he was giving John the choice he didn't have before. Damn him.
"JOHN!!!" Sammi's scream tore through the quiet. He sprinted toward the door; the scene before him stopping him cold.
Sammi was being manhandled and dragged toward an unmarked black van. The men around her wore a ski masks and combat attire. Sammi was fighting with everything she had, and was putting up quite a fight too, but she was outnumbered.
Reaching for his 9mm at his back, he hesitated only a second before dropping one of the men holding her.
"Let her go!" All eyes turned to him. Diving to the side, he fired another round, hitting a second man in the leg.
Sammi used the distraction to ram her elbow into her final captor's nose, breaking it and momentarily blinding him with pain. She grabbed her discarded backpack and took off in John's direction. He shoved her behind him, turning to face the man he'd just shot.
"Who are you?" John held the gun level, aiming at the man's head.
"Friends," the man sneered, then spat blood at his feet. "Or enemies. Your choice, kid. Give us the girl and we can be friends."
"Not likely," John said as if he'd never heard a more preposterous idea. "Tell whoever you work for if they send people after us again, they'll all come back in body bags."
"Ha, tough words little sparrow," the man replied, taking a step forward.
John didn't hesitate. Sammi gasped as a bullet ended the man's life.
"You didn't need to kill him," Sammi admonished, "we might have gotten information out of him."
"He wouldn't have talked," John replied, walking to the man Sammi had taken out and whipped off his ski mask. "Shit."
"Don't shoot," the cop who had pulled them over the day before begged, still holding his nose. "I've got a family."
"Convenient," John sighed dramatically. "And a pity." He moved to pull the trigger.
"Wait!" The man screamed, "I might not know who hired me, but I do know why."
"I assume to return me to my previous location," John growled.
"They're after you both," the man shook his head erratically, "but they want the girl more."
John held his surprise in check. "She's nobody," he said. "Why'd anyone want her?"
"I don't know," the cop sobbed, "yesterday there was only an APB out on you with orders not to engage. I called in my sighting and reported the girl you're traveling with. Last night a man called me at home, offered a million to bring her in unharmed. My kid is sick; I needed the money. I only met the others a few hours ago. I swear!"
"Fuck!" John said as he used the butt of his gun to knock the guy unconscious. "Someone knows you exist." He turned toward Sammi, taking in her utterly shocked expression. This was not part of the plan; he'd been given 72 hours and it had been less than 24.
"Washington doesn't seem like a good idea anymore," Sammi said, her tone angry and laced with disappointment.
"Maybe—" John trailed off. "Or maybe it's the last place they'd expect us to go."
"I don't know, John," Sammi hedged, unsure.
"If you can get integrated into a school there, make it so you'd be missed if you suddenly disappeared..." he waited for her to pick up the thought.
"Whoever is after me might just fade into the background," She added, but sounded skeptical.
"It worked with Cassie," John nodded. "The NID backed off once Janet got her established into the Colorado Springs community. Taking her would've raised too many questions."
"But we're assuming whoever is after me is afraid of drawing too much attention," Sammi argued.
"Call it a gut feeling," John said stiffly.
"I'll always trust those O'Neill instincts. I guess I'm going to Washington," Sammi said with a sad smile.
"No, we're going to Washington," John corrected.
"Take the cash Jack left and start a new life wherever you want," Sammi told him, her fists clenched at her sides.
"Like I'm going to let whoever offered that guy a million, get their hands on you, Sammi," he argued.
"I don't need a bodyguard!" Sammi snarled.
John scoffed, "you may not need one, but you've got one." He watched her chin set in frustration.
"This is your chance John," she said at a normal volume, her tone quietly deceptive. "Take the out Jack gave you and create a new life. It's what you want."
"And that would be okay with you?" He countered. "If I just walked away from this, from us?"
"You said it yourself," she looked at their feet, "there is no us. We've both changed too much," her bravado gone, her eyes raised to his as she tried to hide the anguish . "I can't expect you to—a lot has changed."
John cursed inwardly knowing he was at a crossroads. One path led to a life full of unlimited possibilities, where he'd be free. The other path led straight into the life he'd been trying to escape for two years. But only one choice afforded him a chance at an unknown future with Sammi.
He'd known this was coming from the moment she'd walked through his door—there was no choice to make.
"Grab the bus tickets. We're going to Washington."
