Thanks so much to eyesdown and indigo for the reviewage! Took me awhile to get this update sounding right, hoping I managed well. More to come soon! :)
"Dana...just, just fucking talk alright? Say something.", Zander pleaded.
After hanging up the phone, hearing his explanation about Lauder knocking Brody out, dragging him here, she'd been sitting on the floor cross legged and silent, twining her hands she was staring at.
"Dana c'mon..just-"
"Don't fucking touch me!", Dana snarled, recoiling when his hand barely brushed her shoulder.
Standing up she ran a hand through her hair, trying to take deep breaths. The shock was starting to wear off, now reality was starting to sink in. Even though it all felt like a godawful dream more than anything else.
"Geez, okay. I just-"
"Has he been like this..since your uncle...?", she asked fearfully.
"Not the whole time. There was arguing. There was definitely arguing.", Zander shrugged.
"Look, I didn't know who else to call. I got stoned as soon as I realized what Jake and Lauder were up to. I just wanted to stay out of the fucking mess. But then I realized it was, your dad and I just.."
"You thought you'd call me. God, just because I share DNA with him I'm supposed to have a plan?", Dana spat.
"It's not like I can call him a goddamn ambulance! If I bring him to the hospital I may as well turn him over to the cops!"
"So what? We stay here? Crack open that thousand year old first-aid kit and pretend we're on fucking Grey's Anatomy?"
"Again, do you really think I have a plan?!", she cried as she knelt back down next to Brody, adjusted the washcloth on his forehead. His eyes were still closed but she heard him muttering under his breath. Listening closely she recognized the name all too well and cringed.
"Hey, did he just say-"
"Her name? Yeah. He did."
"He said it earlier too.", Zander recalled, getting a frown before he went on to explain about the cabin, Lauder learning about it and coming up here in search of Brody. Grimacing, Dana shook her head but he pressed on.
"You know if she's got a cabin here I can probably find the place, I-"
"You're shitting me, right?"
"Dana, what other options are there?"
"Besides going to the woman half in charge of the CIA? A shit-ton, Zander."
"Look, you said once that this, Carrie..and your dad were-"
"Fucking? Yeah, they were. But I think thanks to his suicide tape and it's trillion hits on YouTube, now she's in hot pursuit of more than that." Dana scoffed before glancing back at Brody. Blinking back tears.
She was torn between hating the sight of him and wanting him to wake up and give her a hug, and wished like hell she had more of an ally in all this than her stoner ex boyfriend.
"I'm not handing him over to her. I don't care if she's not crazy like he said. I can't trust her not to land him in jail or to take care of him when he's this sick. I can't trust her, period!", she said emphatically as she stood up.
"Well who else is around these parts that can help? 'Cause I'm pretty sure anyone you find in these woods will gladly put your dad out of his misery."
Zander scoffed, grabbing the ancient first-aid kit to dab what semi-resembled antiseptic on Brody's leg. Even at the stinging though the older man didn't move a muscle or open his eyes.
"He's gonna need real treatment soon, D. This shit's not cutting it and by now his fever's probably spiked."
Not sure what else to do, Dana started scrolling through her phone contacts only to land on one that could potentially help.
"What's that look-"
"There was a girl a year ahead of me at my school. Katie Murphy. She sat with me at lunch even though I was the freak loner transfer kid. She's gonna be premed."
"Note the operative word, pre.", Zander snorted, getting a scowl.
"She got a job at a clinic this summer and it's closer to here than to Charleston. I'm thinking she has a little more expertise than us."
"So you're just going to call her? Say 'hey I need you to treat my dad who's got a gaping hole in his leg, who's also on the run from the cops and fucking Homeland Security?'"
"You have a better idea?"
Shrugging Zander shook his head, right as Dana started rummaging through her bag for a notebook and a pen that she uncapped.
"Dana what the fuck are you do-"
"Just shut up for a second."
Chewing on the pencap she hurriedly scribbled a message on the sheet of paper, then handed it to Zander who skimmed it, frowned.
"Are you serious with this?"
"You said you could find Carrie's cabin, right?", she asked.
"Well yeah but-"
"But nothing. Look, if her car's in the driveway then tape that note to it. Or to her fucking front door, I don't care."
"What if she knows your dad's handwriting?"
"He writes in all caps and I forged his signature. How do you think I got so many excused absences sophomore year?", she smirked before the gravity of things went and caught up with her.
"Look, you do this and your last shot of anyone close by helping your dad goes away. And what if he's been staying up here with her? What if they're fucking again or birdwatching or something? You think she'll buy that he just up and left?"
"He's done it before.", Dana scoffed, trying to cover Brody's leg wound with some gauze from the kit. Avoiding Zander's glare.
"I'm not going to fight with you on this, Zander. Each time I've been around that woman she's caused a fucking shit storm. At my house, the police station. I don't trust, or like her. And I don't want her within a hundred miles of any of this. Maybe if we're lucky that note will slow her down."
"Okay. Okay I'll make sure she sees it."
"Good. Thank you. Now will you help me get him to my car?"
Nodding, glad she was stepping up and taking control of this madness, Zander did the bulk of the lifting and supporting while Dana held back, made sure they both remained upright on the walk from the cabin to her car.
"You thinking shotgun here or-"
"God, Zander. Are you high?", she scoffed, opening the back passenger side door.
"It's worn off, damn it."
Once situating Brody in the back, panicked that he was still so out of it but not willing to let it get the better of her, Dana quickly went around, jumped in the driver's seat before rolling down the window.
"Listen are you sure you're good? I can call one of Lauder's friends to deal with him so I can go with you if you-"
"No...fuck, he's my dad. You've done enough for him already. If anyone's gonna get caught aiding and abetting him it should be me, right?", Dana sniffed, swiping at her eyes.
"You know if you bring him to a doctor by law they have to treat him."
"And if I see Katie and get supplies or whatever I can treat him without the cops or a SWAT team busting the door down."
"Well do what you have to do. Just be careful, okay?"
"I will. I'll try to be anyway.", she said before he nodded, went back towards the cabin before she called his name.
"Yeah?", he asked as she got out of the car and threw her arms around him.
"Thanks."
"It's fine."
Pulling back after a moment or two she wiped her eyes.
"Remember, make sure that note-"
"She'll see it. Trust me.", Zander assured as she went back towards the car, buckling in before driving off.
"Yeah. She fucking better."
...
"Okay, I think this is the last of it.", Carrie sighed, slamming the trunk of the car shut. After getting off the phone with Quinn she decided they had to get out of here tonight. It wasn't that late and she estimated they'd be back around eleven or so. She'd called Maggie to let her know she needed more pills and her sister graciously said they could crash at her place, have breakfast together the next morning. She'd sounded chipper on the phone, not even lecturing about her asking for a refill so late. Carrie didn't need to spy for a living to know something was going on.
"Farrah? C'mon let's go."
Sleepily making her way off the porch, holding her backpack in one hand and Calvin's carrier in the other, once reaching the car Farrah froze, realized why the cat sounded so worked up.
"I forget his litter!", she exclaimed as Carrie swore under her breath. Putting the carrier down by the car, they both ran over and unlocked the cabin, went back inside.
Meanwhile Zander peered out from behind a cluster of trees and knew it was now or never. It had taken him longer than he thought to reach the cabin, and he'd missed his chance to sneak the note onto the door. He knew though if he tried getting to the porch now he'd be noticed for sure. And if everything he'd heard about this woman from Dana was true, that was the last thing he wanted to have happen.
Quickly running over he ducked beside the car, unzipped the pocket of Farrah's backpack before stuffing the note inside of it. Assuming that it'd have to be unpacked and seen eventually.
Hearing a yowl, than a hissing sound he looked and noticed the grey kitten's fur standing on end, his tail puffed up like a raccoon's.
"Nice kitty...nice-"
Before he had a chance to zip the pocket all the way he heard voices and cautiously stood, then bolted back into the trees before anyone, aside from Calvin, noticed him.
"Okay, this should make the drive home less of a struggle.", Carrie snorted, getting the litter box situated inside the carrier, only to see Calvin flicking his puffed out tail. Looking agitated.
"Carrie? He okay?"
"I think he's just a little stressed. First car ride jitters?"
"It okay Calvin, everything's fine. You with me.", Farrah assured, getting the carrier set up in the back while Carrie hopped in the driver's seat. Once buckled in she backed out of the driveway but noticed Farrah take something from her pocket. Sadly looking at it in the palm of her hand.
"Farrah? What's wrong?"
"You sure Nick get home safe?", the girl asked, looking up from the compass.
Focusing her eyes on the road Carrie bit her lip before nodding.
"He'll be fine, Farrah. We'll all be fine. I promise.", she said, wiping at her eyes as she continued to drive.
...
"So Dad, what do you think of my driving huh?", Dana weakly joked, looking in the rear-view mirror to see Brody was still sweated up but still asleep. A blessing in disguise considering how fast she was driving. The road was pretty much dead at this hour and she had a lot of ground to cover if she wanted to get to the clinic by morning. Luckily she was in familiar territory, recognizing this exit thanks to all the pastures and clearings and homes that dripped money. The clinic was in a well to do area, which she figured would be to Brody's benefit.
Her hands were gripping the wheel tightly and she was blaring a death metal CD Zander had left on her front seat. It wasn't her type of music but it was definitely keeping her alert.
Suddenly noticing a car up ahead, she turned off her high beams but the driver coming the opposing way wasn't switching off theirs. Making it near impossible to see the road.
"Jesus, fuck!", she yelled as she swerved, flipping the driver off.
"ASSHOLE!"
Once her eyes readjusted she realized she was in a ditch. Swearing the entire time she managed to drive up and out of it, but once back on the road a warning light blinked on and chimed. She didn't need to read what it was alerting though. She felt her front left tire going sluggish and not long after was forced to stop the car.
"Damn it!"
Near tears she was set to get out when she heard footsteps and froze, hands on the wheel before glancing in the backseat. Praying that whoever was out there would have the good sense to just keep on walking.