The Runaways – Chapter 28
By MyNameIsCAL
-Max's POV-
We reached Washington, finally. Things seemed calmer. The news coverage about us being missing had died down. I guess you get tired of hearing that there are people out there missing but can't be found and there aren't any new leads. In fact, I was quite glad they had shut up about us.
For hours we had been driving by trees, rain pouring. Fang was in the driver's seat again, trying to determine a place to park and sleep for the night. That's when we rounded a narrow bend, a black car appeared, shiny from the rain and our headlights. Fang slammed on the break, cursing loudly. A man jumped out of the car and Fang cracked his window.
"I'm only here to deliver a message," the man said, a hood pulled over his head, the shadow covering his eyes. "In exchange for the two siblings and one of you, we will let the rest of you go. There is no bargaining, no substituting for the brother and sister. You have twenty four hours to decide and drive to this location."
A map was slipped in by the man.
"Be there or we'll find you and kill you for them instead. Do not contact the authorities. We have men on the inside everywhere." the man growled, leaving us and getting into the car blocking the road. He drove past us.
Fang stared at his lap, slowly rolling up the window. "How…how did they know we were here?"
"Maybe they've been following us all along," Iggy offered.
"Shit." Fang threw the map against the dashboard. "We gotta get out of here!"
"But they said they'd find us and come kill us!" Angel squealed. "And they'll take me and Gazzy!"
"We're not going to let them take you!" Fang shouted, punching the steering wheel.
"Fang, calm down, we just gotta think this through," I said, touching his arm.
"Alright," he breathed out. "We passed a motel. Let's go back there."
-Fang's POV-
It wasn't even ten yet, but they were all out cold. We hadn't come up with a plan. There didn't seem like there was any escape. Angel told me she'd rather be dead than taken alive. It was a bold thing for someone her age to say, and it tore at my heart a little. But I had a plan. One that none of them would ever agree too.
I left the room, heading to the lobby and putting a few quarters into the payphone.
"Hello?"
"Dr. M, it's Fang."
"Jesus, Fang, I just got Max's letter in the mail today!"
"Shhh, Dr. M, I need you to listen to me carefully."
"Of course…"
I sucked in a deep breath. "We got confronted today by the people that want us. They're going to hurt us. They told us they have people working on the inside, people who are double agents I guess, for the FBI. I can't call them, but I have a plan and I need your help with it."
"Where are you?"
"I can't tell you, but we're far away from where you are," I said quietly. "And you tell nobody I called."
"Of course, I didn't tell anyone last time, I'm not going to change my mind now."
"Are there any agents, police, some kind of authority, watching you or monitoring you?" I questioned.
"Not that I know of. There's a couple of agents that check up on me every now and then. I have their numbers…"
"I'm going to go purchase a cell phone. I will call you when we are at the place they want to meet us. Around five o'clock. I won't be there to talk to you, but you'll be able to hear everything that's going on. When you get that call, I need you to contact each of the agents separately and tell them you just got a call from us, tell them that we need help ASAP and that they're going to need to figure out where I am," I explained. "And no matter what you here, you cannot panic."
"Those people…what do they want from you?"
"In exchange for Gazzy and Angel and one of us, they'll let the rest of us go," I said quietly. "I'm not even sure if this'll work. But I'll protect Max, and everyone else, I promise you that."
"Does Max know you're doing this?"
"No."
"Alright, Fang. But if I don't here with you by midnight of tomorrow, I'm going to call the FBI either way."
"If you don't hear from me, then something's happened. It's probably best if you do call in that situation." I leaned my head against the payphone. "I'm sorry to push this all onto you."
"Well, there isn't another way, is there?"
"No."
"Thank you, Dr. M."
"I'll be here, waiting for all of you to come home."
"Thank you."
"Goodbye, Fang."
I put phone back on the receiver and got in the car, heading to the electronics store I had seen a few miles away.
Time for things to heat up.