Kim willed the car to go faster as Roman steered it through the Salem streets toward the refinery. Bo was talking to Roman in the front seat, but Kim could not concentrate on their words. She looked over at Kayla, whose eyes were fixed firmly on the road in front of the car. Kim wondered if her sister was having the same dark thoughts that were running through Kim's mind.
If the Spectator wasn't Lawrence's target, what was? Where would he strike next? Kim tried to think of places Lawrence might attack; the Spectator made sense because of his history with Jack and Jennifer. Roman had ordered security beefed up at the Salem PD, the courthouse, and the prison, thinking Lawrence might seek revenge on the people who had sent him to prison.
But were those his only targets? The man hated so many people that she wondered if his twisted brain would limit his targets to such obvious ones.
And that was not the only dark thought in her head..
Now that Lawrence had begun his attack, Kim doubted he would stay in the city. That meant he probably already was making his escape.
She had to ask herself what that mean for Shane. He had been missing for an entire day. Kim knew how Lawrence's mind worked well enough to suspect that taking Shane as a long-term prisoner probably was not part of Lawrence's plan. Lawrence had loosed Cal Winters on her and Shane already, so she had no doubts that Lawrence cared little if Shane lived or not. So if Lawrence was fleeing Salem, what had he done to Shane?
He's alive, Kim told herself. Shane is alive. I would know if he was. . . .
She could not finish the thought, so she took a deep breath and forced herself to look out the window. They were approaching the refinery.
"They have to be okay," Kayla said, her voice low. Kim did not know if her sister was making a statement or trying to convince herself that what she was saying was true. Still, Kayla sounded certain and it gave Kim strength. Grateful, she reached her hand for her sister's and gave it a squeeze.
Kim could see the refinery gates as the car came to a stop. Bo jumped out, hurriedly opened them, and jumped back inside just as Roman hit the gas.
Suddenly, Kim grew worried. Roman had a gun, but Bo didn't. What if Lawrence had guards? She had seen the armed guards at his villa in Alamainia and John had been shot.
"You stay in the car until I tell you it's safe," Roman ordered from the front seat. He gave Bo a quick glance. "That goes for you too, little brother."
The car headed straight for some trailers. Next to them, Kim saw a familiar vehicle.
"That's Shane's car," she said. "How-"
Kayla cut off her question before it was asked. "Steve must have taken it. He probably figured the police were keeping tabs on his car."
"Smart thinking," Roman muttered.
"Steve!"
Kayla's shout caught Kim by surprise. She glanced at her sister, who was pointing at Shane's car. Next to it, Kim saw two figures - Steve and a man she did not recognize. As they got closer, she saw that Steve had a gun in his hand and was holding it over the other man as if he was a prisoner.
Roman shook his head. "I'll be damned. . . ." He drove forward and brought the car to a stop twenty feet away from Steve and the other man. "You heard me before. Stay- Damn it, Kayla!"
But Kayla had ignored the order and was already out of the car. She ran toward Steve. Kim followed, ignoring Roman's shouts from behind her.
Reaching her husband, Kayla wrapped her arms around Steve. "I was so worried," she said. "Are-"
"I'm fine," Steve said. He saw Kim and quickly added, "Shane is too. He's inside. We both got hit by the toxin but found the antidote. Shane's got a gun on Lawrence, but he sent me ahead because I got hit with less of the toxin." Steve shoved his prisoner toward Roman. "This one's all yours, but the more important one is Ivan Marais. He's at Salem Elementary and is going to release the toxin there in a few minutes."
Salem Elementary. Kim's breath caught in her throat as her worst fears were confirmed. The momentary relief she felt at the news about Shane was quickly replaced with dread.
"Andrew's there," Kim said.
"And the twins," Roman added as he grabbed the prisoner and pulled him to the car. Over his shoulder, he called out, "We've got to get to that school."
Kim knew he was right, but she also knew that Shane was still inside with Lawrence. "What about Shane?" Kim demanded. "He's alone in there."
Roman shoved the prisoner in the car. "We can't worry about him," he said. "Shane's got Lawrence prisoner and he's trained ISA. He'll be fine. Right now, we've got to stop the attack on the school and I don't even know what this Ivan guy looks like."
I do, Kim thought. She had seen Ivan Marais in Alamainia. She started to move to the car.
"Wait," Kayla said. Kim turned around toward Kayla
"Sis, we don't have time to wait," Roman snapped.
Kayla shook her head and grabbed Steve's arm. She sounded worried as she said, "The toxin we saw on video can cause a relapse after the antidote is administered. We may need more antidote. How long were you exposed?"
"I didn't get that much, plus I had-" Steve stopped short. "Oh no. . . . Shane got it for much longer. At least 10 minutes." He pushed some hair that had fallen in front of his face away with a hand. "The antidote worked, but when I left, I thought something was wrong. . . . He didn't say anything. . . ."
No, he wouldn't, Kim thought. Not if he wanted Steve to leave.
Kayla took Steve's arm, "We need to get to Shane now. If he's had a relapse . . ."
If he's had a relapse . . . . He's in there alone with Lawrence.
Kim felt torn in two. Shane was in trouble. She suddenly became aware of the icy cold, and she knew it was not just due to the winter weather. But Andrew was in danger too.
Our son is in danger.
"Come on," Roman yelled. "Shane would want to protect those kids. He wouldn't want us to do nothing."
Kim knew he was right. Shane would give his life a hundred times over to protect Andrew.
Steve looked at Bo. "You go with Roman. I . . . I owe this to Shane."
"But I don't know what the guy looks like either," Bo said.
"I do." This time, Kim said it out loud. She knew she had made her choice. It's what Shane would have wanted. "I'll go with Roman. Andrew's at that school." She looked at the car, where Roman was standing. She could barely believe how calm she sounded. Inside, calm was the very last thing she felt. She took another breath and looked back at Bo and Steve. "Please help him."
Bo glanced at Steve, who nodded. He grabbed Bo's arm and pulled him toward the trailer. To Roman, he said, "Get some backup out here."
Roman nodded. "And I'll get units to the school too."
Kim looked at Kayla, who also seemed torn. "Go with them," Kim urged. "If Shane's been hurt or in trouble. . . ." She could not finish the thought aloud. If he's in trouble, he'll need Kayla.
"Come on, Sis," Roman called and she turned toward him. "Let's go," he said. "We have to get to the school now!"
Kim ignored the wet tears on her cheeks. She knew Shane would want her to go. He would do anything for Andrew. But the thought that he was so close and probably hurt - and she was leaving him. . . .
Shivering in the cold, Kim followed Roman to the car. He had already cuffed the prisoner's wrist to the inside of one of the back doors, so Kim got into the front seat. As Roman put the car in gear and punched the car in reverse, Kim saw Steve, Kayla, and Bo enter one of the trailers.
She wished she could be with them, but she had to leave to save their son and all those other children. That was what Shane would want. Roman was right about that.
As the car roared across the icy ground toward the open gates, Roman began barking orders into his police radio. Kim ignored him. Instead, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the small, cameo broach. She took a deep breath and held it up to her lips.
"Just hold onto that. As long as you have it, nothing will keep us apart."
Shane's words from the day before echoed in her ears. "I am holding it," she whispered. "You hear that, Shane. I'm holding onto this, so you had better keep fighting. They're coming to help you, so just hold on."