14
Davidson looked around, searching for a way past the onrushing horde, but there was a wall behind them, and the crowd was closing in on all other sides.
Cheryse's grip tightened in his hand. They looked at each other, and both saw fear in the other's eyes.
They were surrounded.
Trapped.
And there was nowhere left to run.
The squealing of tires took them by surprise as the SUV swung around the corner with Jack on the running board.
"Come on, get in!" Jack roared and they didn't need to be told twice as Andy pushed her into the back as he struggled in himself.
"Move it T-Boy!" Owen roared and Ianto hit the gas as Jack swung into the passenger seat was a loud bray of laughter.
Swanson's screams had died away.
Like her.
.
.
.
.
.
The street was a major thoroughfare in this part of the city.
It had two lanes of traffic in each direction, with a breakdown lane in the middle. Very few cars were going in either direction. The massive backup of south-bound traffic hadn't reached this far north yet.
Ianto saw several cars on fire, scattered on the roadway in front of a row of apartments.
Strangely, other cars were moving among the burned-out hulks, seemingly unconcerned with the incongruity.
He was gaining his sea legs on this terrible ocean.
He immediately stopped the SUV and looked for alternate routes where he could turn down a side street and avoid even being close to such destruction.
Jack was leaning around his seat, watching ahead as well.
"Jack, I'm turning. I don't think we should go anywhere near those burning cars."
Jack patted his arm in encouragement and he smiled as he made a left turn, then a quick right turn onto a narrow avenue running parallel to the main road.
They entered a more residential area. There were a few cars parked along both sides of the street, but there were also a lot of trash cans rolling around, along with lots of trash and debris, as if many of the houses had simply thrown their contents right out their doors.
More ominously, he saw odd characters walking aimlessly. Sick? Infected? Lost? Stealing?
He wasn't stopping to find out. He hit the gas, quickly pushing fifty mph down the narrow street.
The passenger window shattered as several gunshots exploded from the houses lining the right side of the street. He instinctively jerked his head as low as he could. "Everyone! Get down!"
The rear passenger-side window blew out next, followed by the one on his side. The shots were either coming from both sides or going completely through the interior.
The rear window blew out a second later, and the headrest on his seat crumpled.
That was close!
He glanced in the mirror. Jack had fallen over sideways into the back and shielded Rhiannon and the babies, covered with tiny pieces of safety glass. Owen and Tosh were huddled in the far back as Gwen wailed for Rhys. Andy was covering Cheryse on the floor.
"Oh, shit," he exclaimed.
He risked a sideways glance, but the shooters were well hidden. He was going much too fast. Shots continued behind them, and he could see in the side mirror a couple of men had run into the street to shoot, even as he drove away.
Only a few seconds more ...
He took a right turn too fast and was just able to maintain control of the SUV as it aligned itself on the new street, but scraped a car on his side.
The SUV lost some paint, but they escaped the flying bullets.
Rather than being scared, he was mad as hell again.
People were using this disaster as an excuse to—do what exactly? Were these bad people showing their true colours or good people gone wrong due to the chaos?
It had scarcely been one lousy day since law and order was put on hold. Things were going downhill fast if this was how it was going to be.
He slowed enough to take a left turn back onto the main street safely and was pleased to see they had travelled beyond the burned-out wrecks.
Were the men on the previous street the same ones who burned the cars on this one? Why would anyone randomly destroy cars and shoot at people they didn't know? Were they trying to kill him? He had no explanation that fit the circumstances, and he sure wasn't going back to interview them.
Pardon me. Would you refrain from killing me while I ask you a few questions?
They quickly overtook another vehicle—a cramped, blue coupe—with a family inside who looked over at him as he matched their speed for a second before accelerating past them.
He hopes Jack would have some answers later as he watched Andy and Cheryse lean against their seats without any outward sight of fear.
Maybe they knew something. Jack certainly looked less confused than he expected him to.
The open road was just as dangerous as everywhere else. Even a friendly-looking family couldn't be trusted. He could trust no one but himself and the team in the back.
In the distance, he got his first glimpse of the Gateway Arch as it twinkled in the midday sun. He had many memories seeing it as a kid—how many times had his parents excitedly pointed it out as they were driving? It was a source of fascination and pride for locals like him. A snarl of traffic came into view on the street ahead, interrupting his pleasant memories.
Will anything be easy ever again?
Ianto checked his mirror again and saw a little face peering back, David was watching from under his mother's arm.
Ianto felt a smile start as he watched his nephew blink as he looked around without fear, the teddy soon found and snapped back into the huddle.
He had to get out of Cardiff, off the main roads.
He had to get these wee ones safe.
Whether Gwen liked it or not, Rhys could piss into the wind for all he cared.
He had priorities!