Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 84471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
My ears perk up at the rumble of motorcycles coming closer. My heart leaps at the idea of it being my guys, coming to save me like knights on their mighty steeds come to save their princess. At least I’d get to see them one more time.
Then I realize that it's dumb.
What are they going to do? Die with me? I hope it’s not them after all.
The rumble comes closer as I step, little by little, closer to the church steps. How far will I get?
A seagull calls. It could be the last one I hear. I try not to break down right in the middle of the stairs.
The doors open and Poe appears, holding some kind of box with an antenna. I don't know what he's up to. All I know is that now I'm going to end up on Paige's hate list too, and I just can't do this anymore.
There’s no one directly next to me. Maybe I can get away with just maiming a few. If I don’t give Tanner much warning, it’ll take him at least a second or two to notice, right? Time to turn and start running.
I close my eyes, prepare to meet my maker, then yell as loud as I can, “Run! There’s a bomb! Run!” Then I fall to my knees and dry heave on the ground.
“Oh Willow, you naughty girl—” Tanner’s voice is cut off, but still I wait.
And wait.
And wait a little longer.
I open my eyes. Poe is right in front of me now, looking too young and pretty to die because of me. The box in his hand is making one heck of a racket, buzzing and crackling like a live wire hit by lightning.
“I think it worked,” he says. “It fucking worked. We're gonna get you out of that, Willow. Just waiting for Skyhigh.”
“What? No, Poe. You need to get away before the bomb explodes.”
“No fucking way.” He shakes his head, looking nervous but determined. “Been working on an RF jammer for a while, but this is the first real test.”
“A what?”
“It fucks with radio signals, which is probably what Tanner's using to remote detonate the bombs. The plan was to mess with police radios, but this is even better.” He smiles encouragingly.
“How did you know? Before right now, I mean?” My heart's thundering, my adrenaline is spiking, but somewhere in the back of my mind, my brain is screaming that maybe it’s not all over after all.
“Skyhigh called ahead. They should be here any minute.”
I don't understand, but I don't need to. All I know is that Poe managed to hit the pause button on my certain doom.
The rumble gets louder, echoing off the city blocks, and then tires squeal as four motorcycles turn hard and peel into the courtyard. Gravel sings as they skid to a stop, and then they're by my side. Skyhigh, Dragon and Blackout. The fourth guy runs off to the side, whoever he is. I only care about them.
“No.” I shake my head. “You can't be here. I might still explode. It’s better to clear everyone out, okay? I wasn’t… I wasn’t brave enough to stop before, but I am now. It’s okay.”
“No it fucking isn’t. You’re going to be fine, baby,” Skyhigh says with a grin like he does this every day. “Just stand up niiiice and slow, and stay real still.”
He carefully, so carefully, one button at time, opens my jacket and reveals the explosives underneath.
Poe whistles. “Holy shit.” Suddenly, he looks a little nervous about his jammer. And maybe he's right to be. Maybe it's not working and Tanner is just waiting to get as many people close as possible.
“Leave it here,” Skyhigh tells Poe.
“Yeah, it's on.” He puts it down on the ground next to us.
“Good. Now everyone else, back the fuck up. This is a party for two, you got that? Just me and Willow, no one else.” When no one moves, he yells, “Now, for fuck's sake!”
After a moment, Poe backs up quickly. Riot and Lash take cover behind the church while Poe goes inside. I swear there were other people here too, but they must've run. Only Skyhigh, Blackout and Dragon left, and they're all I need.
“Weren't you fuckers listening? I said to back the fuck up.” Skyhigh glares at his best friends while he pulls out his knife.
“Fuck you.” Dragon crouches next to me. “I'm not fucking leaving. So you better fucking get this right so you don't take out all three of us.”
“All four of us.” Blackout corrects as he takes my hand and squeezes it. “You think we're gonna leave either Willow or you? We know you can do this.”
“You fucking idiots,” Skyhigh growls under his breath.
They're here. They're all here, and… and they think they're going to save me? Maybe there really are miracles.