Warped

Chapter 4

From anxious to annoyed to amazed to horror to impressed and back to horror, Joe never cycled through so many emotions so quickly. It's a wonder he didn't get a heart attack.

He cradled The Book in his arms as they ran down the hall and stairs in a flash, not even looking back at Houdini's escape boxes they left behind. They passed by surprised guards who didn't even bother to stop them. The men hid in the nearest rooms as soon as they saw Mysterio sprinting down the hall, waving a gun around like a psychopath.

Behind Joe, Izzy huffed, "I can't believe that actually worked!"

"Wait a minute," Sam said. "You were going to judo kick a madman holding a gun to your head without even knowing that you could even do that in the first place?!"

Fred leaped over a guard cowering in a fetal position dead center in the hall. "What if he, y'know, shot you?"

A bullet whizzed past Izzy's shoulder and hit a column, creating a mini explosion of marble. She laughed nervously. "Day's not over yet."

"Can't you magic us up a bulletproof vest? Or teleport us out of here?"

"No! And even if I could, running for my life isn't the optimal conditions for concentration!"

Eugene ran ahead. "Enough chatter! Just run."

They slammed past the front door and into the freezing rain. A snoozing Mr. Jackson awoke with a strain, goose-like cry and fell over into a patch of mud. They reached the car and all dove straight in, landing on top of each other in a cold, wet heap on the seats.

Joe got up first. He crawled into the seat behind Charles, The Book— thankfully— still in his arms. "Drive! Drive, drive!"

"Wait," Sam said. "I gotta close the d— AH!"

No hesitation, Charles floored it, zooming down the road faster than Joe thought an old limousine could go. Joe's friends all pitched. They slipped on the wet floor and hot thrown into the back row. The limo tilted and the door slammed shut.

Joe reclined in his row, letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding. A moment of peace descended on them as the scenery passed in a blur and the hotel shrunk smaller and smaller behind them. Charles slowed to a normal driving speed.

Joe didn't get a good look at their surroundings when they arrived, and he definitely didn't when they were fleeing for their lives. The hotel must have been in the middle of the woods because they were driving down a deserted, tree-lined lane with no other cars around.

"Uuuuuuh," Fred said. "I don't wanna be the 'I think we got company' guy, but—"

Through the wet windshield, another smaller car behind them painted black and blue was gaining on them. A man leaned out of the passenger side window, wielding something small and dark in his hand.

Sam sat up, his eyes hid by fog on his glasses. "Can't this thing go any faster?"

"Kid," Charles grunted, "I can't even see."

"What?!"

"Duck!" Izzy shrieked.

They hit the seats just as the back window exploded, sending in large shards of glass and rain. Eugene cried out in pain.

"Eugene!" Izzy said.

She had her hand on his shoulder, her green eyes wide and panicky. Eugene's eyes were screwed shut, his palm pressed to his forehead. A trickle of blood ran down his temple.