Strangers in Danger

Chapter 11: Lucas

We stayed in West Virginia for two more nights before moving on into Pennsylvania. I was thankful when we left the motel on our own accord and not because I had a gut feeling it was time to leave. The stress of running from place to place at a moment's notice had been taking its toll and it was tempting to ignore my intuition and stay put.

Cara's anxiety began to manifest in her telekinesis. She would knock lamps over, shatter the occasional glass, and send pillows flying across the room. With my guidance, she began rationing her daily anxiety medication, knowing that when she ran out it was unlikely that I'd be unable to fill it for her without attracting attention.

I spent most of the drive through Bumblefuck, Pennsylvania, trying to figure out how I could prescribe her enough Xanax for the both of us without raising any red flags. We both needed some kind of medication to continue functioning during the day if we were going to make it to the safe house Diane was supposedly setting up for us.

"We've just hit our limit on the road," I told her during our last check-in. "We really need to get someplace safe."

"I know. I'm sorry it's taking so long," Diane said. "I think we may have stumbled onto some leads and I'm meeting with a task force later today."

I hung up feeling discouraged and frustrated. Diane and I spent three years together, two of them engaged. And while it didn't work out between us, we parted as friends and with the understanding that if the other ever needed anything we'd be there. Something felt off about all of this, but I couldn't put a finger on it and it wasn't strong enough to help me make any sort of decision.

I put my phone back on the charger and looked over at Cara who was immersed in her movie. She had her headphones on and her laptop on her lap, staring intensely at the screen. She was watching Captain America Winter Soldier again. She watched it almost daily when she wasn't digging around the dark web.

We both needed some time outside in the sun among the trees and I considered making our next stop someplace where we could camp in relative seclusion.

I continued to turn over the idea in my head as I crawled onto the bed next to her. I propped my head up on a pillow so I could also see the screen. Cara turned off her headphones and the sound played through the computer speakers. I stole a few glances at her while she watched the movie. My eyelids were getting heavy, influenced by the sweet smell of the lavender oil she rolls onto her neck and wrists every morning. She found it at a farm stand a few days prior and had been wearing it religiously in hopes of calming her mind. I don't know if it did, but when paired with the warmth of her body I found it comforting. I wanted to lay my head in her lap and feel her fingertips in my hair and those were some of my last thoughts before falling to sleep.

This has to be the place.

This bitch better have some answers.

She's wasting my time.

I woke up with a gasp. They were here. In the main lobby underneath our room. "Cara, we have to leave now!"

I jumped off the bed and grabbed our bags, which were always packed and ready to go by the door. Cara stuffed her laptop into its case. I knew they were still downstairs. The clerk was giving them a hard time about the information they wanted, but it was a losing battle. At the end of the day, she didn't care enough to protect us. She was only having a little fun.

Cara followed behind me as we quietly made our way out the door and to the stairwell. I could see her car. The doors were always unlocked. The keys were in my hands.

Just as I touched the door handle I heard the shot and the immediate impact on the car. Cara screamed and ducked. Another shot. "Those motherfuckers!" I heard her yell. My heart dropped as she stood up and faced our assailant: a brick house of a man in jeans and a leather jacket. He pointed a handgun directly at her. I watched as she pushed the air with her hands, sending him flying into the dumpster 20 feet behind him.

I kneeled next to the car, paralyzed by what I just saw. "Let's go!" Cara yelled, opening the door and sliding into the car, breaking my trance and prompting me to action.

We speed off down the windy mountain road and I'm unsure what direction we're heading. I just want to put distance between us and the motel. The next few minutes felt like hours and I begin to ease up on the gas.

As the car starts to slow I see two black SUVs — why is it always black SUVs — dart out from side streets I hadn't noticed. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" I yell as I slam on the gas propelling us ahead on the narrow two-lane road.

At one time Cara's car may have had a little kick, but its age was showing as it strained against the speed and the constant change in elevation. But the old car was nimble and the ability to maneuver the mountain roads more easily than the SUVs kept us slightly ahead.

"I know what to do," Cara unbuckled herself and awkwardly climbed into the back seat. "Just don't crash."

"What the fuck are you doing!" I yelled.