SONG: Eminem - You Gon' Learn (ft. Royce Da 5'9'' & White Gold)
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April Levesque
Five more Cadillac Escalades arrived. They escorted us back to the city. I am stuck in the passenger seat of Derek's black Lamborghini Urus. He has two cars: this and his Lamborghini Aventador.
We have been stuck in the motorway for an hour, so close to All Saints Circus. Derek has a cap on, shielding his identity, though his car is exceedingly beguiling to be invisible — not to mention his protection. He has a black face mask stashed in his pocket as a back-up. He swerves the wheel, veins flexing, and taps on the car's monitor, calling a guard to know how appalling the circumstances are. Roads closed. Another ten arrests.
"We should've arranged a helicopter to pick you all up," notes Hamilton.
Derek taps the wheel. "True. But I want to see the protests. Have you asked Gareth if Tanner and I should post a Tweet about this or something?"
"The Manor's landlines haven't answered for the past hour. I suspect they're busy. Last night shook them. Four of the housekeepers couldn't come in time because their streets were wrecked."
"That bad," mumbles Derek.
"Schools might close, boss," says Hamilton. "If it gets even worse."
"Three are dead," says another voice in Hamilton's car. "It's worse, alright."
"Three dead?" I whisper, shocked. "Who?"
"Two civilians dead," replies the masculine voice. "The other one is a police officer."
"Did he hurt those civilians?" assumes Derek.
"Yeah."
"Killed the man," says Hamilton, "out of anger."
"Civilians responded and ended his life."
Derek suppresses a smile. "Unity is beneficial."
"Upper-ups don't like that shit, though."
"No," agrees Derek.
I caught police officers striding through the zig-zagged aisles of vehicles, enlightening the drivers that the enforcement prepared a better, safer route that accessed all regions of Edgewater.
"OK, Tineri responded," informs Hamilton. "She suggests we should go through the City. No way around it. Other blocks are barrelled. But there is a route to a field. From there, your friends and you could aboard some helicopters and go home."
"Ask if they want to," replies Derek. "I want to see this."
"Boss—"
Derek questions me, "Would you like to go home or stay with me?"
Our gazes interconnected. Fire and air, earth and water, the moon and the sun.
"I don't know."
"You'll be safe," he promises.
"Do you want me to?"
"Yes," he replies instantly.
A moment later, I nod my reluctance.
"Tell Tineri to organise the transport," orders Derek to Hamilton.
"Boss—"
Derek ends the call.
***
Derek wavers at the desecrated properties. Firefighters dose off exploded cars as trucks heave them up to transport to yards. Windows are fractured, shards littered. Posters are cleaved off billboards, swayed as trees. Vengeful graffiti on brick exteriors, lampposts, tree barks, phone boxes, shops and car windshields. Snowflakes of ash rains, parts blemished of deceased blazes.
YOU ARE READING
Trying To Endure
Romance{ BOOK 1 of the SANITY SERIES } Secrets are made to stay hidden, and people will take any means necessary to keep it that way. But to April Levesque and Derek Matthews, silence has no place in their worlds. ...
