Access Denied

5. The Issues of Trust

Genevieve tried to gain access into the car's system but she wasn't a hacker. She could make do with what she knew about computers but she wasn't brilliant with them. Her hand clenched in frustration and she tried again, unsuccessful once again. But then her phone chimed again.

—cal_634_pager

Genevieve didn't know why she did but she quickly typed in what she assumed to be the password and the box cleared, giving her full access. She hurriedly typed in some basic commands and waited for the confirmation. Just as the computer relayed the 'positive' command, a click came from the car doors as they locked from the outside.

—well done.

Muffled shouts came from the car as Genevieve closed the laptop and put it in the trunk. When realizing that it wouldn't open, the vehicle rode away leaving their injured members behind. She slammed the trunk shut just as she saw Kiara throwing a burner phone off the side of the road. 

Flynn and Carlos came to the side of the car, Flynn supporting Carlos as he opened the door and slid in. "Apply pressure to it," he said as he closed the door to the car. "We still have a little time before we get there." He told him through the open window. "You should be okay."

Kiara slipped into the driver's seat with Flynn taking the front seat. Nicole and Genevieve sat beside Carlos in the back seats. He rested his head against the headrest and his eyes squeezed shut, trying to lessen the pain. 

Genevieve reached into the pocket of her bag to find sterile gauze. She handed it to Nicole for her to help her fix it around Carlos's leg. Flynn turning around in his seat, narrowed his eyes at her, asking her where she got the gauze.

"I'm surprised you don't carry a first-aid kit around," she countered, silently thanking her years of conning for her voice to come out confident. "Hospitals aren't really welcoming to wanted criminals."

"Really," asked a groaning Nicole, "I was planning on going there after I would have committed my first murder," she told her. "You know to make sure he was dead."

"He?" Genevieve asked surprised that she already had a victim.

"Yes. My cousin Carson, a real pain, I tell you."

The drive continued silently for another few minutes until they were at the safe house that was allotted to them by the agency. Genevieve and Flynn supported Carlos out of the car and into the two storey house. 

Nicole skipped in the threshold, immediately turning to the side of the kitchen. Flynn led Carlos into the nearest room. Kiara sat down beside him, undoing the gauze and inspecting the wound. "Get him a glass of water, will you, Wilfred?"

She nodded and followed Nicole's earlier walk to the kitchen. She found Nicole crouching by the fridge, surveying its contents. Genevieve searched for a glass in one of the cupboards. She filled it with water and walked out of the kitchen which was still occupied by Nicole. 

When she returned outside, she saw that Flynn was no longer there. Kiara and Carlos sat there, Carlos absentmindedly nodding at what Kiara was saying. She saw Genevieve approaching and reached for the glass of water. "The bullet grazed your thigh. Not much damage." She handed him the glass. "You should get some rest."

* * *

A hand stoked her hair and cheek dangerously, "Now Genevieve, you took something from me," he whispered, "You know, I don't like people taking things from me..."

She felt a cold blade on the base of her neck and gulped.

"Did you miss me, Nevi?" he asked, his voice sending a shiver down her spine, "do you remember me?" he asked tauntingly. She didn't even need to look up to see who it was—she knew who the voice belonged to. Her eyes squeezed shut as her eyes moistened.