I hear her screams, and it stops me dead in my tracks. I look over at the car ready to kill, but no Hunters are near her. My heart clenches in my chest as I see her in the back seat, as I feel the agony in her every scream, and I'm gutted. Pain courses through me, knowing I can't do anything to help her...knowing that I'm the cause. What have I done?
"Come on Man," Sanders says, pulling my attention away from her. There's sympathy in his eyes. Holding out his hand he continues, "I'll drive. We'll handle it Brennan. The sooner we get him to L.A.," he says nodding towards the car, "the sooner we can get back to the compound."
I hand him the keys and get into the passenger side of the car, slamming the door shut. Sanders immediately follows. The kid in the back seat wastes no time laying into me. "You did this to her. Those screams were because of you, you fucking asshole!" he yells, slamming his shoulder into the seat behind me, and my body lunges forward.
Part of me wants to reach back and choke the kid out, shut him the hell up, but I don't.
Sanders starts the car and turns to face him. "Kid, it would be in your best interest to pipe the fuck down. Do you understand me?"
"Fuck you," he replies and shoves himself back in the seat.
"Get us out of here," I say to Sanders, my head remaining forward. He peels out onto the main road, and the memories of what just occurred assault me. Everything happened so fucking fast. Seeing her again...seeing her see me...the look of relief I saw on her face. She looked at me like I was her knight in shining armor, like she had been waiting all this time for me to come save her.
And for me, to feel so much unbelievable relief and joy one moment, only to have it followed by such a range of emotions, one after the other...betrayal at seeing her entangled with another man, anger that he was even touching her in that way...in any way, then defeat, followed instantaneously by rage as I heard the other Hunters come in the door.
I never got the chance to tell her all the things I needed to say. I guess she needed to hear the words in order to trust me. She needed me to remind her of who I am...that there had to be another reason why I behaved the way I did and said the things I said, that I would never disrespect her in any way or allow anyone else to unless I had no other fucking choice, and that her greatest good is always the end game for me. Isn't that why I became a Hunter? So I could try to give her the life she deserves?
I think that's what hurts me most. How she so easily doubted me. Even her own Dad saw the bigger picture when he saw me, why couldn't she? I understand that the events played out in a way that would make most people question the other's motives, but Maddie and I aren't most people. At least that's what I always believed to be true, that she knew me better than I knew myself sometimes, yet she actually thought I became a Hunter just so I could find her and turn her over to the government? How could she think I would ever do anything to intentionally hurt her that way?
I don't think I'll ever forget the way she looked at me when she was sitting inside that car. It's as though she didn't know me anymore. Maybe I've been wrong all this time, assuming so much about her feelings towards me. Since the day she left, my sole purpose became about finding her, protecting her, and letting her know through my actions how much she means to me. But maybe it's all too little too late. While holding on to her is what got me through the choice I made to become a Hunter and what that entails, it seems letting go of us, of me, is what's gotten her through life on the run.
Seeing her break free from Sanders so she could run to the kid sitting behind me, was the farthest scenario from my mind when I envisioned what would happen when we finally saw one another again. She ran to him for comfort. She kissed him. She cried to him. And she did it all in front of me.
Had the other Hunters not shown up things would have played out so differently. What the fuck were they doing there? How did Jim not know? Why didn't he warn us? I'm instantly enraged. "Pull over," I demand.
"What's up man? Need to take a leak?" Sanders replies.
"No. Just stop the car. Now," I demand again.
He immediately pulls over. I grab the Jim issued cell phone out of the glove box and exit the car, slamming the car door shut behind me.
Hitting the only number saved on the phone, I hold it to my ear, moving further away from the car with every ring. No answer. I hit the call button again. "Answer the damn phone Jim." It continues to ring and still he doesn't answer. "How fucking convenient." I call again, and on the second ring, he finally answers.
"Travis," he says.
"What the fuck Jim? How did this happen?" I growl into the phone.
"Calm down Son," he replies.
"Calm down?" I yell. "Do you understand what the fuck just went down? Maddie is on her way to the Compound Jim. Do you understand what this means?"
"I understand you're upset," he replies, his voice calm and steady. Nothing riles this guy.
"Upset? Upset doesn't even begin to cover what I'm feeling, Jim," I scream into the phone. "How did you let this happen? How did you not know other Hunters were coming? And I'm supposed to trust you? Your Intel is shit Jim. Shit."
"Where are you now?" he asks, and I take a breath trying to calm myself.
"We're on our way to the air strip to fly the male back to L.A. We pulled over to call you," I respond.
"Get back in the car and get to the air strip. Once you land in L.A., you will be met by—"
"I'm not meeting anyone," I cut him off and continue. "Once we get to L.A., I'm dumping this kid off and going straight to the compound. No delays."
"And do what when you get to there, Lieutenant? Grab Maddie and run? You and I both know you're not ready for that to happen," he says as a matter of fact.
As much as his words piss me off, he's absolutely right. I am in no way prepared to get Maddie out of the compound undetected.
"We can help you Travis. We can make sure Maddie is not harmed in any way," he continues, "You just need to hear us out."
"Fine," is my only reply before I slam the phone shut and head back towards the car.
On my approach I notice that Sanders' eyes are closed and his mouth won't stop moving. And what is he doing with his arms? I draw closer to the car, still trying to figure out what the hell I'm seeing and that's when I hear him. He's singing. Wait. Is he singing "I'm A Little Tea Pot" or have I just lost my mind?
I get back into the car and slam the door, but even that doesn't faze him.
The kid in the back seat yells, "Make it stop."
I'm staring at Sanders in disbelief, but undeterred, his eyes remain closed and he continues singing, "I am a very special pot. It is true. Here's an example of what I can do. I can turn my handle into a spout." He lifts his right arm and actually forms the shape of a spout, leaning towards me as he continues, "Just tip me over and Pour. Me. Out."
Done with his performance, he opens his eyes to find me staring at him, eyebrow raised, shaking my head with a look on my face that could only scream, "What the hell is wrong with you?"
"Sorry man, I got a little carried away I guess. Brings me back to my childhood. My late Nina, may she rest in peace," his hand gestures the sign of the cross, and his face suddenly grows very solemn. Is he for real right now? "She'd sing that to me when I was a little bambino," he says as he mimics rocking himself as a baby. "I was so afraid Man—" he suddenly stops, looks me dead in the eye, and then cracks a huge ass smile. "I'm just messing with you Brennan," he says shoving me. "Bro, if only you could've seen the look on your face," he begins laughing. "When I busted into the story about my Nina— Priceless man," he continues, cracking himself up until he registers that he's the only one in the car laughing. "I haven't lost my mind, if that's what you're thinking," he adds, raising an eyebrow.
That's exactly what I'm thinking.
"Blame pretty boy," he continues, gesturing towards the back seat, "He was trying to listen in on your call."
"Bullshit," the kid in the back seat chimes in. "And though I'm flattered by your obvious attraction to me douchebag, I'm not interested. And the name's Aiden."
"Aiden?" Sanders replies, so amused he turns in his seat just to look at him. "What kind of name is that? And what's with that hair Bro?" he asks on a chuckle, eyeballing the kids dome. "You need to cut that shit Goldie-locks. Ever heard of scissors?" Sanders quips as he turns back around, puts the car into drive, and gets back on the road.
"I need you to haul ass," I say, interrupting their bullshit banter.
"Yeah Sandy, better listen to your master and haul ass. And my hair? I've had no complaints. Just ask Maddie," Aiden says, and I chuckle sarcastically in response. Clearly the kid's trying to piss me off.
"Well considering her options were limited. As in, you were the only option, you might not want to use her as an endorsement for you or that hair," Sanders replies.
This time I chuckle, amused.
"Well considering her opinion is the only one that matters to me, I'm good. And she made her feelings pretty clear. Don't you think? I didn't see her running to kiss anyone else," he pauses, "Did you Travis? See her run to kiss anyone else?" he says sarcastically.
Laughing under my breath, I shift in my seat, gripping the cellphone still in my hand. This kid is definitely trying to antagonize me, but I force myself not to engage, even though every instinct is begging for me to knock the cocky straight off the smug grin I imagine playing across his fucking face right now.
"Didn't think so," he says, his tone dripping with arrogance. He continues. "You know, she's never going to forgive you. Maddie's not the kind of girl who—"
"Don't attempt to tell me what of kind of girl Maddie is. You don't know shit about Maddie," I reply. So much for not engaging.
"You get to know someone pretty well when you're with them 24/7. I know her in ways you never have and never will, Hunter," he replies.
That's it. Immediately, I twist in my seat and grab him by the fucking neck, pushing him back against the headrest.
"Dude," Sanders warns him. "Shut the fuck up."
Aiden ignores him. "Take these fucking cuffs off," he says, challenging me, "then attempt to put your fucking hands on me tough guy," he says, looking me straight in the eye.
"Do you have a death wish Bro?" Sanders chimes in again. "Cuz this mother fucker...he will kill you. Lights out for good, kinda kill you. Dead," he says.
"Not fucking worth it," I say, releasing his neck, I turn back around in my seat, pissed.
"Just what I thought. I knew something else was going on here. But regardless of your fucked up motives, she will never forgive you for what you've done to Alex and I. You fucked up." And under his breath I hear him say, "But I fucked up too." He sighs and says nothing else the remainder of our drive. Neither do I.
I don't know what the deal is with him and Maddie, and I can't let it be my focus. But the kid's right, Maddie is obviously invested with him and his sister, and that definitely complicates things. As much as she will want to escape from the compound, she won't do so without her friend, which is going to make things a lot more complicated. Especially since I planned to do everything I could to get Danielle out of there as well.
My head is spinning, and I'm exhausted. Sanders and I are running off minimal sleep. Laying my head back, I close my eyes. I see Maddie and the look on her face when she first saw me, the smile that formed across her lips, the tears that welled in her eyes. And that's what I hold onto, until sleep finally takes me.
Sanders wakes me when we arrive at the airstrip. We exit the vehicle and immediately board a small plane that will bring us to L.A. Sanders heads to the cockpit to talk to the pilot, and I bring Aiden to his seat. Protocol says he should remained cuffed, but I un-cuff him anyway and toss the cuffs on the seat behind him. He looks at me surprised.
"Don't make me regret this decision. Take a seat," I say as I pat my gun, reminding him not to do anything stupid. He offers me a slight nod and complies.
As much I want to hate the kid, how can I? He looked after Maddie when I couldn't. I don't like him or his mouth, but that doesn't change the fact that he's here because he did right by his sister and Maddie. Gotta respect the kid for that much at least.
I take the seat directly behind him, and buckle up. Within seconds, Sanders is taking the seat across the aisle from me. He and I haven't had the opportunity to talk about what transpired or what went down when I spoke with Jim. Not giving anything away, I say, "When we get to L.A. I'll be meeting with a higher up for further instruction."
He looks at me with a questioning face, but accepts my answer anyway since we clearly have no privacy. Aiden may be inadvertently playing for the same team as Sanders and I, but even the best of people sell out when their back's against the wall. I don't know shit about this kid, and I take no chances when it comes to Maddie's wellbeing.
***Author's Note***
Breeder Nation will be removed from Wattpad on Nov. 1, 2019
Thank you so much for reading, guys!!! <3