Nikita and Megan packed their car with weapons from Ruth’s armoury, just in case. Megan had called Mason to let him know she was alive and coming back for him.
“Slow down, I don’t understand.” Nikita heard him say while she drove.
“It’s not safe. The people I told you about have turned against me and their enemies are now my enemies. They know about you, Mason. Please, pack a bag, I’m coming to take you somewhere safe until this is all over.”
“Are you sure this is a good idea?”
“There’s no other way. I’m sorry for dragging you into all this, Mason.”
“It’s okay. But what about my college studies? Also, I have no money.”
“Don’t worry about money. I have enough to set us up for life.”
“Did you rob a bank, Megan?” he asked dubiously but his voice sounded lighter.
“No, I earned it. Trust me.”
“How is he?” Nikita asked as Megan hung up.
“Agitated, I guess.”
“He’s not aware of anyone following him?”
“No and he’s not hurt so I guess we can assume who ever is working for your Dad is keep their distance. For now. I see you’ve changed.” Megan said, noticing the new outfit Nikita changed into before leaving for their journey out to Nashville and Memphis.
“Yeah, like I was going out to see Jesse for the first time in ages in that outfit.”
Nikita had stripped off her plain jeans and red hoody to replace them with a pair of skinny fit lilac jeans, cream camisole, peach blouse and a pair of pearly ballet pumps. She finished off the look by tying her hair back – doing her best to hide the blue streaks – and adding some fresh looking make up.
“There he is.” Megan said, sounding excited, as they pulled up outside the college.
Megan got out the car, checking her surroundings before she dashed out to meet Mason. He had one suit case being pulled behind him, a rucksack hanging on his back and a laptop bag under his arm.
“I didn’t know how long I’d be gone so I just packed as much as I could carry.”
“Here let me help.” She said, taking his laptop and rucksack. “I really am sorry, Mason.”
“I know. You don’t have to keep apologising.”
“I swear we’re going to make this right. We’ll fix it.”
“I’m sure you will.”
“I know it’s a lot to accept and you hardly even know me so…”
“Megan, you can stop. You don’t have to worry about me.”
“But I do.”
“Megan, its fine. Tell me what’s really going on here.” He said, helping her put his stuff in the boot of the car.
“I just don’t understand.”
“What?”
“I don’t understand why you’re being so nice to me. You should be mad. I’m taking you away from college and your friends and family.”
“I am mad at you.” He said suddenly.
Megan’s eyes fell to her feet and she said, with as much conviction as she could muster, “Good, you should be.”
“Not for this. I’m mad ‘cause we didn’t get to have our date the other night. I’m mad that we might not find the time to have a real date if we’re on the run.”
“Oh. So you’re not mad about actually having to run away with me.”
“No. Look, if you were any other girl I probably would’ve told you to go to hell. But there’s something going on here. I know you feel it to.”
“I do.”
“Well, what are we waiting for?” Nikita asked, sticking her head out the car window. “Time is of the essence, people.”
“Oh, this is my friend Nikita. Nikita, Mason, Mason, Nikita.”
“Hi, nice to meet you.” Mason said, shaking Nikita’s hand.
“Likewise. Now get in, both of you, we don’t have a lot of time.”
“I need to make a couple of stops first before we pick up Jesse.”
“Where to?”
“My apartment and then the bank.”
JACK
Jack followed Ruth into the bank which was practically deserted except for the cashiers at every desk.
“Can I help you?” the redheaded, bespectacled cashier asked Ruth on her approach.
Ruth gave the cashier her card and said, “I’d like to make a withdrawal.”
The woman’s eyes popped slightly at the large sum on Ruth’s account. “How-how much?”
Dumping one of the bags she’d found in her closet earlier Ruth answered, “All of it.”
Jack had half expected the woman to protest or to call out her manager but, of course, after Ruth had touched the cashiers hand, when reaching for the bag, she was under Ruth’s spell instantly.
“Follow me, please.” The cashier said in a sweet tone.
“Will you be all right on your own? I’ll only be a minute.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll just sit out here.” He said, sitting by the water cooler.
Ruth disappeared into the back room with the cashier, ‘Nancy’ was written on her nametag. Jack bent low over the water cooler and filled up a tiny plastic cup with ice cold water and grabbed a sports magazine before settling down in the black leather couch.
The sound of a bell ringing announced the door had been opened and another customer walked up to the nearest occupied desk. The man who entered wore a long, sandy coloured coat, dark jeans and tacky cowboy boots.
“Can you tell me if you have seen either of these people?” the man asked in wavering accent.
The man brushed his coat aside two remove two pictures from his back pocket. Over the top of his magazine, Jack could see the hilt of a gun protruding from his jeans and he saw that one of the pictures he held was a photograph of Ruth.
Jack tried to keep the magazine held high enough to cover most of his face as he listened intently to the conversation between the man and the cashier.
“I’m not sure. I think I saw the girl a few minutes ago but she must’ve left.”
“Do you know who served her?”
“Yes, it was my colleague Nancy.”
“Where is she now?”
“Possibly on her afternoon break. Is there anything else I can help you with?”
“No, thanks.”
The man stowed the pictures away as he turned away from the cashier. He nodded, absent minded, to Jack who inclined his head in turn, doing his best to keep his face hidden. A furrow appeared between the man’s brows but he kept on walking to the bank exit.
Jack breathed a sigh of relief as he heard the door swing shut, tossed the magazine aside before getting to his feet. Jack realised he’d made a mistake as soon as he stood up, the man hadn’t left after all. He pointed a gun directly at Jack’s heart which seemed to be frantically beating faster with every second that Jack stared at the gun.
“Jack! Get down!” Ruth cried as she re-entered the main hall.
The gun man turned and shot at her instead but Ruth was quick. Pulling the redheaded cashier down with her out of sight behind a counter, the gun man turned back to Jack but was bowled over as he was tackled. Jack made to wrestle the gun out of his hand but he didn’t need to. In his haste to attack, the man’s head collided with the cashiers’ desk, knocking him out.
“We’ve got to go.” Ruth said, suddenly by his side.
“But what about…”
“We already knew we were being watched. It was only a matter of time before they tried a stunt like this. Come on, before the police get here.”
Ruth pulled Jack alongside her, the once empty duffel bag now heavy and full of the money that Mama had paid her as an incentive to take on Shroud. It was more than enough to set up a family for life. And then some.
There was no sign of police cars as they sped down the street to where they were parked. Jack drove them to a small dealership just on the edge of town as they started their search for a van or, as Jack suggested, a people wagon. They just needed something big and spacious but would fit in with the crowd.
“Well, this one here is only going for $700.” Said the salesman at the first showroom, pointing out an old grey van. “It’s not brand new but she runs well and there’s all that space in the back that you were looking for.”
“Do you not have anything bigger?” Ruth asked. “We need a lot more space than this.” Ruth said, examining the insides of the van.
“Well, what kind of budget are you on?”
“Money is no object. We just want the best you have to offer.”
“Well, I have an old Volkswagen bus.”
“It’s not got some ridiculous hippy paint on it, has it?” Jack asked, chortling with the salesman.
“No, it only came in a month ago. Just a plain dark blue. It’s probably the biggest vehicle I have.” He said, leading them around the lot to the giant old hippy van.
“How much?” Ruth asked.
“Well, this one is $5000. Is that too much?”
Ruth grinned brightly, “Its fine. Do you accept cash?”
Their first stop in Nashville was to drop by Nikita’s apartment to pack up her things. Mason and Megan helped pack up everything on the lower level, though there wasn’t much down there and they weren’t planning on taking the large plasma screen TV. Nikita hadn’t really had much time to unpack after leaving her home in Sweetwater, so most of it was still in her bags and suitcase.
They lugged into the increasingly packed car before heading for the bank where she emptied out her account into the third bag Ruth had removed from her closet in her apartment in Knoxville. Then it was time to go see Jesse.
“I think I might barf.” Nikita said, her hands still stuck to the steering wheel.
“You’re not going to barf.” Megan said, clapping her shoulder. “Just go talk to him. He’s coming with us one way or the other. He’s not safe on his own.”
“I know but I’d like to give him the choice first rather than just club him over the head and toss him in the back of the car.” Nikita sighed. “Any tips?”
“Just be honest with him.”
“Honest. Right.”
Nikita got out of the car before she could talk herself out of it. She didn’t know where Jesse was staying so she went to one of only two places she could think he would be; with his band at the bar. Right enough, Jesse sat at a round table with his band. All they’re instruments were gathered around at their feet whilst they each nursed a beer. Glancing Nikita’s way he did a double take and bolted from his chair.
“Nikita, where have you been? I’ve been calling you for days.”
“I know. I really wanted to call you back but it was never the right time.”
“You look so pale, have you been ill?”
“Something like that. Can we talk in private?”
“Sure.” Jesse said, leading her over to an empty booth.
“Okay,” she started, taking a seat opposite but blocking the exit, “this is going to sound crazy. But I need to tell you about what I am and what I do.”
“Didn’t you say you were…”
“Whatever I said, it was a lie. Jesse, you’re in serious danger and it’s my fault.”
“Slow down, what are you saying?”
Nikita launched into explaining firstly about the meteor crash in Sweetwater and what happened to her and her two best friends. Jesse was taking it all rather well, even the part about her having super powers. But she rushed on to tell him about Mama Goody and how she had betrayed them all, used them even. Jesse didn’t speak much until she explained, finally, how they were now all in danger including the boys whom had shown an interest in the girls.
“So what you’re saying is…”
“I’m an assassin, yes, and now there are more after me and you. I understand if you hate me right now, Jesse, but, please, I need you to come with me.”
“What if I said no?” he asked, looking stony faced.
“Well, I’m hoping you won’t because I’ll have to take you by force.”
“What about my friends?” he asked indicating the band.
“They’re not in danger. Only you are linked to me.”
He sighed, “I don’t know what to say.”
“I’m sorry, Jesse. Really, I am. But we don’t have a lot of time left.”
“Where do we go after we leave then?”
“Does that mean…?”
“Yeah, I’m coming with you.”
Nikita sighed, relieved. “New York. Only when Mama Goody is gone will we be able to return to our normal lives.”
“Okay, can you give me a ride to my hotel to collect my stuff? I don’t have much.”
“Of course.” She paused. “So do you hate me?”
To her surprise he choked out a harsh laugh, “No, I don’t hate you. I’m mad, don’t get me wrong. I’m more than mad, I’m pissed.”
“I understand and I’m still sorry.”
“I know, it’s just… you were the coolest girl I’ve ever met.”
“You don’t think that now?”
“No, not exactly. It’s pretty cool that you can stop time and everything but the assassin bit… not so much.”
“Yeah, I know. If I could, I’d take it all back. But, Jesse, if I hadn’t taken the job, I never would’ve come here or met you.”
He smiled, “Well, then, I can’t hate your job that much, I suppose.”
Jesse reached out and tucked the strand of blue hair that had escaped Nikita’s up ‘do behind her ear.
“It’s a little weird that you powers caused your hair to change like that.”
“Well, I guess I’m the lucky one compared to my friends. When you meet them, try not to stare.”
“Why?”
“Megan has a scar over her left eye and Ruth’s eye is just really startlingly blue. Most of the time she wears an eye patch or coloured contact lens.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“What are you going to tell them?” she asked, nodding at the band still nursing their beers.
“I don’t know. I guess I’ll just leave them a note may be.”
“Well, we better go now. This is your last chance to say goodbye if you want to.”
“What would I say? Let’s just go, come on.”