Her eyes, his lies

Chapter 39

She had never been to this part of Alexander, and never thought she would.

They were a short jog away from the Jackson property, hunkered down in the van. The interior, already cramped from Ryder's belongings, was positively claustrophobic with three teenagers inside. Thankfully, Watson had elected to take his SUV instead.

The day had been spent gathering materials, planning, and avoiding Jackson's roving teams of armed thugs. It seemed killing four of his men had only enraged the criminal lord further, doubling the patrols he had put in place for Jane and her group.

Victoria raised a pair of binoculars to her eyes, nearly knocking over the empty liquor bottle from the night before.

"Geez, I've seen pics, but this is huge," Victoria muttered.

"My grandfather built the main building. The rest is all my dad," Ryder replied.

Jane was gripping her own pair of binoculars, provided for by Watson's seemingly endless arsenal of police equipment.

According to Ryder, the men within his old home were the least of the problem. His father was a thorough criminal with an inclination for paranoia. Nearly every inch of the building was wired to a variety of security systems, none of which would be pleasant if activated.

Through the binoculars, Jane examined the first obstacle they would need to bypass to get inside; a wrought-iron gate, flanked at either end by cameras, an alarm, and a bored-looking security guard. Standard things to have at your house.

Beyond that, a short expanse of green, ending in a pair of double doors twice as tall as Jane herself.

Ryder had assured them that, once inside, there would be no security systems to overcome. They were designed to keep people out, not inside. That left only the men and their guns.

For a moment, the old anxiety uncurled within her. This was too much. She looked over at Ryder, who was donning a skin-tight black shirt, and couldn't help but worry.

A burst of feedback emitted from their earpieces, causing the three to wince.

"Dad!" Victoria complained, massaging her ear.

Jane had outfitted each person with a tiny ear piece, invisible at a glance. She hoped that, if something went wrong, it would allow them to stay in contact.

"Sorry, sorry." Watson was across the compound, waiting by the back garden, but his voice rang true and clear through their ears.

The wonders of short-wave radio, Jane mused.

"Okay, here goes. Going dark. Good luck, kids," Watson's scratchy voice was tense. An understandable emotion, considering the situation.

The minor static was cut off as Watson removed his ear piece, and entered the compound.

"Are you worried?" Jane asked Victoria.

The tattooed teenager paused. "Like, kinda? It's not like he hasn't been doing this my whole life, but..."

"But there's always a chance this time's different," Ryder filled in, speaking from personal experience.

Victoria nodded.

"Let's hope this is the last time." Jane, hood pulled over her head, watched through the cameras as Watson entered the mansion. Unbeknownst to whatever security lay inside, Jane had frozen their surveillance feeds, and made them her own. Their eyes were hers now.

Ryder's hand touched her jaw, a gentle beckoning. Jane tore her gaze from the screen. Eyes widening as his lips met hers once more, as hungry as they'd ever been. There was a tension between them, an electricity that stood their hair and set their teeth on edge. Whatever happened tonight, the days of being hunted would be over. They would be safe.