Highway scandal(book 1)

Chapter 11

A week had come and gone. It was quiet at that time, and they always practiced after breakfast. But today was different. They took a break. Marissa was doing well. Today was November 5th. They had been on the run for a week. And hiding. But it would catch up with them. They spent every moment planning and going over everything. Drake had told Marissa after Devin was shot, he extracted the bullet to see what he used. So that he could kill Frank when the time came.

But now he was rethinking it. Maybe putting him in jail for a lifetime seemed better. Maybe Marissa was making him rethink a lot of things. And she was rethinking things too. She had been sleeping in a spare room and gave his room back. He wanted her to keep his but she fought him on it. And now they were setting up the table for dinner. He fixed the roast with vegetables. She wasn't picky either.

Marissa was beginning to like him. More than she expected. And he was starting to like her. He loved spending his time with her. But he knew it couldn't last. Not with Frank. He takes everything Drake ever cares about. That's why his mother left. Drake understood that. But now Marissa was wanted too. Because she was spotted with him of her own free will. And she knew she'd be on Frank's radar. And she didn't care. Because the police would believe her over Frank. She was top of her class and no felonies, and was a woman. And she studied law. And worked for Frank so she knew secrets. But something else didn't add up, did the law already know who Frank was? It seemed like the law was quick to judge Drake who was a very smart and friendly guy over Frank who was crooked and shady.

"Well," Marissa says to herself. Drake snaps his attention to her. She is trying to take the roast out of the oven but it is really heavy. So Drake grins and helps her out. She thanks him.

"Next time, let me handle it," he said. This was nice for them but as I said good things must end.

Just outside the house, a black SUV pulls to the curb at the next house. And Marissa notices it when she goes by the living room window. She stops when she sees it and she goes white. Her face drains the color from her. She's scared and she can't say anything. She looks like she's seen a ghost. And just when things were getting pretty normal. He looks in the living room to her and crosses his arms thinking she's just messing around. But he gets closer and notices she's stiff.

"Marissa, what's the matter," he said looking out the window. And he sees it too. The GMC that was following them in Kansas City and behind it, the Chevy SUV. They were both here. This was not good.

"Marissa I think you need to change your clothes now, we may need to leave again," he said. She looked at him and she was scared.

"I won't let them hurt you, trust me," he said. She nods and goes upstairs. She puts on her slim-fit jeans and a sweater-type shirt. And her boots. And pulls her hair out of her face.

She runs back down where he is still watching them. They aren't doing anything. Just sitting. Waiting for them to leave. But, Marissa had a plan. It wasn't a bright one but it just might work, but before she could tell him, bullets started flying. And Drake pulls Marissa to the stairs telling her to stay down beside the stairs. Near the back wall. She does as he tells her. But he starts to get up while debris is flying in the air from the men hitting everything, and she grabs his arm.

"Wait, maybe if they think we are dead they'll leave," she said. He shook his head.

"Don't count on it," he said as a bullet flew right past his head missing it by an inch. She pulled him down with her.

"Don't go, please, you could get shot," she said. He grabs her chin in his hand.

"I've trained for this, don't worry I'll get us out," he said.

She didn't want to let him go but he insisted. He rolled out of the way. The bullets missing him. Hitting the back wall. But Marissa had an idea. The stairwell leads to the basement and if she was going to prove her bravery, it was now. So she looked for a drywall or panel she could kick in. While Drake was rolling and dodging the bullets to get to the door of the basement.

He was halfway there when one of the bullets grazed his right arm and he had to stop and examine it. He cursed out loud and ripped a piece of his flannel off tying the place on his arm. And he is taking deep breaths. And crawling out of the way. When he reaches the door. He grabs the knob and pushes it open, scooting down into the basement with the door closing behind him.

Meanwhile, Marissa finds a piece of panel over the back of the stairwell. And she kicks it hard. She's nowhere near the line of the bullets so she has a clear shot. She keeps kicking and kicking until the wall splits. She can see the bottom of the basement it's about eight feet down but she's sure she can make it. She lowers herself down and sees a pipe hanging down, she grabs it, sliding down to the floor and barely landing on her feet.

He notices Marissa and his face becomes soft again. He was Impressed. He didn't think she would come down into the basement but he was glad she was here. There were no windows, but one door to the outside. And it led to the back.

"Okay, so the plan is we go out back, I have an old vehicle there, and we take the backroad, follow the backroad to the next town over, stop for food, and keep heading south."