Race the Storm

Chapter 20

Willa's hand wrapped around the thick cloth sheathe that held the knife. Dirt shushed under someone's boots. Fingers trembling, she popped the button that secured the knife and yanked it out. Maybe they were lying about the tracker being against her nerves, but it wasn't like she could dig it out anyways, not with the knife she had.

"Willa, please? We don't want to hurt you. We won't hurt you, we just want to take you back to the Estate," the second voice said, "It's dangerous out here."

"Jax isn't helping you," the first man said, "He's not lying about having powers, that's obviously clear, but everything else he's telling you is a lie. He's a deranged soldier, he's made up this story for you."

Willa would've believed that right after meeting Jax, but why would he target her? There were a ton of other women at the Estate he could've picked. And why would Diego and Wes back him up? And there were too many files and lies for him to keep up with. Plus...in her gut, she felt she could trust Jax.

These two jokers? Not so much.

Flipping the knife around, she held it point down, lessening her reach but hopefully increasing the strength she could lend to a stroke.

"He's trained to lie," the first man said. He was a lot closer, way too close for comfort. Willa gripped the knife closer as he stopped. "We know you're there."

They both got quiet, and Willa's heart sped up. Never a good sign, people getting quiet like that when they were looking for you.

Willa glanced down at the bag and grabbed the first heavy thing she saw. It was a bottle of shampoo. She peeked out from behind the tree and found both men only three feet away. Screaming, she hurled the shampoo bottle at the first man's face, catching him in the cheek. Turning, she bolted, still holding tight to the knife.

Something whistled by her ear, and she skidded as she jerked left, away from the sound. Right, right, tranq guns. They wouldn't shoot her. But they'd shoot Jax.

One of the men was right behind her, powering towards her with a stride that was probably twice as long as hers. She screamed again, enraged and terrified at the same time. These assholes wanted to drag her back to the Estate, use her baby as a weapon, and probably kill Jax. If either of them got within arm's reach, they were going to regret it.

There was a hand on her shoulder, yanking her back. She started falling at the sudden change in direction, a flash of panic running through her–did they remember they wanted the baby in her? The baby that could be hurt if she fell to the ground? Willa did her best to curl in to herself, even as the guy yanked up, obviously realizing his mistake at the last minute.

As he yanked, the force spun her around to face him and his dull, muddy brown eyes and pig-nosed self. A split second later and Willa remembered what she had in her hand. No time to waste. She thrust forward with the knife, focusing on the man's reddened face so she didn't have to see the knife entering him.

But God, she felt it. It made her want to throw up, but there was no time to swell on it.

"Let me go!" she yelled, yanking the wrist he still gripped. He grunted in reply, still holding on while he also tried to uncurl her hand from around the knife lodged in his abdomen.

"Willa!" That was Jax's voice!

"Jax, over here!" He probably couldn't use his exploding powers while she was this close to the guy–she might get hit by something. Or that was her guess. She had to get away. Willa gulped, then yanked hard on the knife to pull it back out–if the things she'd seen on TV were true, he'd be a lot worse off with blood leaking out of him then if she left the knife in.