Phoenix's Lies

We Need to Run

River

The next day is peaceful. We spent it at home with Libby since Logan had brought her back from where he'd been in D.C. Since he was working a few towns over from Mountain View. We don't tell her why but just that Nix and I have to leave for a while. She's quiet about it, but then again she's quiet a lot of the time since El died. She took it the hardest after me.

We talked more with Ari, Hunt and Ash but nothing much had changed between when we last spoke and when we did the next day. Still, too many unanswered questions and ideas that we can't connect, even with the copies of the papers that Ash had made so we could look through them when we left for the hidden safe house. Something that Nix and I hated that we are having to do but know that we have no other choice about since without doing this we might as well be admitting defeat.

"Are you ready to go?" I ask later when the sun starts to set, spying Nix watching as the sun goes down through a window as Libby sits on his knee, her head on his shoulder. His arms tighten around her as if he's worried she'll vanish before they meet again. Either that or that he would. I sigh again, seeing how he watches me in the reflection of the glass. "They should be here soon." I checked my phone again to see that Ari was on her way. "You all packed up?"

"Yeah, just waiting I guess." He mutters as I go over to sit next to him. Letting him rest against me. "I hate leaving her Riv. but it's not safe if she comes and I need her safe. For dad's sake in case I don't make it out of this." I hate hearing what he's saying but it has to be asked. Will one of both of us still be here?

I'm about to speak when I hear a car outside and look up. Sliding off the couch I look outside to see a dark Camaro and smile, knowing that Ash or Michael had been in charge of finding the car. Looking at Nix I wait until the knocking sounds before we both stand and take our bags, him holding Libby in one arm. "Come on, we need to go."

Opening the door I'm relieved to see Ari, Ash and Michael on the other side. Hunt too since he takes Libby from Nix with a kind smile. "She's in safe hands, Nix. We'll look after her ok? No one will touch Lib we're all watching out for her as much as the two of you. You two just make sure you get there safely. The coordinates are in the GPS already, just follow them and you'll be good."

"How do we know when to come back?" I ask when Ari hugs me "Will one of you let us know?"

Michael nods. "Yeah, we'll give you the go-ahead when it's safe. Or we need you." He looks at Nix who's wearing a worried expression. "You'll be ok Nix, just keep your heads down there. It's remote to you should be fine. And we'll take care of Libby for you. She's in good hands, just like Hunt says."

We nod and say goodbye, getting into the Camaro and saying goodbye as I pull out of the drive, seeing them vanish into the darkness. The drive is simple for all of two minutes before the same Mercedes and Audi that caused me and El to crash a few weeks back come into view when I check my mirrors. "Shit," I mumble, hoping that the same people aren't in there. Looking away I try to change our route slightly, taking a back road to go off it for half a mile, before I see another two dark cars. One silver and one white one start to flank us on either side and I panic. "Hold on, we're going to have to go faster," I mumble as I inch up the Camaro's speed, thankful to whoever picked it since I know how to go fast in it without losing control.

Racing forward I take another left turn as the GPS reroutes. Hoping that I'll lose at least one of our six pursuers. No doubt that it's people sent by Ivar to track us down. Pulling around a corner tightly I spin and see that we've passed one of the darker cars that weren't originally following us. Passing under a light as we speed toward the freeway I can see Connor giving me a slow smile, the BMW he usually uses for races coming into view. Talon is next to him and I can see the spine-chilling smile he wears even from here. Shit.