Phoenix's Lies

Jailbreak or Bail?

Phoenix

The second the two cops let go of me up the stairs I'd raced to Riv's side, hearing the bumps as she fell from their rough pushing. I'd tried to stay close to them, to her, but it wasn't enough, it never was. Running after her with Ari we both try to keep up with Riv but she's gone before I can reach her.

"RIV!" I shout one last time for her before she disappears around a corner and Ari and I are left looking in the direction she's vanished in. "Shit. shit, shit shit." I'm tempted to hit something before Ari takes hold of my hand and pulls my attention to her. "Ari, what do we do? There-there has to be something we can do. A-a way to help her?"

"There is," Ari's low breathy whisper pushes through the fog in my mind and I snap my eyes to hers. "Shush, not here. We need to go to the others like Riv said. They can help us. There will be a way to figure out helping Riv but here you're exposed and it does no good if both of you are in a cell. Come on, we need to go. Now."

Numbly I nod and run after Ari as we make it back to hers. Maeve and Antonio are standing in the family room still, both coming over to talk to Ari when she gets us through the front door. Locking it as she does. I stay where we come in, trying to process what happened and then figure out how to save Riv. trying to remember what she asked me to promise her minutes before they came for her.

"And go where?"

"To Ash. To Ash, Michael, Mads, Lo and the others, tell them what happened, where I went. Tell them and work together to end this and get me out again. I know you can do it, no one else can. Please do that for me mi amado, I-I can't lose you. I need to know you'll do that so you're safe. Please Nix. Please do that for me mi corazón. Let me know that whatever happens, I'll have you to come back to my little daredevil, that I can keep you safe like I promised so we can have that future we dreamed about. Please let me know you'll do that and be safe. Where he can't get you."

"We-we need to see the others," My words snap Ari and her parents out of their conversation as three pairs of eyes find mine. "Before they came for her Riv asked if they did that I didn't fight them but tried to work with you guys to help her. To jailbreak her."

"Not a good idea, the jailbreak idea I mean," Ari chips in, her eyes thoughtful as she looks between her parents and me. "But finding and talking to the others is. Maybe we can figure out some more of the finer pieces of the puzzle. They'll know what to do, let's go." She turns to her parents, "Meet you there?"

Maeve nods, "We'll finish up here and see if we can get time to talk to River before they take her. Given our standing, we might get a chance and if not we'll be easier to get time than the rest of you, no matter how much you might want to see her'' She looks at me then, "If I can let you see her Nix I will, I know how close the two of you are. We'll do what we can."

I offer a nod of thanks, "I appreciate that Maeve, Antonio," Both nod and I look to Ari. "Ready to go? I can call the others on the way, or you can if you want me to drive?" Ari nods and the two of us move to leave. "Let us know what you find?"

Maeve nods again "We'll do what we can, Nix but you and Ari need to go now. Get somewhere you will be safe. Ari will let you know what we find. But for now, you two need to go. We'll let you know when we know."

Ari and I nod and leave, her embracing her parents once before we do so. As soon as we're out the door, taking the backway, she tosses me the keys to her Audi and phones Ash to let him know what's happened since I didn't see either Ash or Hunt at the house this morning. Either they left early or weren't there. Either way, I don't see them as the two of us get in and I drive off following the instructions she puts on the dash since she's still explaining as we drive across town and onto the byway connecting the south part of town where we live with the north side by the cliffs. By the docks and our current location of choice.