When The Time Comes

Chapter 32; Omar

I catch the car in the mirror, almost losing control of the wheel when I realize we've been stalked all the way from Baltimore. I keep driving at a steady speed, swerving between lanes, by passing other cars. It doesn't matter that we're on the interstate or that other cars are here. Witnesses don't matter to them. Not when Lib was struck the way she was, so quick and without hesitation. They could easily ram into our car from behind, topple us and leave the scene as a hit and run. Those accidents happen every day. Once we're back in Atlanta, an accident would just blend in with the number of other vehicle accidents I've seen so many times before. 

I keep glancing up at the mirror. The tension is so thick I could slice through it with just a click of my tongue. I am frightened. I won't lie. I am fucked up, looking at this fool behind me who weaves through the traffic as smoothly as I do. They're not even hiding that they're following us.

It occurs to me that I can take a fake turn, take them on a wild goose chase some place before resuming the journey. But I don't. Instead, I try and make it to the traffic light that's turning yellow. I pick up speed, watching the car behind me desperately try and catch up to us. I pass the light that's just turned red. I look up in the mirror again. The other car made it out as well. Fuck.

I squeeze past other cars. I have another shot at losing the stalker. 

"It's still behind us."

"Yeah," I mumble, desparately trying to make it as hellish as I can to drive behind me. I keep switching lanes and another car finally honks their horn at me. And then the second set of lights appear in the distance. I wait before I finally pick up the speed. The light turns red but I don't stop. I drive through, causing a que of cars to screech mid-road and hit their horns. I look up again and it seems I've lost the guy for now. 

I drive fast now. I am scared of him catching up. Lib comments on my speed but I ignore her, taking the exit and watching the mirror for the stranger. He doesn't show up and for a moment, I feel like I can breathe. 

"What will we do if they find us again?"

"They can't kill us before our dates right?"

"Kill us?"

"Well yeah, I mean, I don't think they're following us to say hello."

"I know, I know," she gruffs.

"We just need to get back into the city."

"They probably know where we're headed."

"They wouldn't be stalking us if they did though."

"Maybe they wanted to make sure we're headed that way," she suggests. And it makes sense to me, in my head anyway. Stewart's creepy wife and friends probably know everything about us. Data isn't exactly private nowadays, is it? So Liberty's explanation for our stalker makes sense. They want to keep track of us. We are now under surveillance. I look up at the traffic cam, holstered up on the metal division above the road. I look at it, wondering who is watching my face right now, behind that lens. And all the other lenses we've crossed on our road trip. 

There's a dull buzz, like a vibration in my ears. I ignore it at first but finally, I look up at the guy driving directly behind us.

"The guy behind us," I say, robotically.

"What about him?" Liberty turns in her chair to get a look at him.

"How long has he been behind us?"

She pauses, looks at me with her hands on either side of her seat and then responds.

"Looks like a regular guy, I don't think you need to worry about him."

"He smiled. He fucking smiled again, did you see that?" I watch him through the mirror above my brow.