Veiled Shadows

Chapter 12

I crack the door open and look both ways down the street. I can see one of the Arc SUVs a block down. The other SUV, the one we need, is parked across the street from us.

"Ready?" I ask Eko.

He nods and grips my hand so tightI think he might accidentally snap my fingers off.

Armed with disguises of sweaters and hats lent to us by the pack, we walk as casually as we can down the steps and across the street. We're halfway there when the Arc SUV starts moving towards us.

"Now!" I cry and we break out into a run, dragging Eko along behind me.

I yank open the door to the vehicle and leap inside, flinging myself down on the seat. Eko stumbles in after me.

"Drive! Drive!" I yell at Vimmy who's sitting calmly in the driver's seat reading a magazine.

He looks back at me and grins. He's back in his Ogre form and his tusks look even bigger than I remember.

"Have a nice visit?" He asks as he turns the car on and pulls out of his parking spot.

"What are you doing!?" I shout. "Hurry!"

The other SUV is picking up speed behind us and it'll be on us in less than a minute.

"Relax. I've got everything well in hand."

We turn down a side road.

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

Four explosions in quick succession shake the car and I scream. I peer out the back window, trying to see what caused it but all I can see are four black pillars of smoke. The SUV that was following us doesn't round the corner.

"What the hell just happened!?" I demand. "Did you blow them up!?"

Vimmy gives me a crooked grin and a thumbs up then turns on the radio. The station is playing smooth jazz and he bobs his head along to the music as we cruise down the streets. Eyes wide with shock, I turn to Eko. He seems unbothered by the situation behind us and is focused on the music.

"Can you play anything better?" He asks grouchily, leaning forward to try to touch the buttons on the dash. "This nonsense is wearing on my nerves."

Vimmy slaps his hand away. "Hands off! Hasn't anyone ever told you the driver picks the music? No, I suppose they haven't."

A string of cops cars with blaring sirens fly past us heading towards the pack house.

"Are we all just going to ignore the fact that Vimmy just murdered at least four people!?"

I turn pleading eyes to Eko but his face is cold and staring straight ahead. "They were there to capture me and likely kill you. Would you have preferred that?"

If his face is cold then his tone is like ice.

I sputter. "Of course not but that doesn't justify-"

"Justify?" Eko's head snaps around and his eyes burn with anger. "Was what they did to me justified? Is this not simply retribution?"

"I...I don't-" I stammer.

"Would it placate your fragile sense of right and wrong if we called Kravimik a hero and the Arc a villain? Would it justify their deaths if we said those who died were evil?"

I shake my head, not in disagreement but in confusion as the venom in his words assault me.

"Wait, go back. What did they do to you?" Vimmy asks with one raised eyebrow.

"They stole my magic to power their cities, built the foundation of their society on my back, and now without my presence it appears that the peace amongst their people will crumble, leaving me to decide whether an entire civilization is worth my life."