The Prince's Assassin

Chapter Eleven

"We should buy a car."

"Excuse me?"

"We should buy a car when we cross the border, your motorbike isn't exactly suitable for carrying luggage." Flynn shrugs.

"I'm not giving up my bike, and there is no 'we'." I deadpan.

I push the glass door of the 24 hour service station and it swings open to let me in. I glance around quickly to identify the cameras and tell Flynn so he knows where not to show his face.

"We just need a few things, we'll get more when we are further away." I say quietly.

There is no one else in the shop besides the shopkeeper, but I still feel the need to whisper.

"I thought you said there is no 'we'?" Flynn smirks and I roll my eyes.

I go to the refrigerators and grab out three small bottles of water. On my way towards Flynn I pull a packet of chips off the shelf.

"Ok, I think I almost have everything." I state as Flynn turns around to face me.

His arms are full with packets of lollies and chocolate.

"Put them back, we don't need it all!" I whisper sharply.

He tilts his head and pouts. "Pweeeaassseeeee."

"Put it back and just take one bag of lollies and one chocolate bar." I tell him like I'm his mother.

He frowns and does what I say. I grab the items from his hands and combine them with mine, heading towards the counter to pay.

"Hi, how are you tonight?" The man behind the counter asks softly.

"Fine, thanks." I try to manage a smile as I pull money from my pocket.

Flynn stands behind me anxiously. It feels like the man is in slow motion and is taking minutes to scan just one item. My urge to get out of the surveillanced shop grows by the second.

"I feel like I know you from somewhere, have we met?" The man peers over my shoulder and speaks to Flynn.

My throat tightens as my hands grip the sides of my pants.

This is it. We are done for.

"Uh, no, sorry." Flynn looks the ground and turns away casually.

The man finishes scanning the items and I hand him over the correct amount of money. I snatch the plastic bag full of food from the counter and pull Flynn out the door quickly.

"That was close." I say as I shove the food into the black carrier bag that's strapped on at the back of my bike.

"Too close." Flynn exasperates.

*****

The busyness of the streets begins to decrease as we head further out of the city. It's not long after midnight, and the fatigue of driving is getting to me. I've considered pulling into numerous hotels, but the chance of someone recognizing the prince on the back of my bike has stopped me. I'm convinced he's half asleep back there anyway, lucky bastard.

I'm not driving in any particular direction, as long as its away from my past and towards the state border, it doesn't really matter.

We begin to pass large factories and big open fields, signaling that the open road is soon to come.

Then an idea hits me like the wind in my face.

I slow down and turn off of the main road onto a narrow dirt road.