Jump Line (Book 1 - Jump Line Series)

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Four

My skin began to crawl as Luther stalked past my hiding spot. I tried to calm my rapid breathing so he wouldn't hear me. My body was pressed against the hard ground, but I knew he could feel my energy. He knew one of us was close.

"I know one of you is here," he said, walking back toward my hiding spot. "You can't hide from me. Come on out Esa. My guess is that it's you."

His boots made a soft crunching sound as he passed and continued on several yards in front of me. Suddenly, he whipped his head back around in my direction. His eyes looked empty and emotionless—not like the Luther I had seen just minutes ago. Both of his hands were wrapped around the base of a large gun.

It took everything for me not to lunge out, grab him and release all of the energy that was coursing through my veins. It would have been revenge for Mary. I hadn't known her for long, but she'd deserved my protection.

I could feel the rest of the team approaching us. They were quiet, but their energy was strong.

He crouched behind another tree and fired several more shots in their direction before pulling his medallion and disappearing on the Jump Line.

Still I was unable to move. Why would Luther shoot at the rest of the group? Why would he want to hurt his friends? We were a team, a family. He always seemed so goofy, but obviously there was more to him.

It had grown quiet again and then I heard Theo's voice. "Who's over here?"

"Me," I responded, slowly making my way out from my cover. Small clumps of dirt had left indentions in my palms.

Samuel was the first one to approach me, not Theo. "What is it? What's wrong, Esa? You look like you've seen a ghost. Are you okay?" He squeezed my shoulder.

"I... I... I'm not sure what I just saw. Luther. I saw Luther," I said, lost in my own thoughts as I tried to calm my racing heart. I remembered the first day I had met Luther. He couldn't be a traitor. Finally, I mumbled, "He did it. He killed Mary and betrayed us."

Samuel nodded. "I know. I'm sorry Esa."

"I need to tell you all something." His shoulders slumped. "I recently found out Luther was up to something, but I never thought he would kill Mary. I honestly didn't think he was capable of something so horrible. I just assumed he wanted to get back at the team for something. But I wasn't really sure, which is why I didn't tell anyone... until recently."

I looked over at Theo and it suddenly clicked. "The bridge?"

His eyes told me everything I needed to know. Theo had kept me in the dark.

"Yes, Samuel's note warned me to watch my back, but I also didn't think everything would accelerate so fast. I thought we had more time." Theo shook his head.

I wanted to forgive him for keeping the information secret, but part of me couldn't let it go. He had lied to me. Why?

A sarcastic laugh escaped Audrina's lips. "Time? Did you really just say time?"

"Why didn't you tell me?" I looked over at Theo. "Why the big secret?"

Theo stared directly at me, as if he could look into my soul. "Do you really want to know? Do you? Fine. I didn't know if I could trust you either. I started questioning the timing of everything. First, you reappear and then I find out Luther may be working against the team. It was all very confusing."

There it was again: Theo letting me know he didn't trust me.

Paul stepped in before I could say anything further. "Theo, I've always thought of you as family, but you are wrong on this. Very wrong. This was not Esa's fault. At some point you need to forgive her."