Chasing Anne

Road Kill

Jadon Tobias slid into a booth in the back of the coffee shop, his eyes alert for any sort of danger. He seemed satisfied after taking a quick but thorough 360 of the area. Mark slid onto the bench across from him and he too quickly looked around the diner before he was satisfied. Once both of them knew that the area was somewhat clear, they both let out a breath of relief and turned to each other.

"So, you've seen Lucinda before?" Jadon asked.

Mark nodded. "She gives me the creeps. There's just something...off about her. She makes me feel like I'm being-."

"Watched?" Jadon asked, sticking his fingers through the blinds so that he could take a quick look outside. "I don't blame you. She's definitely tracking us...and that can't mean anything good. But, before we jump to conclusions, I want the whole story, Mark. I can't help you much without it."

Mark bowed his head and looked at the table. "Well...it started when Anne's Dad passed away..." he began. It took him a good hour and a half to get through his entire story and by the time he'd finished, Jadon's face had become stone. No emotion came to him, he just stared blankly at Mark a moment, as if he weren't sure that Mark was telling the truth. But when Mark said no more and sat back in his chair, clearly through with his story, Jadon's eyes went wide.

"Why didn't Bartholomew call me earlier?" he muttered. "You need more help than you think!"

Mark nodded. "I know. That's why I'm glad you're here."

Jadon pulled out his phone from his pocket and laid it on the table, tapping in the pass code and then spinning the phone around to face Mark. "Well, let me start my help by showing you where Anne is."

Mark looked down at the phone. It displayed a map of somewhere along the Wisconsin River near Stevens Point. He looked up at Jadon a moment and raised his eyebrow. "And?"

"Well, put into perspective that Raymond Parr is pursuing her and is only two days off from her location."

"Is he travelling with anyone?"

"I don't know. All I know is that-." Jadon suddenly stopped and his eyes filled with worry. "Mark, get down," he whispered.

"What?" Mark asked. "Why?"

"Get down!" Jadon repeated, ducking under the table.

Mark didn't hesitate and complied, dropping under the table beside him. "What is it?" he asked.

Jadon just shook his head and held up a finger to his lips. They needed quiet, but why? What was so-? Mark stopped, his eyes sobering at the sight of two men cloaked in black near the door. They were scanning the café and no one seemed to be bothered by them, but both Mark and Jadon knew they were bad news. Really bad news.

"Do you think they're here for us?" Mark whispered.

"I don't want to find out," Jadon replied. "I'm going to try to make for the kitchen to get out through the back door. Stay right behind me."

Mark nodded and as Jadon crawled out from under the booth, he pulled the hood of his leather jacket over his head, slowly getting to his feet. The two men paid no attention to him. Mark zipped up the front of his hoodie and did the same, pulling the hood overtop of his head. But one of the two men seemed to notice him and whispered something to the other. But by the time he was through with his message, Jadon and Mark had disappeared into the kitchen. They stayed as close to the wall as they possible could, trying to avoid detection from the cooks and waitresses, but even so, a young woman about the age of twenty three stopped them and put her hands on her hips.