CHIPPED

Chapter 7

A tap on my shoulder wakes me up. I turn my wrist over so I can see my watch, which reads four a.m. Groggily, I turn over to see a panic in Neva's eyes.

"What's wrong?" I ask, my voice hoarse.

"They're here, Orlon." She whispers, and her voice shakes with every word. Quickly turning on my other side once again, I see a huge SUV coming into the parking lot. This is not happening. They did not find us. This is a nightmare. Wake up!

Neva grabs my hand, "What do we do?" Without answering, I sit up in my seat and try cranking the engine. My fingers are shaking as I fumble to cross the wires. Neva has her head in her hands, and I want to do the same. If only I had kept driving, we wouldn't be in this mess.

The car pulls up with its headlights facing the side of our car. Neva looks up, her blue eyes sparkling in the beam of light. I gulp as our car's engine struggles to crank. The SUV's driver door opens to reveal a short figure coming over. I can tell it's a man by his broad stature, but that's about all I can detect.

Neva has proved herself to be quite the accomplice, and she doesn't seem to fear much. She knew what she was getting herself into when she first came in my hotel room. However, in this moment of uncertainty, she shrinks down in her seat and lets out a little shriek. I would do the same if I wasn't stunned to my core.

The man walks up to my window, and that's when Neva grabs my arm, her fingernails digging into my skin. "You need to drive, now." She demands, but I can't bring myself to do it. The man taps on my window and I'm stupefied.

"I'm so glad I found you, Orlon. I have a lot to explain to you."

***

We climbed into Willder's SUV because it had more room for the three of us. I numbly pulled myself up into the passenger seat. Neva couldn't find the words to ask any questions as she hopped into the back seat.

Before Willder starts to explain anything, I automatically ask, "Where have you been?"

Willder half smiles, "Oh, so you've been looking for me?"

I clear my throat, "Well, yes."

"And Rushwood sent you, didn't he? He pardoned you from prison to look for me," He slams his fist against the steering wheel, "I should've known he would pull something like that. I knew he was going to debrief me at some point, but I didn't think he would send you to catch me."

"What's going on, Willder? How did you find me, when I was on the hunt for you?"

He doesn't answer my question. Instead, he asks his own, "So you read my note to him, didn't you?" I nod my head, confirming this.

"I don't understand what the chip was about. Was it on your clothes? In your suitcase?" I fidget with the buttons on my coat sleeve absentmindedly.

"No, Orlon. I need you to hold out your hand," I turn my head to look at Neva, who just stares at me with wide eyes. "You trust me, don't you?"

I reluctantly hold out my hand. Willder turns towards Neva, "Who is she?"

"My name is Neva Carney." She answers for herself.

Willder turns back to me, "What's she to you?"

I look back at her ocean blue eyes, "A life saver."

Willder points to a red rag on the sand colored seat beside Neva. "Grab that rag for me, Neva dear." She hesitantly grabs the material and hands it over. Willder shoves it in my mouth, so I obviously can't ask any more questions. Within the next few seconds, before I even realize what's happening, Willder brings out a knife and slashes the skin between my thumb and index finger. I scream out in pain, muffled by the rag. I close my eyes, wincing at the pain.