Predictable

~ Chapter 1 ~

Following leads was at times very helpful and others very frustrating. Daren lit a cigaret in the dark alleys behind a diner. Leaning against the cool brick wall as he thought through the information they'd collected while he waited for his partner to come back with their breakfast. Three months ago an anonymous caller tipped off local police about a bomb set up by 'Mayhem' that would take out the mall and kill two thousand and sixty three people.

At first they thought the call was just some sick prank, but unable to simply ignore it, officers were dispatched to the scene and the bomb squad put on standby. They found the bomb exactly where the caller said it would be with enough explosive to level the building, killing everyone inside and anyone else in the vicinity. Less than a month later another anonymous call, presumably from the same girl, warned of Mayhem smuggling 1.6 thousand kilograms of cocain by hiding it inside cars that we're being imported.

The chief sent a few undercover cops to watch the area, still not trusting the informant, with SWAT at the ready. Sure enough, Mayhem showed up. SWAT moved in and apprehended those involved and found exactly 1.6 kilos of cocain inside the tires and upholstery of the vehicles.

The leaders of Mayhem must have come to the same conclusion as the police that there was a leak because almost everyday for the next month, members of Mayhem were found murdered, adding up to nearly a hundred men and women.

Caught two times in a row was just to much of a coincidence, not to mention well over 20 billion dollars in police seizures.

It was fortunate Mayhem didn't yet know the informant was a girl and it would seem all the weeding couldn't catch her either as two days ago the police received yet another anonymous call from the same girl. If Mayhem discovered they'd failed then her life was in danger and the police had to find her as soon as possible.

It was that exact thought which brought on their current investigation.

It was a personal opinion but Daren thought it was highly unlikely that anyone actually from Mayhem would tip off the police, so it had to be an outside source. So the question became, who other than a member would have that sort of insider knowledge?

Without an answer Daren put out his cigaret and pushed off the wall.

Clair ran as fast as she could through the back alleys, making as many twists and turns as she could to lose them. Several pairs of feet stamping behind her as she fled for her life, her bare feet flying silently over the freezing pavement. With another quick right she cried out as a bullet whizzed by her ear, only narrowly missing her and embedding into the wall where her head used to be. Darting quickly around another corner Clair gasped as a piece of the wall broke away, standing directly in her path.

She felt the collision instantly, with no time to slow down she smashed into it at full speed, propelling them both to the ground.

Daren grunted from the unexpected impact and wrapped his arms around the girl, protecting her from the hard, cracked cement floor. They hadn't even hit the ground before no less than twelve ranked members of Mayhem skidded around the corner after her. He shouted police but didn't think they cared. Daren cursed when guns were pulled and rolled her under him as they were quickly surrounded.

Clair laid curled on the cold hard ground, her hands pressed tight over her ears and her eyes squeezed shut. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she whispered over and over again, curling even tighter as shot after shot rang through the alley. The noise was deafening, she doubted the man could even hear her apologizing to him.

With the danger over, Daren holstered his glock and turned his attention to the girl. She was trembling almost violently, her fists pressed painfully over her ears, the knuckles white and tears tracked down her pale cheeks.

She couldn't stop the tears streaming down her cheeks, she'd tried, truly she had but her vision had come true anyway. Her entire body jerked as a warm, large hand shook her shoulder. Barely opening one eye she saw the blurry silhouette of a man leaning over her. Was he a member of Mayhem?

He must be, and now he was going to kill her... maybe he would torture her first to figure out how she knew about their plans... in fact she would probably be taken back to their boss. A chill ran down her spine, causing her to shiver.

He helped her to sit up, his touch very gentle, confusing her. Was he going to pretend to be nice to get the information he needed from her?

She slowly turned, the tears in her eyes making it hard for her to see anything. She couldn't seem to wrap her head around what was happening.

He was crouched next to her, he knew she must be in shock, her gaze wandered slowly all around. Daren motioned to his partner, who'd arrived at the same time as the girl.

"Miss can you tell me your name?" She didn't respond her eyes still wandering around the men littering the ground. He tried to pull her away from the chaos and focus on him. "My name is Daren Ramsey. My partner, Ryan Whitney, and I are working with the police." At the mention of the police she whipped around to look at him, "Miss?"

He was speaking softly, slowly, not wanting to startle her. Daren cursed again when he looked her in the eyes, she was all eyes with a cherubs face.

And she was blind.

Her milky eyes were framed by dark lashes, thin matching brown brows knit together as she stared up at him. His heart constricted painfully in his chest, his hand moving on its own to tuck her short waves if rich, silky dark brown hair behind her ear.

He was with the police? Then, he wasn't going to hurt her?

Clair watched as his face turned from concern to anger as he towered over her. His gray eyes piercing into her, searching her soul. His hair was very close to her own, thick, wavy dark brown. A thin scar cut through his matching brown brow, leaving a slight raised line down the left side of his face to his clenched jaw. He had broad shoulders, the fabric of his soft brown leather coat stretched taunt.

She'd felt his strength and knew his gentleness, making him the most beautiful and terrifying man shed ever met. His frown continued to deepen, his lips pressing into a thin line, reminding her he'd asked a question. Shaking the cobwebs away she took a quick breath and answered.

"My name is Clair, Clair Porter."