A Locked Box

Chapter 28

   Things were going easy. Devin had relaxed after a few days, but his father had never called or spoke to his son. Not once. However, Devin was comfortable as bad as it sounded to his own ears. Their nights had been quiet. Until now:

   She jolted awake at the sound of a lock clicking. She inhaled deeply, brain forming every possibility. Of course, things couldn't have stayed that way. She was up and moving before Devin was even awake. Digging through her closet, she found the black bag in the back. The phone was to her ear as she slung it over her shoulders. The call rang only once before it was accepted. "Katherine," the familiar voice of Jake answered.

   Kat hummed in an almost silent volume. "They're here," she whispered.

   "Take your birthday gift to the restaurant on third. I'll meet you there," he ordered.

   "Okay," Kat ended the call and threw the phone into her bag. Devin blinked at her in confusion from his position on the bed. He opened his mouth to say something, but she stopped him.

   Putting a finger to her lips, she pointed to the bedroom door. "We need to leave." she handed him the bag. Go out the fire escape. I'll be right behind you."

   "But--"

   She took his hands. "Please," she hissed with so much emotion and sincerity that Devin couldn't ignore it. He was standing with the bag in hand and sliding the bedroom window open as quietly as he could. Kat slid the door shut silently with years of practice. She locked it with the same amount of volume.

   Jumping down the fire escape in bare feet, she reached the cold concrete of the alley beside her apartment. Devin stood awkwardly by a dumpster. "Where are we going to go now?" he asked in a panic. Kat waved him over to the opposite wall, ripping a fraying tarp off Jake's gift. The black motorcycle gleamed in the dim streetlights. Devin was a little surprised and Kat would have been smiling if they weren't being chased by assassins. "That's yours?"

   She nodded and pulled it free. After straddling the cold vehicle, she gestured for him to get on. A loud bang came from above. Her eyes flickered up to the open window before she looked Devin straight in the eyes. "Get on!" she said assertively. Devin immediately followed her orders and wrapped his arms around her thin waist.

   The black motorcycle engine roared to life. Kat, despite the situation, had a small smile on her face at the memory that the sound dug up. It was one of the few memories in her past that were good. But the smile was wiped off her face at the click of a gun cocking. As she turned out onto the street, a gunshot rang out into the cold night. She hissed at the pain spreading in her arm.

   She drove swiftly down the street, her steering and brain alert and deliberate. No one was going to sneak up on them again. Not when Devin was so close. Jake had been right. She ignored the numb feeling in her limbs and the cool liquid dripping down her right arm. Devin held her waist tightly as she took a sharp turn onto an empty road. She had barely slowed down to safely take it.

   The parking lot was empty with only a couple working street lights. All except only one lonely gray convertible. The headlights were off, but even from this distance, Kat could see the familiar blonde head of her friend. He had shown thankfully. She stopped beside the four passenger car.

   Jake stepped out of the car with a small smile. "Glad you could make it, Kat."

   She rolled her eyes as she slid off the bike. Devin followed, standing a few inches behind her. She glanced over at him before straightening her back. Jake recognized the guarding action. His eyes lit up in amusement. "Jake, you know I didn't call to have brunch," she said through gritted teeth. "They found me." her eyes darted around the deserted parking lot. "And you know..." she stared at him.

   Devin moved a little out from behind Kat. His eyes widened at Jake. "J-Jacob?!" he stammered out.

   Kat's eyes widened. Jake looked unfazed. "How's it going Devin?" he had a small smirk on his face. "Sorry, you had to join us today."

   "Wait," Kat narrowed her eyes at Jake. "What the hell do you mean?" she looked over at Devin before looking at Jake. "You--"

   Jake interrupted with a hand. "I thought you knew considering how close you two are," he said the word with a smirk, but a light in his eyes pointed to a slight pain at the statement. Kat glared. "I've been friends with Devin and Ben for years. Ben was the one that helped me get me back on my feet after I...escaped." he had chosen the word carefully, knowing the touchy subject.

   Kat set her jaw. "You never told me," she growled.

   Devin stared in confusion. "W-What did you escape from?" his teeth chattered with the cold. Like Kat, he had no shoes or a coat for the winter night. He laid a gentle hand on Kat's uninjured arm. She didn't move. Her chest barely rose with each breath she took.

   Jake or now, Jacob, chuckled. "That's a 'drop it' in her language." he teased. Then his face turned serious as Devin was unconvinced. "We should leave now. Someone could be following you." his attention turned to Kat. They stared at each other, sharing a silent conversation that Devin was excluded from.

   "I'm not getting in a car with you." Kat finally spoke.

   'Jake' smirked as his eyes darted to Devin. "Then why did you call?"

"I've always hated liars," Kat growled but surrendered. Jake took a position at the wheel and Devin sat in the back behind him. Kat paused at the front passenger seat. Jake gave her a small smile, a cue that he was enjoying this. She begrudgingly sat down. The car was quiet.

   Jake cranked up the heater for Devin's sake. He knew that Kat would neither complain nor show that she was feeling the effects of Mother Nature. To him, she was back to the practical, and primal instinct she lived in all those years ago. "I'm a little disappointed my gift was only used once." he mocked after they had reached a main road.

   Devin perked up in interest. "He gave you that as a gift? He knew and I didn't?"

   Jake whistled quietly. He peeked at Kat for a moment. "You didn't tell him?" she turned her attention to the passing scenery outside. She was still bitter about his lie. He glanced at Devin through the rearview mirror. "Where we met, birthdays weren't exactly celebrated. Kat here got too used to tradition, or lack of in this case," he explained. Devin was only left with more questions.

   "Then what exactly was that place?" Devin asked uneasily.

   "Devin, just drop it please." she craned her neck to look at Devin the back. "For now," she added after seeing his upset look. Devin's eyes drifted down from her eyes to her bare, blood covered right arm.

   His eyes widened. "You're bleeding!" he exclaimed.

   Kat looked down at it with a blank expression. She brushed Devin's shock off nonchalantly. "It's just a graze. I'll be fine."

   Devin opened his mouth to suggest something else but shut after seeing Kat's determined, yet tired eyes. He ran a hand through his faded purple hair and forced himself to lean back against the seat. If Kat had agreed to this ride, it must be safe. He believed in her and her judgment.

   Jake hid his smirk from Kat. If she saw, she would have left the car, with or without it being stationary. This would be one tense ride.