Dead Serious

Trigger

We drove on for two hours before we saw anything interesting. And trust me when I say, I believe it was truly fascinating.

A sign up ahead read, Welcome to Montana, the Last Best Place.

We had made it.

A smile spread across my face as I realized what was about to happen. In just a few more short hours I'd be hugging Jake, reunited with him.

Jacob smiled when he saw my elation. Nicole and Callie shared an eyebrow raise.

"What's so important about Montana anyway, Locke?"

"Something I've been waiting for for a long time." I said.

"Are you gonna tell us or do we just have to guess?" Nicole wondered.

I rolled my eyes, but didn't answer.

We were on our way to Jake. That was all that mattered.

Then Jacob saw something ahead that would change the course of our journey.

Barely twenty minutes after entertaining the Treasure State, I noticed a blinding flash cross my vision. I winced. In seconds it disappeared.

My stomach sunk. Something was watching us. That flash had to have been some sort of glass, binoculars by my guess. My heart raced.

The road took a sharp turn as I pushed the thought from my head. I was overthinking things. I was overthinking everything.

On the side of the road in front of us, a van laid, the hood popped. Sticking out the window of the van, was a clean white piece of cloth- a clear sign of distress.

They could have parked wherever they wanted but no. They were polite enough to pull over so we could keep driving and pretend we had never seen them.

Obviously we didn't do that.

No, instead Jacob had to keep playing the hero. Taking in a couple strange kids was one thing, but this... This was too much.

Jacob pulled over to investigate.

"What are you doing?" I hissed.

"Someone could still be alive. They could be hurt." Jacob unbuckled his seatbelt.

"Or they ran off. Or they're already a zombie. Or a cannibal. It's not our problem! Who knows how long they've been there?" I argued. I had good points, but they went in one ear and out the other with Jacob. He lead with his heart, unlike me.

"It'll be fine. Trust me. We've got to at least check." Jacob said.

"Famous last words." I mumbled, but I followed him outside anyway.

Jacob was careful to creep close to the car with caution. His shotgun was raised and he was ready at any given moment to shoot. I mirrored him.

Jacob slid open the door to the van. My trigger finger itched.

Inside was a man, lying passed out in the driver's seat. His seatbelt was unbuckled, a strange gun not too far from his limp hand.

Jacob let out a sigh of relief and approached the man. He pressed two fingers to his neck, searching for a pulse.

The man's square glasses were askew in his face as he rested. He had black hair and light stubble on his face. If I had to guess I would have suspected he was at least a decade or two older than us. My trigger finger itched.

"What the-" I began. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted something move from behind Jacob.

Before I could even move he had sprung! Jacob had dropped gun out of shock. The stranger held his thin and peculiar gun to Jacob's back as I turned my shotgun on him.

The man in the driver's seat, sprang forward, grabbing his gun. He quickly fixed his glasses before aiming at me.

"Drop your weapons or I'll shoot him." The stranger boomed. Deep and serious and fit the situation.

Neither Jacob or I moved. The stranger glared.

"You think I'm joking? Don't make me fire a warning shot." He snarled.

I saw Jacob tense up as the gun was pressed deeper into his back. His hazel eyes went wide. He flashed me a weak smile, meant for comfort, but my heart only raced further at seeing how nervous he really was. He couldn't hide it.

"What do you want?" I asked, clearly not dropping my gun.

"The four of you. You're coming with us." The stranger said.

"Why-"

The back of the van slid open, revealing a third man. He had a sharp army haircut and also had to point yet another gun at me.

Just great.

"You don't get to ask questions here. We are saving your asses. You'll thank us later!" The stranger who had a gun pressed to Jacob's back said.

"Do as he says." Square Glasses ordered. "Drop your weapons."

Nicole and Callie has followed us out of the car and seen the whole thing. Callie immediately dropped the little gun she carried for protection, tossing it towards the stranger. Nicole took a moment longer, quivering. It only took a glance at Jacob, on she resisted, before she sighed and threw her gun away.

I bit my lip. Two guns were pointed at me and one was pointed at Jacob. I did not like those numbers.

I flipped my gun around, before carefully settling it on the ground and raising my hands.

Jacob relaxed.

"Okay, good. Nice to see your not a total idiot, red." The stranger barked. "Now get in the car."

"No." I stated.

"It wasn't a question, sweetheart-"

"Can we just know what the hell you're talking about?" Jacob asked.

"Kevin, I think we should just do this the easy way." Army Haircut said, as he escorted a struggling Nicole and Callie to the back of the van.

"Get off me, you shit-" Nicole screeched.

"Fine, easy way it is." The stranger, aimed his gun at me. He stepped closer, leading Jacob closer towards the back of the van.

"I'm not going! I'm not-" I swiftly picked up my gun as I realized what his weapon really was.

My trigger finger itched.

The shot went off. Both of them, one vital seconds before the other. It missed the stranger's head, almost scratching Ducky's hood instead.

The reason for my bad aim, was the dizzying feeling that crept over me. The stranger had not missed. I pressed a hand to my side. His shot stuck out of my hip.

I collapsed right then and there.

Everything faded to black.

And I'm alive. So sorry about that delay. I was going through some stuff and then it was hard to get back in the groove. I had to ask my friend to threaten me to get this chapter written and honestly I think it turned out pretty good! I'm happy, anyway! I hope you enjoyed it and thanks for reading!  Next update will be next Tuesday and after that the routine of Tuesday and Friday updates will be back.  Let me know what you thought!