The Maplethorn Initiative (Book 1, The Maplethorn Series)

Back to School

"I still don't get what happened back there," Cam said as they skidded out of the parking lot and onto the rain-slicked highway.

"Specifically?"

"How come that cop shot at you? You didn't have a gun or anything."

Keegan stared at the road in silence.

"Wait. You don't have a gun, do you?"

"No, Drex," Keegan sighed. "I don't have a gun."

"Then what happened?"

"I don't know. I might have made him do it."

Cam's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean you might have made him do it?"

"Look. After... After what happened with..." Keegan's voice caught in his throat. "You know."

"Yeah."

"I saw that cop coming at me and thought, I'm dead. And I deserve it."

"You really made him shoot you?" Cam asked, still not quite believing what he was hearing.

"Maybe. Probably." Keegan's knuckles whitened as he gripped the steering wheel tighter. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah. Anything. What?"

"Did you deflect the bullet?"

Looking down at his hands, Cam wiggled his fingers. "I don't think I can stop bullets."

"You did something," Keegan said. "I could feel it. And there's no way he missed from that close."

"Maybe I deflected it a little?" Cam suggested. "Or maybe I shoved you out of the way? It all happened so fast. I was going on instinct."

"Well, tell your instincts thanks for me."

Cam nodded almost imperceptibly. "I will."

"So, we're good?"

"Let's find Tober. Then we'll talk."

Keegan returned the nod and turned on the radio.

"Do you think we should trade cars?" Cam asked as they passed the outlet mall. "It could have been the car that got us busted."

"There are probably only four cops in this whole county," Keegan said. "And half of them are handcuffed to a pole. I think we're good for a minute. Besides, we're going to the last place they'd expect us to go."

"Yeah," Cam agreed. "And now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure the reason the cops showed up was because the waitress recognized us from the news."

"Or because she got freaked when someone started throwing tables around."

"I'm sorry!" Cam huffed. "But you so deserved it."

"That is not in dispute, Drex." Keegan nudged the gas pedal with his foot, giving the little car a burst of speed. "Maplethorn, here we come!"

•  •  •

"I feel the need to point out we wouldn't have to go back if we'd brought Tober with us," Cam said, half an hour later.

"I get that," Keegan agreed. "I so get that. But you have no idea how being locked up alone messes with you." He clawed the air with one hand. "My whole brain was screaming, 'Get out of there!'"

"And?"

"And I'm ashamed to admit it, but you were my ride." Keegan's shoulders twitched with a shrug. "Sunderland was baggage."