Rubble (Riders of Apollo #7)

Chapter Twenty-Two: Asa Michaels

"I can't breathe." I declare, resting on the wall just outside of my room where June has laid unconscious for hours. Runner is leaned on the wall looking just as ruffled as me.

"She's strong, Rubble. I'm more concerned for the fucker who did this to her." I nod along with his words, the minute I get my hands on that asshole I'm going to tear him apart from the inside out.

Bear calls for the both of us and we hurry down into the lounge to see what's going on. Romeo has been running footage for the surrounding area and he has finally found the guy who attacked her. "Doctor Carmichael, head of neurosurgery at the hospital in her town. He's had quite a few allegations against him as has a clear business relationship with her father. He flew in two days ago."

Runner jumps in surprise as his phone starts ringing, "Mama? Okay, one second." He moves the phone away from his ear and gestures for Romeo to connect it to the system.

"Raphael, her parents are going absolutely feral. They've searched every house in the surrounding area, sent out officers to outer areas, and even hired mercenaries to do the dirty work. The neurosurgeon was here the other day, he gave us the impression that he had found her with you, we didn't tell him anything but he's intelligent, I'm sure he's almost there. The mercenaries the Channing's hired won't be far behind, you need to keep an eye out."

"Did they hurt you?" Runner grips the back of the couch as he looks down at his phone.

"No, honey, we have security here. But please help Juni, she was such a sweet girl and we left her with them. We can never make up for that but you can, do well by her won't you?"

"Yeah, of course." His mother says goodbye and Romeo starts searching plane manifests for suspicious people. He starts a slideshow of them and we all watch in rapt attention, that is until both Riley and Saviour shout stop.

The woman on the screen is pretty with long ebony hair and dark green eyes, her skin is porcelain and her passport says her name is Bibi but I imagine that's not her name. "How do you know, Evangeline?" Riley barks, pointing up at the woman as she looks at Saviour.

"How do you know her?" Saviour seems just as confused, cocking her hip and staring Riley down.

"I grew up with her next door. She's seven years older than me, helped me survive in the slums of London. How do you know her?"

"Met her a few days after I broke out of the compound, she looked after me for over a year until she was called back into MI6 and sent me to Scotland with an old lady. Where is she, Romeo?" Romeo digs through camera feeds and we wait in baited silence for him to pull up camera footage from a club downtown. "Of course."

"Is she a threat? Why did she pop up Romeo?" Bear asks, silencing both the women who move to explain, wanting to hear from Romeo first.

"She doesn't have any background information, she's a ghost just like those two. Now I understand why."

"Is she a threat?" Bear asks again, this time aiming the question at Sav and Riley who do not look happy about being silenced beforehand.

"She would never hurt us, ever." Riley sounds pissed at the assumption, her arms crossing over her chest defensively. "She'll help us without question." Saviour agrees silently, probably itching to go and pick up her friend.

"Go and get her." Bear demands, both of them sprint from the building at the order while the rest of us wait impatiently for everything to happen. Marielle coaxes me to sit down on the couch next to her just as Runner falls down next to Romeo, both of us exhausted with worry.

"Wow, I never pegged you two as Biker wives. I'm impressed although I do remember giving you a rule about getting names tattooed on your body."

"That was the second rule, Eva." Riley defends as all three of them walk into the lounge, engrossed in their conversation.