“Where should I go?” I asked, my heart sinking as I realized no help was coming for me. “Why aren’t we calling the police?”

“No!” came the forceful reply. “The police cannot be trusted. Do not trust anyone until you find us and we explain it all.”

The police had been with those black SUVs before…

“So where do I go?” I asked, wondering if the “anyone” included Brad. Because it was far too late not to trust him, he was my family.

“Maya…” That low call from Brad had the blood pumping faster through my body. “They’re gaining on us. You need to get off the phone.”

My talking was too loud, which was not helping me “hide” in the darkness. Not to mention it was slowing us down. “I have to go, Dad. They’re catching up to us.”

I heard his low rumble of anger and knew it was frustration at being so far away from me. “Ditch your phone as soon as you hang up,” he told me. “Brad, too. They can track your cells. Then get to the place where I took you last summer. Close to my work. Meet in our favorite spot.”

The line went dead, and I let out a sobbing gasp before lifting the phone and pitching it as hard as I could against the wall. “Get rid of your phone,” I told Brad, my voice wavering as I tried to keep it together.

Brad didn’t even question me. He pulled his cell from his pocket and did the same thing I had, smashing it against a nearby wall.

“How far back are they?” I asked, picking up the pace. My legs were starting to ache, mostly because I was sprinting in heels. Sure, I was excellent at walking and even running in heels, but not for long distances. Plus, I was freezing.

“About twenty yards.”

Trying not to panic, I said, “We need to get to Washington. If you see a cab, grab it.”

My bag was slung across my body, so I still had plenty of cash on me. And I knew exactly where my father wanted me to go – to the park near the White House. He always joked that his next-door neighbor was a very stately, shiny sort of fellow. Looked like I was going to find out exactly where he worked.

3

“We need to get to a more populated area.” Brad didn’t sound remotely breathless. “There are not going to be any cabs down these side streets.”

He was worried, and I knew why. If we didn’t get out of the back alleys, we were going to find more trouble than just the guys behind us.

“I think I know where we are,” I added, recognizing a little vintage store that I loved to visit. They got in all the best vinyl records, plus an eclectic mix of bags and boots.

Unable to stop myself, I glanced back, and I almost gasped at how close the men were. The only reason they hadn’t caught up to us yet was because we’d had the head start. But we’d lost almost all that advantage now.

And we were outnumbered. I could see at least five of them … and it looked like they were holding guns.

“Holy fuck. We’re going to die. I’m so sorry, Brad. I didn’t mean to get you killed.”

He let out a low laugh, and I could have punched him in the face for being so casual. “We’re not going to die. I won’t let that happen.”

Awesome sentiment, but the odds were stacked against us. Still … I liked optimism. “We might have a chance,” I decided, my breathing growing more labored now, “if we can make it to the street. Even at this time, there will be people around. And taxis.”

It was only another half a block to the well-lit main street and there were still about twenty feet between us and the assholes … so there was a chance. As I had that thought, three shadows burst out of a side alley and blocked the path. I stumbled, trying to skid to a halt. Brad grabbed my arm at the last moment to stop me from face-planting.

The other five slowed, while still closing in on us. We were trapped between them. The street was not narrow, but there was no way we could get around them surrounded like this.

“What do you want?” I yelled, trying to buy some time. We needed to come up with a plan. I could not let myself get taken. My father’s voice was still ringing in my head. His warnings.

“Our boss needs a word with you,” one of them said. “If you come along without fuss, you will not be hurt.”

Yeah, sure.

“My friend goes free?” I asked, deciding on the spot that it wasn’t worth both of us dying. I would do whatever I could to protect Brad, even if the thought of being dragged off by these men had my insides twisting like crazy.

“Yes…” This came from a different thug. It was almost impossible in this low light to differentiate any of their features, so he could be thug number four.

“Not going to happen, Maiz,” Brad bit out. “If you think for one second I’m letting you go alone, you’re insane.”

“No point in us both dying,” I murmured. “Plus … they need me for something – you’re expendable. It’s better if you get out of here. Tell someone what happened to me. Find my parents.”

He shook his head and stepped closer, one hand wrapping around my wrist to prevent me from running off. “Never.”

That was the final word from him; he was as stubborn and unmovable as a bull when he set his mind to something. The men moved closer; we had only seconds to decide what to do. “Don’t fight them,” I whispered. “There are too many and they have guns.”