Alek turned back to the parking lot in time to see Bridget hop into the SUV. “Shit!” He kicked the car’s fender and it crumpled on impact, leaving a shoe-size impression in the metal. The SUV slowly weaved through the parking lot, and Alek looked back at the damaged car. “I have defeated the driving arcade games,” he said, rushing to the open driver’s side door. “This will not be much more difficult.” He pressed his foot on the brake and turned the key. It came to life with a quiet grumble. He tapped the gas and the car rolled forward. “Indeed, it is exactly like the racing games.”
Bridget’s SUV idled at a red light, and Alek cut through the parking lot and pulled in line behind her. The light turned green and Bridget’s tires squealed against the pavement, leaving him in a cloud of foul fumes. Alek slammed on the gas and turned down the road to follow. The back of the car fishtailed into the neighboring lane, barely missing a passing motorist. Alek yanked at the wheel and regained control of the car. Bridget’s SUV slowed, and then abruptly pulled into a parking lot. Brake lights of the car in front of him flashed red, and Alek slammed on his to keep from wrecking. Without pulling over, he put the car in park and ran to the SUV.
? ? ?
Eva gripped the leather seat as the SUV sped down the road. “Don’t do anything that’ll get us sent back to the hospital. They’ve had to find the nurse by now; I’m sure they’re looking for us.”
“It’ll be fine.” She tapped the brake and swerved around a turning car. “We’ll disappear to my place long enough to come up with a plan for what happens next. And, if we’re lucky, no one at the hospital will mention our little lock-up-the-nurse disaster to the cops.”
“I wouldn’t count on it.” Eva yanked on her seatbelt until it was tight across her lap. “When the police talk to you about what happened, I want you to tell them that I made you help me. That I went crazy and forced you to do it against your will.”
“No way. I mean, you are crazy, but I’m not going to throw you under the bus like that.”
“You have to. You can’t tell them the truth.”
“I wasn’t planning on it. I’m going to use my incredible acting skills and make up something about that nurse going psycho and us having no choice but to trap her in the bathroom. I watch a lot of Netflix crime dramas, and cops are always falling for the I-had-to-do-it-for-my-safety act.”
“This is not a show, and I saw you grinning like a fool in front of my mom from one lie. You have absolutely zero acting ability. Even if you did, you’ll never be able to explain how my hand healed so fast. No amount of psycho nurse stories will cover what both of you saw.”
“Fine. I’ll tell them that you forced me to do it. But where does that leave you?”
“I need to find out why all this is happening.” She rubbed her hand over her forearm. The stickiness left by the medical tape caught her attention, and she looked down. The harsh black tree coated her arm. Her heartbeat pulsed inside her ears, and she leaned against the door to keep from falling over.
“Eva, you okay?” Bridget’s voice echoed far away and tinny. “Hang on, Eva. I’m pulling over.”
Laughter swirled around her as a haunting voice charged to the front of her mind. Have you found him yet?
The tall, curly haired man pierced her vision, and she pawed around blindly for anything to connect her back to reality. His chiseled features and honey-colored eyes made her stomach flutter as a wave of anxiety passed over her.
Your fates are intertwined. You must not deny your warrior’s heart.
Eva bolted upright. “I need to find him.”
Bridget leaned over the center console. Concern and fear twisted her delicate features. “Find who? Oh my God, Eva. What the hell? You’ve been totally out of it for, like, two minutes. I almost said fuck it and just drove you back to the hospital.”
“I’m fine now.” She pulled her hair into a ponytail and rubbed the back of her neck.
“I don’t think you are. You’re really scaring me. Maybe we should just go back to the hospital and deal with whatever happens.”
“No, please, Bridget. They’ll treat me like some kind of freak experiment if we go back.”
Bridget sighed and slumped into her seat. “Today was not supposed to end up like this,” she said, staring out the window at the passing traffic. “I love you and I’ll stick by you, but if you have another…episode I’m taking you back.”
“I have to tell you something. I’m going to sound insane, and I won’t blame you if you actually think that I am, but I think I know who can help me figure this out.”
Bridget moved the gearshift to park and pressed the navigation button on the car’s touchscreen. “Let’s go there now. Give me his address and I’ll put it in. I’m so ready for you to get some answers.”
“Well,” Eva hesitated. “That’s the problem. I don’t exactly know who or where he is.”
“You’re right. You’re totally psychotic.” Bridget’s phone rang, halting their conversation. “Shit. Your mom is calling.” She dropped the phone on the center console like it might explode. They both gawked at it as Lori’s smiling picture bounced on the screen.
“Don’t answer it,” Eva whispered.
“Why are you whispering? She can’t hear you.”
“Then you stop whispering too.”
They stared back down at the phone. The buzzing stopped, and the screen darkened.