Chapter 14
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“Bye guys!” Infinity called to the teens they left behind. Most of them would be following them on to D.C., but some were staying behind to rebuild. Cameo and Infinity were driving the Aston Martin, while Tanner and two other eighteen year old boys were piloting a few tour buses they had commandeered to transport the army of children.
Tanner signaled from the lead bus and Cameo drove away, buses following closely behind. He passed the gas station where he had left the stolen police car. He slammed on the brakes next to it and jumped out. He vaulted over the hood and opened the driver side door. He pulled his backpack out, clutching it to his chest. He dashed back into the car.
“Okay, now we can go.” He floored the accelerator, leading the buses onto the on-ramp. When he pulled onto the highway, he noticed it was deserted, no cars anywhere in sight. He and Infinity rode in silence for eight hours, until Infinity finally broke the quiet.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” he whispered gruffly. He was devastated with the knowledge that he would never see his parents again. His vision blurred and he fought to keep the car on the road. His backpack buzzed and Infinity pulled out his phone.
“It’s Tanner,” she said, accepting the call.
“Cameo’s driving, right?” Tanner asked.
“Yeah?”
“Tell him to stay in his lane!” His voice thundered from the phone.
“Okay, okay! He’s going through some things, you know!”
“Aren’t we all?” Tanner had a hint of sadness in his otherwise emotionless voice. Infinity, exasperated, hung up on him.
“He wants you to-“
“I heard him. I’m stopping for the night.” He pulled into the breakdown lane and turned the car off. “Sleep. It’s late.” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “The buses have a storage section underneath that they put mattresses in. That’s where we’re sleeping. The other kids are sleeping in the bus.” He stepped out and his legs buckled from disuse. He caught himself, scraping his hands on the pavement. He pushed himself up and braced against the car. He took deep breaths, trying to steady his racing heart. Slowly traipsing across the asphalt, he tried not to think about everything that had happened in the past… how long had it been, anyway? He racked his brain. Let’s see, tonight, last night by the fires, the two nights on the rooftops, before that it had been the hotel, then the campsite, and then it had been Infinity’s house. Seven nights, if you counted the one when he took her. Which he didn’t. For less than a week, he had risked all of their lives, and Harley and Ethaniel were the only ones who were actually safe. But even that safety would have to come to it’s inevitable demise.
He threw open the storage compartment underneath Tanner’s bus. He gestured for Infinity to climb in, and she did, folding in upon herself as far away from him as she could get. He sighed and crawled in after her, taking the other side to sleep on.
When he closed his eyes, his brother stared back at him.
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