Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 88119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
I knew what it was. A tracking device.
I stumbled out of the shower, ripped the towel off the rack and wrapped it around my wet body before I stormed into the bedroom where Devon was pulling a shirt over his head.
His eyes widened when he spotted me.
“What—”
“I have a tracker in my arm,” I interrupted him, voice panicky.
Devon crossed the room in two long strides and gripped my arm. “Are you sure?”
“Major implanted it in my arm while I was on the pills. I was barely conscious and I didn’t remember.”
I guided his finger to the spot. His body tensed. “So the FEA knows we’re here.”
I swallowed. I felt dizzy with fear. How could I have been so stupid to forget what Major had done. His pills must have affected my brain much more than I thought. “It’s still early. Major thinks the pills put me to sleep. Maybe he hasn’t checked on me yet, and even if he has, it’ll take them a while to get here.”
Panic swelled in my chest. “We need to remove it.”
Devon’s eyebrows shot up. “How?”
“Do you have a knife?”
He picked up his backpack and took out a small army knife. He unfolded the short blade. He held it up to me and for a moment, I could only stare at it.
“You have to do it,” I said. I didn’t think I had it in me to plunge a knife into my arm. “You have to do it. It’s not a big deal; you can heal me after.”
“You sure?” he asked, taking my arm again.
I nodded. “Just do it quickly.”
Without a word of warning, he pushed the tip of the blade into my arm. I bit down on my lip as burning pain shot up my arm. Luckily the tracker wasn’t in too deep. Within seconds, the blood-smeared square sat in Devon’s palm. Blood trickled out of the cut in my arm, but Devon put the knife down and wrapped his hand around the wound. Warmth spread over my skin and we sat there for a minute, with me trembling and then relaxing into his touch. When he pulled back again, the cut was gone.
But I still felt shaky. I wasn’t sure if it was from the pain or the blood or the knowledge that our escape might be over before it had really begun.
“What do we do with it?” Devon asked, inspecting the tracking device. A few beads of sweat glistened on his forehead. Healing always cost him.
I hurried into the bathroom and left the door ajar so I wouldn’t have to scream. “We have to get them off our trail. We need to hide it in someone else’s car, so the FEA follows them.”
I hastily slipped into my underwear, jeans and T-shirt, and pulled my wet hair into a ponytail, then rushed back out again and stuffed my belongings into my bag.
“Okay,” Devon said slowly, and picked up his backpack.
I opened the door a gap and peeked outside. The man with the glasses was gone. But that didn’t mean we weren’t being watched. I slipped out with Devon following close behind.
I glanced across the parking lot to the tiny store in the gas station. The cashier was reading a book and not looking our way. “Let’s go,” I whispered.
We hurried toward the parking lot. I expected to hear the sound of squealing tires and catch sight of FEA vehicles at any moment. If Major caught us, he’d never let me out of his sight again. I’d be a prisoner for the rest of my life.
Our motorcycle stood where we’d left it yesterday. “What if it has a tracker on it too?”
Devon froze inches from the bike, then turned to stare at me. “Would the FEA really have a tracking device installed on all of its vehicles?”
“I wouldn’t put it past Major.”
“You’re right. Shit.” He ran a hand through his messy blond hair. “What are we going to do?”
I quickly scanned the other cars in the parking lot. One was a big, clunky pickup truck—not the best escape car. The other was an old black Acura. “We take that one.”
I grabbed a small toolbox from the black luggage case of the motorcycle. I knew I would find an FEA-issued all-purpose utility tool inside. Alec had taught me how to open locks with it, among other things. I strode toward the car and peered inside—candy wrappers on the ground, empty Dr Pepper bottles on the back seat, and no alarm system. Perfect.
“Make sure nobody sees me,” I said as I kneeled before the door and began to fumble with the lock.
“Did you learn to steal cars at FEA headquarters?”
“Among other things,” I said.
My fingers were sweaty and shaky. I had to calm down. After a few twists, the lock clicked. I opened the door and slipped behind the wheel, turning my attention to hot-wiring the car. Devon watched me with unmasked curiosity.