No Ordinary Day , Tate, Harley [ebook offline .TXT] 📗

was taking her last breath—would he still think it was just a job? Would he still choose this life over any other?

“Do you think that boy and his mom will be okay?” Holly leaned forward to catch John’s eye. “I can’t stop thinking about them.”

John sucked in a breath. His whole life he’d tried not to think about the damage he left behind. “I don’t know. But whatever happens now sure beats what was about to happen before we showed up.”

“I think so, too.” Holly leaned back against the seat. “Thanks for saving them.”

He swallowed, but spit clung to the back of his throat and John coughed. “It was nothing.”

Emma snorted, but didn’t say a word. John frowned, annoyed to be hurt by her attitude. He shouldn’t care what she thought, shouldn’t want her approval. But he did.

He had to get it together and fast. He straightened up in the seat. “Start looking for a gas station. This thing sucks down the gallons. We’ll never make it up in elevation on a single tank.”

Chapter Eighteen

Emma

The last hint of sun faded, and Holly yawned. “Do you think there’s anywhere we can stop for the night?”

John shook his head. “We were lucky with Irma and Gil. I can’t imagine it would happen twice.”

Emma agreed. “That gas station a few hours ago was the last time I’ve even seen a person. We were lucky they ran on solar.”

“And had the smarts to disconnect from the grid.”

Thanks to John’s stash of cash, they had been able to fill the hungry gas tank. Emma leaned over and spied the meter. Less than half a tank already. They wouldn’t make it to Gloria’s without another fill up.

“We should just find a quiet place and camp out.” John leaned forward to look out the windshield at the darkening sky. “Night’s clear, shouldn’t be any rain. You two can share the cab. Tank and I can sleep in the bed.”

“Are you sure?” Emma twisted to peer at the rusty pickup bed. “Looks pretty nasty back there.”

He shrugged. “I don’t mind. I’ve slept in a lot worse.”

Holly pointed with her thumb to the back. “We still have all those blankets. It won’t be too bad.”

Emma let it go. If John thought it was fine, she needed to stop worrying about it. After scouting the side of the small, two-lane road for about half an hour, they came upon a washed-out gravel road.

After throwing the old truck into reverse. John ambled over the ruts and ridges until the trees swallowed them up no more than twenty feet off the main road. “If anything happens, we need a quick exit.” He shifted into park and killed the engine and lights. They were virtually invisible.

Emma unwrapped the last of the sandwiches and hunk of cheese Irma had given them. Combined with the few bottles of water remaining, they had plenty to eat that night. But if they didn’t reach Gloria’s by the end of the next day, they would all start to feel a little hungry.

They ate in silence, everyone too tired and on edge to make conversation. Emma couldn’t stop thinking about the altercation earlier that day. Part of her blamed herself for what transpired. She hadn’t said anything, hadn’t cautioned John not to intervene. She let Holly goad him into action. She would never forget the look on that man’s face as the bullet tore through his leg. For a moment, he thought he was going to die.

She understood John’s motivation. Looking at that kid, seeing what those men were up to in the car. It wouldn’t have ended well. But shooting them?

John finished his meal first and excused himself to head outside with little more than a curt nod. Tank followed.

“Are you okay?” Holly handed Emma a pillow. “You seem out of sorts. I don’t think you’ve said a word since—”

“John shot those men.” Emma fluffed the pillow and propped it against the driver’s side window. “I just can’t stop thinking about it.”

“They were going to hurt that woman. You saw that man, he was all over her in the front seat.” Holly swallowed hard and clutched her furry pillow to her chest. “And that little boy? What were they going to do with him?”

Emma nodded. “I know, but the police—”

“I don’t think the police are coming anymore.” Snuggling down into a fleece blanket, Holly looked more like a child than ever, but her words were mature for her age. “I think we’re on our own.”

It was Emma who didn’t want to admit the truth. Emma who struggled to come to terms with what was going on around them. If the grid had really and truly collapsed, a hitman on their tail might be the least of their problems. She leaned back against the pillow and closed her eyes.

Regardless of her thoughts on what happened that day, she needed John. His quick thinking, his sensible advice, and whether she liked it or not, his ability to keep her safe. She might not approve of his methods, but they were better than her own. What could she have done in that situation other than watch in horror?

She sucked in a deep breath and tried to relax. She shouldn’t judge him. He didn’t deserve it.

“…Senator Wilburn from Pennsylvania you have the Floor.”

An old man, barely able to reach the microphone, cleared his throat. “Good afternoon Ms. Cross. My first question is why did it take you years to come forward about CropForward’s problems. You’ve been researching Seeds of the Future for what, five years? Why now?”

Emma smiled at the giant camera inches from her face. “It takes a long time for research to—”

A volley of gunfire broke the silence. People dove for cover. Senators screamed. Someone wrapped his arms around Emma and threw her to the ground.

She woke with a start. A light glowed from the bed of the pickup and Emma rubbed the sleep from her eyes. What time was it? One a.m. according to her watch. She