Chapter 30

I needed to help Jackson and that meant getting out of this SUV as soon as fucking possible!  He would go down dead any second if I didn't do something! Oh god, I needed to move! I wanted to rush out, help, and could feel the panic in my bones building!  Then... why didn't I get out yet?

The fact that I could actually think during that moment of panic was absolutely shocking.  Somehow my stunned mind didn't forget the necessities I needed that would make helping possible.  I would be entirely useless if I didn't get what I needed first! But fuck, I needed to hurry!

I scrambled up from the bloody water, lifted myself over the front seat, and landed behind it with a splash against the back passenger door.  On my knees and gun in hand, I turned and tucked the weapon into the pocket sewn into the back of the passenger seat.  It was much darker back here thanks to the outside light not making it this far back into the SUV.  Though that didn't help me find what I needed as fast as I wanted, it gave cover and a sense of safety from the constant gunfire.  It allowed for me to move fast and focus on my objective! 

I shifted and threw myself to kneel at the opening between the backseats and the rear of the SUV.  I didn't need to go any further back because my flying hands through the dark found all our luggage in reach!  We had all our things back here, including weapons and ammunition.  I leaned forward and dug my hands in until I could feel the smooth case I needed.  Yes!  Come on, come on, hurry bitch!

Hauling it towards me in a rush, I knelt back on the door panel and nearly ripped open the top of the case.  I snatched two new magazines for my gun, knowing I was nearly out.  I grabbed the weapon from where I tucked it, reloaded it, and stuffed the extra magazine between my right hip and the hem of my jeans.  Then, I moved back to my familiar spot up front where I had to be more careful.  My eyes were immediately attentive and focused out the windshield opening, my movements much slower too.

At least I was ready.  Now came the scary part.   

I shifted towards where the windshield used to be and moved through the water and around Vic's body, which took up most of the space in the crammed area.  I was lucky I didn't have to look at it.  I could only feel it as an obstacle with my maneuvering body considering my eyes had a very important job. 

It was petrifying, knowing that my life depended completely on my eyes right now. When I reached the sideways dash, pressing cautiously up against it, I scanned up over the steep ditch and along the road.  I still couldn't see anybody....  Slowly standing up in the water from my knees, I balanced myself as best as I could.   Actually standing now, it gave me a chance to study the outside surroundings.  Question was though could I actually trust my eyes?  

The light was slowly disappearing from the sky, leaving shadows everywhere for these killers to hide in.  Breathing hard as I strained my sight, I knew that if I didn't see anything, I would be forced to trust it and slide through the windshield opening.  I mean, what choice did I have?! It was either that or stay in here, do nothing but sit with Vic's dead ass, and wait for Jackson to fail!  I couldn't do that and needed to help!  And that couldn't happen from in here anymore.  There was nobody else left in range for me to shoot.

Waiting a few seconds, shots ringing in the air on the other side of the SUV, I still noticed nobody.  That was my chance and I took the opportunity.  Continuing to search with my eyes, never looking away from the road and ditch, I rested my hands against the body of the dash.  I eased my right leg slowly over where the top of the door panel curved forward to meet the windshield.  Slipping my leg out through the opening, resting my foot on the watery bottom of the ditch on the outside of the SUV, I slowly stepped the rest of the way out. 

Getting out was simple.  What would be hard... was what I had planned next. 

I was already going as slow as I could despite wanting to run for my life.  The only thing keeping me from being exposed to them was the SUV.  At the moment, it was doing me the biggest favor in the world.  It was blocking me from all the people that were on the road and shooting towards Jackson.  However, I would need better cover than this if I was going to help - and it would come with a risk.

Forcing myself to cautiously move my way around the tilted vehicle, I stopped when I reached the roof of the SUV.  It was facing the other side of the ditch.  Pressing my back against the roof, facing the steep hill, I took a deep breath.  Staring up at the shadows that resided on this side, eyeing the overgrown foliage that spilled over the edge of the ditch, I knew this was my best bet.  That didn't mean it wouldn't be hard.

The sky wasn't completely dark yet, the incline was steep, and once I get high enough and the SUV can't cover me, there would be a high chance of being spotted.  Shots ringing through the air, I was breathing harder and louder, scared out of my mind!  How was I going to do this?! Slow, that's how.  I would have to creep slowly up the side of this ditch so they wouldn't notice any drastic movements.  Man, talk about the impossible! I could already feel my nerves push me to want to rush!  For my sake and Jackson's!

God, how I wanted to run to the opposite side of this vehicle, yell that I surrender, and fling my hands in the air.  Then it would all be over - or so I would hope or wish.  It's what I've been wanting to do when I thought about this happening!  I even told Luke how I wanted to surrender myself when we had that talk at the gas station. 

Then why wasn't I doing just that?  Once Luke explained how terrible he would feel if I gave myself over, it instilled a strength in me.  But his vote of confidence and help wasn't the only thing that was keeping me from surrendering right now.  A lot had to do with the message the constant ring of gunshots was sending.  These people nearly killed me when I was inside the SUV.  Therefore, it sure didn't seem like they were keen on keeping me alive at this point.  That probably also meant they would kill Jackson too if I give myself up and that would make my dead-self sick to my dead-stomach.  No, I had to do this and keep fighting no matter what.  

Knowing there was no time, no time to think with every shot that went off being a potential life-stopper, I took my first slow and shaky step through the water and away from the vehicle.  Scanning behind me, making sure I was being shielded by the SUV, I reached where the mud and patchy grass curved up the side of the ditch. 

Oh boy, oh god, I didn't want to do this!  I felt exposed and dead already! Super dead when I shakily tucked the gun against my hip that wasn't holding the extra magazine.  It didn't feel good to not have it in my hand. But I needed to get this over with and forced myself to move.  It was so hard... I wanted to either rush or not move an inch and neither were an option!

Letting my hands and feet make the decisions, I struggled my way up the first two feet of the steep side.  Head angled to the side and watching behind me, I moved as gradually as I could stand no matter how much fear flooded me!  Jesus, I felt like the world's biggest and brightest sitting duck!  God, god, fuck me! Shit please please don't be seen!  Needing to blend in as much as I could, I leaned fully forward, pressing every part of myself into the side of this ditch as I slowly moved up.

Trying to steady my breath, I wedged the side of my foot against what felt like a protruding rock. Using it to ease my body up a few more inches, I gripped the grass above my head to help pull me up.  My front sliding against the dirt, grass, and rough ground, I slowly but surely was getting higher.  And that meant a greater chance at being seen!  Fuck, I wish I could just bury myself into the ground!  Oh man, calm, calm, calm down.... Slow, slow, don't rush, don't stop! You aren't seen, you didn't get shot yet!

Pressing the left side of my face against the hill more, I was able to gaze back enough to see how high I was with each slow progression I made.  When I got as high as the window Jackson was shooting from, seeing him pop up and down to shoot, I slowed way down in absolute fear.  If only I could just race up the rest of the way! I was going to get shot any fucking second! 

At least I wasn't dead yet; I had to drill that through my insane fear.  I recognized I couldn't stop, not when I looked up.  I was close to the top and it was easier climbing.  There were tree roots and brush hanging down the side of the ditch. It helped cover me and gave me more to grip when I slowly began moving up more.  More, more.... a little more. Oh god, I could see them!  Eyes strained behind me from where my cheek was pressed into the side, my heart and stomach twisted.  It felt like a bullet flew through my body at the sight of the men and for a second, I though that was the case! 

I was above the SUV and could see the whole road, the men on it, and Jackson!  Jackson! I couldn't believe it!  He was still going!  That could have do with the fact that he found a way to steal back momentum and surprise.  He started shooting from not just the driver's side window but the backseat window on the same side.  When he ducked down from that window too, he fired from the back windshield which was in pieces.  He was also screaming too but the gunshots drowned it out.  I had a feeling he noticed I was gone and was screaming for me.... 

Though he was somehow still holding them off, that didn't mean we would be okay.  Still, several men occupied the road and many of them lingered in the shadows, out of sight.  What if they manage to see me?  What if they see how I'm a good target?  What if they finally kill Jackson?!

It took everything in me to not only continue moving.  But to continue moving slowly.  Because now, this was different.  I was out in the open with no SUV to shield me, could be easily seen, and it would take nothing to get shot in the head if that happens!  Knowledge of that hurt more than my aching, hurt, bloody, cut body.  It hurt more than anything my body went through in the past.  I can't stress that enough.  Climbing up the remaining side of this ditch, trembling in terror, I never feared for my life as much as I did now.  I had greater fears in my life, much much greater.  Regarding my own life though, actually dying... this did it. This right now.  I've never feared for my life as much as I did right now.  And it was all because I was exposed, could get shot any second, and yet had to move slowly.  

Every second within the forever it took to reach the top was torture.  Shots continued ringing in the air and all I could think was that maybe the next shot was for me.  That's why when I got to the top and on even ground, crawling behind thick brush and trees, finally knowing I was out of sight, I had to hold myself back from breaking down and crying. 

There was no time to be a baby.  It was time to execute my purpose for risking the climb up here.  Taking even breaths as much as I could, willing the shakiness to go away, I grabbed the gun from where I tucked it into the hem of my shorts.  I peaked up over the brush and around the side of the massive oak that replaced the SUV as my shied.   I could see perfectly. 

There were five figures on the road and in view, but they were keeping their distance along the far shoulder of the road.  It was hard to see them from how dark it was getting.  At least they weren't unseen and firing from the shadows like a few of their partners were.  It forced my focus to stay on the ones in sight. 

I didn't give another thought.  It felt like it took forever to get up here and now that I could help, it was my time.  I readied the gun, raised it, aimed, and fired at one of the five men.

My bullet missed.  The greater distance between me and my target could take credit for that.  Jackson though, who continued popping up in one of three places to shoot from, helped me make up for my disadvantage.  Whether Jackson hit or missed, the point was that he was shooting at them.  It made these assholes pay no mind to an extra gun in play at first.  It was how I managed to shoot one in the leg without drawing attention.  He howled out among the gunfire, squirming on the ground.  When I fired again,  I knew I killed him when he stopped screaming and struggling. 

"Yes," I hissed to myself, glad I managed to take down at least one so far from up my new location.  Within the next few minutes though, I did more than cause a few others to drop dead.  I was actually making a difference and helping. 

It was like before when I helped by shooting from inside the SUV.  It turned into a blur again when I started to kill more of the dangerous targets.  The only difference this time though was that when they noticed I was firing at them, they didn't know where I was.  Unlike before, I was now hidden, covered in nature and darkness, and could move around if I needed.  They didn't know where to return the fire and it allowed for me to get more shots in.

After ducking down and away from their random shots back, I eased my gaze up and over the brush.  I saw a few people drop to the ground when they approached the ditch; it was from Jackson firing up from the back windshield opening.  It left about four other men on the road.  When I shot towards the closest one a few times, it paid off.  He dropped dead and in result, I dropped behind my cover when they fired back.

Breathing hard, a sense of relief filled me.  Everything was happening in a flash and there wasn't much time to think.  Yet at that moment, hope entered me.  I felt we actually had a good chance to get out of this alive!   

My hope came too soon though. I peered up and across the ditch after their answering gunfire towards me stopped.  My already wide eyes nearly popped out of my head.  They were done fooling around, that was for sure! 

The men hiding in the shadows raced out from their cover!  And there were a lot of them - more than I expected!  They all sprinted out onto the road as if they just underwent one hell of a fucking pep talk. Most stopped at the edge of the ditch and laid their bullets into the SUV, making it shake!  Jackson was out of sight, hopefully well hidden and covered!  The few men that didn't make it their job to shoot open the SUV had other plans and jumped into the ditch!  Oh fuck!  They gripped the side I was on, started coming up, started--!

No, no, no!  Oh god!  Getting fully on my feet, I raced over towards where one man was climbing up!  This wasn't going to happen and I had to stop it before they get the upperhand over me!  Stopping above where one was scrambling up the side, I forced myself to stay low and hidden as I stared down at the approaching man!  I aimed my gun down at his nearing figure.  Shooting down at him, I knew I hit.  He fell back but I didn't wait to see him to hit the bottom of the ditch.  

I raced around to where the another one started coming up!  Fuck, fuck! I got to him in time and thankfully, I was nearly perched at the edge!  It made it easier when I shot him just like the other.  He was closer to the top than the last and because of it, I saw the bullet rip through his head in great detail.  Blood spurted out from the back of his head at the same time his body went slack, slowly sliding back down the side of the ditch.

Backing away, eyes racing along the ditch, I sped around the brush towards the last one I saw. He was close!  As I neared, I saw he reached the top!  Oh god! Was I too late?!  No, no, no!  Fuck, he was getting to his feet!  I skidded to a stop five feet from him.  I raised my gun and shot him before he could fully raise his.  He was so close that even through the gunfire, I could hear his loud grunt when my bullet ripped through his chest.  It pushed him back into the ditch from where he stood on the edge.

Whipping myself and my eyes in every direction several times, seeing nobody else coming for me, I hid myself as best as I could in the tall and thick bushes rooted by the edge of the ditch.  I could still see the men that had the balls to run up and shoot down at the SUV.  Only two of them were shooting at it now and the others were pacing along the road, staring down at it.  They were trying to see inside!  Find Jackson!  Oh god, where was he?!  Was he okay?!

Then, everything was interrupted in one second. 

It started with artificial light hitting the men from the left.  That light was their only warning and it didn't last long.  Not when the second they looked up towards the brightening light, it happened.  A maroon car jetted into view, hitting four of the men that stood along the shoulder of the road.  One went flying into the ditch, the others were plowed over by the car.  Then, the driver made one clever move that made my jaw drop more than it already had.

Gunfire now silenced, it was replaced by screeching brakes from the car once those men were hit.  The driver turned to the left and braked at the same time, swinging the back end of the car as it spun around.  It slammed into two other men by the time the vehicle was entirely turned around.  The car didn't stop though.  It launched forward again towards the direction it came from, this time hitting more of the scattered men that the car didn't hit the first time it sped through. 

By the time it was back on the left side of the road, it spun around again towards the war zone.  Then, the driver floored forward fast, trying to hit more.  This time though, gunshots started echoing in the air again.  Not just from the surprised men who were shooting at the rouge car.  But from the passenger side window of the car towards the people that had us trapped here!   

Once they cleared the road (either by hitting them or forcing the stragglers to run into the shadows), the red car sped onto the shoulder and edge of the ditch.  It stopped and the second it did, the passenger door facing the ditch flew open.  The moment it did, I felt a relieving and strange sensation fill me. 

Carter jumped out of the car and shuffled his way down into the ditch towards the beat up SUV.  He made his way to the vehicle, inspected it, and looked inside where he could.  As for the driver... he wasn't done making use of the car once he leaned over and shut the passenger door.

Laying on a little gas, he jerked the car around, letting it face the trees and brush on the other side of the road.  He stopped it there, the headlights illuminating a few people who were using the shadows as cover.  They didn't have time to hide or shoot back though.  I could see Luke holding a gun in the hand he wasn't using to control the steering.  He shot each of them a millisecond after the headlights picked them out. 

When the car lights showed nobody else, he slowly got out of the car.  I watched his tense figure back up towards where the ditch was, his gun and eyes scanning around him.  There was nothing.  No guns fired back at him. 

Once he got to the ditch's edge and there was no sign of anyone else, all caution in him was lost.  By the time he turned and looked down at the sideways SUV, he raced and jumped down into the ditch as fast as possible. Unlike Carter, who only looked around the SUV while calling out to find us, Luke lost it.   

"ALBANY?!" he screamed out in agony.  Rushing through the water towards the SUV, he nearly dove through the opening where the windshield use to be.  I could see him crawling and scrambling inside.  He must have noticed Vic too.  "Albany!" he shouted, voice even more shaky and panicked.  

His terrified voice and the one name on it finally released me from my blurred daze.  It was as if I was coming back into consciousness!  I could hear my breath was hard, uneven, and fast.  Besides hearing it though, I also felt it.  Felt the air filtering through my lungs.  Felt so much more as my senses seemed to return to me. 

This entire time, I blocked out nearly all physical feeling and it slowly started coming back.  That included the unbearable pain present in my body, mostly my bloody hands.  I noticed they were both shaking and still gripping the gun hard.  Damn, did my hands sting!  It was weird sensation when I unclenched my hands and let the gun fall into the grass in front of me too.

I was unable to allow myself to feel much else though.  Not when I was facing the rough chore of processing everything that happened before my eyes in the past minute.  The car, the remaining men going down, Luke and Carter....  It was tough to move, think, do much of anything as I stared down into the ditch.  My mind was stunned to the point where I wasn't sure if I could understand that the fight was over and I was still alive.  Was it possible that we were alive?  Was any of this possible?

Staring down into the ditch, I noticed Carter was making his way back up from the ditch and to the road.  Either to look for Jackson, me, or any remaining enemies, I didn't know.  I could hardly focus on him when my eyes were set on the SUV.  It was rattling with Luke searching, scrambling, screaming out for me!  For me!  He needed to find me! It unleashed a sensation more powerful than my physical pain or struggle of acceptance.  It broke my heart to hear that level of pain in his cracked and desperate shouting.  He launched himself into the SUV not a minute ago but my mind sure made it feel longer with everything that started working again within me. 

I didn't feel seperated from my mind or body anymore.  I was present, no matter how unbelieveable everything was.  No matter how out of it I was.  No matter my pain, I forced my legs to work down the first few feet of the ditch's side.  I didn't care that I hurt or that I tripped and fell the last few feet.  He was calling for me! I needed to show him I was okay!

"L-Luke!"  Struggling my way through the shallow water toward the SUV, breathing hard, my shaky vision took in the man who was desperately looking inside. 

"Albany! Oh god!" I heard his voice reach me from where he was now scrambling to get out from inside.  It was hard to see as I subconsciously sunk down to my knees in the swampy water.  The small amount of light left in the sky allowed for me to see him as he crawled, crouched, and rushed out of the opening.  

One of his anxious legs caught the frame he needed to step over to get out.  He fell almost entirely on his stomach in the water but since he was free from the SUV, he didn't stop .  He shuffled to me on his knees, completely soaked.  And the second he was close enough, I saw the pain and fear in his eyes.  A pain and fear that welcomed the company of relief.  It made my heart jump hard.  It's been years since I saw a look like that on his face.

He wrapped his arms around me, hugging me tightly to him as we knelt before each other in the swampy water.  He didn't care about anything, not even the condition of my battered body.  Pulling me tightly against him, his wet and safe body against mine, it affected the numbness and shock that was still thriving under my skin.  I let my need for him, the sensation of safety, and his care take me over.  It allowed me to wrap myself tightly against him with a grunt.

Burying my head into his shoulder, gripping his back tightly, I didn't care about anything for that second.  It was only a second but I owned that second and I loved it.  I was being selfish and held him as tightly as I could. 

When he leaned back slightly, his shaky hands fell away from my back and came to rest on my cheeks.  Staring into my eyes with overwhelming care, that broken note still lingered in his voice.  "A-Are you okay?" It was all he asked, but his lips were trembling and it appeared as if he was trying to get more out.

"Yeah," I said, my breath still coming hard and fast.  "I'm okay."

"You- you hurt?  Oh, you're hurt! W-Where?"

Seeing the fear and worry flood his face made me grip his sides and stare strongly into his loving eyes.  I couldn't have him scared for my sake right now.  I couldn't handle seeing him scared for me.  "No, no, no. Really I'm okay.  I'm okay I'm not hurt bad," I blurted out, nodding.

I stared at him for a long moment, needing him to see that was true.  He took a deep breath and pursed his lips tightly.  Looking down and away from my eyes, he nodded slowly.  "Okay," he whispered.

Reality returned once I could tell my reassurance worked.  We forced away those seconds of relief shared between us.  Other trembling worries still existed that needed to be faced.  He dropped his hands away from me at the same time I voiced the most prominent worry in my head.  

"Alright.  W-we need to find him. We need to find Jackson!" Shifting away from him, I focused my gaze to the SUV behind him.  The body of the vehicle was covered in bullet holes. It was scary, especially knowing Jackson was in that thing the whole time!   

He nodded, drawing my eyes back to him.  It was clear he was able to rationally think now and get his emotions under control.  It was like he flipped a switch into collected-copper mode once he realized I was okay and safe.  Taking an even breath, he got to his feet and stared down at me.  "Where do you think he is?"

The panic in me came back and it was hard to contain.  I shook my head hard, unable to keep my eyes away from the SUV.  "Well... h-h-h-he was in there.  The whole time I think," I said, attempting to get to my feet too. 

With a firm hand resting on my shoulder though, Luke kept me sitting in the water.  "Stay here and rest," he said softly down to me. 

But I was not having that.  The more time that passed without Jackson, the more worried I was.  The more I was convinced something bad happened and the more I wanted to know where he was.  I needed to find him!  This happened because of me!  I had to find him and he needed to be okay!  "No, I need to look," I said. 

Staring at me with worry and conflict over something, he just nodded.  There was something either in my eyes or voice that didn't make him fight me when I got up and stood before him.  Maybe he saw my confidence and the wheels turning in my head.

I made my way over to the windshield opening, trying to calm my fast beating heart. I stepped into the fully dark interior thanks to night completely reaching us.  Trying my hardest to ignore Vic, I moved over the passenger seat and into the back.  There was nothing I could see.  Using my hands to guide me the whole time, it only made my heart spike.  I could feel bullet holes on the door panel I came to kneel on and when my hands met the slanted backseat, it was covered with indents where bullets penetrated the material.  I could feel myself wanting to freak out as my shaky and now scared hands searching the area around me for Jackson.  I was scared to death that the next bullet-filled thing my fingers find would be his body.  Luke following behind me though found something to eliminate the fear and speed up the process: a flashlight. 

The dancing ball of light came into my vision.  Glancing behind me, I saw him ease over the passenger seat until he was crouched next to me.  His eyes didn't meet mine as he shined the light around us.  "It was in the glove-box," he said under his breath. 

Turning and following where he aimed the light, it made chills run up my body.  There wasn't much to see in the crowded space but the condition of everything in sight made up for that.  Facing the SUV floor and the long backseat before us, my eyes widened.  The SUV looked ready to collapse in on itself.  The material was basically shredded from the rain of bullets.  We looked around us more from where we were kneeling on the door panel and broken window but there was no sign of Jackson. 

Then, Luke shined the light to our left.  The luggage was piled high, bags on top of each other and it was hard to see past it all.  Seeing only a few bullet holes among the pile of bags we had, it was clear most of our luggage was untouched.  Staring at that, it made my eyes widen slightly.  It gave me hope, seeing the luggage was hardly damaged and we didn't find Jackson yet!

Spinning to Luke, I snatched the flashlight away from him and stood up.  Turning and looking up beyond the luggage towards the very back of the SUV, I pointed the light there.  Beyond where most of our luggage was piled up, I could see more bags in the back.  That's not all the illuminating light and my eyes caught. 

There he was. Laying limp against the furthest back passenger window and next to the tilted hatch of the SUV.  He was half buried among the bags, as if he tucked himself as far down as he could.  His body was turned slightly towards me and it allowed me to see something that made my chest want to  jump out of me.  His bloody left arm was flung back and resting on a bag above his head.  but that was nothing compared to the panic that the sight of his face caused me.  His forehead was bloody and his eyes were closed, mouth slack!   

"No. No! No! No!"  Each no became louder as I instinctually rushed back more into the SUV.  Climbing over and through the bags, tossing them out of the way, I came to kneel next to him.  "Jackson! Jackson!" I shouted, staring down at him as I propped the flashlight on a bag facing us. 

There was no way! No!  He couldn't be dead! Kneeling up and over him, I dug my hands roughly through the bags that were covering him. I gripped his sides as I got to my feet, pulling his unconscious body from the luggage.  That's right, he was unconscious!  He couldn't be dead!  He was too much of a fighter! He was too strong! 

"Let me see," Luke said once he reached me.  Allowing Luke to take over, he knelt over him and carefully inspected him.  As he did for the next few minutes, looking over his body, he came to a conclusion that made me take the biggest sigh of relief in my life.  "He's okay I think.  Just knocked out."

Oh yes! Thank you!  "You sure?" I asked, trying to calm my breathing. 

Luke brushed away some of Jackson's hair that covered his forehead.  He was cut but that was all.  "Yeah.  He got lucky.  With his arm too," he said, moving his attention to Jackson's left and bloody arm.  Lifting it into the light, I could see he indeed was shoot in the arm.  The bullet went through and it looked like it grazed him more than anything. 

"That's good."  I eyed the sideways back hatch and how close Jackson was to it.  It would be much easier carrying him out that way instead of dragging him up front."We got to get him out," I mumbled, leaving Luke and climbing back towards the windshield opening.  Luke followed with the flashlight and we stepped out of the SUV into the open ditch water.

As I was rounding the SUV to where the back hatch was, Luke gently rested a hand on my shoulder.  The flashlight pointed downwards didn't help much in seeing him when I turned to face him.  But I was able to see his dipped eyebrows through the darkness.  "I can handle it.  You need to rest."

"You going to haul his ass all the way up the side of this ditch? It's steep and you need help," I said, knowing I needed to help with this.  That's why I tried to nonchalantly keep my hands out of sight.  I couldn't hide how battered the rest of me was but if he saw how bad my hands were, he would stop everything to tend to them. 

He sighed and shook his head at my stubborn approach.  "Then I'll--"

He was cut off by the too familiar sound of a gun going off above us on the road.  Looking up to the edge of the ditch, two more shots went off before everything went quiet.  Oh god!  Carter was up there and clearly, he found a few remaining assholes!  Or they found him! 

As if suspecting me to do something stupid, or because he was being protective, Luke gripped my arm and tensed just like me.  I couldn't blame him; we didn't know what was happening!  His other hand took care of the flashlight by turning it off immediately.  Luke handed it to me before he quickly withdrew his gun.  We stayed still and silent from where we stood in the dark, hanging onto each second.  Then, shouting reached our ears from a voice on the road. 

It was Carter shouting and we could clearly make out what he was saying.  "Don't move! Drop to the fucking ground!" he shouted.  Carter said a few things after that to whoever his words were meant for but we couldn't make it out.  Hearing he was clearly fine, Luke let go of my arm and slowly moved towards the incline up to the road. 

We cautiously moved up the side of the ditch.  He had a little trouble with a gun in his hand and his eyes on guard around us as we moved up.  I wasn't sure what to expect when we reached the top but it wasn't the sight before us once we did.

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Hey guys sorry it's a little late!  There is a lot going on as you hopefully may find out very soon ;) I hope you like it and it got you excited for the next one.  It sure got me excited to write it!