Chapter 15
The men climbed up the sides of the truck to see why Abigail had called them. Ren and Sasha on the passenger side. Choo Co La Tah and Jess on hers.
Jess stood in the open door with one hand braced against the top, looking down at her. "What is it, babe?"
Stunned, all she could do was point at the herd of ... whatever it was, speeding toward them. The group was stirring up a huge cloud of dust in their wake. Not even the darkness could conceal their presence. Mostly because their number was just that impressive.
Some she knew to be tsi-nooks. Others were definitely coyotes and the last group she assumed were the bounty hunters they'd been talking about.
Ren's jaw went slack.
Jess's tensed.
Sasha outdid them all. He laughed. "Now there's something you don't see everyday. Gah, I hope there's no human roaming around with a video recorder or cell phone. Be a bitch to explain that. Easier just to kill them."
Ren ignored him. "Did they open the Gate already?"
That would explain it.
But Choo Co La Tah shook his head. "They're trying to scare us."
"Working. 'Cause the wolf here is definitely feeling an 'oh shit' moment." He glanced over to Abigail. "You wouldn't want to change my diaper, would you?"
Jess shook his head at the wolf. He started to take the wheel from Abigail, then paused. "You know this is one of those moments when you think about the fact that you didn't quite complete the plan."
She frowned. "How so?"
He glanced around their small group. "Anyone know how to drive a semi?"
Ugh! She could kick herself for not thinking of that. Since they'd trained her to go after Dark-Hunters, Jonah had taught her the skill of hot-wiring-just in case she needed a quick getaway. She even knew how to start electronic and digital ignitions.
Why hadn't she ever taken the time to learn a standard transmission?
Sasha and Ren exchanged a bemused stare. "I don't drive," they said simultaneously.
Her heart sank. Of course they didn't. Ren flew as a bird and Sasha did that flashing thing. When would they have ever needed a driver's license?
"Can't you flash us out?" she asked Sasha.
He let out a fake, hysterical laugh. "My powers were strangled by a bitch-goddess as punishment for my gross stupidity. I'm lucky I can still flash myself, never mind other people. All I have is raw power and sexy, fighting prowess. Well, okay, if I had to, I might teleport one, maybe two others. But I wouldn't bet my better body parts on it."
Ren frowned. "I didn't think you could lose psychic powers."
"You can't, Dark-Hunter boy. But mine weren't a gift. I was born with them. Total different standard. Lucky me."
Jess arched a brow at her. "Can you drive it?"
"No. I can't drive a stick at all. It's why I took Andy's car and not one of yours."
"Oh people, for goodness' sake ... Move over." Choo Co La Tah pushed past Jess to take the driver's seat.
Curious about that, she slid over to make room for the ancient.
Jess hesitated. "Do you know what you're doing?"
Choo Co La Tah gave him a withering glare. "Not at all. But I figured someone needed to learn and no one else was volunteering. Step in and get situated. Time is of the essence."
Abigail's heart pounded. "I hope he's joking about that." If not, it would be a very short trip.
Ren changed into his crow form before he took flight.
Jess and Sasha climbed in, then moved to the compartment behind the seat. A pall hung over all of them while Choo Co La Tah adjusted the seat and mirrors.
By all means, please take your time. Not like they were all about to die or anything ...
She couldn't speak as she watched their enemies rapidly closing the distance between them. This was by far the scariest thing she'd seen. Unlike the wasps and scorpions, this horde could think and adapt.
They even had opposable thumbs.
Whole different ball game.
Choo Co La Tah shifted into gear. Or at least he tried. The truck made a fierce grinding sound that caused Jess to screw his face up as it lurched violently and shook like a dog coming in from the rain.
"You sure you don't want me to try?" Jess offered.
Choo Co La Tah waved him away. "I'm a little rusty. Just give me a second to get used to it again."
Abigail swallowed hard. "How long has it been?"
Choo Co La Tah eased off the clutch and they shuddered forward at the most impressive speed of two whole miles an hour. About the same speed as a limping turtle. "Hmm, probably sometime around nineteen hundred and..."
They all waited with bated breath while he ground his way through more gears. With every shift, the engine audibly protested his skills.
Silently, so did she.
The truck was really moving along now. They reached a staggering fifteen miles an hour. At this rate, they might be able to overtake a loaded school bus ...
By tomorrow.
Or at the very least, the day after that.
"... must have been the summer of ... hmm ... let me think a moment. Fifty-three. Yes, that was it. 1953. The year they came out with color teles. It was a good year as I recall. Same year Bill Gates was born."
The look on Jess's and Sasha's faces would have made her laugh if she wasn't every bit as horrified. Oh my God, who put him behind the wheel?
Sasha visibly cringed as he saw how close their pursuers were to their bumper. "Should I get out and push?"
Jess cursed under his breath as he saw them, too. "I'd get out and run at this point. I think you'd go faster."
Choo Co La Tah took their comments in stride. "Now, now, gentlemen. All is well. See, I'm getting better." He finally made a gear without the truck spazzing or the gears grinding.
Abigail cringed as she saw the whites of the eyes of their pursuers. "They're almost at our tailgate."
"Excuse me, darling." Jess slid over her lap to roll down the window.
She started to ask him what he was doing, but before she could, he held his hand out toward Sasha.
"Gun."
Sasha handed it over like a surgical assistant.
Jess leaned against the door with one leg braced over her lap. He pressed his thigh lightly against her stomach as he started shooting at the ones chasing them. The rapid fire rang in her ears as she felt his muscles contracting with each movement. He leaned out further.
Choo Co La Tah snatched the wheel to avoid an abandoned car in the road.
The motion tipped Jess so fast that he lost his balance and fell forward, through the window. Terrified he was about to fall to the street, Abigail wrapped herself around him to hold him in place.
Jess couldn't breathe for a second. He'd bruised the shit out of his ribs when he'd slipped and slammed his side into the door. Not to mention, Abigail had him pinned in a bear hug so tight he was amazed he wasn't turning blue.
But he didn't mind the pain. She felt so good, he was willing to suffer.
Unfortunately, he couldn't shoot this way.
"Sweetie?"
She looked up at him.
"I need my arm back."
Her face turned bright red. "Sorry." She quickly released it, but she kept her arms around his waist, anchoring him to her.
His heart pounded at the sight she made holding on to him to keep him safe. He wanted to kiss her so badly, he could taste her lips.
First, he had to protect her. Returning to his post, he started picking off their pursuers while Choo Co La Tah floored it. They were finally going fast and putting some distance between the truck and their pursuers.