Secret Keepers: The Complete Series

by Jaymin Eve

  “I think I know where we are,” I added, recognizing a little vintage store that I loved to visit. They got in all the best vinyl records, plus an eclectic mix of bags and boots.

  Unable to stop myself, I glanced back, and I almost gasped at how close the men were. The only reason they hadn’t caught up to us yet was because we’d had the head start. But we’d lost almost all that advantage now.

  And we were outnumbered. I could see at least five of them … and it looked like they were holding guns.

  “Holy fuck. We’re going to die. I’m so sorry, Brad. I didn’t mean to get you killed.”

  He let out a low laugh, and I could have punched him in the face for being so casual. “We’re not going to die. I won’t let that happen.”

  Awesome sentiment, but the odds were stacked against us. Still … I liked optimism. “We might have a chance,” I decided, my breathing growing more labored now, “if we can make it to the street. Even at this time, there will be people around. And taxis.”

  It was only another half a block to the well-lit main street and there were still about twenty feet between us and the assholes … so there was a chance. As I had that thought, three shadows burst out of a side alley and blocked the path. I stumbled, trying to skid to a halt. Brad grabbed my arm at the last moment to stop me from face-planting.

  The other five slowed, while still closing in on us. We were trapped between them. The street was not narrow, but there was no way we could get around them surrounded like this.

  “What do you want?” I yelled, trying to buy some time. We needed to come up with a plan. I could not let myself get taken. My father’s voice was still ringing in my head. His warnings.

  “Our boss needs a word with you,” one of them said. “If you come along without fuss, you will not be hurt.”

  Yeah, sure.

  “My friend goes free?” I asked, deciding on the spot that it wasn’t worth both of us dying. I would do whatever I could to protect Brad, even if the thought of being dragged off by these men had my insides twisting like crazy.

  “Yes…” This came from a different thug. It was almost impossible in this low light to differentiate any of their features, so he could be thug number four.

  “Not going to happen, Maiz,” Brad bit out. “If you think for one second I’m letting you go alone, you’re insane.”

  “No point in us both dying,” I murmured. “Plus … they need me for something – you’re expendable. It’s better if you get out of here. Tell someone what happened to me. Find my parents.”

  He shook his head and stepped closer, one hand wrapping around my wrist to prevent me from running off. “Never.”

  That was the final word from him; he was as stubborn and unmovable as a bull when he set his mind to something. The men moved closer; we had only seconds to decide what to do. “Don’t fight them,” I whispered. “There are too many and they have guns.”

  Brad didn’t answer me, which generally meant he was going to ignore my plan completely. With not much left to lose, I opened my mouth and started to scream for help. The main street was close by. Maybe someone would hear me…

  The eight continued closing in on us, uncaring that I was screaming. Despite my words not to fight, I brought both hands up closer to my face and clenched them into fists. I couldn’t just go quietly; I wasn’t raised that way. I screamed again, shouting for help, but there was no one coming to our rescue.

  The man closest to me was not that tall, but he was very wide. Broad shoulders, a little bit of extra fat on him, but it was clear there were a lot of muscles under that layer. “Shut up,” he growled. “I’m not supposed to kill you, but there is a lot of pain between healthy and dead. Don’t push me.”

  I swung both of my fists around and flipped him off. “Kiss my ass, asshole,” I spat out.

  Shut up, Maya.

  My mom hated me swearing; my father had no issue. So I had a weird tendency where I mostly didn’t swear, but when I was freaked or stressed the worst kind of cursing known to pirate and Texan would fall from my lips.

  He lurched forward, arms outstretched. Instinct kicked in and I swung my fist toward his brick-like head, but just as I was about to connect, he made a weird grunting sound and was jerked backwards, away from me. I blinked a few times, wondering what had just happened. It hadn’t been my punch, because it didn’t actually land. Had one of his friends pulled him back? Were they fighting over who was first to grab me?

  “You okay?” Brad asked, his back pressed against mine.

  “Yeah,” I nodded. “Something weird is happening, but they’re backing up.”

  The remaining men were looking between themselves, trying to figure out what happened to their friend. After a moment, one of the others let out some very inventive swears of his own, before he came toward me. “Stupid bitch, what did you do to Leroy?”

  I held both hands up on either side of me, palms up. Whatever happened to Leroy, it had nothing to do with me. Or apparently the other four confused kidnappers standing before me. Thug number one reached for me, and just as I braced, he was swept away, quick as a flash. I didn’t see anyone behind him. There had been no clear sign of what happened. Just one moment there and the next gone.

  The remaining three on my side looked nervous, and when Brad turned around, I realized there were none left on his side. “What is happening?” I asked, reaching out for his hand. I needed something to hold onto.

  “I have no idea,” he said, not sounding very happy about it. “Before I could even land a hit, they just disappeared.”

  Despite this, the final three did not give up. They each came for us, and each time they were gone in the same instant. I took a step down the alley, back the way we’d originally run, trying to see in the dark. All of a sudden, my stomach did a twirl, and as I pressed my palms to it, I recognized the sensation. I’d felt it only a few hours ago at Mitchell’s party from that guy leaning against the wall, the guy who seemed to have created a plethora of emotions inside of me from across the room of a crowded party.

  Was he here somewhere? In the darkness?

  “Thank you,” I called out, not sure where that came from, but needing to say it all the same.

  Brad was confused. “Who are you thanking?” he asked, pulling me back toward the main street.

  Not wanting to leave, but knowing I had no choice, I reluctantly followed. “I have no idea,” I told him. “But I think we might have a guardian angel.”

  Brad didn’t ask anything else, his focus now on hustling me toward the street, his face tense and stressed. That expression reminded me that we’d almost been kidnapped. Which was completely insane, and yet, I still couldn’t stop thinking about the guy from the party. Was it even possible to have chemistry that strong? Strong enough to feel in the dark, even though I could not see him to confirm he was even there.

  Maybe stress was finally causing me to lose my mind. That’d make just as much sense.

  When we reached the main street I hailed the first cab we found. Normally Uber would be the way, but since our phones were dust, this was where we were at. “Where to?” the driver asked when we were both in the back seat.

  “Washington, D.C.,” I told him, trying to keep the urgency from my voice. “Will the train still be running at this time?”

  According to his front console it was 1:36 A.M. How could so much have happened in forty minutes?

  “Nope, last train left just before.”

  Dammit. “Can you take us?” I asked, one of my legs jittering with impatience. I really just wanted him to move it.

  There was a beat of silence. “Well, sure, I can take you, but the round trip for me will be quite expensive.”

  I didn’t even hesitate, pulling out the wads of cash from my bag. “Here you go. I’m sure this will cover it.”

  The driver looked down, his eyes widened, and he immediately pulled out onto the road. I felt somewhat better now that we were moving, relaxing just a touch.

  “
Where to in Washington?” he asked, maneuvering through an intersection.

  I opened my mouth to reply, but then decided I would take the “trust no one” thing seriously. “I’ll let you know when we’re closer. Just head into the main downtown part.”

  He nodded and then fell silent. I dropped back against Brad, who hadn’t said anything since we got in the car. Stretching out my aching feet, I tried not to think too much about what we’d just gone through. Two hours ago, I’d been a normal teenager at a party. Now I was on the run, I had no idea where my parents were, and part of me was wishing I was back in the alley. The feeling in my chest and stomach was gone now, the rushing of hormones through my body fading.

  I wanted it back.

  The ride was fast and quiet. I was a combination of exhausted and freaked out, but there was no way I’d even close my eyes until I found my parents. What if I fell asleep and the driver was somehow a bad guy too, and decided to drive us to some remote location and knock us off?

  Trust. No. One.

  Brad and I didn’t talk, both of us locked in our own thoughts. I mostly spent my time trying not to freak out further. Not knowing if my parents were safe was the hardest part. What if they had run into the same trouble I had? What would I do if I got to the National Mall and they weren’t there?

  Before I could descend all the way into the depths of madness, familiar sights distracted me. Washington, D.C. The driver swiveled to see us. “So … have you decided where you’d like to be dropped off?”

  Leaning forward, I nodded. “Yes, as close to the White House as you can get.” I wasn’t sure about security at this time of night. I figured he might be able to drop us within a few blocks. Brad gave me a look but didn’t say anything.

  “No worries.” The driver glanced back again, and it looked like he wanted to ask more questions but refrained. No doubt he was wondering why two teenagers were trying to go to the White House at almost 2 A.M. In the end though, he stayed quiet as he drove on.

  When he pulled up I could just see a few buildings and a lot of trees. I didn’t know the area, but as soon as we were out, the taxi driving away, Brad said, “I’ve been here a few times to visit my parents. The Mall is just over there.” He pointed.

  The street was quiet. I couldn’t see another person around, which made me uneasy. “Do payphones still exist?” I asked as we walked. I was trying to come up with a backup plan if my parents were not waiting for me. “Can they be traced … payphones?”

  Brad shot me a sad attempt at a grin, the first I’d seen from him in a while. “In the movies they can. I have no idea if that’s real life, though.”

  Hopefully I wouldn’t have to risk it. Maybe I’d get my second stroke of luck tonight, if you counted the stranger in the alley as the first, and we’d find my parents waiting exactly where my dad said. It was plausible, right?

  Brad took my hand as we walked along the street. If we had to speak, we kept our voices just above a whisper so we didn’t draw attention to ourselves. Brad remained quite short with me, saying only what he had to, and I knew him well enough to know when he was angry. Or upset.

  “What’s wrong?” I finally asked after the tenth one-word answer.

  His hand flexed on mine for a beat, and then he said, “You were going to sacrifice yourself for me. I’m not okay with that. You were almost taken right out from under me. I should be able to protect you.”

  Snuggling in closer to him, I snaked one arm around his back, mostly for comfort, and a little for warmth, because I was absolutely freezing. “You’re my best friend,” I told him. “My family. It’s my job to protect you as well. The truth is, they wanted me. There was no point in you dying, too.”

  He made a sound, part devastation and part anger, and it had my heart clenching painfully. “We’re a team, Maiz. You and me. If there is no you, then what the hell is the point of me?”

  Everyone expected that Brad and I would get together one day, that we couldn’t be this close without romantic feelings coming into it, but they were all wrong. We were family: brother and sister, best friends, a team. But there was never, and would never, be anything romantic. Even if I’d wanted that from him – which I definitely did not, I’d seen him through every single disgusting stage of his life – I would never risk what we had.

  “You’re my people,” he said to me.

  “The one I’d call to help me hide a dead body,” I finished, sucking some deep breaths, the freezing air chilling my mouth and throat. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have tried to leave you behind.”

  “Damn right,” he exclaimed, hugging me tightly. He wore only a shirt, but he at least had pants on so his butt wasn’t freezing. Still, if we didn’t get out of the cold soon, both of us were going to be in trouble.

  Thankfully, we were in the Mall now. I’d never been here at night, and as darkness closed in around us, I realized how super creepy it was. There were a few people around, but not many. I’d never seen White House security out this far in the daytime. I was half expecting at night there would be some, but so far it looked clear.

  “The Lincoln Memorial, right?” Brad murmured close to my ear.

  I twisted my head to see him better, shooting a smile in his direction. “How did you figure that out?”

  He shrugged. “I know you and your family pretty well by now, Maya. You mentioned the trip to the memorial multiple times. I saw the way your eyes lit up when you talked about that time with your dad.”

  I nodded. “It’s our special spot. He’s a little obsessed with history … especially the presidents. He used to take me here all the time when we were kids, tell me that I needed to learn and love our history.”

  “It’s kind of spooky here at night.” Brad shook his shoulders like he was preparing for battle. “Feels like we’re about to star in a thriller movie.”

  My fists clenched tightly. “I really hope not.”

  We fell silent, moving in the shadows – which there were a lot of – creeping our way closer to the monument. My father would be around the outside somewhere I expected. Even though the memorial was open 24/7, he would not wait in an obvious place.

  I wondered where my mom was. I really couldn’t picture her slinking in the darkness like this. She was very proper and formal ninety percent of the time, so she was probably holed up somewhere. Hopefully in a safe house.

  Brad grabbed my icy hand and I almost moaned at the warm relief his palm provided. His other hand went across my mouth then, silencing me as he yanked me behind a large bush. I had no idea what he was doing, until a small group of men strolled past our spot. None of them looked in our direction, and when they were gone we hurried off again. I picked up the pace, paying better attention this time.

  No one crossed our path again before we reached the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Staying in shadow as much as possible, we crept up the first flight of stairs, darting in toward some nearby bushes. When no one jumped out and there was no obvious sign of any other people around, we moved toward the next flight. The lights shining in and around the memorial were almost scary after so much darkness. I liked being hidden away in the shadows.

  Brad leaned his head right down near my ear. “Someone is in the bushes over there,” he breathed.

  I followed his line of sight, and it took me a few moments, but I finally made out the shape of a person. I really didn’t want to go over there, especially since I would have to expose myself in the light to get there, but there was no other choice. No way would I find my dad if both of us continued to hide in the shadows.

  Taking a deep breath, my hand still firmly held in Brad’s, I pulled him along as I moved toward the man-shaped shadow. My heart was pounding so hard I almost couldn’t breathe over the clenching of my chest and stomach. When I hit the light, I expected my father would step out of his hiding place, but the shadow didn’t move.

  “Something isn’t right,” I whispered, pulling Brad to a stop.

  From this angle I could see that the hum
an shadow was just part of the tree and building, which was nothing to be alarmed about, and yet the feeling that something was “wrong” still wouldn’t leave me. Maybe my nerves were frayed and I had reached the end of my ability to handle this cloak and dagger routine.

  “Let’s keep moving.” Brad tugged on my hand, reminding me we were standing very exposed out in the open.

  Trying to breathe through my fear, I allowed him to pull me off to the side. Once the darkness wrapped around me again, some of my panic eased and I was able to think. Where would he be waiting? There had to be a specific spot that he thought I’d know. Where did we go last time we were here?

  I was trying to remember, but either the situation was too tense for deep thought, or I’d forgotten whatever small detail my dad thought I’d know. The last time we’d just sat on the steps and talked for ages about all the history here.

  “Didn’t you get lost in this building as a child?” Brad asked, leaning back against the wall. “Your dad tells that story all the time. He loves it. Where did he find you?”

  I straightened. “Yes.” I nodded. “That’s his favorite story because he found me sleeping at the feet of the statue. I crawled over the barrier and was kind of hidden out of sight. Do you think he might be waiting for us there?”

  Brad darted his head left and right, looking around. “Coast looks clear. Let’s check inside.”

  He took off and I was right on his heels, past the pillars and into the white hall. There were low lights scattered around, and no sign of any other people. I moved without pause toward the huge statue

  Disappointment hit me hard when there was no sign of my father. He was too large to hide like I had, and I fought against the pressure in my throat threatening to burst free. If I started to cry now, I would not stop for a week. I was a loud, ugly crier, which was definitely not the way for us to stay under the radar. I needed to keep it together. At least for now.

  “He’s not here,” I said, my voice thick.

  Brad stepped around the side of the barrier, looking all the way to the back of the statue. Everything was very white in here, so I paused when a splash of red caught my eye. For a second I thought it was blood, and I almost died right then, freaking out that my father had been here and was hurt.