by Lari Smythe
* * *
I was waiting when Jason got home from work. My family had gone on ahead to prepare. He skidded to a stop and hopped out of the Jeep.
"Mom's not home," he called toward the creek.
"I know," I said, snuggling up against him.
"I think I should probably take a shower before we go. No need to put your family through any unnecessary torture on my account. Care to join me?"
"Strict boundaries," I reminded him.
"I guess. I did give my word. Does that mean you would have—"
I winked.
"Really—man, I can't believe I almost fell for that again."
I pulled his face down to mine and kissed him. "Go on, take your shower, but make it quick we don't have much time."
"Cold shower," he said, running up the back stairs, wagging his finger at me.
The night was quiet, the air calm, almost eerie. I didn't really like the plan, especially the part that Jason was involved in, but no one else had a better idea. I could have—probably should have—done our part alone, but Jason insisted that he help and Benjamin thought Jason's human element would be enough of a distraction to tip the odds in our favor. I vowed to do everything in my power to protect Jason, no matter what the cost. Honestly though, there was a point where the outcome would even be beyond my control. My family understood, on both counts.
Jason came bounding down the back stairs. "Okay, ready as I'll ever be."
"How's you hand?"
"Just a little stiff, I'll live." That hung in the air for a moment. "We'll be fine."
We climbed in the Jeep and then Jason started the engine.
"Head North on Route 66, they're at a bar on the outskirts of town."
Jason swung around, but as we headed up the driveway an oncoming pair of headlights met us. "Crap," Jason said, "she wasn't supposed to get home this early." He pulled up next to the approaching car. "Hey, Mom."
Jason's mom glanced at the clock on the dash.
"It's the last showing, so we have to hurry. See you later." Without giving his mother a chance to object, Jason pulled away. "Hate doing that, but time's a wasting."
A half an hour later we pulled up in front of a bar on the edge of town. Jason backed up close to the row of motorcycles parked side-by-side across the front of the building.
"Keep the motor running," I said, hopping out onto the gravel parking lot. "I'll just be a minute."
Jason pushed in the clutch and shifted into reverse.
I walked up the steps and then pushed open the door. As soon as I stepped into the bar, there was an obvious hiccup in the atmosphere. "Whose junk is that parked out front? It's blocking the entrance." I didn't really need to say anything; they probably already knew who, or at least what I was.
A large man with a full beard, braided at the tips, started toward me from the bar. "We been lookin' for you."
"Well, I guess it's your lucky day." As soon as he was within reach, I grabbed him by the beard and threw him across the table to my right. Beer and broken pitchers splashed everywhere. The guy to my left, shattered a beer bottle on my shoulder.
"What the f—"
I tossed him into the guys headed my way from the bar. "Time to go." I'd just flopped onto the passenger's seat when the bar doors burst open and half a dozen bikers spilled out onto the sidewalk.
"Where'd she go?" The bearded one yelled, blood oozing out of a cut on his scalp.
"Now, Jason."
Jason let off the clutch and backed into the closest motorcycle. It toppled over starting a chain reaction. One-by-one the bikes crashed to the ground like dominos. The bearded guy roared at the top of his lungs, his face beet red with anger. Jason dropped it into first, rev'd the engine and then dumped the clutch, showering the bikers and their motorcycles with gravel.
I looked back as Jason headed north. Through the mayhem, I could hear the motorcycles start and then begin to run up through the gears.
"They take the bait?" Jason asked.
"You think? Just drive, and forget the speed limit I think those bikes are faster than we thought."
Jason had the gas pedal on the floorboard, but the first bikes were closing.
"How much further?" I yelled over the whining engine.
"About two miles and then we have to make a right."
"Make sure you slow down enough. If we crash it's over."
"I know." Less than a minute later, Jason slammed on the brakes.
The closest two bikes shot past us, not expecting the sudden deceleration. The third, turned sideways, but went down in a shower of sparks, slamming into the rear undercarriage of the Jeep lifting the rear wheels off the pavement. Jason quickly let off the brake, dislodging the bike from the Jeep and enabling him to maintain control.
"Nice," I said.
"I used to play Grand Theft Auto," he replied. "Never thought I'd use it, but hey, not bad.
As Jason started to turn, a gunshot rang out from behind us. The windshield between us shattered, but thanks to the safety glass, remained in place.
"I guess you really pissed them off back there," Jason joked.
I moved closer to Jason so my body would protect him from any more gunfire. "Faster, Jason, faster."
After a quarter of a mile, the paved road surface turned to gravel. Jason didn't have to slow down, but the bikes did, they were highway cruisers, not dirt bikes.
"They still back there? I didn't lose them, did I?"
A much louder gunshot rang out. I felt the pellets as the windshield on the passenger's side exploded.
"Guess that's a yes."
"How much further?" I glanced down at the speedometer. We were going 45 MPH.
"The gate's at the top of the hill," Jason replied. "A few hundred yards after that."
"You're not going fast enough, Benjamin said you had to be going at least 60 MPH."
"I know. It flattens out after the gate."
Another shotgun blast rang out from behind us ripping Jason's rearview mirror off the side of the Jeep.
"I'm going to miss this old Jeep," Jason said, "it's been a part of me, you know the first and all."
We sped through the open gate and the needle on the speedometer began to climb.
"Faster, Jason, it has to be faster!"
"That's all she's got." He looked over and then kissed me on the cheek. "I love you!"
"I love you!" I replied.
The engine suddenly revved up, the bouncing stopped and it was quiet—we were airborne. Jason unlocked his seatbelt and slid out from behind the wheel. I grabbed him with one arm around his waist, and he wrapped his arms around my neck.
"Ready?" The nose of the Jeep began to fall.
He kissed me, and I jumped.
"Ahh!" Jason moaned as I caught the hook from the overhead crane. Our momentum carried us upward in an arc, and then we flopped back down to the bottom. Jason moaned again when the cables snapped tight.
"You okay?"
"Think I cracked a rib," Jason gasped. "Look." Jason pointed behind me.
I turned as motorcycle headlights began plummeting off the lip of the quarry into the pitch-black abyss below. There were small explosions as some of the fuel tanks burst into flames as they hit the bottom. As planned, the huge conveyor on the opposite side of the quarry groaned into action, spewing tons of rubble raining down into the quarry. Tink had been able to get it running. Jason suddenly kissed me on the lips.
"What?" I said.
"I feel like some kind of super hero." He looked down as the last few motorcycles careened of the ledge. "I know, Spiderman!"
"Okay, Spidy, hang on." I scaled the cables and then carried Jason across the top of the crane's boom. Once we were over flat ground again, I hopped down and then set Jason on his feet.
"Maybe not so super." He staggered, catching his breath.
I felt his ribs, but nothing seemed to be broken. "Maybe just bruised."
Benjamin, Elizabeth, Tink, Melanie and Nathan joined u
s.
"I love it when a plan comes together," Jason shouted over the conveyor.
Tink laughed, and soon we were all laughing. The ordeal was over. We were safe and together again. The vampire from Benjamin's paintings never showed, he either suspected our trap, or was not in the area in the first place and while that posed a threat, it would not likely be for some time. At least for now, we were safe.
Jason and I went to the movie theater afterwards. He called the police and reported his Jeep stolen. The police were nice and gave us a ride back to his house.
"Jason!" His mom gasped as she ran out the backdoor toward the police car.
Jason opened the door and stepped out. "It's okay Mom, somebody just stole my Jeep."
"You're hurt." Moms didn't miss much when it came to their children. "Were you in a fight?"
"No, no super hero stuff for me, just came out of the theater and it was gone." He reached in and offered me his hand.
His mom did not seem surprised when I emerged from the police car. Could you blame her? Bad things happened when I was around.
"Could I borrow your car to take Izzy home?"
"Well, we'll be in touch if we locate your vehicle. Just give your insurance company the number on the police report and they should be able to take care of it," the police officer said, and then eased back into his car.
"Thank you, Officer," Jason's mom said.
"And thanks for the lift," Jason added.
"You two take care." The police officer closed the door and backed out of the driveway.
"You must be exhausted after that ordeal."
"No Mom, not really. It was a great vehicle, took me wherever I needed to go and never let me down, right to the end." He gave me a little squeeze.
"You don't sound like you expect the police to find it."
"No, I don't imagine they will. Probably some redneck will turn it into a mud-crawler if it doesn't wind up at the bottom of a pit somewhere."
"Well, I'll go and get the keys. I'm sure Izzy needs to get home to her sister."
"My parents are home, got in last night," I said.
"Oh." His mom sounded a little skeptical, but I think she could tell from my voice that I was telling the truth. "I'm so happy for you, I know you've missed them. So you'll be going back home with them?"
"Not right away—"
"You know the big fire the other night?" Jason interrupted.
"Yes, the news said it was a two alarm blaze and burned a large portion of Lambs Knoll."
"That was my house," I said. "The fire department said it was probably some kind of gas leak."
"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that." She hesitated. "I'm sure we could make room if your family needs a place to stay for a few days." I really had no doubt Mrs. Whitaker meant every word, despite her not so high opinion of me.
"Thank you," I said, "how thoughtful of you, after all I've put you through."
"Nonsense."
"I really appreciate your offer, but we're going to stay at my sisters while we rebuild. Could I ask a favor?"
She looked suspicious, but said, "Certainly."
"My dad has restored several Civil War era homes on the East Coast, and he likes to hire local talent to do the work. He asked me if you would let Jason be the construction foreman for the project. He would have to work some long hours to get started, but it would only be for a few weeks."
"Football starts soon," Jason said.
"I told him that, and Dad said as long as you and he can get the layout and design finished you could do the architectural drawings at home, in your spare time."
"Seriously?" Jason said, "That would be awesome."
"And would look great on your college applications," I added. "Oh, and Dad said for your effort, he'd buy you a new car."
"I don't know what to say," Jason's mom said.
"Jason would probably have to quit his regular job," I said, "but I think it would be worth it, don't you?"
"Say yes, Mom."
"That would be wonderful. Yes, of course I say yes."
"Thanks Mom. I'll go get the keys." Jason ran off into the house.
"Mrs. Whitaker, there's one more thing I want you to know."
"Alright."
"When Jason met my parents, he asked my dad for permission to date me exclusively. My parents agreed, but with strict boundaries. Jason and I both agreed to those boundaries. You don't have to worry, I love your son very much and we're going to be okay."
The End
I want to take this opportunity to thank you for spending your valuable time reading my work. I truly hope you enjoyed Take My Breath Away and will comeback to read Till Death Do Us Part, the next installment in the Southern Exposure Saga. A book review is a great way to let me know if you enjoyed my work.
Thanks again,
Lari
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Coming Fall 2014
Book III
Till Death Do Us Part
Also coming in 2014, Perpetual Motion, a mature rated romance that involves a love triangle and an invention that threatens the global energy empire.
Once set in motion, some things just can't be stopped.