2
D arkness and panic aren’t good friends at all. The unseen men and women inside the limousine are screaming and the smell of blood is making me nauseated. I have no idea what’s happening. I can only see outside the limo, but not inside. I’m not really sure how this is possible, but I am not going to argue with death knocking at the door right now.
“We’re about to fall off the cliff,” the woman screams in the dark.
“No shit,” I mumble, surprised with her lack of grit when she is working for the darkest organization on earth. “Hey, driver! Unlock the doors.”
“I think he is dead, and the car has security locks to keep you inside,” the woman says. “Those were Mr. Jay’s orders since he suspected this would happen.”
“You think I did this?” I snap but try not to move as the car begins to ease over the gravel underneath, skewing toward the cliff. “I just met you on the street. No one knows I am meeting Mr. Jay.”
“How about the Pillar?” The woman grunts.
The suggestion makes me feel better. Who knew? Now that she mentioned the Pillar may have caused the accident, I find myself feeling better.
“But don’t think we’ll let him save you,” she says. “The limo has an emergency system. Reds are on their way. They should be here before your stupid caterpillar comes.”
The car takes another heavy jolt and the others in the limo panic again. I don’t. I try to see if I can kick the glass open without affecting the car’s balance. I am not going to die in Black Chess’s limo.
And even if it’s the Pillar who planned the accident, I am not going to wait for him to save me.
“Shut up!” I tell the others, carefully crawling toward the window.
The car seems stable, so I get closer, now thinking of what to break the window with.
Peeking outside, I can’t locate where we are. There is a river below the cliff, but it’s unrecognizable to me.
A sudden bang freezes me in place. However, the car isn’t moving. Then I hear a couple of footsteps on the roof.
“It’s him,” the woman says. “The Pillar!” She grabs me by the neck, trying to choke me. “I won’t let him have you.”
I struggle, fighting her while the car bounces in every direction. “Stop it or we’ll die.” I elbow her in the face and hear her scream.
The car’s window suddenly breaks, its shattered glass splinters inward, and I have to shield my face with my hands.
“Damn you, Pillar!” the woman shouts.
A smile forms on my face when I glimpse the Pillar’s shadowy hand stretching toward me.
I stretch mine back, but when I do, I am shocked to find it’s not the Pillar. In fact, it’s a Red.
The woman laughs behind me. “Told you my men will get you first.”