Standing, Jon kept his eyes on the house. And with a clearer view, he saw two people running toward it. He squinted his eyes to see a man alongside a woman in a blue plaid shirt and with a blonde ponytail. He could tell from the way she moved who it was.
Brooke.
And she was heading into Judah’s house.
36
Jon ran.
He fought against the pain in his legs and in his body and fucking ran.
Chaos reigned around him, but Jon ignored it. He knew Judah was in that house, and watching Brooke enter it had made his heart drop. Nothing else mattered but getting to her.
He almost didn’t notice the Vulture jump out from his right. The man came screaming toward him with an ax reared back, and he swung it at Jon’s head. Jon ducked at the last moment, ignoring the blow and sending the man into a spin. Aiming the pistol, Jon put a bullet into the back of the guy’s head as he spun once more and then hit the concrete face-first. It had happened so fast that it was almost as if it hadn’t happened at all. Jon only cared about getting to the house.
Jon had gotten to within fifteen yards of the front porch steps when Bill, the man who had initially captured Jon at the front gate, came out from behind a tree, aiming a shotgun at Jon. Jon raised the pistol.
“You move another inch and I swear to fuck I’ll blow you away,” Bill said.
Jon stopped moving, keeping the gun aimed at Bill.
“I knew we should have just killed you when you got here,” Bill said. “But Judah wanted to play games. He wanted to break you. All the work I did was for nothing.”
“You mean all the work you did by just so happening to be the guard at the gate when I decided to come and turn myself in?”
Bill pumped the shotgun. “You shut the fuck up!”
Jon licked his lips. He could take the shot. Rarely did he miss. But if he did, he’d probably be dead. He wouldn’t be able to get off another shot before the Vulture pulled the trigger on the shotgun, which wouldn’t miss its target.
“Now, we’re going to walk into the house, and I’m going to kill you in front of Judah,” Bill said. “So, bring your sorry ass over here n—”
A bang echoed, and blood shot from Bill’s ear. He hit the ground and Jon looked up to see Hugo up against the house and clutching his shoulder where a knife protruded from the right side of his chest. He held a pistol in one hand, and moved his other to the knife. Jon hurried over to him, and was just able to catch him as he slid down the house and onto the ground.
“Shit, we’ve got to stop this bleeding,” Jon said.
“No!” Hugo demanded. “Get inside of that house. Mouse and Brooke are in there.”
“I know, but—”
“But nothing. I’ll be fine.” Hugo gestured toward Bill’s dead body. “That asshole didn’t know which side of my chest my heart is on.” He laughed, then coughed. “They can’t keep me down, amigo.”
Jon didn’t laugh. He put his arm around Hugo and helped him over to the tree, sitting him down on the other side of it.
“Stay here and out of sight,” Jon said. “I’ll come back for you.”
“I’ll be fine. Help Brooke and Mouse.”
Jon didn’t hesitate. He hurried up the stairs and opened the front door of Judah’s house.
The morning’s sun poured into the living room through the windows. Even so, around a dozen candles gave the space more light. Jon saw the glare of the candles on the walls in the foyer, coming from the living room. He heard someone crying from in there.
“You killed him!” Brooke said.
“Yeah, and you’ll be next if you don’t listen and do what I say,” Judah’s familiar voice threatened.
When he came around the corner and into the living room, Jon saw a pair of legs hanging out from behind the sofa. He recognized the boots on the feet. They belonged to Mouse.
Brooke stood in the center of the living room with her back to him. She’d raised her hands in the air and was facing Judah.
Jon raised his gun to aim at Judah, but the cult leader saw him and grabbed Brooke’s arm, pulling her toward him. Brooke cried out as Judah held her as a shield, a pistol pressed against her temple.
“Don’t you take another step,” Judah said as Jon arrived a little more than a car length from him.
“Jon,” Brooke said, tears in her eyes as she looked at him.
Judah grinned. “Jon? So, that’s your name. Quite disappointing, actually. I was expecting something more spectacular to live up to your Savage moniker.”
“Let her go,” Jon demanded. “This is between you and me.”
“Oh, and that’s where you’re wrong, Jon. Have a look outside. These folks have clearly crossed the line. They’ve broken the trust between us, see?”
“Fuck your idea of trust,” Brooke said through a choked breath.
“Brooke, be quiet!” Jon said. “You can let her go. It’s me that you want.”
“But what fun would that be? She’s the one, isn’t she, Jon? The new love of your life, your fresh squeeze? It’s interesting how one can get over the dead so fast when you find a pretty thing like this.” Judah ran the barrel of the gun over Brooke’s cheek, much like a lover would stroke it. Brooke shuddered, her lips trembling.
“Stop it!” Jon said, showing a rare fit of verbal anger and emotion.
“If you want me to stop anything, then you’re gonna have to start by putting that gun down.”
Jon contemplated it. Judah had shown himself to be ruthless. He knew that the cult leader would not hesitate to shoot Brooke if he didn’t obey, but what
