“What are you doing?” asks Whitney to Matt.
Matt stands up and answers, “I was taking cover because the last time you snuck back in here you put a gun to my head.”
“Why didn’t you answer me over the radio?” asks Whitney to Mike with a pissed off tone.
“This is why?” answers Mike and Mike shows Whitney what is on his computer screen.
Whitney looks at Mike’s computer screen and she sees three live video feeds and three different groups of prisoners on the video feeds.
“What am I looking at?” asks Whitney.
“It’s the neighborhood you’ve been cutting through to get to the park. There are criminals in there now,” answers Mike.
Matt looks at me and I say, “We need to get back home and let everyone know that the prisoners are getting closer to our community.”
Whitney continues to look at the screens on Mike’s monitor and she feels a couple of different things. She asks Mike, “That’s the neighborhood by Lake Tampa?”
“Yeah, the big neighborhood,” answers Mike.
“We have to get back, but you are more than welcome to stay in our community,” I say to Mike and Whitney.
Mike looks at Whitney for the answer and Whitney replies, “Thank you, but we’ll be fine here.”
“Are you sure?” asks Matt.
I see that Mike doesn’t feel safe, but he wants Whitney to make the decision for them.
“We are staying here, but thanks though,” says Whitney.
“If you change your mind, we are in Citrus Oaks and it’s pretty close to here,” I say to Whitney.
I can see that Whitney doesn’t want our help, and I recognize that she may not feel comfortable with accepting help from other people.
“The offer still stands, and accepting help from others is not a sign of weakness,” I say to Whitney.
Whitney looks at me, but doesn’t reply.
Matt and I say goodbye to Mike and Whitney and Matt says to Mike, “If you hear anything about people named DK or Jacob, or the Conquerors, or the prisoners please let us know.”
“I will,” replies Mike.
“You know how to reach us?” I ask Mike.
Mike smiles and answers, “I know how to reach you.”
Matt and I exit from Whitney and Mike’s orange house and we walk towards Matt’s electric car.
“You think they will end up coming to our neighborhood?” asks Matt to me as I open Matt’s electric car passenger door.
“I don’t know, but all we can do is offer. I just hope they are safe,” I answer Matt and then Matt and I get into Matt’s electric car and Matt starts up his electric car.
As Matt drives away from Whitney and Mike’s orange house, I see the house where I killed Chris. I remember that day and the whole interaction that I had with Chris.
I remember finding Chris in bed, talking with him, and feeling so angry for what he did to my father. Just the thought of Chris makes me feel that same anger again. I wish I could have made him feel the pain that he caused me.
Matt notices that something is bothering me, and he asks, “You okay Ry?”
I take a couple deep breaths in and out through my nose, I calm down slightly, and I answer Matt, “Yeah, just seeing the house where we found Chris got me mad.”
“I bet, it has to be tough to see things that remind you of bad times,” says Matt.
An overwhelming feeling of the need to let the anger go comes over me, and I’m not sure if the feeling came from me or someone or something outside of me.
“Yeah, it’s tough at times,” I reply.
Matt drives by the house, where I killed Chris, and I think about who Whitney might have seen going in the house and what happened to Chris’ body. I think to myself, “Chris’ mom and girlfriend had to be the ones checking on him. Did they bury his body, or is his body still on that bed decomposing?”
“You think those prisoners will come around CO?” asks Matt as he exits Whitney and Mike’s neighborhood and turns left.
“We have to plan like they will and be ready for them,” I answer Matt.
“Wasn’t JJ taking a group to check out the homes outside of CO?” asks Matt.
I start to get concerned for the safety of Jaws Junior and the group that went out with him.
“Yeah, let’s get back and tell everyone what we found out and what we need to do,” I answer Matt as Matt speeds down the street and drives towards Citrus Oaks.
CHAPTER 9
WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
“Where is Jaws Junior?” I ask Brody as Matt enters Citrus Oaks and parks his electric car at our main entrance.
“I don’t know, but he’s been gone with a group for some time now,” answers Brody.
“Who went with him?” I ask Brody.
“A couple guards, but I’m not sure,” answers Brody.
“What do you know?” asks Matt with a joking tone.
Brody looks at Matt, but doesn’t answer.
“Are Phil and Jon here?” I ask Brody.
“I…,” answers Brody.
“Yeah, we know, you don’t know,” I interrupt.
“What’s going on? Is there a problem?” asks Brody.
“Escaped prisoners could be around our neighborhood,” I answer Brody.
Brody asks, “What should we do?”
“Just secure this place with extra guards at both entrances and be on the lookout for anything unusual or anyone that we don’t know,” answers Matt.
“Okay, I will get right on it,” replies Brody and then Brody calls for his guards who are around Citrus Oaks and guarding our West entrance.
Matt and I get back into his electric car and Matt asks, “What should we do now?”
“Let’s get a hold of Phil and Jon,” I answer Matt.
