The drive was deafeningly silent. Rick could tell from the air about me that I didn't want to talk and he respected my space. Unlike some... Either way, I was left to my thoughts. I drifted in and out of sleep, the twenty hours feeling like two when I woke up to the familiar city lights in the early morning sky.

I sat up to look around. "How close are we...?" I mumbled.

"About thirty minutes away," Rick said.

I gazed out the window. As predicted, we reached my neighborhood before long. Rick pulled over a few houses away from mine. I went to get out, but he grabbed my shoulder gently to stop me. "Before you go, we need to talk," he said.

I closed my door. "What do you want to talk about?" I asked, fearing I may already know the answer.

"While you were sleeping, I called Rowen," he explained. I let out a frustrated sigh and prepared to leave, but Rick stopped me again. "Let me finish. Rowen told me that you two had a fight. He said you knew about him moving and he made the mistake of trying to deny it."

I scoffed. "'Mistake'..." I mocked.

Rick gave me a look, but continued. "He didn't tell you because he didn't want to put you in danger," he said. "...He didn't want me telling you either, but I feel it's necessary at this point."

I wasn't really interested; Rowen had made it clear he had no intention of being truthful with me. However, I held my tongue and listened.

"Rowen is being hunted," Rick said. "Back when we were in the military together he got into a fight with one of the commanding officers. He was supposed to be thrown into solitary when the fight got out of hand, but he escaped, killing several officers in the process."

"What does that have to do with him moving?" I asked.

"While he was hiding out from the government, he came across a family who lived on a small farm away from the city he was stationed near. When the father realized Rowen was a deserter, he informed the police." Rick looked nervous telling me. "When they arrived, the man's family was caught in the crossfire; they were killed. Rowen made it out safely, but the man has been hunting him ever since. Something in him... snapped that day. Ever since the death of his family, he's been hiring himself out as a mercenary. He has access to certain officials that keep him informed of Rowen's movements. I have been helping Rowen get away for a while now, but every time this psycho finds him, he's had to move."

I tried to take the story in stride, but it was difficult. It was a miracle Rowen had been able to run for so long. I couldn't even begin to imagine the mental trauma a past like that could inflict.

"I've had news come in telling me this guy is getting close again. Rowen didn't want to drag you into this mess, so he wasn't going to tell you," Rick said. "Don't be angry with him over this. You have to understand, he was only trying to keep you safe."

I mulled this over in my head, letting the information sink in. Finally, I said, "I do understand, but I'm not a child. It makes things worse when he hides things from me. Lies don't protect me."

"I know," Rick agreed. "But Rowen has his own way of doing things. Always has. Just remember that he only does what he does because he cares."

Though I outwardly doubted that fact, I knew deep down he was right. Rowen did care, and it showed in times like these. With a nod, I stepped out of the car. Rick rolled down the window to send me an encouraging smile. "Honestly, kid, you're the best thing that's ever happened to him. I'll make sure he calls you every now and then, alright?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, fine," I said. "Get out of here before my mom sees you."

He waved as he rolled up the window and drove off down the street. I walked the rest of the way home. My parents weren't there, so I dropped my things in my closet and decided to take a walk. I'd call them later. For the time being, I needed to clear my head. 

As I took in the familiar scents and scenery of my neighborhood, I relaxed. It felt good to be home. I wanted to bike over to Zane's place today, but I knew I should wait until tomorrow. I needed to see my parents first, and I was too exhausted anyway. They'd be home in a bit and I would call Zane after we reunited.

I rounded the corner to the park and sat in one of the swings. I gazed out at everything, and a sense of relief fell over me. Only a year or so before, I had been watching on the news as my friend's face was reported as missing. The neighborhood had seemed like a dangerous place for a while, but now it felt like safe haven again. I was glad all of that was over and done with.

Sitting there, I took the time to look at all the things I had ignored before. The bushes were green and lush, the houses were all lined in neat rows of abstract suburbia, and each driveway had at least one parked car. I watched a black truck pass by and stop in front of a nearby house. The driver didn't get out though. They were looking at their phone. Besides that, however, there was nothing else around. Just familiar sounds and the wind.

After a while, having had my fill of relaxation, I stood up. It was time to head home. As I was walking, I heard the previously dormant truck start up and drive behind me. I didn't turn around, expecting them to pass by, but I soon realized they had no intention of doing so. I slowed and glanced back, a chill running down my spine when I saw the driver was staring at me through the tinted windows of his vehicle. A feeling of unease seeped through me and I started looking for anyone nearby who I could run to, but there was no one in sight. I had a bad feeling about this.

I quickened my steps, praying it was all just my imagination as I dug in my pocket for my phone. However, when I pulled it out, my heart began to drum in my ears. My phone was dead. I hadn't needed it at the cabin, so I had neglected to charge it. My walk quickly turned into a run as I heard his engine at my heels. I neared my street corner and raced towards my house. The truck was driving right behind me. In my haste, I tripped and fell forward, barely breaking my fall with my hands. As I looked at my scraped palms, the truck stopped and I heard the door open. I scrambled to my feet, but I wasn't fast enough. A hand covered my mouth at the same time as an arm wrapped around my stomach. I tried to scream, but it came out muffled through the cloth of the man's glove. I kicked my legs and struggle to get free, but I was dragged towards the back of the truck.

The man opened the back and threw me against the pick-up, crushing me between his weight and the truck. I looked for anyone nearby that I could scream for, but the man seemed to sense my thoughts. He shoved me into the pick-up and pinned me down. He covered my mouth to keep me quiet while he grabbed something from behind me. The fight went out of me when he raised a sledgehammer high above us. He brought it down hard, and as metal came in contact with my head, I blacked out.

*******

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