Total pages in book: 159
Estimated words: 149301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
Phoenix chuckled. “Well, most folks would say, ‘Fuck you, then’ for this favor you’re askin’, but lucky for you, I remember exactly what you showed me, and I know what the hell I’m doing. What’s next?”
“I want you then to go to Box T-3 from that path. It’ll be to your right, and only twenty feet away. Go down there and it’ll run you the full length, all the way to the highway, just like I told you. We have two options. The first one is, I’ll meet you at the exit of Box T-3, in your truck, and we can switch places. Wait for me. If I don’t show up when I tell you that I am, go on and take her home. Or, I may call you to tell you to take her home anyway. It depends on how much time I have, and what’s goin’ on. Trust your instincts. Now, do you remember where Box T-3 is?”
“Yeah. Our recent little meeting, it seems, turned out to be more necessary than I originally thought.”
“Yeah, seems that way. Are you packin’?”
“Always.”
“What do you have on you?”
“Two hunting knives, a 9mm, a 308 rifle in the cab, and a 12 gauge shotgun.”
“Fully loaded?”
“To the mothafuckin’ max.”
“Good. There’s more shit in the box should you need it. I’ll be in touch. Deuces.” Kage ended the call and looked into the doorway. There Poet stood, her face red, her eyes angry—yet her soul was troubled. He could feel it. She didn’t say a word as she crossed the room, pulled open a drawer, and slipped into her jeans, then put on her sneakers.
“How much did you hear?”
“…Enough.”
“Poet, I can explain this to you later.”
She raised her hand, not even bothering to look at him, as if she didn’t wish to talk. She moved about with purpose, but the hurt was all over her face when she finally did shoot him a glance. He grabbed her in his arms and hugged her tight.
“Let me go!”
“Please believe me. I’m telling you the truth! I’m not into any strange shit, or anything like that! This isn’t some drug deal gone wrong, or a gambling problem that went bust. I’m on the up and up! I am dealin’ with something that you just can’t fully understand. My grandfather is somehow behind this, whatever this is, and I have to handle it! I can’t have you here when this goes down! As soon as I can get him off my back, this will be resolved. Forever. I’m not going to let anything come between us. I refuse to lose you! Do you understand me?” Releasing her, he grabbed a gun from above the bedroom door, then handed it to her. She looked at it, then she calmly took it from him.
She lowered her head, then when she looked back at him, her eyes were filled with icy fear, mixed with fiery rage. She turned to leave, but he grabbed her once more and kissed her. She clawed at his chest, but he kept kissing her until she relaxed in his arms. Limp, like dying rose petals.
“I promise you’ll be fine, Poet, and so will I, but only if you do what I say right now. Just trust me. What I’ve said that I was going to do when it came to us, I did it! I’ve been honest with you about everything, too. Can you please just give me some gotdamn grace?! I am beggin’ you to believe in me! Can you do that?”
She hesitated, then nodded.
“Good. Go downstairs and wait by the side door off the kitchen. When you see a motorcycle pull up, that’s Phoenix. He has long black hair and a beard. Go out, get on the bike with him. He knows what to do.”
She nodded, began walking away, then looked over her shoulder once more at him before rushing down the steps.
Once she was gone, he quickly dressed, then frantically grabbed his phone and a flashlight. While making a mad dash down the steps, he shoved two more guns in his jacket. He walked past the kitchen where she stood, and made his way into his workroom. Then, he turned on all the large computer monitors, extra motion detectors, and began pulling levers and pushing buttons to put his land arsenal in active stage. The microelectronic snares, the grass zappers, and so much more. Now, all circuits were on. He grabbed a few more goodies for his new visitors, and then his favorite hunting knife, slipping it into his boot. In moments, he heard the motion detectors going crazy…
Then the roar of a motorcycle.
Phoenix.
In the distance, his kitchen door slammed. His phone vibrated. His heart raced and his adrenaline rushed as he pulled it from his pocket and read the message from his cousin.