Canary by Tijan

24

Ash

“Mom!” I came inside, the screen door slamming shut behind me. It was hot outside, and sunny.

“What are you doing?” My sister was in the kitchen.

My eyes needed to adjust to the inside. We didn’t open the curtains. Mom never wanted them open. I was heading for the stairs, but Brooke was at the table. She was stirring something, and I wandered over.

“What’s that?” Brooke was eyeing the order sheet.

“The neighbor is selling Girl Scout cookies. I wanted Mom to buy some.” I frowned, glancing up. She’d been spending so much time up there lately.

“She’s in bed.”

“Yeah.” And? When was she not in bed?

Brooke stopped stirring and glared at me. “So when she goes to bed, she doesn’t want any of us to interrupt her. She’s taking ‘Mommy time.’”

Ask my opinion, ‘Mommy time’ was stupid. We didn’t do anything to stress her out. Wasn’t that why most the moms on our block said that? They needed a spa day or a pub day? Their kids were stressing them out? I swear that’s what I always heard.

“What are you doing?” I leaned over, trying to see what she was making.

“Stop it!” She snatched her hand over, pulling the bowl away and to the side. Another glare from her. “I’m experimenting.”

I half laughed at that. “Experimenting? That’s what you said you’d be up for doing with Tommy Riskins last week, too.”

“Shut up! You don’t know anything about that.”

I just rolled my eyes. I did. I knew a whole bunch about that, because Tommy turned around and asked me to experiment with him, too. Said maybe I was the sister who had some ‘experience.’ I told him to eat his own dick.

I asked, “Why are you experimenting?” She was trying to make something for us to eat. I could see that much.

Smelled horrible.

“Because someone has to, or we’ll never eat real food again.”

Oh.

We both got quiet, and as if on command, the floorboard squeaked above us.

Mom was up.

It wouldn’t last.

Alarms split the air,and I jerked awake. I jumped out of bed.

Panting, with a pounding heart, it took a second to orient myself. Everything was going crazy. Red flashes were lighting up the house, and the alarms sounded like we had nuclear bombs incoming. Then my door burst open and a dark figure came in.

Before I could even scream, a hand came over my mouth.

It was Raize.

Only Raize.

Always Raize.

I tried to relax, but the alarms wouldn’t stop. The red light flashed over his face as he moved his mouth to my ear.

“Estrada is coming. Go through to the secret room. Take your gun. Escape.” I felt him push something into my hand. “It’s your phone. Keep it on silent.” He was gone in the next instant, and I felt almost bereft.

But then… Estrada!

My brain clicked on, and I whirled, going for the secret door when I remembered—I needed clothes, shoes, and my gun. Glancing at the phone, I saw it was four in the morning. That asshole. He’d come at this time on purpose, to catch us sleeping.

I heard stampeding footsteps down the hall below. Probably Jake and Cavers running. I heard shouting. I had to go!

Grabbing everything, I pushed through the secret door, shut it, and was in the secret room. I couldn’t run in bare feet. Why hadn’t I gone to sleep with my shoes on? I should’ve learned. I was getting so fucking soft.

Cursing, I pulled shoes on, and then I was running.

I went to the exit and paused.

Four trucks were speeding up the driveway. Men stood on the back of each one, assault rifles slung around their chests.

That was a terrifying sight, and I heard more shouting.

They started pointing. I saw Cavers running across the yard.

I’d already lost precious time. When would I learn?

I took off in the opposite direction. There were some trees I could use for cover, but no—even as I considered that, I knew that’s where they’d go. So I veered a different way, not knowing where I was going, just knowing I needed to go.

I went three more feet before the shooting started.

Bang!

I started to scream, but clamped a hand over my mouth and turned, terrified at what I would see.

I cared. When had I started caring?

I didn’t want them to kill Raize, Jake. Even Cavers. Despite Raize not trusting his boss, Cavers had never done anything except follow orders and cook for us. And Jake. I thought of how he cared for Gus—Gus!

I was hyperventilating now.

Where was Gus? Oh my God. Gus.

I couldn’t—there was more shooting, more shouting.

I waited, but I couldn’t hear any barking.

Where was Gus?

He’d gone to bed with me last night. He slept either at the foot of my bed, or right next to my bed on the floor. He hadn’t been there when the alarms started, but God, where was he?

I turned around before I knew what I was doing.

I was going back for the dog.

So stupid.

Suddenly one of the trucks veered straight for me.

My heart hit my sternum, and I dropped to the ground. It was dark out, so I laid flat, and then I prayed.

The truck went right past me. Gunshots filled the air. A bullet hit the dirt ten feet from me. Jesus. My vision was blurring. I had to calm my thoughts. I had to slow my senses.

This wasn’t the first situation like this that I’d been in. I should’ve been more prepared, more able to think clearly. I ran through the possible consequences.

I was having déjà vu from when I first ran from an armed man, but this situation was on steroids.

I could get shot.

I could get taken.

I could get sold.

I could be tortured.

I could die.

Okay. All those sucked.

God, I was so dumb. So dumb.

The trucks had moved to the other side of the house. I still couldn’t hear Gus barking, but the shots continued like a steady rain.

I hurried to the back of the house and paused, listening.

They were fully engaged on the other side. I didn’t know if anyone was in the house, but I crept up, letting myself in the secret doorway this time. There, a rubbery nose hit me and a tongue. Gus had followed my scent.

He’d found his way into the secret room. I had no clue how. The door was closed… Raize had done that! He’d put him in here for me, or for safe keeping.

I didn’t know why Gus wasn’t barking, but thank God. It might’ve saved his life.

“Okay, buddy—” The floor creaked, just on the other side of the wall.

Someone was in my bedroom.

Gus turned and started growling.

No!

I clamped my hand around his mouth, trying to stop him from making noise.

He shook me off, going to the door and scraping, still growling.

The floor creaked again as the person hurried forward.

They knew we were here, that there was another room.

The person ran. In the hallway, back to my bedroom.

They were looking, trying to find us.

I couldn’t wait any longer.

Grabbing Gus, I pulled him after me, and he ran out when I opened the back exit. He started running, but he waited for me.

A blast of relief made my knees weak. Thank God for small miracles.

I jumped down next to him, and we took off, running in the direction I’d gone before.

More gunfire sounded behind me.

We kept going.

I glanced back a few times, but I couldn’t see the trucks anymore. They’d turned off their lights, and they weren’t driving around. I didn’t know if that was a good sign or not.

Gus sniffed the ground as we went, and I tried not to trip over the bushes and small trees scattered around the land. I tried to stay away from the denser pockets of trees. I assumed that’s where they would look for me.

As we ran, the sounds faded. We went a little farther, and I heard a trickle of the creek. I hit the ground, my lungs burning. Tears had caked my face. Tears and sweat. I could taste the salt. I needed to keep going, but dammit. Dammit!

I didn’t want to lose Raize. In all this madness, he’d become my anchor. I never knew. Without him, I’d have to… I couldn’t think like that. I could try to get to San Antonio, but I had no idea where he’d stashed that bag for me.

I had no idea what to do, and I wasn’t in the clear.

Estrada—if he won, if he was the surviving side back there—he would look for me. That’s how cartels were. You got on their radar, and if you fucked with them, you were dead. No matter what.

Gus started licking my face. I realized I’d started crying all over again.

I looked at Gus, and he moved to clean out my eyes, then my forehead.

I let him.

I was so weak. So tired.

I knew I had fight in me, but for a moment, just a moment, I wanted to stay here.

I wanted to hide.

Gus nudged my shoulder, smelling my hands. He was looking for treats, and I was still clutching my clothes.

Right. My clothes.

I’d been running in my pajamas.

A slightly hysterical laugh came from me—softly, though. Then, as I bent down—bang! A bullet hit the dirt just beyond me. If I hadn’t bent down... Why the fuck was I thinking?!

I ran. But I only took two steps before a pair of arms caught me.

“No!” I screamed.

“We got her, boss. Tell the bastard to stop.” That voice came from the darkness.

I saw two shadows. There were two men, not just the one holding me. Gus gave a primal growl and attacked. He lunged for the guy holding me, and I dropped to the ground immediately as the guy screamed. He hit the ground, and Gus went for his throat.

I heard a gun cock, and I whirled, shooting before I could think.

The other guy was going to kill Gus. I didn’t know where I’d hit him, but I kept shooting until the gun fell from his hand and his body thudded to the ground.

I didn’t look. I didn’t want to see him, so I turned toward where the other guy was lying.

Gus stood over him and growled, right in his face.

The guy was bleeding from his arm and throat, but his eyes were trained on me. He tried lifting his free hand—in submission, I think—but Gus kept him from moving much at all.

This man had tracked me. He’d caught me. He wanted to turn me over to Estrada.

I shivered. I knew the ending of that story.

I would not go back—but dammit, I also knew I couldn’t kill a man in cold blood. That was a line I would never cross. I couldn’t say it enough. Never ever.

He seemed to understand my decision because he fell back in relief, giving up any more fight.

I went over and picked up his gun, and the other gun. I grabbed the radio they’d been using to communicate, and as I dressed in real clothes and not what I’d been sleeping in, I put it in my back pocket. The guy watched me, tracking my every movement. I didn’t care what he’d see. I couldn’t turn my back on him.

When I was finished, I stood. “What’s going on back there?”

“Your boy is killing everyone.”

“What?”

“Your boy. Raize. He’s executing everyone. He’s looking for you.”

That didn’t make sense. “You drove up with four trucks of men. There were four of us against all of you.”

“That didn’t last long. Three minutes in, we were getting picked off one by one. Sniper was set up somewhere. That’s Raize’s calling.”

Raize was a sniper? “Estrada declined the offer?”

“Guessing. We were told to take out the men and grab the girl. I don’t know why Estrada wanted you.”

The head of a cartel wanted to kidnap me? I didn’t like it.

I had to get going. I’d lost too much time talking to him. I wouldn’t kill him, but because I wasn’t seriously stupid, I took aim and shot him in the foot.

“Ahhhh! You bitch!”

The shooting lessons came in handy.

I sheathed the gun and started running. I had a plan in my head by now. I’d go along the road—not on the road, but beside it, and I’d wait for… No. Screw that.

I had my phone! And Raize was still alive.

I checked it, seeing he’d called me. Ten missed calls.

I hit one, calling him back.

He answered at the end of the first ring. “Where are you?”

“Came across the creek. The road isn’t far.”

“Estrada sent men after you.”

“Two are down. Did he send more?”

A pause, then a curse. “He sent them all after you. Two are down?”

“Shot one dead, or I’m assuming. Shot the other one in the foot. Gus took him down.”

“Gus is with you?”

I bit my lip. “Yes.” I couldn’t lie. He already knew.

“You went back for the dog?!”

“Lecture me later, how about?” I snapped.

“That fucking dog is your weakness.”

As if understanding, Gus let out a small growl. I started to laugh, but then saw Gus staring behind us, stalking.

“Someone’s coming.”

“Estrada’s men called in your location. I heard them on the radio. Get to the road. Cavers and Jake are driving, looking for you.”

They’d gotten out. Another miracle.

My throat swelled, and I nodded, then remembered he couldn’t see me. “Got it,” I whispered.

Gus growled again, and he took off into the dark. A second later, more yells sounded.

I ran after him.

I had to save my dog.