Chapter 44

Megan was reluctant to join the others after Jordan's comment, but Cameron managed to convince her. They approached the kitchen and saw Jordan on the couch watching the news. Megan glared at him on the way by as Jordan made childish gestures.

"The food was gonna get cold if you lingered any longer." Henry was refilling his coffee.

"While you're eating consider your new style." Kinsey gestured at the hairy dye and scissors.

"My hair already changes colors," Cameron stated.

"You can still style it differently," Megan replied.

"Have you tried brushing it back instead of the whole shaggy vibe?" May suggested.

Megan discreetly raised her thumb towards May in approval. Cameron caught her in the act, but she stretched trying to behave casually. After being confronted Megan became flustered and insisted it was for maintaining cover.

"Does that mean you're going alt again?" Cameron asked.

Megan seized Cameron by the collar.

"Who showed you that?" Megan interrogated.

Jordan came strolling into the kitchen to get more food when Megan stared him down. Her hunch was dead on because it was the first thing Jordan did when they met. Observing the clenched fist Jordan retreated to the living room.

"Thank you for the food," Cameron told Henry.

"You filled our freezers so it's only fair." Henry gestured at the seats.

"It was a phase after my first breakup that's all," Megan muttered as she sat next to Cameron.

"I never said it was bad," Cameron stated.

'I guess they're a couple after all. Not like I could go with them anyway.' Kinsey checked her phone.

After breakfast, they began the process of altering their appearance. They knew facial recognition could still identify them, but it could help them resupply. Jordan was the last to go through alterations as he shaved his hair.

"You didn't have to go that far," Megan told Jordan.

"It's the easiest way for me. Did you hear from our friend?" Jordan inquired.

"Not yet, but they're gonna have to do it from the road." Cameron turned towards the others.

"If you didn't intervene we would've been caught by now. Thank you." Cameron smiled.

"Here." Henry tossed something as Cameron caught it instinctively.

Cameron examined the car keys in his hand.

"Are you sure about this?" Megan asked.

"Just leave it somewhere along the way," Henry replied.

"You should take this with you." Gabriella handed over a medicine bag.

"I've made a medkit just in case you run into problems again. Don't forget how close you came yesterday." May cautioned Cameron.

"Thank you." Megan stored the kit in her bag.

Everyone helped load up the truck, and then Gabriella escorted them off the reservation. Using backroads delayed their trip, but it allowed them to move under the radar. For two hours they drove without conflict, but avoiding the interstate was no longer possible.

'A getaway won't be possible in this.' Jordan scanned the roads carefully.

Twenty minutes passed, and they crossed a trooper on the median. Cameron started thinking of ways to counter as Jordan stared straight ahead unbothered. Jordan knew the drill, but Megan was a little anxious.

"If you stare they get suspicious. Just act casual." Jordan turned up the radio.

After passing the trooper came the scariest three seconds of their lives. Jordan checked his rearview mirror to ensure the officer stayed put. That's when the sound of an engine revving erupted behind them followed by sirens.

Cameron turned around to focus on the vehicle. He intended to freeze a wheel if possible but noticed the cop zooming past them. The trooper gave chase to a Supra speeding up the exit ramp.

'That's a buzzkill.' Jordan sighed.

They found their exit and returned to the safety of the backroads. They drove twenty minutes past the exit as the car began to stammer. It was barely another mile when the truck finally gave out. Jordan was under the hood seeing if it was manageable, but it was beyond his reach.

"Get the bags." Jordan closed the hood.

"Leaving it here puts them on our trail. We should push it off the road at least." Cameron suggested.

"And if a trooper stops to help?" Jordan asked.

"Then we deal with it," Cameron replied.

"Fine, but you're pushing." Jordan got in to steer.

It took a while to get the car clear from the view of the road. They were prepared to ditch it but saw an auto shop nearby. It was far enough from traffic to be discrete and adjacent to a diner.

"We should check it out," Jordan suggested.

"What happened to troopers?" Megan asked.

"If the repairs take longer than the food we leave," Jordan replied.

'Doubt the cops would travel this far from the interstate anyway.' Jordan glanced at the road.

Cameron returned to the bumper and continued pushing towards the shop. Nearing the venue one could see a junkyard behind it with a thick privacy fence. Working on a bike outside the garage was a young man wearing a leather vest.

"They should be back from break any minute now."

"Mind if we leave the keys, and get some food?" Jordan asked.

The mechanic gestured for him to toss them over. Jordan did as he was instructed, and made his way to the diner. They just sat down in a booth when they heard a motorcycle approaching. Cameron glanced at the window briefly to ensure it wasn't an officer before returning to the menu.

'Everyone wants to be a biker these days.'

Pulling up to the junkyard gate was an older man with a bald head and a greying beard. He was wearing a black vest with a demon upon the back. On the front was a patch that read sergeant at arms, and underneath it a one-percenter tag.

The biker with an irritated look on his face is Victor. As he approached the junkyard a prospect opened the gate before sealing it shut. Victor was always a hothead, but his current expression made the prospect uneasy.

"Is everyone here?" Victor asked.

"They're waiting on you." The prospect replied.

"Make sure the front stays clear." Victor handed a spare pistol over.

"What am I supposed to do with that?" The prospect asked.

"Use your fucking head." Victor backhanded the man.