In Too Deep (Grayton Series Book 4) (16 page)

Missy’s heart skipped and she felt her breath hitch. “Are they…”

Marcus shook his head. “We’ve searched the entire school grounds. It’s empty. But she does remember a strange van in the parking lot as they started to leave. She was busy trying to make sure her house was secure, and by the time she turned around, Roman and Reagan were gone. So was the van.”

Missy’s head spun as realization dawn. “My father,” she said, just before everything went black.

Chapter Fifteen

R
oman held his head up and groaned with pain. Blood was dripping down the side of his face, getting into his eyes. He felt Reagan’s small body next to his and when he reached out to pull him close, he realized his hands were tied tightly behind his back.

When he opened his eyes, it was pitch dark. He could hear that the storm was in full force outside the vehicle, but it was too dark inside to see clearly. He could tell they were driving slowly, since the van kept swaying with the wind. From the sound of it, they were traveling less than twenty miles per hour.

There were no windows in the back of the van and when he kicked out, he hit someone, who grunted.

“He’s awake,” the man said.

“Don’t worry, he’s tied up,” a deep voice from the front said.

“What about the boy?” the first voice asked.

“He’ll be out for a while,” the deeper voice said.

“Are you sure of the amount you gave him?”

“Quiet,” the deeper voice growled.

“What are we to do with the man?”

“He’ll pay for his crimes.”

After that, it was silent.

Roman felt around with his hands, trying to see if there was anything he could use to cut his hands free. He’d removed his own jacket and was wearing the raincoat, which didn’t have any pockets. He remembered his cell phone in his other jacket and almost groaned out loud.

Maybe Reagan had something in his pockets that could help him. He rolled over and started running his hands over his son.

“Easy,” the person sitting next to him said. “Just stay still. This will all be over soon enough.”

“Where are you taking us?” he demanded, wanting to keep the man busy while he searched Reagan’s pockets.

“We’re taking the boy home,” the deep-voiced man answered.

“What about me?” he asked, finally feeling Reagan’s house key in his jean pocket. He pulled it out and started working on the duct tape around his wrists.

“You’re just in the way,” the driver said.

“You’re from the Council of Friends,” he said, feeling the tape give a little.

“What do you know of the CoF?” the driver growled.

“Plenty.” He smiled. In the time he’d been in Carrabelle, he’d done lots of research into the cult.

“I know that the branch moved to just south of Tallahassee in the early 80s. That it’s run by a man named Kevin Smith, who claims he’s Reagan’s grandfather.”

“The boy is my grandson,” the deeper voice growled.

Roman chuckled. “Reagan’s grandfather, Mark Grayton, will have something to say about that.”

“That man has no blood hold on this boy.”

“No.” He finished removing the tape and took a couple deep breaths. “But he has something you’ll never have.”

“What?” He felt the van slow down.

“Him.” He reached over and grabbed Reagan’s lax body, just as he kicked the younger man who was sitting at his feet. The man when flying backwards, giving Roman enough time to get the van door open.

He was immediately soaked from the rain and when he jumped from the van, he realized they had been going faster than he’d expected.

He hit the ground and rolled, protecting Reagan as he went flying through mud and grass. A small tree was in his way and when he hit it, bark and needles stuck in his skin.

When he finally settled, he picked himself up, holding Reagan’s body close to him as he headed in the opposite direction of the van.

The men stood at the back of the van and laughed, actually laughed at him.

Taking a moment to look around, he realized why they weren’t chasing him. It was too late. They were already on the CoF compound.

***

Missy woke up with several people looking down at her.

“She’s awake,” Cassey said, taking her hand. “Are you okay, sweetie?”

She nodded and started to sit up, then remembered why she’d passed out in the first place. “Roman, Reagan,” she cried.

“If you know anything about who was in that van, you’d better share it with us,” the chief of police said. He was standing next to Marcus, looking stern.

She rubbed her hand over her forehead, fighting the pain. “The CoF has them.”

“Who?” Cassey asked.

“The Council of Friends.” She closed her eyes and leaned back, wishing it was all just a bad dream. “I was too late.”

“Who the heck is the Council of—”

“Friends.” She finished Marcus’ statement. “It’s a cult.” She sat up and looked at her family. “The cult I was born and raised in, until I escaped and came to the Graytons.”

“Why would they take Roman and your son?” Someone asked.

She shook her head. “They don’t want Roman.”

“Okay, why do they want your son?” Marcus asked, sounding pissed.

“Because he’s the chosen one,” she said, realizing how stupid it all sounded.

“What?” Cassey frowned. “What the heck is a chosen one and why do they think your son is him?”

She rolled her shoulders and started yet another story. By the time she was done, everyone was looking at her like she had grown another head.

But at least she’d gotten her point across. The CoF was dangerous. Very dangerous.

“I’ll drive,” Marcus said as he started walking towards the door. Her laughter stopped him.

“What?” He frowned down at her.

“One doesn’t simply walk into the CoF compound.”

“We do. We’re family. They can’t…”

“Marcus, maybe we should wait,” Cole said, taking hold of his brother’s arm. “I dated this girl a while back.” He looked over to her. “She’d been brainwashed by a cult. She really believed that aliens were going to come down and rescue everyone in her cult on the promised day.” He shook his head. “Batty.”

She nodded. “They won’t stop. They never will. Not until Reagan leads them into the promised land.”

“What exactly does that entail?” the chief of police asked.

Her eyes met his. “Total
annihilation
.”

***

Roman ran, even though he could see the tall fences all around the large compound. There was bound to be a way out of here. Somewhere. When he came to a fence, he turned to the right and started running the length. Rain and mud splattered him as he slid. The storm was pretty much over, but lightning still flashed every so often. He could hear people shouting as they looked for them.

Finally, he found a break in the wire. The storm had knocked down an old oak tree. Its branches hung over the barbed wire. Kneeling, he slapped Reagan’s face lightly; he needed the kid to be awake in order to get over the fence.

Voices neared him so he ducked behind a large bush and held his breath until they continued on. He felt Reagan jolt in his hands and quickly covered the kid’s mouth in case he woke screaming.

“Easy, it’s me. We’re in a bind here, kiddo,” he said, when Reagan’s eyes met his. He smiled when the kid nodded. “I need your help. We have to get over this fence.” He leaned, showing him the fallen tree.

“It’s too high,” the boy said. He could tell he was holding back tears. “Did they find us?” he asked.

Roman nodded, not wanting to waste any more time on stories. “I’ll help you get over the top.”

“What about you?” Reagan asked.

He smiled. “I’ll make it just fine. You first. We have to do this fast, though, and quietly.”

When Reagan nodded, he took off the heavy raincoat and handed it to him. “Throw this over the wires, so they don’t stick you.” The boy nodded. “Okay, ready?”

Reagan nodded again.

They rushed over to the edge of the fence. The tree was rooted on the outside, but its branches had knocked out a good section of the upper fence. When he hoisted Reagan up, the kid tossed the jacket over the wire and grabbed hold of the branches with his hands and the fence with his feet. He slipped once, but Roman was right there to help him.

He watched as his son made his way carefully and quietly down the slippery tree. When he hit the bottom, Roman took hold of the fence and started climbing. He had one leg over the wires when he heard the shouts.

“Run!” He glanced down at Reagan, who just shook his head at him. “Now! Run!” He growled it as he jumped over the wire, not bothering with using the tree. He felt a bullet fly a few inches by his head as he fell. The branch next to him exploded and shards of wood flew into his skin.

When he hit the soft ground, his left boot stuck in the mud. Yanking his foot out of the damn thing, he reached Reagan and hoisted him up in his arms as more shots rang out. Then he started running with everything he had, praying that he would be fast enough.

Chapter Sixteen

M
issy sat in the back of the fed’s car. She’d been over the story three times already. Once to her family and twice to the authorities. She’d answered every question they had about the CoF.

“Mrs.…” She looked up at the passenger of the car and frowned.

“Grayton,” she answered without thinking.

He nodded. “Mrs. Grayton, we need you to think if there’s any more information you can give us on the CoF.”

“I’ve told you everything I know. It’s been years since I escaped.” She looked out the window and felt her skin crawl. They were less than five miles from the dreaded compound. A shiver ran up her spine as they continued down the road. Her family was close behind them in their own cars. There were over a dozen dark sedans, vans, and trucks following the one she was in, all with agents, prepared for a fight.

“We’ve had our eye on the CoF for a few years. Ever since it was made known they’d been stockpiling weapons.” He turned again and looked back at her. “You don’t know anything about that?”

She shook her head no. “Last time, I was held in the hospital wing. They tied me to the bed every night and didn’t let me leave my room.”

“How did you escape then?” he asked.

She sighed. “My mother.” She blinked, remembering the sacrifice of the crazed woman who had given birth to her. “Shortly after I’d been born, she left the CoF and got back into drugs. After the visit at the Grayton’s, she’d watched me. I guess she felt guilty or something. She was still trying to get herself clean. Anyway, she broke into the compound and helped me.”

“Where is she now?” he asked, writing a few things down in his notepad.

“Dead,” she said, a tear slipping from her eyes.

He turned and looked at her again.

“She could never shake her addiction. I found her shortly after Reagan was born, a needle in her arm.” She closed her eyes on the memory. “She went into the cult to clean her life up as a teen, but they had just added to her pain and messed her up even more.” She tapped her heart and her head.

He nodded and turned back to take his notes.

When the car came to a halt, she felt her stomach sink. There, a few hundred yards in front of them, stood the gated walls she’d spent a lifetime dreading.

The large gray buildings hung in the horizon like the dark symbol of dread they were. There were over a dozen smaller buildings, all painted in the same dull shade. She’d been born in one of those buildings. The tall fences were still in place, and there was a new larger electrical gate to allow people in but never out. Not unless you were Kevin Smith or with him. No one ever left. Except her and her mother. They’d been the only two who had ever escaped those barriers. Twice.

She shivered as they opened the doors then quickly shut them again when they heard gunfire. The agents quickly jumped back in the car and drove in reverse a hundred yards back.

The next few minutes seemed to go by quickly. She was shoved into the back of a van and driven even further away from the gates. Marcus, Cole, Cassey, and Julie were all there waiting for her.

She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed Julie, the woman who had been more like a mother than a sister to them all.

“What’s going on?” Marcus asked.

“They were shooting at us,” she said, hugging herself.

“What?” Marcus glanced back at the compound, which was almost a mile away at this point.

“What’s going to happen know?” Julie asked, giving Missy a hug.

Missy shook her head. “I… I don’t know.”

Minutes stretched into hours as negotiation teams were sent in. A base of operations was set up in a makeshift tent. At several points, they were almost ushered off site, but each time, her family fought for their right to stay. Finally, they were given their own small waiting tent and told to stay put.