Sudden Independents

Molly sat next to him, wrapping her arms around him and squeezing. His body tensed, refusing to be consoled.

Jimmy paced to the window and back. “We have to move to a new hideout,” he said. “Everybody, round up your stuff. We’re leaving in five minutes.”

“What about Raven?”

“We’ll get her. You know where she is. We can get her-and Catherine-tonight.”

“Tonight!” Scout exclaimed. “We can’t wait that long. That dude Chase is evil. He’ll hurt her or worse. She was so scared, Jimmy. Please, we got to help her now.”

“It’s almost daylight now,” Hunter said. “We’ll never get out alive if we mess with these people during the daytime.”

“I’m sorry, Scout,” Jimmy said. “We were going to use surprise as our advantage. We didn’t bring enough people to take them head on. We have to do what’s best for the group.”

“You mean we have to do what’s best for you.” Scout leapt up and headed to the hallway.

“Scout,” Jimmy said. “Going at night is the only way we’ll be able to save them both.”

“I know. I’m going to get our stuff.” He disappeared around the corner.

“What about me?” Hunter asked. “I’m supposed to meet Patrick at breakfast.”

“Not now,” Jimmy said. “We know where they are and they’re sure to know we’re here.”

“Yeah, but we’re moving. Who’s to say they aren’t moving, too? We might lose them again.”

“Damn it,” Jimmy cursed under his breath.

Molly glanced at Hunter who shook his head at her. Jimmy was stressed way out to be cursing. He looked back out the window. “Let’s find a new place first, and then you can hightail it over to that restaurant and scope things out.”

“Hightail?” Hunter asked.

Jimmy scratched underneath the front of his hat. “It’s something Dad used to always say. I think it means to go fast.”

Ginger hurried into the room with her eyes wide and a trace of panic in her voice. “Scout just left through the backdoor!”

The word “hightail” ran through Molly’s mind.

Hunter welcomed the warmth on his back from the rising sun as he led Jimmy, Molly, and Ginger to their new hideout. Tall shadows stretched before them in the crisp morning air, the ground sparkling white from the overnight frost. Hampered by his backpack and sleeping bag, Hunter also shouldered Scout’s stuff while Jimmy hauled Raven’s gear.

“That selfish little fucking shithead,” Jimmy muttered.

Hunter listened for five-blocks as every four-letter word imaginable and compounded spilled from Jimmy like acid on the pavement. Jimmy must have stored up for a big meltdown, and Scout had pushed the red button.

They turned up an alley, passed empty backyards, and entered through a gate to a beige two-story house; Hunter discovered the vacant house a couple days before when he was looking for a back-up hideout, just in case.

Hunter threw Scout’s stuff into a corner of the kitchen as he entered the back door. “What do you want me to do now?”

“Go meet Patrick for breakfast,” Jimmy said.

“What about Scout?” Molly asked.

“What about him?”

Molly frowned. “Shouldn’t we go after him or something?”

Jimmy rubbed the back of his neck. “We don’t even know where to start looking. Only he knew where they were holding Raven, and possibly Catherine. Now we have only one option left, and that’s Hunter meeting with Patrick.”

“Vanessa’s not going to like this,” Molly said.

“Vanessa’s not here!” Jimmy’s hands shook. He shoved them into his pockets and took a deep breath. “And she’d be the first one to punch her little brother if she were.”

“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Hunter said, squeezing Jimmy’s shoulder on his way out.

“Hunter, wait.” Jimmy caught up with him in the backyard, his face tight and strained.

“I need to hurry,” Hunter reminded him.

“I know.” Jimmy’s eyelids fluttered. “Take care of yourself. Don’t do anything risky, all right? If things start going wrong, run back here and we’ll go home.”

Hunter rubbed the pokey stubble on his head. “Go wrong? You mean like now?”

Tears glistened behind the worry in Jimmy’s eyes. “I’m scared, Hunter.” A single tear slid down his cheek.

“I know. I found her before when I wasn’t even looking for her. I’ll find her again, I promise. We’ll have her by tonight.” Hunter held out his hand and Jimmy gripped it firmly. They quickly hugged and patted each other on the back.

Molly lined up behind Jimmy and hugged Hunter as well. She felt warm and soft. Hunter kissed her head and turned to leave. He hustled out of the yard and through the gate, leaving the two people he loved most in the world before things got more emotional.

• • •

Hunter ran along the broken sidewalks, reached a knot of kids casually walking in the same direction, and jumped off the curb to pass them.

“Hey, what’s the rush?” a boy asked.

“I’m supposed to meet Patrick at breakfast,” Hunter said over his shoulder. “And I’m running late.”

A gasp rose from the kids. “You better hurry,” the boy said.