These Different Times (Nick Clark FF)

45.

During the ride, we pulled over so we could stretch our legs, go to the bathroom if needed and all that jazz and when we climbed back into the truck; Nick, Madison and I were upgraded to actual seats in the back.

Troy put on some heavy metal music, making Nick and I glance at each other before I rest my head on his shoulder. 

I couldn't help but worry about the others. Sure, Jake looked nice but as my mom always told me, looks can be deceiving. 

A period of time passed before Maddie had enough, reaching forward between the seats to turn the radio off. 

"Not your thing?" Troy asks, looking over his shoulder. 

"How much longer?" 

"We're about twenty minutes out." he answered. 

"From where?" Nick repeated my question from earlier. 

"The ranch." was all he said, looking at me once more before turning back around to face the front. 

I felt a bout of uneasiness in my stomach. I didn't like the way he was looking at me. 

"They'll be there?" Madison asked again, "Alicia, Travis? Your brother?" 

"Yes ma'am." 

I felt as if I hadn't slept in a week; since being ambushed at the border, I had been too scared to even attempt to sleep so I let myself rest against his shoulder until I felt the truck slowing down. 

All there was around us were fields of green and rolling hills. We were in the middle of nowhere. I eagerly leant across Nick to get a better look of the place, feeling his eyes on me as I did so. 

There were caravans and RVs spread out all over the place and I could see people tending to what was most likely vegetable patches and whatnot. 

The truck came to a stop outside a gate and the man guarding it came forward, leaning down to talk to Troy through the open window, "Your father wants to talk to you." 

"What? Jake not already do it?" 

"Jake ain't here, man. He ain't ever been here since he left." the man replied and I looked at Nick. 

They weren't here yet. 

A flicker of emotion crossed Troy's face but it quickly disappeared and he turned to look at us again, "All right. Get out of the truck and wait outside."

"What?"

"You heard. Get out. Now!" 

"Jesus," I huffed, sliding out Nick and after Madison followed, she shut the door, the men opened the gate and they drove in. 

I ran my hand through my hair as I looked around the surrounding areas. Not one person was in sight and I looked at the two of them, "What do we do now?" 

"I say we go," Nick says quietly so only us two can hear, letting me lean on him so I didn't put too much pressure on my ankle, "Go back and look for the others." 

"And then what? What if we don't find them?" his mom asked, "Or, what's worse, what if we go and they get here? What then? They have to come looking for us?" 

"And what if they don't come?" I ask, "I don't want to be the one to say it, but if, for some god awful reason they don't make it, what do we do then?"

"She's right," Nick whispered, "What if it's just us? What's the play then?" 

I crossed my arms, watching the man on the gate carefully and then looked back to see Nick hugging his mom and was surprised when he came over to me, hugging me tightly. 

"he has a gun," he whispered in my ear, making me pull back, "If we need to, we'll take this place." 

I looked back at his mom who gave me a firm nod, which I returned with a small smile. This did not fill me with confidence at all and really, I hoped that it wasn't going to come to that. 

**

While we were waiting for any sight or sound of the helicopter approaching, Madison was intently scrutinizing the whole ranch, murmuring to herself. 

Nick and I were sat out of the sun but he looked up when she came to stand by us. 

"Armed patrol at the gate here," she said quietly, "Perimeter watch on the ridge. Other than that, most of these people are civilians." 

"Yeah? Well, we're not civilians, okay? We do not need this place," Nick hissed, standing up, "We don't need these people." 

I touched his arm, "Nick, we need someone to help Luciana. She won't make it if we go out there again." 

"No, Taylor. Listen, we are not breaking bread today with the people who tried to kill us yesterday." 

"They didn't try and kill us," Maddie protested, "We don't know them." 

"Jesus Christ," Nick groaned, turning his back on her. 

"Maddie, you weren't in that room. You didn't see what Troy was doing." I said quietly, shaking my head, "He was killing them and timing how long it took them to turn." 

"You don't have to like what it is you need to survive," she continued, "You exploit it. You turn it to your advantage."

"We use them to treat Luciana, fine. We use them, we go. Believe me, you don't want me here any longer than necessary." 

"Nick," 

"I don't know what I'll do."

"Ma'am?" 

An older man wearing a cowboy hat was making his way up from the ranch, towards us and Nick scoffed, shook his head and walked away, ignoring her when she called his name. 

"Nick," I tried, slowly getting up as to not disturb my ankle even more, slowly hobbling after him. 

He turned just as I tripped over a rock, catching me with a loud huff. "You need to rest that ankle." he muttered, slowly lowering me down onto the dirt. 

"Your mom is just trying to do what's right for us," I tell him, pulling him down beside me when he seemed to be ignoring me, securing his chin in my hand to make him look at me, "Listen to me. She's doing what she does best; protecting her family. You, Alicia and Travis. Your safety is all that matters." I let go of him, reaching down to rub my ankle and I heard him mutter something under his breath, "What?" 

"Us," he repeated, "She's protecting us. You're part of this family too." 

Smiling, I rest my forehead against his. It sure felt like I was nowadays.