My Life In Code

22. Insanity Runs In My Family...It Practically Gallops

Chapter 22

Insanity Runs In My Family...It Practically Gallops

The shouting sounded from behind us again, only it didn't sound like the police like before.  Then there was screaming as shots rang out through the air. 

"Run!" Max yelled just as he grabbed my hand.  "We've got to go!  It's them!"

He started pulling me across the street and I looked back behind us as he did. 

There was Vince Peters and a few other people with him.

And they were all carrying guns.

Why did this always have to happen to us?

All five of them were after us, the police right behind them.  We'd finally made it to the other side of the street and ran through one of the open gates into the Colosseum. 

We shouldn't have stopped, but once we were inside, it was hard not to.  It was absolutely huge.  There were people everywhere and that wasn't going to be a good combination with men and guns. 

"Should we go down?" Ben asked, breathing heavy from all of the running. 

I nodded.  "The map," I said.  "It looked like it was somewhere that led underground.  And the pillars and stairs..."

"We need to go down," Max said.

Again, the screaming started.  They were there, inside the Colosseum with us now. 

"Go," Max said, pushing me in front of him. 

I followed Ben and Drew with Max right behind me.  They were going toward the railing that looked out over the hypogeum, which was the underground portion.  Before Max and I could reach them, Ben was hiking a leg over and then dropped onto one of the supports.  Drew went next, just as Ben jumped down to the ground below. 

The gun shots started again just as Max was helping me over railing.  I screamed as one went right past my head, but that didn't cause me not to hear Max's gasp from behind me.

"Shit!" he hissed. 

"I said don't try and kill them!" a voice boomed from behind us. 

I was on the other side of the railing then and I looked behind me just as he reached to clasp his hand over his arm.  All I could see was the red blood that started to stain his hand.

"You got hit!" I yelled. 

"I'm fine," he said, nodding.  "Jump down!"

"But..."

"Don't make me push you, Callie, because you know I will."

"Don't you dare..."

But he did.  I screamed again just as I fell backward.  His hand caught onto mine, though, stopping me before I could drop.  My arm was screaming at the sudden movement.

"Catch her!" Max yelled down to Ben and Drew.  His eyes went back to mine.  "I'm going to drop you now, okay?"

I nodded.

And he let go.

The drop was higher than I thought it was going to be, but I barely had time to scream before I landed in Drew's arms.  He grinned down at me. 

"Well, all of your dreams are coming true," he said.

I didn't have time to say anything before Max landed right in front of us, rolling just as another shot sounded.  It hit the stone right above us, sending dust flying all around us.