Rivals

Chapter 2

"Surprise"

    His dark eyes refuse to unlatch from mine. Across the lot of nothing but dirt, I remain still in my car, heart pounding dangerously. My blue-green eyes slowly fixate on the device in the passenger seat. And I carefully reach over to grab it.

I bring the walkie-talkie up to my mouth, getting ready to speak into it. I don't part from the tattooed guy's intent, awaiting gaze.

"I'm here." I start.

For the past few minutes I didn't know what to do, I didn't know how to take what I just saw unfold before me.

"Can you see anyone from where you are? Is it time?" I hear Vince's deep voice sound through the device in my hand, but it only goes into one ear and out the other.

My brother is involved in a gang. The lethal gang the FBI have been tracking down for four months. Now I finally found them. And what's left for me to do, my instructed duty, is painful.

But I've made my decision. And there's not a cold sliver of doubt that this decision will make my entire life, my progress in this case, turn upside down.

I part my lips. The guy with the tattoo across his neck still watches me almost mischievously, I gather. And I finally release the breath I didn't know I had held.

"They're not here." I say, lowly. "They must've somehow knew we were coming, I'm chasing behind them now. They're driving too fast, Vince." My tone picks up intensely. "I don't think I can catch up, there's too many of them. I think I'm going to loose them."

"Whoa, where are you, where are they?" Vince rushes out - probably hurrying to start the engine to hit the road before the team even can.

And he keeps his unrecognizable eyes on me. I don't tear from it.

I just need to protect my brother. And after this is over, later when I contact him, I can only try my very best to talk him out of it.

"Route 288, far North from the hideout. Hurry, Vince!" I toss the walkie onto the passenger seat again, before soon starting my engine. My gaze traces back to Callum again.

He still doesn't notice me. I don't want him to, not now. Placing my hands on the steering wheel, I watch my twin brother once more assort the cash from the crate on the floor.

I feel my jaw clench the moment I force back the disappointment building up, in order to gather myself for what I have to do, and my brighter irises settle on the stranger's darker own again.

I then put my car in reverse, and back out the lot of the gang's hideout before driving off - never looking back and heading for Route 288.

It doesn't take five minutes for Vince to speak into the walkie again. "Costellanos, where are you?" He asks. I can tell he's on the go, driving fast all around to find me on the Route I told him the gang would be on.

I can't believe I'm doing this. I can't believe I'm practically... covering the gang's tracks...

"I'm passing Exit 59, tell me how far you are behind them." Vince calls in.

That's exactly what I needed to know.

I hurriedly turn into the lot of a convenient store - knowing just how far Vince is behind me. I park my car to sit in wait for just a couple minutes, for this intention of mine to fall into place.

And time ticks, sooner than later, and without a response to Vince I put my car in drive - before drifting back onto the highway again. Almost flooring the gas pedal, I wait, remaining heavily focused on the road ahead of me.