Exposed [Book 4 in the Expiring Series]

54 Their Hero

Colton~~

            When we left Acquaellia, there were two possible places the Head Order would send us: Gadfrie or Odalia. Even after taking a private plane, landing, and getting back into a car, I'm still not sure which continent we're on.

The vehicle drives along a road that's been relatively empty. On either side of the road, the foliage is lush. Amaranth pink and dark fuchsia flowers sway in a heavy breeze.

Vienna stares out the window, having been silent for the past hour. Once we had boarded the plane, she told me about how she managed to convince Acquaellia's Order to allow our request.

It's odd to be in the car without Percy even if he was only here to babysit us.

A horn blares, causing Vienna to jump. Through the tiny rear window, I can see a light blue vehicle gaining speed, and our own starts to go faster.

Vienna flicks her eyes to me, and I can see her thoughts mirror mine.

There's no one else on the road, and no reason they can't go around us. Jonas told me they caught their would-be assassin: Ean Moretti. Whoever is in the vehicle behind us cannot be him. Could Acquaellia's Order have changed their mind?

They honk again before zooming past us. As they do so, I try catching a glimpse of the driver, but the windows are too tinted to see inside.

All of that to go around—

Our vehicle slams on its breaks. Though buckled, I have to cling to my seat to avoid sliding off. Seconds later, a door shuts, rattling our vehicle.

Do we actually have a driver? And they never bothered to say hello or bow?

I retrieve the gun from where I tucked it under the seats before opening the door.

Vienna grabs my arm. "Are you sure about this?"

"Not really. No."

She looks a bit queasy. "That's just what I needed to hear."

I press my lips to her forehead and step out of the vehicle.

Standing in front of me is who I can only presume to be our driver. Their back is turned toward me, and their long black hair is pulled into a ponytail that rests against a gray suit. Have they been with us this whole time? Have we had multiple drivers? Have some been a robot/android?

My eyes move beyond them to the blue vehicle that's stopped in the middle of the road, turned sideways to prevent anyone from passing, and I suck in a breath.

My cousin, his curly light brown hair glinting in the sunlight, stands in front of the car. Beside him is Basile.

I let my hand holding the gun relax. I don't want him to think I view him as a threat. "Andrew?"

He doesn't reply though, just stares at me.

I walk toward the two of them and past the driver. "You tried to run us off the road?"

"We've been trying to find you since you left Borilia," Basile says and his voice seems to shake Andrew out of his trance. "You were there one moment and gone the next. The same with Jonas and Iris."

"Erik was the only one who was remotely possible to keep track of," Andrew add.

"So you followed him." That's why he was there when Erik was kidnapped. "But why were you trying to find me?"