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Authors: Dana Burkey
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her seat.
“But, I don’t have a passport,” I mumbled, that being the least stressful part of the equation.
“Another good reason to go to New York,” she noted.
Trading a quick glance with Steven I turned down the next street and headed towards the freeway that would take us to New York by way of Pennsylvania. I was too far down this rabbit hole to jump ship now. I only hoped that when we got to the airport, Olena would clue me in on her master plan a little bit more.
I drove for the next four hours with only the radio to keep my company. Olena had fallen asleep, or at least closed her eyes, almost immediately after I began driving. Steven tried his hardest to stay awake with me, but made it less than an hour before his adrenaline faded and sleep won the fight. There were still only a few cars on the road, which proved to lower my stress level after the incident at the gas station.
My arm was still sore when I moved it, but it looked like Steven had provided me with some good first aid. Glancing at his wrapped hand, I could only hope it was healing as well. I found myself hoping that we would soon be sitting in a hospital getting proper care, but knowing Russia was our next destination, I chased the idea away.
“Are you still okay to drive?” Olena’s voice floated from the back seat.
“Yeah, I’m good,” I nodded. “Did you get some sleep?”
“Best in a while,” Olena yawned, one hand reaching up to touch her necklace. Watching the gesture in the rear view mirror I felt a wave of guilt immediately.
“I’m sorry I didn’t take better care of the necklace,” I apologized, still feeling bad for throwing it across my room.
“You do not need to apologize,” Olena corrected me. “I am the one who has you running for your life. You throwing the necklace is a small thing in comparison.”
“I guess so,” I smiled, shocked at how light I could feel while talking about something so serious.
“You really are the best friend I have ever had Claire,” Olena said suddenly. “I thought about you all the time when I was gone. It was my only regret about having to leave Ohio.”
“But like you said, Alexi was after you and it wasn’t safe.” I shrugged. The long drive had allowed me to think through everything. Sure, I was scared right now, but Olena had been facing these killers by herself for years, and it sounded like she was holding her own in whatever battle they were caught up in.
“That was the only thing that kept me away as long as it did,” she explained. “I was in Chicago once, and even packed my car to come see you. But then I thought about your parents and how hard it would be if they lost you. It was not worth it. I figured it was better for you to be safe in Ohio and mad at me, then hanging out with me dead somewhere.”
“Well, we’re together now,” I smiled. “Only can we please keep the dying part out of the plan?”
“I will do my best,” Olena promised, before adding, “although I think Steven has you covered for now.”
Glancing at him still asleep I almost had to pinch myself. It was still so crazy to think how the last few weeks had played out. If Steven and I had not gotten close recently who knows if he would have been there to save me in the gas station, or if I would have made it all the way to Ohio without dying of blood loss thanks to my injuries.
“So, what’s the plan?” I asked, afraid thinking about Steven too much would get me distracted from
“But, I don’t have a passport,” I mumbled, that being the least stressful part of the equation.
“Another good reason to go to New York,” she noted.
Trading a quick glance with Steven I turned down the next street and headed towards the freeway that would take us to New York by way of Pennsylvania. I was too far down this rabbit hole to jump ship now. I only hoped that when we got to the airport, Olena would clue me in on her master plan a little bit more.
I drove for the next four hours with only the radio to keep my company. Olena had fallen asleep, or at least closed her eyes, almost immediately after I began driving. Steven tried his hardest to stay awake with me, but made it less than an hour before his adrenaline faded and sleep won the fight. There were still only a few cars on the road, which proved to lower my stress level after the incident at the gas station.
My arm was still sore when I moved it, but it looked like Steven had provided me with some good first aid. Glancing at his wrapped hand, I could only hope it was healing as well. I found myself hoping that we would soon be sitting in a hospital getting proper care, but knowing Russia was our next destination, I chased the idea away.
“Are you still okay to drive?” Olena’s voice floated from the back seat.
“Yeah, I’m good,” I nodded. “Did you get some sleep?”
“Best in a while,” Olena yawned, one hand reaching up to touch her necklace. Watching the gesture in the rear view mirror I felt a wave of guilt immediately.
“I’m sorry I didn’t take better care of the necklace,” I apologized, still feeling bad for throwing it across my room.
“You do not need to apologize,” Olena corrected me. “I am the one who has you running for your life. You throwing the necklace is a small thing in comparison.”
“I guess so,” I smiled, shocked at how light I could feel while talking about something so serious.
“You really are the best friend I have ever had Claire,” Olena said suddenly. “I thought about you all the time when I was gone. It was my only regret about having to leave Ohio.”
“But like you said, Alexi was after you and it wasn’t safe.” I shrugged. The long drive had allowed me to think through everything. Sure, I was scared right now, but Olena had been facing these killers by herself for years, and it sounded like she was holding her own in whatever battle they were caught up in.
“That was the only thing that kept me away as long as it did,” she explained. “I was in Chicago once, and even packed my car to come see you. But then I thought about your parents and how hard it would be if they lost you. It was not worth it. I figured it was better for you to be safe in Ohio and mad at me, then hanging out with me dead somewhere.”
“Well, we’re together now,” I smiled. “Only can we please keep the dying part out of the plan?”
“I will do my best,” Olena promised, before adding, “although I think Steven has you covered for now.”
Glancing at him still asleep I almost had to pinch myself. It was still so crazy to think how the last few weeks had played out. If Steven and I had not gotten close recently who knows if he would have been there to save me in the gas station, or if I would have made it all the way to Ohio without dying of blood loss thanks to my injuries.
“So, what’s the plan?” I asked, afraid thinking about Steven too much would get me distracted from
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