Page 83 of Depths of Destruction

"What the hell happened?" The Jeep is covered in mud but scratched on both sides so badly, it looks like someone took different sized nails and had at it.

"There was an off-roading situation. Ask the guys."

We go into the house, and they are all sitting around Tinker's table. Naomi freezes and grabs my arm.

"What on earth happened to your faces?" Ryker and Hunter have black and purple marks, along with scratches, all over their faces and arms.

"Nothing," they both say in unison.

"Doesn't look like nothing."

An uncomfortable silence fills the air.

"Have a drink." Tinker cracks open a beer and hands it to Naomi.

"Thanks." She hugs Julieta and Vanessa.

He pulls two more out of the fridge and hands one to me and opens his.

"Want to tell me what happened to your faces?"

"Drop it," Tinker warns.

The guys and I all stare at each other.

Guess I'm not getting anything from them.I sigh, "When did you get here?"

"Yesterday," Ryker informs us.

"Did you come together?"

"Didn't have much of a choice. The rest of the team found out the others left. Hunter shot the tires of the other Jeeps as we took off."

My gut flips. I angrily bark, "Why did you do that?"

"We didn't have a choice. Kalim found out and was going to stop us from leaving."

"Shit."

"Yeah. He wasn't too happy when he found out you didn't fill him and the other guys in. I told you we needed to tell him. If we had, I don't think he would have reacted how he did." Hunter scowls.

"We can't be sure."

"Well, he was pissed when we left."

"Did he know the coordinates, at least?"

"No. I'm sure he called Interpol," Ryker says.

Naomi gets up and paces. "That means my sister and Malin left earlier. Why haven't they been here?"

"Look how long it took us. They probably didn't have a vehicle," I point out.

"Your sister will be safe with Malin," Tinker reassures her.

"When did they leave?" she asks.

"Within an hour of your departure," Vanessa says.