Page 15 of The Saviors: Part One

“Go,” Nolan says.

I scale the fence and land on the other side with silent feet. I take off to the side of the building with the fire escape that’s luckily still intact. I pray to whoever still listens that it doesn’t crumble under my weight and take off running faster, jumping to grab onto the last rung, and heave my ass up with a grunt.

“You good?” Axel asks.

“Shut up,” I hiss back.

Climbing the ladder as fast as I can, I make it to the rooftop, pausing to look around. I count the twenty steps to the air vent I need. I pull some rust spray from my bag, spray it around the edges so it doesn’t screech, and slowly lift the lid.

Taking a breath, I lower myself into the ventilation system.It smells like rotten ass in here.Lowering to my stomach, I army crawl until I reach the bend and turn right. I count three air vents that drop into various rooms. On the fourth, I stop and peer through the slats.

This is the room I need, so that means I’m almost done with part one. Part two is getting the fuck out of here, preferably not full of bullet holes. I gently push the vent lid, and it doesn’t move. I push harder, and it gives way, almost making me lose my grip on it. The last thing I need is a stupid air vent giving away my position.

I stick my head through and scan the room. It’s completely empty except for a desk and the safe that I’m looking for. Sitting up as much as I can, I swing my legs to dangle through the hole and grab the ledge on the other side. I hang there suspended, then drop silently to my feet.

Wasting no time, I run to the safe and hook up the equipment for the electronic lock, letting it run through the codes until it beeps and clicks open. Silently cheering in my head, I yank the door open.

Various things, such as money, jewelry, and gold bars, are stuffed inside. If this weren’t so serious, I’d laugh my ass off. This is the most gangster looking safe ever. I start ripping through it until my hand closes on what I came for.

“Got you, you little bitch.”

“Status,” Axel barks.

I roll my eyes. “I got it. On my way out.”

After I shut the safe back, making sure it locks, I climb onto the desk and jump up to grab the ledge. I pull myself back in, and I’m just closing the vent when the door opens.Motherfucker.Pulling my face back, I stay there, silent, barely breathing.

I peek down through the slats, and all I can see is the top of someone’s dark head with a smattering of grey. I can’t risk moving until they leave, so I wait it out.

They walk fully into the room, look around, and look directly at the vent.Do they know I’m here?There’s no fucking way.

When I get a good look at their face, I almost suck in a breath. I’m looking at none other than Axel’s dad. There’s no denying they look exactly alike, except he’s smaller than Axel. Now is our fucking chance, but if I say anything into comms, I’ll blow my hiding space. From what I’ve heard, he’ll shoot first and ask questions later. But if I let him get away, we might not get this chance again. Right when I’m about to open my mouth, his dad walks back out and slams the door behind him.

I haul ass back through the vents, down the ladder, and to the fence. As soon as my feet are on the other side, I tell Nolan to unfreeze the footage.

“Your dad is in there!” I yell into the earpiece.

“What?” Axel growls.

“He’s here. I just fucking saw him.”

“Get back to the car.”

No shit.Does he not hear me fucking running? I skid to a stop beside the car, and Axel is pacing in front of it. “What’s the call?” I ask, jerking my mask off.

“We can’t go after him yet. Fuck!”

“You’re telling me that I just ran faster than fucking light to tell you his ass is in there, and we can’t go after him?”

Cole puts his hand on my shoulder. “Calm down. We have to cut his resources off first. You know this. If he gets wind that we’re here and after him, he’ll go into hiding again.”

“Let’s go,” Axel demands, getting into the car and slamming his door so hard that the windows rattle. We slide in, and Axel tears out onto the road before my door fully closes.

“I don’t get it. He’s right there. Go in there and put a bullet between his fucking eyes.”

“We can’t,” Kai says. “If he happens to get away, he’ll disappear. We can’t take that chance.”

I sit back in my seat, defeated. I want this shit to be over for Axel. It’s literally eating him alive. He’s never been Mr. Sunshine, but lately, he’s been hard to deal with. The slightest little thing will make him bite your head off. I don’t know if he’s noticed, but we’ve all avoided him when we don’t have to be around him, even Cole. This is my family, and I hate seeing us like this.