Break Free The Night (Book 1) (28 page)

             
“
Good thing you kept these
,”
Emma murmured, pointing to the walkie-talkies.

             
“
Good thing he did
n’
t totally run down the batteries
,”
Kaylee corrected, crossing to the living room quickly and keeping a wide arch around the central feature in the room: the fire pole. When Andrew had first found the set of radios, he had been ecstatic, thrilled with the opportunity to find other people. Of course, there was no one within listening distance and it was
n’
t long before he had chucked them to the bottom of the closet he shared with his dad. Andrew moved closer to her, pulling his corresponding walkie-talkie from his pocket and bending his head to fiddle with the dials. Emma teetered on the threshold to the living room, biting her lip.

             
“
Ca
n’
t we just stay in the kitchen
?”
she hissed.

             
“
I
t’
s better in here
,”
Andrew whispered
.“
W
e’
ll see them coming
.
”

             
“
You came in here just the other night
,”
Kaylee pointed out, rolling her eyes. Emma grit her teeth and huffed, moving closer with jerky steps.

             
“
I can see them
,”
Andrew said, dropping to his stomach and inching closer to the fire pole. He passed the transmitter to Kaylee as she knelt by his feet. Emma was perched just over her shoulder
.“
Here, turn it up. I want to make sure they do
n’
t notice
.
”

              Her father was right about one thing. With the scratching of nails on the brick exterior walls of the fire station garage, the moans and the guttural cries, Kaylee could
n’
t hear one word of what was being said below. She grabbed the walkie-talkie from Andrew and twisted the volume knob clockwise. Static, followed by scratchy voices, flared slowly to life.

             
“
I do
n’
t know why you think we have anything to talk about,Quinton
.”
Even through the static, Nic
k’
s voice was harsh and unforgiving.

             
“
H
e’
ll never agree
,”
Kaylee whispered, shaking her head
.“
Ther
e’
s no way h
e’
ll go. I
t’
s just bad timing all around, really. Quinton pushed him too far the other night
.
”

             
“
Jackass
,”
Andrew muttered over the static arguments.

             
“
H
e’
s not
,”
Emma offered in a small voice.

             
“
Do
n’
t you start, Em
!”
Andrew growled, whipping his head around to glare at her
.“I’
m still pissed at you for that little joke the other day, do
n’
t you dare start now
!
”

             
“
I
t’
s not a joke
,”
she whispered, her voice falling away at the look on Andre
w’
s face. Kaylee shushed them both.

             
“
Not now! Listen
!
”

             
“
But what about Emma
?”
It was Quinto
n’
s quiet voice.

             
“
You stay away from her
!”
Nick roared. There was a commotion that sounded from below. Kaylee started towards the opening, but Andrew put his hand up, holding her back.

             
“
I
t’
s okay, my Da
d’
s got him
.
”

             
“
Tha
t’
s not what I meant
,”
Quinton continued. His voice still calm and even
.“
You said it yourself, do
n’
t you remember
?
”

              There was no answer. Kaylee glanced at Emma who shrugged, she could
n’
t figure out what Quinton meant either.

             
“
She could be the cure. She could save us all
.
”

              The weight of the silence that followed almost drowned out the feral shrieks from outside. Kaylee felt Emma stiffen behind her.

             
“
It could really be immunity and if it is, then there is the possibility of a cure. But not here, Nick. Not here
.”
That was Anna, her voice was still doubtful, but there was a ring of sincerity there. Nick did
n’
t answer and Kaylee steeled herself. Because she now realized that there was only one word left that would convince him and she was sure someone would use it.

             
“
Nic
k
—”

             
“
Bill, do
n’
t
.”
There was a low plead in Nic
k’
s voice because he knew, just as Kaylee knew, the word that was coming next.

             
“
Susan
.
”

              Kaylee flinched as her mothe
r’
s name fell from Bil
l’
s lips. It was the ultimate offense and the best argument. Bill was saying more with that one word than he could with any speeches. It said they had to leave, had to take Emma and find a cure,
had
to, because if they could succeed, maybe Susan could be cured. Maybe Susan could live. It was the best and fastest way to break her father.

             
“
Bill. Anna
.”
Nic
k’
s voice broke and Kaylee cringed, hating to hear her father hurting so much. Emm
a’
s small hand found her shoulder and she squeezed, and Kaylee let out a breath she did
n’
t realize she was holding. Andre
w’
s eyes were focused on the scene below him, his body still stretched across the floor towards the opening
.“I’
m no
t…
I do
n’
t know
.
”

             
“
We understand, Nick
.
”

             
“
What about you
?
”

              Kaylee nudged Andrew, confused
.“
Who does he mean
?
”

              But Jac
k’
s voice sounded next, confident and strong over the static
.“
What about me
?
”

             
“
Where do you stand
,”
Nick asked, clearly stalling. In the pause that followed Kaylee literally felt her heart stop beating.

             
“
With you, wherever you are
.
”

             
“
What? Why
?”
Nick stammered in surprise, no doubt eyeing Jack suspiciously.

             
“
Kaylee
,”
Jack said simply. Kaylee pictured him shrugging offhandedly, but there was nothing casual about his statement.

              It was Andre
w’
s turn to stiffen as Emma let out a little squeak. There was no denying the meaning behind his declaration. It could
n’
t have been any clearer if the entire group had walked in on them while they were monopolizing the roof the other day.

              And then someone was laughing. Anna. Just a few well placed chuckles, probably at the expression that had crossed her fathe
r’
s face. Emma punched Kaylee on the shoulder.

             
“
You did
n’
t tell me
.”
Amusement dominated her tone.

             
“
I
t’
s kind of a new development
,”
Kaylee whispered back, intensely aware that Andrew had yet to look at her. His breathing was short but forceful, his knuckles white from gripping the edge of the opening too hard. Emma giggled.

             
“
Oh
,”
came Nic
k’
s gruff voice. He cleared his throat. Kaylee had almost forgotten the people below, focused as she was now on the taunt muscles in Andre
w’
s back. She touched his leg and felt his calf contract, the muscle tighten, as though his very skin wanted to be further away from her. She pulled her fingers back as Ann
a’
s chuckle sounded again.

             
“
Well, that does
n’
t really answer the immediate question about Emma
,”
Anna said. Kaylee thought she could have tried a little harder to keep the smile from her tone.

             
“
All I meant was that either way I was
n’
t going anywhere. Here, there, Alaska someday, it does
n’
t matter to me. Whateve
r’
s decided,
I’
ll go with it
,”
Jack answered in his easy tone. Kaylee knew his answer was honest, but still it was anything but easy. He wanted to leave, wanted it badly. It was only for her he would stay.

             
“
Kayle
e’
s love life aside
,”
Bill interjected roughly
.“
What do you say Nick? I
t’
s the best way. With Emma the way she is
,”
Emma cringed besides Kaylee
,“
you know i
t’
s the only option
.
”

              Andrew was suddenly on his feet. His hands gripped the cold, metal pole and without a single glance at either girl, he dropped to the garage. His voice could be heard, scratchy and fragmented, over the radio that Kaylee still gripped in her fingers.

             
“
I agree, Dad
,”
he said, loud and forceful. Kaylee and Emma both hurried to edge to watch. Andrew threw one long look at Jack before adding
,“
I ca
n’
t live here anymore. We need to leave
.
”