The Reaper

Chapter 3

The drive out of the city was quiet, but these trips usually were. The dreary weather didn't help my glum mood either, but I didn't have time to wallow. As the crowded buildings started to thin and open road stretched out before me, I grabbed my phone to send a quick text to one of my few remaining contacts within the CIA to let them know what I was about to do. I learned years ago that tipping them off before sh*t went down made it easier for them to cover up what really happened.

The hush that had settled inside the car the moment after I left Grace was becoming too much for me to handle, so I opted to blast the radio on a horrible little pop station. Anything was better than dwelling on the nightmares.

Get yourself together, Grimme. Gotta have a clear head before dealing with these d*ckheads, I thought.

As the hours wore on, I noticed a small black sedan trailing behind. It was odd to have a tail, but definitely not unheard of. So, I started looking around for an exit with a gas station. I'd rather deal with these stalkers there than on the highway.

I shot off on the next exit, waiting until the very last second before whipping my car onto the ramp and nearly crashing into the rail. I quickly looked in my rear view and saw the same black sedan cutting through three lanes to make it off on my exit in time.

Well, if I was uncertain about being tailed before, I'm not now. Who the f**k is that?

I looked around quickly trying to find a decent sized gas station off the Bloomfield Ave exit and my eyes lit up with excitement when I found one. After slinging my car into a parking spot, I yanked two daggers out of my bag in the passenger seat floorboard and tucked them inside my coat then grabbed a small caliber pistol and stuffed it into the waistband of my jeans before scrambling out of the car and all but running into the store.

I tried to slow my breathing and feign interest in the snack aisles of the small convenience store while surreptitiously darting my eyes toward the door to watch for my tail. Right as I began strolling down the next aisle, two conspicuous men barged through the doors, their heads on a swivel, as they tried to find me in the semi-crowded store.

I didn't recognize their faces, but that didn't negate the obvious threat they presented. I took a deep breath and used my hair to slightly mask my features as I worked my way around them and back toward the doors.

If I can get out of here without conflict that would be great, but I don't think I'm that lucky. If push comes to shove, I'll draw them out behind the building and deal with them there, I thought.

As I neared the door, I fought the urge to sprint towards it, to freedom; instead, I kept my breathing under control and maintained a casual pace. I could feel as their eyes slid over me, a shiver fighting to dance down my spine, then just as quickly their eyes moved on to the next person.

I managed to shove the door open and leave before quickly looking back to see if they noticed. Both men had already moved further into the store still searching, and I all but ran back to my car, shoving the key into the ignition with too much force. As the car rumbled to life, I could hear shouting coming from near the doors. I quickly threw the car into drive and peeled out of the parking lot, speeding back out onto the highway and towards the interstate, hoping I could merge into traffic and disappear.

My peace was suddenly interrupted when angry blaring of car horns pierced my ears, and I looked into my rear view to see my tail had already found me again.

Sh*t!

I pushed the vehicle faster, hoping to at least find a turn off away from so many eyes when this inevitable fight occurred. My eyes continously moved around as I looked desperately for a good place to jump out and take a stand.

I don't know who the f*ck these guys think they are, but obviously they don't know who they are f*cking with!

After another 10 minutes of driving I saw a small access road right off the highway, and without slowing down, I whipped the car down it, nearly rolling it as I did. The tail couldn't manage to maneuver their vehicle like I did and had to slow down considerably in order to pursue me. So, I booked it down that road until it came to a wide turnabout dead-end.

I hurtled my body out of the car, my blades and gun still on me from the gas station incident. I took a deep breathe, feeling the swirling energy inside my body start to move faster. As it blossomed from my chest, my whole body woke up and misty dark energy began to dance around me.

The two men came rumbling down the road and screeched to a stop, both nearly tumbling out of their car in their haste to get out. They righted themselves and readied their guns, pointing them at me as they moved cautiously in my direction.

"Who the h*ll are you?" I hissed at them, my gravelly voice causing the smaller one to shudder ever so slightly. I smirked as the scent of their fear wafted under my nose.

Good. Let me taste your nightmares.

"You already know us, princess. Well," the bigger one said with a smirk, "not us, specifically, but our boss. He says you two were quite close. He led your experimentation."

I glared at them as he spoke, anger causing the black energy to vibrate like someone cranked the bass all the way up in a speaker.

They skittered backward slightly before regaining their composure and resumed moving in my direction.

I stood taller and straightened my shoulders, "Do give my apologies to your master, you dog, but I'm afraid I won't be accompanying you back to your slimy hole."

My voice dropped an octave as I spoke and sounded double while I continued, "I do so hope you make the right choice, gentlemen. Clearly, he didn't tell you who I am."

Their expressions faltered, and I lunged immediately, closing the distance between us in a fraction of a second. I dropped low and kicked the legs out from under the big one, knocking his gun twenty feet away before performing a spin that landed me directly behind the smaller one.

The cold steel of my blade lightly grazed the side of his neck, leaving goosebumps in its' wake, and the smell of his fear amped up as his brain caught up to what just happened.

"Now tell me," I hissed, "what are your nightmares?"