Another squeal from the radio, then static, then nothing.
I stood up.
The engine of the first SUV roared, the tires spun, then caught on the wet pavement, and the white vehicle rocketed past me with the others following closely behind. I jumped out of their path and fell back onto the bench, the umbrella tumbling from my hand. The wind grabbed it and it flew down the hill, bouncing this way and that like a pinball over the various headstones.
My eyes locked on the passing SUVs. For one brief second, I thought I saw Stella pressed against the glass of the third one. Then they were gone.
I got to my feet, pulled the walkie-talkie from my jacket, and ran toward the woods, slipping in the slick grass. “They’re leaving! They’re leaving! Do you hear me?”
Dunk was first to break through the fading static.“We lost you there for a second. Repeat?”
“Something must be wrong. They stopped and sat there, and then they all took off. They’re following Tranquility around the edge of the cemetery. They should be coming around to the entrance any second now!”
More static.
“Red Two, this is Red Leader. Draw closer until you have visual on the entrance. I’ll do the same, we need to figure out what direction—”
I lost them as I crossed into the trees.
The large canopy of oaks blocked much of the rain, and I ran faster, twisting through the trees and underbrush, stirring the damp leaves plastered to the ground. I tripped and nearly dropped over a fallen branch about as thick as my leg. Somehow, I regained my balance while still on the move, my arms floundering in the air to keep me upright.
I broke through the trees on the other side.
“—Don’t see anything yet. This rain blows. I’m…Static…cemetery on my left,”Willy yelled into the radio, breathing heavy.
I spotted my bike about a hundred feet down the road, lying on its side in the ditch at the edge of the forest. I ran for it. “I’m at my bike! I’m gonna come up Nobles toward Brownsville!”
“I see them! I see them! Four white Chevy Suburbans! They just turned left out of the cemetery, heading north on Brownsville. Passing Birmingham right now!”Dunk said.
I dragged my bike from the ditch, almost dropped the radio, then climbed on the wet seat and pedaled as hard as I could, heading east on Nobles, the heavy raindrops pelting me in the face and the icy wind slashing my cheeks.
“I…see you…Dunk!”Willy crackled, out of breath.“I just passed the cemetery. Where are the…”Static again.
“…Left on Nobles! I repeat, they made a left on Nobles! Thatch, they’re coming toward you!”Dunk shouted.“I almost had them. They got caught in traffic. I just turned on Nobles, and they’re about a hundred yards ahead of me, picking up speed. Thatch, do you see them?”
Nobles Lane appeared deserted. I pressed the transmit button. “Negative, nothing yet. Maybe they took one of the side roads.”
“They wouldn’t do that,”Dunk replied.“All those streets are dead ends.”
I pedaled harder, my legs throbbing. “Maybe they went to a house back there.”
My radio let out a loud squeal, and I saw the headlights come around the bend ahead.
“I see them! I see them!”
Static.
“Dunk!”
The first SUV had their high beams on, and the thick, white light sliced through the rain. Standing water sprayed in their wake, a tall plume nearly twice the height of the vehicle. The speed limit on Nobles was thirty miles per hour. They were doing at least twice that and picking up speed. The three other SUVs keeping pace behind the first, only a few feet separating each.
“Dunk!” I shouted again into the radio.
Nothing.
I hammered my legs down into the pavement, and with one quick jerk, I spun my bike around in the opposite direction and began peddling as fast as I could back the way I had come.
The engine grew louder at my back.
