Page 75 of Honorable Sins

Yes, people die in our world, but not people like my da and his best men. A little voice in the back of my head jeers at me for thinking that.

Everybody will die someday. Even my da.

How does the guy who took Sadie know I'm at the Bunker though? How does he even know about the Bunker?

Crap. What do I do? Do I tell Uncle Brice? Do I call my da? What would my da do?

He'd let Sadie die before letting me be put at risk. But if it were mom, he'd burn down the city to keep her safe. He loves her.

I don’t love Sadie but she’s my friend and I promised to protect her. Men in my family keep our word. Even Uncle Adam.

Sometimes I wonder if I’m more like da than anyone thinks. I love my family, but I don’t feel the same way for my grandda or mamo. I care about them, but if it came between them and my parents or the littles, I wouldn't hesitate.

I promised Sadie we'd keep her safe though. I have to keep my promise. Da would keep his, unless it meant allowing me to be hurt. Then all bets are off as Uncle Conor says.

Okay. Okay.

I need to get away from Uncle Brice.

I double over. "Crap. I need to…" I run toward the bathroom, my phone in my hand.

"You gotta wait—"

"I can't!" I shove the door on the stall shut and start making retching noises over the toilet.

"What's going on?" Uncle Brice asks, sounding worried when the text from dad didn't make his voice change at all.

"I don't know." I make myself gag again. "I need some of that pink stuff or something."

"I'll get it for you after we're in Sector I."

"I need it now!" I make myself gag and then moan like I'm Mavie and Dobby just stole my favorite stuffie.

"Get me a bottle of Pepto Bysmol," Brice says.

He must be talking to one of his men on the phone.

"Gross," I say. "I just threw up on my shirt."

We have extra clothes in the car. We always have extra clothes and other stuff in the special compartment in the back of the SUV, so we can get gone without grabbing anything.

I don't know what I'm doing. Uncle Brice will just keep sending his guys for the stuff and I'm going to run out of things to ask for.

But I have to get away from Uncle Brice. If he gets me into Sector I, I'm not getting out until he lets me out. He'll send someone to check on Sadie, but that won't help her if she's been taken.

I take a deep breath and center myself. Just like in training, I zero in on my opponent and how to best him.

I need to incapacitate. Stall pursuit. And run.

The full sequence plays out in my head and if I don't make any mistakes, it will work.

After some more gagging, I flush the toilet and open the door, stagger to the sink and wash my face and hands. The whole time my brain is buzzing but focused.

Still bent over a little, my hand on my stomach, I walk slow to my gym bag. I grab the Guardian spray Uncle Miceli gave me last year under the guise of pulling out my water bottle for a drink.

The spray's lit. It won't knock out Uncle Brice, but it will trigger his eyes to close on contact. Then he'll start coughing and it'll be hard for him to breathe. The sedative won't knock him out, but it will disorient him. According to Uncle Miceli, I'll have between 20-60 seconds to run.

It's Uncle Brice. So, that means I'll probably have fifteen. I only need five.