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Chapter Thirteen

-- Nick --

I was trapped. Kevin was lying on the floor with blood soaking through the front of his jeans and Aaron had taken off down the alley. I had tried to fire off a shot, but it had missed by a mile.

"Go," Kevin croaked. His screams had raised every hair on my neck and arms.

"I can't leave you."

Just then the back door opened. AJ and Brian ran out and skidded to a stop. Brian let out a loud yell and sank down next to Kevin.

I met AJ's gaze.

"Call for help," I said. He nodded. I took off.

Aaron had gotten too much of a head start and I had the sinking feeling of dread that I wouldn't be able to find him. I tucked the gun back into the waistband of my jeans.

I couldn't risk getting caught and arrested.

I ran out onto a side street and looked around. I had to concentrate. Maybe the gray hoodie would stick out...

"NICK!"

The voice was familiar, but it shouldn't have been here. It should have been at home.

"He's heading towards the lighthouse!"

The few people that were milling around on the street looked in my direction. Mike was already taking off with the speed of someone half his age. He pushed people aside without a thought. I tore off after him.

My thoughts were a jumbled mess. Kevin had caught Aaron. We had been so close. And now Kev was lying on the floor. Bleeding. Because of me.

And then there was Brooke. Where was she? Was she okay? Oh, my baby had to be okay...

And Mike. What was he doing here? He wasn't FBI. He was retired. He was...

My chest felt like it was going to break open. I had never ran so hard or fast in all my life. I was catching up to Mike and if I squinted hard enough I could for a fact see the heavy gray material of a hoodie trying to blend in with the night.

The figure was running straight for the lighthouse. I prayed that was where Brooke was. I wouldn't hesitate to gun Aaron down. I just had to get a better shot. I wasn't great with a gun.

Maybe it was a good thing Mike was here.

I grabbed my side and put every last ounce of energy into catching up. The figure yanked open the lighthouse door and tore inside.

It looked like this was going to end one way or another at the top.

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-- Aaron --

The idea of taking the scenic route hadn't worked. I had thought that I was home free after the bullet had missed me, but then out of nowhere came the FBI agent that took me down all those years ago. It was like a bad dream.

Scratch that. A fucking nightmare.

I wasn't going back to jail. There was no way in hell they were going to drag me back there.

I panicked. I couldn't think straight. There didn't seem to be a place to hide. I put all my effort into running towards the lighthouse. I knew its secrets; I had learned a few tricks. After all, I had faked my own death. I could do it again.

I hadn't counted on the old man being so fast. Or my brother catching up. I was surprised he had left Kevin, but then again that made me realize that the other three idiots had to be here as well. They couldn't wipe their asses without one another.

The door to the lighthouse yanked opened easily. Ever after a complete remodel, they couldn't provide adequate security.

My feet reverberated loudly as I took the metal stairs two at a time. My hand barely touched the railing. I heard loud shouts below and then the sound of two more sets of shoes.

At the very top of the lighthouse was a narrow platform. By jumping off just right, you can make it into a small spot of water that was surrounded on both sides by rocks. I had checked to make sure time hadn't changed it just the day before. It was my ticket out of this mess.

"AARON FREEZE!"

My nostrils flared. Mr. FBI was right on my tail. I opened the hatch to the platform, turned around and held up my hands. The old guy's gun was aimed right at me. A second gun appeared. Nick's face was masked in shadow.

"Where's Brooke?"

I licked my lips. "Your princess is sick. Has been for the last day or so. Maybe she choked on her own vomit by now. That would save me the step of killing her. Of course maybe I've already done that. What do you think?"

I held the secret to Brooke's location and so the guns didn't scare me. If they killed me right here, the secret would go with me. Sure, they could scour the town. But by that time she would probably have succumbed to whatever she had. Either that or someone would find her. Make her their little American pet.

Pity.

"She's just a little GIRL," the agent growled. "Don't you have a soul?"

I laughed. "My brother here took my soul."

Nick shook his head. "Aaron, you're nuts. I never did anything but try to help you."

I snorted. "No one in our family could be better than you. I had no choice to do what I did. Then you came and stuck your nose into that. God, you ruin everyone's life that you touch. Don't you realize that?"

Nick just looked at me. I saw pity in his eyes.

Pity. For me.

How dare he.

"Aaron, I will give you any amount of money you want right now if you just tell me where Brooke is."

Nick's voice was as smooth as silk. I tossed my head back.

"This isn't about money anymore."

It was time. I didn't want to discuss this any further. A large tear rolled down Nick's cheek.

"Good-bye," I said coldly.

I heard a click and I reacted quickly. The bullet grazed my shoulder as I jumped. There was pain, but it was far from the worst pain I had ever felt. The most important thing was that I was airborne. I closed my eyes. I plunged feet first into the cold unrelenting waters. The pain in my shoulder intensified as it scraped against the rocks, but I was able to get a hold and drag myself up. My lungs inhaled the salty air.

Aaron Carter wasn't dying tonight.

Maybe I had just taken the scenic route after all.