Thirteen (Otherworld 13)

"I have the keys, so I'm driving, right?" Jake said. "And Lori rides shotgun?"

"Of course," Odele said. "That will be much more comfortable for her, I'm sure."

"Oh, that's not why he's asking," Lori said, grinning Jake's way. "He needs his navigator or we'll end up in the Gulf. The guy has absolutely no sense of direction."

Mom laughed. "I know someone like that."

Lori looked back at her. "Has he ever gone for ice cream at the corner store and come back two hours later with a melted mess in a bag?"

"Hey, I wasn't lost," Jake said. "I knew the corner store didn't have your favorite--"

I felt a spray of something on my face. Then Andi screamed, and something hit the back of my legs. I went down face-first. As I fell, I tried to twist, but Mom landed beside me, her hand smacking the back of my head as she yelled, "Down!"

Peter had dropped right in front of me. I looked over at him and for a second my brain didn't register what I was seeing. There was something covering his face.

No, there was nothing covering his face. He didn't have a face.

I touched my cheek and pulled back my finger. Blood. I'd been sprayed with blood. What kind of spell could--?

Lori fell to her knees, screaming and clutching her shoulder. Blood oozed from between her fingers. Jake dropped beside her.

"Get--!" Mom began.

Lori jerked forward, hands flying out. Red blossomed on her chest.

Not a spell. A gun. I looked around, but saw nothing, just us and the cars and a few buildings at least fifty yards--

"Sniper," Mom whispered. "Stay down, baby. Please stay down. I cast a cover spell."

"We need to get inside," I said. "We can inch toward the warehouse."

"Okay. Just stay on your belly. I'll cast blur spells as we go."

We started backing up. Jake was dragging Lori, screaming for someone to get help, call 911, anything. Mom's hand tightened on my arm.

"You can't help them," she said.

I looked around. Andi stood there, looking dazed, even as another bullet whizzed by her. Only Will lay on his stomach, a few feet away, partially hidden by a rusted oil drum.

"We need to tell them to get inside," I whispered.

"No, they'll draw fire."

I could pretend she meant if I tried to help, they could draw fire to us. She didn't. It was like back in the jail, when Jaime and I let the witch--Keiran--leave, knowing she'd clear the way.

"Get inside!" I shouted. "It's a sniper. You need to get in the warehouse."

"No!" Will yelled. "In the cars. Get in the cars. We'll be trapped in the warehouse."

"A sniper can see you in the cars. You need to--"

"The cars!" he cut in. "Everyone in the cars." He drowned me out and sure enough Odele and Andi started for the cars, Odele in the lead. Then a bullet took her out. Andi froze and looked both ways. She took one shaky step toward the warehouse.

"No!" Will yelled. "Andi, run for the cars!"

Damn it, he was going to get them killed. No time to argue. I didn't see which direction Andi chose. We reached the warehouse door and Mom yanked me inside and slammed it shut.

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