Page 220 of Claim Me
I can hear the doubt in Ruben’s voice when he answers, "Alright, boss," but he doesn’t question it.
The pain in my head ramps up fast, to the point where I can’t focus on anything except obsessively scanning everything around us. I keep looking out the window, watching cars, people, buildings, trying to figure out where the threat could come from.
I stare and stare, almost X-raying the nearest cars, my heart picking up speed, then I turn for a second and catch Blue’s eyes. I can see the concern there too, and in a strange way that gives me a flicker of relief, because it means he believes me, that he takes what I’m saying seriously.
Maybe thetrustthing is not lost after all?
I force the words out, not even sure where they come from.
"I’m sorry. I wish my ability allowed me to see more. I’m not good enough to fully protect you."
"No one is, Gabriel, but you’re very close," there’s something almost soft in his voice.
"I’m sorry, Blue. I really am, for everything. But whatever’s coming… it’s bad."
Blue nods slowly. "It’s alright. Sooner or later they were going to get to me. I’ve always lived with that assumption. If not today, it would happen tomorrow."
Then suddenly the pain spikes so hard I can barely take it. I raise my hands and press them to my temples with a loud groan.
My 5-sec ability finally catches up.
A vision.
I turn, and in that instant I see a black car with tinted windows cutting in right between us and the security vehicle, but it doesn’t just merge, it swings sideways, forcing us to brake hard.
I hear gunshots right away, probably from Ruben and his guys, and at the same time another vehicle pulls out from a side street in front of us, blocking the road.
"It’s happening!" I shout. "I see it, two vans, front and back, they’re cutting us off from security, gunfire!"
Blue reacts instantly.
His finger taps the edge of his glasses and I hear his voice, most likely recording a message.
"Detective Arnold, we’re surrounded, two vehicles front and rear, separated from security, black vans. Gunfire. I’m deploying a drone."
A second later he hits something in the door panel and part of the roof opens. A small drone shoots up from inside the limousine’s floor and rises fast into the air.
My five-second window ends and reality catches up.
Just like I saw, the vans wedge in, Simon lets out a shocked sound, Gerard slams the brakes and the tires screech.
The drone is already about sixty-six feet up, and before I can even say anything, another vision hits me.
"No, you need to turn it, because they’re about to—"
"Gabriel, I don’t have control over it, that’s intentional. If they captured me they could use it otherwise!"
"Damn. So it’s already gone."
A second later, a shot rings out, just as I predicted.
Simon stares at me in shock, shaking.
Someone out there is a damn good shot, because the drone gets hit clean. With a buzzing, crackling sound it drops and slams onto the hood of the limousine.
"Shit," Simon curses. "They’re professionals."
"I’m sure it’s NFH," Blue says through clenched teeth.
