Chapter 4 Casted

Sierra POV

The explosion threw  me hard against the concrete wall, dust  filled the garage. A man  screamed  then came the sound of gunfire.

Roman grabbed me before I could fall. “Down!"

I dropped behind a motorcycle as bullets tore through the metal door.

The Vipers scattered, Roman pulled his gun and fired twice.

For a few seconds, nobody moved. Then one of the bikers yelled, "They're gone!"

Roman didn't lower his weapon…He looked at me. “Are you hurt?"

"No."

"You're bleeding."

I touched my forehead, my  fingers came away red. “It's nothing." I muttered.

Roman crouched in front of me, his  eyes searching  my face. “That's not nothing."

"I'm fine."

He reached for me…I slapped his hand away. “I said I'm fine."

His jaw tightened…Then, unexpectedly, he nodded. “Good." He said.

He stood. “Because we're leaving."

"Where?" I asked.

"The place your father hid the key."

I looked at the blue key still clenched in my hand. “You know where it goes."

"I know where it might go."

"That's not reassuring." I snapped.

"It wasn't meant to be."

Roman turned toward one of the men. “Get two bikes ready."

The man nodded and hurried away.

I stood. “Why only two?"

Roman looked at me. “Because if we're being watched, a convoy makes us easier to follow."

“You think they'll follow us?" I asked.

"I know they will."

"And you still want to take me there?"

"They already know where you live."

He stepped closer. “The only advantage we have is that they don't know what we're looking for."

"What if you don't tell me the truth?" I asked voice cracking.

Roman's eyes hardened. “Then you can put a bullet in me when we're finished."

I studied his face for a moment… He actually meant it and that made me scared more than a threat would have.

Twenty minutes later, I was riding behind Roman through the outskirts of the city.

Rain began falling halfway there.

I tightened my arms around his waist and honestly, I hated  it. 

Roman glanced back. “You can let go."

"I'm trying not to fall off."

"You've ridden before."

"Not on a motorcycle with a man who thinks he's immortal." I snapped.

His mouth twitched. “I'm not immortal."

"Could've fooled me."

We stopped beside an abandoned repair shop.

The sign above it was almost completely destroyed.

But I could still make out two letters.

M. V.

I climbed off the bike. “What's this place?"

Roman removed his helmet. “Your father's first workshop."

I stared at the building. “No, I've been here before. My father closed this place when I was seventeen."

"He didn't." Roman walked toward the entrance. “He just made everyone believe he did."

Roman pulled out the blue key and handed it to me. “Your turn."

I stared at the key. "Why me?"

"Because it belonged to you."

"What?"

"Your father told me that if the day ever came when I needed to bring you here, you had to open the door." He said.

My heart pounded as I inserted the key…I pushed the door opened, everything inside was covered in dust…Old tools, rusting engines, wrecked shelves, workbench and dozens of old photographs.

My father was in nearly every one of the photographs but he wasn't alone because there was Roman, Mara Voss and other men I can’t even recognize plus  a little girl. 

Me.

"Why am I in these?" I asked.

"Because your father wanted me to know what you looked like."

I looked at him. “Why?"

"Because he knew someone might come after you."

My eyes found One of the photographs had been taken when I was about twelve where I was sitting on the motorcycle my father had built for me. Roman stood behind me but was younger and smiling in the picture.

I stared at him. “You knew me."

"Yes."

"But I don't remember you." I said.

"You weren't supposed to."

I turned sharply. “What does that mean?"

Roman didn't answer….I grabbed his jacket. “You knew me before my father died."

His hands wrapped around my wrists, not rough but just enough to stop me from shaking him.

"He brought you here once." He said.

"When?"

"Six years ago."

I stared at him. “That's impossible."

"You were sixteen."

"My father never brought me here."

"He did."

"Why don't I remember?" I asked.

Roman's expression softened. “Because he asked me to make sure you forgot."

I pulled away. “You can't make someone forget."

"He could."

The answer chilled me. “What happened that night?"

Roman looked toward the back of the workshop. “Your father found evidence that someone inside his business was working with a rival organization."

"Mara?" I asked.

"No."

"Then who?"

"He didn't know."

"You're still hiding something." I said.

"Yes."

I laughed. “At least you're finally honest."

Roman walked toward the back wall.

He pressed his hand against an old metal cabinet. He pulled a loose bolt, a section of the wall moved.

I stared. “Secret room?"

"Your father was paranoid." He said.

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"Sometimes paranoia keeps people alive."

He stepped inside and I followed him…the room was tiny but looked safe.

"This looks like a prison." I said.

"It was where your father kept sensitive information."

Roman pointed toward the safe. “Your key."

I inserted it into the safe and it opened…Inside was a small black box.

I lifted it out, it contained a USB drive, photograph and a folded piece of paper.

I unfolded the paper… it had my father's handwriting and the note read.

Sierra, if you're reading this, Roman failed to keep you away.

My eyes burned with tears  as I continued reading.

Do not trust the person who tells you I was betrayed by the Vipers because the betrayal came from somewhere much closer.

I looked at Roman. “Who?"

He didn't answer.

I turned the paper over, there was another sentence.

The person who betrayed me has been protecting you ever since.

My heart stopped. “Roman."

He started at me.

“You knew?” I asked.

He said nothing.

"You knew this entire time."

"I suspected." He said.

"Who is it?" I demanded.

Roman took a slow breath then his eyes moved toward the doorway, I followed his gaze. A shadow crossed the floor swiftly…someone was standing outside.

Roman immediately stepped in front of me pulling out his gun. “Stay behind me."

The door opened, a woman stepped inside wearing a red helmet, and black  leather jacket.I knew her face by now.

Mara Voss.

She stared  at Roman then  at me. “I wondered how long it would take you to bring her here."

Roman raised his gun. “You shouldn't have come."

Mara looked at me. “No, I came because she deserves to know what her father died trying to protect."  She reached inside her jacket.

Roman cocked his gun. “Don’t move!”

Mara pulled out a photograph and threw it onto the floor.

It landed at my feet, I bent down to pick it. 

The picture showed my father, Roman, Mara, and one other person I recognized immediately. 

Daniel Mercer.

My father's younger brother, who had stood beside me at the funeral and held my shoulders while I cried.

"Your father's killer." Mara muttered.