Slayers (Jake Hawkins Book 1) (44 page)

Mark shook his head.
“
No. There wasn
’
t enough of it to take control. But it
’
s always been there, and there
’
s no way to get it out. Blood transfusions do nothing. I tried everything.
”

Now Jake was crying. And he was scared.
“
So
–
so what happened? Dad, am I going to turn? Please, say no. Please.
”

“
I don
’
t know, Jake. But I think when you hit the ground, it activated something. I think it unleashed the virus.
”

“
No, please, no
…”

“
Like I said, I don
’
t know. You can
’
t stay here, though, that
’
s for sure.
”

An unsettling tingle began to creep up Jake
’
s spine. A bitter depression was weighing him down.
“
What are you saying?
”

“
You run,
”
Mark said with the forced tone of a speech he had rehearsed a thousand times in his head.
“
The President
’
s given the go-ahead. No-one else knows about this. He
’
s letting you escape, even though you
’
re technically in custody.
”

His dad moved over to the window and shoved the frame up another foot, providing enough space for a man to crawl out.

“
Are you
serious
?
”
Jake gasped.
“
I can
’
t. I actually can
’
t.
”

“
There
’
s no other option. As soon as the doctors find the virus in your system, you
’
ll be in the hands of the military.
”

“
What do I do?
”

“
Get as far away from here as you can,
”
Mark said, gripping his shoulders.
“
We
’
ll meet you out of town. Until then, go into hiding. Pray you don
’
t turn before we find you.
”

Jake rose from the bed, bleary-eyed and doped up on medicine, in no way fit to escape from a hospital.

“
What-
”
he started, but his dad silenced him with a single gesture and slipped a phone into his palm.

“
Take this. I don
’
t have much time left. Now go. I
’
ll be in touch.
”

Jake slammed a fist into the wall, gouging a chunk out of the plaster. Skin sheared off his knuckles and his hand seared with pain, but it came nowhere close to venting his frustration. A reassuring hand clamped down on his shoulder.

“
You
’
re going to be alright, son,
”
Mark said.
“
You
’
ve come this far.
”

Jake wrapped his arms around his dad
’
s muscular back and pressed tight. He was scared; there was no doubt about it. He had barely recuperated. They parted, and his dad took four strides over to the door, pushed it open, and then he was gone.

Jake turned and stared at the open window. It beckoned him back to the world he had tried so desperately to escape from. No rest. No rehabilitation. He thought it was over.

He was wrong.

And so he clambered over the windowsill, feeling the rush of wind against his bare arms and face. It took less than a minute to traverse down to the tarmac, and then, amongst the squealing of ambulances and the faint stench of cigarette smoke hanging heavy around the lobby entrance, he took off into the night.

THE END

SLAYERS II

COMING SOON

Hope you enjoyed the first instalment! Feel free to leave a review. Stay tuned to my Author Page for all updates on future books in the
‘
Slayers
’
series!

- Matt Rogers