Page 48 of Run

“South. Not far. Hit the A12, and I’ll tell you when you get off,” Marcus replied, his eyes still on Elle. “Tommy lost the plot when he saw the blue hair.” He cocked his head, considering her. “I think it suits you.”

“And I don’t give a crap what you think,” Elle said. “Put down the gun, right now.”

“I don’t think so. Your man might be attached to the steering wheel, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t got a trick or two up his sleeve. I think we’re all safer if I keep the gun on him.”

Elle threw up her hands in exasperation. “Are you kidding me? He can’t move! What exactly do you think he’ll do?”

Hoping he’d read the situation correctly, David spoke up and told the truth. “I could use the heel of my foot to press the lever and shove the seat back into your brother. The steering wheel in this car’s fitted with a quick-release hub, which means that once I’ve slammed the seat into Marcus, I could remove the steering wheel and use it to disable him. Then I’d grab his gun and shoot Abasi.”

Elle blinked at him several times. “This car has a quick-release steering wheel? Is that standard?”

Abasi burst out laughing. “I have missed you, girl.”

“No,” David told her. “It isn’t standard. The car’s been modified. There’s more power under the hood and weapons stashed in the frame.”

“This isn’t a Benson Security junker, is it?” It seemed that, in a fit of curiosity, Elle had completely forgotten they were being held at gunpoint by her blood-thirsty family.

She also seemed to be waiting for an answer.

“I borrowed the car from an acquaintance.”

She cocked her head—using the exact same mannerism as her brother. “Of the spy kind?”

“Yep.”

“Next left,” Marcus ordered.

Which shifted Elle’s attention back to her brother. “What are you doing? If you take me to Tommy, he’ll kill me. You know that, right? This isn’t about the information I stole or him wanting me to hack for him again. All he wants is to prove that no one can run from the great, psychopathic Tommy James.”

“I know,” Marcus said. “Next right. Third garage down. It’ll be open, so drive on in.”

They turned into an alley with a row of garages at the end of the gardens belonging to some old terraced housing. The third garage was open, and David parked inside. The metal door closed behind them, but no one got out of the car.

“So, even knowing what Tommy’s going to do with me, you’re still taking me to him?” Elle sounded incredulous, making David wonder if she’d read the news reports about her brother over the past few years. David had. None of it was good.

“Chill,” Abasi drawled. “Marcus knows what he’s doing.”

“I’m so reassured. Where are we, anyway?” Elle asked as the garage’s dim light filtered in through the windows of the car.

“Nowhere you know,” Marcus said. “And, more importantly, nowhere Tommy knows.” He took a deep breath. “We need to talk, and we’re going to do it in here, where your boyfriend is somewhat controlled.”

“He isn’t my boyfriend.” Elle lifted her chin. “He’s too chicken to take me on. Keeps making up sad little excuses to justify him running away. It’s pathetic.”

David cocked an eyebrow at her. “Really? You’re complaining about me to the guy who has a gun to my head?”

“Whatever.” She rolled her eyes. “He’s annoying me, but I don’t want him dead, which means I’d appreciate it if you didn’t pull the trigger. As for talking, I don’t care where it happens, Marcus. I’d just like you to get to the point. Are you going to shoot me or take me to Tommy?”

“Neither,” he said before catching David’s eye in the mirror. “I’m lowering my gun. Hear me out, or Abasi puts a bullet in you.”

Abasi smiled at David. “Just so you know, I don’t think of you as my sister, so I won’t have a problem shooting you.”

“Understood,” David said.

“What’s going on?” Elle had obviously used up her reserve of patience. “Why am I here? What do you want?”

Marcus’ cold eyes met his sister’s furious gaze. “You’re here because everybody on the planet is out to get you. And what I want, what I’ve always wanted, is for you to be safe.”

“You want me to be safe? I’m sorry. I think I must have misheard. You? Wantmeto be safe?” Great, now she looked like she might explode.