22. Chapter Twenty-Two Abby

Chapter Twenty-Two: Abby

W e drove through the night, off to reconnect with the rest of our group.

At this point, Kenny knew that I was on the other side…and it was only a matter of time until he sent his people after me. Just like Evelyn, my only choice left was to work with the insurgents–with Knuckles and the Sisterhood of Vipers–in the hope that we could free Nathan and unseat Kenny in the end.

It seemed hopeless.

When Nathan and I had been together, I’d thought we were invincible, that we could do anything. Now, he seemed further away from me than ever before.

We drove out to a little town in the foothills north of San Francisco, somewhere rural. I didn’t know Knuckles–not really–but he was a lifeline right now, and the only option I had left. Our plan had failed…but he didn’t seem even remotely deterred.

I needed to trust him now.

Needed to trust that he really did love Nathan’s mother…that he saw Nathan as a son.

Knuckles' grip was firm on my elbow as he steered me through the door of the nondescript little house. "You okay?"

"Fine," I lied, trying to sound convincing despite the dizziness. But as soon as we crossed the threshold, my legs practically gave way, betraying me, and I slumped against the nearest wall. The pregnancy was taking its toll, making each day a heavier burden than the last.

He sank to the ground to look at me, eyes wide. I kept my eyes locked on his, schooling my features into a mask of indifference. Years of FBI training had taught me well, how to hide what I felt, how to be a ghost in plain sight. But my body was less disciplined; the tightness in my shoulders sang a different tune, one of tension and unvoiced fears.

"Abby," Knuckles said, voice low, "I need you to talk to me if there's something wrong."

"Nothing's wrong that wasn't wrong an hour ago," I replied, forcing a thin smile. Nathan was gone, I was pregnant, Kenny wanted us dead…and I may have killed a federal agent.

Yeah. Everything was wrong.

Knuckles didn’t press me, though; he extended his hand and helped me up, and I took it with a grateful smile. I walked over to the couch and slumped onto it, feeling like the world was crashing down around me. Knuckles observed me from across the room, his gaze sharp beneath furrowed brows. "You need water,” he grunted, then he went to the small kitchen and filled up a glass from the sink, handing it to me a moment later.

"Thanks," I murmured, taking a sip. The liquid was tasteless but necessary; every cell in my body screamed for normalcy in this anything-but-normal situation.

The door creaked open and our eyes shot toward it. My gun was still at my hip, and I reached for it only to recoil when I remembered how I’d shot Hayes.

Luckily, it wasn’t a threat.

Alex walked in first, his shoulders hunched, the weight of failure etched into the lines of his face. Javi followed, along with Neon. Jack brought up the rear, his jaw set in a hard line, eyes void of their usual mirth.

They looked spent, broken in ways that went beyond physical injuries. As they settled into the confined space, words like "bust" and "waste" escaped their lips in hushed, bitter tones.

I watched them, feeling the heavy blanket of defeat settle over the room. I had already known it was a bust, but the fact that they were here just proved it.

I still had to call Justin, Lily, and Derek…tell them this was all for nothing.

This wasn't just a setback; it was a clear show of vulnerability, a crack in our armor that could prove fatal if left unchecked. My heart raced, not out of fear, but from the adrenaline rush of knowing what was at stake.

Without Nathan, we would all be hounded by Kenny’s men until there was no resistance left.

I didn’t even want to think about what he would do to me.

"So, that bad?" I ventured, my voice steady despite the chaos brewing inside me.

"Understatement," Alex spat out, sinking into an armchair with a groan. “We didn’t get him.”

“We have to do something,” I said. “We have to get Nathan. We have to…fuck.”

Knuckles straightened up, his posture rigid as if he was bracing against the tide of defeat that threatened to drown us all. "Listen up," he commanded, and the room fell silent. Everyone's gaze snapped to him, searching for a lifeline in the murky waters we found ourselves in. "The good news, and this is what we should focus on, is that Nathan is alive."

I felt the collective breath we'd been holding release in a gust of relief that swept through the group. He was right, and that was a bit of perspective we sorely needed.

But it was short-lived, replaced by a surge of urgency so palpable that even without touching, you could feel it pulse between us.

"That said, alive today doesn't mean alive tomorrow," Knuckles continued, his voice cutting through the gloom. "Kenny's not gonna stop. We move Nathan now, or we lose him."

I felt close to tears. Diane was a distant memory. I just wanted to make sure that Nathan was alright. I watched their faces, mapping the shift from despair to determination, like soldiers rallying after a call to arms. It was clear as the dawn breaking beyond the moss-covered windows of our hideout—Nathan may have dodged a bullet today, but the next one had his name etched into its casing.

Kenny’s wrath knew no bounds, and it was hunting for blood.

"Alright then," I said, my voice steady. "Let's plan our next move."

"Abby," Knuckles interrupted. "You need to rest.”

I almost laughed at the absurdity of the suggestion. Fuck that. I wasn’t going to rest. Not now, not with Nathan's life hanging by a thread. The very idea seemed to mock the urgency throbbing in my veins.

"There's no time for that," I replied, my voice carrying a weight that felt too heavy for my tired frame. Nathan was in mortal danger. We couldn’t just sit around and wait.

"Abby," Knuckles pressed, his tone leaving no room for argument. "We can't afford mistakes. You're no good to anyone burnt out. And that was intense. If you stay here…”

“I’m not staying here,” I said.

“Is there anything I can do to talk you into sitting this one out?”

"No. Listen," I started, steeling myself against the fatigue that threatened to buckle my knees. "Nathan doesn't have the luxury of time on his side. We act now, or we might as well start digging his grave."

He sighed. "You trying to get yourself killed, too?"

I exhaled sharply, my resolve hardening. "I'd walk through fire to get Nathan out. You know that."

From the corner of the room, Alex shifted uneasily. The tension between us was thick, but his concern was genuine. "She's got guts, I'll give her that. But we need to do this the smart way."

Knuckles rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his eyes momentarily losing their usual hardness. "Well," he said after a pause that felt like an eternity, "I might have an idea…but it's a bit off the wall."

“Fuck it,” I said. “We need to do something. Let’s fucking go.”