“What the fuck are you doin’ here, Koda? You could have been followed,” Braxton hisses, glancing around the gardens of the rehab center, as if at any moment, someone is going to come out and blow his brains out.

Wouldn’t surprise me.

I’m not sure how I’ve managed to stay low for this past week while I wait for our I.Ds to be made. I’m trusting a stranger, because he could tell anyone where I am, and all they’d have to do is get ahold of me to find out where Braxton is. It’s a risk, I know this more than fucking anyone, but it’s a risk I have to take.

For my brother.

For his life.

“Had to come here. Need you to know things have changed. Can’t get you out of this, Braxton.”

His eyes widen, and for a second I see panic in them. Pure terror. These men scare him far more than he’ll ever let on. He knows it’s dangerous. He knows that if he gets caught he’ll die a slow and painful fucking death. I’d be scared, too. Hell, I am fucking scared. Scared for him. Scared for me. Scared for everyone involved. Because if I get us out of this, it’ll be a damned miracle.

“So, what? I’m just goin’ to die? You’re goin’ to let them fuckin’ kill me?” he rasps out, fists clenching, face angry.

I lean across the table. “Do not fuckin’ speak to me like that. I’m the only person you’ve got on your side, and I have no intentions of lettin’ you do this alone. What I am going to do is try and get you away from it. I can’t change it. You got a hit on you, brother, a fuckin’ big one. Don’t matter if I killed every motherfucker workin’ for this prick, they’re goin’ to make sure you’re dead. The hit is clear sign of that. You gotta run. Only way out.”

“I can’t run,” he says, running his fingers through his hair, the fear apparent in his eyes. “Can’t fuckin’ run, Dakoda. They’ll hunt me down. Find me. Kill me.”

“Not if I can get us out with a whole new identity. Means leavin’ this life, all of it, every single person you know. Means movin’ somewhere far fuckin’ away, stayin’ low for at least five years, never comin’ back.”

His eyes meet mine. “And you think that’ll work? You think I can just disappear? These men, they know how to find people. They will track us down.”

“Maybe they will, or maybe they won’t.”

“I fuckin’ rolled them over,” he barks, clawing at his face. “Runnin’ is not goin’ to save me, I’m a dead man.”

“You’re a fuckin’ dead man if you stay. Either way, you’re probably dead. This way gives you a damned chance.”

“What if I fake my own death? It can be done; people do it all the time.”

I stare at him. “It takes a whole fuckin’ lot of plannin’ to do somethin’ like that. Believe me, I considered it. But we don’t have time. Those people are hot on your trail and it won’t be long before they find you. The best chance we have is to flee.  Leave the weapons where they are, they’ll find them, they’ll re-sell them. Still want your head, no doubt, but it might calm them enough to remove that hit. Then we’re dealin’ with only one fuckin’ monster.”

Braxton shakes his head. “I don’t think we’re walkin’ away from this, Dakoda. If, by some small fuckin’ miracle, we actually get out of the state, all it will take is for them to find the name of the person who gave you the new identity. They’ll track us from there.”

“Maybe, or maybe he will deny ever seein’ me. Seemed like a good man. Family man. Don’t think he’s a problem.”

“You’re being naive!” he roars, causing a worker to turn around and stare at us.

He forces a smile and waves.

She studies us for a few moments, then turns back.

“Listen,” I hiss, leaning over the table so I’m in his face, “you got yourself into this mess. I’m only tryin’, best I fuckin’ can, to get you out of it. You don’t take my help, you’re dead the second they find you. This is the only hope, it might be a fuckin’ small one, but it’s all we have. You’re either in it with me, or you’re not. You’re not, I take my shit, change my name, and fuck off away from all this. Alone. What’s it going to be, Braxton?”

He stares at me, his eyes flaring with rage and anger.

“I don’t have a fuckin’ choice, do I? I’m dead either way it goes, but at least I’ll have longer with your plan.”

I understand his hesitation and fear. Hell, I really fucking do. He’s probably right. There is a good chance we’ll be found. I even thought of going to the cops, giving information, helping them bring down the operation in exchange for our safety. But, again, that’s a risk. There is a good chance they’ll lock Braxton up and he’ll only get killed anyway.

Cops can’t be trusted.

Most of them are being paid off.

Someone, somewhere would give information and we’d be found. Money talks, and people like this Shanks, they have fucking money. They have it and they have people in all areas working for them, including the cops.

Can’t risk it.

The only two people I need to know about this change is Braxton and myself.

And the man who changed our I.Ds.

He’s one person. Only one person to worry about.

That’s exactly how I need it.

“Only choice we have, like it or not. Got one week until the new identities are ready, until then you stay here. So far nobody knows where you are and you’re safe. At least for now. Eventually, they’ll find out you came here, and they’ll come after you. Can only hope we have a week’s worth of time.”

“And if we don’t?”

I hold his eyes. “Can’t think of that right now. Can only think of gettin’ us the hell out of here.”

He shakes his head, closes his eyes and takes a shaky breath. “I’m a fuckin’ idiot.”

Yeah.

He is.

But he’s still my brother. I reach over and grab his chin in my fingers, squeezing hard enough for him to meet my eyes. “Yeah. You’re a fuckin’ idiot. You did somethin’ incredibly stupid. But you’re only human, and you fucked up, and you were strugglin’. We all make mistakes, some bigger than others. All you need to know right now is that I’ve got your back and, no matter what happens, I’ll keep havin’ your back. You go down, Braxton, I’m going with you.”

His eyes get glassy, and he growls, “Love you, Dakoda.”

“Yeah, brother, I love you, too.”

And I wonder.

Is that the last time I’ll get to say that to him?

~*~*~*~