Chapter 60 A Big Problem
JASON'S POV
I woke up to my phone ringing at three in the morning. Caitlyn was still asleep next to me and I grabbed the phone quickly before it could wake her. It was Rourke.
"What is wrong?" I asked quietly.
"We have a problem," Rourke said. His voice was tense. "A big problem."
I got out of bed and went into the living room so I would not wake Caitlyn. "What kind of problem?"
"One of my contacts just called," Rourke said. "Corvin made bail."
"What?" I said. "You said the judge denied bail."
"He did," Rourke said. "But Corvin's lawyers filed an emergency appeal. They got a different judge to hear it. Someone who is probably on his payroll. The new judge set bail at five million and Corvin posted it an hour ago."
"So he is out?" I asked.
"He is out," Rourke confirmed. "And my contact says he is planning something tonight."
"What is he planning?" I asked.
"I do not know exactly," Rourke said. "But he was overheard making calls. Talking about finishing what he started and about making sure there are no loose ends."
"Caitlyn," I said.
"Yes," Rourke said. "He is coming for Caitlyn and we do not have much time."
I looked back at the bedroom door where Caitlyn was sleeping. She looked so peaceful, so safe, and now I had to wake her up and tell her the nightmare was not over.
"What do we do?" I asked.
"You need to move her," Rourke said. " Tonight. Get her somewhere Corvin cannot find her."
"Where?" I asked. "He has resources, he has people everywhere. Where can we go that he will not find us?"
"I have a safe house," Rourke said. "Outside the city. No one knows about it except me and a few people I trust, you can take her there until we figure out a permanent solution."
"Send me the address," I said.
"Already done," Rourke said. "But Jason you need to be careful. If Corvin finds out you are moving her, he will try to stop you. He might have people watching your place right now."
I went to the window and looked down at the street. There was a black car parked across from the bar. It had not been there when we went to bed.
"There is a car outside," I said. "A black sedan with two people inside."
"That is them," Rourke said. "Corvin's people. They are watching to see when you leave."
"So how do we get out without them following us?" I asked.
"I am working on that," Rourke said. "Give me twenty minutes. I will create a distraction. When you see police lights pull up, you take Caitlyn out the back and get to your bike. Do not stop for anything."
"What kind of distraction?" I asked.
"The kind that will keep them busy long enough for you to escape," Rourke said. "Just be ready to move when I give the signal."
He hung up and I stood there trying to think. I needed to wake Caitlyn, I needed to pack, and I needed to get my crew ready in case things went bad.
I called Tommy first. He was my second in command and the guy I trusted most.
"Yeah?" Tommy answered. He sounded half asleep.
"I need you," I said. "Emergency. Get the crew together and meet me at the bar in fifteen minutes."
"What is going on?" Tommy asked.
"Corvin made bail," I said. "He is coming for Caitlyn, we need to move her now."
"On my way," Tommy said and hung up.
I went back into the bedroom. Caitlyn was still sleeping, her hand was on her stomach and she looked too young to be dealing with all of this.
"Caitlyn," I said gently. "Wake up."
She opened her eyes slowly. "What time is it?"
"3 AM," I said. "We need to go."
She sat up quickly. "What happened?"
"Corvin made bail," I said. "He is out of jail and Rourke thinks he is planning to come after you."
"How did he make bail?" Caitlyn asked. "The judge said no."
"He got a different judge," I said. "Someone he probably paid off. It does not matter how, what matters is we need to leave right now."
Caitlyn got out of bed and started putting on her shoes. Her hands were shaking but she was moving fast.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"Rourke has a safe house outside the city," I said. "We are going there until this gets sorted out."
"What if Corvin finds us?" Caitlyn asked.
"He will not," I said. "I promise you he will not."
I helped her pack the few things Rourke had brought yesterday. Everything fit in one small bag.
"Is that everything?" I asked.
"Yes," Caitlyn said. "I do not have anything else."
We went into the living room and I looked out the window again. The black car was still there, I could see the glow of cigarettes inside. They were waiting.
My phone buzzed with a text from Tommy. "I'm outside with the crew, we came with six bikes, ready when you are."
Good. If we had to fight our way out at least I had backup.
Another text came in from Rourke. "Distraction in five minutes. Be ready."
"We are leaving in five minutes," I told Caitlyn. "When I say go we run out the back door to my bike. Do not look back, do not stop, just run."
"Okay," Caitlyn said. She looked scared but determined.
I watched the clock.
Then I saw the police lights. Three cop cars came racing down the street with sirens blaring. They pulled up next to the black sedan and officers jumped out.
The men in the sedan looked confused. One of them got out to talk to the police, the other stayed in the car, but he was distracted by what was happening.
"Now," I said.
We ran out the back door and down the fire escape. My bike was parked in the alley behind the bar. Tommy and the crew were already on their bikes waiting.
"Go go go," Tommy said.
I got on my bike and helped Caitlyn get on behind me. She wrapped her arms around my waist and held on tight.
"Do not let go," I told her.
"I will not," she said.
We took off down the alley. The sound of six motorcycles was loud in the quiet night but we did not care about being quiet. We just needed to get away.
Behind us, I heard shouting. The men from the sedan had realized what was happening, but by the time they got back in their car,, we were already three blocks away.
"They are following us," Tommy yelled. He was riding next to me and looking back.
I looked in my mirror. The black sedan was behind us and gaining speed. There were two more cars with it now, Corvin had called in reinforcements.
"Split up," I yelled to the crew. "Lead them away."
Tommy nodded and signaled to the other guys. They peeled off in different directions, the cars hesitated not sure which bikes to follow.
Two of the cars went after Tommy's group. One stayed on Caitlyn and me.
"Hold on," I told Caitlyn.
I opened up the throttle and the bike shot forward. We were going eighty now. The car was fast but not as fast as my bike.
We wove through traffic.
Ran red lights, cut through parking lots. Did everything I could to lose them.
But they stayed with us. Whoever was driving knew what they were doing.