We kept moving, I didn't know how crazy Mark and Darius were and I didn't want to find out. There was a possibility that they'd follow us and drag us back, I also had no idea how long they would be passed out in Mark's living room for but I estimated it sometime until the sun comes up; until then I'd put as much distance between them and us.

My mother was now sound asleep after crying and ranting for hours, taking a quick glance at her my hands tightened on the steering wheel. I was seething. What that son of a bitch had done to her was messed up, my mother was thoroughly brainwashed to the point where she had explained their 'culture' to me in great detail. Mark had told her quite a lot about his 'kind', including the fact that my mother was his alleged 'soulmate'. Whoever came up with the idea to live in the forest like wild animals and take up their customs while adding their own little twist to it was mighty fine actor. They deserved an Oscar for that performance.

As I drove along the dark road guilt crept in my heart as the pain increased tenfold. I should've known. The signs were there, the sneaky phone calls, the secret job, the weird possessive way he clung to my mother or the murderous look in his eye whenever another man came within ten feet of my mum.

Shit!

I should've known that Mark was a head case with a shady agenda but I was too wrapped up in the shit going on in my head to see past his brilliant façade. I'd failed him. Tears blinded me as the sob I held in threatened to choke me; I'd do better, I silently promised to take care of my mother. I wouldn't fail my father again.

I needed a plan, mum and I had to get some place far away, a place Mark or his freaks for friends wouldn't find us. I needed to find out exactly who I was dealing with, both Mark and Darius seemed like powerful men and I had no idea how influential they were. We need new identities to drop completely from that psycho's radar but we couldn't do it alone. We needed help, the help of someone like my father and I knew exactly who to go to.

.

.

The first light of morning peaked over the trees in the distance, anxiety formed in the pits of my stomach knowing that Mark and Darius would probably be awake and looking for us but we had already passed through two towns and was now entering the third.

The sudden sound of my back tire blowing out made me swear, this was not the time to have a flat tire. Luck just so happened to be on my side as I spotted a car shop just about ten meters away. Driving slowly I reached the shop within seconds, thanking the heavens that it was open.

Cutting the engine, I quickly took the keys from the ignition and got out of the car. "Need help sugar?" the bass of the man's voice startled me causing me to spin quickly in his direction. Rummaging through the tool box on his disorganized desk was a man of large build; his steel eyes assessed me carefully, it was only five in the morning but his body was sheen with sweat and the old shirt he wore was stained with oil just like his hands were. He had stopped what he was doing; now looking at me waiting for a reply.

"That's why I'm here, I've got a flat" I told him as I motioned to sunken back tire. The man's eyes followed the direction of my fingers and then he nodded.

"I'll fix it up for you...you're a little young to be travelling by yourself" he noted.

"I'm not alone."

His eyes immediately went to the passenger seat where my mother was still sleeping then they darted back at me. "You're mama" it wasn't a question, anyone would notice the resemblance between my mother and me, many had commented on it.

"Would there be any stores open that sells cellphones?"

"Ole man Herb, he's an early riser. Just walk two buildings down and you'll see Herb shop it's on the left."

"Thanks."

Moving swiftly I took my purse from my bag and hurried off down the road, I didn't need a smartphone but a disposable one. I had left my cell back at Mark's house in fear that he would use it to track us. I couldn't exactly take any chances, it was better to be safe than sorry. It took me all of ten minutes to deal with the grumpy old man that own the shop; I had immediately called up my godfather who was in the military, I hadn't seen him since my father's funeral, I felt guilty that I hadn't kept in contact because I truly loved the guy. I knew he was someone I could count on, growing up I had looked up to both him and my father who seemed to be joined at the hip.

"Christ...what the hell was Sharon thinking? Where are you now?"

"We're three towns away from Mark and his loony friends."

"And you're sure that he's not tracking you? It's not only your cellphone he can track you with ladybug, he can track you by your car's GPS, license plate or even planted his own tracking device. By what you've told me, I wouldn't rule out those options."

My head was spinning as my uncle spoke "what do I do if that happens to be the case?" I didn't want to think that Mark would go as far as putting a tracker on my car, it was ridiculous but madmen would say and do a lot of things.

"Remove the tracker then you need to get the hell out of there, once you're far enough, dump the car and find a new one. I'll meet you and your mother somewhere and we'll go from there." Uncle Jay's voice had given me a sense of security, something I hadn't felt in a while.

"Thanks Uncle Jay." I whispered.

"Call me back in two hours, stay safe ladybug."

As the phone call ended, I had already made it back to the car shop. Shoving the phone in my pocket I jogged toward the car. "Your cars all fixed up lil lady."

"Thanks a lot." Handing him the money for the repair, before I could move he stopped me, narrowing my eyes at the man my body tensed. He raised him hand waving a black box it my face.

"Found this under the car, not sure what it is but thought you might wanna know" in his hands was a tracking device. The red light was beaming brightly, reflecting the rage inside me. Taking the thing from his hand I smashed it into the ground causing the man to take a step away from me. I glared at the shattered pieces on the ground, Jay had been right. I needed to leave.

I turned and thanked the man then rushed into my car. My mother had jerked awake upon my panic and started firing questions at me.

"Where are we? Who was that man?"

"Mother, now right now, we're trying to get away from your crazy husband."

"It won't matter" she said softly "Mark will always find us" the hopefulness in her voice made me feel ill. Maybe she had Stockholm syndrome, but my mother had never been abused...at least not physically. Damn it! I knew next to nothing about what Mark did to my mother because I've spent all my energy trying to avoid the two. With this knew found information my guilt only grew.

"No he won't. I just shattered his tracking device into smithereens" I replied dryly.

My mother gasped, "That was to protect you! I know this seems rash but darling it was for your safety"

I scoffed, "you know better than anyone else that I can take care of myself. That device was his imaginary cuffs on us and now that it's gone we have a real chance at getting away."