The interior of the tactical van rumbled beneath Billy, but he barely noticed. His mind was a storm cloud swirling with pain and confusion.
The fluorescent lights above flickered dully as he leaned against the padded wall, his bandaged head still throbbing.
He couldn't move much, each bump on the road sent jolts through his shoulder. Across from him sat Kaia, her legs drawn up to her chest, her face pale beneath the gauze taped along her temple.
The air was thick with a mix of antiseptic, leather, and engine grease, yet Billy found himself hyperaware of Kaia's breathing, shallow and controlled. But she wasn't afraid anymore.
Then a soft voice broke through the silence. "You okay?" he asked, his voice strained.
Kaia didn't answer right away; her eyes were fixed blankly on the floor before she turned slowly to meet his gaze. "You really have a crazy family, you know that?"
Billy managed a dry chuckle that quickly turned into a cough. "Yeah… You don't even know half of it."
