Read Fool's Ride (The Jenkins Cycle Book 2) for Free Online Page B

worried.
    “Maybe we gave him too much of that shit,” Sean said. “Prescott, you okay, man? You need some water or something?”
    “Just lie back and relax,” Brian told me. Then to Sean: “What’s this we shit? You fuck up his brains, that’s your ass.”
    “I gave him the right amount!”
    “You better have,” he said. “That’s all I’m saying. Bitch is crazy…”
    An hour and a half later, I shifted in the backseat and Brian said, “How you feeling?”
    “I think I need to tinkle.”
    “ Tinkle? ” he said accusingly to Sean. “Why the fuck he talking like that?”
    “Why you asking me?” Sean said, sounding panicked.
    “Hey,” I said, “just take the next exit or something. I won’t run. I just need to, uh … take a leak. Ok? And maybe something to eat.”
    “No problem,” Brian said. “Feeling hungry myself.”
    “You sure you’re okay?” Sean said.
    “I’m fine.”
    We stopped at a big travel plaza somewhere in Delaware. Brian helped me out, seeming concerned, while Sean pretended everything was fine and I wasn’t brain damaged or whatever they were worried about.
    My first hesitant steps were weak and wobbly, and I had to reach out a hand to a nearby car for fear of falling over.
    What the hell was in that needle?
    “You need to lean on me?” Brian said.
    “I think I’m fine,” I said, and continued toward the entrance.
    Brian hovered close with a worried expression, as if afraid I’d faint. At no point did I feel I was there against my will, just that I was deemed helpless, an invalid. Still on their team, it seemed. Just going through a rough patch.
    Sean wanted to get our orders to go, but Brian overruled him and we found a table by ourselves over near a pizza place. The food was great. And even though I knew it was crappy rest stop pizza, right then it seemed like the best I’d ever had.
    A kid walked by with a soft serve cone, and now I wanted ice cream.
    “Can we get ice cream?” I said.
    Brian was shaking his head, staring hard at Sean. Despite that, I got my ice cream—a huge swirly chocolate and vanilla cone, dipped in chocolate that turned hard if you waited. But I didn’t wait long enough, so the first part was too soft. I ate it quickly and got an ice cream headache, but I didn’t care. I asked if we could get another.
    Sean got up and stalked out of the building muttering curses under his breath.
    “Sure, man,” Brian said, as if talking to his dying grandmother. “You want more ice cream? No problem. They sure look good—I may get one too. But just so you know, you keep acting crazy like that, I don’t think Sean’s gonna be working for Lana much longer.”
    “Yeah?” I said.
    “Doesn’t bother me, so long as you back me up. Wasn’t me who zapped you or gave you that shot.”
    And just like that, I had an ally.
    “I got your back,” I said.
    A look of faint relief washed over Brian’s dark features, and he smiled evilly. “Don’t like that prick anyways. Always gotta be a smartass. Know what I mean?”
    I nodded, was about to say totally , but settled for, “Yes I do.”
    “Gimme a second,” he said.
    He walked over near the wall, took out a cell phone, and made a call. He talked for about a minute, hung up, and came back.
    “Time to go,” he said.
----
    F ive minutes into the drive , I couldn’t keep my eyes open … and then Brian was shaking me awake, saying, “Hey, Ernest, we’re here. You need to get up.”
    Now my right arm was asleep. My head hurt from striking it on the ground, and now I wished I hadn’t eaten so much. When I got out of the car, I threw up all the ice cream and pizza from the traveler’s plaza.
    “Jesus…” Sean said, jumping out of the way. “I thought he was better!”
    When I raised my head, I saw we were on a circular stone-cut driveway in front of a big mansion, somewhere in the countryside. Depending on how long I’d been out, it could have been New Jersey or possibly New York. Ernest lived in