Free Royal Opposites by Lori Crawford

sprinted to the driver side. It took him a couple tries to fit the key in the lock, but he got the door opened at last. He slid behind the wheel and leaned across to unlock Joan’s door. She tossed her bag inside then jumped in when the guard was barely a car width away. She slammed the lock down when the man lunged for the door handle.
    Tom fired up the engine and backed out of the space with a squeal of his tires. The heavyset guard stumbled out of the way.
    Joan braced herself against the dashboard while Tom whirled the steering wheel hard to the right causing them to bounce out onto the street. An SUV honked at them, but he didn’t give them a second thought.
    “They’re following us.” Joan twisted in the seat to watch for their pursuers out the back window. How had they managed to find them? They’d left the state, for goodness sake. He sped through an intersection then dug his smartphone out of his pocket.
    Handed it to Joan.
    “The map application should still be open with directions to the FBI. I have the first part memorized, but I’m a little fuzzy on the rest. Can you guide me?”
    Joan threw one last look over her shoulder and called up the screen. “What about the copy?”
    “We’ll have to take our chances.” Tom craned his neck to check out the street signs. “That was Twentieth. Do you see us on the map?”
    Joan scrolled the application. “Yes. We’ll go under a highway then turn left on Sixteenth.”
    Tom jammed his foot down on the accelerator. He wove in and out of traffic. Joan checked the progress of their pursuers.
    They’d fallen a bit behind among the cars, but hadn’t given up the pursuit.
    “Crap. Give me the next right,” Tom demanded. The left turn lane was full of cars waiting for traffic to clear in the other lane so they could turn.
    “Twelfth, but it’s pretty far ahead and going the opposite direction of where we’re trying to go,” Joan pointed out.
    “I know. Look for a way to loop around to get us back on track, but using right turns.” He risked a glance at her expecting to see a puzzled frown on her face. Instead, she gave him an understanding nod.
    “So we don’t have to stop in traffic. Got it.” She scrolled a bit more. “Right on Twelfth, right on Colter. That’ll swing us back around to Sixteenth.” Tom slowed to turn right on Twelfth. “Wait. I take that back. Keep going. If we do Central to Colter to Seventh, we’ll loop around to their front door.”
    Tom gave her an admiring nod. The woman caught on quick. He pressed on the accelerator again. He followed her directions to the letter. When they skidded on to Colter, he slammed on the brakes.
    Joan’s attention was snatched from the phone and she reached out to brace herself on the dash. “Do not enter. Figures.
    Turn wherever you can and I’ll catch up.”
    Tom nodded. He swung right into the gas station and waited. “You know something? I don’t think they can do much of anything to us while we’re on the move.”
    Joan followed his gaze to the guards who’d just pulled into the station. They sat waiting in their car, too.
    “You want the direct route to the FBI?”
    Tom glared at the men. “That’s exactly what I want. Then, I want you to call them to let them know we’re coming.”

Chapter Eight
    “With pleasure,” Joan said and focused her attention back to the phone’s screen. She rattled off their new route then tapped on the icon for the FBI headquarters and Tom got them moving again.
    Several options came up to call the agency, show them on the map or even go to their website. They bounced over a pothole when she tried to select the call option. She tapped the go to their website instead. “Shoot.”
    Tom shot a quizzical look her way then checked the rearview. “What is it?”
    Joan shook her head. “Just hit the wrong thing, that’s all. Oh crap.” Joan scrolled down the tiny webpage and read in disbelief. “I think the FBI is out.”
    “What do you mean?” Tom