Free Forsaken World (Book 1): Innocence Lost by Thomas A. Watson

handle, and Ian shook his head. Ian reached up, tapping the alarm button so they could open the door without it going off.
    “If any are close, I’ll use this. They seem to like noise,” Ian said as Lance eased the door open. They stepped outside and saw Jennifer and Carrie running toward them. They both shook their heads as the smell of rotten eggs overtook them.
    As Jennifer and Carrie ran behind the house, Lance pointed at the back door, keeping the AR pulled up to his shoulder but aimed at the ground. The two girls blew past them so fast they felt a breeze.
    “Ian, inside,” Lance barely whispered. Ian nodded and moved inside as Lance backed up, scanning the yard and looking over at Mr. Oliver’s backyard to see the privacy fence that surrounded Lance’s back yard. Seeing someone in Mr. Oliver’s yard, Lance stepped back inside as Ian closed the door.
    As Jennifer moved toward them, Lance held up his hand. “Let’s get in the den. I saw someone in Mr. Oliver’s backyard. There are too many windows in the kitchen.”
    Ian moved past Lance and herded Jennifer and Carrie into the den. When Allie lifted her head off the couch with the blanket over her, she saw Carrie, and they rushed at each other, wrapping their arms around each other and sobbing quietly.
    “Jennifer, where are your parents?” Ian asked.
    “They were in Nashville at a banquet. They called me around eleven and said the police wouldn’t let them leave since the riots had moved downtown. I tried calling back, but I just keep getting a recording,” she said, hugging herself.
    Lance nodded as Ian smiled at Jennifer. Shaking his head as he looked at her, Lance saw she was barefoot and wearing tight sleeping shorts with a skimpy top with her hair pulled back. Reminding himself that her dad worked for the Attorney General, Lance turned away.
    “Thank you,” she said, stepping over and hugging Ian. Even in the dim light, Lance could see the blush on Ian’s cheeks. Then, Jennifer let Ian go and hugged Lance, and he felt his face get warm. “I thought we were dead.”
    “What made you go outside?” Ian asked as they all heard glass breaking and the snapping of boards from her house next door.
    A shiver ran down Jennifer’s spine. “I saw Ginger and was going to tell her to get off the streets. Then, I saw her run at Mrs. Oliver. Then, I heard a growl from the yard and saw Tony coming at me. It was Carrie who saw the green dot shining on the wall as I pushed the couch in front of the door.”
    Lance turned to Ian. “Where are yours and Allie’s go bags?”
    “Under the stairs where they’re supposed to be,” Ian said, pulling the shotgun off his back.
    “Get them in case we have to book. I’m going to get my backpack from upstairs so we can get some more ammo,” Lance said, turning to Jennifer. “You stay here with them, and for God’s sake, be quiet.”
    Jennifer moved over, pulling the two girls to the couch, and sat down with them as Lance and Ian took off. Lance ran upstairs, glancing out the front window, and felt his pulse pick up upon seeing a mob of people just standing around. “Not good,” he mumbled, reaching the top of the stairs.
    Dumping his books out, Lance saw his laptop, iPod, and tablet. He grabbed them and tossed them in the bag then looked around the room. Seeing the staff Ian practiced with for kenpo, Lance grabbed it as he pulled on his backpack. Turning around, he saw the backpack Ian used for Boy Scout camping trips in the closet. He grabbed it and smiled, feeling it was loaded. He and Ian always cleaned their gear and repacked it so they wouldn’t have to look around for their stuff.
      Letting the AR hang on the sling as he grabbed the pack, the gun banged into his knees, making him wince. Unclipping one end from the harness, Lance clipped it to the front of the AR, changing the one-point sling into a two-point sling so it hung across his body. Liking that much better, he grabbed the backpack and eased