Chapter 5 - The Glass on the Counter
The rain poured down heavily as Julian's sports car roared down the deserted highway.
Clara sat in the passenger seat, staring out into the misty dark afternoon.
Every second felt like an eternity while Leo was in captivity.
"What if Jax doesn't talk?" Clara asked quietly.
Julian gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white.
"He will talk," Julian replied coldly.
"Or he won't walk out of that building."
Twenty minutes later, the neon sign of The Rusty Engine Diner glowed through the fog.
Heavy motorcycles were parked in a neat row outside the flickering building.
Julian parked in the shadows behind the diner.
He reached under his seat and pulled out a sleek black handgun.
"Stay in the car, Clara," Julian ordered firmly.
"No," Clara insisted, opening her door without hesitation.
"A man with a gun will start a shootout."
"A woman walking into a diner won't trigger their alarms."
"I can scout the inside first."
Julian hesitated, looking at her resolute expression.
"Two minutes," Julian said sternly.
"If you don't come out in two minutes, I'm coming in with bullet fire."
Clara nodded, pulled her coat tight around herself, and stepped out into the rain.
She pushed open the heavy glass door of the diner.
The bell above the door chimed softly.
The thick smell of grease, stale tobacco, and cheap coffee filled the air.
At the far end of the counter sat Jax, nursing a glass of dark whiskey.
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Beside him, sitting on a high stool, was little Leo.
The boy was holding a faded photograph in his trembling hands.
