Chapter 5 - The Safehouse
Jax navigated the winding, unpaved mountain roads with practiced skill, doing his best to lose the tail in the dense forest shadows. The roar of the engine echoed through the trees, shielding them from the outside world. Behind him, Leo held on tight, his small arms wrapped around Jax's waist, burying his face into the back of Jax's leather vest.
After an hour of erratic driving through narrow trails, Jax pulled up to an abandoned wooden cabin hidden deep within the pines. The cabin belonged to his late brother—a place completely off the grid, untouched by electricity or cell service.
Jax cut the engine, and silence immediately descended upon the forest. He helped Leo off the bike and led him inside the dark, dusty structure. He lit a kerosene lamp, casting a warm, golden glow across the rustic room.
"Is this where we live now?" Leo asked, looking around at the cobwebs and old furniture.
"Just for tonight," Jax said, pulling a clean blanket from a wooden chest and draping it over an old sofa. "Tomorrow, we figure out how to get your mom out of that hospital and get all of us far away from here."
Leo sat down on the sofa, his small body exhausted from the long journey and overwhelming stress. "Is Mom really going to be okay?" he asked softly, his big eyes searching Jax's face.
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Jax sat down beside him, feeling the absolute weight of his duty for the first time in his life. "I won't lie to you, Leo. Things are tough right now. But I gave your mom a promise a long time ago, even if I broke it back then. I won't break it again. I'm going to bring her back."
As Leo drifted off to sleep, Jax sat by the window, watching the pitch-black forest outside, holding his gun tight in his hand.
