Gemma's P.O.V

"We're down here!"

There was only a brief moment of silence before heavy booted foot falls could be heard quickly descending the steps and not long after an officer with short dark hair cut close to his head and a pair of dark eyes to match came into view.

I'm sure we were a sight to see because his eyes visibly widened when he made it to the bottom step and fully took in the sight of us.

"Jesus Christ." He whispered to himself, confirming my thoughts, as he looked us over before quickly pulling a radio from his side.

"This is Sanchez. I've found them." He spoke into the radio.

There was another brief moment of silence, this one a little more awkward as no one uttered a single word and we simply stood there staring at one another before the two tone beep of the walkie talkie, followed by another voice broke it once again.

"Copy that Sanchez. What is your location?"

Officer Sanchez quickly described our location to the person over the walkie talkie before putting it back in its place on his hip.

"I'd ask if you two were okay, but I can already see the answer to that. So, let's just get you two out of here okay?"

I simply nodded.

The sooner we got out of here the better.

Archer was losing a lot of blood and he was swaying on his feet so much I was worried if he'd even be able to make it up the steps.

There was one thing that needed to be handled first though.

"I can get him up the stairs myself, but you have to stay with him." I gestured over my shoulder toward the man who was responsible for nearly destroying my life.

Twice.

Officer Sanchez followed my gesture with his eyes to Dox who was still laying in an unconscious heap on the floor.

I watched the unasked question form in his eyes as he looked back from Dox to us again.

"He's responsible for this." I answered his unasked question.

"He did this to us." I gestured toward both myself and Archer, a feeling of disgust and anger taking over as I looked at the poor excuse for a human being who would do something so horrible to another person.

Officer Sanchez only nodded once, understanding clear in his eyes before he walked over to Dox's body.

He reached for his belt, ready to grab the pair of handcuffs that sat there when he suddenly froze, his face going a little pale.

I tried to figure out exactly what was wrong as he stared not down at Dox but at something else.

"Is that-"

I followed his hand as he pointed to something to his left and suddenly realized what had him looking like he might lose his lunch at any second.

"That's my finger." Archer's voice cut through the silence.

Officer Sanchez's gaze landed on Archer and then slowly made its way down to his right arm and then to his hand that was now wrapped in the tattered remains of his shirt that was quickly soaking through with his blood.

Sanchez swallowed hard once then made quick work of handcuffing Dox before he pulled out his radio again.

"This is Sanchez. We're going to need a cooler here. Kid lost his finger."

Archer scoffed, still swaying on his feet. He looked like he might pass out any second now.

"I didn't lose my fucking finger. That bastard cut it off."

Officer Sanchez actually looked lost for words as he repeatedly opened his mouth and then closed it.

I couldn't really blame him. Archer did have the tendency to make a person speechless.

I gently squeezed his left hand and gestured toward the stairs.

"Let's go."

Slowly we began to make our way up the steps and it was apparent just how much blood Archer had lost because he barely had any strength to climb the first few steps.

Before we were able to make it to the top, I glanced over my shoulder one last time.

"Make sure you watch him." I called down, looking directly at Officer Sanchez.

If we made the same mistake twice, it'd just be another repeat of what happened today and I couldn't go through this again.

"Don't take your eyes off of him."

Officer Sanchez nodded.

"Don't worry, he's not going anywhere."

I looked at Dox's body before turning back around.

I hoped not.

*** Once we had made it outside, it wasn't like I could drag Archer all the way back through the woods the way we had came.

He wouldn't make it.

So, instead I found a tree a little ways away from the cabin for us to sit at the base of while we waited for the police to come.

As gently as I could, I helped Archer settle himself against the base of the tree before I sat next to him.

His eyes were starting to flutter and were going in and out of focus.

"I'm exhausted." He mumbled tiredly, his head instantly falling to the side to lean against my shoulder.

"I know, just stay up with me until the police get here okay?"

I felt him nod against my shoulder.

I was worried if he fell asleep he might not wake back up. I needed to keep him conscious until help arrived.

"How'd you find me?" I asked, hoping that talking would keep him up.

I felt his body shake against mine as he laughed a little.

"A floating squirrel."

I frowned and looked over at him, convinced the blood lost had really taken its toll on him.

"A what?" I asked, trying to make sure I had heard him right.

Archer turned to look at me, a small smile on his face before he turned back to look out at the woods in front of him.

"There was a floating squirrel. Well, I thought it was a floating squirrel at first, but it was just sitting on top of that white van covered in camouflage netting."

I nodded as I finally made sense of what he was talking about.

"Honestly it was just luck." He continued.

"If I hadn't seen that squirrel I probably never would've noticed the van. I was just wandering around out here hoping I'd find you."

"And you did."

Archer's gaze met mine, that soft smile still on his face.

"I did."

I smiled back at him before leaning over and pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"You've saved my ass more times than I care to count."

His body shook as he laughed again.

"Should I start making a list?"

I turned to look at the small abandoned cabin that had been home to my living nightmare.

"No. Let's hope this was the last time."

I felt his hand slowly close around mine, drawing my attention from the cabin and back to him.

"It was."

I simply nodded before another question popped into my head.

"How'd you make it out of there? I thought you died when the building exploded." I said remembering the utter feeling of despair when I watched the hotel become engulfed in smoke in flames.

I felt Archer shake his head.

"I wasn't inside when the building exploded. I was already outside headed in the direction the van had gone."

I frowned at that.

"What about your phone?"

"What about it?"

"Your phone didn't explode?"

"Why would my phone explode?" I could hear the confusion in his voice.

I quickly explained what Dylan had told me earlier and after listening it was like a lightbulb cut on.

"I think I accidentally dropped it on my way up the stairs when I was leaving the building."

I looked at Archer in astonishment. He had been so close to dying and he hadn't even known it. It was only his carelessness for his phone that saved him.

I had watched him drop it several times since we'd been together and it was a wonder that thing even still worked.

"Jesus Archer. You were so close to dying."

Archer lazily raised his eyebrow at me.

"That's nothing new."

I opened my mouth to respond but was cut off by the sounds of several foot steps rushing towards us.

In a second a dozen or so police officers came into view followed by a few medics carrying stretchers and first aid bags.

I quickly flagged them down and the paramedics and few officers made their way over to us as the others made their way inside the cabin.

I watched as once again the sight of us made their eyes widen as they took in the full extent of our injuries.

I had been trying to ignore the pain that I felt because getting Archer out of there was my only concern. However, now that I knew that he'd get the help that he needed it felt like all the pain my body had endured came rushing back all at once like a punch to the gut.

I was barely listening to what the medics or the police were saying or doing to me.

All I was aware of was that one minute I was sitting against the base of the tree and the next I was laying on my back on a stretcher being carried by two medics.

As they got ready to carry us back through the woods and to the ambulance that they had parked farther away since they weren't able to drive through the thick foliage, I felt a gentle brush against my right hand and turned my head to see Archer in the stretcher next to mine with his hand outstretched towards mine.

He didn't say anything. He simply gave my hand a gentle squeeze and nodded as if to say "Everything's okay now."

And this time, I truly hoped it would be.

Alright guys, there's only one more chapter left (The Epilogue) and then A Deadly Trip will officially be finished :( I know it took a lot longer than expected so I just wanted to thank each and everyone of you who stuck it out and patiently waited for me.

Also, good news, just because A Deadly Trip has ended doesn't mean that I'm done writing. Some of you already know about my new book "THEM" that already has several chapters out on my page. So, for all of you who loved the thriller, action, horror and little bit of romance that the Subway and A Deadly Trip brought you, I'm hoping you'll love this book even more. So, please feel free to check it out and look forward to an all new book coming soon!

~JaeJae