by Shelly Crane
And it was hard to not look around constantly for an enemy. Ellie, I knew, was keeping us safe from detection. I looked back at her for a second. She was still pretty shy with everyone except Ryan, but right then, she looked…giggly. She smiled and bobbed her head to the music we could hear from the club and bumped Ryan's shoulder as she did so, trying to goad him into playing. He bumped back and they both laughed.
When we reached the end of the lot and the back of the cars I casually kept going as if I knew right where I was headed. Ryan and Ellie followed and we reached the back door to the station. I looked up and followed the long line of the tower way into the sky. This had to work.
I remembered what Marissa had said about Lily being the key… No. This had to work.
The door was locked, of course, so I used my strength to take the door knob off. They'd know someone had messed with it, but that couldn't be helped. I towed Sherry up the stairs to the main hall. I had absolutely no idea which way to go, so we split up. Well, we split from Ryan and Ellie who took the left and we took the right. I wasn't about to let Sherry from my sight, and Billings followed us.
"Let's just try not to touch anything if we can," Ryan explained in a whisper. "I don't want them to think we're onto them."
I nodded. "Fifteen minutes and we need to get out."
He nodded, too, and then they were gone.
The building was dark except for security lights that paved the hallways. Just enough light for us to see. I wasn't sure what we were looking for. Some security panel or control room, I guessed.
"There," Sherry said and pointed to a door with a wide window. There was a wall of screens and a control board inside. I tried the knob and when it turned easily, we went inside.
"Ohh, looky, looky," Billings stated happily. "Gadgets."
"You know what these things do?" I asked.
"Course!" he scoffed. "If you can run a DVR, you can figure this stuff out."
I had no idea what he was talking about, but watched as he sat in the chair and began pressing a few buttons. There was a loud whirring, ringing sound and then every screen on the wall lit up…
And Cain's face was staring back at us.
He grinned and said, "Remind me to give Marissa a big kiss right on the lips when I get back."
Sherry gasped belatedly, shocked, and then hissed. "Cain! What…where are you? Are you ok?"
"We're at the state line. We've got a map here." His head moved off screen a little. Daniel was beside him and said something before Cain's face appeared again. "There's only three stations that span the state that'll run all the broadcasts. If we got all the stations going and online together, we could make a broadcast, easy."
"But there's no internet or cell service," Sherry argued. Ryan and Ellie came in behind us and gawked at the screens; twenty pictures of Cain's mug. "How will we get the stations to link with each other?"
"The stations are run on frequencies to each other, but they're also run by landlines for back-up. All we have to do is turn back on the connection of those cables to each station. They turned them off to keep word from spreading."
I frowned. "But what about the third station?"
"We're headed there now." He looked at his watch. "We've already accessed this station's panel and turned it back online. You do that there and we'll be at the other station by tomorrow night." He leaned closer. "Be back at the radio station tomorrow night with something to broadcast."
"But it's almost midnight?" Sherry argued. "Hardly anyone would see what we broadcasted at midnight anyway."
"We'll set up a transmission to play at a certain time. That way, we won't even have to be there when it's broadcasted. By the time they realize what's going on, it'll be too late to stop it."
I grinned. "It's good to see you, man."
"Sherry baby, I'm so glad you're ok. It's really good to see you guys," he spouted with a huffed breath. "How's Lillian?"
"Holding up," I said. "She's knows you're ok, but knowing and seeing are two different things."
He frowned. "Yeah, they are." He glared over at Daniel. "Let's hurry this thing up, huh? See you tomorrow night."
"We'll be here."
The screen clicked off and we all stood in silence. Everything seemed to be falling into place. Billings searched the wall for the 'core', he said. They needed a hard line that had nothing to do with wireless or radio frequency signals. He bent down and shoved his face under a table. When he said, "Aha," we knew he'd found something.
"Got it. The control panel is in the floor. All right, everything is back online." He pulled himself up. "Now if we just come back tomorrow, it should just be a manner of uploading the video and setting the program to a certain time. Easy, peasy."
"Let's hope," Ryan said and looked around.
"We have to go see Chesser," Sherry said. "Tonight."
Ryan and I both nodded at each other before he said, "Why don't we get out of here before we press our luck."
"Done," I said and dragged Sherry along. I was sure she was tired of me by now, with all my dragging and never letting her go, but when I looked back at her, she was smiling.
Miraculously, I was able to get the knob to screw tight again and it looked untouched. Once we reached the parking lot, I called out to Jeff.
All done. Any problems?
Just one. Your boy never came back and neither did the man-eater.
I growled. Crap, Miguel. All right, we're going in after him.
We'll wait here. Be careful. It sounds…rowdy in there.
I knew what he meant by the time we reached the door. The bouncer worried me for a split second before he opened the door and swept his hand for us to enter. Wasn't much of a bouncer.
I turned to them. "I hate to say this again, but we need to split up."
"Agreed," Ryan said loudly so everyone could hear over the music. "We'll take the back."
"I'll take the middle!" Billings yelled and went straight for the bar.
I shook my head at him.
I'll guess we start here.
She nodded and looked around. I'd never been in a bar or club before. Danny was too young to get in when I watched them and Sherry would never have gone to places like this, so I had never seen one either.
It was packed beyond packed and everyone was in their own little worlds. I noticed we were the only ones standing around that weren't making out, getting drunk, or dancing.
We should do something other than stand here. Let's go…mingle or something.
She laughed and nodded as she tugged on my fingers. She took us to the loft of the club so we could look out and see everyone and everything at once. I felt underdressed. But the ones who were dressed in party clothes were barely dressed themselves. I glanced away from all the obvious cleavage to study my wife. She looked around the room with a steady sweep.
"I've never heard this song," she said offhandedly, "but I like it." She swayed her hips and rubbed her back against my front. I suddenly got the appeal of the club scene.
"I like it, too…now." I kissed the back of her neck and waved the waitress away that asked if we wanted something to drink. She giggled and continued to move. She wasn't really dancing, just moving enough to stay with the beat. I continued trying to look around the club, and so did she, but she kept at her dangerous little dance.
"I don't see them anywhere," I whispered into her ear, and in an act that was so human I almost laughed, I tugged on her earlobe with my teeth. I told her, "I really wish we had time to play."
She giggled and wiggled against me. "Me, too. Though," she turned to me, putting her back to the club and the railing, and put her arms around my neck, "if we were going to play, Finch, I'd rather be home in our pallet, not in some dingy club." She kissed my chin before leaning back and letting go. I tried to keep her there, but she laughed and walked backwards as she pulled me along.
"Mmm," I groaned and yanked us both to a stop. I pulled her to me, chest to chest, and noticed how smug she looked. "I'd
give anything to be able to live a normal life with you. We could do anything. Can you imagine going to a movie or bowling with me?"
She turned her head to think. "I'd just kick your butt."
I swung us around and pressed her to the wall there making her laugh harder. "You don’t seem scared."
"Should I be?" she replied coyly and bit her lip. I realized then how much better at this game she was than me.
She had the upper hand and I was feverish.
I took her mouth gently. She seemed happy with the fact that I had caved. She let me in and I devoured her tongue with my own. It was so dark in that corner and a million things I wanted to do to her flooded my mind. But hearing Jeff's question about how things were coming along made me stop.
Still looking.
So to correct the lie I'd just told him, I chuckled in a 'you're in trouble' way and said, "You're so going to get it later."
"I hope so," she whispered, her fingers walking my chest up to my neck. She kissed my chin again and I kissed her lips once more. She smiled up at me and then glanced behind me. She gasped. "There's Miguel!"
I peeked back just in time to see Miguel's shirt back turn the corner. I marveled at good timing. If we had been still at the railing, we'd never had seen him. The wall was in the way.
I pulled her as we made our way back down the stairs. Ellie and Ryan must've seen him at the same time we had, because they met us half way. I searched for Billings and found him still at the bar. My eyes widened. He was about to be pummeled and didn’t even know it.
Cruisin' For A Bruisin'
Chapter 25
Sherry
Billings was chatting up a blonde with boobs the size of Texas. Each.
But when he reached out to touch her cheek, he didn't see her enormous boyfriend that was staring him down at his back. The woman did. They must've had a fight because she was taunting him over Billing's shoulder.
And poor Billings was under the expression that he was about to score big. I did the first thing I could think of. I turned to Merrick. "Please, please, trust me. Stay here."
I took off. I felt him try to grab at my hand, but I kept going. I went right up to Billings. The woman and her man looked between Billings and me. It was obvious I had something to say. That was when Billing noticed the other man. He sat up straighter as he understood the direction the situation had turned in.
That was when I slapped him across the face.
He looked shocked. I tried not to do it hard, just enough to be believable. "What the hell?" he bellowed.
"How could you?" I accused. "I go to the bathroom and you try to chat up the first beautiful girl you see?"
"Uh…." he gulped, "well, you know me."
"Oh, I sure do. And you are in serious trouble, mister!" I grabbed his arm and pushed past the big guy. "Excuse us."
The guy never said a word to us and as soon as we were out of ear shot I said, "You can thank me later."
"For slapping me!" he hissed. "You had to slap me?"
"Better than having your butt handed to you. We were here to find Miguel anyway, not smooze at the bar."
"Oh, yeah?" He grinned. "Here to find Miguel, huh?" He touched my neck. "And Merrick sucking on your neck was how you looked for him, right?"
I covered my neck, my blush creeping up. "Shut. Up."
He laughed. "Man, that guy has some serious mack."
"Oh, my gosh. You're not even speaking English anymore!" I laughed back.
"Hey," Merrick said as he reached us. "Um…so, you slapped him."
"He deserved it," I argued. I grabbed Billing's arm and then laid my hand on my forehead. "How could he betray me with that bimbo?"
Billings laughed and rubbed his cheek. "She got me good, boss." He nodded his chin to Merrick. "You better be good to this one."
"I plan to," he muttered and took my hand. He smiled and shook his head like he didn't know what to do with me. "Let's hope Miguel's still through here. Ryan and Ellie went to find him."
We turned the hall near the bathrooms and peeked down the massive line. A sign said Exit with an arrow pointing the way out and Merrick guided us that way.
Ryan was there. "I didn't see him."
"He's got to be here somewhere," Merrick said.
"Maybe they went out the door?" I supplied. "Let's just go see." I pulled my shirt away from my body. "I'm dying in here, anyway."
As soon as Ryan slung open the door, we all stopped.
I'd seen people suck face before, but these two were trying to embed themselves. And they were completely oblivious to us or anything. So the group of Lighters and Enforcers that had just turned the corner hadn't been noticed.
Well, we'd gone this long without seeing any. We should be glad I guess. At least we learned something to help with the broadcast. Now whether we'd live to carry it out or not was another story. They kept coming and didn't stop. Not even a second glance as they walked between us, and Miguel and Rylee.
I let my breath go as soon as they turned the corner and heard Ellie do the same. I looked at her and she was green as Ryan held her to him. She hadn't expected her ability to work? Miguel noticed us then and growled at us, "Bugger off."
"Time to go, man," Billings told him and grabbed the back of his shirt. "Crap just got real."
"What?" Rylee said. "What happened?" she asked and wiped her bottom lip.
"Did you not see the Lighters who just walked right past you?" Billings scolded them. "Within punching range!"
"I was…busy," Miguel said and smiled smugly. He put his arm on the small of Rylee's back to direct her through the cars and she let him. Once we reached the van, he helped her inside. "Up you go."
She snatched her hand back and gave him a look. "Just because we made out doesn’t mean that you can boss me around."
"I wouldn’t dream of it, love," he replied good naturedly and grinned as he got inside.
We all followed suit and once we were loaded, Jeff asked us how it went.
Ryan cleared his throat. "Well, I got to use my first public bathroom. That was interesting."
"I made out with the Aussie," Rylee stated matter-of-factly.
"I made up with the ginger," Miguel said and grinned back at her.
Jeff stared at us.
"I got slapped in the face," Billings offered.
"By me," I supplied.
"And we got to talk to Cain at the station on the big screen," Merrick said happily.
Jeff still stared while Marissa giggled into her hand. "So it went good then," he stated. "Great."
He turned in his seat and pulled onto the highway. Our laughter that we fought eventually came out.
Once I gave Jeff directions for how to get to Chesser's house, we crept our way along the highway to the trailer park. I told him which one, but Merrick wasn't letting me go alone. So, we both got out and told the others to wait for us to signal the 'ok'. I climbed his rickety stairs and knocked on the door. I heard movement inside and then a scuffle. At first I thought he might have a visitor of the female persuasion that we were interrupting, but then the door was yanked open and a gun shoved in Merrick's face. It wasn't Chesser, it was that other guy, whose names escaped me.
"Hi," I said softly from behind Merrick's brick house of a back. "Remember me? I thought I was at Chesser's house."
"This is Chesser's," he drawled. "What are you doing back here?"
"We need to talk to him. It's important."
The man was shoved aside and Chesser smiled at us. "My favorite rebels!" I laughed in relief and loosened my grip on Merrick's arm. "Come on in."
Merrick kept a firm hand on mine and said, "I can understand why you're a little trigger happy." Merrick gave the man with the gun a long look.
Chesser lowered the man's barrel with his hand. "Whoa, slick." He laughed. "Let's settle down a little. You remember Sherry?"
"Sure," the man said dead-pan. "Who's this guy?"
"Her husband, Merrick. It's ok." He lowered the gun slowly
and gave us one final look before moving to the couch and plopping himself down. Chesser turned to me and with a raised eyebrow said, "What are you doing here?"
"We decided to follow up on your broadcast idea." He looked confused so I kept going. "We came to stake out the place and-"
"You went to the station?" he yelled.
"Yeah," I dragged out. "What's your deal?"
"I can't believe you just went there. Like it was something normal, like going to the store to get toothpaste. You broke into the radio station!"
I scoffed. "What? You gonna arrest us?"
"No," he said and shook his head. He looked at me strangely. "So what did you find?"
"The answer," I said with pride. "We found the way to broadcast through the whole state. The broadcast goes out tomorrow night."
His mouth opened and he looked between us.
"Dang." He grinned. "You've got cojones, girl."
I burst out laughing at that. I forgot about the others in the van so I went to the porch and waved them to us. They came up cautiously, looking around as if Lighters were going to jump out of the bushes. I introduced everyone and we got right down to business. We told him everything we'd learned and what we were planning to do. Then he said, "Ok, that all sounds great. And I think you need to be the one to record the video."
"Sure," I said. "I can hold a camera like nobody's business."
"No," he laughed, "I mean be on the video." I stilled. "Your face is sweet and you're just so non-threatening. We need someone like you on the video that people will pay attention to and believe."
I gulped. "But what will I say?"
He stood. "You'll say what you would tell someone if they were sitting in this room and asking you why they should stop following the Lighters and start being human beings again."
I nodded, but I had no idea what to say. He pulled a small handheld video camera from the top of the refrigerator. He pulled a chair out and pushed me into it. I gripped the undersides with my fingers.
