by Tracy Sharp
“Yeah. Siblings, huh?” Robyn took a long drink from her water glass.
“Twice in two days, too. What do you make of that?” Toby asked her.
“He was stubborn. I’m not surprised he made it back the first time. I guess somebody up there is more stubborn that he is.” She tilted her head toward the floor, her eyes lighting a little. “Or down there.”
“Sylvia, we can’t help be wonder how he got so rich and successful so fast,” Toby said. “Would you indulge us?”
Sylvia paused, watching him for a long moment. “Oh, what the hell. It doesn’t really matter now, anyway.”
“Okay.” Toby lifted his hands, palms up.
“We had a huge fight. We’ve had many. About money, of course. He’d asked me for more, once again. He was a parasite. He said that he would do anything to not have to ask me for money again. That someday he’d jam the money I’d loaned him down my throat. Scrawny throat, to be exact.”
Robyn stopped drinking; the water smelled like somebody farted in it.
“He said he’d sell his soul to the devil if he could shut me up about the money.” Something crossed Sylvia’s face. A crack in the tough veneer. Something like fear. “He fell into success the next day. Stock market.”
“You think he actually made a deal with the devil?” Robyn placed her glass in the sink for fear that she’d drop it.
“I wouldn’t put it past him. He’d had so many half-baked business ideas that I’d had to fund in the past. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’d tried to make a deal with the devil. To sell his soul.”
“You believe in the devil?” Toby asked her.
A whisper of a smile came upon her mouth. “There’s no such thing, is there?”
Chapter 8
There were only a few hours left of daylight. They found an unassuming motel on the outskirts of town. Cheap and anonymous and depressing.
“Not the Ritz, I know, but…” Toby unlocked the door with the metal key, then pocketed it and hoisted the sheet-covered flamethrowers into his arms.
“Better than what I’m used to. Need help with those?” Robyn followed him into the room. Dingy, with a television sitting on the dresser and two beds covered by faded, green blankets.
“I got them.” He carefully placed the flamethrowers on one of the beds. “Better than what I’ve been used to for a while, too.” Toby dropped his keys on a small table by the window, which was flanked by two chairs.
“Right.” Robyn looked at the beds, then at the chairs, and continued to stand, her arms crossed. “What happens with your job now? Do they keep tabs on you when you’re deep undercover like that?”
“They wouldn’t normally, unless something big happens. They may not even know I’m MIA yet.” He shrugged. “They will sooner or later, though.”
“Then what?” Robyn asked, cautiously sitting on the other bed, her back stiff and straight, careful not to touch the bedspread with her hands.
“I don’t know. I guess I’ll cross that bridge when I get there. It’s not like I can ask for help. Who would believe me?”
“They’d believe it if they saw it.”
“True, but what are the odds? I have a feeling these things leave no evidence behind, and they won’t attack if there are people around to help. Both times they came at you when there weren’t any people around. They’re stealthy and fast.”
“Jesus. They must know where we are, Toby. We’re sitting ducks right now.”
“They may. They may not. We don’t know enough yet to be able to tell.”
“I guess if they come at us here, we know they can get us anywhere.” She eyed the sheet covering the flamethrowers. “How do we stop them from coming at us? We can’t just keep killing their asses one after another forever. Eventually they will get us.”
“Some weird shit is going on right now. Something’s changed in the world that suddenly people are making deals with the devil and he’s collecting payment. Why now?”
“Maybe it isn’t new.” Robyn felt her eyelids growing heavy. She leaned back on her elbows. Screw it. She’d have to lie on this bed with these blankets anyway. “Maybe we’re just noticing because it’s happened to me. Maybe it happens all the time.”
“That’s probably true.” Toby heaved a sigh. “It would explain a lot.”
“So what do I do? Just keep killing them until my guard is down and they get me?” Robyn said.
“There must be a way to get out of that contract, if that’s what it is,” Toby said. “Some loophole.”
Robyn shook her head. “I don’t know. I didn’t realize I was actually signing one.”
“For now we keep fighting. There’s nothing else we can do,” Toby said.
“You don’t need to do this,” Robyn said. “This isn’t your fight.”
“It is now. It was the second I shot those things.”
“Upon my request. Right.” She crinkled her nose. “Sorry.”
“Agh. It’s all right. I have nothing better to do.”
Robyn smiled.
Toby smiled back.
Wow. Robyn felt herself flush. That smile was for her.
Maybe life was worth living after all.
†
Something was outside the window.
Robyn’s eyes snapped open and she sat straight up in bed. She threw the covers off and swung her legs over the bed, peering at the window. A shadow moved across it.
Her stomach turned to ice.
“Toby.” She moved to his bed and placed a hand on the lumpy figure under the covers. “Toby. Wake up.”
He turned toward her, eyes still closed. “What?”
“There’s someone outside the window.”
In one fluid motion he was out of bed, grabbing one of the flamethrowers from under it. “Here.” He handed her one. “Remember, point and shoot. That’s all there is to it. But make damned certain you’re shooting one of those things, not the night clerk.”
Robyn felt the weight of the flamethrower in her hands. She looked up at him, her mouth open.
“Okay?”
“Yeah.” It had to be. The last thing she felt up to doing was frying somebody in a hotel parking lot, but she would if she had to.
Toby moved to the one side of the window and shifted the curtain slightly to the side. “There is somebody. Motherfucker, these things are bold.”
Robyn’s heart thudded. She could almost hear it in her ears. “Let’s go get it.”
Toby turned his face toward her. “You ready?”
“Hell, yes.” And she was. She couldn’t wait to press the trigger. Her body shook with the need for it. “Let’s blast it.”
He tilted his head a little. “Okay. Let’s go.”
They moved toward the door. He slowly turned the deadbolt, then placed his hand on the knob. He looked back at her and nodded once, threw the door open.
The smile in front of him grew wider as the eyes grew bigger. “Whoa! Now that’s the way to answer a door!”
Toby let out a breath and lowered the flamethrower. “Zed. You asshole.”
Robyn’s finger twitched on the trigger. “You have no idea how close you came to having your ass incinerated.”
“I’m used to it. I like living on the edge.” Zed lifted a large bundle toward Toby. “Thought I’d surprise you.”
“We’re surprised,” Robyn said.
“I brought you presents.” He peeked around Toby’s shoulder into the room. “We could call it housewarming.”
Toby moved out of the way. “Well, in that case…” Toby frowned. “How the hell did you find us?”
Zed smiled and shrugged. “Your cell phone.”
Toby lifted an eyebrow. “I have my cell phone.”
“Exactly. I have an app on my cell that tracks your location. I already have your number programmed into my cell. It’s a nifty little tracking device that comes in handy every now and then.”
“No kidding.”
“Nope. I don’t kid about tracking peo
ple.”
“Another special skill?”
“One of many, my friend. One of many.”
†
“They explode on impact. Like a grenade. It’s a thing of beauty.” Zed’s eyes were alight with adoration and glee as he held one of the round, palm-sized things in his hand. He turned it over, showing it off. “I call them fun balls.”
“Sounds like something out of a sex shop,” Robyn said.
“Not a bad thought. Some people might be sexually aroused by blowing things up.” A huge smile crossed his face and he waggled his eyebrows, tossing the fun ball up into the air and catching it with one hand.
Robyn and Toby both took a step back.
“I wouldn’t be playing around with it like that if it explodes on impact.” Robyn eyed Zed. He was out of his damned mind. If he’d ever really had one.
“No shit,” Toby said. He lifted his palms toward Zed. “Just put that thing down, would you?”
Zed looked at them, face bewildered. “What?”
“We just don’t feel like getting blown up today, if it’s all the same to you,” Robyn told him.
Zed looked slightly wounded. “Okay. But they really aren’t that fragile. You have to throw them pretty hard for them to explode. I designed them that way.” He chuckled a little. “I’m a bit of a klutz.”
“Greeeaat,” Robyn said. “That’s just what I want to hear while you’re bouncing that thing around in your hands like that. Why don’t you try juggling a few?”
Zed smiled brightly. “Okay.” He reached into the box for another.
“No. No.” Toby stepped toward him, hands out. “She was only kidding.”
“Oh.” Zed’s shoulders slumped in disappointment.
“Just put them all back. Explain to us, without demonstrating, exactly how they work, okay?”
“Okay.” Zed put the fun ball back into the box. “Here’s how you use it. You aim for your target and whip it at the ground near them. If you whip it at them, you might miss altogether. You’d have to make sure that it smashes against the target’s head.”
“How big of an explosion do these little beauties make?” Robyn asked.
“Not as big as a grenade. Not enough to blow up things close to the target. But it will cause considerable damage to objects really close. Burns and such.”
“What will it do to the target?” Toby stepped forward, looking into the box.
“It’ll cause them a world of hurt. At the very least third-degree burns. More likely? Melt the skin right off of them. It won’t be pretty. Especially if their hair gets lit on fire. That’s nasty.”
“What’s it made of?” Robyn asked him. “Or do I really want to know?”
Zed gave her a wide smile. “Zed’s secret recipe. Just be careful with them. Respect them, but don’t be afraid of them. They’re your friends when you need ‘em. ‘Kay?”
Robyn nodded slowly. “Right. Uh, ‘kay.” The guy was a fruit loop, but he really was trying to help. And he might actually save their asses.
“How many did you bring?” Toby moved to the window, peering out through a crack in the curtain.
“Oh, I’ve got two large boxes of these babies in the car.” Zed smile grew wider. “I didn’t even think of these things when you guys showed up. I was all caught up in the flamethrower demonstration. But these are perfect for when you don’t want to cart the flamethrowers around. You know?”
“Right. Absolutely.” Toby moved a hand over his jaw and shook his head. “I just can’t believe we’re even talking about this. Having to consider using them.”
“Hey,” Zed said. “Shit happens. You’ve gotta be prepared, right?”
“Right. How much do I owe you?”
Zed’s face grew solemn. “Nothin’, man. Are you kidding me? You don’t owe me a thing.”
A silent beat went by as something meaningful passed between the two of them. Robyn felt like an eavesdropper, and stepped toward the window to peek outside.
“Okay,” Toby said. “I appreciate your help, Zed.”
“Anytime. Anything, man. Okay?” Zed’s voice was lower, sincere.
“All right,” Toby said. “Let’s get out of here. If just one of those things finds us, more of them will come.”
“What exactly do you mean by them; what’s after you, October?” Zed asked.
“Loan sharks,” Toby said, pulling on his canvas jacket.
“Loan sharks?” Zed laughed, head tipped back. “You’re running from loan sharks? You’re shitting me.” He walked toward the door. “I’ll take care of the bastards for you. I’ve taken care of more than one collector.”
Robyn stepped in front of the door. “Wait.”
Zed frowned. He turned back to Toby. “What? I don’t get it.”
“They aren’t the kind of collectors you’re used to.”
“Well, how bad can they be? What? You got a hit on you?” Zed looked back at Robyn then peered out the window.
“Oh, it’s plenty bad, Zed. And yeah, we have a hit on us. Both of us.”
“What? Mafia?” Zed asked, still looking out the window, his eyes shifting this way and that.
“No,” Toby said. “Hell.”
Chapter 9
Toby and Robyn took turns explaining the situation to Zed, beginning with Robyn meeting the mysterious man in the park who offered her the vial, and finally catching up to where they were now. They tried to give him the short version. Looking out the window, they saw at least two figures moving back and forth in front of the door. Time was short.
“We got to get out of here, before there’s too many of them,” Robyn said.
“The more there are, the more we can blast,” Zed said. He was almost humming with nervous energy, his movements jumpy. He couldn’t stand still. “Let’s go get ‘em.”
Toby looked at Robyn. “Are you ready?”
“No choice but to be ready,” she murmured. “They’re out there, and more are coming.”
Zed moved the curtain back and looked out again. “Fuck.”
Toby moved up behind him, the same nervous energy moving through him. “What?”
“I don’t see them,” Zed said, turning his face back and forth, his eyes darting around. “Where the fuck did they go?”
“Maybe whoever it was out there weren’t working for the devil.” Robyn could almost hear her heart thumping in her ears.
“Fuck it. Let’s just go,” Zed said. “Take a fun ball in each hand. There’s enough in that box for two each. Should get us to the car. Strap a flamethrower around you.”
Robyn gripped a fun ball in each hand. “I hope I don’t throw like a girl.”
Zed whipped the door open. Looking both ways, he began crossing the parking lot.
The sounds of a child crying floated through the night.
“Keep going,” Zed said. “Don’t stop for anything.”
A young girl, maybe seven years old with dark hair falling to her shoulders, came around the corner, hands balled up and covering her mouth.
Robyn stopped.
“Don’t fucking stop.” Zed turned and glared at her.
“I can’t find my mom.” The child took a couple of steps toward them, then stopped and let out a quivering sob.
“She’s terrified,” Robyn said. “She’s just a kid.”
“She may be one of them. Let somebody else help her.” Zed continued toward the car. “We don’t have time for this.”
“Somebody like who? A friggin’ child molester? Come on, Zed. Jesus.” Robyn started toward the little girl. “Come here, sweetheart. What happened?”
“I woke up and my mom was gone. I went out of the room, and the door closed and locked. I can’t get back in… and sh-she’s g-g-gone. I’m all by myself.” The little girl moved her balled fists to her eyes and cried softly, little hitches shaking her shoulders. “I’m all by myself.”
Robyn placed the fun balls on the ground, one of each side of her, and moved her hands onto the little girl’s should
ers. She turned toward Toby and Zed. “We can’t just leave her here. We have to find her mother.”
Toby pushed out a long breath, tilted his head. He scanned the area around the parking lot. There was a diner on the far left side of the lot, and a rough-looking bar called Joe’s Roadhouse. Loud hoots of laughter and shouting could be heard over what was obviously a bar band.
“Is it just you and your mom?” Robyn gently brushed hair out of the little girl’s eyes.
“Mom and Spider. Her new boyfriend.” The little girl lowered her balled fists. “He’s not nice.”
Oh God. The timing for this couldn’t be worse. Robyn placed her hands under the little girl’s armpits and lifted her into her arms. “You’re coming with us, okay?”
“No. No fucking way.” Zed’s face was stony.
“You wanna watch the F-bombs, please? And yeah way. She has nobody else right now. We’ll deliver her back to her mother later.” Robyn turned to Toby, the little girl’s arms wrapped tight around her shoulders. “Right?”
Toby looked at the little girl’s large, wet eyes. He heaved a sigh, defeated. He turned to Zed. “She’s coming with us.”
“Are you out of your damned minds? A kid? We can’t afford to have a kid onboard.”
“This isn’t up for debate, Zed. We’re not leaving her,” Robyn said. The little girl rested her head on Robyn’s shoulder. “Thanks for your help, but we can take it from here.”
Zed’s face registered shock. He looked from Robyn to Toby. “Are you serious?”
“You’re welcome to stick with us. We could use your help. But we understand if the kid is a deal breaker for you.” Toby shrugged. “We can’t leave her here, Zed. Can’t do it.”
Zed shook his head. “All right. I’ll take my truck. You take her in yours. I’ll stick with you. Even with the kid.”
He acts like she’s carrying the friggin’ plague, Robyn thought. Definitely not father material. As if she didn’t know that before.
“Okay, let’s go.” Toby headed toward the truck. “Get her settled in the back and I’ll go get your fun balls.”
