Runner

by A. J. Summer

  “Huh?” Jonah asks, not concentrating on me at all while he continues his text.

  “The accident, what happened?” I ask again.

  “Oh, that,” Jonah says while he places his phone on his thigh. “After we found Ana at that party, Mike was pretty furious. Jase beat the shit out of him.”

  “Fuck?”

  “Yeah,” he says, chuckling softly.

  Mike always gets the beating. I can imagine he didn’t take it very well. He must’ve been pretty riled up, just knowing he had to go get Ana out of that party.

  “So I took him to a nearby gas station, got the dude a Monster and a bag of ice for his ribs. Then I cracked some funnies about how he could really take Jase’s ass if he wasn’t blindsided like that. Damn, that guy has some serious anger issues. I thought he was going to pulverize Mike’s skull. And Mike has a pretty hard head,” Jonah says, chuckling again.

  Then we got a text from Talon telling us to fetch Ana. I saw the white car, man; I just didn’t think anything of it. When we got to the apartment, Ana was there. She wouldn’t let Mike in. Mike wrestled the door open and started getting her stuff. Talon was there, just sitting on the couch, staring at us like we were fucking crazy. Next thing I know, Daniel’s men are at the door asking Talon where we were. She, of course, let them in. They didn’t make it seem like a request to follow them, Runner. They threatened to hurt the girls if we didn’t go with them. Mike and I overpowered them on the stairs, managed to buy some time, but the girls can’t run for shit in that high heel crap they wear.

  When we got to the Chevy, Mike couldn’t find the keys, so we took their car. Stupid assholes left the keys in the ignition. They ended up chasing us in the Chevy, they must’ve hot wired it. Maybe Mike dropped the keys in our rush. Hell if I know. Everything happened so fast. We crossed the light while it was yellow; it changed to red on them. They crashed into Jase’s truck, not us. That’s why no one can place us at that crash. A private ambulance showed up after that and took Daniel’s men away, way before any other ambulances could even be heard. Daniel has Bailey locked up tight. Those guys from Warehouse 9 showed up and stuck a knife into my knee. That’s the only reason Mike let him behind the wheel. And the rest you know, you were there,” Jonah says, taking a deep breath after his story.

  “So no one will recognize you?” I ask.

  “No one was even close to our car. We found some caps in the car, and the girls were lying flat on the back seat. Mike’s driving scared them. Everyone was at the Chevy or at Jase’s truck. And we know Reno took care of the Chevy’s registration when we started with him. No one can trace it. The only person who can put us at that scene is Daniel Migelli,” Jonah says staring ahead.

  I can tell he is thinking real hard about this deal we are making with Daniel. “And who is the guy that Daniel thinks is dead?” I ask. I already know it’s Jase, that’s just the way my messed-up luck rolls.

  “I don’t know, Runner. We didn’t stick around long enough to find out, but I don’t see how the driver could’ve survived. The car hit that side straight on. Jase’s truck flipped a couple of times,” Jonah says, lowering his head.

  Yeah, I thought so. Damn it! For once can shit just go right in this screwed up cesspit of my life? I keep screwing up. First with the drugs, then by killing Danny Migelli. And now this. I grip the steering wheel harder and focus on the road. Mia is alone again. Mike and Jonah might not have crashed into Jase, but they were there because of me. I don’t think my sister will ever forgive me, even if she knew I was still alive. Not if Jase dies.

  TALON

  If I don’t get a cigarette soon, I’m going to whack someone in the head. Ana has been bitching Mike’s ear off about getting her phone back for the last three hours. I’m sick to hell of it. I sigh and pull one of the expensive, blue throw pillows over my head where I’m lying on the couch. I can still hear them arguing, but I don’t even need the words to know what they are saying.

  “I want my phone!” “No.” “Give me my damn phone.” “No.” “Why not, Mike? Why the hell not?” “We need to stay low for a while.” Then Ana screeches and squeals like a baby pig being taken away from his mother, complete with a stomping of her foot.

  Mike took my phone also, thank goodness it’s password protected. Mary is the only one allowed to have hers because of Jonah. Apparently Jonah is crazy protective, and he might resort to irrational decisions if he can’t speak to her. I wonder how it feels to have someone love you that much? Ana tried to get Mary to give the phone to her, but Mary promptly locked herself in the room after that. No one has seen her since. I wonder if she’s still even breathing. Chick needs to use the bathroom sometime, right?

  “Mike! I need a smoke,” I call from the couch with the pillow still over my face. “What?” Mike asks, sounding closer than before with the screaming match between him and Ana. I lift the pillow off my face and hiccup on my intake of words. I didn’t realize he was this close, seems he came even closer. His proximity freaks me out a little and I push myself deeper into the couch.

  “What were you saying? Are you okay?” Mike asks looking concerned where he is kneeling at the couch.

  “Yeah, yes, I’m fine. I need a smoke, I’m out,” I say, tapping my empty jean pocket and relaxing a little.

  “Oh. Okay, I’ll ask Runner to get you some,” he says, rising to his feet slowly.

  “He’s coming here?” I’m surprised. Did he get the mess sorted out with Daniel so quickly? That’s good, right? I can go home.

  “Don’t look so relieved. I don’t think he is bringing good news with him.” Mike starts to leave the room, but I don’t let him get far. “I don’t care. Just get me my smokes,” I reply with that snippy attitude I saw on Pretty-Pretty Princess. I hate this place. I hate being locked up. And then I pull the pillow over my face again, ready to sulk in my nicotine-deprived world. It’s better than where you came from! I hate that little voice in my head. Because its wrong, this is exactly the same. I’m still a prisoner. The guards are just a lot less demented than the ones back home.

  I doze off a little and stretch my legs. Indigo’s couch almost sleeps as good as my own bed. I hear hushed voices and throw the pillow off my face. When I sit up and look over the back of the couch, Runner is looking straight at me. His eyes look so haunted, like the demons that are chasing him, are right there on the surface, beckoning me to take a closer look. He reaches for something on the table and throws it at me. The connection I felt in our stare is broken and I’m left feeling empty, robbed. The packet of cigarettes lands with a soft thud in my lap. I immediately rip into it and take one out. I stand up and walk to the window, fishing in my pocket for my lighter. I push the window open wider and light my smoke, enjoying the first drag I’ve had since last night.

  “No smoking in the rooms,” Runner says when he stops next to me.

  “I’m not allowed to leave the room, and there’s no balcony, so the window it is. Or I could climb out and hang from the railing if you so prefer?” I ask while flicking my ash down the three stories to the sidewalk.

  “A monkey and a rule breaker. You surprise me. A real rebel. Nice hair,” he says, smirking at me. I almost get lost in that playful expression on his face. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Runner smile. Not even after he spent himself all over my body. I smile back at him, trying to come up with a cheeky comeback, but I’ve got nothing. So instead, I smooth my hair down, and the static from the silk pillow makes it sticks to my hand. Sweet, Talon, real sexy. Runner lets out a laugh and my cheeks warm a little. I’m not blushing, I’m not blushing! I narrow my eyes at him, trying to cover up my embarrassment, but he just laughs harder. It’s a deep, throaty sound, warmed with real joy, and I love every second of it. I don’t want to challenge him when he seems in a good mood for a change, but I don’t like people laughing at me.

  “What?” I ask. Runner reaches toward my shoulder, and I flinch. “Relax,” he says, chuckling again. He pulls something from my hair, and I’m thinki
ng he’s going to pull the coin trick on me, but instead of a coin he hands me a business card. I turn the card around, and on it is the logo for the Apple’s strip show they have on Saturday nights. “For a good time call 555-Mandy,” it says. “Oh my god,” I say, laughing myself. “I don’t think I’ll be needing that.” I push the card back into his hand. “I might,” Runner says while stuffing the card into his shirt pocket and patting it playfully. I scrunch up my nose and pull an ugly face at him. Does he really watch those nasty women over at Apple?

  “Are you hungry?”

  My stomach flip-flops. Did he just ask me out to dinner?

  “I could eat,” I reply, not sure if I’m reading him right. I’d really like to leave this room. I wouldn’t mind leaving it with him.

  “Good, there’s a pizza pamphlet on the table. Let me know what you want, and they can deliver. I’ll go tell the others,” he says with a friendly smile.

  “Sure.” The disappointment is clear as daylight in my voice. I’m not even really hungry. I can do with a vodka, that’s for sure. I really hoped I’d get to leave this room. My cigarette burns the tip of my fingers, and I let it drop out of the window. I watch it spiraling down until I can no longer see it. I wonder if I’ll survive the jump.

  RUNNER

  How idiotic am I for flirting with Talon? About as much as Icarus flying too close to the sun with his wings made of wax. Sizzle and burn. I’m not even here for an hour, and I’m already breaking my new mindset. No friends, no one I care about. That’s how I stay unbreakable. Daniel Migelli won’t think twice about going after them to hurt me, to use them against me. When I asked her if she was hungry, I was planning on taking her downstairs to eat. She looked so miserable locked up in this room. But when I saw that glimmer of hope in her eye as I asked her, I knew I couldn’t do it. I won’t let another woman down.

  I knock on Ana’s door, and I’m rewarded with a very rude “eff off”, so I leave her alone and go to Mary’s room. I pause there for a second, not wanting to interrupt any special bonding that might be going on, but then I decide to knock in any case. Jonah opens the door wearing only his boxers, and Mary is sitting on the bed with some medical supplies. I look down at the wound on his knee, and I’m very glad that I ignored his decline for Reno’s doctor. That quack that stitched him up before I got to Warehouse 9 did a piss-poor job. My friend is lucky he got to keep his leg. Reno’s doctor had to take all the stitches out and re-stitch the wound. And he gave Jonah a tetanus injection, which made him swear worse than a pirate who just lost his new peg leg.

  “We are getting pizza. You guys want some?” I ask, looking between the both of them.

  “Babe?” Jonah asks Mary when she just continues to look at the supplies in front of her. Mary lifts her eyes briefly and gives a small nod before she looks back down at the bandages she’s rolling. “We’ll be right out,” Jonah says. Then he gives me a very uncertain smile before he closes the door in my face. I don’t think Mary fits so well into this new equation as she thought she would, but for Jonah I hope it all works out. I walk to my room ready for a shower and a nap, but the shower will have to do.

  When I get back to the living-slash-dining-room area, everyone is sitting at the table playing cards. And the loot—a stack of “Call Mandy” cards. By the look of it, Mary is cleaning out the house. I pick up the piece of paper with everyone’s pizza order. I dial the number for the pizza parlor and ramble the order to the friendly girl on the other side of the line. When I read Talon’s order, I almost stumble over the words. The girl likes hot stuff, just like me.

  So Talon likes spicy food? I’m the only one that eats really hot stuff at the cabin, so I hardly get to eat it. I order the same pizza as Talon and add a side of crushed chilies to mine. I hang up the phone and go take a seat at the table next to Talon. I watch them finish the hand they are playing, and then I’m dealt in.

  Talon sneaks a peak at her cards and gives me a mischievous grin. I smirk back at her and pick up my hand. It’s not a bad hand, but it could’ve been better. It needs to be a lot better to beat Mary. I toss one of my “Call Mandy” cards into the center of the table along with the other bets. I quickly learn that Mary has a kick-ass poker face and a razor-sharp mind. Mike and Jonah fall out on the last round and Mary jokes, flashing her stack of Call Mandy’s at Jonah. She’s giggles while telling him she’ll support him financially for life. She looks genuinely happy, maybe she’ll stick it out after all. Jonah, on the other hand, is starting to look like the reaper is sitting on his shoulder, and I’m a little worried about that leg of his.

  “I’m getting a drink. Any one else want one?” Mike asks, standing and turning in the direction of the mini bar. And he also pulls my attention off of Jonah.

  “I’ll have a vodka,” Talon says. She flashes him a quick smile before turning back to her cards.

  “Vodka what?” Mike asks.

  “Just a vodka. They’ve got those tiny little bottles in there, don’t they? Just bring me one of those,” Talon says with a duh look on her face. I wonder if she has the same problem as Ana. But no one else seems to think the same thing, and Mike just shrugs and goes to get the drinks. So I don’t say anything, but I’m definitely keeping an eye on her. Ana turns into a Mrs. Hyde as soon as she smells alcohol. I don’t want Talon to go down that same path.

  “Hey, what about the rest of us?” Ana shouts after Mike.

  “I’ll bring Cokes,” Mike says, and I see him wincing when he realizes Ana might start a fight over it. But she just nods and looks at her cards again. I breathe a sigh of relief that nothing is about to spoil the happy mood in the room.

  Mike comes back clutching cans, a beer, and two mini bottles of vodka in his hands. He passes the drinks around and takes his seat.

  “Man, I’m thirsty. Cheers,” he says, lifting his bottle to his lips. Everyone mutters “cheers”, and Talon downs her miniature bottle in one gulp. Mike raises an eyebrow at me, and I look at the girl sitting next to me. She sees me looking and wipes her lips with the back of her hand. Then she smiles, and when she squeezes my thigh, she smiles even brighter. Even through the denim of my jeans I can feel the heat of her palm, but she lifts her hand up and goes back to concentrating on her cards, playing it off like it never happened.

  I give up trying to play against the girls after two more rounds. I’m also happy to leave the table when there’s a knock on the door. I’ve been watching Talon, and the longer I sit there, the more I think about her touching me and me touching her. She’s on her third miniature bottle of vodka, and I’m happy to see the pizza delivery guy when I open the door. So much clear alcohol can’t be good for her. I mean, she is drinking the damn stuff neat! I pay the pizza guy and close the door.

  The smell of food brings both of the guys over to me, and I almost don’t get chance to put all the boxes down before they start pulling theirs from the pile. I grab mine and Talon’s along with the extra chilies and walk back to the table. Mary has effectively acquired all the cards and is sitting proudly with her stack of Call Mandy’s. Jonah hands her her pizza and looks at her stack of Call Mandy’s. He has a curious expression on his face. I’ve never realized how many of those cards are in the Indigo rooms. There are at least fifty of those in front of her. Then he leans over her and whispers something in her ear. She gasps softly and lowers her head with a small smile on her face.

  Talon is watching the two of them; she laughs when she turns to take her box from me. “Those two are so cute,” she says. Talon’s eyes are a bit hazy, but she’s not slurring. She can definitely hold her liquor, but I don’t think I can sit here and watch her drink any more of that horrible stuff.

  “Yeah, they are real precious,” I tease back dryly. “Ah, Runner, don’t be so anti-love. I know there’s a heart somewhere in that freezer” she says while smacking my ass. I watch her walk toward the couch with my mouth hanging open. I can’t believe she did that. She’s definitely tipsy. I make a note to be more cautions around a tipsy Talon,
she’s a lot more affectionate. And she’s a lot more daring. I wonder if that’s the only reason why we hooked up that night.

  Talon flops down on the couch and folds her legs under her butt. Legs, butt. Why am I staring at her? She places the box on her lap and pulls out a decent-sized Mexican fiesta. She takes a whiff of the pizza in her hands, closes her eyes, and takes a bite. When she pulls the slice away from her mouth, a string of cheese pulls along with it. But instead of grabbing a napkin, she winds the string of cheese around her finger and pops it into her mouth. My mouth starts to water. That is the hottest thing I’ve ever seen. I don’t want pizza, I want to taste those lips. Talon looks over at me and catches me staring.

  “Sorry, I’m a messy eater, but the food is there to enjoy, and this is how I enjoy it,” she says, shrugging her shoulders. She doesn’t look sorry at all, so I don’t know why she even bothered apologizing. I don’t say anything as I take a seat next to her on the couch. She’s drinking and my mind is getting foggy…what’s up with that? Yes, this girl can make me want to take care of her. But right now, I just want to bang the hell out of her.

  We are watching a vampire movie when my cell rings. I take it out of my pocket to look at the screen. It’s not a number that I recognize, and it’s almost midnight. I consider letting it ring, and I’m just about to put it back in my pocket when Talon asks me if I’m going to get it. Mike and Jonah are also looking at me with the same question on their faces.

  “Runner,” I answer.

  “The Apple, take your lady friend, make sure she dresses nice,” Daniels says over the line.

  “It’s almost midnight,” I say through my teeth. “I know. The person I want you to meet is at the Apple now. He likes good-looking ladies, so make sure your friend looks good,” he adds dryly.

  “Fuck…” I throw my phone onto the table. The son of a bitch hung up on me again! I don’t even know who I’m supposed to meet at the Apple. And why the Apple? It’s a Tuesday night, the only people hanging around there are losers with a gambling addiction. “Fuck!” I curse again as I stand up and pace the room. Mike flicks on the light and everyone squints in the brightness.