The Circle: Fallon's Story (THE CIRCLE SERIES)

by Danielle Santiago

“What’s going on?” she asked. “Is somebody after you?” Laura asked nervously as she pulled away slowly while looking at Rain through the rear view mirror.

  “Keep your eyes on the road,” Rain stated nervously. “Just drive.”

  “What about your car?” Laura asked.

  “I’mma need your whip and I’ll leave my keys with you so you can come back to drive mine. First, I need you to drive me out to Jessup,” Rain stated. She was used to being in control and was giving out demands so quickly that she had forgotten to fill Laura in on what was going on.

  “Wait a minute lady…slow down. What the hell are you running from?” Laura asked.

  “The Feds, they’ve got everybody but me. I’m the last one standing and now I need your help to help me get them back.”

  ***

  Rain sat hidden in the trunk of the car as Laura sat in idle traffic on the toll bridge. She could see the flashing police lights ahead.

  “They’re looking inside every car,” Laura stated. “But they’re not opening the trunk so we should be okay.” Her rattling voice revealed her fear and her stomach felt hollow as if she would throw up at any moment. She did not know what she had gotten herself into, but she loved Rain and would do anything in order to play her position.

  “Just be cool and stop moving your lips. They’ll wonder who you’re talking to,” Rain stated as she eased her head back into the trunk and sealed the back row of seats so that she could not be seen. She closed her eyes as the car moved slowly through traffic and she gripped her gun tightly, preparing herself for the worst. She had to make it to Smitty’s house or she could kiss her family and possibly her freedom goodbye.

  Laura’s hands were a sweaty mess as she held onto the steering wheel with a vice grip. She was nervous and was no good at playing it cool. There were only two cars that separated her from the police barricades and she took deep breaths to try and calm down.

  Just be easy, she coached herself as she pulled up to the small station. She reached into her purse and pulled out some money out of her purse to pay the toll.

  “Please move forward for inspection,” the woman stated routinely.

  Laura drove until the police stopped her. They gave her car one good once over and peered into her backseat before ushering her along.

  “Whew,” she blew out as she made her escape. She was almost positive that she would be busted. She got the hell out of dodge and when she was out of sight she said, “Okay you’re good.”

  Rain emerged from the back seat of the car and huffed loudly as she straightened out her wrinkled clothes. “Pull over,” she instructed.

  Laura pulled into a gas station and Rain got out of the car. She pulled a knot of money from her loose fitting jeans and peeled off five hundred dollar bills.

  “I want you to take this and catch a cab back to my car,” Rain stated. “You don’t need to be involved in this any further.”

  Laura shook her head defiantly as her eyes watered. She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach that things were only going to get worse from here.

  “No, Rain I want to help you,” she said.

  “You did ma,” Rain replied. “But there is nothing more you can do. If anybody comes to talk to you, you haven’t heard from me.”

  Rain got into the car as Laura stared sadly at her. “Be careful Rain,” Laura pleaded. She leaned down into the window and kissed Rain’s lips softly then watched her pull away.

  ***

  As Rain pulled onto Smitty’s suburban street, she circled the block cautiously to make sure that the coast was clear before she exited.

  She rang the doorbell furiously until finally Smitty opened the door. When he saw her he pulled her inside quickly then stuck his head out to make sure that she was not bringing heat to his doorstep.

  “They’re locked up…The Feds came out of nowhere and arrested Dayvid, Autumn, and Fallon,” She stated.

  “I know,” Smitty replied calmly.

  “You know?” Rain replied loudly. “What the fuck is going on? How did we get caught up like this?” she asked rhetorically.

  Smitty poured himself a glass of cognac and sipped it slowly before he led her into his study. He held the glass in his hand and pointed out his pinky towards the TV. “Every cop in the state is looking for you,” he stated. Rain’s mouth dropped when she saw her juvenile mug shot pop up on the screen as the news reports filled the TV with stories of her family’s arrest.

  She stared at the screen in disbelief as she watched a playback of the Feds storming into her home and taking her brother and sisters away. “How did this happen? We were careful…we were supposed to be on our way to Mexico,” she whispered.

  “Somebody got sloppy. You all got too relaxed…too comfortable with your routine.”

  Her legs felt weak and she took a seat in the chair across from Smitty’s mahogany desk. “You have to fix this Smitty. You have to help me,” she said.

  “Ain’t no helping them Rain. Dayvid, Autumn, and Fallon are in federal custody. If these were local cops I would be able to pull some strings, but the Feds are not letting this go. All of those banks that you were hitting over the years were federally insured banks Rain. You were playing with federal dollars.”

  “I remember you getting a cut of that federal money too,” she stated defensively. “Where was all this apprehension then?”

  “Look Rain, I’m on your side. I know I played my part in this fiasco, but I covered my trail too. I’m just trying to make sure you realize what you’re up against. On top of the robberies there were also twelve bodies left behind,” Smitty stated. “Your best bet is to get out of town. There is no way around this. This shit is going to end bad for everybody.”

  “There have to be a way!” she yelled. “I’m not leaving this city without them,” she stated. “I know I’m asking you to go out on a limb for me, but please. I need to get them out of there. Maryland is death penalty state Smitty. We both know that if they stand trial they’re going to lose and with all of the murders we’ve committed…”

  Rain’s words stopped in her throat as she thought about the fate that lied ahead for her siblings. “Fuck that…if we got to die it’s not gon’ be like that. We’d rather go out blazing,” Rain said.

  “It’s going to take a whole lot more than a shootout to get them out of this,” Smitty stated.

  “Then tell me what it’s gonna take,” Rain replied. “After this we won’t ask you for anything else...but I need you to call in one last favor.”

  Smitty could see the conviction in Rain’s eyes as she pleaded with him on behalf of her siblings. He knew that whether he helped her or not she was going to try to break her people out of jail. He knew that it was how she was raised. Rachel had taught them all of their klepto ways and had taught them that all they had in the world was each other. Their loyalty to one another was the only thing that was guaranteed.

  Smitty sighed as he nodded his head and sat back in his seat.

  “Okay…I’ll help you. I’ll make some calls and see where they are holding them. This is a long shot Rain. You’re only one person. They’ll have twenty men guarding them,” he stated trying to reason with her.

  Rain felt her adrenaline pumping from the fear of the unknown. She knew that she was outnumbered. Without her family it was her against the world. She sat back and stared him directly in the eyes and replied, “Then I guess I’m going to need a lot of bullets to even things out.”

  ***

  Rain was leaning against the tall columns of the courthouse. She was completely inconspicuous and had changed her appearance so drastically that she was positive that her own sisters and brother would not recognize her. Her normal boyish clothes were replaced with a feminine high waist pencil skirt that hugged her curvaceous shape and the ruffle blouse she wore showed cleavage. Her usual pleated corn rows had been undone and her hair flowed down her back in loose curls as she hid her face under the large black sun hat. Shades covered her eyes and as she sat obse
rving the surroundings of the courthouse, no one had the slightest idea of who she was.

  She was America’s most wanted and was sitting right in the pit of the fire. As she held a cigarette between her fingers she clutched a large black Gucci bag in her hand. She was ready to get it popping. There were only two ways that the situation could play out; in glory or gunfire and she was prepared for both.

  The media was all over the place as everyone anxiously anticipated the arrival of the Porter trio. Rain’s anger rose as she watched the commissioner of the police force brag about the arrest. His showboating sickened her and she smirked in amusement because she knew that his celebration would be short lived. She noticed the city paddy wagon turn the corner of Calvert Street and she began to descend the steps slowly. Her breath caught in her throat as she made eye contact with her youngest sister.

  Autumn sat straight up in her seat and turned her head as she looked Rain directly in the eyes. Rain noticed the worried look on her sister’s face and nodded her head in reassurance. How many cops? She asked in sign language. She was thankful for the little bit that she had learned from her deaf aunt because it was the first time that the skill had come in handy and she needed it now more than ever. Autumn turned her head to count the guards and then signed back; three. Rain nodded her head and then looked around to count the amount of guards that were lingering outside near the press conference.

  All of the odds were against her, but she was going all out. She reached into her purse as she walked towards the front of the courthouse, where the police wagon had stopped. She made sure that she was far enough away. She held onto the small automatic machine gun in her hand, fingering the trigger ready to pop anything in a uniform that stood in her way.

  ***

  Autumn looked out of the window at her sister nervously and frowned. What the fuck is she doing? She’s so stupid…she should have left town. Autumn turned and kept her eyes on her sister as the bus passed her. Is that bitch wearing heels? She thought as she took in Rain’s odd appearance.

  Her leg bounced as nervous energy traveled up her spine. She could not sit still as she thought about standing in front of a judge…more than likely an old white man. He can’t judge me…there is no way he could possibly understand everything we’ve been through that made us like this.

  “Will you stop doing that? You’re making me fucking nervous,” the girl chained to her stated in irritation.

  Autumn moved her mouth to respond but she was tuned out when the loud blast erupted from the front of the carriage.

  BOOM!!

  ***

  As soon as Rain heard the explosion she pulled her MAC-10 from her purse and popped off as she ran towards the burning vehicle. Chaos erupted as bystanders ran for cover and the law enforcement on the scene ran towards the blaze. Only the front of the vehicle had exploded, killing the escorting officers instantly. Inmates emerged from the car in frenzy as they each took advantage of the blaze in an attempt to escape.

  “Rain!” Autumn screamed from the window as she saw her sister spraying at the policemen; her bullets laying them down one by one.

  “Bitch get your ass off the bus and let’s go!” Rain yelled without looking as she continued to shoot wildly towards the courthouse steps.

  Autumn sprang to her feet and the girl beside her shook her head in protest. “Look I’m only here on a shoplifting charge. I’m not trying to…”

  “Get up!” Autumn demanded as she stood up and practically dragged the girl against her will. Rain reached into her bag with one hand while firing with the other. She retrieved a 9 millimeter pistol and handed it off to Autumn who without hesitation trained it on the officers at the top of the courthouse steps.

  “Where is Dayvid and Fallon?!” Rain yelled as she frantically searched the crowd of fleeing inmates.

  “I don’t know. They separated us right after the arrest,” Autumn screamed over the thunderous roars of her cannon as she shot at the police.

  Rain’s heart dropped when she heard the news because she knew that it would be impossible to free Fallon and Dayvid.

  “Look just shoot the cuffs off of me and I’ll take off…” the girl screamed desperately, not wanting to be involved in what the two sisters in front of her had planned.

  Knowing there was no time to separate Autumn from the other inmate, Rain grabbed Autumn’s hand and they took off running with the girl protesting beside them. She had no choice but to run along to avoid the bullets that were flying around her head.

  Rain felt the dead weight of the girl as she was trying to stop them from running and she grabbed her forcefully by the arm. “Bitch if you don’t move your fucking feet!” she yelled in anger. They hopped into Laura’s car and skirted off.

  “A clip!” Autumn yelled when she realized she was out of ammunition. “I need another clip!”

  “Look in the bag,” Rain stated as she floored the car. She ran directly into a parked car and forced it out of her way as Autumn rummaged through Rain’s bag and retrieved another clip. She popped it in and stuck her gun out of the window and fired without hesitation as Rain drove them away to safety.

  The further Rain drove the less gunfire they heard. “Am I clear?” she asked as she switched lanes, cutting off another car and then hit a quick right causing the car to tip onto two wheels.

  “Yeah you’re good,” Autumn stated. She leaned into the front seat with tears in her eyes and hugged her sister. “Whoo! I love your fucking ass!” she screamed as she thought of how close she had come to judgment day.

  “Yeah yeah…I love you too bitch; now sit back and help me think about how to spring Dayvid and Fallon. They were supposed to be in that fucking transport van. Damn!”

  The other inmate cleared her throat, “Look I’m not trying to fuck up what y’all got going on but can we figure out how to get these cuffs off so I can do me. No offense but I’m not trying to be a part of what y’all got going on,” she stated seriously.

  “Ugh…can I smack the shit out of this whiny ass bitch?” Autumn asked.

  “Autumn calm down…We will figure out how to get the handcuffs off, but nobody’s going anywhere right now,” Rain stated harshly as she stared at the girl through her rearview.

  The girl leaned her head back on the head rest. “Fuck…it had to be me,” she mumbled. Rain drove to the outskirts of the city and headed to the first motel that she saw.

  “Stay in the car,” she stated. “I’m going to go get us a room.”

  “What if somebody notices you?” Autumn asked.

  “They won’t,” she stated as she got out of the car.

  The pencil skirt and high heels were so uncharacteristic of Rain that Autumn had to make light of the situation. She stuck her head out of the car and whistled, giving her a cat call. “Work it bitch.”

  Rain stuck up her middle finger and Autumn burst into laughter as Rain stormed into the office. Fifteen minutes later they were all cooped up in the motel room as Rain paced back and forth, constantly peeking out of the curtains to make sure that they had not been followed.

  “I can’t believe this shit,” the girl stated. “Hello, the handcuffs,” she reminded.

  Rain stopped mid-step and looked at the girl like she was crazy. “How the fuck am I supposed to take them off, huh? You want me to shoot them off?” Rain asked sarcastically. “The gunshot will make too much noise and every fucking cop on this side of Maryland would be beating down the door. So just sit back, shut the fuck up and let me think.”

  “We have to go back for them,” Rain stated.

  “How? We can’t just go in there like cowboys,” Autumn stated. “You should have seen where they had me locked down at Rain. There was an armed federal agent at every door. There is no way the two of us are going to be able to pull this off; not twice. Now that you busted me out they will be on their shit. They probably aren’t even holding Day and Fallon in the same facility anymore.”

  “We can’t just leave them,” Rain whispered.
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br />   “I know, but we have to be smart. We can’t win a war with the Feds so we have to out think them,” Autumn replied.

  The girl scoffed as she shook her head.

  “What the fuck is so funny?” Rain asked as she stared the brown skinned girl down. Her Chinese eyes slanted in disbelief.

  “This shit is unreal…that’s what’s funny,” she spat. “Do you really think that you can save whoever you’re trying to get to from out of federal custody? Y’all bitches are delusional.” She began to laugh as she shook her head in dismay.

  “You know what?!” Autumn shouted, growing frustrated from the girl’s pessimism.

  “She’s right,” Rain said regretfully.

  “She’s not right, FUCK HER!” Autumn shouted defiantly, hearing the hesitation in her sister’s voice.

  Rain let her head rest on the window pane as she closed her eyes. “We all knew the risk of what we were doing.”

  “You broke me out Rain…you know the code. It’s all of us or none of us,” Autumn said passionately.

  “Well right now it’s half of us Autumn. We have to let things die down. Every man with a badge in this city is going to shoot first and ask questions later. We have to keep moving and get out of here while we still have a chance.”

  Tears accumulated in Autumn’s eyes as she thought of abandoning Dayvid and Fallon. “What about Smitty? He can help us,” she said, grasping at straws.

  “He helped me get you. He already put his neck on the line for us. He made it crystal clear that it was the last time I needed to contact him,” Rain informed her.

  Autumn’s heart broke in two. As the youngest of her four siblings she was used to them taking care of her. Ever since she could remember they had protected her. They were always there for one another. Now she felt like a traitor. Their world had been rocked. Their board had been checkmated.

  “It wasn’t supposed to happen like this,” she said glumly.

  “I know, but it did,” Rain stated as she wiped a stray tear from her own cheek. She inhaled deeply and put on a brave front. Crying wasn’t going to solve their problems. She had never been soft and decided that there was no point of boo hooing over spilled milk. What’s done is done, she thought. “Get some rest,” she stated. She looked at the clock and saw that it was ten o’clock in the morning. “We will sleep for a couple hours and leave when we wake up. We can’t stay in the same spot for too long.”