The Rules for Breaking

by Elston, Ashley

  I have to get him out of here.

  As soon as I hear the water running, I tell Teeny I’m taking the trash to the kitchen and sneak out of the room. I pad down the carpeted hall, quietly opening doors, but they’re all empty.

  I tiptoe down the steps and through the bottom floor. I finally find Tyler in a small sitting room off the kitchen, laid up on the couch watching a movie. Must be nice to be so relaxed.

  He sits up quickly when I enter the room. “What’s going on?”

  “I want to talk to Thomas.”

  His eyes go big. “About what?”

  “None of your business. Where is he?”

  Tyler pulls out his phone from his back pocket. When Thomas answers, Tyler says, “Anna wants to talk to you.”

  A few seconds later, Tyler ends the call. “He’ll be in here in a minute.”

  We wait. In silence.

  Thomas finally shows through a door on the opposite side of the room.

  “I don’t like being summoned.”

  I take a deep breath and ask, “Will you still make Ethan go through whatever you originally had planned? He’s injured and probably has a concussion. I can’t imagine you…killing Vega if you’re worried he may pass out at any moment.”

  He doesn’t answer, just watches me closely.

  I can’t stand the silence so my mouth takes over just to fill it.

  “And what about Teeny? She was never in the plan. No one was looking for her but here she is. She’s just an innocent little girl. Are you leaving her behind? Is she coming with us?”

  “Your sister will remain here as incentive for your good behavior. If Ethan is unable to join us, then he can wait here with her. Two reasons for you to cooperate.”

  This is what I was afraid of.

  “I get this is bigger than me, but you need bait and here I am. I will help you, but only me.”

  Thomas chuckles softly. “You’re not in any position to be making demands. You will help me willingly or your sister pays the consequence. It’s really very simple.”

  I’ve been thinking about this all afternoon—if I’m brave enough to pull off this bluff.

  “We called someone to come pick us up this morning. If we don’t show—they will go to the local cops. You probably know people there since you were in that uniform the other day, but this person will be very loud and make a big scene. I can’t imagine you want people looking for us. Or you.”

  Dead silence.

  “Let Ethan and Teeny leave with them and I will stay and do whatever I need to do,” I add.

  Thomas studies me and I try not to squirm.

  “I assumed you called someone,” Thomas says. “So let me guess, one of your little high school friends borrowed some money from dear old dad and headed south. Do you really believe some kid is capable of whisking you away from all of this? Have you forgotten about the man in the alley who wants you dead?”

  I cross my arms across my chest and match his gaze. “No matter what you say, you need me and I have to believe you would prefer my willing cooperation. And if you don’t let them go, I will fight you the entire time. Ethan’s injured and you don’t need Teeny. Or maybe you never intended for us to survive this. If that’s the case, I won’t have anything to lose.”

  Tyler’s head goes back and forth, like he’s watching a tennis match.

  Thomas rubs his hand across his jaw. I try not to panic. I’m showing all my cards and taking a huge gamble right now. “While I may be able to do what I need to do with just you, if I let your little sister and boyfriend go, what guarantees do I have that you will behave?”

  “You don’t have to keep them here for me to understand the threat against them. I’m well aware of your long reach.”

  He’s quiet. I’m afraid I handled this completely wrong. I should have talked Tyler into sneaking us out.

  Finally, he asks, “You’re not worried about Mateo finding them once they leave?”

  “Are you telling me you’re not good enough to get them out of town safely?”

  If there’s one thing I know about him, it’s that he’s an egomaniac. I am worried about them leaving, but I think it’s more dangerous if they stay.

  He doesn’t answer me.

  “Mateo’s in town. I know you plan to do something about him in the next few days. You plan on killing Vega, too. Let’s just say I’m betting on you to win this game and neither of them will be in danger before long. Ethan and Teeny don’t know much more than they did before you took us. They don’t know where this house is. They know we were held at Ursuline but I have no doubt you’ve already removed every trace of us.”

  “Ahhh…but they know about Tyler now. His identity was to remain a secret.”

  I can see Tyler tense but I don’t look at him.

  “So do I. We won’t say anything. I swear to you. We want nothing else to do with you. You will either let us live—like you promised Tyler—or you won’t.”

  Tyler steps forward, like he’s ready to jump into this conversation when Thomas puts a hand up, stopping him.

  “I’m here. I will do whatever I need to do to make this end. Can you do what you want to do with just me?” I hate the pleading sound in my voice.

  Another long, tense silence.

  “The reason there is a contract on you and Ethan is because you both could identity me. If I’m arrested, Vega is afraid I will flip on him, and over the years I’ve seen enough that I could completely sink his ship. Vega is in New Orleans at my request. I’ve invited him here so we can kiss and make up. Or so I made him think. You are my peace offering—a sign of my good faith so that we can forgive and forget what has happened.”

  My stomach drops. “So you’re giving me to him.”

  “He does not believe I am so good intentioned, but he will go along with the charade. And Mateo will be there with him, waiting to finish us off. He’s agreed to come because he knows that they will never find me on their own. He thinks this will be the perfect time to kill me. I needed you both to get me through the door so I can get close enough to kill him first. It might work with just you.”

  Oh. Shit.

  “So I would have to go there. Face him…and Mateo?” I ask.

  “Yes, Anna. And now you have promised to walk in without complaint.”

  Tyler stands quickly and says, “I didn’t know she would have to go near him. That wasn’t part of the plan.”

  Thomas glares at him and he sits back down quickly. “Yes, that’s always been part of the plan. Mateo is cocky but he won’t know what hit him. And Vega won’t have a chance once Mateo is dead.”

  Tyler steps between Thomas and me and says to him, “You made me a promise. She is not to be hurt. In any way. You swore on our mother’s grave.”

  Thomas’s eyes flash to me before settling back on Tyler. “I will not break my word to you. Anna will walk out of there, with me, and it will be over.” He looks at me as he continues, “The journal has been destroyed along with any evidence there. Tyler and I will disappear and I assure you, no one will find a trace of us. You will be free to go back to your life. I made Ty a promise and I don’t take that lightly. But if you, your sister, or your boyfriend mention him or his relationship to me to anyone, I will gladly kill you.”

  My knees go weak and I drop to a crouch. Tyler jumps up and moves toward me, but I hold up my hand for him to stop. I don’t want him to touch me.

  I never thought I would literally be right in the middle of this. But there’s no way I can let Ethan be there, too. Or Teeny.

  “I understand.”

  “Tyler, go get the car ready.”

  Tyler obviously doesn’t want to leave the room with me still here, but eventually he does.

  The second he’s gone from the room, Thomas takes a step closer to me and squats down to where I’m hovering at the f
loor. “I don’t trust you. At all. And just so we’re on the same page, you will deliver Ethan and Elena to your friend and come right back. To the best of my abilities, I will see that they get out of town unharmed.” He pulls a phone from his pocket and taps on the screen. “And just so we’re clear with one another, please take a look at this.”

  He holds the phone in front of my face and I drop the rest of the way to the floor. It’s a picture of my mother. She’s sitting in a chair outside, head thrown back, soaking up the sun.

  She looks beautiful.

  I run my finger over the screen, “When was this taken?”

  “Today. At the facility in Baton Rouge where she’s recovering. If you try to run, I will not only retrieve you, Ethan, and Elena, I’ll make a stop and pick your mother up as well. And I will make Mateo seem tender.”

  Ethan is out of the shower and finishing the rest of the po’boy when I get back to the room.

  “Where have you been?” he says with a mouthful of sandwich.

  “Working on a way to get us out of here. Tyler is sneaking us out; do you think you’re up for that?” I hope they can’t see the panic I’m feeling inside. I can’t get the picture of Mom out of my head. She looks so good. And healthy. I’m sickened to think Thomas has someone there, watching her.

  Ethan’s immediately suspicious and I don’t blame him. “Just like that, he’s going to help us?”

  I hand him some clothes I got from Tyler since Ethan’s clothes are ruined. He eyes the T-shirt and hoodie but doesn’t say anything about them or ask where they came from.

  “This has gone further than he thought it would. He thinks we’re better off to stay here, but he agrees that it should be our decision. And he feels especially bad about Teeny—he didn’t know she would be involved. If we want to leave he’ll help us, but we only have a short amount of time to do it.”

  It’s weak but I’m hoping that, in his half-concussion state, he goes with it.

  “You don’t have to ask me twice,” Teeny says, then moves toward the door. “But where are we going? That man is still out there.”

  “He’s going to drop us off near the club where hopefully Will is still hanging out. Then we’re getting out of town.”

  “No, I don’t buy it.”

  I sit beside him on the bed. “I’m playing him. He thinks I trust him. He’s trying to act like a hero for me.”

  And there is some truth to that, but Ethan will probably never speak to me when he realizes I’m lying to him, again. At least he will be alive. And hopefully out of this mess.

  I help Ethan get his arm inside the hoodie and I can tell it hurts him. A lot.

  Once he’s ready, I stare at the potted plant. I need the gun.

  I grab it quickly and try to shove it in the pocket of my jacket, but it’s too long and sticks out.

  “Unscrew the silencer,” Ethan says as he walks toward me. “If we need to fire this, we definitely want people to hear it.”

  I do as he suggests and the gun fits perfectly in my pocket.

  “You’ve come a long way with this. I’m really proud of you.”

  I smile at him and pray he forgives me when this is all over.

  We leave the room through the balcony doors and head down the outside steps.

  “Where’s Thomas?” Ethan asks.

  “He just left but won’t be gone long,” I answer. I’m sure he’s actually watching us from one of the windows on the other side of the courtyard.

  The same car Tyler picked us up in is idling near the double wooden doors.

  He gets out of the car and opens the backseat.

  He and Ethan stare at each other for a long moment before Ethan finally slides into the car.

  “You have to duck down like before. I’m willing to help you, but I can’t let you find this place again.”

  Teeny and I follow behind him.

  Once Ethan gets in a somewhat comfortable position, Tyler opens the wooden doors and we drive away from the house.

  Rules for disappearing

  by Witness Protection prisoner #18A7R04M:

  Educate yourself on what you plan to lie about….

  New rule by Anna Boyd:

  Sometimes you just gotta wing it.

  been driving for about five minutes, all twists and turns, before Tyler says, “You can sit up now.”

  We’re at a stop sign near the busiest section of Bourbon Street. If memory serves me, the club where Will is waiting is a couple of blocks away.

  Tyler doesn’t get out, just watches us exit from the rearview mirror.

  Just before Ethan shuts the door, he knocks Tyler in the back of his head and says in a quiet voice, “If you come around Anna again, I will kill you.”

  Tyler doesn’t say anything, just pulls away from the curb the second the back door slams shut.

  “Let’s get moving,” Ethan says as we join the flow of traffic down the street.

  It’s so much more crowded tonight than it was last night and I can’t help but wonder if there is someone out there taking pictures of us and sending them back to Thomas. I’m taking a huge risk that he won’t swoop in and take all of us, including Will, back to the house, but I try to remember—this is not about me. This is a power struggle between very ruthless people. He needs bait and I’m willing. Hopefully that will be enough.

  “Do you think it’s the weekend?” Teeny asks. “I can’t believe how many people are walking around.”

  “Who knows? I’m not sure what month it is anymore,” Ethan answers.

  I can see the Barely Legal doorway up ahead and the girls are back outside. One by one, these girls are plucking men off the street and shoving them through the smoky doorway.

  Ethan stops when we reach the door to the Blues Club.

  “We’re not going to be able to walk in; we don’t have IDs,” Ethan says. “And they’re sure as hell not going to let Teeny inside.”

  “How’s Will in there then?” Teeny asks.

  “Last year, we had fake IDs, but Will’s eighteen now so he’s in there legally. Here, you only have to be eighteen to get in but you can’t drink until you’re twenty-one.”

  All three of us look through the front door but all we see is a set of stairs going up to the second floor.

  “Hold on, let me see if I can’t get in long enough to look around,” I say, then move Ethan and Teeny to an empty doorway next to the club. “Y’all need to get out of sight for a minute.”

  Ethan backs Teeny into the corner then stands in front of her, blocking her from sight. “Just hurry. If he’s in there, y’all come out here.”

  I jog up the steps to where a bouncer is guarding the entrance.

  “Hey,” I say. “Where do I talk to someone about a job?” It’s going to take a miracle for this to work.

  The guy looks me up and down and I know what he’s thinking. I’m dirty. My face is bruised and I probably stink.

  “How old are you?” he asks.

  “Eighteen,” I say with a fake confidence I hope he believes.

  The bouncer rolls his eyes and crooks his finger for me to follow him. “Come on, boss man is over here. You look like you been in a helluva mess. Hope you hit his ass right back.”

  I let out a nervous laugh and pray I find Will before boss man finds me.

  I almost pass out the second we enter the smoky, blues-filled room. Not only is Will sitting at a back table but so is Catherine.

  I push past the bouncer and throw myself at her.

  “Oh my God! Anna! It’s you. You’re here!” Catherine screams over the music.

  Will throws his arms around both of us and I can barely take it all in. The bouncer pulls me away from them and starts dragging me toward the stairs. “Girl, don’t think I’m gonna let you stay up in here after you tried to play me.
”

  Will tries to push him away but I say, “Stop. It’s fine. We need to get out of here. Ethan and Teeny are outside.”

  Will throws some money on the table and they follow me down the stairs. The bouncer all but tosses me out of the front door.

  Ethan and Teeny, hearing all the noise, pop out from around the corner. Before he can brace himself, Will slams into him.

  “Man, you had me scared out of my mind!”

  Ethan falls back, holding his arm. I rush to him, catching him before he hits the ground. The concussion already has him a bit unsteady and I’m sure the staggering pain doesn’t help.

  “What’s wrong?” Will says to him then turns to me. “What’s wrong with him?”

  We’re causing a huge scene, which is not good. I scan the crowd, terrified I’ll see that string of cross tattoos.

  “We need to get off the street.” I point to a walk-in pizza place on the next block. Will steps in front of us and Catherine gets behind. We get inside and I help Ethan into one of the few booths in the back.

  His face is pale and he’s got a faint sheen of sweat over his top lip.

  “Will, can you get him some water?” I ask.

  I sit next to him and Catherine and Teeny slide into the booth across. Will heads to the counter for water.

  “Are you okay?” I ask.

  He nods but doesn’t speak.

  “What happened to him?” Will asks when he returns with a full glass.

  “He got shot yesterday. In the arm. Also got kicked in the head and we think he has a concussion.”

  He’s woozy. As much as I want him to get better, it will help if he’s a little out of it right now.

  Catherine’s jaw drops and her eyes fill with water. Will takes a step away and kicks the booth in front of us. “That son of a bitch,” he yells out and the guy behind the pizza counter hollers for him to shut up.

  “Shouldn’t he be in a hospital?” Catherine asks.

  “Probably.” I answer.

  Ethan finally seems to catch his breath and asks Will, “Did you talk to Fred? Tell him about my family and Anna’s dad?”