worry about getting out of here first. I’ll fix it later, when we get a room,” said Lacey.
“Hey, babe, I thought you said it was going to be just me and you getting a room,” said Bryan.
I interrupted before Lacey could reply with something unladylike. “I’ve got one. Place outside of town. We need to check for my mother first; she might be here somewhere.”
“Fix it now.” Megan told Lacey, her tone taking on an edge that I hadn’t often heard.
“Relax, he’ll be fine. You’re cranky because you haven’t eaten yet, and all that blood makes your boy toy smell like a five-course meal.”
“Oh, that’s comforting,” I said.
“Not to worry, I’m sure she’ll wait until after you pass out before she chows down. And with the amount of blood you’ve lost, that should be fairly soon. So let’s make sure your mom’s not here, and then we’ll get you someplace safe so I can save your sorry ass,” said Lacey.
“I can help look.” I knew it was a stupid thing to say even as I said it. Lacey didn’t even honor me with a reply. Instead, she shot Bryan a look. He took my arm.
“Here, bro, I got you. Let the ladies search for Mom while we cruise on out of here.” Megan reluctantly released me once she was sure my brother had a good grip.
With my brother’s support, we made it out a side exit and down an alley that let out onto a deserted street. It didn’t take more than a second to realize this was a questionable neighborhood. Storefronts were barred and tagged. About half of them were vacant. The theater was one of the old ones with a marquee that ran down the side of the building, and the box office in its own little room up front. It had been built almost a century ago, and only had one auditorium. The front was boarded up, and a crooked “for lease” sign hung at an angle from one of the plywood boards that covered the poster display windows.
We crossed the street to a burgundy minivan. I looked at Bryan, who read my mind and shrugged.
“It ain’t cool, but it’s better than the compact piece of crap they tried to foist on us. Megan had a word with the dude and they gave us a free upgrade. Besides, the rear seats fold all the way back. Kind of a bonus when you’re on a road trip with a couple of chicks, you know? And the stereo ain’t bad. We can crank up some tunes once we get you inside.”
“You guys drove all the way here?” I wondered how they’d managed the sunlight during a cross-country trip, figuring they had to stop during the day at hotels.
“Oh, hell, no. Megan was so pissed at you, there was no way driving would have been fast enough. We flew out last night, the first flight out after dark.” Bryan helped me into one of the rear captain’s chairs.
“Oh.”
“Flying sucks, dude. They don’t feed you, and the seats are hella small. The stewardesses weren’t even hot. What’s up with that? I was all looking forward to joining the mile-high club. Instead I was sandwiched between some big dude and this old lady that smelled funny.” I realized it had been my brother’s first experience with flying.
Bryan shut the door, then got into the front seat and talked at me from over his shoulder.
“Anyway, we got in late last night. Lacey did one of her magic tricks, but she couldn’t get a lock on you or whatever because you kept moving. I swear your old lady was ready to lose it. She’s got a temper, dude.”
“How the hell did you get the guns here?”
“Overnighted them to the hotel. Had to go buy ammo this morning.”
“And it worked?”
“They made it, so I guess it did. Though Megan was the one that talked with the FedEx dude, so who knows what she made him do.
“Anyway, bro, you finally stopped moving long enough for Lacey to track you down. Lucky for you Megan broke about every traffic law getting down here from Austin, ‘cause it looked like they were about to drain you dry.”
“Nah, I was fine. They said they wanted me alive for
“Hey, babe, I thought you said it was going to be just me and you getting a room,” said Bryan.
I interrupted before Lacey could reply with something unladylike. “I’ve got one. Place outside of town. We need to check for my mother first; she might be here somewhere.”
“Fix it now.” Megan told Lacey, her tone taking on an edge that I hadn’t often heard.
“Relax, he’ll be fine. You’re cranky because you haven’t eaten yet, and all that blood makes your boy toy smell like a five-course meal.”
“Oh, that’s comforting,” I said.
“Not to worry, I’m sure she’ll wait until after you pass out before she chows down. And with the amount of blood you’ve lost, that should be fairly soon. So let’s make sure your mom’s not here, and then we’ll get you someplace safe so I can save your sorry ass,” said Lacey.
“I can help look.” I knew it was a stupid thing to say even as I said it. Lacey didn’t even honor me with a reply. Instead, she shot Bryan a look. He took my arm.
“Here, bro, I got you. Let the ladies search for Mom while we cruise on out of here.” Megan reluctantly released me once she was sure my brother had a good grip.
With my brother’s support, we made it out a side exit and down an alley that let out onto a deserted street. It didn’t take more than a second to realize this was a questionable neighborhood. Storefronts were barred and tagged. About half of them were vacant. The theater was one of the old ones with a marquee that ran down the side of the building, and the box office in its own little room up front. It had been built almost a century ago, and only had one auditorium. The front was boarded up, and a crooked “for lease” sign hung at an angle from one of the plywood boards that covered the poster display windows.
We crossed the street to a burgundy minivan. I looked at Bryan, who read my mind and shrugged.
“It ain’t cool, but it’s better than the compact piece of crap they tried to foist on us. Megan had a word with the dude and they gave us a free upgrade. Besides, the rear seats fold all the way back. Kind of a bonus when you’re on a road trip with a couple of chicks, you know? And the stereo ain’t bad. We can crank up some tunes once we get you inside.”
“You guys drove all the way here?” I wondered how they’d managed the sunlight during a cross-country trip, figuring they had to stop during the day at hotels.
“Oh, hell, no. Megan was so pissed at you, there was no way driving would have been fast enough. We flew out last night, the first flight out after dark.” Bryan helped me into one of the rear captain’s chairs.
“Oh.”
“Flying sucks, dude. They don’t feed you, and the seats are hella small. The stewardesses weren’t even hot. What’s up with that? I was all looking forward to joining the mile-high club. Instead I was sandwiched between some big dude and this old lady that smelled funny.” I realized it had been my brother’s first experience with flying.
Bryan shut the door, then got into the front seat and talked at me from over his shoulder.
“Anyway, we got in late last night. Lacey did one of her magic tricks, but she couldn’t get a lock on you or whatever because you kept moving. I swear your old lady was ready to lose it. She’s got a temper, dude.”
“How the hell did you get the guns here?”
“Overnighted them to the hotel. Had to go buy ammo this morning.”
“And it worked?”
“They made it, so I guess it did. Though Megan was the one that talked with the FedEx dude, so who knows what she made him do.
“Anyway, bro, you finally stopped moving long enough for Lacey to track you down. Lucky for you Megan broke about every traffic law getting down here from Austin, ‘cause it looked like they were about to drain you dry.”
“Nah, I was fine. They said they wanted me alive for
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