The Good Deed ~COMPLETE~

Chapter 8: Unknown Caller

I grabbed the spotlight and carried it as far as its cord would allow. I aimed it down the hallway that led to the supply closet. Though the spotlight didn't reach the closet, it gave enough light for me to find the box that hid my phone. As I reach for the phone I wondered where the hell Mark was. He should have been there within 15 minutes. I called Sue.

She answered on the first ring. "Oh my God, Joe, what's going on, I've been worried sick." Sue's shaky voice confirmed her fears.

"I'm okay. Everything is fine. Did you get a hold of Mark?" I didn't tell her about my wild ride in the police car, the interrogation or the agreement I made to work for these people.

Sue spoke fast, not stopping to breathe between sentences. "I called 8 times in ten minutes. He finally answered. I told him what your text said. He said he'd find you."

"That was a half an hour ago, he should have been here." As I finished my statement an engine revved as it pulled into the gas station. It was Mark in his jeep. "Mark's here. I'll be over in a bit. I love you."

Sue assured me "I love you too. See you soon, bye."

"Bye." I hung up.

November 26th 2005 9:34pm

I got into the jeep. "What took you so long?" I snapped at my brother.

Mark had a concerned look. "Sorry man. We were at Daks and the music was loud and I couldn't hear the phone. Then, when I went to leave, some asshole was double parked behind me, blocking me in. I got here as quick as I could. I'm sorry bro." Marks sincerity made me feel bad for snapping at him.

"Thanks for coming. Can you drop me at Sues?" I sounded exhausted.

"No problem. So what's going on? When Sue told me you texted her SOS and GPS I was worried something had happened to you." Mark pulled out from the gas station.

"I'm in trouble Mark." Now I sounded dead serious. "There are these people. They have threatened me... " I corrected myself, "... threatened us. Our families... I don't know what to do. They say if I don't work for them, they will kill us all."

Mark just drove and listened. I could see my words start to eat away at him. His grip on the steering wheel tightened as his foot weighed heavier on the accelerator. His look of concern had morphed into anger.

I continued, "I can't go to the cops. They're in on it. These people know where I live. Shit, they know where Sue lives. They are the ones that busted her windshield." That reminded me, I had forgotten, in all of the evenings events, my car. "... and tonight, when Sue and I got back to my house, they had set my car on fire."

Mark chimed in, "Your Impala?"

"Yea, burnt to a crisp... totally destroyed."

"My God! So what are we gonna do?" Mark was ready to kick some ass.

"We? We aren't doing anything; I don't want you to get involved." I warned.

"Joe, you just told me these people threatened our entire family, which includes me and Mandy. I'm not just gonna sit back and let something happen. I'm part of this now whether you like it or not." Mark put me in check.

"Mark, these people are dangerous. I don't think it's a good idea." I pleaded.

"Hey, listen. We are going to do what they want and when the time is right, we'll take them down."

Mark added, "I used to work with this girl, Tammy Wiltshire, her dad works for the FBI. He's a special agent, he might be able to help."

"If these people find out we went to the FBI, they're surely going to kill us." I advised against his suggestion.

"Alright, I'm just tryin to help."

"Thanks for being there for me Mark, I love you man."

"Don't get all sappy on me bro." Mark joked.

We reached Sues neighborhood within 15 minutes of leaving the gas station. We pulled up in front of her house. Sue was waiting nervously on her front porch. She rushed to the passenger door just as I had stepped out.

We embraced and she cried, "I was so scared. When that cop told me to go home, I felt like I would never see you again."

"I'm right here baby. I'm not going anywhere." I promised her. I looked to Mark. "Thanks again. I'll call you."

"I'll be ready." Mark swore.

Sue and I went inside. It was still early but it had been a long day for both of us. We sat and talked for a bit. I told Sue everything. She did not like the idea of me working for these people. I assured her everything was going to be fine and this would all be behind us soon. Boy was I wrong.

We crashed, cuddled together on the couch. Sasha was curled at our feet. It was 10:49pm when my cell phone woke me. I didn't recognize the number but I answered anyway. It was the FBI. I was in deep shit.