I Act Like I'm Tough, He Treats Me Like A Teddy Bear

I Act Like I'm Tough, He Treats Me Like A Teddy Bear ; 17

San Diego. That’s the bus that’s running when I finally make it to the station hours later. It leaves in 10 minutes so I buy a ticket and board the bus waiting for it to pull out. I am one of three people and I sit in the very back. Near the bathroom and I begin to change my appearance slightly. I heavily line my face with makeup making me look less like my natural self. I wear coloured contacts changing them to a bright green colour. I look pretty good with green eyes. I look around to see if anyone is watching me and I quickly remove my gun from my bag and place it inside of my soft black leather jacket.

I went to the bathroom and changed into dark jeans that were flexible and tied on some leather boots that mold to my feet and make it easier for me to run and move more stealthily without being over heard. It takes two days to reach san Diego and by the time the bus is pulling in there are many more passengers.

The terminal is busy and I recognize the station. The concrete steps, the pillars of the library across the street. I head to a store I know is around the corner and buy scissors and hair dye. I also purchase some cheap clothes and sunglasses. A turquoise scarf and crimson lipstick.

Then I head to a motel. A rundown place where it costs a mere 12 dollars a night. They don’t get much service but charge extra for anything as normal as housecleaning and television.

They don’t bother to ask for I.D right before I head to my room I see a news broadcast and my face flashes on the screen. Fortunately the middle aged man has the sound muted and is preoccupied counting the money I paid him for giving me a room for a week plus tips if he promised to not bother me.

As soon as I entered the room I made a check around. I saw the windows open letting in lots of light I drew the heavy curtains and made sure it wasn’t possible to look into. Then I checked the locks and possible entries that could pose a problem. I found none and was satisfied. I still set up extra precautions and some alarm triggers. Simple yet affective.

I dyed my hair, a bright red, completely different from my natural auburn. Then I picked up the scissors and was about to cut my hair. Then I put them down and looked at the long falling soft curls. It took me years to grow it this long. I decided to leave it the length it was, even though I knew it could be a huge risk later on.

Instead it braided it and then pinned it to my head. I went through my belongings and sorted what I would need and what I wouldn’t.

After I finished I left in the same attire I arrived in. Only after I cleaned myself up a bit and refined my new identy.

I attached the room key to my belt and readjusted the money in my inner pockets.

I passed the reception lady, ‘Have a good day ms…’ she trailed off, forgetting the name I had given her.

‘Anne, Anne Tate’. She nodded and went back to her filing.

I crossed the busy street and blended into the mass of people. Then a few blocks later I saw the pawn shop and smiled. It was run by one of Hans men. I entered the store and pushed my sunglasses closer to my face. Surely Chris would recognize me. it was him who I usually met with to pay for the supplies and him I preferred to work with. I wandered the shop searching for anything useful. I saw a display of guns and smiled. I knew he’d sell them to me. but he required I.D. I frowned wondering how I could get around this. He was very smart so I stuck to simpler things like jewelry and watches. Really I was surveying the security he had in place around the shop. A gun at the counter, hidden from view and fully loaded.

Camera’s placed at every corner of the shop. I’d have to disable them somehow. I smiled slightly, because Chris had been the one to teach me. I felt eyes looking at me and picked up a gold and silver woven necklace, it was beautiful I have to admit and contained small green jewels that dotted the interwoven metal chain.

I turned towards Chris and rose my voice pitch by an octave making it sound like chimes.

‘hello’ he said.

I smiled an toothy smile, one I knew was attractive. ‘How much is this.’ I asked as he walked towards me.

He looked at it and I studied his profile. A soft grey t-shirt with a tan jacket, and light jeans that were worn and had a rip in the left knee. Sturdy boots and a thick dark brown belt, which I knew he had a gun on him and possibly a knife. He noticed the tilt of my head and he smiled at me, looking demure and attractive.

Good. I thought, let him think I was interested.

‘123.95’ he answered studying the necklace.

I could afford it, but…

‘that’s too much.’ I said throwing a sad look onto my face. I was hoping he would attempt to make a deal, lower the price and to my delight he did.

As our exchange was happening a wandering customer left the store leaving the two of us alone.

‘maybe I can do something about that. Give me a moment,’ he said and I watched him walk into a room somewhere in the back. I allowed myself to look around, keeping my eyes obscured by the dark thick glasses.

I walked towards a display at the cash register and placed my bag on the counter with my hand beside it, hidden by the camera as I pretended to admire some bracelets and rings he had set up. He had his keys for the shop lying on the counter so with one hand I quickly removed a container with a substance that would make an exact imprint and I was just placing the key back when he walked into the room and I rested my hand on the counter again, and continued admiring the different patterns on the jewelry displayed.

He came to the other side of the counter and I smiled at him, removing the dark glasses hoping he didn’t recognize me at all, I saw no flicker of familiarity cross his face, instead he smiled and leaned forward slightly.

I did the same with wide innocent eyes, green eyes that weren’t my own.

‘how about this,’ he started, ‘ I can cut the price to 95, no lower.’ I smiled and I accepted this paying for the necklace.

Then he started to flirt, talking about this club and I acted interested for a few minutes then left the shop.

‘so ill see you there.’ He said. it wasn’t a question, it was a statement.

I smiled, even though I was slightly discomforted. He was talking about it for tomorrow night, maybe this would be easier than the original plan. Still.

‘maybe, guess you’ll have to see.’ Then I left the shop smiling briefly before I disappeared.

The next thing I did was head to a second hand store I knew to be close by and I purchased an outfit I could wear. Black leggings with knee high black boots, no heel of course, and an off the shoulder green dress that went down to mid-thigh.

When I got back to the motel I made slight alterations. Widening the boot on the left and inserting a sheathed knife so it could not be seen from view on the outside but I’d quickly be able to remove it. I inspected the necklace on the way and found a small metal tracker placed in it. I had removed it and placed it in a woman’s purse as I walked past her.

Tomorrow night. I had been to the club before but that was when I’d be selling the drugs. I got a lot of business there and a lot of unwanted attention from some of the clubbers.

I nodded acknowledgement towards the matron lady before returning to my room and laying out my supplies.

Planning how I would kill Chris the next night. I had to do this to weaken Hans, to get to him and end his life.

It was the only way. So why was I feeling so bad about it? I knew that there was a possibility for my getting caught. I knew.