Mission Jasmine » Kickin' It / I Didn't Do It

12. Thugs, Thugs, and Oh Right, Thugs! Part 4

Milton stayed quiet for only a second, taking a moment to recompose himself. "Can you guys bring the computer back? We could take a look at it?" He suggested, trying to make the best of an already grim situation. Ricky nodded, forgetting for only the moment that Milton couldn't see him.

"I need something, or, someone to come and help us. I killed the two thugs and they're out on the street behind the hotel." Ricky spit out, the guilt piling on as the events of their day away really hit him. He had killed those two guys. To his knowledge, they were still lying on the ground behind the hotel. He was just as much of a monster as they were. "But that's not it. Milton, we found someone in the thugs' room. Someone that they killed." He continued, hoping he would be able to get out the name.

"You did?" Milton asked in shock. "Do you know who it is? I'll get someone right down there." Milton rambled before the clicks of a keyboard could be heard on the other side. Ricky shook his head as a sort of nausea took his over. He needed to get out of this room. Not only was the smell making it worse, but he was disgusted with himself. He should have called the second that he killed the thugs. The authorities would have been able to get something off the computer. The authorities would have gotten the thugs first thing. Even worse, the authorities would have found Eddie.

"Milton." Ricky started. "It's Eddie. They killed Eddie." The line fell silent after Ricky spoke those few words. The very few words that had left Kim in a mess on the floor in the other room. The very words that he hated being the one to tell Milton. Not that he expected Kim to do this.

"Like... Eddie from..." Milton left off, his voice dropping to a whisper as Ricky could hear the boy sniffle on the other side of the phone. "My old best friend, Eddie? The one you guys met up with while you were in Illinois."

"I'm so sorry, Milton." Ricky breathed before leaning back against the wall near the desk. At leas there wasn't any blood on this wall. "I know I can't understand what any of you guys are going though, but I was kind of close to him, too. I got to know him while we were there, and when he told Kim he was moving, we thought he'd be safe." Ricky tried to compensate, hating to be the bearer of bad news. "Apparently we were wrong."

"It's not your fault, Ricky." Milton finally spoke. "Just because you guys ran into each other over there, that doesn't mean you, or Kim, are the reason he's gone."

"Tell that to Kim, then." Ricky whispered, still being able to hear her sobs on the other side of the wall. "She's completely broken. She really thinks it's her fault." Milton nodded, his face sunken as the memories of he and his previous best friend ran over his mind.

"Help her, Ricky." Milton finished. "I have Rudy here with me, and when Jack finds out he'll have Jerry. But you're the one that's been there for Kim through all of this. I've seen how she's been able to help you with losing Jasmine. But she needs you now. You can finally pay her back for all that she's done for you." Milton said before the connection was cut, a small text sent to Ricky. The text read the one message Ricky should have asked for earlier, that help from the agency was on the way to clean up this mess. The very mess that Ricky had made for everyone. He should have let them kill him while he had the chance.

Ricky huffed out a breath, knowing this was all on him. He had to be there for Kim. He shouldn't be wishing death on himself now. He needed to be the one she confided in for the moment. He turned and made his way out of the room, locking the door behind him. He stopped outside of their original room, clicking his key card into the door and popping it open to find Kim still curled on the floor. She was still in the same position, staring at the white wall near the television.

"Milton's sending someone." Ricky whispered as he closed the door, tossing the key card and his phone onto the bed above Kim and taking a seat next to her. He pulled his legs up to his chest and placed his arms loosely around them. Kim blinked a single time, her eyes and nose red from crying and her face stained with tears as she stayed silent. "I locked the thug's door, though. I don't want anyone walking in there randomly." Ricky continued to ramble on. He hated that he couldn't even hear her voice. That was the one thing that always picked him up when he was down. Watching as her face became more animated with every word. How she wanted to see a smile on his face despite all of this.