Oranges & Roses

Skyfall

Unedited.

Chapter Fourteen 

“Rey…this is an open field.”

The car had come to a stop a good three minutes ago. All I’d been able to do was stare out the windshield, unashamed of my dropped jaw. I’d gotten a glimpse at how vast the field was before he turned off the headlights and left us in the dark. Rey had patiently sat in the driver’s seat, the car turned off, the radio still on, and his arm slung across the small space between us to grip the headrest of my seat.

“I hope you’re the outdoor type.”

“No,” I squeaked. “Not really. I like my showers and indoor plumbing.”

I glanced over at him nervously and I could sense his humor about my reaction rather than see it. Since we were far away from the city, the eternal glow that came along with it was gone. Basically it was pitch and I couldn’t see three inches in front of my face. My eyes hadn’t adjusted yet but I could promise all of my dead relatives that when they did, I’d be killing myself a pretend gangster.

“Ever go to camp as a kid?”

I shook my head. “My parents couldn’t afford it and even if they could…” I shrugged. “My brother never would’ve let me out of his sight for that long. He was the one who really kept everything on schedule.”

“When did your parents get rich?”

“Young teens. My dad used to have this knack for inventing things when he had the time off. Useless crap really but one of his ideas caught on and investment offers poured in. He got lucky.”

“That’s one hell of a stroke of luck.”

I shrugged. “One would think so until it happened again a few years later with another invention. My father has great karma unlike the rest of us.” I wrinkled my nose as my eyes finally got used to the lack of abundant light. “Where are we?”

“The middle of nowhere. No prying eyes or overhearing ears. At least not for a few miles anyways.”

“Unless someone followed us.” I turned in my seat to face him, forgoing that murdering promise since he was my ticket back to civilization. “Do you always have a car waiting on you in the Wal-Mart parking lot or did you call someone?”

“Do you really want to know the answer to that?” he said giving me my words back.

“Sure. I’m supposed to be weaseling answers out of you. Might as well officially start with that one.”

“The car is something your brother helped me acquire after I went undercover. There’s no way to trace it and the plates are fake as well as the registration.”

“And what about the bike?”

“The one you’ve ridden is a part of the cover but I actually own one in real life. They are both currently in storage…of sorts.”

“So…this car actually sits in the Wal-Mart parking lot?”

“No.  Normally it’s stored in a garage until I want to use it. When that happens all I have to do is text your brother. He calls me back within five minutes with the location of where I can pick up the car. Simple as that.”

“You guys have everything planned out, don’tcha?”

“Not everything but for the most part, yes.”

“Like what? What don’t you have planned? Where you’re next assignment will be when this is all over? I know you’re not originally a member of the local Organized Crime Division. I would’ve known about you if you were. Every member is briefed when a new body is added to that unit.”