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**| Sang's POV |**
The area I took them to was one I've only ever been in a handful of times. I gripped Luke's hands as the fear tickled my back and he squeezed my hand in support.
"Where are we?" Marc asked, his eyes flickering all over. "Why are we going towards West Ashley?"
The tension I felt must have been getting to him.
"We aren't going into West Ashley, just to a spot on the outskirts."
"Then what is out here?"
"Well, there is an old house where the more...uh...questionable homeless like to hang out. A lot of drugs and fighting. Like I said, if he made his way here, then he may be lost. This little pocket is a bad area."
I checked the shadows, glad that it was still the middle of the day. I would never ever come here at night but I've came into the area a couple of times for other nomads who wanted to know if one of their loved ones were here.
I bit my lip. This was also where Rocky liked to hang out with his crew.
"Sang?" Luke said.
"Yeah?"
"What aren't you telling us?" he asked.
I looked at Luke and then to Gabriel and Marc who were on either side of us.
"Rocky," I finally said.
"Rocky? Like the terrain?"
I shook my head. "His name is Rocky. He pretty much owns this small area. Works mainly with selling drugs. That girl, Jade, is one of Rocky's girl. If I had let you go with her, you would have ended up in debt to Rocky."
"Okay. So he's a drug lord?"
I nodded. "Pretty much. It started a few years ago, before I ran away. He went to the same high school as me. Jade was kicked out of the same school when she was found out to be one of the dealers there. Rocky was never caught. He graduated last year and since then has put more of his focus on growing his territory."
"He knew you before you began living on the streets?" Marc asked.
I nodded. "He's definitely a character. Used to play football, probably could have gotten a scholarship if he were a little smarter and tried to do something with his life."
"You're fucking scared of him," Gabriel said. "Why?"
"Because he fucking likes me and has been trying to get his hands on me."
"Shit. And you brought us to his territory."
I nodded. "We need to check the area out for Kevin. If he's here, it'll be tricky to get him out because Rocky won't just let him leave but we need to know. If he isn't, we can check other places."
"You could have just fucking told us," Gabriel snapped.
"No, I couldn't. It isn't really a place I can give you directions to. You'll never get close."
"What do you mean?" Marc asked.
"We are already being watched by at least three men. I was hoping since it was the middle of the day, they weren't as active, and they usually aren't. Except today for some reason. That means Rocky knows. I wouldn't be surprised if he shows up. Also, this place won't just let you walk in through the front door."
Their heads turned as they tried to spot the three men. I shook my head. "Don't look," I said through my teeth. "Don't tip them off."
The three boys stilled and then forced themselves to walk normally, pretending they didn't know. I had to give it to them, they were good.
"The moment you get there, they would probably peg Marc as an undercover or something and won't open the door for him. They are a suspicious group of people."
"But they'll open for you."
I shook my head. "I've had to sneak in a couple of times. Rocky knows what I've done so he isn't happy about it. I have to show you how to sneak in."
"Wait, is Rocky mad at you?" Luke asked.
"It's complicated," I replied carefully. "He's not mad, but he isn't happy with me. He also wants to woo me and likes me. But with his occupation, he can't be kind either. If he gets his hands on me, he will hurt me because he can't give me a free pass or his underlings will see it as weakness and test him but at the same time he doesn't want anything to hurt me."
"What the hell?" Gabriel said. "He sounds like an idiot."
I ignored Gabriel when I spotted where we needed to go.
"Come on." I tugged Luke with me.
"Won't the three who are following us learn where we are going?" Marc asked
"Nope," I said.
We entered the empty alley with no doors or anywhere to go. Supposedly.
"Why not?"
"Because we're going to disappear on them. Hurry up before they realize we aren't coming back out."
I found the loose bricks I was looking for and pushed them in, listening to them fall into the basement of the building we were next to. The space was big enough for the boys to squeeze through.
"Go!"
Luke dived in first after getting a nod from Marc. Gabriel followed and then I did with Marc's insistence. Marc came in a moment later.
I pulled out my flashlight and had Gabriel hold it while we quickly put the bricks back into place.
"How the hell?" Gabriel asked.
"Old buildings made cheaply. When I realized I needed a way in, I spent a morning making a way in. Took a while but I managed to weaken the bricks."
"Holy shit, you're fucking brilliant," Gabriel exclaimed with big eyes as the flashlight roamed over the bricks.
I smiled as we checked the bricks to make sure they were properly placed.
"And that is how we fucking disappear," I said proudly.
"I wish you would stop doing that," Gabriel grumbled, getting a snicker from Luke. Marc just shook his head.
I grabbed the flashlight, roaming over the basement. "Okay, the spot is just above us. When we get to the stairs, we have to be quiet.
"What is this place exactly?"
"It's one of the buildings the drug addicts like to come to and get high. They all gather in different pockets like this all over the city. Rocky and his men come here to sell to them and they just stay here and get high. Easy for Rocky to move around and to sell in large batches."
"Smart," Marc said.
"Yeah, he's a real entrepreneur," I said, the distaste strong in my words. "Come on."
I showed them to the stairs and we crept up the stairs slowly. They stepped where I stepped, avoiding creaking floorboards. When we got to the door, I put my ear to it and listened.
Quiet.
I cracked open the door and looked through. The door opened into an empty and dusty kitchen. I slipped through and hid behind a counter while the other three followed. I made sure to turn of my flashlight but there was enough light slipping in through the barely boarded up windows so that I could see clearly enough.
I could tell Gabriel wanted to say something but I shook my head as I turned off my flashlight and tucked it away. I pulled out my little knife, ignoring their widening eyes.
I didn't want to be taken by surprise again. Not here.
I stared at the three of them and tried something with my hands. Luke's eyes widened and he moved his hands in response.
Smiling, I nodded. Good. Luke knew sign language and I was sure he could do that weird silent communication he did with the other two so they knew what I wanted. I signed the next part and he nodded before sharing a series of looks with Gabriel and Marc.
They nodded.
I really needed to learn this language of theirs.
I shifted and stayed low as I went towards the next set of doors. The boys stayed behind me. I felt Luke's hand on my lower back and shifted to the side. He peered through the door before nodding and slipping through. I followed behind with Gabriel behind me and Marc taking up the rear.
We came into the foyer area and I nodded towards a door underneath the stairs. A moment later, we were all crowded in the small closet and I was glad I wasn't claustrophobic.
"You know sign language, Cupcake?" Luke asked.
I nodded. "Self taught, but yeah. I didn't know you did."
He smiled as I flickered my flashlight back on and tucked away my knife. I shifted so I could face all three of them. They were all so close, their body heat keeping me warm, their scents mingling together to create a new scent that comforted me. I had to do everything I could from taking in a deep breath and looking like an idiot.
"So," I began in a very soft whisper. "The door right next to the stairs leads into a large room filled with people, most likely passed out at this time. I don't know Kevin so one of you will have to go in and look around. Stay low to the ground and if someone comes in, pretend you're passed out too. Trust me, it isn't hard to pretend. Bodies are all over the place and some people are moving around. There should only be drug addicts in there. Rocky and his men don't come around until they want to sell more which won't be for a few more hours."
"People are still here?" Marc asked.
"Some people only leave when they run out of money and they can't get anyone to share. Then they hit the streets to do whatever they can to get more money so that they can come back here."
"Okay," Marc nodded as he looked at his friends. "Luke, you're up."
Luke nodded, his expression turning serious. He turned to me. "Stay out of trouble, I'll be right back."
I nodded and we watched as he slipped out.
"What do we do if he's in there?" Marc asked.
"We can try to bring him out with us, but that can be difficult, especially if he's really out of it. We might have to leave and come back after coming up with a plan."
"How are we getting back out?" Gabriel asked. "Those men could still be watching the alley."
"We aren't going the same way. I don't want them to learn of my secret. We go up. We head up onto the roof and leave that way."
Marc frowned but nodded. He trusted me to get them in and out. I smiled at him, letting him know I appreciated him trusting me.
"How many places are there like this?"
I shrugged. "They are scattered all around the city. Some places are traps. They tell you to go there for a place to stay but when you get there you realize its a place to stay if you're willing to get high. I like to stay away."
"Except when people want your help getting someone out."
I nodded. "Except then."
Gabriel grinned at me and pulled me into a hug. "You're fucking Trouble, you know that."
I giggled, keeping the noise quiet as I nodded. "Of course I fucking know that."
He sighed as I pulled away.
"You'll stop swearing if I stop?"
I nodded. "That's the deal."
He grumbled something underneath his breath, too low for me to hear. I heard movement and slipped out my knife as a soft shuffling got closer. A moment later the door opened and I had the knife ready but stopped when I stared into wide chocolate brown eyes.
I blushed, my cheeks blazing with embarrassment as I tucked the knife away. "Sorry," I whispered.
I moved to give him room to come inside.
"You heard me?"
I nodded. He smiled, impressed.
"So?" Marc asked.
"Clear. He isn't here."
"Thank fu—" Gabriel stopped himself as he looked at me. He cleared his throat. "That's good. Really good."
Luke's eyes widened as he looked at Gabriel and then at me.
"Wow, you're good," he said.
I smiled.
"Yeah, yeah. She's an expert. Can we get out of here now?" Gabriel grumbled.
I nodded. "Let's go. We need to be extra quiet. As I mentioned before we can't go the way we came so we are going up."
They all nodded and Luke checked for the all clear first before letting me out. They all followed as we rounded onto the stairs and quickly went up, avoiding all the creaky steps.
It didn't take long to get to the roof. I took in a deep breath, enjoying the warm, fresh air. The air in the building was stifling and smelled like sickness and drugs, the stench sour from all the sweat, vomit, and other bodily fluids.
"That place is disgusting," Luke said. "Bodies everywhere and I think the entire floor was covered in a thick layer of bodily fluids."
He shuffled on the rooftop as he tried to wipe his shoes. He would have better luck just burning them.
I went over to the side and found the long board leaning against the ledge.
"Help me with this," I called out to them.
They came over and we managed to lift the board and stretch it over the side until it reached the other building, which was about ten feet away.
"Get across," I said.
Gabriel went first, with Luke behind.
I heard the door bang open and my heart froze as I turned around with wide eyes.
"And Rocky finally finds his girl," said a deep raspy voice.
I shivered and ignored Marc's gaze as I turned around to face Rocky. He even had Greg and Eric standing behind him.
If I was Gabriel and was one to swear out loud, I would be saying motherfucking shit right about now.
We were in a whole lot of trouble.