"Run my baby run my baby run
Run from the noise of the street and the loaded gun
Too late for solutions to solve in the setting sun
So run my baby run my baby run"
- Garbage "Run, Baby, Run"
****
“Hello?”A masculine voice asked from the other end of the phone.
“Hey, Quintin, it is me: Allison,” I spoke just above a whisper. I’d no idea why I was talking so lowly, it wasn’t like anyone could hear me for I was in a motel room with no residence on either side of the room I resided in. Plus, I was in the bathroom that was located in the back of the motel room, so no one walking by would hear me. Yet, my voice only spoke willingly if it was in a low tone.
“You shouldn’t call me, it is not safe,” Quintin told me quickly as his voice also was just above a whisper. However, I knew the reason behind our low tones were different. He was, probably around Duke’s gang and was talking softly so they wouldn’t hear.
“I know, but I need your help, Quintin. Also, I need to know where you want me to drop off your car.” I told him as I sat down on the cold pink porcelain toilet.
“Make it quick: what do you need?”
“I need to know anything you know about Duke’s boss.” I honestly told him as I started to twist my bottom lip, lightly, with my index and thumb of my left hand, in nervousness because I had no idea how this conversation would go.
There was a shuffling sound on the other line. “Hold on,” Quintin proclaimed. A rustling sound, of what seemed like paper, was heard before what sounded like a closing of a door. “Alright, what were you saying?”
Deciding not ask what he was just doing, I cleared my throat. “I was asking what you knew about Duke’s boss.”
“Allison ... Don’t get tangled in this-”
“Quintin, I’ve never really had friends in my life. However, two years ago when I was fighting my demons, you took me in. You’re the closest thing, right now, to a friend. I need your help ... I don’t wanna die, Quintin ... and as for getting tangled in this, I already am. No turning back now.”
Quintin didn’t utter a single word for a good minute before he released a sigh. “I don’t know much, Allison.”
“Just tell me what you do know.”
“He doesn’t live here in the city or at least that is the word around the mill-”
“Do you know his name?” I asked hoping that he would give me more information than I already know, so I would have a platform to start from.
“They call him The Boss or Mr. Sharp and we both know those are aliases. Honestly, I don’t know his real name. He has taken extra precautions to make sure no one finds out.”
“Has anyone ever seen him?”
“No one but Duke. Hell, I am not a hundred percent sure Duke has seen him. But, I do know this, while no one has seen Mr. Sharp, everyone fears him. Duke can just threaten to send one of the guys to Mr. Sharp and they will behave like a trained puppy. Rumors around here are that he spares no one and if you stare at him for too long he will gouge your eyes out-”
I gulped, “Y-You don’t really believe that ... do you?”
Quintin paused for a minute as he considered his words and beliefs. “I am not quite sure it is true. However, truth or not, the guy strikes fear without even being here.”
“Do you know exactly where he lives?”
“No, I don’t. I just know it is far away from here. A few of the guys were speculating, from things they have picked up, that he might live on the other side of the country. But, like I said, that was speculation.”
“Do you know how I can contact him?”
“The only person that has his contact information is Duke,” Quintin admitted.
I gnawed my bottom lip before sighing. “If you find any more information, please let me know.”
“Will do...”
“Where do you want me to drop off your car? I’m sure you want it back.”
“You need it more than I do. If I report that it was stolen by a rival gang, Duke will replace it. So, no worries ... Hey, Allison?”
“Yes?”
“Be careful; whatever you are planning ... just be careful because you are my friend.”
I smiled, “Thanks, Quintin.” With that we said our quick goodbyes and hung up.
My shoulders dropped as I felt myself drift off in thought. This Mr. Sharp guy really wanted to keep his identity a secret. I knew for a fact that Duke hasn’t seen him because I, once upon a short time ago, asked him and he said he hadn’t. Yet, I didn’t feel like telling Quintin that piece of information.
Inhaling, I got a whiff of the heavy bathroom cleaner the motel maids use to clean this restroom. My nose curled up in disgust as I got up and left the bathroom. Going over to bed I plopped down on my back, only to have my body bounce twice because of the firmness the bed had.
Groaning once, I looked at the yellowish popcorn ceiling out of pure boredom. I’d no freckin’ idea of what I was to do next. Quintin didn’t really help me much for he had nothing new to tell me beside the fact that they call Duke’s Boss, Mr. Sharp.
Sitting up, I opened my cheap minute phone as I decided to dial a number I told myself I wouldn’t dial ever again.
The cell rang a few times before someone answered. “Hello?”
I was silent for a second before speaking. “Duke ... I need your help.”
“Allison? Where are you? I will come and get you.”
I shook my head but realized he couldn’t see me, “Stop with the act I know you are after me.”
“If you knew that,” He started as his voice slipped into its normal dull tone, “Then why are you calling me and not running for the hills?”
“I know you don’t want to hurt me,” I muttered to him. “You love me,” I said as I brought up the past with three small words.
It was true, Duke loves me ... or at least he did. We were in a relationship - one I am not in the mood to go into detail about. All you need to know is that Duke loved me and while I never felt the same way about him, he never let that stop him from showing his affection.
Duke would’ve, months ago, dodged in front of a bullet for me. However, after I stole from him I heard he was out for revenge. I guess when you steal from a high ranking dealer, like him, it makes his view and love for you change. Even still, I was hoping that he still held some kind of feeling for me.
“My job comes first, Allison, you know that ... I have to bring you in because what you stole was not mine. It was The Boss’ and he has ordered a price for your head. That means, I’m not the only one looking for you ... If you are not found in three days, he is going to kill Evalynn,” Duke stated solemnly.
My eyes drifted down to my lap I realized that Mr. Sharp was threatening to kill Duke’s baby sister, Evalynn. “I’m sorry...”
“Why did you do it, Allison? Why did you steal from me?”
I closed my eyes as I wondered how to answer that. Knowing I couldn’t tell him, I sighed, “Where is The Boss?”
“I can’t tell you that.”
“Duke! This is my life! I need to know ... I need to reason with him. I will get back his weed and money if that is what he wants. I-”
“He won’t go for that Allison. Right now, he cares not of the money and weed, he wants you turned in and punished ... I can’t protect you, Allison...”
“I know you can’t ... where ... where do you want to meet me?” I asked as I closed my eyes that were welling up with warm pools of tears.
Duke didn’t reply right off the bat. He took his time as he processed my words. “Meet?” He finally questioned with bewilderment.
I took a sharp inhale, “I can’t let him kill your sister, Duke. She ... she has no reason to suffer from my doing,” I said. Everything around me felt like it was caving in as realization that I was about to self-sacrifice myself sunk in, but even still I held strong to my words.
“I know you’re at a motel on the outskirts of town. Run.”
Taken back from his words, I shook my head, “No. I will not run. What you implying indicates that you're picking me over your sister - a regret you will carry for the rest of your life, Duke-”
“I’m not picking you over her, Allison. She will be harmed over my dead body ... Listen, I was just informed where you were before you called ... and, truthfully, I don’t want to be the one that catches you because I know ... I will not be able to allow the punishment to come to you in my presence.”
“If you didn't want to catch me, why did you throw the rave?”
“The Boss said I had to get you. I tried with the rave but when that failed he decided to bring in more help ... Allison, The Boss is a very serious man, you steal a mere crumb from him and he will get people to search every corner of the world for you. You’re not safe...” His voice was strained, indicating that he was not wanting to have this conversation. “Just go, Allison. If I know where you are at, so do the others. I will hold off on coming to get you for twenty minutes. But that is all you have, so please, run.”
“Duke-”
“Go and don’t ever contact me again.”
My cell beeped in my ear telling me that Duke had hung up on me. The thoughts in my head could not collect fast enough before I leaped off the bed and raced around the room, gathering my belongings (which weren’t a lot). With everything in hand, I started to make my way to the door of my room.
Suddenly someone banged on my door, rattling the weakened hinges of the door I was so eager to get to not but a millisecond before.
My breath hitched and my feet stayed firmly planted, like a statue, on the worn down red carpet.
“Open up, Allison,” A man barked from the other side of the thin wooden door.
The heart in my chest pounded so hard that it felt as if it would leap out of me. Without hesitating any longer, I dropped my belongings, for I knew they would only slow me down. Turning around I dashed into the bathroom. Closing the door, I tried to calm myself for a panic attack was trying to consume me in this daunting situation.
Facing the small window that was by the toilet, I knew then that that was my only way out of here. Sprinting over to it, I attempted to unlock the window.
“Damn rust,” I muttered softly as my tries to unlatch this window where being daunted by the rust that encrusted the pull-lock.
Finally, I made headway as the lock unhooked and allowed me to open the window.
A cool breeze cascaded over me the second a sound, which could only be described as a door being broken down, resonated throughout the air.
Trying not to pay heed to the sound of heavy footsteps, I got on the toilet and threw my body over the wood panel. I clawed the panel, hoping to push myself out of the window.
“Shit,” A voice hissed from behind me.
I knew it was the man, he had found me trying to escape. Clasping my right ankle, he tried to pull me back in the motel.
My legs started to kick out, aiming at the man that was pursuing the task of capturing me, as my body thrashed around.
If I was going to be captured, it was going to be by Duke. I knew he didn’t want to capture me but when he did, he would do everything in his power for me to receive the least punishment.
My grip slipped and chin hit the panel. Instinctively, my hands went to touch my bruised chin, giving the man the upper hand in pulling me back in the motel.
“Come here,” He breathed heatedly as he grabbed my waist.
My taste buds picked up on an iron taste that I knew to be blood. I then realized I had busted open part of my lip when my chin hit the panel.
Growling, I ignored the pain I was feeling from my injury. “Let go of me,” I demanded as I twisted in his grip and tried to rip his filthy hands off of me.
My eyes settled on his two leaf clover tattoo on the back of his left hand. Suppressing the thoughts that surrounded that tattoo, I kicked the man’s right shin.
He groaned and released me. His slip up gave me the chance to run out of the bathroom. Ignoring the curse words he was spewing out of his mouth in pain and anger, I took off out of the motel room. Nothing but air was under my feet as I dashed over to Quintin’s car. With shaky hands I pulled out the keys from my pocket. Fumbling with the key fob, I tried to unlock it. Relief washed over me the second I heard the click of the driver’s door, indicating it was unlocked.
Getting in, I closed the door and locked it. A grin materialized on my face as the guy that tried capturing me ran to the car with a defeated and pissed off expression across his face.
Inserting the key in the ignition, I cranked the car, reversed and took off.
***
I’d no money because my dumbass put my money one of the bags I left in the motel. As for my phone, I’d now concluded that it had slipped out of my pocket, when I was attempting to escape the motel.
“Honey, you want anything besides water?” The kind waitress asked me as she took her pen out from behind her ear. She hovered the ball of the pen over the notepad in her other hand.
I shook my head and scooted the water glass in front of me closer to my chest, as if protecting something I thought she was going to take away from me. “No, I-I am fine,” I commented as my stomach gave a loud growl.
Her green eyes studied me for a second. A sigh escaped her lips, “Dear, you look like a bright child ... many of you come in here from the city, clearly runaways ... I will tell you what I tell them because it is the truth, you should go home. Your parents are more than likely looking for you.” She exclaimed as she figured out that I was a runaway.
My eyes shifted from her and looked around the dingy diner that was located about thirty miles from the motel and another ten miles from the city I was leaving behind. Settling my sight back on her, I gave a fake smile. “Thank you, I will do just that ... after my water.” I stated, hoping she would pry her nose out of my business.
The waitress gave me a skeptical look but didn’t say anything more before attending to an elderly man at another booth that needed more coffee.
Slumping in the booth, I exhaled in wonder at what I was going to do next. My thoughts consumed me so much that I didn’t hear the bell ding at the entrance door, indicating that someone had entered the diner. I only snapped out of my deep thoughts when I saw a figure sit down in front of me.
Glancing up, I locked eyes with dark orbs that held nothing but anger. “Alice,” He breathed in aggravation.
“Cole,” I said as I used the nickname I had for him. Even though, two years ago, I told myself that I wouldn’t call him that ever again, the name just slipped off my tongue.
His intense gaze did relinquish as he started to speak, “You are coming with me, to New York City. My business seems to not be able to function without me at headquarters. And, it is evident to me that I can’t leave you alone. Your reckless and in need of supervision twenty-four seven.”
I rolled my eyes, “I’m not going anywhere with you, Colton.” I stated as I resorted back to his real name.
He licked his top teeth with his tongue and gave a dry chuckle. “I really don’t see you having a choice in this matter.”
I smiled, teasingly, as I looked away from him. “New York City was never in my travel plans,” I lied for I didn’t even know where I was going.
Colton leaned forward, “Alice, when will you realize you can’t lie to me?”
I slumped slightly more in the booth. I knew I couldn’t lie to him; I’d no idea why I even tried. “How about you go start the car?” I suggested, hoping to get him out of the diner so I can make a run for it.
Colton gave a small series of laughs, “Alice! I’m not an idiot. I know all the tricks in the book. You and I are leaving here together. Willingly or not on your part.”
Clicking my tongue, I weighed my opinions. Part of me wanted to go with him but another part of me was screaming that if I stayed with him he would only end up getting hurt by the people after me.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I firmly proclaimed.
Giving me a cheeky smile, Colton nodded. “So be it."