Goons

I escaped injury even though I was around 4 males earlier. I came away fairly unscathed thanks to my new best friend, Tank. Jerry was never getting him back. I was hungry again. So I decided to make a stop by sonic to get a burger and some tater tots. Sonic is the only fast food joint that knows how to build a burger like I want it. Lettuce, tomato, and pickle on top of the meat with the lettuce next to the bread to keep the pickle and tomato juices from making it soggy. Soggy bread is almost as gross and dog slobber-almost.

I decided to eat at the picnic tables at the front of the store. Tank and I both needed out in the fresh air. I sat down, pushed the red button and waited. I perused the menu even though I already knew what I wanted.

"You have got to be kidding me." I told Tank. "Even they have Valentine specials. Oh, it actually looks pretty good. Chocolate Cherry Sweetheart shake. Hmm."

"Welcome to Sonic, how may I help you?" the disembodied voice asked.

"Yea, Hey. I want a number four combo with tots and one of those chocolate cherry shakes." I stated. Why is it so hard to talk into a board?

"That is a bacon cheeseburger with tots and our special Valentine's Chocolate Cherry Sweetheart shakes. Do you need anything else?" the voice asked.

I looked at Tank, "Do you want something?" he woofed.

"Add another double cheeseburger, please." I said. He finished up my order and gave me the total. I pulled up my Sonic app to pay and waited with Tank. After a moment, I thought I should check to see if I had any messages and let the people who love me know that I am uninjured so far today. I looked at the time when my screen lit up. 4:33 pm. Geesh, only 4:33 this was a long day already.

I had 4 text messages waiting for me. Sally, Val the Vet, Troy and an unknown caller.

Sally: Any trips to the ER yet?

Val the Vet: Bring Pee Wee in. I want to check him out.

Troy: Call me.

Unknown caller: where are you?

Hmm. I could guess who Unknown was and I was leaving that for last.

Me to Sally: No trips yet, Almost made it halfway through with men dogging me all the way.

Me to Val the Vet: His name is Tank. Or that is what he told me anyway. How late are you open today?

Me to Troy: just text it. You know I hate talking on the phone.

Me to Unknown: on a tropical island enjoying the sand, sun and breeze off the ocean.

I smiled as I typed the last one. I am a double thumb texter which is inconvenient if I only have one hand available. I can type with one thumb but it is slow going.

Sally: Is he still with you?

Me to Sally: no. finally got rid of him after the parking lot fiasco. Don't know where he is.

Sally: Do you know who he is?

Me to Sally: I know he owns Westwood Security. But I do not know his name on purpose. I assume it is something Westwood. I just call him Suit.

Dancing dots were working when I heard a knocking sound -that is my incoming text notification sound.

Val the Vet: 7. But will stay later if you need me to.

Me to Val the Vet: What? No V Day date?

Dancing dots and another knocking sound.

Troy: Watch your six. Seriously CALL ME

Troy never calls me because the one time he did it alerted my skip to my presence and caused me to lose the skip for a few days.

Knocking, twice

Sally: Don't they do security for celebrities and richy rich people?

See why Sally is my best friend? It is like we think on the same wave.

Me to Sally: Yep

Val the Vet: nope.

Knocking.

Unknown: Mai tai or Mojito?

Me to unknown: Whatever Jose puts in my hand.

During my texting, the sonic kid brought my food. I unwrapped the burgers, gave Tank his and took a huge bite of mine. Enjoying the taste explosion on my starving taste buds.

Knocking

I glanced at my phone.

Unknown: is your burger really that good?

I glanced around to see Suit walking up to me but he wasn't wearing a suit anymore. Instead he was sporting black combat pants and a black t-shirt made out of that shiny wicking material that I am pretty sure was at least one size too small since the sleeves were bunched up at the top of his biceps and I could tell he bench pressed a significant amount. Not sure if it was a 6 or an 8 pack though. He sat across from me and stole some of my tots, dipping it in the ketchup blob on my napkin before popping it into his mouth with a smirk.

"Hey!" I said. He just kept chewing and smirking. I pulled my tots closer to me. Tank growled.

He glanced at Tank. "I see you two are getting along now."

"Yes we are. His name is Tank by the way."

"I thought his name was Pee Wee."

"That is what Jerry called him, but I asked him earlier and he told me his name is actually Tank. It fits better I think." I replied.

"He told you?" He asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Yep."

He waited quite a while before the curiosity got the better of him and he said, "Okay, I will bite. How did he tell you his name was Tank?"

"Well, it was a whole conversation where I asked him if his name really was Pee Wee because the only Pee Wee I knew was Pee Wee herman and he is whiny and wimpy and this dog is not he is more rumbly and rambo-ish then I went through a whole list of names until I landed on Tank which Tank enthusiastically reacted to. So now I call him Tank and he answers. Isn't that right Tank?" I said the last part in baby/dog talk. Tank barked and slurped at me.

"See." I told Suit.

"Why are you here? Didn't you have things to do, places to go, people to stab?" I asked before taking another bite of my burger.

He just looked at me. I kept chewing and returning the look.

"I did not stab him."

"Ah but you have stabbed someone. You know before last night." I conjectured.

He looked away but did not answer. He might as well have taken out a billboard advertising his stabbing abilities. I smiled at him while I continued to chew.

"You have one more skip to go after today?" He changed the subject.

How did he know I already got Jessie? Wait was he tracking me? How did he get my phone number and how did he get my address?

"I am good at what I do. Don't worry I was discrete." he stated. Did he just read my mind?

"Your face is expressive right now." He answered my unasked question. Hmmm. I dipped the last tot and popped it in my mouth dusting my hands off on my napkin. I gathered my trash and headed toward the trash can when I saw a gray ford Taurus.

"Run." I said urgently as I started to run towards the rover hitting the speed dial on my phone.

"Matthews."

"Timmy is in the well." I said before I hung up. I could tell I wasn't going to make it to my Rover so I stopped and backed up to the more open area by the picnic table as six men approached. I tucked my phone into the inside pocket of my jacket and zipped it up. What? phones are expensive. I did not want to have to get a new one unnecessarily. I have money but I'm not wasteful.

Suit and I stood almost back to back slightly angled with Tank completing the triangle so we could see our opponents.

"We were just done with the table if you boys want to sit her." I said flippantly.

Nobody answered. They all stopped about 10 feet from us in a loose circle. Tank was growling and in a ready to attack stance.

"Easy Tank, not yet." I said softly.

"Before this party gets started. I was wondering if you could do me the courtesy of telling me why you keep trying to get my attention. Is it just because it is Valentine's day and you are being manipulated by the fates to consummate the curse on me today or do you have a personal reason that the fates are using to rain down terror?"

They all just looked at me.

"Are those words too big for you?" I taunted. I say a few of them clench their fists.

"Ask your boyfriend, girly. I bet you don't know half the stuff he has is nose in." one of the goons sneered.

"That statement is full of integrity, my good man. I don't know anything about this guy. I don't even know his name so no. I do not know even a little bit about what he has his nose into. If your beef is with him. I will just take my dog and be on my way." I said. Suit looked betrayed as he looked at me with a scowl.

"The boss says both of you. Both of you were in the alley. Both of you must come have a chat with him."

"A chat you say. What would we be chatting about?" I asked, noticing that one of them was inching his way closer but stopped when Tank's growl grew louder.

"Things." Goon number one said.

"Things." I repeated.

"Things. Alley things." he clarified.

"Oh that clears it all up." I said sarcastically. "That's a hard pass for me. I have things to do, men to avoid and some ribs to grill tonight. But thank you for the kind invitation. Tell your boss I need more notice next time."

"He don't take no for an answer." Goon number one stated.

"He will today. No means no boys, especially from a girl." I said in a preachy voice.

"You ain't got no choice lady."

"There are always choices, Beavus. Like the choice you are making right now to just stand there instead of coming to get me." I taunted. My taunting worked, Goon number one charged at me. I turned slightly and threw my right arm out in front of him and stepped my right leg in his path. As he ran into my arm, I flipped my body weight over him and somersaulted with him under me. I turned and throat punched him then whipped out a zip tie and caught his hands as they went to his throat pulling one behind his head catching both them on the left side of his neck then pulled the zip tie tight. Goon number two grabbed me in a choke hold. I reached back to grab his neck and threw my body forward and down flipping him over me. I continued to roll on top of him pulling my foot up to catch his groin as I came down. I rolled off of him, pushed up off the ground quickly grabbing his left hand wrapping it around his neck then the same with his right and zip tied them behind his head. I looked up to see Goon number three's foot come at my face. I barely pulled back enough to avoid contact. I fell over the bodies behind me rolling quickly to the side to avoid the boot that was coming toward my head. I rolled several times before scrambling up. My knees bent, hands up waiting to see how he would come at me. I glanced over to see that Tank had Goon number four face down on the ground with his jaws around his neck just like he had done to Jessie. I was beginning to love that dog. I glanced at Suit to see he had Goon number five knocked out at his feet and was in the middle of fighting Goon number six. My Goon came at me broadcasting his punch. I pulled my head back out of the way, grabbed his arm with my left hand as it went past my face, pulled it to keep him going in that direction, wrapped my right arm around his torso and swung him around and pushed him down hard. Then I stomped my foot on his chest knocking him back down. Grabbed the hand closest to me in a zip tie and pulled it across his body to the other hand securing both in front of him but also through his belt. I pulled up to see Suit was still trading punches with his guy. He seemed to have it under control. I ran to Tank, pulled Goon number four's hands behind his back and zip tied them.

"Off, Tank." I commanded and Tank let go and backed away. He looked at me and slurped doing his doggy grin. "Who's a good doggy? Tank is a good doggy, such a good doggy. " I cooed and gave him some ear scratches. Suit was cuffing his guy right as I heard the sirens. I guess I forgot to tell Troy where the well was? Oopsie.

I walked over to the picnic table and picked up my shake, slurped the last bit of ice cream out of the bottom. "That was fun." I said grinning at Suit. For once he was grinning back at me.

'No stabbing today?" I asked, still smiling.

He just shook his head chuckling.

Troy practically jumped from his car and stalked over to me with rage morphing his face into something scary.

"Nora Jean Camden! You do not say "Timmy is in the well" and not tell me where the well is. I had to track your phone." He paused and looked around and sighed. I smiled bigger.

"I guess I don't need a trip to the gym now. That was quite a workout."

"You are a nut." Troy said.

Jeremy walked up then. "Hey Nor. I see you got your workout in for the day."

"Yep." I kept grinning.

"Please don't make me go to the station right now. I have one more skip to pick up today." I begged Troy giving him puppy eyes.

He started shaking his head, I upped the intensity of the pleading eyes.

"I guess you don't need to call me now as I was going to warn you these guys were looking for you. What did they want?" He asked.

"Their boss wanted a chat, I took a raincheck."

"Nora. These guys are not small time. Be careful."

"Troy. I don't know anything to chat about so it can be put off until tomorrow when the V-day curse is not in effect. Plus you know I don't like being told what to do." I added.

"Fine. Go. Get your ass in tomorrow first thing to make a statement." I smiled and laid a slobbery kiss on his cheek.

"Come on Tank." I called as I jogged to the Rover. I opened the back for Tank and slid into the driver's seat right as Suit slid into the passenger's seat.

"Seriously. Did I not just prove I can take care of myself?"

"No."

"No? What do you mean no?" I asked incredulously. "Between Tank and I, we took down four bad guys while you took down two."

"But you can't take down six. You need me."

"Whatever." I mumbled and started the car. I could take six.

"Seatbelt." I said before I put the Rover in reverse.