Back To Where It Started

I saw the grey Taurus from the end of the street and told Suit to stop and let me out a few blocks away.

"Come on Tank." I called. We hurried down the street as fast as we could dodging from tree to tree lest we be seen. Leslie's garage door was open. I could hear voices coming from inside.

"Is that all of it?" Someone asked.

"Not yet. One more kilo." Someone else answered. Kilo? What the what? The only things I knew that came in kilos were my favorite fizzy candy from Ukraine and drugs. To be fair, my favorite fizzy candy from Ukraine could be considered a drug since it's very addicting.

"No dumbass. I meant is it all here? Is there any missing from what the Boss said should be here?" The first someone clarified.

"Oh, uh, I don't know. How much is there supposed to be?" Dumbass asked back.

How did the Boss tolerate these people? Is this the same Boss that wanted to chat with me? Why does Leslie have drugs? How many goons work for the Boss? How many gray Taurus does he have? I wonder if I still have a stash of fizzy candy somewhere? So many questions. I waved Tank back and we slinked behind the trash cans on the side of the house and watched the goons load up the back seat with grocery bags. I heard a thump coming from the trunk and some indistinct yelling.

"Shut up or I will shoot you." One of them yelled as he banged his fist on the top of the trunk. "Again." He added laughing. Crap! Crapity, crap, crap, crap. I hope that isn't Leslie in the trunk.

I pulled out my phone to text Suit.

Me to Suit: We need to follow these guys. I think Leslie's in the trunk.

Seconds after the Taurus pulled away, Suit pulled up. I opened the back for Tank and then jumped in the front.

"They have Leslie?" He asked.

"I don't know for sure. Somebody is in the trunk." I shared. "They also just loaded five grocery bags of drugs into the back seat."

"How do you know it's drugs?" He asked.

"Well, I am pretty sure people don't get kidnaped and stuffed in a trunk for fizzy candy." I replied.

He raised his eyebrows. If he hangs out with me much longer they will probably get stuck up there. I smiled then a giggle slipped out and turned into a full blown laugh as I pictured him stuck with one of his eyebrows permanently up. Don't judge. It's been a long day. I looked at the dashboard clock. 6:18 pm. Holy time warp batman, was this day ever going to end?

I noticed we were headed back in the direction of the Golden Dragon and my place. I hoped the Goons did not know it was my place. I really hoped they did not know where I lived. Suit is the only person other than me that has been in my loft since I had it tricked out.

"Isn't this the alley?" I asked. He nodded. "Go park at the Golden Dragon. We can walk over." He did as I suggested. Tank, Suit and I all got out and hurried to the dumpster where all this had started.

We crouched and watched the goons carry the bags in. I started to sneak up to the trunk to see who was in it when Suit grabbed my arm to stop me. I glared at him. He subtly shook his head and wisely removed his hand from my arm right as the door at the end of the alley opened. The goons popped the trunk with the fob and pulled whoever was in the trunk out standing them upright. That was not Leslie. That was not even a woman. What in the sam hill is going on? The questions keep piling up. Answers would be nice right about now.

"Why were you here the other night?" I suddenly asked Suit. He did not look like he wanted to answer. I waited.

"Tank." I finally said. Tank's ears perked up. Suit eyed Tank then looked at me.

"I will say it." I threatened, challenging him with a stare down. I opened my mouth to tell Tank to "sic 'em" when he spoke.

"Fine." He finally conceded. "I was interviewing a potential client. This particular client requires face to face denial." he said. When I realized that was all he was going to say I shoved his shoulder. He did not move an inch but let out an exasperated sigh.

"In the vault?" he asked.

"Sure." I said. Everything about you is in the vault so why not this?" I answered.

"The Boss wanted me to set up security for the warehouse. I politely declined to acquiesce to his request." He paused letting me appreciate the partial quote from Pirates of the Caribbean. "The Goon that I took out last night was coming after me to persuade me to change my mind. He was on his phone when you tackled me. That is how they knew about you."

"Stupid rat." I spat out. "Oh not you," I said when his scowl deepened. "Not even the Goon. I was referring to the actual rat that caused me to scramble out and bump into you."

"Bump into me? Is that how you think it happened?"

"Quit being a baby. It was barely a tap." I said waving the incident away with a gesture.

"A tap?" he questioned incredulously. "My family future was in danger and you call it a tap!"

"Yes." I said calmly. "A tap. Anyway you seemed to recover quickly and it did not hurt your aiming ability in the least." I paused then added as a thought occurred to me. "Or maybe it did. Were you trying to hit his eyeball instead of his throat?" I asked with an innocent voice and wide eyes.

"I do not miss." he said emphasizing each word through gritted teeth. He was fun to rile.

"That's what I thought, hence," I tapped his nose as I said, "a tap." I finished failing to hold back a full blown smile. We stared at each other for a moment before Suit turned away. I saw the quirking lips before his face was no longer in my view. I almost made him smile. I bet he has a gorgeous smile. Wait, he probably does have a gorgeous smile. No smiling, there will be no smiling for the next 6 ish hours.

"Soooo," I drug out the syllable, "what is the set up inside?" I asked.

"Why? We are not going in there." He declared with authority as he pulled me up stepping back toward the entrance of the alley. I jerked my arm out of his hold and halted.

"Yes we are." I countered. "Or at least I am."

"Why? You don't even know if Leslie is in there. Even if she is, you don't know how deep she is in this mess. Not a good idea. Let this go and tackle it another day." He tried once again to grab my arm and pull me away from the alley.

"What other day?" I asked. "If what you say is true, she may not have another day. I don't want that woman to die. I also don't let things go if they are in my grasp. Either you tell me the layout or I go in blind. I am cool with either." I said crossing my arms over my chest and glaring at him.

He looked at me for another minute then said smugly, "It is Valentine's day are you sure you want to go into a warehouse that most likely is full of men on Valentine's day? What about the curse?"

"Nice try Suit. You don't believe in the curse."

"But you do." He said it like it was the most logical statement in the world and he had not been discounting it all day. I simply waited, giving him my best blank face impression. He huffed out a long suffering sigh before giving me the details.

"It is one big room with a loft on the right side. The left side has five rows of shelves like at Lowe's or Home Depot stacked five high. Stairs going up on the inside and on the outside further down the cross alley there." He said pointing to the alley that ran parallel to the building and perpendicular to the alley we were in. I knew that alley too since it was at the back of my building. I, however, did not have an exit on that side.

"What kind of security do they have in place right now?" I asked an idea forming on how to get in ninja style.

"The camera there, "He said pointing to the camera outside the door that was pointing down so that it showed anyone trying to enter, "And several cameras inside that broadcast to a room in the loft. The loft area has a space like a living room area and two offices. One of those has the monitors for the cameras and the other is the Boss's office.Neither of those rooms have cameras. Underneath the loft area are cages- no cameras there. I am guessing that is where they put their guests." He air quoted the word guests. What a considerate host.

"What about the exit from the loft?" I asked. "Any cameras or alarms on it?"

"No camera but an alarm. The stairs are creaky and give plenty of warning if someone is approaching that way. Opening the door sets off the alarm."

"What about skylights?" I asked.

"It has two skylights. One over the shelves and one in the open area in front of the loft." he said. "They are neither alarmed or in view of any cameras."

"Come on." I said as I started for the door that led to my loft. "Let's gear up."