As I got into the car I stopped and looked at the cabin. It reminded me of the one my Father took my sister and I to when we were kids. When I mentioned it to Tony and he asked me about it, I told him about the beatings. I didn’t mean to, it just kind of slipped out. Well, as they say “In for a penny, in for a pound.” I decided to see if he would answer my question.
“Your parents are supposed to help you Tony, not hurt you. Your Father ever hurt you?”
“No, he was too drunk to hurt anyone.”
Well, well, well. I wasn’t sure what answer I expected but it wasn’t that. It sure sounded sincere, maybe he’s not a cop like I suspect. I hope not because he’s been good to me, treated me fair. Yeah, sure he’s teased me, even yelled at me but I’ve been treated far worse and by people I’ve known far longer. I guess time will tell.
God, I’m tired. Didn’t get much sleep last night. When I climb into the back seat and tell Tony that I’m going to take a nap, he brings up Lane and how we shouldn’t let him get there before us. I almost laugh out loud; I can’t believe that he doesn’t suspect anything. I guess I should cut him a little slack. I mean, after all I have had quite a bit of experience at this. This quiet mousey act sure has its advantages. Lane and I were partners for a good amount of time and he had bought into it. I hide my knife under the car seat as Tony assures me that he has my back.
“You know, I feel like I’ve been running my whole life. Just to get to this point, finally doing something right.”
As I start to drift off, my mind goes back to that cabin. Not the one we just left but the one from my childhood.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A small boy with glasses cowered in the corner shaking like a leaf. The large man pulled the belt out of his pants as he walked across the room and stood over him.
“What in the hell were you thinking? Did you really think you would get away with it?”
Silence.
“Answer me boy!”
“No.” the boy whispers.
“You can’t do anything right!” The man yells as the belt swings down.
The boy takes his punishment.
“I swear, you never do anything right and you never will!”
The belt swings down again.
Past experience has taught the boy how to just take it. Quietly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My eyes fly open but I don’t move. I know how to stay silent. I just lay here for a moment and gather my thoughts. I think back about how I got back at my Father. Ha! I sure showed him. I COULD do something right. They say you always remember your “first”, although I know most people are referring to sex that’s not the “first” I’m thinking about.
I pop up behind Tony and startle him.
“You scared the hell out of me.”
“That’s part of my charm.”
I direct Tony to the place where the container is located. As I hand him the gun and tell him to watch my back while I pick up the money, he says the last thing I wanted to hear.
He’s a federal agent.
Navel Criminal Investigative Service.
Tony starts to explain and tell me how I can cut a deal, just let him make his arrest. I’m barely listening to him. Sighing, I realize that I have no choice. It’s either him or me.
When I tell him that I know he doesn’t have any back up and how I suspected that he was a cop, I can tell he is a little surprised. Too bad, I think that Tony and I might have been friends if only the situation were different.
I reach for my knife as I place my hand on his shoulder.
“Just so you know. When I said no one ever treated me like you did, I meant that.”
“I know.”
As I bring my hand up with the knife I see his hand coming up holding the gun. Damn, I forgot that he had it. I had actually found someone that I could connect with on some small level and now that was going to come to an end. No matter what happens I think I’m going to miss him.
I could see his finger on the trigger and I knew.
I knew in that split second that my running had come to an end. Just not in the way that I had thought.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A shot rang out and I just sat there. I stared at the gun that I held loosely in my lap as I felt the blood slowly seep into my hair on the back of my head. I can see it on my hand too.
His blood.
I know I shouldn’t feel guilty; I was only doing my job.
But I do.
It was either him or me.
As I heard the car door open I looked up at my boss. I said the first thing that came into my mind.
“I really liked him.”
Author's Chapter Notes:
Short one shot. Told from criminals POV. I choose Jeffery White from S2 "Chained". Changes to Tony at the very end. Hope you enjoy!