BOSS CANT DO THAT, WHAT AN A HOLE, IMA KICK HIS A$$! Anyway as I digress great chapters I didnt expect Boss to flip so badly but when someone as close to you as Gat was to him dies I can understand his quick temper. I cant wait to see/read Haleys idea that involves Gat, keep up the great work dude
Wow, I never realized people would have that much of a reaction. Don't worry, things get better.
CHAPTER 14
--THE NEXT MORNING—
Haley had no idea why she picked a rundown Irish pub for a meeting place, but she figured Gat would prefer the Broken Shillelagh over the Gothedral. Still despondent over leaving Jessica, she frowned at her bottle of beer before taking a few sips. Her gaze then took note of the television set above the bar. The news was all about Murderbrawl XXXI. Haley remembered Killbane always bragging about how he kicked every wrestler’s ass in the last Murderbrawl. She hoped this time someone broke his leg or snapped his neck, but her thoughts soon turned back to Jessica. As much as Haley tried, she couldn’t shake the memories from her head. Gat strolled in still incognito. He approached the bar and said to the bartender, “Yo, can I get a beer?” The bartender handed Gat his beer and said to him, “Sh*t man, anyone ever say you look like Johnny Gat?” “You wouldn’t be the first.” Said Gat as he took a drink. “I don’t think your disguise is working.” Said Haley. “You got a point.” Replied Gat. “So, you dragged me down here. What’s up?” “I need your help.” Said Haley. “Jessica and I broke up.” “Sh*t. Already?” Asked Gat surprised. “You two knew each other for like what, two days?” “It was forced.” Grumbled Haley. “By who?” Inquired Gat. “Let me guess. Boss.” “Yeah.” Whispered Haley. “He said if I came anywhere near Jessica, he’d kill me. He said he didn’t want Jessica f*cking the slut that killed his best friend.” “I ain’t dead though.” Said Gat. “Besides, you weren’t even on the f*cking plane when I supposedly got killed.” “Plane?” Questioned Haley. “What plane?”
Gat explained, “It was a few weeks ago. Back in Stilwater, we decided to rob a bank.” “Why?” Interrupted Haley. “You guys are celebrities. You have all the money in the world.” Gat continued, “F*ck, it don’t matter how rich you are. Nothing’s more fun than robbing a bank, but it turned out the bank we robbed wasn’t just your average national bank. It was owned and operated by the Syndicate. So after fighting off two or three waves of guards and getting our **** thrown in jail, we end up thirty thousand feet in the air on your boss’s jumbo jet. Turns out frenchy was going to kill us if we didn’t kiss his ass. I sure as hell wasn’t going to back down, not after all the sh*t I’ve been through.” “So what happened next?” Asked Haley. Gat resumed his story, “Somehow I got the bright idea to take control of the plane, but Loren and his goons put up a good fight. I was on the intercom telling Shaundi and the boss I’d meet them back in Stilwater, but before I could even get the words out of my mouth, I took a bullet to the shoulder and then another two to my leg before blacking out. I wake up and the next thing I know, I’m strapped to some f*cking machine.” “And that’s how you ended up being cloned.” Said Haley.
Gat looked down at the bar for a moment. Haley could see through his tough exterior and into his heart. Deep down, he was suffering inside, not just from the recent ordeal, but also from his past. “You okay?” She asked. “Depends on what you mean by that.” Said Gat. “These past years have been nothing but a hell ride for me. I lost Eesh, Carlos, and now my whole f*cking crew, but that’s the price you pay for being a banger. Blood in blood out, that’s what I always say. So what was it you wanted?” Haley sat silent for a minute, but snapped back into reality, “Oh, sorry. I need you to help me set up a meeting, probably somewhere safe.” “The boss ain’t gonna be happy about this.” Said Gat. “Plus it’s not like I can just waltz up to their hideout. I’m supposed to be dead, remember?” “I know dammit.” Said Haley. “Just see what you can do, okay?” Gat nodded and took a sip of his beer before asking Haley, “You really love this girl, don’t you?” Haley nodded back, her head held down. Sadness was soon getting the best of her. She choked up a little as she said, “I don’t know what I’d do without her. Jessica’s the only reason I’m still breathing. Without her, I have nothing else to live for.” Letting out a deep sigh, Gat removed his dark shades and said to Haley, “Look at me, kid. When I lost Eesh, I thought the whole g*ddamn world was coming to an end. At least you’re lucky to know Jessica’s still alive, and you know damn good and well that killing yourself would crush her. Sh*t’s never gonna be easy, Haley. I learned that a long time ago. You just have to keep holding on and hoping for the best, even if it doesn’t come.” “Thanks Gat.” Said Haley hugging him. Gat hugged Haley in return and said, “You’re gonna be fine, kid. I’ll see what I can do. In the meantime, why don’t we get you home? The beer sucks here anyways.” The two left the bar and walked out to Gat’s car, a white Venom with blue racing stripes going down the middle. Just as Gat opened the driver side door, he heard the sound of engines growing louder. Both he and Haley turned to see a convoy of Morning Star Infuegos hauling towards them.
Suddenly, the Infuegos’ windows rolled down simultaneously as the Morning Star thugs stuck their guns out and opened fire on Haley and Gat. “Sh*t, get in!” Yelled Gat. Haley jumped in as Gat slammed the gas pedal into the floor. The Morning Star was still in pursuit as the Venom swerved around corners and rocketed down the highway. “These f*ckers ain’t giving up anytime soon.” Said Gat looking into the rearview mirror. Haley quickly asked Gat, “Do you have any guns in your car?” “Yeah,” Replied Gat. “There’s a K6 in the back, why?” “I think we’re gonna need one.” Said Haley. Quickly, she climbed into the backseat as bullets slammed against the car’s outside and busted out the back windshield. Grabbing the K6 off the floor, she checked the magazine, pulled back the bolt, and returned fire. Her shots penetrated the windshield of the first Infuego and produced a red splatter on the inside, effectively stopping it. The other two cars were still tailing Gat’s Venom and unleashed another hail of lead into it. Haley ducked as the bullets flew into the car and out the front windshield. She prayed to God one of them didn’t hit Gat. As the Venom slid around another corner, Haley rose back up and unloaded the rest of the magazine into the second Infuego, setting it ablaze. “Got anything else?” She said hastily. Gat returned, “There’s some grenades under the seat.” “Grenades?!” Yelled Haley in shock. “What the f*ck are you doing with grenades in your car?” Gat replied quickly. “You never know when you’re gonna need one.” Gat was crazy, but Haley had to overlook that fact at the moment. Right now, they were still being chased by the Morning Star, who wouldn’t stop until both she and Gat were dead. Grabbing the grenades from under the back seat, Haley ripped the pin out of one and lobbed it as hard as she could. The grenade landed on the last Infuego and detonated, blowing the car to bits.
“Glad that’s over.” She said with a sigh of relief, but the moment was short lived. “I don’t think so.” Said Gat. Up ahead was a roadblock of black and red Bear APCs. Suddenly, a volley of RPGs came streaking at the Venom. “Sh*t! Hang on, Haley!” The rockets struck all around the car and sent it flying into the air. The Venom crashed to the ground and flipped two or three times before ending upside down. Kicking out the door, Haley crawled out of the wrecked Venom. She was cut from head to toe with broken glass and was shaken by the accident. She rolled over on her back and breathed heavily as she tried to come to. Fading in an out, she heard Gat say, “Hey get your f*cking hands off me.” Suddenly, she could see Morning Star goons surrounding the entire place. One soon approached her, it was none other than Boris. Flicking a few cigarette ashes, he looked down at her and hissed, “Mr. Loren would’ve been disappointed in you.” His black shoe then connected with Haley’s face in a swift kick, knocking her out cold.
OMG, that was an epic chapter! :D I could see the fight scene like a movie, I may take a few pointers from you. XD Very nice, I just hope Gat doesn't die again. o_O
Thanks, and don't worry, Gat's not checking out anytime soon. Since college is finally over, I have all the time in the world to write now.
Next Chapter:
CHAPTER 15
As Haley came to, her head pounded. The pain was enough to drag her back into the darkness of unconsciousness, but she fought against it. Her body ached from being thrown around as the Venom flipped over and over, and it was still tattered and torn by shards of broken glass. Finally regaining consciousness, Haley found herself chained up to some sort of wooden post in the ground. She realized she was barefoot as she felt the cold, damp floor chilling the bottom of her feet. Where was she? Her head still throbbing with pain, she took in her surroundings. She was locked in some kind of dungeon, no; it was a chamber of some sort, but where exactly? In vain, she struggled against the chains, but as much as she tried, they would not break apart. The metal door soon creaked open and revealed her captor, Killbane. “Little Haley.” He said as he walked into the chamber, behind him strolled Boris and another man dressed in a gimp suit. “We thought we lost you for a second. You gave us quite a scare the other day on the bridge.” “What do you want from me?” Growled Haley as she once again pulled at the chains that bound her. Killbane laughed, “Simple, we want you to finish what we started. We want the head of the Saints’ boss delivered to us on a silver platter.” “I thought I told you before, Eddie. I’m finished doing the Syndicate’s dirty work.” Haley retorted. In a fit of rage, Killbane grabbed her by the back of her head and slammed her into the wooden post roaring, “YOU F*CKING BITCH, NO ONE CALLS ME THAT! NEXT TIME YOU UTTER THAT DISRESPECTFUL NAME, I’LL FIELD DRESS YOU LIKE A F*CKING DEER!” Haley grit her teeth as Killbane pushed her head further into the post. “Perhaps I can sort matters out, Killbane.” Said Boris.
Killbane released Haley’s head as she bared her teeth at him in paroxysm. Killbane smirked and exited the chamber. Boris then stood beside her, the gimp accompanying him. “You will do as we say; otherwise...well...You know the consequences.” “No!” Yelled Haley. “I’ve told you over and over, I’m not a f*cking assassin anymore.” “We know.” Said Boris pulling a photo out of his coat pocket. “Does she look familiar?” Haley looked to see the photo Boris held in front of her was that of Jessica. Her pupils dilated as a wave of fear fell over her. “We know all about you and her.” “You don’t know a damn thing about her.” Said Haley in angst. Boris snickered and replied, “Oh but we do. Jessica Haddonfield; age 21, gang affiliation: Third Street Saints.” Boris then clicked his tongue as he shook his head before continuing, “Mr. Loren would be very displeased to hear this. Why, the very fact of his top assassin fraternizing with a Saint would drive him to slice your throat before you could even apologize.” “You keep your f*cking hands off her, Boris.” Said Haley, teeth bared like a wild dog. Boris pulled a cigarette out of his jacket and lit it. Taking a few drags he blew a puff of smoke and whispered into Haley’s ear, “Nevertheless, this act of treason will not go unpunished. Here at Safeword, clients come to experience their darkest pleasures. Most of their pleasure, much like mine, comes from pain. Unlike them, however, my pleasure comes not from my pain but the pain of others.” Terror engulfed Haley at that moment. What horrible acts were going to be committed against her just for Boris’s enjoyment?
The gimp then held up a whip in front of her eyes and forcefully ripped off her corset, exposing her bare back. With a flick of ashes, Boris commanded, “Begin.” The whip cracked against Haley’s skin, sending a jolt of pain through her spine. She yelped in agony as the second lash struck her, followed by another and another. Her grip tightened against the whipping post as the torture resumed. Haley could feel blood trickling down her back as her nails scratched against the post. This was a horror all unto itself. Boris then gave the command, “Enough. That should remind her of who she is dealing with.” Tears flooding her eyes, Haley whimpered and shook violently as the searing pain from the beatings persisted. Nearly torn to shreds, she collapsed to her knees and begged Boris, “Stop.” Boris grinned ominously as he kneeled beside Haley and hissed, “This is but a taste of what will become of you if you disobey me again. If you are going to act like a whore, the Syndicate is going to treat you like a whore.” The gimp unbound Haley’s wrists from the chains and let her fall to the ground below. Her body tensed as her frail skin came in contact with the cold floor of this diabolical torture chamber, sending more bouts of pain through her back. “Take her to her cell.” Said Boris as the gimp dragged Haley out of the chamber. Eyes nearly shut, Haley glanced around at her new surroundings. This was where the Morning Star conducted their human trafficking operations. Girls they had kidnapped all over the world were forced into a nightmare such as this, locked away in a dark cell never knowing when they would see their loved ones ever again. It was too much for her to even stomach. Soon, she too found herself trapped behind iron bars and lying helplessly on a filthy stone floor. Was she too going to suffer the same fate as the women locked away as well? Weakened by the dreadful experience, she could barely stand. Blood still seeped from the lashes on her back, staining the floor beneath her. Rage billowing within, she cursed the Syndicate for what they had done to her. All of a sudden Haley heard gunshots ringing through the dungeon halls, followed by the screaming of the girls trapped in their cages. She was soon met with a sight for sore eyes. The leader of the Saints strolled past her cell, barely noticing her. The pimp with the strange voice was following behind him, wielding a shotgun.
What really made this an unwanted view was the Saints’ boss was strolling by in his birthday suit. “Dammit Zimos, next time it’s your ass getting naked and drugged up.” He shouted as he killed off Morning Star henchmen. Zimos responded, “Do I have to remind you of the pony barn? I ain’t doing that sh*t again.” The boss continued arguing, “I’ll say this though. I’m sure as hell not getting in any van of yours ever again.” “What’s wrong with Zimos’ ride?” Asked Zimos. The boss replied, “Nothing, unless you want to end up being sold as a sex slave.” Zimos countered with, “I thought it was a good idea at the time.” “Yeah, much like the party you and Pierce threw.” Retorted the boss. “Let’s hurry up and get these ho’s out of here. I’m freezing my ass off.” Staggering to her feet, Haley tried to call for help, but as though by a miracle, the cell doors swung open. Haley struggled to find her footing, falling down a few times. Soon, she had the strength to walk out of the cell. She knew who she was searching for, Gat. The two had been separated when the Morning Star attacked them, and Haley knew they were keeping him locked away in this forsaken dungeon. Pushing her way through the girls and stumbling over dead Morning Star cronies, Haley found Gat’s cell. He had been through a similar ordeal as Haley was put through, but still had the strength to stand. “Haley?” He said as he winced from pain, he looked like he had been beaten to a pulp. “…the f*ck they do to you?” “I was about to ask you the same thing.” Returned Haley, a small grin on her face. “Let’s get out of here.” Gat pulled himself up using the iron bars as support. As he got to his feet, he took off his denim jacket, spots of blood present on it, and wrapped it around Haley, “I think you may need this, kid.” Haley nodded as a sign of gratitude and said, “Thanks.” The fabric felt warm, and through this warmth, Haley found the strength she needed to press on.
The two made their way through the Morning Star’s dungeon, fighting guards left and right. One pulled a switchblade out and charged at Haley, but Gat rushed forward, slamming the guard’s face into the wall. Another pulled a pistol on Gat, but Haley grabbed the switchblade and hurled it into the punk’s neck. She watched as the bastard stumbled to the ground, choking on his own blood. Gat looked at Haley awestruck and laughed, “Girl, you’re full of surprises.” The two looted the bodies and found the dead men’s .45 Shepherds, fully loaded. “Where to next?” Asked Haley pulling back the slide on the pistol. “You think I’d know?” Gat questioned back. “I ain’t ever seen this f*cking place before. F*ck it, we’ll find an exit somewhere.” Gat and Haley proceeded to carve a bloody path through the opposition as they fought their way to Safeword’s lobby. Finally they reached the exit. “We’re gonna need a ride out of here.” Said Gat eyeing a black and red Infuego parked outside. He slid over the hood of the car as Haley jumped into the passenger seat. Gat then started the car up and slammed on the gas pedal, driving the Infuego out on to the road and away from Safeword. “Glad to be out of that hellhole.” Haley agreed heavily breathing, “Ditto.” Something felt wrong though. Haley felt her eyes grow heavy, and her heart beating slower. Gat soon took notice of this as well, “Hey you okay, kid? Haley? Haley?! F*ck!” Haley had fainted, and it was possibly from what she had to endure. Gat raced to her house and slid into the driveway. Quickly, he grabbed her unresponsive body and brought her into the house, “Don’t you die on me, kid. Don’t you f*cking die on me.” Gat could feel Haley’s back, warm and wet with blood. Laying her on the bed on her stomach, Gat hastily grabbed Haley’s cellphone and dialed for help, “I need a doctor down here, now.” “Sir, I’m sorry.” Said the receptionist. “We can’t send a doctor to a location unless if it is an emergency.” Gat screamed into the phone, “It is a f*cking emergency g*ddammit! Get a doctor down here, now!” The receptionist returned, “Just stay calm, sir. An ambulance is on the way.” Within minutes, the ambulance was right outside the front door. Paramedics rushed into Haley’s bedroom and loaded her onto the stretcher. Before the paramedics left, Gat seized one by his collar and said, “If anything happens to her, I swear to God I’ll…” The paramedic pulled away and cut him off, “Don’t worry sir, she’s in good hands now.” As Gat watched the paramedics load Haley into the back of the ambulance, a storm of apprehension billowed inside him. He feared this would be the last minutes of Haley’s life.
That guy has a f'd up fantasy with likeing to watch others in pain just sayin, I like when you had Haley passed out you switched to Gats perspective instead of just ending the chapter with her passing out and then in the next have her wake up in a hospital and have it expalined to her and us, well the hospital part if she survives which is what Im rooting for, keep up the great work dude.
Boris is a sick f*ck, I'll say that, but he get's his in return. I'm still contemplating on how I want to kill him off. I was toying with the option of during the zombie attack on Arapice Island, Haley kicks him off of some sort of ledge, he falls and breaks his leg, and he's eaten by zombies, but then again, I'd have to explain why the Morning Star are at Arapice Island. Like I said, with the semester out of the way, I have enough time to think now.
Ok, I don’t want this to seem like a rip-off, but for chapter 16, I kind of took a little inspiration from “Shaundi’s Side.” Amaris, if you are reading this, I give credit to you.
CHAPTER 16
Haley awoke to find herself lying in her bedroom. “How did I end up here?” She wondered as she leaned up out of her bed. She was still dressed in the clothes she had on yesterday, her black and red corset, her dark gray skinny jeans, and her black & white high tops. She felt her back thinking it was marred by whip lashes, but found no such abrasions. “Was it all a dream?” She thought as she climbed out of the bed. Just then she heard the clattering of pots and pans downstairs. Was it Jessica? Gat maybe? Slowly opening her bedroom door, Haley tiptoed down the stairs and called out, “Jessica?” A voice called back. It was a voice Haley hadn’t heard in a long time, “Haley? Sweetie, is that you?” Haley rushed down the stairs to find her father sitting on the couch and reading a newspaper. “Dad?” She said stunned. Another memorable voice filled the room, “John, we need to…” Haley’s eyes filled with tears. Standing before her was her mother and father. “This can’t be real.” Whispered Haley. Haley’s father was a police officer who died in the line of duty, and her mother passed away after losing her battle with lung cancer when Haley was only 16. “Is it really you?” “Honey of course it is.” Chuckled Haley’s mother. “Who else could it be?” Haley ran up and hugged her mother and father, but quickly she backed away, “Wait, then that means I’m…” “Haley, what’s the matter?” Asked her father. Haley panicked as she said, “I can’t be dead. Not now. I can’t just leave Jessica behind like this.”
“We know.” Said Haley’s mother. “Your father and I understand how much this girl means to you, but before you go, we want you to know that we are very proud of you, Haley.” Sobbing uncontrollably, Haley ran back to her parents and hugged them both. The only thing she could say at that moment was, “I’ve missed you so much.” “We know, sugarplum.” Said Haley’s father. Tears still streaming from her eyes, Haley asked them, “You’re not ashamed of what I’ve done with my life, are you?” “We could never stay mad at you.” Said Haley’s mother. “Your father and I may disapprove, but we’re proud of you either way. You’ve gone from a little girl to a mature young woman. We love very much, Haley. Now run along, sweetie. You don’t want to keep Jessica waiting.” “Thanks mom.” Said Haley hugging her mother goodbye. “Oh Haley,” said her father as Haley was reaching for the front door. “We just want you to know that we will always be with you. Even though you’ve grown up, you’ll always be our little girl.” “Thanks dad.” Replied Haley softly. She walked back over to her father and kissed him on the cheek. Finished saying goodbye to her parents, Haley opened the front door of her house and walked back into the world of the living.
As everything around her faded to white, her eyes slowly shut then sprung open. She could hear the beeping of an EKG monitor and in her view was an I.V. bag. She found herself lying in a hospital bed on her stomach. Her back still ached from the beatings, but the pain was lesser. Moving her head around, she spotted Gat sprawled out in a chair in the corner of the room and fast asleep. It all came clear to her at that time. Gat brought her to the hospital after she fell unconscious, possibly from blood loss. Gat soon awoke, glad to see Haley still alive, “Bout time you woke up, kid.” Gat had a funny way of showing benevolence. “How long was I out?” Asked Haley, a hoarse tone to her voice. Gat responded, “The whole night. Doctor said you lost a lot of blood. How ya feeling?” Haley winced a little as the pain surged through her back, “Better than I was before. Did you stay here all night?” “Hell yeah I did.” Said Gat. “Jessica would kill me if anything happened to you. I wanted to make sure you didn’t check out already.” Haley smiled. She knew she had found a friend in Gat. “Speaking of Jessica, why don’t I call her and see if she can come visit you. That’ll cheer you up.” Haley responded quickly, “No. I don’t want her to see me like this. It’s bad enough I can barely move. Besides, that’d just piss off her boss.” A nurse walked into the room cheeringly saying, “And how are we doing today?” “Fine.” Said Haley. “When can I leave?” The nurse laughed a little as she pulled off the bandages and checked Haley’s back, “The wounds look like they’ve healed up quite well. You might be able to get out by tomorrow.” “Yay.” Haley sighed with relief. “The nurse continued, “Just try to rest for now. The doctor ordered you not to put any strain on yourself.” As the nurse left the room, Haley turned over on her back. The pain immediately spiked through her back, but Haley had built up a tolerance to it at this point. “How bad did it look?” She asked Gat. Gat shrugged, “Not too good. Those f*ckers tore you up. Don’t worry; they’ll get theirs in return.” Haley nodded in agreement. Just as she had suffered, she wanted to see Boris undergo the same torment. “You gonna be alright staying here by yourself?” “Yeah Gat, I’ll be fine.” Said Haley. Gat patted her head and returned, “Rest up, kid. I’ll see you around.”
--4 HOURS LATER--
Haley reached over to the TV remote that was perched on the stand next to her and flipped on the television. The TV turned on to reveal another episode of Nyteblade. “I don’t think so.” Said Haley flipping through channels.
Once again, it was the same as ever. Nyteblade on one channel, Genki on the other. Sighing out of boredom, Haley flipped off the television and stared out the window. Her mind began to race with thoughts about Jessica. She missed her so much and was dying to see her again. She wished Jessica’s boss hadn’t threatened her into breaking up with Jessica. In an impulse, she reached over to her cellphone and opened up her contact list. After she found the number she was searching for, she hit send.
Meanwhile at the Saints Penthouse, Jessica sat on the purple sofa watching Pierce and Oleg, once again caught up in a rousing game of chess. Pierce scratched his chin as he looked down at his pawns. Oleg had already moved his rook, and had his hand placed on his knight. “Are you two gonna keep playing that game all day?” Said Jessica. Pierce returned, “Hell yeah. I got 20 grand riding on this.” Oleg joined in, “Chess is good for the mind. It exercises the brain’s analytical side, and my friend, I do believe you are in check.” “Yeah, what he said, wait, what?” Said Pierce double taking. Jessica rolled her eyes and left the two to tend to their chess board. She was more concerned about Haley. Even though it was only yesterday when the boss split them up, it felt like an eternity to her. Walking back to her room, she ran into Ty, once again hitting on her. Jesus Christ, does this guy ever give up? “Yo Jessica, I was thinking. Since you and that Morning Star chick are done, why don’t you go out with me?” “Leave me alone, Ty.” Grumbled Jessica as she pushed Ty out of her way. Angrily, she slammed the door in Ty’s face as he yelled, “You know what? Fine. Who’d want to f*ck you anyways? F*cking lesbo.”
Lesbo? Ouch, that had to hurt. Although it was true, Jessica didn’t take kindly to Ty insulting her sexual preferences. “What’d you just f*cking call me?” Jessica growled, swinging the door wide open. Ty snickered back, “Yeah you heard me, that’s all you think about is f*cking that bitch. Sh*t Jessica, she ain’t even worth it if she’s gonna end up killing you in the long run.” “F*ck you, Ty.” Jessica barked. “She wants nothing more to do with the Syndicate, and in case you haven’t noticed, Haley treats me with better respect than you do. You’re just looking to get laid and that’s all you ever think about! Just go f*ck yourself for once!” Once again in anger, Jessica slammed the door, but this time with enough force to rattle the walls. Jessica collapsed onto her bed and cried into the pillows. She hated the boss for what he had done. If only he could see that Haley has changed and wasn’t the one responsible for Gat’s apparent death, then Jessica and Haley could be together again, but she knew that would never happen. As Ty stood outside Jessica’s door, Shaundi walked up beside him. “What’s going on?” She asked. Ty returned, “Bitch’s gone all emo again. Just let her bawl her eyes out over that slut.” A sternness to her voice, Shaundi countered back, “You know Ty, you should be a lot more respectful to a woman’s feelings. Get out of here assh*le.” Ty left with a “whatever, bitch” gesture. Scowling back at Ty, Shaundi rapped on Jessica’s door, “Jess, it’s me Shaundi. Can I come in?” Jessica cracked the door a little and said hoarsely, “What is it?” Shaundi looked down at Jessica’s face. She was sporting a frown and her eyes were puffy. “We need to talk about what’s been bothering you lately.” Said Shaundi sincerely. Jessica knew who Shaundi was talking about already, “No we don’t.” She shut the door in Shaundi’s face and lied back down on her bed. Clasping her cellphone in her hand, Jessica flipped through the contacts, but hesitated to hit send. The boss would kill her if he found out she still had Haley’s number. Closing the phone, Jessica buried her face into the pillows again. Shaundi walked in and looked upon this saddening sight. She had never seen Jessica so downtrodden like this before. She grew immediately concerned, “You still miss her, don’t you?” Jessica sat up and nodded slightly. Shaundi then sat beside her on the bed, “I know what you’re going through. It sucks when you break up with someone you really love.” “I bet you weren’t forced to though.” Grumbled Jessica. Shaundi replied, “Actually I was. I dated this guy named Todd back in high school. We loved each other madly, but whenever you have rumors of you being a druggie and the town whore, your reputation precedes you.” “What happened?” Asked Jessica. Shaundi continued, “His parents made me break up with him. They didn’t want their son to be with some pot smoking slut. It crushed me, to say the least.”
“Why does the boss have to be such an ass though?” Said Jessica. “Haley’s changed. She said it herself she wasn’t going back to the Syndicate ever again. You believe me, right?” Shaundi looked at Jessica and returned, “You and I both know the boss has always been over-protective of you ever since you had that run-in with the Brotherhood. It’d tear him apart if he ever found out you were dead, and unlike most of us, he took Johnny’s death the hardest.” “But Haley wasn’t the one who killed him.” Jessica cut in. “Loren did it and he’s dead now. So why is the boss taking this all out on her?” Tears were once again welling in Jessica’s eyes. She was dying to just blurt out that Johnny wasn’t dead, but she knew she had to keep him secret. Shaundi continued speaking to her, “Boss didn’t just blame Loren for killing Johnny. He wants the entire Syndicate to pay for what they have done. I’ll admit he’s getting to the point where he’s obsessed with revenge. He’s completely different than from when I first met him.” Shaundi was cut off by the ringing of Jessica’s cellphone. The contact name was unbelievable, and Jessica shook as she picked up the phone. “Hey Jess.” It was Haley on the other end. Her voice sounded quiet. She too was in the same predicament as Jessica. “I was just calling to see if you weren’t mad at me or anything. I miss you, baby.” “I miss you too.” Said Jessica back. “Wait, why would I be mad at you? Boss was the one who broke us up.” “I know.” Said Haley. “I just felt like a total bitch after what I said to you. I don’t value my life more than you. In fact I’d take a bullet for you anyday.” “I want to see you again, but Boss won’t let me.” Said Jessica. “It’s alright.” Replied Haley. “We can still talk to each other, can’t we?” Jessica wanted to say that Boss also restricted any phone conversing with her, but how would he even find out? “I promise I’ll call you every night. I feel better already just hearing your voice again.” “Same here.” Said Jessica. “Promise you won’t forget about me?” Haley giggled a little and said, “I promise, baby. I love you.”
