Safe inside the Security Flat, Treen, Ariel, and Samantha, huddled around the laptop to watch as Lance’s car neared Grevelton. Everyone was set to go except Russell, still in the bathroom changing into clothes found in the basement boxes. However, a few minutes later the bathroom finally opened.
“Wow!” said Samantha, causing Treen and Ariel to turn around. Russell stood outside the bathroom door dressed in tan khakis and a nice fitting white sweater. His hair was combed neatly with a part down the center. Was he trying to impress someone?
“What the heck are you guys starin’ at?” asked Russell, walking towards them.
“Russ, you’re lookin’ real sharp,” said Ariel.
“I knew a handsome boy was under that dirt,” said Samantha stepping over to him. She removed her necklace then fastened it around his neck. “This will bring you good luck.”
“With girls?”
“Oh, I don’t know about that. Never did help me with a man.” Treen smiled but didn’t comment on Russell’s sudden catalog look. “Let’s pack up the computer and get going”, she said, fixing her headband.
“Everybody, please be careful. I don’t like it that you are going to that city,” said Samantha, who’d be staying in the Security Flat.
Treen gave her hug. “Don’t worry Sam, we’ll be fine.”
After Ariel had hydroplaned for the second time he decided to slow down, realizing that everyone was bruised up enough already without him crashing into the guardrail and flipping the Humvee. Besides, there was no rush; Treen had been watching the blinking red light on the laptop screen when Lance’s car had reached its destination. All they had to do now was follow the Tail Tracker into Grevelton City, only a few more miles away.
Outside, the rowdy rainstorm had stopped. Inside, Russell’s snoring had started. Treen turned from the computer screen towards the rear seat, where he lay on his back — knees up, mouth wide-open, fingers intersected across his chest. She smiled when between snorts he mumbled something about Zilgian cymbals.
“Jazz, hold on!”
Before she could turn around, Ariel stomped the brakes, jerking her neck and skidding the Humvee across the wet pavement.
“Whoa,” said Ariel, after the vehicle had slid to a halt. Russell had rolled off the back seat and lay twisted on the carpet. With the wipers squeaking across the windshield, Treen and Ariel stared out at the street sign in the middle of the road. The leaning pole had been shoved into a large pothole “Welcome-to-Grevelton,” said Treen, tilting her head slightly to read the battered sign illuminated by the Humvee’s headlights. Ariel drove around it and continued into the city. Russell groaned, pushed himself up from the floor, then squinted at Treen and Ariel.
Without a word, he crawled back onto the seat and started snoring.
Cruising through downtown Grevelton, Treen glared out at the street people and slowly shook her head. She’d seen the sad images on television, but this was her first real visit to the downtrodden city.
“Hard to believe a city could end up like this,” said Ariel.
“It’s pathetic. It makes me angry that no one has tried to help.”
“That’s about to change soon as Bookvilla opens up,” said Ariel, rubbing her shoulder.
She smiled. “You’re right.”
Since there weren’t many cars on the street, Treen grew suspicious of the headlights that had been shining behind them for a while. She waited a few minutes longer to see if the car would head in a different direction, but it kept following and moved even closer to the Humvee.
“Take the next right,” she said. “We’re being followed.”
Ariel picked up speed — as did the other driver, who tailed closely around the next turn. The car continued to follow them through two more turns, the last of which resulting in a dead end street.
“Darn it,” said Ariel, as the paved road suddenly faded into dirt and gravel. With no chance to turn around, Ariel sped up. The Humvee barely fit between the buildings in the narrow alleyway; the tail car began flashing its high beams.
The alleyway led into the spacious, littered parking lot of an abandoned mini mall. Treen looked out the rear window and noticed that more cars had zipped into the area and zoomed towards them. The car directly behind them continued to flash its high beams as Ariel sped back towards the alleyway — the only way to escape the enclosed area. When another vehicle veered in front of them, Ariel rammed its rear bumper and forced it aside. Then, two cars suddenly swerved along each side of the Humvee; the men hanging out the windows gestured for Ariel to pull over.
“There’s at least three cars blocking the alleyway,” said Treen, gripping the dashboard.
“We won’t make it through,” said Ariel, easing up on the gas pedal. “Whatever happens, stay inside after I get out.”
“Get out?” she asked, glaring at him. “No, Ariel. There are at least twelve men out there.”
“I’m supposed to protect you and that’s what I’m gonna do,” he said, stopping near the first car blocking the alleyway. The pursuing vehicles stopped at the sides and rear of the Humvee.
“Ariel — ”
“Jazz, lock the door behind me,” he said firmly, before a man knocked on the window and peered inside. Ariel removed his Stetson, tossing it in the backseat where it landed on Russell, still deep asleep.
Ariel thrust the door open, knocking the man backwards. Treen quickly locked the doors then watched her bodyguard finish off the stranger with a swift kick. Then, as if he were the one doing the chasing, Ariel charged several yards away from the Hummer, towards the shadowy figures who had now left their cars. What he had planned was anyone’s guess.
Treen’s estimate of twelve gangsters was way off. By the time Ariel had stopped running, more than twenty people had surrounded him.
However, as Ariel rotated with clenched fists, a large man suddenly stepped from the mob. He walked right up to Ariel and started talking. Treen couldn’t hear the conversation, but the man’s gesturing appeared to be peaceful. Just then, Russell wobbled up from the backseat.
“What’s goin’ on?” he asked, during his groaning stretch. He then sat with his eyes half open.
Treen exhaled. “We’re in a little trouble.”
Russell leaned forward, looked in the front seat, then squinted through the windshield. His sleepy eyes popped open when he realized that Ariel was outside in the middle of what looked like an ambush.
“A little trouble? Why didn’t you wake me up?” he asked, slapping the headrest.
“Because it’s too dangerous.”
“Too dangerous? Look at all them dudes around Ariel — that’s dangerous,” he said, pointing.
Treen opened the door and stepped outside to listen. Surprisingly, laughter had erupted from the circle, including Ariel who was now shaking hands with the person in front of him. “Thank you, Lord,” she whispered, glancing up at the stars.
She stood near the door for a couple more minutes then returned inside the Humvee to tell Russell that everything appeared to be all right. However, the instant she sat in her seat, she glanced out the windshield and noticed a fast moving silhouette busting through the crowd. The person appeared to be running towards Ariel but shoved past him and dove into the large man’s kneecaps. Not only had the fool just tackled someone twice his size, he’d probably sealed his fate as the mob closed in on him.
“Russell did you see that?”
“Russell?”
Treen turned to look in the backseat. He was gone. She whirled towards the windshield again and glared out, realizing that the mystery attacker was the same person who’d been snoring all night.
She jumped out of the Humvee and rushed towards the crowd. Once there, she bumped and zigzagged to the center, astonished to find Russell hugging the same man he’d just tried to knee-capitate — and they were both laughing.
“Will somebody please tell me what’s going on,” she said, her baffled beam expanding.
“I’m Sheridon,” he said pulling away from Russell, “pleased to meet you homegirl.” He offered one hand and rubbed his knee with the other. The gawking crowd moved closer.
“Now I understand, she said shaking his hand. Russell has told me all about you. How did you know we were here?”
“That red Hummer really stands out in this town — even more when Treen Alee is ridin’ inside. I been on the lookout for Russ and when I saw you roll into Grev, I knew there was a connection.”
“We’re on our way to check out a factory operation on the North side of Grevelton, she said.”
“Ain’t no factory on