24 Hours

9:00 p.m.

My head lolled from side to side. The cushioned seat beneath me bounced, jostling me back to consciousness. Where am I?

I opened my eyes to find myself back in the car. The electric pinks, greens, and yellows of city lights flashed past. Parrot and Cougar sat on either side of me, deadpan.

Pain pounded in my head. I reached up to touch my forehead, my fingers brushing a tender spot. A welt was forming right in the center.

"W-what happened?" I asked.

Cougar glanced at me through slitted eyes. "You fell."

"Why?"

"That's a question I would like to know."

Parrot shook his head. "Cool it, dude. I told you what happened. The bookcase collapsed, he fell forward, and fainted."

"It was really messy in there," Falcon commented from the front.

"Yeah, I had to clean up the mess," Parrot continued.

I almost felt bad...almost.

Actually, no. I didn't feel bad. Why? Because they were criminals. And stalling them was the only thing I had the power to do at this point.

"Did you get what you needed from the computer?" I asked.

Please say no. Please say no.

"Yes," Cougar stated.

Darn it.

"No thanks to you," he continued. "Look, I understand why you wouldn't want to get involved with us. But where's your humanity?"

My humanity? Where's MY humanity? You're the ones who are breaking the law!

"Guys, we're almost there," Falcon announced.

"What? Where are we going?"

"We've got one final job tonight. Then you can go home." Cougar leaned in close, his eyes like daggers. "Don't mess this up."

"I won't, I promise!"

Cougar wasn't convinced, but at least he got out of my personal space. Honestly, it was bad enough sitting in the middle seat of the car. But having people like that purposefully invade your personal space was too much.

Falcon turned into an empty parking lot. A single, dim street light illuminated an abandoned warehouse. Cracks forged their way in the cement, and bricks were falling out of place. The exterior was caked in dirt and bright swirls of graffiti.

Well if that doesn't scream 'gangs,' I don't know what does.

Tail lights dispersed the darkness behind me. I turned around to see a black pick-up truck.

"That's Raven now," Falcon said.

I sighed. Great, another person to chide me for what happened in the Capitol Building.

"Why is he here?" I asked.

"He is bringing the items from the other jobs we pulled tonight," Calico said.

"And we need all the manpower we can get to break into this warehouse and sort through what we find inside," Parrot added.

"And you haven't been very helpful," Cougar murmured.

I am normally a law-abiding citizen! Don't expect me to be all rainbows and sunshine while I am participating in criminal activity.

"Why didn't he come with us to D.C.?" I asked.