Wrestling the Kraken

Bridgett

Bridgett

Bridgett waited. He would be here any second. She hated how spur of the moment the whole situation was coming together, but it needed taking care of. The whole day had pushed her, pressed her, ushering her to take action, while attacking her for not doing it correctly.

If I hadn't wasted an entire day, this all could have been planned better, she thought.

"But that's what you do. Waste time." The voices echoed. Bridgett closed her eyes, holding onto the wall, taking in a deep breath. Gaining a semblance of control, she looked outside through a small dingy window.

"He's not here yet. Look at you fretting, you pathetic child."

Bridgett turned around, leaning her back against the wall. She looked out at the dark room. The butcher shop was closed and the back room had an eerie chill in the air: meat on hooks hung in the cold storage room, machinery lined the walls and a long wooden table stood in the prep area. A large tarp lay on the floor by the loading zone.

Tires pressed against the gravel just outside. It stopped. Looking out the window, he was here. She took cover and waited.

The door opened and in walked a bulky figure. From a crack between two pallets of boxes, she watched the figure step into the moonlight. Vito came himself this time. He's never supposed to come himself, he knew that. It left him too close and exposed. Something's wrong. Is he still trying to figure out who the employer is? If so, Vito...

He walked in. There was no body in tow. Looking around into the dark room, he called out. "I got a delivery for some red-tailed fish here."

Something was wrong. She needed to get out now. Sneaking her way to the roof access, she made sure to stay hidden from Vito and whoever else was with him. He headed back out to the car.

She bolted for the ladder, climbing as quickly as she could. She threw the hatch back and pulled herself up onto the roof. She caught a glimpse of the Feds making their way in, before it shut.

Getting to the lip of the roof, staying low, she lifted her compact mirror over the edge. She was able to view the agents down below. They were focused on the action inside and covered the alley.

In slow, measured steps she got up and walked over to the connecting building. Pulling herself up and over the ledge to the next roof, she paused a moment. There was commotion and orders being given by the sound of it.

She kept on going, until the connecting buildings ended. Making her way to the fire escape, she jumped down onto the side street. She could hear them approaching.

Unable to think of anything else fast enough, she slid underneath a parked car on the curb. The wheels had been stripped, and the car had been sitting on cinder blocks. It was also damaged by fire, which left loose pieces of metal that she was able to use as cover. Trying to remain as still as possible, she felt a throbbing on her arm. It was getting warmer the more she noticed it.

A car drove by. A few seconds later, slow moving feet were passing by the sidewalk. One pair of steps stopped next to the car, turned on their heels, then continued on their way. It stayed quiet after that.