Stolen Shadows

4 - Killing Axel

Her kisses were messy—that's the first thing Addison thought when their lips touched. She was clearly drunk, past drunk, and Addison was open to a good time but was starting to become irritated by the girl's attention. It had taken her a few minutes and lots of touching to convince the girl she should head home.

She knew the others were keeping an eye on her. If they saw her leave, they'd have questions. Questions Addy couldn't answer. But if they thought she was with a girl... they wouldn't think twice about it, and the only thing they'd ask for would be details. But she had to be careful about it—if Addison went outside with someone but they came back in, without her, her friends would notice. This seemed to be the perfect solution.

Out on the sidewalk Addison called a cab for the girl. She had asked her name, and the girl had given it to her just before kissing her, and Addison couldn't remember it. Whatever it was was overtaken by that thought—her kisses were messy. But she was a means to an end, and right now the odds were in Addy's favor.

A cab pulled up to their side and she peeled away from the girl. She had an arm around Addison, the other hand playing with the buttons on Addison's shirt and trying (and failing) to undo them further.

"Okay." Addison grabbed the girl's hand and pulled it away from her shirt. "Time for you to head home."

The girl pouted. "But why aren't you coming with me?"

Addison gave her a smile, tight around the edges. "I gave you my number, remember? Call me when you get some sleep." She pecked the girl on the lips one last time and turned her to the cab. With Addy's help, she clambered in.

She grinned up at Addison. "I'll call you."

"Perfect. Good night."

Addison watched the cab pull away. She had not, in fact, given the girl her number.

She turned around, glancing through the windows to find Sophie and Johnny still at the pool table, Katy having joined them. Sophie was crouched over, lining up her shot. Addison watched her, the way her hands slid down the cue stick, her head cocked to one side as she aimed. She struck, and hit true—the one she aimed for flew into a pocket.

Addy smiled, knowing Sophie would never see it. Then, she turned away from the bar and walked off into the night.

---

Less than twenty minutes later she was there: the corner of Jefferson and Central, just a few blocks over from Hail Mary. The temperature was dropping as the night went on, but her leather pants, jacket, and hood kept her warm. Her mask was snug over her mouth, her breath hot against the fabric. She kept to the wall of the alley next door, lurking from shadow to shadow and keeping her head down. She stopped just beside the access door to the building. The first floor was a laundromat, EZ-Wash, a run-down facility with its doors always locked. Addison knew no one had been there to do laundry in some time.

She leaned against the brick wall, just beside the door, and waited.

She didn't have to wait long. Not five minutes later she heard loud, echoing footsteps, and then the door swung open. Artificial light washed across the alley as two men, one tall and muscular, the other short and thinner, exited. Addison was tucked into the corner, just out of sight as they turned and walked away from her. As the door swung shut she caught it with her toe and slipped inside.

The light source was a single bulb just inside the entrance, a chain hanging beside it. Addison left it on, not wanting to strand herself in the dark of an unfamiliar place or cause any attention. She was in a hallway with a door on each side, and just ahead was a staircase leading down. She checked both doors. One was locked: the other opened onto an old storage room, with a few beaten-up washing machines along one wall and a dirty sink in the corner. She scanned it, but finding nothing of interest, moved on.