Self Destructing Messenger

#5 - Sweets for Tarts

His heart was still pounding away in his chest, even though they had been driving for a bit. Cayce wasn't sure if it'd ever stop, not until he was some place safe and yet he didn't even know if he was really heading towards safety. He'd simply taken this girl at her word and started towards Verde Valley. Every time he closed his eyes he saw flashes of gore and it kept his foot on the gas. Why the hell had that guy been after him?

A soft musical sound interrupted his thoughts. From the passenger seat, the blonde was humming along with the radio, staring out of the window. Yesterday by the Beatles. It seemed suddenly very relevant and also a little depressing. Cayce leaned forward and switched off the music. Immediately she stopped her melody and turned to him.

"I need to know where we're going," Cayce said.

"I told you, Verde Valley."

Cayce shook his head. "Where in Verde exactly?"

Azalea leaned back in her seat and put her feet up on the dashboard. "I know some people there. I'm pretty sure they'll give us a place to hide out for a while."

He laughed. "What kind of people do you know that hide idol fugitives?"

She shot him a dirty look. "You'd be surprised."

"I'm sorry," Cayce said. "Its just you look so-"

"If you say cute, you'll never make it to Verde Valley," she snapped. "In any case, they aren't harden criminals or anything. More like rabid idol fans. They do good deeds and what not."

Cayce mulled this over. "So they're crazy. We left a mental hospital filled with insane f@!&s only to go to a place where they roam free. Fantastic. Great plan."

"And here I didn't even mention how they do it in snazzy costumes and masks," she replied, fiddling with the seat reclining handle.

"Of course they do," Cayce said. "Why is this a good idea again?"

Azalea suddenly got the lever to work and jerked backwards a few degrees. She settled in. "I'll never admit this to any of those losers but a few years back they really pulled me from the fire, literally and figuratively."

Cayce frowned. "Are you flashing back? Let's not."

"Too late," she said with a smile. "So the voice in my head has taken me so many wonderful places but I can't say it ever surprised me more than a few years ago..."

***

The streets of Verde Valley were empty, having just reached that hour between shifts and dusk. Empty was good. Azalea didn't want to know what kind of people frequented the area. She paid her taxi driver and stepped up onto the sidewalk. Sleazy. That was the word for every building around her and it smelled that way, even out in the open. A mix of smoke, alcohol and something sickly sweet. She tried to ignore it, to not identify it but her brain refused to let it go. Vomit. Yep. Lovely place.

She scanned the area, eyes darting between neon signs.

"THERE."

Azalea scrunched up her nose in distaste at the suggestion made by the voice in her head. This could very well be one of those times she ignored it. In bright blue letters, the words Ringling Hoes. flashed obscenely, text underneath promising the weirdest women you've ever thrown money at.

"No," she said, out loud and pivoted away from the strip club.

"YES." The voice in her head boomed, bouncing pain between her temples, like sharpened jacks.

"S@!&." Azalea turned again and started towards the club.

As she approached, she noticed the doors were still locked. That was fine by her as she didn't want to be seen stepping through the front entrance anyway. She rounded the corner and saw a van parked next to a side entry. There were three, masked and costumed people busily unloading boxes from the vehicle. A tall man in red leather, and two younger girls, one with short, natural red hair and the other with long brunette hair.

"Uh huh," she murmured and made her way over.

The man paused as she drew near. He looked her over as though she were edible. "Can I help you?" He asked, flashing a perfect smile.

She tilted her head to one side. "Don't need help," she replied. "Do you work here?"

"No!" Yelled the brunette girl. She set her box down and pushed her hair back from her face. "No and we shouldn't even be here!"

The other girl shoved her. "Don't be so defensive! Strippers are people too!" This girl smiled warmly at Azalea. "We're doing charity, bringing cupcakes to the girls that work here. I'm Elaine. This is Gianca," she said pointing to the fuming girl next to her.

"Hello? We're in costume?!" Gia snapped.

Elaine rolled her eyes. "My apologies. And our manly member over there is Pyro."

Pyro nodded and grinned before he left to take another box inside.

Azalea didn't really know what to think about these people but she did need inside of that strip club.

"Sweets for tarts, what an awesome idea," she lied. "Name's Azalea."

"Ohhh," Elaine cooed. "What a cool name! Sounds like a vigilante title already!"

Azalea almost choked, thinking for a split second they somehow knew she was an idol. She recovered quickly. "Vigilante?"

The redhead nodded. "That's what we call ourselves even though we don't actually fight crime or anything."

"V3 is what we call ourselves," Gia interrupted. "Stands for Verde Valley Vigilantes."

"Sounds like a fun way to do some anonymous good deeds," Azalea lied again. "Any chance there are positions open?"

"Absolutely!" Pyro shouted as he emerged from the building. "In fact we could use some help now if you have time. If not you could-"

"I have time," Azalea interrupted.

"Fantastic," Gia said, shoving a box in her hands. "Anything to make this day end faster."

The interior of the club wasn't any better than the exterior. It was a large space with low ceilings, a bar at the far end and a stage with red and white curtains to the left. Colorful posters lined the walls, each promising a different kind of circus freak within the tent. Azalea couldn't wait.

"You can set that over there," Elaine said, nodding towards the edge of the stage.

"Sure," replied Azalea and did as she was instructed. Gia was busily setting out plates and arranging the cupcakes, anything to forget about where she was.

Azalea didn't blame the girl. She didn't want to be there either. She didn't want any of them to be there. The voice in her head was quiet which meant she was in the right place. That also meant hell was likely to break loose at any moment.

A man emerged from behind the bar and shuffled over to the group. "Its really nice what you all have done for the dancers. Work probably isn't the highlight of their night so its nice that they have something to look forward to whe-" he stopped short of finishing his sentence, bringing a hand to his forehead.

"You okay?" Gia asked.

No he isn't, Azalea thought.

"Nothing to worry about, just a headache from hell. I've been too busy setting up to stop and take something but I'm sure it'll be fine."

Elaine reached into a pouch that was strapped across her chest. "Aspirin or Tylenol?" she offered, holding two tiny packets out.

The man wasn't expecting such and lifted a brow, impressed. "You kids are okay," he said, taking the aspirin. He then headed back to the counter from whence he came.

"You have a whole first aid kit strapped to you or something?" Azalea asked.

"Of course," Elaine said. "We all do. Its our job to be prepared to help."

"Uh huh," Azalea said, eying the barkeep.

Suddenly a shrill scream rang out.