Poisonous

Chapter Fourteen

               I slowly make my way down an unknown street. My eyes dart in all directions, hoping I'll see a sign that tells me where I might be. I continue to walk, fighting the searing pain in my leg and back. My eyes finally settle on a street sign. "Orchid Lane", I mumble. I'm on Ivan's street. I continue walking and stop once I see Ivan's car parked outside his house. He's home, I can't pass his house and risk him seeing me like this. I quickly dart down an alley and stick to the shadows as I make my way towards my house, if I was just on Orchid Lane then I'm not that far from home. Before I know it, I emerge from any alley near my house. A car passes and I quickly hide behind a bush. My eyes fall on my house and the people who surround it. They're members of the Tigers. I continue to watch them and soon I watch as Cain emerges from my house and closes the front door. Just his posture and the way he is running his fingers through his hair is enough to tell me he's stressed about something. I watch as Cain's car pulls away from my house, leaving a few of his men to keep watch on my house. "I guess I can't go home", I mumble. I groan and lift myself up from the bush. I begin walking and soon I find myself in front of Belle Perfection. I stand across the street and watch as Kallie and Jeremy unlock the doors and make their way in, Kallie briefly stops and I notice my reflection in the window. I quickly dart behind a parked car and wait a few minutes before I get up. She's gone. Standing up I am met with my gruesome reflection in a shop window in front of me. Fresh blood stains the front of me, my hair is a complete mess and my face and arms are covered in scars and blood. My pants are cut up and I can see each place where the knife was dug into my leg. I turn and take in my appearance from the back, my shirt is torn and stained in a mixture of fresh and dry blood from where the whip had slashed through the flesh on my back. The sun flashes off the guns stashed away between my back and the waist of my pants. I turn and my eyes fall on the guns stashed away in between my stomach and the front of my pants and on my sides. I quickly pull my shirt out from under the guns and cover them the best I can. I carefully make my way down the street and find myself standing in front of Mystique. I stand there for a moment before I notice a police car making its way down the street and I quickly duck inside the club. "I'm sorry we don't open till later tonight", a man's voice echoes from the bar. "What day is it?", I question as he takes in my appearance. "It's October seventh", he hesitantly replies. It's been nine months. Nine whole months I was gone. I can't believe it, I mean each day I was kept in that room it felt like forever, but to find out it's been nine months. That's a whole new feeling in itself. "Where's Ronald?", I ask, "I have a proposition for him". He hesitantly points up the stairs towards Ronald's office. I nod and limp my way over to the stairs, going up one step at a time until I am in front of the office door. I slowly open it and step inside, closing the door behind me.

~~~

               It's been almost a week since news of the explosion spread. The cops refuse to look any further and are content on saying that a rival gang set the explosion. I throw the tablet on the table and catch the attention of Kennith and Nolan. "What's wrong?", Nolan asks. "The only thing they're talking about is the damn explosion, there's nothing in here about Nikki", I say as I heave a frustrated sigh. "They've hit a dead end like us", Kennith states, "They know everything we know. I doubt they'll be able to find anything else. I heard that they're talking about closing the case and ruling it as she left Covul for good". "She wouldn't do that", I sneer, "She wouldn't just leave Covul, even after everything that happened. Her mother and brother are still here and so are her friends, she wouldn't just leave them". Kennith shrugs and my attention is pulled to a familiar person approaching us. "Ivan?", I question, "What are you doing here? I thought you worked at Mystique?". He sighs, "I got fired". I look at him curiously, "Why?". He shrugs, "Don't know, I got a call from Ronald saying that he sold the club and that I should look for other employment. Jeremy offered me Nikki's position, you know, since no one knows where she is and the cops are giving up". "You know that's a lie", Kallie's voice sounds from behind Ivan, "I saw Nikki almost a week ago. She was covered in blood and looked almost nervous". Ivan shakes his head, "Have you been taking your meds? The doctor said that you might have hallucinations if you suddenly stopped taking them". I sit there and watch as she lowers her head. Nikki's disappearance has screwed all of us up. I was never close with any of Nikki's friends, but after she disappeared I kept a close eye on them. Ivan started drinking heavily, Jeremy is rarely ever at home, and Kallie got really depressed, so much so that her doctor put her on anti-depressants. I've just been determined to find her, I feel guilty about everything and I truly do love her. "Wait, you said that Ronald sold Mystique", Nolan says, "To who?". Ivan shrugs and takes my empty glass. I turn to Kennith and Nolan, "I think it's time to pay the new owner a visit, give them a friendly welcome to Covul".