The Blood Gang

Chapter 9

(Michael)

I groaned and sat up in the guest bed. My phone was ringing. I picked it up and squinted to read the number.

"Who are you?" I mumbled. Why was someone calling me at midnight? I sighed and answered. "Hello?"

"Michael. It's me."

I was immediately fully awake. "Dad! Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." Flores sighed. "Listen, I don't have much time. I'm calling from a pay-phone in wherever-the-heck I am, and there's apparently a bug that connects it to your iPod."

"I'm listening." I grabbed my iPod and turned on my GPS app. "Just stay on the line a little longer so I know where you are."

"Okay. Fine. Are you still with John and Kathy?"

I nodded.

"Michael?"

"Yeah. But the thing is..."

"What?"

"I don't think they're too willing to go from Connecticut to Mexico."

Silence. "That explains a few things. Just tell them that I'll be at this little town a few hours away, and make sure John brings -- never mind, he will."

I laughed. "It's nice to know you're not dead, dad."

Flores chuckled. "Just wake them up and tell them as soon as I hang up. I don't have much time. If you're at the town and I'm not there, I'm either slow or I've fainted, but I'm definitely not dead. But call an ambulance when you find me, okay?"

"Okay."

"I'll see you in a few hours." The call ended.

I smirked and put down the phone, then leapt out of bed and ran down the hall. "John! Kathy!"