How Things Are

twenty four

I didn't even sleep. I listened to Teedo walking in the front door and what must have been a slave woman getting Boss Lucas' breakfast ready as the sun rose from the gym windows. If your bones could scream from exhaustion mine would be. Joey walked in but said nothing. We were still not speaking to each other. Every time he tried, I gave him a short response. Whenever Teedo asks me to tell him something, I usually tell someone else to do it, even if Joey's in the room. It's childish but what he did still bothers me.

Now, I'm just relaxing until I hear the lecture I'll get from Teedo for not resting. I'm pretty much healed up though the warnings of the side effects of his drug if I didn't follow his instructions properly and bla bla bla... he used to never speak to me, but now he won't shut up since I took it. I don't know much about his family history but I'd guess it's probably his pride on the line. He was given a job and if something happened to me on his watch the boss might blame him.
I found a wet stone and began sharpening my katana while Joey set up his weights on the rack. He needs a spotter so I'm guessing Teedo will be up here soon. It's so cloudy and dull outside. One of those days you imagine might be silent if someone were to step out. I'd give a kidney and a lung to be outside. My air supply smells like Lucas' dictatorship and slave women scowl.

I press my forehead against the big window and feel the coolness. The temperature must be colder than expected. I bet I'd have to wear a coat. It's too quiet in here. Joey probably wonders what the heck I'm doing. This entire view I have memorized by now. Through each window of the house. Lucas does have the greatest view of Mafia City. It's like his own personal map.
Someone is thumping up the stairs. Guess they didn't wake up happy. Don't they realize those steps are glass? When they reach the top I turn to see who. This guy is new. Of course, anyone else would never walk up Boss Lucas stairs like that.
He looks between me and Joey then speaks "Boss says there's a meeting." Joey gets up to head downstairs "You too"
I still haven't moved. Joey and I both looked at each other "You sure? This isn't some prank? Cuz I'm not gonna get in trouble over you."
He looked at me and scowls "You're both keeping him waiting."

With those words, I sheath my katana, and Joey and I run down to Lucas' office where most meetings are held. We walk in and there are men I haven't seen only heard about before. Their reputations are well known. Most as assassins and bounty hunters. When Teedo sees me walk in I can see by the look on his face that he wasn't expecting me. None of them were. As Joey shuts the door we all turn to face our Boss.
At this moment I realize how horrible I smell from working out all night. Both guys next to me noses crinkle. I'm still sporting a tank top and pajama pants that are rolled up unevenly. The boss looks me up and down then breathes heavily through his nose. I'm trying to dodge his look by staring anywhere else but no matter how much I try his Lazer eyes are burning me until I have to look at him. When I do it's even more embarrassing because everyone in the room knows why.

The meeting finally begins. At first, it was about simple things. If the weapon count was correct, security changes, they wanted everyone to have new codes. I was just leaning back against the wall listening. A few glances at me now and then but if they didn't ask I wasn't gonna answer. I scratched my head and yawned then everyone stopped to look at me.
"Boss, no disrespect, but why is she here?" He has a point, but I'm sick of doing the same thing every day.
Lucas looks at everyone in the room. "I wasn't finished."
Teedo and Joey both look nervous. Why?
Someone else cuts in."She's just a slave playing with a sword." He walks in front of me "and she smells. Perhaps you haven't been disciplined enough."
My eyes flash at the memory of Lucas and I swallow and tighten my hold on my blade.
"Tibby," Lucas says silencing the room. "You know better, don't you?"
My breath gets tight in my throat but I nod my head as the man steps away
"Tibby is here for the entire reason this meeting has to take place." Everyone looks confused, including me.
Teedo stands straight "What's going on. She was forgiven Lucas."
Lucas tilts his head "she was the last person to speak to a the slave woman before she went missing." He looks directly at me now "and from what was said on the cameras, it seems like you encouraged her to run away."
I don't think it was possible for my spine to stand straighter "that wasn't my intention boss!" Rambling "I mean, She just asked questions and I answered them!"
"Enough!" He pointed to two men "you'll be going with these two, along with your babysitters to find her and escort her back to me."
My stomach dropped. I couldn't think of anything to say. This went against everything I stood for and by the smug looks on everyones faces they knew it too. It's like I was frozen there. He dismissed us but it was like my mind and body were somewhere else. Teedo grabbed my arm at one point and we walked out of the room. I remember him telling me to shower so I did. At some point I fell asleep for a few hours but then Teedo walked inand tossed me clothes similar to every Mafia member.

Once we were at the door, the looks I was getting made me turn off everything just to make me focus. My head was too clogged with gilt that I couldn't think. So the only solution I could think of was just be emotionless.