Over The Fence

twenty three

Ali

"Concrete!" I complained as I felt a paw patting my cheek. "You're cute and I love you but I'm trying to sleep!" Letting out a huff, I opened my eyes and peered at the kitten standing on my chest. She mewed insistently. "Your food is downstairs." I told her. "I don't have it, and your Daddy will get grumpy with me if I get up and show you. You're a smart girl, go find it."

Giving her a tiny nudge, I watched as she jumped off the bed and pattered out of the room. Letting out a sigh, I sat up and looked around for Travis. He was nowhere in sight, and I couldn't hear him in the house. Letting out a sigh, I glanced over and saw a note on the nightstand along with some snacks and water. Reaching over, I grabbed it and skimmed his handwriting. 

Knowing he'd probably be busy for a while, I grabbed the nearby remote and turned the TV on. Curling up with some of the snacks, I settled down and started watching shitty comedy movies just for something to do. Travis had no way of knowing if I got out of bed, but I felt like he'd still know if I did, so I wasn't going to risk it. I was tired anyway, probably from all the poisoning and everything.

My phone started ringing halfway through the second movie and I paused it, glancing over. It was a company number, one I hadn't saved but recognized as one of our men. Reaching over, I answered the call and put it on speaker.

"Yeah?"

"Honey?"

"Mom?" I blinked.

"Oh Ali, are you okay?" Mom asked, sounding worried.

"Yeah I'm okay." I frowned, confused.  "What's going on?"

"You tell me. This man showed up at my house saying Travis sent him, and that you'd been in some trouble and I might be too. He wants me to get on a flight to Las Vegas and pack up here."

"Oh." I sighed, rubbing a hand through my hair. "Yeah, yeah you should. If Travis sent someone then it's probably important."

"What happened?" Mom insisted.

"I think it's best we tell you when you get here." I told her, knowing she'd freak out the second we told her that I'd been poisoned and I'd found out the truth about our family. "Just do as he says okay? This is real shit and I don't want you to get hurt." Mom sighed, sounding unsure. "You trust me right?"

"Of course I do honey, this just isn't normal."

"Mom nothing's normal anymore. Just do it okay? I'll see you soon."

"Fine." Mom sighed. "You better have one hell of an explanation."

"I love you." I told her. "Don't bring anything electronic with you, we'll get you a new phone and everything when you get here."

"Okay honey, I love you too."

Hanging up, I put my phone down and texted Travis to tell him that I'd talked to my Mom and she'd be on her way. Then I settled back down, playing the movie from where I'd left off. 

I heard a car pull up almost three hours later, and the front door opened after a minute. Pausing the movie, I sat up and dragged my hands through my hair. Travis appeared in the doorway, and I let out a sigh. His white button down was covered in blood, sleeves rolled up, hands a little discolored like he'd tried to wash the blood away. It wasn't the first time I'd seen him come home bloody, but it always concerned me incase some of it was his.

"Who?" I asked.

"Someone who was acting as the bridge between Clarissa and Scott. I needed some information and he was...reluctant to give it up." Travis sighed. "Clarissa and Scott have still been working together since their divorce, and I'm pretty sure they've been involved while she was married to Xavier."