Starstreak

The Underground Maze

I didn't exactly know where I'd find Zara and Alex, but I had a pretty good idea of where to look. 

In every city there's the part of town that's the worst place to live. Usually, it's run down and full of criminal activity. So that's exactly where I'm heading. 

I used to hang out in this part of Jewel when I was 13. I didn't usually tell Mom I went there for obvious reasons. I made some friends here but most of them have left by now. No surprise there, it's not like anyone really wants to live here. 

But there's one person who still lives there that could help me. 

She worked as a cashier in a small store called Silton's. It wasn't what you'd call quaint, but it was pretty old fashioned. Silton's, on the outside, was a dull little place with light brown walls and no windows. But the building actually had more integrity than most of the ones surrounding it. 

Before I went in, I tried to disguise myself just in case someone recognized me. I found an oversized hoodie that was a muted maroon color. I assumed that was all I needed because I'd changed at home. 

I didn't put the hood on straight away so the person I was meeting knew who I was. She wouldn't really care if she saw another hooded figure going through the shop. I mean when you see people like that every day, you start to not get really suspicious anymore. 

I walked into the shop. It was about as dull on the inside as on the outside. 

The cashier girl called over to me. "Hi, welcome to Silton's. How can I- Raven! Long time no see!" 

She was a Vietnamese girl with long, dark hair that was tied back into a double French braid. She had small, brown eyes lined with mascara and light eyeshadow. Her cheeks were pink with a light shade of blush and her lips were ruby red. She also had a nose piercing and small silver hoop earrings. 

I smiled. "Hey Ally. I can't stay long, but can I talk to you?" 

"Sure," Ally replied, enthusiastically. "What about?" 

I looked around to make sure no one was watching us and turned back to Ally. "I have some . . . unfinished business." I pulled out the dagger Mom had given me. 

Ally stared at it for a second then looked back at me. "Temporary or permanent?" 

I put away the dagger and answered, "Depends on much more he pisses me off." 

"Mmmmm," she said. "Who is he?" 

"His name's Eric Krix. Ever heard of him?" 

She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Yeah, it does ring a bell. I think he runs a gang, but I don't know where they hang out." 

"Wow, so helpful," I said, sarcastically. 

"Hey, it's not like any of his guys are going to talk about it out in the open," she countered. 

Just as the words came out of her mouth, a door labeled "Certified Customers Only" swung open and someone carrying a duffel bag walked out of it. 

I recognized him immediately. His black hair and blue-gray eyes were hard to miss, especially after what happened in the woods. I put on my hood and walked away from the cashier desk. I pretended to boredly pick through a nearby rack of phone chargers in hopes he wouldn't notice me. 

He walked up to the cashier and set down the duffel none too gently. Ally peered inside. She took something out of it and carefully put it back in. She pushed some buttons on the cashier. Ally gave him one last look with a glimmer of mischief in her eyes. "Anything else, hot stuff?" she asked flirtatiously, propping her head on her fist.