Runaways: A Romeo & Juliet Story

Chapter 9

"When you're lost and you're alone

And you can't get back again

I will find you

Darling, and I'll bring you home"

- By Your Side by Sade

ROMEO

Was that Juliet screaming? I look around and notice some of the guys from earlier have cleared out. I can't be too careful with everything that's been going on so I wander over to the restroom and knock.

No one comes out. I stick my head in and it's empty. I look around. Where is she? I notice a door to the parking lot at the end of the hallway and run out just as an old brown Datsun drives off, dust billowing behind it. I look down and see Juliet's gold bracelet on the ground. I pick it up.

"Hey!" Ronnie screams from the back exit. "You need to settle up first, son."

I turn to her, my face devoid of any comprehension.

"What's wrong?" She asks.

"I think those guys in the Datsun kidnapped my girl."

She immediately knows I'm right.

"Come inside and settle up. I'll get you their address. You might need some back up."

Inside, I impatiently flick my lighter on and off, waiting for Ronnie to return with a piece of paper.

"Iago lives just on the other side of town." She hands me the address and points to a burly, but boyish guy at the end of the bar, "Take Hammer with you."

"Hammer?"

"He packs a punch. He's my nephew and you don't want to approach those idiots alone." she waves Hammer over. "They don't want any real trouble but they'll see what they can get away with."

"What does that mean?" I say, picturing Juliet with those guys.

Hammer wanders over with the energy of a teddy bear and the tattoos of a biker.

"Hammer this is... what's your name?"

"Ah.. Ro...Robin."

"Help Robin find Iago's place will you? Those boys took his girl."

Hammer nods and starts walking out. This is business as usual around here.

"Go on." she says.

I run after Hammer. He puts his sunglasses on and I point to our car in the parking lot.

"This way."

"Just go straight then make a left at the junkyard." Hammer says putting his seatbelt on. "Smells nice in here."

"That's my girl's perfume I think."

"She smells pretty."

I turn the key and the car won't start. I keep trying and Hammer just sighs and gets out of the car. He stands in front of me, signaling for me to pop the hood. I do and then I get out to survey the car with him.

"They're trying to slow you down. Check your tires too."

I walk around the car and see the two back tires have been slashed.

"Fuck!" I run back to Hammer, "Is there another car we take? They're getting away."

"Iago won't take her out of the city just yet. He's just done this spontaneously. He'll keep her in the city. We'll have a handful of places to try."

"How do you know that?"

"He's kidnapped girls before, him and Dick the Butcher. From this bar too. I'm surprised you guys didn't stick closer in there." He walks toward the bar.

"Someone called Dick the Butcher has my girl?" I ask.

"We got a couple tires back here we can throw on there. And I think I just fixed whatever they did. Try the engine." Hammer says, moving on to more important things.

The car starts again, thank God. Or thank Hammer, I guess.

"Okay, tires. Come on."

I can't even believe what's happening. I'm crazed and this stranger is all I have.

We get the new tires on and soon, we're on the road. But God only knows what's happening with Juliet while we had to fix the fucking car.

"Those guys probably took her 'cos they think they can get some reward money from her parents."

"Wait, what?"

"You're Romeo, right? Not Robin."

Shit.

"It's okay. We get that things have to be on the down low around here. It's the middle of nowhere before you hit the forest so there are a lot of people with secrets in this town."

"Okay so you know my secret. What's yours?"

"That I don't want to fight. But I have to."

"Good to know. Promise to only make you do that if it's life or death."

"Turn here."

We reach a house that's modest and rundown. Motorcycles and car parts litter the lawn.

"You stay in the car. I'll check here first. This is his old lady's place. He hides here a lot."

I don't want to stay in the car but I am in way over my head. So I watch Hammer walk over to the front window and peer in. He waves at someone inside. The front door opens and a woman with a baby on her hip answers. She hugs Hammer and then I see her shaking her head.

Hammer gets back in the car, "Next stop. Let's take a right at the end of the block."

"Where's Juliet?"

"Oh she doesn't know but she did hear already here that some Verona rich kids were in town so word has spread. Folks here won't follow you out of the city limits but while you're in here you're fair game."

"Well let's get my lady and get fuck outta here then."

I gun it.