How Things Are

fifty three

I wasn't too thrilled about the next location. Hearing only rumors. Well, more like fairytales. Remind me of Simon's bedtime stories that kept me up at night, reminding me to behave.

Lucas told us we were going to the Collectors and everyone remained silent and just piled in the car.

After I lost Simon I've heard whispers of things about Collectors during my travels. Their name pretty much sums up what they do. However, what they collect isn't just slaves. They're whoever they're interested in. The rarest of the rare, which is why most skilled hide their talent until they master it to defend themselves.

They hold no ties or a peace treaty with any gang. Yet no one has attacked them because they live in the shadows. The only places you can find them are when they sell what they catch.

Catch is used lightly. Collectors were the first and only to hunt and sell polluted creatures like the ones inside the lake on Death Road. They're rare and deadly but they do it. I only came across the squid-jellyfish thing but they're out there. This world didn't end up like it is without destruction like that. Whoever chooses to purchase those creatures must have a lifetime membership to Mistress Candys and I'm not sure if I wanna check out what they're into. Or maybe I do.

Lucas didn't explain why but it doesn't take a genius to realize that's why he's angry at Joey and Young Blood. They were probably complaining about going when Lucas found them instead of us. If they were a bit more sober they'd have some sense but we could see the wobble in their walk of shame as they sulked behind Lucas before getting into the car.

It's already been a few hours and the fact that very few of us actually know where to meet the Collectors makes me anxious. My body is bussing with adrenaline though I missed a full night's sleep. I could see it in most of the men as well. The drivers were only following the car ahead of them. Only Lucas' car had the directions that sobered these men up quickly.
For the Mafia, who are known to hide their fears and emotions, I could see just a sliver of it if I look close enough. Jr. who was sitting next to me, was biting his nails. The driver, now known as Santa, though only by me and Jr so far, has been drumming his fingers on the steering wheel since the ride began. Joey, who usually is full of jokes or taking jabs at one of us has been nothing but silent. He looks at the clock on the radio every few minutes. As for me, I'm just observing everyone else to clear my mind for what's to come.
If the Collectors got the Mafia flinching it makes me wonder if all the fairytales I've heard are true.

Well, there's only one way to find out. I clear my throat.

Santa looks at me through the driver's mirror. I hear a hiss on my side from Jr biting his finger.

"What is it?" Santa looks back at the road.

"Are the Collectors really that bad?"

Santa looks at Joey "What have you heard?"

I look back and forth at both of them "Just hearsay. Do they know how to catch a creature alive?"

Joey looks agrivated. "Anyone strong enough can catch one alive." He looks away "They're not that great." He mumbles

"I never said they were great."

That brought a chuckle out of Jr "Joey's just jealous."

"Oh?"

"I am not! They hide like ghost. What's to be jealous of?"

"A childish argument," Santa says as we turn left on another endless street.

There seems to be something deeper here I'm missing. " What is all this?"

"Nothing." He mumbles again

Jr giggles again "Nothing? You've held a grudge against them for as long as I've known you."

I look between three of them "What grudge?" I sigh "oh come on, you get in everyone else's business all the time Joey, now I'm about to see someone I know nothing about and you guys are nit gonna fill me in?"

I sound like a child wanting juicy gossip but the silence in this car was killing me.
He conceded. "Fine. It's not like it's a secret anyway."

"It's practically a legend." Santa says as he continues following the car ahead.

"Anyway," Joey growls "it was a long time ago-"

"No you're suppose to say 'Once upon a time'" Jr cuts in.

"I'm not doing that."

"It's a story. You have to." Santa says

"I give up. You tell it if I'm doing it wrong."

Santa smiles "I will." He clears his throat dramatically "Once upon a time there was a big strong man, who was tired of all the violence in his neighborhood."

Jr cut in "He just wanted a peaceful place full of rainbows and beautiful women."

"Never mind. I don't want to know." They were never gonna tell it right. Whenever they get like this they don't stop.

Joey sighed. "Good."

The others laughed at him. When the giggling ended Santa conceded "long story short, Joey tried infiltrating the Collectors to free some trapped people where he was from." He looked back at me "He freed one of Lucas men. After that Lucas said he didn't have to take armada test. He already proved himself."

We looked at Joey "He's the first to do that." Jr says

"What did the Collectors do?"

"It was already done by the time they found out. He was already apart of the Mafia so taking revenge would be foolish." Santa said "After being tattoo, the Collectors believed he was just following Lucas orders."

We all nodded our head in understanding.

"So now what?" I nod ahead "we meet and just pretend nothing happened?"

"Something like that." Santa says

And just like that It goes quiet again. I sit back it my seat and can't help but wonder if this is gonna be one of those moments where it could go either way. Our destination is on a road of glass that could break at any second.