C.O.T.R: Commencement

Chapter Seventeen

*Vega's P.O.V.*

It's odd.
I'm just about to meet the people that incarcerated Harrison for months- that kidnapped me for three days. Who sent a man to come kill me- presumably. Who's into the skin trade.
And what am I doing?
Going out on a run.
Well, it's not like it's too far away from home....
Just about four hours.
Danny will probably call me as soon as I have signal. I enjoy running in forests and trails- that happens not to be so close to the city. I just need to clear my head. My experience with Harrison earlier threw me off kilter.
The question is why?
I've only known him for little more than two days- and yet I haven't felt such... Well I don't know. I haven't felt it before.
Maybe it was another form of anger.
Let's go with that.
I stop and pant somewhere near the beginning of the trail. It was.... Four hours front and back. So considering the time I've been running and such.... I will have been gone for 12 hours. Enough to make Danny panic.
I've thrown up three times on this trail, yet I've kept going. Now if I could apply this to all areas of my life. This case is big- though everybody is somewhat treating it as a game.
This is my redemption at stake. The only thing I could ever be good for. I need everything to be perfect- precise.
No matter how many Toblerone bars we have to buy, for some odd fucking reason that I assume includes a fetish of some kind.
I shudder as my phone angrily shrieks out of my pocket and I check it.
Lee's voice is worried for some reason, "Vega? Where are you? Danny has been calling me and asking where you are."
"Tell him I'm on a hike. I should be back in... Four hours about."
"Oh. Well we need to meet again tonight, don't we?"
"Yeah."
"Okay..."
I raise my eyebrow, "Remember what I said about the whole question thing?"
"My mom wants to meet you."
Oh fuck.
"I'm assuming she won't let you go until she does."
"Yeah. Sorry."
"No issues. I'll be there around 9. Can she wait that long?"
Fuck. Someone's parent wants to meet me. Why me? Isn't my reputation around town well known and broadcasted? I sit in the car in front of Lee's house, or where she said it was, at 8:59. I have one minute to get myself together. Just one. Breathe... And the clock turns to 9:00. I exit the car slowly.
Her house is tiny- but I'm in no real place to judge. My mom just happens to make money; it's the only life I've known. I walk up the short front path calmly and knock on the door. Fuck. I do not want to do this. I need Lee- and for now Lee is a minor.
The door opens and it's... Not Lee. Fuck. I hold my posture and try to look him in the eye. He's tall and lanky- I assume this is the stepfather I've heard about. He has these big glasses that make him seem kind but his eyes widen considerably when they focus on me. I know. I'm know. I'm Red Rogue.
Yes, people have called me that and it hasn't been to my back.
I clear my throat, asking, "Is Lee here?"
He nods, smiling somewhat nervously, "Of course. You're Lee's friend."
"My name is Vega." I inform him, though he already knows.
"Would you like to come in?"
"Sure."
I walk inside. It's warm and quiet. Unlike my house which is a cold museum where nothing gets touched. I find myself uncomfortably on display.
A brunette walks into the room and makes a double take when she sees me. Lee mentioned once that she had a sister. Her eyes narrow at me for some god forsaken reason but she says nothing as she makes her way out.
The mother, or who I sincerely hope is the mother, walks into view. She looks worn down, but her eyes widen when they focus on me. She smiles though a detectable tension stays as she greets me, "Hi. I'm Lee's mom."
"I'm Vega." I say, being careful to avoid the last name.
"Sorry, Lee is just upstairs. She'll be down in a moment."
I nod as Stephen moves around me to go into the kitchen, I assume. Which leave me and Lee's mother alone. Fuck.
She raises her eyebrow at me, asking, "So where are you two going to be staying tonight?"
"My house." I lie through my teeth.
"And you're taking her to a concert tomorrow?"
"Yes." I nod with my answer. It technically isn't a lie.
She narrows her eyes once more, "What time will you be back?"
I shrug in an 'I don't know' matter.
She crosses her arms, "Will supervision be there?"
"My mom will." I lie.
She scoffs, and it takes me a moment to get why.
My voice lowers, "My mom is enough supervision, thank you."
"Well I guess we'll see." she mutters, thinking I hear her.
I'm quiet until Lee comes downstairs. Fucking finally. I've had my family life questioned enough. I'm breathing shallowly and while Lee makes a lukewarm goodbye to her mother, I just do a wave and exit. Lee rushes to keep behind me.
I think after thirty seconds of silence Lee knows something is wrong. It takes five minutes before she finally breaks the ice. We're in the car and it's a quiet mutter, "I'm sorry about my mom."
"It's not her fault." I sigh as I relax into my seat. It's mine. I killed my dad and now I have to be judged for it. I just wish mom wouldn't get judged that way. I mean she didn't protect me for shit but I killed my bastard father, not her.
Lee speaks, "She can be a bitch but... She means well for me."
"More than mine does for me." I say quietly, and the rest of the way to Danny's house is somewhat quiet besides the radio spilling out Johnny Cash's 'Hurt'. I find myself humming along.

When I get inside I see guns, but luckily they aren't pointed at one another. They're laid out on the living room floor and both Danny and Harrison are studying them. Danny glances up first and his expression melts into one of relief. Yes, I haven't killed myself yet. He smiles at me, "Hey baby doll."
For some reason in this moment I remember Harrison calling me 'babe' and I flush. How come it's so different between the two?
Harrison glances up at me but looks down quickly to the guns once more. Lee is a bit off put by their presence but I pay no mind, speaking, "We have the passes and the free time now. And I guess we can find a way from backstage to downstairs..."
"But we don't have the times." Harrison speaks as Lee goes around him to drop off her bag on the couch.
"I guess we'll have to wing it then. It might not be until after the concert." I hum. "I'm still not entirely sure why it's at this monstrosity of a concert though."
"Maybe Virez is actually the head?" Lee suggests.
"I doubt it. Pop stars barely have the time to get their life together." Danny says.
"Either way, it's happening tomorrow." I speak.
"So what now?" Harrison asks.
"We get the means of sneaking a few weapons in and then I assume we get some kind of recording device." I say.
"Wait- recording device?" Harrison lifts his head and cocks it.
"To catch anything we miss." Lee says as if she had an epiphany.
"Exactly... Though it will have to wait until after we get to the basement. Our phones should do." Danny muses. "They'll never let them in otherwise."
"Anything else we need to do?"
"Well..." Danny bends down and picks up a handgun. "Now it's time for Shooter's 101. Harrison, Lee, follow me."

Harrison is a terrible shot- bless his heart. Danny is trying to be patient with him but I don't think he enjoys being in this close of contact with him. Finally Harrison makes a target that Danny and I have made out of soup cans. Hopefully the neighbors don't mind. Danny shoots almost every night.
Speaking of every night, this day has been shit. So while my night keeps getting more stressful, Danny looks more and more like a viable stress relief option. It really depends on if he's in the mood for it though...
Lee stands next to me, plugging her ears from the ringing contact. She already went up. Let's say she's as talented as Harrison is. However, she didn't take as long to hit a target.
I think back to her mom for a moment. Does Lee have the same opinion of me as she does? Maybe if she did she wouldn't have joined on. I'm suddenly grateful for her. I know I can be a bit frightful but... She's been taking this fairly well. Joining onto a dangerous mission that requires guns? She's putting on a pretty brave face. I just hope she knows she can back out.
I, on the other hand, cannot.
This is my redemption.