Starchela in LA

Chapter Fifteen: EMERGENCY

Chapter Fifteen - EMERGENCY

I used to like riding in this car. I liked the smell and the luxury and the comfort. I used to like Torquevald Nordon. He seemed to be good, a good person. But his commander is Evangeline Lilly, there's no ignoring that now. Of course he knows about her bag lady persona – he came to pick her up at the bus station. He knows that his mistress is crazy. And yet, he continues to serve her. A loyal dog. Not like that bitch Shane.

We glide silently through nighttime Westwood. I feel drained. It's been a long day and I've only had a couple of hours of shuteye in the Sculpture Garden, on the grass. Seems like many lives ago now.

I half-assed check my phone. I don't really need to deal with the world right now. I've been Tweeting stuff in between adventures but my ringer has been off. Didn't want it to give me out in the middle of something or other. I check it out, and – wouldn't you know – 7 missed calls. Two from Miranda Elizondo, three from mom, two from Natalie.

Why has Natalie called? I hold up the doll. Its arm is still showing stuffing, it hasn't gotten worse, I think. I hope that girl's elbow's okay. OMG I'm seriously thinking about this thing as if it's a real, functioning voodoo doll. It's been that kind of a day.

Next in line of the ignored, Miss Miranda Elizondo, my abandoned UCLA professor. I just disappeared on the big lady. Eh well, my aunt will beat her into forgiving me, if it gets to that.

I really must call my mom. She must be worried sick. How will I hold back and not slip into crying? Don't know if I'll manage, but there's not much I can do, so I just dial.

"Mom, are you okay?"

"What, baby?"

"You know you're forbidden to call me baby."

"I know, sweetheart. Is everything okay?"

"Sure. Are you okay?"

"Yes. Yes, actually. I'm fine. Thanks for asking."

"I don't want you to worry, okay? Those things I asked you today, don't give it a second thought. I'm not. I'm cool with everything. Everything will be fine here, I'll be okay. All right?"

"Great. I'm so glad you feel that way."

"I'll ace this shi- stuff. I'll talk to you later. It's getting late, it's been a long day. I'll talk to you, okay?"

"Are you sure everything's fine?"

"I'm fine, mom. Seriously. Kiss dad. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Good night, baby."

I don't need to unload all my anxieties and insecurities on her right now. I can figure things out for myself, and when I master the shi- stuff, I'll let her know that I've been hanging with her twin sister.

The Maybach pulls up in front of Natalie's building. I don't say good night to the driver. I grab the doll and my backpack, and I rocket out of the car. Tomorrow I'll be back in it again: I'm invited to a funeral, how could I turn that down? But as far as today, I'm done with the big Scandinavian.

I climb the stairs calm and deliberate, fully knowing that Torquevald Nordon is keeping his eyes on my back. He doesn't start the car. He's waiting for me to flinch, or to betray in some little way or gesture that I will obey his warning not to mess with his mistress. I won't give him the satisfaction. I climb calm and steady. I walk through the gate. The released gate whines and clamors behind me.

I'm in the patio where he can't see me. I let out all the air I've been holding, and I let all the blood rush into my head. I'm a big girl, I can handle all the characters I've met since last night.

I walk across the dark, silent patio past cacti, ficuses and jasmine. I reach Natalie's door. It's ajar. I walk in. The place is dark. I step into the common room. I see the overturned lamp behind the sofa.

Heavy breathing, coarse panting coming from the left. I turn. It's not someone having sex. It's Natalie being strangled by some man.

"Hey buttface!" I shout. He looks at me, and I slam my backpack in his face.

They fall on the floor. I drop the doll, and Natalie screams. The doll's arm comes off, totally unhinged.

The man springs back to his feet, and I swing the backpack again, because there's nothing else I can do. He blocks it, grabs it, and snatches it from my hands. I'm defenseless. He's pissed.

He throws the backpack at my chest. It knocks me down.

The man picks up Natalie, and tosses her onto the sofa. Starts towards me.

"Don't touch her!" Natalie screams.

He swerves around to face her. "Shut up!" he hisses and she obeys. She's terrified.

He turns to me again. "You wanna end up like the other girl?" he says.

For some reason, the first image in my mind is of Chandra getting mauled. I didn't even see it happen. And she's definitely not a girl. What's he talking about?

"What girl?"

"The one I found here that night."

Now I'm totally freaked. He comes towards me. I recoil on the floor. He passes me, goes for the apartment door.

He is about to shut the door – and trap us inside with him – but Rashad flies in with a frying pan in hand. He swings at the man, but the man's a wound spring. He twists around in half a second, avoids the pan, ducks under Rashad's arm and karates his butt a bunch of times until Rashad is on the floor. The man picks up the pan, and throws it out the window. The window wasn't open. Pan and glass fly into the night.

The man turns to us. We're lying about in various poses of hurt.

"Last but definitely not least. I get what's mine," he says to Natalie. "I will get what's mine."

Rashad jumps to his feet and attacks with a battle cry. The man swerves in place like a cobra and – I swear to God – spins Rashad around and throws him out the other window. That one wasn't open either.

Natalie cries out in pain as the man steps on the doll's arm. He turns to me. "I want you out of here," he says.

Then he walks out.

We find Rashad in the bushes. He's all bent out of shape and bruised with many nasty cuts all over his arms where they broke his way through the window glass. Natalie is whimpering, too. Her arm is killing her, especially the elbow. That's where the doll's arm has completely come undone.

As lights come on in the windows around us, we stumble back into the apartment.

"Who was that?" I keep asking.

"If I have to save you from that man one more time..." Rashad is stuttering.

"Just shut up and leave me alone," Natalie keeps protesting.

"Who was that?"

We plop ourselves onto the sofa. Residents of the building are peeping in through the busted windows.

"I've been risking my life for you one time too many," Rashad declares.

"I know. Now shut up."

"Who was that man?"

"Her husband," Rashad informs me, and rises to go to the sink.

"Your what?"

"I have to go to the hospital," Natalie is examining her arm.

Rashad is washing his at the sink. "I'll come too."