Grand Theft Autumn

Chapter 13

Pete's POV

    "Look alive, sunshine." Natasha said. I sat up slightly, but my eyes were still half closed. I had gotten no sleep last night. I really have no excuse, just that I couldn't fall asleep.

    We were in the diner again, and Natasha had her cup of coffee. "Pete, I swear if you don't wake up in two seconds, I will dump this hot coffee onto you." Natasha threatened. I shot up in my seat.

    "I'm awake, I am awake," I mumbled. Natasha snorted.

    "Sure. Okay, I have some news." She said. I perked up. "I have a place that Patrick will be. You have to hurry. I don't know the exact time, but you should be able to see Patrick for a few seconds." I shot out of my seat.

    "Where is he?!" I demanded, ready to run across town if I had to. Natasha hesitated. She took another sip of her coffee. What was her deal?

    "Pete, you can't talk to him." She said. I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. I could see Patrick, but I couldn't talk to him? I can't call the police and get him back? Why the fuck not?

    "What the hell?" I sputtered, furious. Natasha frowned.

    "Pete, there is a lot that you don't know. I can tell you that Patrick is alive. I can let you get a glimpse at him. But if you talk to him or attempt to call the police and get them there, bad things will happen." Natasha said calmly.

    "Wha-" I started, but Natasha stood up. She was shorter than me, but was intimidating.

    "Pete. There is a lot of things that you don't know. A lot of things that you can't know. I am only trying to protect you." Natasha said. I groaned out loud.

    "Who even are you? You could be working with the people who have taken Patrick!" I said loudly. Some of the other people who were in the diner looked over at me. Natasha flinched, and grabbed my arm. She dragged me outside.

    "Look. Do you want to see Patrick?" She asked, clearly fed up with me. I nodded silently. "Then listen to me. You can't talk to Patrick. But you can see him. He is okay. He looks different, but other than a few things he is fine." Natasha explained. "If you talk to him, he will most likely get hurt, as well as some other people." She held out a piece of paper. "Go to the corner next to the bar in twenty minutes. He should be outside in a few minutes, but he has to go." My brain was spinning. Why couldn't I talk to him? Where was he going? Where was he coming from? Why couldn't I call the police?

    I took the piece of paper and looked at the writing. It was a street, one that I have passed multiple times. It also had a time on it. 20 minutes away.

    Natasha looked around us, as if she was looking for someone.

"Just go. Okay, hurry. Patrick should be out in about 20 minutes, and only for a few seconds. Okay?" Before I could reply, Natasha was gone.

Without thinking twice, I hurried towards the address that was on the paper. The street was a few blocks away so I went fast. The cars blurred past on the street, and I kept my head down. I couldn't afford to be caught now, not when I was so close.

I may have pushed a few people out of the way but in all honesty I didn't really give a fuck right now. All I care about was seeing Patrick.

I have to talk to him. I have to say something to him, help him leave. Natasha showed me where he is and expects me to not take him home? Should I just call the police myself and have them take Patrick home?

'There is a lot of things that you don't know. A lot of things that you can't know. I am only trying to protect you.' Natasha had said. There was a hint of fear in her eyes. What was going on? 'But if you talk to him or attempt to call the police and get them there, bad things will happen.'

I would be damned if I don't talk to Patrick. I won't call the police right now, but I will talk to him, and try to figure out what is going on, god damn it.

-----

Natasha's POV

I made a mistake. A huge one. I mean, granted, I am a human being, and I make mistakes. But this one could have been easily avoided. I would be lucky if I would get away from this alive, after they found out.

Damn it. Why did Pete have to be so persistent? I thought that it would be a good idea to tell him were Patrick "was".

I felt horrible when I told Pete that Patrick was going to be there. I barely even know the street I sent him to, and I know that Patrick won't be any where near there. I had to hold Pete off, just for a day, make sure he is in one set location. That boy wanders like a lost deer. Okay, that didn't make sense.

But he was fucking annoying to look after. I have to hide him from the gang, they have no idea that I am in contact with them. Patrick knows very little, he has only been outside twice in the past days, both of those quick drug deals. Poor Pete knows nothing. Am I the only one in this that actually knows what is going on?

That is a good thing. If the gang found out that Pete was still around, they would kill him faster than... Nope. No more of my "brilliant" metaphors. I am trying to say that Pete would be dead very quickly. If they found out that I was in contact with him? I would be dead. Then Pete. Maybe in a different order.

Long story short, I gave Pete the wrong address so he did not run into Patrick. Patrick is on a different deal today, one on the other side of town.

My phone rang, startling out of my thoughts. I was already holding my phone, so there was no "awkward struggling to get out of these impossibly tight skinny jeans" moment. I answered it without checking caller I.D.

"Natasha." At the voice, I stood up straighter and tried not to vomit. He had that type of effect on me, isn't that pleasant? "I need you to pick up a deal." K's voice was calm, already knowing my answer.

"Which deal?" I replied, my voice emotionless. My dad taught me how to do that, and it has come in handy.

"The Wicher one." I started to agree before it hit me.

"I- Isn't that-" I cursed myself for stuttering, but he had caught me off guard on it. "Isn't that the deal that Stump is going on today?" I could hear pen on paper on the other side of the line. I prayed that he wasn't paying full attention, and missed my slip up.

"I switched him. He is doing the Sic deal. I wanted him to get used to dealing needles, seeing how he will be using them soon." K said.

"Oh, okay." No, no, no. The Sic deal would take place exactly where I told Pete to go. Shit. This means that he might see Patrick. "Uh- When did he leave?" I asked. K hummed to himself, and my stomach churned.

"Ten minutes ago. He should be there in 5 minutes, if he isn't being a slowass." I checked my watch. Shit. Shit. Shit.

"Okay, I will head back to get the stash in a few minutes. See you then." I hung up. My phone almost slipped out of my hands, so I leaned against the wall and wiped my hands on my jeans.

Pete might actually get a chance to see Patrick. And I was going to die.