Ride Or Die

Some Kind of Sick Joke

Ride or Die~ Some Kind of Sick Joke

"Remember, you were scaled 1-10, any category below a 5 ranking and you are to be executed." Boss reminded me, I just nodded my head. The paper was passed to me.

"Fighting: 9
Tactics: 4
Armory: 11"

My eyes scanned the paper several times. 11? On a scale of 1-10? How did that make sense? My heart dropped into the deepest pit of my stomach. 4. I got a four. I put the paper down on the table before standing up, tears nearly coming for the first time since I got kidnapped. I shook my head, not believing it. Was this some kind of sick joke? I was going to be killed for not being a good liar.

My emotions were apparently not being covered up well because Boss noticed how shaken up I was, "You're safe." Once the words escaped his lips, my head shot in his direction. Safe? "I-I got a f-four," I stuttered out.

"Doesn't matter, you're one of the best beginners I've ever seen, I told them I refused to kill you. We need you here." I rushed over to the man and without thinking wrapped my lengthy arms around his body, squeezing him.

"Thank you so much! Thank you--" I continued until Beau was behind me, basically prying me off the man who was straightening out his clothes. With a cough, he awkwardly nodded and walked out, but not before ordering, "My office, ten minutes."

Ten minutes? That gave me enough time to go tell Jason the good news. I looked to Beau apologetically, he just smiled and nodded, "Go find him." In a matter of seconds I was racing down the on going hallways, it took barely a second to bust up into Mine and Jason's room. He was in his office, bombarding himself with work to clear his mind. I could tell that he had no idea I was leaning against the door frame so I spoke up quietly, "Hey Jase."

He shrugged and continued at his work, "Hi Paisley." My eye brows furrowed as I slid over to his side and jumped up to sit on top of his desk, he just glared up at me with a 'what the hell are you doing?' face. "I'm not gonna be killed." I couldn't help but smile, the words sounding childish like this had all been a game.

"I see that."

"Are you okay?"

"Ya."

"You sure? I thought you would just be a little more excited." My words came across glumly, exactly how I felt now.

Just like that, my mood had changed.

"I'm just busy." His voice deeper than usual, more harsh.

"Ok? Well, Boss wants to meet with me, you, and Beau in five minutes in his office."

"You go ahead, I'll meet you down there."

I rolled my eyes slightly before pushing myself off the dark desk and dragging myself back to the doorway, just turning once to see Jason still mindlessly working away on whatever else was more important. Gang stuff, I suppose. Beau met me at the door with a confused expression, "Where's Jason?" I shut the door quietly behind myself as we were both in the hallway and began walking,

"Working." My voice was point blank, no longer excited. "Oh he's probably looking over the map of our new territory..." Beau trailed off.

"New territory?"

"Somewhere in North Carolina. Jason and I are supposed to leave in two days to make sure that NIP has cleared out their shit."

"NIP?"

"North Interior Point gang," He explained.

I nodded as if I knew what he was talking about but it was obvious I didn't, "Oh. What happened to them?"

"A few of our guys went up there to claim the land for our fellow recruits in NC, the gang is growing fast."

Beau and I had already been seated in Mic-- Boss' office for ten minutes before Jason pranced in, late. "Where the hell have you been?" Beau shot at him.

He nearly just shrugged and sat in the other chair next to me, putting me in the middle of Beau and himself and directly across from Boss. The two bulky body guards stood towards the back of the room, watching inattentively.

"You're simply too skilled to spare, you have natural talent, Paisley." Micah went on, trying to convince me that the gang was the best suited option. However, I knew there was no REAL choice. Join the gang or die. I knew too much to be let off. "Is there any way for me to get out of this mess?" After a short pause and shake of the head, Micah replied, "No."

There were several more pleas from my side of the table, earning me daggers and nudges from Jason. "Don't push him." He warned in a low grunt under his breath.

"You're in now and there's no way out" Micah's voice was stern.
My heart sank, did this mean I would have to... murder?

"Jason," I turned to him in desperation, breaking an on going staring contest with Beau who almost appeared sympathetic.
Jason stuffed his large hands into his pockets and focused in on the window, anything to keep his eyes off my hurt expression,

"It was either this or kill you on the spot."

"I wish you gave me that option."
My mind traveled back to the kidnapping when Jason put me in his car, the moments I was truly scared for my life.

Those were the moments that would have changed my entire life, I just didn't know it at the time.

"One more thing," The man behind the desk continued, "The two of you are partners from here on out."

"No." This time Jason spoke up, for the first time I had ever heard him deny Micah's wishes. I wanted to ask him why he was against it, but instead I sat there, staring down at my hands fiddling in my lap. I felt like I was annoying Jason, like he wanted to spend as little time as possible with me. Staying away from him is hard considering he's always in the same room as me, we sleep in the same bed, and now even work together.

"You will be out in the field, considering your early on expertise in fighting and armory." Micah's eye brows were lifted as if he was still pleased by my shocking talent.
Just then did I notice that Beau had been sitting in the chair beside me, completely silent. That was so unlike him. Why were they acting so different after my test? The meeting drug on for what seemed like hours. Constant bickering between Jason and Boss, mostly Jason refusing to work with me and Boss telling him he had no option.

"And another thing," Micah pressed on, "Considering the two of you are partners, she will also be accompanying the both of you on your road trip to North Carolina in two days to take a look at the new territory and make sure those NIP hoodlums are out of the warehouse." Jason sighed in defeat and got up angrily, the meeting was over.