HARMONY

Part 43 "We gotta get his DNA"

Claire wiped her hands on her green apron and handed Sophia a tall Mocha. "Okay, so Abby texted Maddie that when Brittany and Zack were going out, like two weeks ago, Zack worked at Chicken King," Claire looked at the clock. "I'm off in an hour. 3:00."

"So, what's your plan?" Sophia took a sip. "We gonna walk into Chicken King, ask for Zack and say, 'Hey, come with us to court so you can tell them you was the one on Rachel?'"

"That would be totally stupid." Claire leaned over to tie her Converse. "I have a better idea."

"Uh huh."

"We gotta get his DNA."

"Uh huh." Sophia took a sip. "I was afraid you was going to say that."

Claire smiled.

Claire gripped her scissors as she and Sophia walked into Chicken King and scanned the place for Zack. They were greeted by a six-foot chicken wearing a red stripped hat and apron.

"I don't see him," Claire said. "And this place is totally dead."

Sophia pointed her thumb to the chicken. "What if he's in there?"

The chicken tilted its head.

Claire stood on tippy-toe and tried to look in the eye screen. The chicken mocked her by pretending to look into Claire's eye.

"Not him."

The two pushed past and went to the counter, again looking around.

"Cluck. cluck and welcome to Chicken King," said the all too perky teen behind the counter. "Would you like the Super Chicken Sandwich?"

"I don't eat suffering," Claire said. "Does Zack still work here?"

Sophia shot Claire a look.

"We can't give out personal employee information."

Sophia stepped to the counter. "Look, Trixie, we ain't the IRS." She put her face close to Trixie's. "We partied with him last night and he left shit in our car. Expensive shit that could get him in a lot of trouble, so if you could just answer that simple question it will really help him out."

Trixie's eyes rounded and she put her fingers to her lips. "Oh."

"Quick," Claire said. "Before we attract attention from management."

Another look from Sophia.

"Well, I can check the schedule." She hurried to the back.

"Good," Claire said. "Go check the schedule and we'll study the menu."

"Attract attention from management?" Sophia put her hands on her hips. "Girl, would you just let me do the talking?"

"Shh, here she comes."

"Um, he's our Super Chicken in 30 minutes."

The girls nodded to each other.

"Should I tell him that you—"

"No," they said together.

"We don't want him to get...nervous," Sophia said. "It's a touchy situation and best we just tell him ourselves. Now, two Super Chicken sandwiches."

"One without the chicken."

"Put her patty on mine."

The girls took their red tray to a striped booth in the furthest corner and plotted.

"We ain't gonna rip his head off, cut a chunk of his hair and run out the door."

"That's soo the best idea." Claire put the scissors on the table. "You grab the head, I cut, and we're gone. Totally perfect."

Sophia added more ketchup to her patty. "Thought we needed the roots."

"I'll get the roots. You just rip off the head."

"That's him," Sophia said. "Jus' saw him walk in the back."

Claire put the scissors in her jean's pocket. "If I, like, totally miss and take out an eye, just go with it."

"Go with it?" Sophia gathered the trash together. "Maybe give me the weapon."

"No way." Claire stood from the table. "He's all mine."

The chicken came into the dining room. Three small children ran up and pulled on his feathers. "Super Chicken come play with us!"

"Where'd they come from?" Sophia said looking around. "You can't traumatize white children by pulling off his head. They'll scream."

"I got an idea."

"Oh lord."

"Hey kids," Claire said as she approached the chicken with her hand in her pocket. "Go see that guy right there at counter and tell him that Super Chicken said you could have all the free French Fries you want."

"Yaeh!" the kids ran to the counter.

Claire nodded to Sophia. "Now!" 

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