Blood For Blood

Let's Go in Style

None of them got much sleep that night. Vic had tried reasoning with his brother concerning their now homeless status but Mike ran to the farthest room and slammed the door and that was the end of the conversation. Aside from the single bed in that dusty room, there was only one lumpy couch in the main room. It was too small for Jaime or Tony so Vic took advantage of the fact that Kellin couldn't argue with him and made him take it. Despite spending the night on something at least a little cushier than the dirty hardwood, neither Kellin nor Mike slept much more than the rest of them.

Kellin woke up to the sound of Jaime and Vic rustling around in the tiny conjoined kitchen. He drowsily sat up and looked over just in time to see Jaime laughing as Vic jumped fruitlessly to reach the top cabinet. Smiling at their antics, Kellin heaved his aching limbs up and padded over to Vic. He tapped his friend on the shoulder, kneeling down and motioning for Vic to balance on his clasped hands. Grinning, Vic triumphantly stepped up on Kellin's firm support and Kellin lifted him to the highest cupboard, sending a smug look and a mature stuck out tongue over his shoulder at Jaime.

"Ha!" Vic said as he swiped the cobwebs away and grabbed everything from the storage. Kellin lowered him down. "See? 'People my size' can reach the top cupboard!" They high fived. His prize for the effort? Two family size cans of chicken noodle soup. Not too bad in this economy.

Jaime tried not to smile and failed. "You're still short."

Vic smacked his arm.

A creak sounded as Mike stepped out of the bedroom looking grumpy and exhausted. Vic and Jaime exchanged a cautious glance before wishing him a good morning, hoping a little rest had helped Mike's mood.

Jaime glanced around the dim apartment and looked back to Mike. "Where's Tony? I assumed you and him were talking it out."

Mike's expression twisted in confusion and slight annoyance. He crossed his arms nonchalantly. "No. I haven't seen him since last night."

Jaime's eyes widened in worry. He started a search behind every door in the house. It didn't take him long to end up back in the living room empty handed. "He's not here."

Vic placed the cans on the table and rushed to open the door to the frigid outside, realizing at the turn of the latch that it should have been locked and wasn't. A spike of anxiety pierced his chest as he stared out on the empty town, his breath ghosting the air. Why would Tony leave? How did they not hear him? Where could he possibly have gone on his own?

"He's outside."

Even Mike started to look worried. He joined their gathering at the door frame. "What? How do you know?"

Vic met his brother's eyes. "The door was unlocked. It was definitely locked last night. And look." He pointed at the frosted grass blades outside. Some were bent down where a shoe had crushed them. One footprint in frozen grass was the only sign they had of their friend. The cold air felt as if it pressurized the very atmosphere and left their lungs heavy. Where was he?

Kellin tugged on Vic's sleeve, nodding to the outside. Well? Are we gonna go get him?

Vic's expression softened at Kellin's courage. "Alright. Let's go."

"Go? Go where?" Tony rounded the corner behind the convenience store, hands covered in grease and motor oil. He looked like he got into a fight with a Transformer.

Startled, the group whirled around. "Tony?" Jaime held a hand over his heart. "Jesus, what the hell, dude?"

The guitarist stared dumbly at the weird looks they gave him. "What?" He looked down at his clothes. "Oh, this? Well you'll never guess what I—"