Silence // Danger Days (Book 1)

21.

Poison paced the main room of the Nest. "Okay. You can explain now."

Vendetta looked upset. There was so much guilt on his face. "Well..."

"It's my fault." Sunset jumped in. "We had a few drinks. We were talking and I asked him to teach me guitar, so we practiced for a bit and then... I didn't think, I just..."

"You just what?" Storm asked, pressing for an answer.

She lowered her voice and hung her head. "I- I kissed him."

Storm did a double take. "You what?"

"Don't blame Sunset!" Vendetta jumped back in. "Al walked in right after it happened." He hung his head. "I don't blame her for running. She doesn't deserve me."

"Sunset?" Storm's voice cracked. "Can I talk to you, for a minute?"

The two of them retreated to the corner of the room.

"Luca, I—"

"How could you, Hailey?" he blew up. "I should have known. I saw the way you looked at him, I should have told you not to!" he ran a hand through his hair.

"Don't blame yourself," she said. "It was all my fault. I shouldn't have gotten drunk, I couldn't control myself. Just don't blame Ven, okay?"

He sighed. "You know I can't stay mad for very long. But I'm not sure about Alien. I don't know how long she keeps grudges, if she does."

"Oh no..." Sunset's eyes widened. "I could have ruined their relationship forever! What have I done?"

She pushed herself into her brother's arms.

On the other side of the room, Poison was fuming. "You just straight up kissed back?"

"I'm sorry, okay? I froze in shock! I just... I'm sorry."

"I want to punch you in the face right now."

"Go ahead."

So Poison put his hand into a fist and punched Vendetta in the face.

"OW! I didn't know you were serious!" Vendetta held his hand to his jaw.

"Well, you should have. That's for breaking my friend's heart. Now come on, we have to find her." Poison turned to Jet. "Go get the other guys."

🌩

"Okay. Where would she go?" Ghoul slurred. He was clearly very concerned, but he was also slammed drunk.

"Let's check the diner," Kobra suggested.

"No, no one's there," Vendetta replied. "She'd go somewhere to be comforted."

"What about Tommy?" Jet suggested. "She could have gone to him."

"Tommy Chow Mein is about as comforting as a Draculoid," Poison interjected.

"Is anyone going to maybe suggest that she might have been taken by BLI?" Ghoul said.

"No!" Vendetta shouted. "Only if we can't find her anywhere else."

"Come on then!" Storm pushed. "Where would she go, person who knows her better than all of us?"

Vendetta thought for a moment, then looked up. "The Lobby."

🌩

Storm, Sunset, and the Four piled into the Trans Am and set off for the Slums. Vendetta stayed behind to look after the Girl, who was still asleep, and because of the fact that Alien would probably not like to see him at that moment.

After a few long hours of tense driving, the group arrived at the same hole in the wall that they had exited the city from. They drove through the hole and parked the van inside. Poison told the rest of the group to stay in the car while he and Storm got out and made their way to the main road of the Slums. Storm took Poison's hand as they walked, and the redhead squeezed back.

As they walked, the locals seemed to make a path for them, staring as they passed by. Come on, Party freaking Poison was there! Oh, and that guy who kissed him, whatever.

Soon, they arrived at Shannon and Jared's shop. It appeared to be closed.

Storm opened the door (which was surprisingly not locked) and peeked in. The store itself was dark, but there was a light coming from a hallway in the back. "Hello?" he called.

"Store's closed, go away," another voice shouted back at him.

"My name's Storm," he continued. "I was here a couple of months ago with General Alien—"

The owner of the voice stood up from behind one of the racks where the counter was. It was Shannon. "What do you want, kid?"

"We were wondering if Alien was here," he clarified.

"Why would she be here?"

Oh... "Shit," Storm cursed under his breath. "Well—"

Poison opened the door a bit further and walked in. "Hey Hunter, sorry to interrupt, but she's missing. Vendetta kissed another girl and she ran away, but if she's not here there's only one place she could be. Now are you going to help or not?"

Shannon's eyes widened. "Poison? Wait—oh no..." he turned toward a hallway behind the counter. "Jay! Come out here!"

Jared's head soon popped out from behind a wall. "Hey Shann, what's... Poison? What are you—"

"Alien was captured by BLI."