THE VICKERS

Chapter 20

I felt Devin slapping me on the arm trying to wake me but I wasn't ready I felt like I hadn't slept in a month. He slapped me again. This time he slapped the part of my arm that I had landed on, reviving the pain. 

"Stoop" I murmured under my breath.

"Wake up, I have food," he said before tossing a paper bag in my lap. I rubbed my eyes trying to get them to adjust to the morning light. My arm now had a dull throbbing pain. 

I realized we had slept in the car. The sun was gleaming brilliantly onto my face and I pulled down the car visor to shield me from it. A small rectangular card fell onto my lap. It was a student ID for a girl named Alicia. I felt a twinge of guilt, knowing that we'd taken her car, more guilt flooded in when I thought about all the other things we've done, just for Dahlia. But it's worth it. 

We were in an empty Belly Bus parking lot. I hadn't eaten here in a very long time. We rarely splurged on anything fancy like a two-dollar burger. 

"Sheesh did you sleep at all?" I asked Devin, noticing that his eyes had a slight redness to them. 

"No," he said simply. I opened the bag and pulled out one of the wrapped burgers.

"I think this one's for you," I said handing him the burger with the name Simone and a number written on it.

"Who's Simone?" I teased while I pulled out my plain wrapped burger.

"I guess the cashier," he said, and the corner of his lip quirked as if he was about to smile.

"Wow, she must really like frowsy, puffy-eyed guys," I teased again.

"First off fuck you. Second, even looking like this girls still want a piece," he said raising an eyebrow. As far as I knew Devin hadn't had a 'girlfriend' in forever. I never really thought about it, that he might've quelled his frustration with a quickie with Simone. It would have been impeccable timing.

"No, you didn't"

"Nah, just kidding. She was kind of cute though but I didn't, maybe after we find Dahlia and I take a shower."

The conversation descended into silence at the mention of our sister's name. We sat there in the car for a while and devoured our burgers. They were packed with delicious fat, just like the fries that came with it. 

"So I was thinking," Devin started to say.

"This mission that this man is sending us on, I shouldn't do it. At least it would be the last resort," he continued.

"Or we find another way because going after Juno who's already looking for us will definitely get us killed," I added matter-of-factly.

"I know but if it's the only answer, you need to know, I will do it," he said.
My heart sank to the pits of my stomach.

"And at what cost? 'cause if you do get the shot at Juno, Gills will come after us and we probably won't live to see Dahlia again," my face warmed as I spoke. I never want him to go down that path.

"Before you get all heated about killing the son of a bitch who has beaten our sister many times before, I did say that's the last resort."

"So what's the plan then?" I asked, pushing those fears aside.

"We go to Marcus' house, see what we can find out."

"What if he's home?" I asked, "We don't want him to know that we know remember?"

"Then we play desperate saying we need his help or some shit like that," he said starting up the engine. I grabbed his hand to stop him from switching gears.