From Chains

Chapter 13: Promises

"What are you cooking, Master?" Pip's swinging her legs back and forth on the bar stool. She and Sarah are both watching me from the kitchen counter.

"I'm frying bacon."

"Bacon?"

"It's a delicious meat."

Her eyes sparkle.

Sarah's watching Pip. "Is that a shock bracelet around her ankle?" she asks.

"Yes, but it also tracks her."

"And you only use it for tracking?"

I cringe at the mental image of Pip curled up on the ground after I pressed the shock button. I overworked her without realising it. "Only tracking," I mumble.

She gives me a look. "I'll find out if you're lying."

Sorry, Pip will always corroborate my story, regardless of the truth.

I serve their breakfast, munch through my own and head out the door.

"Wait," Sarah says. "I can't babysit today."

"Pip," I call, and she comes running. "Don't touch anything while we're gone."

"Yes, Master."

"We can leave her alone. She won't disobey," I tell Sarah.

She scratches in her handbag. "Take this," she hands me a spare phone. "In case I need to call you."

I take the phone and start down the stairs.

* * * * * * * *

I lean against the crumbling wall while I keep my eye on Dutch's man. His name is Jarred, and he's selling ethocyn to any poor soul who's addicted. The evening air is freezing. I wish we could do this inside instead of on some sketchy street. Jarred's rather small, and the junkies take chances. Dutch assigned me to protect him, well more like protect the ethocyn he's selling.

My phone buzzes. It's a voice message from Sarah. I hold it up to my ear and hit play.

The phone is being fumbled around with whispering in the background. Finally, I hear Pip's voice. "Hello, Master. It's me, Pip." There's a long pause. "I hope you're having a good day... and... and come home safe!"

"Now press the red button," I hear Sarah's instruction in the background, and the recording cuts off.

I smile, but it quickly fades when I spot the newest junkie talking to Jarred. He has a nervous tic. I can't hear their conversation from where I'm standing, but I've got an off feeling about this one.

Out of nowhere, the man jerks forward, shoves Jarred off his feet and bolts.

"Thief!" Jarred shouts, pointing to the sprinting man. This is what I'm here to prevent. I take off after him.

He darts down the street, and I follow at full speed. The man's long coat flaps around in his wake.

He turns into an alley and races up and over a chain link fence. How can someone so scrawny be so athletic?

I climb the fence. Barbed wire at the top catches my ankle, scratching right through my pants on the way down.

I keep going. The man turns a corner, and I follow. His shoes scratch against the concrete like a cat's claws. He turns another corner, and I'm right behind him. There's a wall. He's trapped.

"Just give back the bag, and you can go," I grunt.

He grabs a wooden plank and charges right at me. I raise my arm to block, but he lands a shot on my leg. I lose my balance, but I pull him down with me.