Devil on the Rooftop [Book 1]

Chapter 38 - Khaleel

I stood in a spacious change room with high ceilings and velvet curtains. I kept my back on the silver-rimmed mirror, refusing to worry about how messy my hair looked. A black track suit was on one of the many hooks in front of me; something I had picked out as an excuse to use the facility. I slipped into my school pants, threw on my shirt, blazer and secured the tie around my neck. I didn't tighten it. Changing in and out of clothes had caused an unavoidable delay in our plans but it couldn't be helped.

Pino wasn't going to let us back into the building without our uniforms and blackmailing him wasn't going to work with all the security cameras in his booth.

I pulled the dense fabric aside and found a bright-eyed clerk standing a little too close to my change room. Her flirty gaze appreciated my height and frame but her interest deflated when she noticed my  school uniform. She sighed in frustration and then showed me the exit. I moved through the posh store, ignoring the stares sticking to my back. I wasn't really sure what I did to deserve them but I didn't have time to be distracted either.

Loyal stood by one of the display windows outside the clothing store, inside the mall. He looked nervous while talking to someone over the phone. I didn't blame him. I couldn't when our search for Dobberman had turned out to be a bust. Maybe he was filling in a restless Hino, who was eager to finish the job he had started. We weren't after Dobberman just to avenge our friend. There were other factors in play, issues we weren't able to address because Tomasia asked us to drop it.

I moved to listen in on the call. "Where is she now?" Loyal asked. The brief silence was filled with an answer I couldn't hear. "Okay, stay put. I'll bring her back."

"What happened?" I asked after Loyal hung up.

"Dobberman took Arisa."

"W-What?" I couldn't believe it. "Why Arisa?"

"He thinks she's my girlfriend," Loyal replied, then he was off, racing down the mall in search for an exit. I chased after him, my mind running a mile a minute. Dobberman had to be the biggest dumbass out there. He was targeting Arisa? How did he find out about her? Did his goons force Hino to talk when they jumped him? No, Hino wouldn't have allowed that. Dobberman took Arisa because he thought she was Loyal's girlfriend. This had to be Carter's doing. He was the only one stupid enough to spread misinformation like that.

"Are we sure it's Arisa?" I called after him.

"Matilda was there when they took her," Loyal explained.

"Vice Prez was there?" I asked, trying to understand the situation a little better. We were still running, turning in and around the corners of the mall. "Is she hurt?"

"Tommy says she's fine," Loyal assured. "She's at my place but she's a little shaken up."

"We should call for back up."

"Probably," Loyal replied, slowing down as we came towards the exit. He was worried, that much was clear, but I wondered if he knew what that meant. It was easier not to acknowledge it but I couldn't help myself. Loyal's feelings for Arisa might be more serious than I thought. Carter's stupid assumption might have been onto something.

"Where are we going?" I asked as we made our way out of the mall. "Did Vice Prez say where Dobberman took her?"

"No."

I came to a full stop in the parking lot. Loyal did the same. "If we don't know where Arisa is then we can't help her," I reasoned. "We should take this time to regroup."

"I'm just pissed at myself for involving her in this. We have our own issues with her but I would never give Arisa to Dobberman."

"Not her or Tommy," I nodded.

Loyal reached into his pocket and retrieved a vibrating phone. I caught a glimpse of the unknown number on the screen but I couldn't recognize it. "Hello?" he answered, putting them on speaker.

"Hey, Wilson, how's it going you sad sack of shit?" Dobberman's chipper voice was unmistakable. My fists clenched on their own and I whipped around to pace in outrage. This fucking scum. As if he was calling us after the shit he pulled. His balls were too big for him to handle.

"Where is she?" Loyal deadpanned.

"I have to say, Wilson," Dobberman went on, ignoring the question. "You picked yourself a fine piece of ass. I mean, even though my heart belongs to Tommy, I have to confess, it's been hard not to taste the blonde."

The thought of anyone tasting Arisa irked me, but having it be Dobberman—well, that struck a dark nerve. It flushed out parts of myself I had spent years suppressing. "You better hide Dobberman," I advised, taking the phone out of Loyal's hand. "And you better hide well because when I find you...the only thing you're going to taste is blood."

"Oh, who is that?" Dobberman laughed. "Only Khaleel would threaten someone with a hostage. Simmer down, tough guy. We wouldn't want your daddy to deport you again."

Anger consumed me. I cracked my neck in an attempt to hide it but Loyal could tell I was getting worked up. I forgot Dobberman was one of the few people who could trigger me this well. No thanks to Zander. I resented him for bringing this asshole to the condo to meet my old man.

"Where are you?" Loyal asked. "What do you want for Arisa?"

"Just a conversation," Dobberman replied. "With your whole squad of suckers."

"Fine," Loyal said. "Tell us where."