Veneration of Dreams // Ransom Drysdale

six // seems a little bipolar to me

Ransom reclined his seat as Katarina stumbled away from the fuelled car, her nervous footsteps uneven on the cracking concrete. Knowing it was there, he could see the outline of a handgun beneath her shirt but he doubted anyone else would notice, unless they knew what they were looking for. Her haircut on the other hand...That was sure to get a snarky comment or two from the poor cashier, albeit internalised. He wanted to tell her why he'd done it but, of course, she would find out soon enough. Provided that backwater store had a telly. Ransom heard the news on the radio himself while she was asleep and had already processed his own reaction but the thought of her coming horror excited him. And, personal pleasure aside, he hoped ignorance would make her a better liar than anything he'd seen under pressure. God, for a hostage, he had to do an awful lot to protect her.

Katarina's hand shook as she held up the crumpled shopping list, doing her best not to glance over her shoulder with every step. From the food section she collected a few packages of long-life protein bars alongside a surprising request for three jam donuts before moving onto the next aisle where she found a men's razor (naturally, he'd drawn a winking face beside that) and an assortment of clothes. Shirts and pants for both of them. There wasn't much in terms of variety and they all looked as though they would fall apart in a standard wash but at least they didn't reek of piss. It was the two items scrawled across the bottom of the note, rope and a kitchen knife, that had her throat run dry but she shoved both products into her shopping basket without a second thought. He already had two guns. It couldn't get much worse.

Arms laden with goods, Katarina shuffled to the checkout, praying the cashier wouldn't inquire after her as she beeped each item through a dusty scanner. It was a small store and the older woman was the only other one there but Katarina couldn't quell her fears as she passed her a stack of ten dollar notes and collected her bags with one hand. Too afraid to think, she barely heard the woman call out a second time as she made her way to the exit.

"You don't want your change?" The woman repeated, a smile pressed on her face.

Katarina swallowed deeply.

The younger woman did her best to reciprocate the gesture as she walked back, watching the cashier rifle through the register. The gun felt rough against her back now, so she let the smile linger on her lips as she accepted the sparse coins. Desperate to heal her facade, her eyes shifted across the cigarette packs and alcohol bottles lined up against the back wall in a ploy of innocence but froze on the small TV in the corner.

"Is that all, love?" The woman asked, but Katarina couldn't move.

A MANHUNT IS UNDERWAY SOUTH OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS AFTER CRIMINAL HUGH DRYSDALE ESCAPED WHITEGATE CORRECTIONAL COMPLEX WITH THE AID OF PRISON GUARD AND FORMER DETECTIVE, KATARINA LAGO. THE PAIR DISAPPEARED LATE LAST NIGHT AFTER A SHOCKING CAR CHASE ENDED WITH FIFTEEN VEHICLES IDENTICAL TO THE SUSPECTS' DIVERGING ACROSS THE M9. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION WHICH MAY HELP THE POLICE CONDUCT THEIR INVESTIGATION IS ENCOURAGED TO SEND A MESSAGE TO THE DEPARTMENT'S BRAND NEW ANONYMOUS TIP LINE. THOSE IN THE AFFECTED AREAS HAVE BEEN URGED TO REMAIN INDOORS BUT NO OFFICIAL RESTRICTIONS HAVE BEEN PLACED. THIS IS DABRIA STARK, REPORTING FOR GC-

She booked it out of there before their faces showed up on the screen.

"Did you know?" Katarina demanded, her face flush with anger. She slammed the door behind her, the events of the past few hours flashing through her mind in a loop as Ransom stared back, unflinching.

"Why, why would you send me in there when my face is all over the news?"

When he didn't reply, she tossed a bag at his face but that too, prompted little reaction.

"Better you than me," Ransom replied, catching it easily.

"Did you know?

"Nope." He said, popping the 'p'.

As he started sorting through the clothes, she softened her gaze, turning toward the store with a huff.

"Do you think she realised?" Katarina asked, her voice low.

"I think she was too blown away by that...fetching hair of yours to notice anything else. Who's your stylist? I have to know."

Katarina laughed bitterly, "So when it suits you we're partners and when it doesn't, I'm your hostage."

"Well, don't sound too disappointed, something tells me this won't last very long."

a/n

Short chapter, I know, but hopefully you liked it anyway :)

Vote and I'll update early next week :)