The Hooded Beauty

The Bank

The truck is still moving but we're trying to figure out a plan.
There's three bolts on the door and we have no way of removing them.
We can't get out.
We brainstorm ideas, it's almost like a lightbulb turns on in my head.
"This is an old Army truck, they should have safety hatches. It has to be a form of protocol, right?" Their eyes light up so I couldn't have been spouting shit. We begin searching top to bottom, every inch, every cranny. Jace finds this tiny hidden black hatch at the bottom of the truck. I think we should all fit through it, however we can't climb out while the truck is moving.

Now, it's just a waiting game. After a few minutes the truck begins to slow until it is at a halt, my heart is racing so much, I can feel it beating through my chest.
It's go time.
All or nothing.
Let's get out of this shitshow.

Jace shoves the hatch open and yanks the door up, he dives through feet first quickly and then a hand shoots up and I hesitate at first but then I remember it's Jace so I grab it, he helps me out, I stumble but he steadies me by putting his hands on my hips, my bare skin, my dress is severely ripped. My heart skips a beat but then I remember what we're doing.
There's no time to get lovey dovey. We need to move.

We're crouched underneath this truck that could start moving at any given moment, with my father still inside of it.

My father leaps down with a struggle and closes the hatch as silently as possible behind him. We all take a deep breath and stare at each other. We crawl out from underneath the truck and notice we are on a busy street at a red light.

We take off, running as fast as we can, with everything we have. It's life or death and we won't be going out without a fight. My anxiety is sky high.

I just hope they have no idea that we have gone.
Jace grabs onto my hand, I don't know if it's because he wanted to or whether he wanted to help guide me so I don't run around the streets and jam packed roads like a headless chicken and get us all killed. We weave through traffic, I don't recognise where we are. We haven't stopped to look at signs or to ask a stranger. We just move.

We look like absolute shit so I doubt anyone would talk to us anyway. People just glare at us blatantly judging. We slow down after what felt like 30-60 minutes of running, I just couldn't do it anymore, I had to stop. My chest is hurting, my legs are burning, my lungs feel like they will explode. The other two are just as worn out as me. We keel over, resting our arms on our knees staring at the ground huffing and puffing as loud as we possibly can.

After catching my breath, I look up.
"Guys, is that the Empire State Building?" I say with as much doubt I can express as humanly possible. In my peripheral vision I can see their heads slowly look upwards as if they are sharing my doubt and need to see for themselves to truly believe.
How the fuck are we in New York? My jaw drops, I don't understand. Am I dreaming? Well, more like a nightmare.
"Dad, what do we do?" I'm hoping his silence is due to him thinking through a plan.
"I have connections here, I can call them" he ponders, but then he realises we have no phones or means of money. Well, obviously they wouldn't have left us with our belongings.

We're stuck in New York with nothing. Great.

My father begins to walk away without saying another word, we're confused but we follow.
"Where are you going exactly?" I query
"The Bank"
We ask no further questions. I have never known him to come to New York, but I also didn't know he was the leader of a gang, so I'll just shut my cakehole.

Jace has not stopped holding my hand yet, he's holding onto it for dear life and I wouldn't have it any other way honestly.
We get to the bank and wait in the queue, it's a short line, we don't really talk, I don't think we know what to say. The silence is good for now.

We are still receiving the disapproving stares, but I still can't blame them for judging, I'm in a shredded dress that's borderline too NSFW for life, the boys are beaten badly, we stink and we're covered in shit.

As we wait Jace pulls me in for a hug and just holds me tightly, it's difficult to breathe but I don't mind. I love it. This is the safest I have felt in however long. He kisses my forehead every few minutes. We just hold each other tightly. I missed his embrace, his warmth. I missed how comfortable and protected he makes me feel. The world turns quiet around us as we just take in this moment we have craved.

My dads voice suddenly enters the space around us, which signals that we are at the front of the queue.

"Hi, I need Janice Matthers please. It's rather urgent, tell her that it is Theodore Lincoln and that I would like to claim the favour she owes me. Thank you".