Crawler

08

"Here, take this and get a room for the night. If I'm not back by 8am just head home." I said as I handed Nestor the car keys and walked to the pay phone at the front of the motel.

I looked at my wrist before dialling the number I had memorised and it rang and rang. After going to voicemail I tried once more and smiled when it connected.

"Mija?" Her voice whispered.

"Hey ma. It's blitz night." I said quietly. "Do you want to talk to him?"

"No baby, it hurts too much. You be safe and look after each other."

The call tone beeped and I hung the phone up. She hated blitz nights, it was the reason she was in prison on a life sentence. Neron wasn't a fan of them either but he understood it was what our father did. It was expected the he would be the one to follow in dad's footsteps but an early stint in jail had him find his way to the Mayans.

I sat on the bed beside Nestor as he flicked through the channels. His knuckles were once more swollen and bruised. I briefly wondered whether he got sick of what he did. He certainly seemed over it the other night but here he was again fresh off a double murder. I was no saint by any means but the only people I had killed were in self defence.

"You're quiet." Nestor stated breaking the silence.

"Don't get used to it." I said. "It's just the calm before the storm."

I heard a knock on the door and opened it with my gun beside my hip. I rolled my eyes and close the door to take the chain off. I opened it again and walked back in the room hearing it close behind him.

"Your brother called." The newcomer said as he sat at the cheap table and put a device on the fake wood. "When were you going to tell me you were out?"

I picked it up and pocketed it silently while I felt Nestor's eyes burning into my back. I looked at the man who had matured a lot in the last 6 years. Gone was the long hair that fell over a boyish face, now it was short and styled. The round face now had a strong jawline that was accented with a 5 o'clock shadow. If I didn't know him from when he was in nappies I would admit he was hot.

"I didn't think you would want to know." I replied quietly.

Our last job had gone south so fast I couldn't even comprehend how it happened. I ended up with a tyre iron wrapped around my head and his brother had been thrown from the 18 wheeler we had jacked.

"It wasn't your fault Gi, we all knew the risks when we signed up." He said as he grabbed my face, forcing eye contact. "You gotta forget that shit or you'll get yourself killed tonight."

Nestor's eyes narrowed and he made his way to the table. "What's so dangerous about this job tonight? Who are you?" He asked as sat opposite us.

"James. We grew up together. You?" He replied defensively.

"Nestor. We work together." He said crossing his arms.

I quirked an eyebrow at Nestor's statement, I wouldn't have said we worked together because we didn't. I worked for his boss and that was about the extent of that relationship.

"She's going on a blitz." James said and from the look on Nestor's face he sighed before explaining what a blitz was.

"So she's stealing a few cars tonight. Doesn't sound any different to what she's done." Nestor said still not understanding.

"Not a few, we are talking 30 at least. Right?" James asked as he looked to me.

I slid him my phone with the list and he growled before tossing it back to me.