"That was too close. I need to lay low for a while," I growled out to the three men standing in front of me.
"What about a different hideout?" one of them offered.
"No. I need to get out of Gotham. Gotta get them thinking I'm on the run," I responded gruffly, getting irritated.
"I might know a place boss," another said, "As long as it's just the four of us."
"Where?" I asked.
"We could go stay with my sister. She lives about two hours outside Gotham out in the country."
"Well then, it's settled," I said.

-Lacey-

It was finally Friday and I was looking forward to a nice relaxing night. I called up my friend Claire and she was on her way over for a girl's night. Grabbing a bottle of Budweiser out of the fridge I made my out onto the porch to wait for her. Soon enough I heard the crunch of gravel and saw her driving up to the house.

"Hey Lacey!" She said getting out of her truck.
"What's up?" I responded and gave her a quick hug.
"Not much. Where's your man tonight? It's a Friday night."
"I know. No idea. Said he wanted a night out with the guys," I replied irritated.
"Honestly I'd call bullshit on him."
"Yea I know. We'll see. Anyway, grab a beer its girls night tonight."
"Hell yea!"

Claire walked in the house and grabbed a beer then joined me back out on the front porch. We sat there drinking and gazed out over the rolling hills.

"Got any cancer sticks?" I asked glancing at her.
"Yep, picked up a pack on my way out. Kinda figured we'd be drinking," she said as she handed me a Marlboro 27.
"Thanks," I mumbled as I lit up and took a drag.
"Oh heard from your brother lately?"
"Nope. Been almost a year."
"Damn, that long already."
"Yep."

She nodded then took another sip of her beer. Finishing my cigarette I flicked the filter out into the yard.

"Wanna go shootin'?" I asked since it was still light out.
"Hell yea!"

We got up and went inside to gather the rifles and some ammo.

"So, you wanna take the Monster?" I asked smiling towards her.
"Duh," she laughed.

The Monster referred to my 1991 Dodge 2500 with a first generation Cummins diesel engine. She had a pretty big lift kit under her and some massive super swampers for tires. Let's just say she was tall enough Claire and I had to climb the tires to get up in her. I smirked to myself as black smoke rolled out the top of my stovepipes when we took off.

"We need ta build ya a mud truck," I said glancing at Claire.
"I know but it all comes down to money honey."
"How 'bout this, you find the truck and I'll git the parts."
"You know the only reason you get discounts in town is cause like every guy wants to fuck you."
"Yea. Ya know Mikey don' even seem ta notice that practically all his friends eye fuck me whenever they're 'round me. Sometimes I wish he'd actually notice from time ta time."
"I'm sorry. Ooh, great song," Claire squealed and turned up the stereo.

We both sang along as Cold Ford blasted from the speakers. As we tore through the fields I did a few brodies, knowing Claire like them. When we reached our regular shooting area I shut off the truck. Claire and I grabbed the guns and ammo then climbed out of the truck.

One of the nice things about owning a whole bunch of land was that I had plenty of room to go shooting. Part of the property had a fairly big hill that we used as a backdrop for shooting.

"So accuracy or distance?" Claire asked.
"Well we did distance last time so let's go accuracy."

She nodded as we grabbed some old pizza boxes from the back of the truck. At the base of the hill we set them up on some old tree stumps. After walking back to the truck we each grabbed a rifle and started loading them.

"Tightest shot group wins, loser buys the next case of beer?" I asked.
"Of course," Claire replied as she lined up her shot.

Once we both emptied our rifles we walked down to the targets. We were each pretty good shots so we had to literally pull out a ruler to measure. In the end hers was just slightly wider than mine.

"Damn, I want another round," Claire pouted.
"Fine. Best two outta three, five shots each."
"Ok but this time you're going first."

After we reloaded and shot again we walked back down to the targets. This time I let Claire measure and when she turned around with a scowl on her face I know I had beaten her again.

"Wanna head back? We're losin' daylight," I asked as we walked back to the truck.
"Sure. Plus we didn't bring the beer with us."

After loading the guns up we climbed in. I tossed my cell phone towards Claire and asked her to text Mikey to see where he was. A few minutes later it rang signaling he'd texted back.

"He says a new club opened up in Gotham so they headed up there to check it out. Oh and to not wait up for him," she said reading it to me.
"Great," I scowled.
"It'll be ok."
"Did I tell ya we got in 'nother fight yesterday?" I asked quietly.
"No. Damn is that all ya'll ever do now?"
"Seems like it. I'm jus' glad he didn' come at me again."
"Listen, Lacey, the fact he's come at you before is too much."
"Yea I know."
"A real man never lays even the slightest finger on a woman."
"I git it Claire."

"It's just, I've been through it. I don't wanna see it get worse. You know it will."
"I don' wanna talk 'bout it no more."
"Ok but-"
"No Claire, I'm done fer now," I said definitively.

Thankfully we were almost to the house. After we pulled up and parked behind it we unloaded the rifles and ammo. We set them down inside then each grabbed a beer and headed out on the front porch. Claire handed me a cigarette which I took gratefully and lit up. A calm silence had fallen over us. A ways down the drive I saw a dust cloud and knew that only meant one thing.

"Claire, go grab my twelve gauge," I said standing and walking over to the rail.

I heard the door open as she went inside. Setting my beer down on the rail I squinted trying to see if I recognized the vehicle. A few minutes later Claire came back out.

"Here ya go. Wonder who it is and what they want," she said while handing me my shotgun and a box of shells.
"No clue," I replied.

I set the box of shells down next to my beer then loaded the gun. My cigarette was almost gone so I flicked it out in the yard and asked Claire for another. Lighting it up and taking a drag I left it dangling between my lips. As the vehicle got closer I recognized it to be an old Ford Bronco.

"Yer daddy got cattle in that field?" I whispered nodding to the left.
"No," Claire responded.

I nodded as she took a step back and stood slightly behind me. When the Bronco finally came to a stop four guys got out. With it being dusk though I couldn't see who they were or if I recognized any of them.

"Who the fuck are you and what the hell are ya'll doin' on my property?" I barked out aiming the gun at them.
"Woah, don' shoot," one of them said.
"And why not?" I asked then moved the gun slightly to the left and pulled the trigger causing three of them to flinch.
"Goddamnit Lacey, it's me Cody," the same one from earlier said taking a step forward.
"Oh even better reason to shoot ya'll."

A/N: Re-posting this story with some slight revisions. Hopefully updates will be fairly regular.