Turn of Events
Things did not go as they should have. It had been a flawless plan, but that did not seem to last for long. Leon looked over at me from across the jail cell and simply shook his head. A sigh bubbled up from the back of my throat as I came to realize just how royally screwed the both of us were. Gripping onto the bars of our confinement, I tightly shut my eyes and drew in a deep breath. This is why the past should stay in the past.
It was just a day like any other. Leon and I had been watching movies in our flat just outside of Miami when Lilliana and Denali had shown up. He had always been quiet person and saw himself to be above conflict, so I had to learn the roles of disciplinarian as I went along. They quickly made themselves at home, throwing popcorn into the microwave and taking two cans of Mtn. Dew each. Lilliana, with a bag of chips in her hand, took a spot beside me on the couch, while Denali threw herself next to my brother. The four of us had been the best of friends ever since we were sixteen. We worked together back when we had been in trouble with the law, stealing whatever we could just because we could.
"So, Nightshade, how are you today?" I raised one of my shapely eyebrows at her in question.
"Why do I have the feeling that that is not the question you want to be asking me? What do you have up your sleeve?" Lilliana's laugh was muffled by the handful of chips she had just stuffed into her face. Denali took a sip of her soda and shot me a look, a mischievous smirk that meant nothing good.
"There is someone that we would like for you to meet." My eyes darted back and forth between the trouble making twins as I thought the situation through. Nothing good would come of this. The twins were most definitely a devilish duo. They did whatever they wanted, when they wanted to, and had major issues with authority. They would go out of their way just to make a scene or cause problems, but they were loyal to anyone that could see through them. That is how they came to be friends with Leon and I.
A few hours later, all four of us stood in what looked to be an abandoned warehouse. It was dark and dusty with cobwebs hung in the corners. The lights were brighter than I had expected them to be and a lone workbench sat in the center of the room. In front of it stood a skinny, spikey-haired, blonde kid with a nervous tick in his hand. He wore a simple gray tank top and a pair of dark wash jeans, the tips of black Converse could be identified on his feet. His nails were painted black and he looked no more than fifteen years old. Lilliana and Denali greeted him as an old friend, even though they were seven years above him in age, and immediately gave him hugs.
"Jesse! These are our friends," but Lilliana's introduction was cut short by the waving of his hand.
"I know who they are." He spoke smoothly and with a hint of certainty. I looked over at Leon and scrunched my face in confusion.
"Just who are you?"
Denali spoke up as she walked to stand in between Jesse and I. "This is Jesse. He was a good friend of ours when we were growing up. He is a genius, and one of the best computer programmers and hackers in existence. He is the guy to go to when you need information about someone or something. He also has ADHD."
"Well, that explains a lot," I mumbled under my breath. Running a hand through my long, dark brown hair I shifted uneasily on my feet, carefully throwing my weight onto one leg and then the other. "Why are we here?" The question had been begging to be asked ever since the twins had convinced us to get in their car.
"It would seem that we are in need of your help. How does an extra thirty thousand dollars sound?" My eyes all but popped out of their sockets and I heard Leon's sharp intake of breath. Quickly composing myself, I sent a glare directly at Jesse.
"What is it that we have to do to obtain it?"
"Nothing too dramatic. The simple stealing of a car would suffice." I looked at him as if he has suddenly grown three heads and a tail.
"Steal a car? Seriously? That's worth so much more than thirty thousand dollars." We lived in the world of fast cars and even faster lives. That sum of money would not go far. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the work table.
"But it is not just any car. This one has had a special value that I am sure you would appreciate, Nightshade."
I scoffed and popped the knuckles in my right hand out of anxiety. "I am not sure what kind of game you are trying to play, but you do not know me. I am out of here." I turned to walk out, but the hand wrapped around my wrist forced me to look back. I snatched my arm away from Jesse and forced more space in between us. I had a short fuse to begin with and he was playing with fire.
"We are talking about your favorite car, Nightshade. The one that you have always wanted. Your dream car. I am offering to pay you and let you keep the object I am paying you to steal. You will never find a better offer than that, I can guarantee it."
I threw my hands up into the air and fought back the urge to hit him.
"That does not matter, if I wanted it that bad, I would save up my money. There is no way in hell that I am going to steal it. I gave up that lifestyle long ago. I have been saving money for that car almost my whole life."
Lilliana chose this moment to speak up. "Just one more big adventure, Nightshade. After this, you can forget that you ever met us if you would like. Plus, you will have a hot new car to drive around in. Just think about it! A shiny, red and black 2005 Mazda Rx7. Tinted windows, leather seats, a Veilside Fortune kit. Priced at $150,000. You would be sitting pretty, am I right?"
Sighing deeply, I slowly nodded my head. "I guess one more adventure would be alright. There is not much that it could hurt. After this, I am putting this life behind me, alright?" Oh, how wrong I had been. This time, we would meet our downfall.