The Blood Heist
* Friday * 12:34 PM – Downtown Whitechapel
Sarah`s POV
Oh, na, na, what`s my name?
Oh, na, na, what`s my name?
I'm feeling so alive right now. It's like I woke up this morning… and everything's just…just… different…
I just want to walk up to him and be like, 'hey, what's my name, kid?' 'do you even know?'
'of course he knows…' I say to myself, skipping down boulevard and sing-songing to my favorite Rihanna song.
My destination – the best place in Whitechapel to get away from all things supernatural…
Starbucks.
Oh, na, na, what`s my name?
Oh, na, na, what`s my name?
The door chimes as you walk in – officially the coolest thing I've heard all day. Lisa brews up my order upon me entering the hub– am I that much of a regular? "One strawberry banana Frappuccino, Grande, extra caramel… two seventy-five…" It's routine – I handover my two bucks and quarters and I'm out of the door with my brand new – super tasty strawberry banana extra caramel Grande Frappuccino… emm…
Anyway… on to the topic of discussion – I've never felt so alive – not ever since my change. I've been wondering what it could be – what's different about me now? – what is it that's given me a sudden sense of purpose in this life.
It's been bothering me for days, but the only thing that I can come up with, is –"
*brinnng brinnng brinnng*
12:44 1UNREAD 4GLTE ||I
From: Erica (Bestie)
did you skip LOL today?-
12:44 1UNREAD 4GLTE ||I
To: Erica (Bestie)
maybe… what's it to u?
Erica's noticed the change – "You need to revamp your love life, Sarah… you're goodies are getting stale…" she had the nerve to tell me the other day. What is that even supposed to mean? Well… I mean… there was just…
So many guys… all of the boys that I've ever tried to date, couldn't handle this part of me – my tongue grazes over a fang. Erica knows just as well as I do how hard it actually is for a girl like me to find somebody. I mean, I've gotta hand-pick through all of the jerks, weirdos, and perverts, and then find the one who wouldn't freak from having a vampire chick. Hmm…
12:46 1UNREAD 4GLTE ||I
To: Ethan
am I coming over today?
12:47 1UNREAD 4GLTE ||I
From: Erica (Bestie)
UM… you didn't tell me!
12:47 1UNREAD 4GLTE ||I
To: Erica (Bestie)
sorry!
12:48 1UNREAD 4GLTE ||I
From: Ethan
I don't know… Jane's
gonna have a fit if she
can't got with them…
12:47 1UNREAD 4GLTE ||I
To: Ethan
k.. keep me posted
12:47 1UNREAD 4GLTE ||I
From: Erica (Bestie)
where are you… I'm so
BORED
12:47 1UNREAD 4GLTE ||I
To: Erica (Bestie)
Times Plaza
And now, my overly-dramatic-schizophrenic-vampire-best-friend is on her way to join me… I'm excited! :)
"I must say, I didn't think you had it in you…" says Erica a few minutes later. We meet at Lotta Latte – Erica hates Starbucks, but she insists on copping a Strawberry Banana frap to match mine. "Seriously, Sarah, I don't see how you drink that stuff… it takes like sewage water…" she teases, but not before taking a greedy sip of her own caffeinated beverage. "Like yours is any better!" I complain. "Yeah… it is." "UGH!"
"Anyway… what have you been doing all day?" she asks as we step back outside. "Um… just thinking…" I reply. "What… you're telling me, is that you skipped school, only to be at Times Plaza all day, and you haven't bought anything?!" "Exactly." "What's wrong with you, Sarah." "Um… nothing… last time I checked…" Erica and I detour to the closest outlet store – "I've got to have those shoes…" she says, peering into the window. "Erica, you don't need new shoes… you bought like, three new pair Tuesday and you're already past your budget for this month.
Erica pouts. "I'm only doing it because I love you…" I offer. She smiles. "Thank you Sarah, I would be totally broke if I didn't have you…" I smile. "That's what friends are for."
* brinnng brinnng brinnng *
I look down at my phone -
12:47 1UNREAD 4GLTE ||I
From: Ethan
will do… later Sarah
"What's nerd.0 talking about?" "Um… could a girl have a little touchscreen privacy, please?" I say. "What's the big deal, it's just Ethan…" she replies. I don't say anything. "S-Sarahhh?" Erica questions. Her curiosity needs no introduction…
"Yeah…"
"It… is… just Ethan, right..?" she asks.
"Yeah… just Ethan."
"Oh alright then… what's the big deal?" My fingers numbly tap across the smartphone – "You're not crushing back… are you?" "I-I…" I hesitate on my answer. "Why are you so nosey, Erica?" I manage to say. When in doubt, hit them with a staller. "Ugh! Forget I said anything. Are you taking me out tonight or what, chick."
I glance at my phone. "I don't know… Ethan doesn't know if his parents are going to need me to babysit later…" "Babysit? Look Sarah, the kids are cute and all, but the Morgan's have robbed you of every Friday night of this school year!" I'm starting to miss my party buddy…" at this, she gives me the sad, puppy dog eyes – so fake.
"Erica, you and I have only been to one party together, and it was at that party that you decided to go off and become a vampire on me…" "C'mon Sare, can't a girl have a little bit of fun?" Without warning, Erica politely hands me her frap to hold and runs off to only God knows where. There's a small tap on my shoulder. I turn on the spot, and there's this little girl looking up up at me. "Lady, how did your friend just DO THAT!?"
I shrug my shoulders… "Frap?"
* Friday * 3:35 PM – WC High School
"She wants to hang out tonight?" I'm leaning against a locker next to Ethan's. I followed Erica back to WC High, only to find she'd ditched the place soon before I'd showed up. He stood with his locker open, organizing books to go inside of his bag.
"Yeah, she thinks you and Jane are stealing me from her... is that cool?"I ask him. "Yeah, it should be. Like I said, I don't think you have to sit toni—" "No…" I interject. "No?" he replies. "Is that okay, with you Ethan?" He stammers on the response. "I know we kinda had plans to kick it… but…" "But… Erica's missing you. I get it" he replies. I breathe a sigh – "Cool…"
"Where you guys going?" he asks, breaking the personal reflection of my guilty conscience – I hated cancelling on him. "Huh?" "You and Erica… what are you doing tonight?" "Oh yeah… that… I don't really know… we'll probably just end up going to the movies… or something. "The movies… cool…" he replies. Um…
Convos with Ethan are not like those that I ever had with any other boy; I'm always waiting – waiting to see what cute and adorable thing he's bound to say at any moment – he knows so much about everything… it's easy to have a good conversation with him.
"E-MAN!" Benny.
"Hi Sarah, looking for a little one-on-one with my man Ethan here, eh?" "Ugh!" I couldn't hold back the scoff. "Benny…" says Ethan. "No, it's fine…" I say, cutting my eyes at Benny. "He can't help what he is…" "Whoa, you're getting feistier by the day vampire… sexy… Benny likes…" "UGH!" Gross.
"Ethan… I'll text you later…" "See you later... bye, Sarah…"
I force my way through Benny.
"MOVE!"
"Say hi to Erica for me!" he calls after me. Psh… boys…
* Friday * 11:17 PM – Erica's House
It's closer to twelve and the sun has set – even though the temperature was low, the atmosphere was live…
BANG! BANG! BANG!
"Let me in Erica!.. it's freezing out here!" Erica's curtains separate, revealing her pale, blonde image from the other side of the window. "Hey ho, took you long enough!" Erica pipes at me as she opens the window. "Shut the hell up!"
I simply LOVE Erica's room – it's so big! She has only one window, but it's bigger than the two in my room put together. Her bed sits near the window – big and wide, a queen-sized like mine. I was there when she got it – I remember it like it was yesterday. Her mom opted for the whole set – Erica had the dresser, end tables, and Vanity Mirror to match her mattress – all beautifully decorated.
I climb into her window – the smell of cherries and strawberries immediately intrudes upon my senses. "It smells really good in here…" I say. Erica smiles, "un huh…" "What is it?"
THIS!
As if she couldn't wait to show me… Erica displays a brand new bottle of Bath & Body Work's scented lotion, Strawberry ~ Vanilla Yum. "This is it?" I ask, squeezing a bit onto my finger. I rub the lotion into my palms and hold them up to my nose to smell… "—And this!" Erica adds. "Cherry Butter Cup?" "Yes! They just came out this weekend. I got them today at Times Plaza…"
"Wait a minute…" I begin, "—you left school, so that you could join me shopping, only so that you could ditch me… to go shopping?" "Yes!" "… you surprise me every day, girl." Erica pounces on her heels…
"Never mind that! I'm glad you're here! Sarah, I couldn't tell you this over the phone… but are you ready for some gossip?" I nod my head. "Hell yea I am… what you got?" "It's juicy!" says Erica. "How juicy?" "Weirdly juicy…" I blink at her. "Sarah… you'd never guess who I heard talking about… Ethan… today…" "Somebody was talking about Ethan today?" I ask. "Not just somebody… it was a girl…"
(—GASP—)
"A girl?!" I ask, completely taken aback.
"Yes!"
"Who?"
"Sierra Rackly…" says Erica.
"Sierra Rackly..?"
"Short, Light- skinned, black hair…"
"Oh yeah… yeah…" I agree. "I know her…"
"Yeah, she's pretty, isn't she…" says Erica.
"Yeah, I guess so… why?"
"I'm just saying… you might have a little competition for your nerd boy…"
Erica was never really the one to gossip – so it kinda it tripped me out that she had something to tell me in the first place. I wasn't expecting to hear that, though. "So what did she say?" "Huh?" Erica replies. "What did Sierra say? What's the gossip?" I ask again. "Oh… she thinks Ethan's cute…"
(—)
Oh well. Some girl was bound to find Ethan cute at one point or another…
I blink at Erica. "That's it?" She nods. "Um… yeah." "Oh…" "What's the matter?" she asks. "Erica, you made it seem like you had something stupid important to tell me…" "I did! A cute girl likes Ethan, that doesn't bother you?" I shake my head. "No… it doesn't. Why should it?"
Erica flops down onto her mattress. "You're not crushing on Ethan?" she looks up at me. "No, I'm not crushing on Ethan." "You sure..?" she asks. "Yes, I'm positive…" "Oh, okay… my mistake…"
(…whut...)
People sure do know how to give you food for thought, don't they? Anyways…
"Where're we going tonight, Erica?" I ask, propping myself against the dresser.
"After-party…"
"After-party?"
"Yeah, after-party" she says.
"K… what's the deeds?"
"This rich kid's throwing some bash up in the hills tonight."
"What's the occasion?"
"Dusk IV premiers at Atlantic Station – everybody's gonna be there – the cast, crew… all of 'em."
"And this kid?" I ask.
"Logan Harris III…"
"Don't know him…" I reply. Erica chuckles…
"I bet. He's not exactly your type of crowd."
"What are you talking about, Erica?"
"Logan Harris III is the son of this HOT SHOT BLOOD smuggler!" she says in hush-tone. "And your plan?.." I ask. "Well, word on the street, Logan Harris II traffics blood in and out of Whitechapel through the harbor. He's got a hold of some of the best blood on the market… you know… like Ethan's..?"
Boy do I?! Ethan's blood… undoubtedly… is the best thing that I've ever tasted…
"Yeah, my mouth waters just thinking about it…" I reply. "I know right!" says Erica. "So… let me get this straight: Dusk IV premieres tonight, so… this Logan Harris the 3rd is throwing a premiere party at his dad's mansion, up in the hills?" Erica nods. "Right."
"You said Logan's father was a blood smuggler…" Yeah, some guy who served in the Russian Navy about ten years back… he rips the blood off some overseas hospital, then he brings it over here to sell on the black-market. " "Who's his cliental?" I ask. "Who else?" Erica replies, and then it clicks. "Vampires."
"And how do you know all of this?" I ask. Erica sits back and crosses her legs, "a girl's gotta get around, right?" she says, smiling. "C'mon Erica, I know you're not the gossiping type. Who's your mole?" "This guy, Michael. He works for the Harris'. He's too chicken to do it himself."
"He's too chicken to do what himself?" "Geez, Sarah… I miss the days when you didn't ask so many questions…. Why don't you just play along?" "Because, Erica, last-minute-missions are stupid without a solid plan. If you don't want to go to plan B, have a good plan A."
"I know… I know… you always tell me that, Sarah… I got it…" "Then I'd appreciate it if we got more planny, and less whiny " Erica rolls her eyes at me – "fine…"
"Okay… Logan the 2nd has a shipment from Times Harbor coming in tonight. Michael told me that the blood will be picked up around midnight – by twelve-fifteen, Logan's men will transport the blood in black vans from the harbor, to the Harris' Estate."
"Logan the 2nd does his business from home?" I ask. "Yeah… I don't understand. You'd think a couple of van loads of blood would cause a problem at a kid's mansion movie premier party…" says Erica. "No… it's the perfect cover up…" I reply. "All of those kids, drunk… partying… no ones going to notice. Besides, Logan's smart, what's safer than a Hollywood spot in the hills, right?"
Erica nods. The excitement's evident on her face, for we haven't gone out on a mission in a very, long time.
"Anyway, in exchange for four hundred pints, Michael's hooking us up with whatever we need to pull this mission off once we're on the inside. We need to get in and back out with the blood." Sounds pretty simple. "Four hundred pints was his price, huh? How much blood do you think we're going to come up on?" I ask. "Michael said they're moving at least fifteen-hundred pints of blood tonight."
"Michael gets four, and that leaves us with eleven-hundred pints…" "Em hmm…" Erica simply smiles at me from her bed. "How confident are you that Michael won't back-stab us?" I ask. I have to make sure. "Like I said, Michael wants to get the blood off Logan the 2nd, but the problem is... is that he works for him. No way that he could pull it off…"
"How can we trust him?"
"Michael works for Logan's security. He has access to all types of Intel…"
I can't say that I was a hundred percent down with Erica's plan, but there is one thing that I know for certain… that deal was too sweet to pass up… It's at times like these that I begin to question my drive for this sort of thing. I mean, it was my guilty conscience that put Erica and me on hiatus in the first place, but… the guy does steal from hospitals to make a profit…
"I'm in!"
"YES! I knew you'd help me!" Erica cries. "Calm down… calm down…" I say as she tries to hug me. "When are we heading out into the field?" I ask. "No better time than the present, my dear…" she says, and with that, whips out her phone.
"hey… Mike… it's E"
"um yeah, it's a-go…"
"K… K…"
"Alright… see`ya there…"
CLICK
Erica hangs up the phone. "Gear up… it's time to get paid…"
"I like the way you think, Erica."
* Saturday * 12:00 AM – Harris Family Estate
"It's twelve AM" Erica says, stepping out of the bathroom. "Yeah, took you long enough!" I bark at her. "Not the point, Sarah! It's midnight. This means that Logan's boys are packing the vans as we speak!" "Yeah, yeah yeah…" I say, running a curious hand through my irritating locks. "Let's go find Michael, get what we need, and take our point." Erica folds her arms and scowls at me. "What?" "I'm in charge of this mission, Sarah!"
I follow Erica away from the bathrooms and out into the ballroom – the Harris' Estate is sick. Logan the 3rd and his party guests occupy the Harris family's ballroom – it's draped about three stories high, dead center of the whole Estate. The floors are marble, reflecting all thirty of Logan the 3rd's multi-colored party lights across the room. "Where's our contact?" I whisper to Erica as we trudge through the crowd. "Outside, he's waiting inside a BMW."
It was terribly crowded – Logan the 3rd knows how to throw a party.
Eventually, Erica and I find our way through the crowd and manage to slip outside. The Harris`s Estate has a large circular driveway, with about ten cars parked on it here and there. "There's the BMW!" Erica says to me in hush-tone.
Upon entering the car, I hadn't quite worked up the nerve to actually… get in…
"Go ahead… get in!" Erica opens the door to the passenger seat hops inside. I slip inside the backseat. "I almost thought you weren't going to show…" says a raspy voice. "C'mon, you know I always come through!" Erica giggles – Michael laughs along.
"Alright Mike, what's the deal?" says Erica. "Vans are loaded… they're en route to the Estate. Estimated time of Arrival… seven minutes…" "Okay…"
"Alright… so when the boys get here with the stuff, they're going to take it out back. There, they're going to load it all up on a dummy car, and wheel it off to the safe house. What you girls are going to do, is intercept the dummy car…"
"And how do we make it off the Estate?" I interject. Michael turns around to look at me. "I'm glad you asked. I've got the security code to the electronic gate out back. You won't be able to come through the front gate, they'll be guards in your way…"
"So there won't be any guards in the back of the Estate?" "No… they'll be guards either way… just fewer guards in the back… take these..." Michael hands me something metal and that resembles a soda can. He then gives one to Erica. "What are these?" I ask. "Flash grenades. You'll need `em when you're busting out the back gate. They'll let you put the code in gate's terminal without getting shot at…"
I tuck the grenade away in my jacket. "How do you collect your cut?" I ask. Michael reaches down under his seat removes a ragged envelope – he scribbles something down on it before passing it off to Erica. "That's the address to a safe house about ten miles from the hills. I'll be waiting there four hours after the heist." "Good… See you then, later Mike!" Erica says as she hugs him and steps out of the car. "Later Michael…" I grab the door's handle and push it open.
THUMP!
"Oh no!"
My door slams into Erica as I make to open it. I step outside in panic, only to find that I did not strike Erica with the car door… instead…
"Sarah?.."
"Ethan?.."