The Drive from Hell

(The Talk, Boarder patrol, Bathroom knock out.)

Once again Seth Gecko regretted his decision when it came to his younger brother at that moment. That was already two times within the last few hours, something must def. be wrong with him! Normally he would never once second guess himself. Second guessing usually got you into trouble; or well in Seth's case locked up for ten years. A grimace appeared on his face giving off the impression that he was in pain, but in reality he was thinking or more wondering. The Gecko brothers were not good with displaying emotions on their features; normally Seth would just stick with the normal angry look no matter what he felt.

But the grimace still remained on his face as he leaned against the dash of the RV, his legs sprawled out in front of him on the carpeted floor. Jacob who he had grown to know was an ex-minister was driving them toward the boarder of Mexico, as Ritchie remained in the back with the kids.

Ritchie, the main reason behind his sudden second guessing. He should of known from the moment they walked into the RV that Ritchie couldn't be trusted in the back with the kids. Even though a nagging feeling kept pestering him telling him to switch places with his creep of a younger brother he tried to give Ritchie the benefit of the doubt. After all he had yet to do anything. Yet being the key word. Would Seth really let it go as far as it had in the past? That question still lingered on the edge of his mind awaiting a 100% answer.

Still as he leaned against the dash and listened to the aggravated voice of Jacob go on and on he couldn't seem to tear his eyes away from the back of the RV. He could barely make out the image of his brother leaning forward on what seemed to be a pull out table, his mouth opening and closing at a rapid speed. Even though Seth couldn't see them at the moment he knew Kate and Scott sat on the other side of the table, probably curled as far back as they could judging from the way Ritchie leaned even farther over the table as he continued to speak.

For a few minutes Seth couldn't seem to open his mouth and yell at his younger brother even though his mind and inner voice demanded that he do just that. He instead remained still on the floor his hand toying with the loaded gun in his lap as he tried to pay attention to what the minister was saying. Still the words were coming in and out as if he wasn't sitting just next the old man but somewhere half across the room trying to pay attention.

Seth caught the sight of Richie's hand, the bloodied one (that damn fool) reach forward across the table as his features took on an anxious look. At that very moment Seth secretly wished he had learned how to read lips that little trait would have paid off dearly at that very moment. But still Seth didn't need to read lips to understand whatever was being said was a one way conversation and it was currently going on in his baby brother's little head.

Growing aggravated himself at the dumb antics of his brother he placed the gun alittle too roughly on his lap, thankful that he had been cautious enough to place the safety on it before entering the RV. Why had he fooled himself and thought from the beginning that today might just be different. That he could possibly control his brother's actions and keep things at bay. Look where thinking got him.

"Ritchie!" At the sound of his voice Seth's younger brother pulled himself away from the table and venturing a look outwards toward him. He could see his face clearly now and there wasn't a mistake that his brother had a murderous look on his face. Good, deserved him right to be intruppeted, Seth thought as he started to talk again. Once more the teasing tone was back in his voice giving off the impression everything was just fine and dandy but Kate knew if she could just catch a glimpse of his face she would see just how dandy things were. From just being around the man for a short hour or so she could already see he carried his emotions in his eyes, something he obviously was unaware of.

"Do tell me if I'm wrong young brother; but are you being forced to talk to those kids while your back there?" Even though he had just asked a question Seth went on wanting to take some of his frustration out, even if it was toward his un-expecting, slightly undeserving baby brother. "Please do tell me if those kids had somehow gotten the upper hand of you so I can take over the situation?"

Silence filled the Rv, the only sound that could be heard was slight uneven breathing escaping Seth's parted lips as he pushed himself farther back into the dash. The sharp edge of the handle digging into his tender flesh, the slight pain a welcoming distraction for him.

"I'm waiting!"

Ritchie jumped almost clear out of his seat as his brother snapped at him. He knew better than to keep his brother waiting but damnit he was sick of being treated like a kid. He was an adult here! He had the gun also, and if he wanted to have a fucking conversation with these kids then so be it. If he wanted to accept the young girl's offer and take her right there on the RV's floor then so be it. Seth Gecko be damn, he wasn't going to stop him anymore! IT was time that Ritchie showed his older brother just how grown he was.

"noo…" A soft mumble left Ritchie's defeated body as he leaned back against the cushion seat. His head dropping slightly downwards as he silently hoped the girl wouldn't take back her offer at the sight of his weakness. She just needed to understand he was doing this for them! He was trying to keep the peace so when night fall came and they received their money maybe she could come along!

A full fledge smile formed on the defeated man's features. A first real smile in a long, long time. Still staring at his younger brother Seth couldn't help but feel a panic rise in him at the sight of the smile. Normally one would be happy to see their sibling finally accepting reality and being happy, but Seth knew Ritchie had no reason to be happy. He had no reason to smile except the false hopes within his mind; those hopes were soon going to get him in trouble he thought as he shook his head.

"Good don't let me hear another word from you or I'll come back there and gag you."

With that final threat the RV once more fell into silence as Jacob seemed to subconsciously push harder onto the gas pedal willing the old piece of metal to go faster. He needed to get his family as far away from these evil clutches as he could.

In the future days after this incident when he and his brother have gotten their money and they're miles and miles away from El Ray he figured he'd laugh at this memory. No, Seth was certain he would laugh at this memory.

What other type of criminal would find themselves in a situation as Seth and his brother Ritchie were in at the moment. Sure he had known that he would have to hide once they entered the stop section that was heavily being guarded by police, but never did he think he would end up in the bathroom with both his brother and the sudden desire of his fucked up emotions.

To make matters worse all three occupants of the ever growing small bathroom were currently squished together in the shower stall, trying to keep their feet from view if any officers decided they would try to sneak a peek underneath the door. Even though the crack between the door and the carpeted floor offered only a small ray of light into the bathroom Seth was certain that anyone would be able to see feet if they tried hard enough. That was why he had demanded they all stand in the shower.

Right?

He was only doing it for their good. If they were to get caught he was certain that the end result wouldn't be good. He certain of that, he thought as his hand once again gripped the weight of the gun in his left hand tighter as he strained his ears to listen to the conversation going on in the front.

Now Seth Gecko prided himself on his attention span and being able to stay rooted into a moment. He didn't have many traits that he could call upon besides shooting a gun and causing trouble, but being able to remain calm in any given situation was one thing he was good at. Then why all of a sudden was he finding it hard to listen to the officer and Jacob speak?

He blamed in on the short air supply in the room.

He blamed it on the bad smell coming from his brother's wounded hand as they once more squished themselves farther back into the stall as feet appeared out the door.

He blamed it on everything but the feel of the female's rapidly rising and falling chest on his back.

"You just called me a fucking nut!" The aggravated shrill voice of his brother brought him once more back to the present. He hadn't even realized that he had said anything till he heard his brother's voice directed toward him.

Did he call him a fucking nut?

It wasn't like it would have been the first time he had.

Even though he couldn't remember uttering the words he realized he had to of been the one who spoke because judging from the tremble that escaped the girl behind him he knew she wouldn't of uttered a single word. Not at that moment, not with Richie's gun pointed directly into the side of her left cheek.

Taking one deep calming breath he waited for his brother to shut the hell up. That never came. If anything his voice got even louder and shriller.

Kate Fuller couldn't believe her luck! Only being a day away from the age of eighteen she had pictured her birthday in her head so many times. Even with the interruption her father's sudden packing up and departure from their childhood house she knew deep down that nothing was going to fuck up her birthday for her. In a matter of possibly a couple of hours she would be grown women, and no one was going to make her feel like that child again.

How wrong she had been.

Because at the current moment she felt even younger than her true age. She tried to control her breathing as she pushed herself even farther back into the already closing in shower stall. Her eyes were trained on the man before her as she took notice of how he seemed to tense up for a split second. She wondered what was going on in his head.

Why should he tense? She was the one with a damn gun pointed into her cheek!

Still being lost in her thought she felt as if she had only just blinked when suddenly she felt herself being pushed if possible harder into the wall behind her. Wincing she reached out instinctually trying to catch herself with her hands but only causing pain to shoot up in her left wrist. Just fucking great!

As she tried to regain her balance she heard a loud voice that def. wasn't her father, or her brother and after once more blinking again she realized the voice was coming from the man beside her. Not Seth, no it was coming from his brother what did he call him?

"Richie."

Ah that was his name! Richie was currently screaming almost at the top of his lungs about some nonsense about breaking Seth out of jail. After all of this was over with and she was sitting in the police station reliving the events over and over again, she would think back to this moment and wonder why she hadn't grown even more scared of Seth at the notion he had escaped from jail. Still she couldn't find the emotion inside of her to be scared of him except the normal fear of not knowing; she was though scared of Ritchie, his heavy breathing on the side of her face as he took a moment to allow his brother to speak before starting up once more.

She could see that Seth was getting extremely aggravated from his brother's yelling. If she wasn't in such close proximity of two males then she probably wouldn't have caught the way he rolled his shoulders, and tilted his head to each side possibly popping the restricted muscles.

She wasn't sure what caused her to say his name, or why it had come out as softly as it had but as feet neared closer to the bathroom door once more she whispered his name. Reaching forward with an attentive hand to place onto his shoulder which was no surprise tense.

Gasping she jumped almost out of her skin as all of a sudden Seth's arm snapped upwards and then slightly backwards connecting with Ritchie's surprised face. As Richie fell backwards slightly landing a little on Kate she couldn't help but turn her eyes forward for the first time since they had been in the bathroom her orbs connecting with the mirror that overlooked the shower stall. She couldn't understand or comprehend the look that passed over Seth's face as they're eyes connected for a split second.

He looked slightly guilty.

Pained even.

If it had pained him to harm his brother then why had he done it? She thought once more feeling like the child that she was.