Disclaimer - I do not own The Red Road or Knockaround Guys characters or storylines. I only own my character Tempest and my plot.
Thank you to lourdes1694 for the review and the follow.
Reviews are appreciated, please let me know what you think.
Tempest and Phillip lean against the back of his truck outside of a casino in Connecticut. They see Levi walk out of the building with his very large security guard.
"Hey, chief!" Phillip yells walking across the street to the man. "Can I talk to you for a second? Remember me? I'm looking for my little brother. You were gonna pay me to move my house. Remember? I imagine with all that sludge in the mines, building a casino out there might be a bit of a problem." He looks down noticing that Levi's sporting a bandage on his left hand. "Did you hurt yourself?"
"I want you off my reservation. This is the one and only warning I'm going to afford you." He turns to his security guard. "Make sure he doesn't get lost on his way out."
"Where's you car?" The big guy says as he grabs Phillip's elbow, Phillip looks down amusedly. "You mess with. I'll break your arm."
"Yeah, it's a truck. It's right over here." Phillip says leading the way over to the truck, where Tempest stands smirking.
Phillip and Tempest head over to the jail where they found out that Harold is being held. They're standing outside of the truck when they hear Harold's voice coming from the door.
"You don't keep a police captain in a holding cell. We're still in America."
"No you're not." Phillip says bringing Harold's attention to the two of them.
"The hell are you doing here? What about your parole?"
"I broke it." Phillip says shrugging.
"Well, if you were gonna do that, why in the hell did you ask me to come up here? I just spent the last 10 hours in a drunk tank. They confiscated my gun, my phone."
"Cause getting Junior's gonna be a three-man job. You can't go. Tempest and I can't do this alone."
"Look. For all we know, he's back at home."
"I just called my mom to check. Nobody there has seen him. I think he's still here. Why would Levi risk locking you up unless he was scared you were gonna find something? I think Junior already made his move. Levi's hand was bandaged."
Harold sighs, "Okay. Let's suppose he did do something. We have no idea where to look for him."
"We do." Phillip says smirking over at Tempest who returns his smile.
"How?"
"Don't worry about it. We'll take my truck. Yours is gonna attract too much attention."
"All right. Give me your phone." Harold says giving in.
Phillip hands him his phone as he climbs into the truck, Tempest sliding over to the middle beside him.
Phillip drives them out into the woods where Levi has a cabin, chances are Junior would be there. Tempest slides out of the truck behind Phillip, reaching behind the seat she pulls out her rifle, pulling out a silencer and attaching it to the end of the barrel.
"What the hell have you got in there?" Harold asks hearing a thudding coming from under the tarp on the bed of the truck.
Phillip pulls back one of the corners, revealing the security guard that was supposed to be escorting them out of town. "I told you to be quiet."
"Now I'm an accomplice to that!" Harold yells. "You just made me an accomplice to kidnapping!"
"Does that look like a kid?" Phillip snarks drawing a laugh from Tempest.
Harold removes the gag from over the man's mouth. "I want you to know I had nothing to do with this."
"Then untie me, asshole."
"We're going to." Harold states looking over at Phillip and Tempest.
"Just as soon as we find Junior." Phillip replies.
"I can't feel my arms." The man moans.
"Yeah, don't worry, I see them, they're still there."
The man sighs, "So, you gonna untie me, or are you waiting for your boyfriend to say it's okay?"
Phillip hides a smile as he turns away leaning back against the side of the truck beside Tempest.
"You know, we're outside my jurisdiction." Harold says. "You're gonna have to wait for tribal police to come and untie you. I don't want to step on anybody's toes."
"You're all gonna die."
"Oh, yeah. Hey, hey, hey." Phillip says placing the gag back in the guys mouth. "Shut up." He pulls the tarp back over the bed of the truck. Pulling out his gun he cocks it, "Let's go." As they start walking Phillip hands the gun over to Harold. "Here. You're a better shot anyways."
Harold takes the gun, "You know, I was about to say the same thing."
The trio treks up through the woods until they get to the cabin, they find the door open, nobody inside and a side window broken out. They walk over towards a tribal police car sitting on the side of the shed, the trunk is open and there's a pool of blood on the carpet.
"That's a lot of blood." Harold says.
Tempest points to the ground, Phillip looks to where she's indicating. "There's a trail. I don't see this ending well. You should probably head on back. I don't want to be responsible for making Jean a widow."
"Well, I'm not gonna go home and tell Rachel I left her boyfriend to die in the woods."
"He's not gonna die." Phillip states as they follow the trail.
As they're walking Harold notices Phillip clutching his left arm. "You hurt?"
"Yeah. Girl shot me."
Harold looks immediately over at Tempest who holds up her hands. "Don't look at me, I didn't shoot him. Not yet anyways." She smirks as Phillip throws her a glare.
"Why?" Harold asks.
"I don't know. I imagine cause she wanted me to die."
"And why's that?"
"I might have mislead her about some things."
"Well, listen. If we meet any resistance, nobody can die." He says looking pointedly at Tempest. "All right? You plan on killing people, I'm heading back right now."
"I won't shoot unless they shoot at us." Tempest states.
Phillip nods agreeing with her, "Nobody's gonna die. Unless they start—"
"No unless. Just tell me nobody's gonna die and put a goddamn period at the end of it!"
"It's up to them, not us." Phillip stops, looking around at the ground. "I just lost the blood trail."
The three look around for any more blood stains, anything that would lead them to Junior. Suddenly they hear a single gunshot go off, they all pause in their tracks.
"Did you hear that? Didn't sound too far off. This way." Phillip says leading the other two through the trees towards the echo.
They all stop as they hear footsteps coming their way, Harold draws his gun while Tempest raises her rifle pointing it into the trees in front of them.
"Junior." Phillip says as the boy breaks through the trees, the other two lowering their guns. "How many are there?"
"Four, I think—" Junior says clearly distraught. "My father and some tribal cops."
"Cops?" Harold questions.
"I told you—" Phillip says turning back the way they came. "He controls everything out here. Let's go."
"Who's she?" Junior asks glancing over at Tempest as they run through the woods.
"Tempest, I'm a friend." She says looking behind them as the sound of footsteps get closer. "Proper introductions later, right now, run! Faster!"
As they near a hill Phillip motions them all behind a large rock to take cover. "Get down. Get down." Three more cops are climbing up the hill towards them. "Ah, he's got the whole department looking for you. We're not safe till we cross the reservation line."
"Well, how far is that?" Harold questions.
"About 2 miles southwest, there's an interstate that'll take us out." Junior tells them.
Again Harold asks, "How do you know?"
"The guy that I escaped with told me."
"And where is he?" Phillip then questioned.
Junior doesn't say anything, he can see the questioning gazes from his brother and Harold. Luckily Tempest sees his apprehension to answer and saves him from it. "We came here to save him, not interrogate him. Now, let's get the fuck out of here."
After a few minutes of watching the cops linger around the bottom of the hill, Harold is the first one to speak. "Well, it doesn't look like they're going anywhere. I guess we're turning around."
"We don't know these woods. If we go looking for another way out, it might be a long time before we find it."
"So what are you saying—we charge them?" Harold asks hoping that's not what Phillip is thinking.
"I'll distract them."
"Shut up." Phillip and Tempest tell Junior, knowing damn well he'd be stupid enough to do it. "We're here to bring you back." Phillip tells the kid. "This isn't your chance to prove something."
"Okay. Then we're turning around."
"No." Phillip says looking down the hill at the cops. "I'm gonna go lead them off."
"Well, how are you gonna do that?" Harold wonders.
"I'll figure something out. When the coast is clear, you guys make a run for the interstate. I'll try and meet you there, and if not, I'll see you in Jersey."
"Phillip, wait. I'm going with you." Tempest tells him, he shakes his head but she cuts him off as he starts to speak. "No argument. I'm going with you."
Harold sighs, holding out the gun to Phillip. "You should take the gun." Phillips shakes his head, but Harold insists. "This is the frying pan. That's the fire. You should take the gun."
"You two are gonna need it. I'm not sure if I can clear them all out." He nods to them both before he takes off running, Tempest following close behind him. Looking over his shoulder he hollers to her as the cops get closer. "I know I told Harold nobody would die, but I'm starting to think we might have too. Are you a good shot?"
"You're about to find out." She says as she stops and points her rifle back at the cops. Firing three rapid shots she sends the cops scattering for cover behind trees, buying them some time to run. "See, no one died."
Harold and Junior make it out of the trees, they stop a truck on the highway in front of them, Harold commandeers it. They wait a moment looking for Phillip and Tempest, suddenly they hear two gunshots, they both look at one another thinking the same thing. But their fears are squashed as Phillip and Tempest break out of the trees about 50 yards behind them.
Harold gets into the driver's seat as the two run for the truck amid gunfire, as they near it Tempest gasps as a white hot pain cuts through the right side of her abdomen. She pushes herself and grabs onto the tailgate, Phillip helping to pull her into the bed as Harold takes off down the highway.
"You okay?" Phillip asks looking down at her as she lays beside him.
"Yeah, fine." She says, but as she pushes herself up she yelps clutching her right side. "Ah, shit." She pulls up the hem of her shirt as Phillip leans over her, a bullet had ripped through her body exiting out of her stomach, just below her rib cage. "I guess one of 'em was a good shot."
Phillip pulled his bandana out of his back pocket, pulling her up so she was lying between his legs, he folded the cloth up and pressed it over the wound. Tempest hissed in pain, but after a moment relaxed into his body.
It was dark by the time they reached Phillip and Junior's mother Marie's house. Phillip jumped out first then picked up Tempest and helped her out, while Junior climbed out of the truck cab. "Hey, man." Phillip pulled out a few hundred bucks handing it to the kid who's truck they had confiscated. "Thanks for the ride, man."
"Hey." Harold called from inside the truck. "Next time you need help with something, call somebody else."
The three walk up to Marie's door as Harold drives off, before they reach it, Marie steps out holding Mike's son in her arms. "Where you two been? And who is this?"
"I'm Tempest, a friend of Phillip's." Tempest says stepping up and shaking the woman's hand, she sees Phillip looking at the baby in his mother's arms.
"She left him here. No idea where she ran off too." Marie stated about the baby's mother, the one who had shot Phillip.
"Well, take him to an orphanage or something." Phillip said being rewarded by an elbow to the gut from Tempest.
"I can keep him if I want to."
"It's not legal."
"Okay, Phillip." Marie scoffs, then she sees the look on Junior's face and her heart drops. "What happened?"
The group goes into the house where they explain what had transpired up in Connecticut. Marie is furious with all three of them, even Tempest feels like she's being scolded by her mother.
"You want to go to prison for the rest of your life?" She looks over at Phillip. "Have you explained to him that's something he does not want?"
"You don't have to worry about Levi filing charges. I don't think he's interested in legal recourse. But he knows we figured out he's connected to Mac's murder. He's gonna be sending someone after me and Junior. I guarantee it."
"Then I'm calling the FBI." Marie states.
"You do that, Junior could be locked up for what he did up there." Phillip explains as he stands up. "I'm gonna take care of it, okay? You call Frank and make sure he watches the house. Junior's gonna stay here with you. If anybody asks, you tell them he's living at my place, all right? Stay out of sight."
Phillip helps Tempest to her feet and walks her to the door, Junior sits up on the couch. "I'm coming with you."
"You either hide yourself here, or I'll have Harold lock you up in a holding cell till this thing's over." Phillip and Tempest leave his mother's, walking back up the roads to his place.
When they get there Phillip shoves Tempest towards the bedroom, "Come on, lay down." She gives him a glare which he matches with one of his own. "Now. Do I really have to make you?"
Tempest sighs, she knows she's in no condition to fight him, so she gives in, sliding her leather jacket off and sitting down on the bed. She attempts to take her shirt off, but she can't raise her arms up high enough as it sends a shooting pain through her abdomen.
Phillip walks in after grabbing a First Aid Kit, he sees her struggling with her shirt. "I got it, sit still." He pulls out his knife and gently slices up the front of her shirt, splitting it in two, then sliding it off of her arms. "Okay, lay down."
Tempest lays down finding the bed actually very comfortable, she hisses as Phillip pours peroxide on the wound to clean it out.
"Okay, stitch or…"
"Knife." She says without hesitation.
Phillip nods, he grabs the blowtorch and lights it up, running his knife through the flame until the blade is glowing red. Reaching over her takes hold of her hand just as she did for him, she squeezes his hand as he places the red hot blade against her flesh. He's impressed when she doesn't jerk, the only protest she gives is a low moan. After about thirty seconds he removes the blade, looking down to make sure that the wound had been cauterized.
"Alright, all done." He said as he set the blade down and placed a bandage over the wound. He mused for a moment over the fact that they now both had a bullet wound scar on their left side. "Get some sleep, boss." He smiled as she flipped him off.
He went outside to gather some things he would need when Levi's men came calling, which he was betting would probably be the next night. After he had the things he would need, he returned to the bedroom to check on Tempest. Finding that she was sound asleep, he laid his hand on her forehead making sure she wasn't coming down with a fever. Deciding that she was okay, he gently scooted her over to the far side of the bed, putting himself between her and the door. If by any chance they attacked tonight, he wanted them to come after him first before her.
Tempest woke up the next morning, finding Phillip's arm wrapped around her waist, her head laying on his chest. She tried to get up without waking him, but it was no use as she felt his grip on her tighten. His eyes fluttered open, turning his head he looked down at her with a wry smile.
"Sorry, I must of moved in my sleep." She said.
He shook his head, "It's fine, I don't mind it."
She smirked, "Don't get any ideas, I'm gonna be your boss, there's a strict "no dating the boss rule."
"Damn, guess I'll have to quit then." He smiled, giving her a wink before he removed his arm from around her and got out of the bed.
Tempest shook her head, smiling as he left the room, she was starting to wonder what she had gotten herself into with Phillip Kopus.
The two were busy setting things up for Levi's arrival when they heard a vehicle in the driveway. Phillip went into the bedroom, while Tempest stood leaning against the back of the couch, her hand on the 9mm in her thigh holster.
There was a knock on the front door, it opened a moment later as Harold let himself in. "Hello? Hey!" He saw Tempest standing by the couch, she nodded to the bedroom knowing he was looking for Phillip. He walked into the room, looking around but didn't see the man, "You here?" He returned back to the living to tell her that Phillip wasn't there. But a creak in the floorboard behind him had him turning around to see Phillip standing in the doorway.
"What do you want?"
Harold is confused, Phillip wasn't in the bedroom when he had looked a moment ago. "How'd you do that? Where were you just now?"
"I was standing right over there, dumbass. Think you need glasses." Phillip says walking over to the cop and clearing his throat, Tempest smirks, she knew exactly how Phillip had done his appearing act.
Harold looks down at the new anklet that the parole board had outfitted Phillip with that morning. "How's it fit?"
"It's a little tighter than the last one."
"Better than prison though, right?"
"Are you looking for a thank you?" Phillip said smirking.
"No. What the hell am I gonna do with that? You want to know why I kept you out of prison? Same reason my mother never killed spiders."
"Well, I'm not gonna catch anything with a police car in my driveway." Phillip stated. "So if you're all finished talking…" He motioned towards the door with his hand.
"I brought you both a Kevlar vest." Harold said looking between Tempest and Phillip.
"No thanks." Tempest said shaking her head.
Phillip agreed, "Don't need it."
"You got a plan for when they show up?"
"Yeah. But I think it's better for you if you don't know what it is."
Harold nodded once more, placing his hands in his pockets. "Agreed. Well, if they do show, make sure tribal calls us for backup. They're gonna need us."
"Nobody's calling anybody. I got it covered."
"Well, just be careful how you do it. I don't have any more "get out of jail free" cards." He says before he moves for the door. "You sure you don't want the vest?"
"Yeah. I can't fit in a boys' extra medium."
Tempest smirks as Harold leaves, shutting the front door behind him, she picks up the small pumpkin on the table and hands it to Phillip. "You're sure about this?"
"It'll work. Trust me."
Tempest looks sincerely into his eyes, "I'm trusting you with my life, Phillip."