The door smashed open and Ashley turned lazily to face Kimiko. She knew what this was going to be about.
"Kimiko," She said with the air of pleasant surprise, "What are you doing here? I thought you …"
She was stopped short by Kimiko's hand making sharp connection to the side of her face. She blinked in disbelief and put her hand up to the burning patch on her cheek.
"You stupid little bitch!" Snapped Kimiko, drawing her hand back and slapping her hard across the face again, "Don't you understand what you've done?"
Kimiko's eyes were burning with tears. Raimundo and Nick were on their way to the hospital, but it was probably already too late and it was all because this stupid bitch had decided to rat them out. She drew her hand back again hit Ashley so hard she fell from her chair and crashed to the floor. Ashley looked up, a hand on her red cheek.
"How dare you!" She said and stood up.
"How dare I?" Shouted Kimiko, "How dare I? You called the police Ashley! You got all of Raimundo's friends arrested and now Chase Young is out to get us! Don't you dare act like this is my fault! DON'T YOU DARE!"
She drew her hand back to hit Ashley again, but Ashley got there first. She thrust her palm into Kimiko's nose. Kimiko fell backwards.
"It is your fault Tohomiko!" Said Ashley, "You spoilt slut! You think this is about you? Everything's always about you isn't it!"
Kimiko kicked her hard in the stomach. She staggered backwards.
"Why did you call the police Ashley?" Snapped Kimiko.
"Because they deserve it!" Laughed Ashley, getting to her feet again, "And because there was a reward."
Kimiko stared at her in disbelief.
"A reward?" She asked.
"Ten thousand," Said Ashley, "Not a huge amount but enough to keep me happy for a while."
Kimiko punched her in the nose and felt the bone crack beneath her knuckles. Ashley fell back, grabbed a vase off her dressing table and smashed it across her head. Kimiko fell to the floor; dazed and wet from the water the flowers had been in, in the vase. Ashley grabbed her by the hair at the back of her head and lifted her up.
"You think I did it just to be spiteful? I wanted the money," She hissed, "Of course, making you miserable was just a bonus."
Kimiko elbowed her in the stomach and staggered away.
"You hate me that much?" Asked Kimiko.
"You've got everything!" Yelled Ashley, "You've got everything I deserve!"
Kimiko kicked her in the face, which was already bloody with a broken nose.
"Well now add looks to your list of everything I've got that you don't." Said Kimiko, spitting on the carpet and walking out.
Waiting on the pavement outside Ashley's house was Omi, leaning against Raimundo's bike. He looked at the blood on Kimiko's hand, the bruises on her face and the blood trickling down her forehead where the vase had smashed.
"Trust me," Said Kimiko, "She's worse off."
Omi didn't bother asking, but started the bike. Kimiko climbed onto back and they drove away in the direction of the hospital where Raimundo had gone with Nick in the Ambulance. When they got there, Kimiko climbed off the bike and Omi went to park.
As she walked through the doors she saw Raimundo sat in a chair, head in his hands, looking at his own shoes. She walked over and he stood up. He hugged her closely and sighed.
"Is Nick okay?" She asked.
"I don't know," Said Raimundo, "They haven't told me anything yet."
Kimiko bit her lip as tears brimmed in her eyes.
"It'll be okay," Said Raimundo, hands on her shoulders, "Was it Ashley?"
"Yes," Said Kimiko, "But she won't be doing it again in a hurry."
"Is she …" Began Raimundo.
"She's got a broken nose and a good few bruises so she'll be here shortly." Said Kimiko.
They both sighed.
"What are we going to do about Chase Young?" Asked Kimiko.
"I don't know yet," Said Raimundo, "He's going to come and find us eventually."
"I hope he does," Said Kimiko bitterly.
Raimundo was about to reply when he looked up. Kimiko followed his gaze and saw a surgeon coming towards him.
"You're the one who brought in 'Nick', aren't you? Gun wound to the chest?" He asked.
"Yes," Said Raimundo, a hand on Kimiko's shoulder.
"I'm afraid the damage was too much to repair," Said the surgeon, "The bullet punctured one of his lungs and we were too late getting to him …"
Kimiko stared at him trying to take in what he was trying to say.
"What do you … what …" She tried to find the right way of asking.
"I'm afraid we lost him … he died while we were operating on him." Said the surgeon.
Kimiko stared blankly, trying to understand what he had just said.
"There are a couple of forms I need filling out by family members," Said the surgeon.
"I am a family member," Said Kimiko, "Or the closest thing he has to one."
"Well … when you're ready go to the front desk," Said the surgeon, "I'll let them know to expect you."
Kimiko stared blankly at the floor.
"I'm sorry for your loss." Said the surgeon, "You might want to get yourself checked out while you're here."
The surgeon left and Kimiko realised she still had a trail of blood on her forehead. She wiped it away with her sleeve. Raimundo watched her stare blankly at the floor in front of her. Omi walked in through the doors and instantly knew it was bad news. Kimiko's eyes brimmed with tears and her lip trembled. Raimundo quickly hugged her as she cried into his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head and held on to her tightly as she shook with silent sobs. Time seemed to stop around them. Everything fell away leaving them in silence as she cried and he held onto her. Omi watched and knew, that this was love, something someone very rarely saw these day; real, full on emotion. Love at it's strongest. If there was nothing else left worth fighting for in this world, he would fight so that these two could be happy.
It was some time in the morning by the time they left the hospital and the police had finished their report. As they walked out of the main doors, Kimiko glared out at the dim sky, scattered with fading stars and a pale moon. Raimundo glanced at her. She hadn't spoken to him since they got the news. Now she turned to him and her eyes were cold.
"I'm going to find Chase Young," She said.
"No, not without me." Said Raimundo.
"You can come if you want," Said Kimiko, "Just don't try and stop me!"
Raimundo looked into her pale blue eyes.
"I wouldn't dream of it." Said Raimundo.
She turned and began walking up the path and Raimundo took a breath and followed. This was going to be a difficult day. The sun would be up in a few hours and he didn't want to have to confront Chase Young during the day with everyone able to see them. He would rather do it under the cover of darkness with Kimiko somewhere safe. Stopping her didn't seem like an option, but they still had a few hours of darkness ahead.
He caught up with her. Omi was still asleep back at the hospital. Raimundo didn't want to wake him since he hadn't really gotten any sleep the previous night after being woken by the police. Kimiko on the other hand was wide awake.
"Where would Chase Young be?" Asked Kimiko coldly.
"I don't know, probably in hiding somewhere." Said Raimundo, "Or out looking for us."
"So where do we look?" Asked Kimiko.
"Nowhere just yet," Said Raimundo.
"I don't have time to waste Raimundo!" Snapped Kimiko.
"Kimiko! He has a gun!" Said Raimundo.
"So we'll catch him off guard before he can use it!" Said Kimiko harshly, "I thought you agreed not to try and stop me!"
"I'm not trying to stop you!" Said Raimundo, "I'm trying to prepare you! And besides, I don't want …"
Kimiko turned to him.
"Don't want what?" Asked Kimiko.
"I don't want … you're not going to be the one to kill him!" Said Raimundo.
"Yes! I am!" Snapped Kimiko.
"No!" Said Raimundo, "Beat the crap out of him, shoot him if you have to, but you don't kill him yourself!"
"Nick is dead because of him!" Said Kimiko.
"And you will be too if you kill him!" Said Raimundo.
"Not if I kill him first!" Said Kimiko.
"You don't understand … you won't be physically dead." Said Raimundo, "You'll look the same on the outside, but you'll be different on the inside. Killing someone changes a person. You'll just be a cold and empty shell! I'm not going to let you kill him! I'm not going to lose you that way."
Kimiko stared at him.
"I don't care how much you hurt him," Said Raimundo, "But … just try and avoid killing him if you can. We can hand him over to the police, or if we have to, I'll do something, but you're not killing him."
"I want him to suffer!" Said Kimiko.
"And he will, but let him suffer in jail!" Said Raimundo, "Killing him is sinking to his level Kimiko."
Kimiko looked down at the ground and then back up at Raimundo.
"If we can avoid it," She said, "But he's going to suffer one way or another."
"We'll make sure of it," Said Raimundo, holding onto her.
She pulled away and began walking up the path again and Raimundo walked along side her. Looking at them, no one would've been able to tell what the future held for them and for Chase Young.
Clay was sat at home; Jesse sat across from him, looking at him with concern.
"Clay?" Asked Jesse.
Clay didn't answer. He hadn't spoken since he had gotten home. Jesse didn't know what had happened, but she could tell it hadn't been good. What had happened to Raimundo, Omi and Chase Young? Why wasn't he willing to talk about it?
The truth was, Clay was a thousand miles away. He was thinking about everything that had happened since he had woken up that morning. He had discovered that their hideout had been raided by police; everything was gone. Raimundo was going to be after Chase Young. Chase Young was a murder. Most of their gang was in jail and it wouldn't be long before one of them started naming names. When that time came, he and Jesse were going to be in huge trouble with the police and their parents. They didn't have the excuse of not having parents or a home. They shouldn't been normal kids, but they had been dragged into this life.
The phone rang, dragging Clay away from his thoughts. He stood up and picked the phone up. The voice at the other end was his mother's.
"Clay? The police have rung me saying you're requested with connection with that teenage burglar gang. You and Jesse are to come to the police station right away."
"We'll be there soon." Said Clay.
"Clay … you aren't involved are you? Please tell me you're not!"
"Wish I could mum," Said Clay.
"What about Jesse?" Asked his mother, sounding tearful.
"We'll talk about it when we get there mum," Said Clay.
"Clay! Just tell me!" Said his mother's voice sounding firm.
"We'll be there in fifteen." Said Clay, before putting the phone down.
He turned to Jesse who stared at him worriedly.
"We've got to go to the police station," Said Clay.
"What?" Asked Jesse in disbelief.
"Someone's ratted us out Jesse," Said Clay, "The police need to talk to us. Mum's already there."
"Clay! We're not going to tell them anything!" Said Jesse.
"No, someone's already named names Jesse," Said Clay.
"What's the bet it's Jack Spicer?" Spat Jesse.
"Either way, we've got to be there more or less nowish," Said Clay.
They both stood in silence for a moment.
"We've been really stupid haven't we," Sighed Jesse.
"Yeah," Said Clay, smiling slightly, "But it's been fun."
(A/N) Full length for a change and now I've officially got no more distractions.
Tell me what you think.
Lots of luv, Becky.