Chapter 26: Dealing with Pressure
Down the next block from the park, Simon had been walking aimlessly for a while now. His stomach churned. His heart pounded. His brain raced, thoughts were flying in and out without pause. He thought about Jeanette, and about what she meant to him. He thought about her sisters, Brittany and Eleanor. He thought about Dave, and his brothers Alvin and Theodore. He felt angry and embarrassed at how he had treated them all. He thought about Tom and Renee, and the situation they were in.... he thought about Brian and Brenda, and his heart sunk lower.
"Hey there, handsome! Penny for your thoughts?"
Those seven words brought Simon to a halt. He looked up, and smiled. Renee stood on the corner, just smiling back. She looked more sober now then she did last night, but still she looked paler then she did when they came off the island. The twinkle in her bright, green eyes that would glisten in the sunlight when she smiled seemed to be no longer there. Simon worried about her health. She was not looking that well at all.
"So, where are you headed off to?" Asked Renee.
"Oh, um..." Simon was unprepared for the question. He really didn't want to have to explain what he was thinking about, and his mind immediately evaluated the situation and location he was in. "I was just heading over to the park." He pointed across the street. "I figured I might run into you or Tom there."
"Looks like you figured right!" Renee giggled.
"And what are you doing here?" Simon asked.
"Me? Oh..." Renee began. She also didn't want to give away her true intentions. "I'm just hanging out! I wanted to check out some of the specials in this store, here." She pointed at the Convenient Store that was on the corner they were on.
"Oh..." Simon replied. "Um... do you know what time it is? My watch, uh, had an accident." He said sheepishly as he remembered taking it off before washing his face this morning. When Dave, after talking to Miss. Miller, started banging on the bathroom door and ordered Simon to come out. It startled Simon enough to drop the watch in the toilet.
"It should be about noon." Renee casually replied, not even checking her watch. Instead, she looked up the street at the park. Simon also glanced down the street. They both watched as a group of five guys strolled out of the park and across the street in their direction.
"Um, Simon." Renee began, "Can you wait for me here, please?"
Simon looked back at her. "Well, sure...but..."
"Oh, don't worry." Renee interrupted as she reached over and reassuringly squeezed Simon's hand in hers. "Everything's okay." She then placed her hands in her pockets and walked over to the front of the convenient store.
Simon felt very uncomfortable as he watched the men walk up to her. The taller one of the group stood right in front of her and pulled something out of his pocket. Renee also pulled something out of her pocket and exchanged it quickly with what the man had. Simon began to glare; he began to realize what was happening.
Renee began to walk away as the man looked down into his hand. Then the man looks up and calls out. "Hey! Hold on there, cute stuff!"
Renee stopped and turned around, facing the man again. "This is light!" He said.
"No it's not!" Replied Renee. "It's all there, Johnny...honest!"
Johnny smiled and shook his head. "Hey, look. I told you last time. Daytime trade is very rare, and very risky, so if you can't wait till the sun goes down, then the price goes up! Now, where's the rest of my money?"
"Well..." Started Renee, "I don't have that much on me... I can get it for you, no sweat. Just give me one more day."
Johnny simply grinned and shook his head. "Nah, you gotta pay now!"
Renee stood silent. She had no idea what to say. Did he somehow know that she was leaving tonight? Her mind raced with all sorts of calculations on how she could handle this situation…all lead to a fight, which she so much was trying to avoid.
Johnny walked up to her again. "Look, sweet thing, you're a friend, so you don't have to worry." He said as he wrapped his arm around her, making her instantly uncomfortable. "Now, if you come with me, I'm sure we can work out some form of payment." He smiled.
"No!" Renee started to glare as she tried to wiggle out of his grasp. Without realizing, her eyes were starting to become dark and focused. She knew what he wanted and it was just something he was not going to get no matter what price he wanted for her 'stuff'. It was then that she sensed Simon approaching…
"Um... excuse me!" Everyone turned to look at Simon, who was walking in the direction where they stood in a cautious manner. "Maybe I can be of some assistance?" Simon said with a nervous grin.
"Hey, don't worry about it!" Johnny warned. "Just mind your own business, alright? Come on, doll, let's go..." He added as he tried to walk away and pull Renee along with him.
"Look guys," Simon chimed, "I'm sure we can work out some type of arrangement."
One of the other men walked past Johnny, straight up to Simon, and grabbed him by the front of his blue shirt with his left hand. "How about I rearrange your face for you?" He threatened as another one of the men came up along his right side.
"See what you did, kid?" The other boy said. "You got Bobby here all upset. He don't like being upset. Ain't that right Bobby?"
"Shut up, Ted!" Bobby growled. His eyes stayed firmly focused on Simon.
"Heh, heh...come on now..." Simon politely said as he adjusted his glasses.
Johnny turned to the two remaining men behind him. "Nelson, Frankie, do me a favour and get rid of this clown. I ain't in the mood for this!" He simply said. The two nodded and started walking over towards Simon.
"No! Wait! Don't do this!" Pleaded Renee.
"I suggest we avoid violence, gentlemen?" Added Simon. His eyes slowly became focused and dark looking.
As Frankie and Nelson were approaching, out of nowhere, Alvin came crashing into the both of them with the fury of a football linesman, slamming them both into the wall of the store!
Simon and the other two men looked behind them, startled by what had just happened. "Oh, Alvin!" Simon sighed, rolling his eyes skyward. Then while his opponent still looked at the scene Alvin created, Simon grabbed the hand on his shirt with his right hand. With a simultaneously twist, he turned his attacker's wrist clockwise and pushed upward until he heard a snap. As Bobby cried out in pain, Simon reached out, and then backhanded him with his left fist, dropping him to the concrete.
Ted immediately spun back around towards Simon and drew a switchblade knife from his pocket with his right hand. In that instant, Simon lifted his left foot, and sharply side-kicked the inside of his right knee, then landed a hard right-fist cross to Ted's jaw, knocking him out.
The knife landed on the floor, right in view of Bobby. He reached out with his right hand in an attempt to grasp it. Simon simply placed his right foot in front of the inside of Bobby's outstretched forearm, then swept with his left foot to the outside of Bobby's elbow, immediately causing it to snap and bend the wrong way. Simon was now sure that Bobby wouldn't be able to pick up that knife with either hand. But to be on the safe side, Simon kicked the knife as far away from the two men he just floored and ran towards Alvin and the other two men that he charged into the wall.
Alvin, after slamming the two against the wall, immediately grabbed the man on his left. He punched Frankie in the face, and he dropped to the ground. Alvin climbed over him, and began to repeatedly slam his right fist into his face. Nelson, shaking off the impact of the wall, came up from behind, grabbed Alvin, and slammed him up against the wall. Then he began to drive his right fist repeatedly into Alvin's mid-section. Alvin doubled over and clutched his stomach in pain, and Nelson clasped his hands together and smashed downwards into Alvin's spine.
As the boys' fought, Johnny tried again to grab Renee and drag her from the scene. "Come on, Red, time for you payment." He snarled.
Renee, looking like she had quit enough with this guy, she placed her 'stuff' in her jean pocket, and grabs his hand from her right bicep and flipped him over her shoulder and slamming him hard onto the sidewalk. "If you touch me one more time, I'll rip off your limbs!" She growled. If there was one thing she didn't like to do was play the role of 'damsel in distress'. Only Tom would be her hero, however.
Simon jumped over the body of the dazed and bloodied Frankie. Before Nelson could do any more damage to the valiant, but now defenseless Alvin, Simon grabbed hold of him by the back with two hands, spun him around, and flung him threw the store's glass window. Nelson got up from behind the shattering glass, and stumbled away from the scene. Frankie got up and looked over on the road and saw a shiny object, it was the knife that Simon kicked away from Bobby. Slowly, Frankie made his way past the Seville brothers and picked up the knife.
Alvin, coughing from the pain in his stomach, looked up to see Simon staring back down at him. The look in his brother's eyes seems almost distant. Simon was shaking his head in disappointment and wonder. "Why is it that I always have to bail you out of trouble, Alvin?" He sighed.
Alvin was about to respond, when they both heard Renee shout. "Behind you!" They both turned to look at her. She was charging at them, full speed, then jumped high into the air, passed right by Simon, and landed a hard kick right to Frankie's throat! Frankie immediately dropped the knife he had in his hand. He clutched at his throat as he staggered backwards. She jumped up again, and threw out a roundhouse kick to his temple, knocking out Frankie for good.
Renee turned and walked over to the boys. "Are you two okay?" She asked with concern in her voice as she bent down to help Alvin get to his feet.
"What happened?" asked Alvin.
"Frankie, there, had a knife in his hand and tried to attack Simon from behind. I couldn't just stand there, I had to do something!" Renee explained as she looked into Simon face. "Better him then you. Right, handsome?" She asked him with a smile. All Simon could do was blush and smile back.
At that moment, they all heard a 'click'. Simon, immediately recognizing the sound, quickly he turned sharply. Making sure he was completely in front of Renee and Alvin, Simon stood solid in a fighting position ready to pounce like a ninja would, as Johnny pointed a gun at them.
"You chipmunks are good fighters!" He laughed. "You got guts! To bad it's about to get wasted!"
Simon didn't flinch. Renee looked up with a shocked expression as she held up Alvin, who was still in pain from being punched in the abdomen.
"C'mon, chipmunk! What are you going to do? Take a jump at me?" Johnny said, glaring into Simon's eyes. He could tell he was ready for more action.
Simon was quickly calculating all of his options. He knew that if he moved Johnny would shoot his gun. He knew that if he tried to dodge by ducking to the side, and then pounce, he'd leave Renee and Alvin open and unprotected...that defiantly were not acceptable. Then his eyes looked passed Johnny and the 9-millimeter weapon in his hand, and realized that he would not need to pounce at all. Simon began to grin in a mischievous manner.
Johnny noticed that Simon's gaze fell behind him and quickly spun around...right into the hands of Tom. In less then a moment, Tom had disarmed him and had him up against the wall by his throat.
"You picked the wrong chipmunk to point a gun at!" Tom spoke threw clenched teeth, as Johnny struggled against the right hand that was choking him. "And you know what? It's gonna cost you..." Tom finished as he raises the pistol to dealer's forehead with his left hand...
"Tom! Stop it!" Cried out Renee.
Tom momentarily focused his eyes on her, and then turned his attention back on the man that had been poisoning his girl for the past week. He focused his glare on him even harder now. Renee knew how much pain her love was going through and feared he had gone over the top this time.
At that moment, police sirens could be faintly heard, but they were getting stronger. "Tom, you know as much as I do that the last thing we need is to be caught by the police! Let it go…" Renee said urgently.
"Tom…" Simon started to say in a calm reassuring manner as well. "She's right, we don't need this on our hands. What we need is to get out of here…now!"
"Come on!" She ran up to Tom and tugged on his arm. "He's not worth it! Please, lets just go!" She pleaded. Tom closed his eyes he knew they were right. He then released his grip off of Johnny and with the gun still in his hand he ran off with Renee, Simon, and Alvin.
"We need to split up!" Renee announced in a hurried tone. She and Tom ran off in one direction and Simon and Alvin also took off in the opposite directions. Johnny lied on the concrete, choking and gasping for breath.
It wasn't until he reached the other side of the park when Alvin slowed down. He then collapsed under a tree, gasping for air and trying to take stock of what just happened. He was sure that he was safe now. He realized that this had become a lot more complicated then he had first thought, and that maybe he had gotten in way over his head. He marveled at just how well Simon and his friends could fight! He realized that Tom meant every word when he said that he would give his life for Simon. ...Then he realized that he had lost Simon all over again. He saw Simon jumped a fence without any trouble and disappeared before Alvin could catch up with him. Alvin let out a defeated sigh and struggled to get back up and headed for home.
OoOoOoOoOoOo
Theodore looked at the kitchen wall clock. It read 12:45. He then looked down at the kitchen table that he had filled with all kinds of different food, and licked his lips in anticipation. "Oh, I wish they would get here sooner!" He mumbled to himself as he rested his head in his hands. "Well...maybe a little bite wouldn't hurt..."
He reached over and lifted a fork. He hesitated for a moment, and then summoning all his will power, he put the fork back down on the table. "No! I'm going to wait till my brothers get home!" He resolved.
At that moment, he heard the front door open and close. "Alvin? Simon? Is that you?" Theodore asked excitedly as he ran towards the front room. "Come on in, everybody! Lunch is ready! We've got sandwiches, and potato salad, and leftover lasagne, and I made some chicken broth for you, Simon!" Theodore stopped short when he saw Alvin, and only Alvin, leaning up against the front door.
"Alvin?" Asked Theodore. He started noticing that his brother looked like he was in a fight or something just by seeing a tear in his shirt and the way he held his stomach with his hand. "What happened?"
Alvin didn't look up. "Oh...nothing..." He quietly said.
Something about the way Alvin looked made Theodore fear the worst. "Alvin, this doesn't look like 'nothing'." He said addressing the fact he is still clutching his abdomen. "W-w-where's Simon?"
"I couldn't help him!" Alvin miserably mumbled. "He's beyond my help!"
"What do you mean? Alvin, where is Simon?" Theodore was almost in a panic.
Alvin's head snapped up. He looked into Theodore's panicking eyes. "Huh?"
"Alvin? Where is our brother?"
"I don't know." Alvin replied solemnly. He then walked off and began to climb the stairs.
"But, wait!" Cried Theodore. "Didn't you find, Simon?"
"I couldn't find him." Alvin flatly stated, not even bothering to stop. He couldn't bear to tell Theodore the truth. Would he even believe it? He could hardly believe it himself.
"But, what about MY LUNCH?" Theodore yelled.
"I'm not hungry, Theodore!" Alvin says back.
Theodore was about to ask more questions when he heard their bedroom door slam shut. "Boy, this eating problem Simon has is starting to spread." His heart sunk. He had been so excited at the thought that he could help make things better. Now, all those plans were dashed.
Theodore returned to the kitchen and sat back down, totally crushed. He looked at all the food he had prepared. He scooped up the fork again, speared a piece of the lasagna, and lifted it to his face. He could only stare at it for a moment, and then put the fork back down on his plate.
Theodore had lost his appetite. He sat at the kitchen table, alone, and hopefully waited for Simon to come home.