2.
Thoughts of her job ran through Lex's head almost too often now. She sat at a conference table, listening about the latest problems the small company faced, and not a single word sank in. Did it really matter anymore? It had been her dream to work for some sort of environmental group, but after all these years, she was starting to feel…bored.
Its Antarctica, she snapped at herself. Ever since that place you've been paranoid about everything. Give it up and get on with your life.
Then again…she wondered if it was just Antarctica that was doing this to her. Lately she had been finding herself staying later and later, going over papers that seemed to be written in Greek rather than English. It had almost been a whole year—she should be better….should be.
The phone rang, her thoughts leaving her and bringing her back to her small cubicle in the office room. She stared at the black contraption for a moment, watching the red light next to line three flashing as each ring echoed in the fairly empty room. She didn't want to answer it. The last call she took was a scientist demanding that they set up an appointment to get going on the project he was conducting in the Alps.
Finally, she gave up. Maybe it was important. Maybe it was someone offering her a million dollars. "Alexa Woods," she answered dully.
"Hey you," Steven said, his voice soft and calming.
"Hi," she said in relief. "I'm glad you're you."
Steven laughed. "I think I am too," he replied. "Rough day?"
"Terrible," she told him truthfully. "I need a beach."
"Well, that could be arranged eventually," Steven said. "But how's dinner for tonight in the meantime?"
Lex looked at her small desk clock and sighed. "I didn't even realize it was nearly eight. I need to stop this."
"You're spending too much time at work and not enough time doing something you want to do. I left there hours ago and you were still staring at your desk," Steven told her. "You need to find a hobby."
"My hobby is my job," Lex reminded him. "It always has been. I go mountain climbing in dangerous areas for the hell of it."
"Yeah, but if that was offered to you right now, would you go?"
Lex fell silent.
"How about Vinny's? We haven't had Italian in a while."
"That's fine," she said. "Give me half an hour and I'll meet you there."
"I'll pick you up."
"No," Lex said softly. "I need the time alone. I'll meet you there in half an hour."
She heard Steven sigh with defeat. "All right, then. I love you."
"Love you too," she said with the same soft tone and hang up. Now that she thought of it, Italian food sounded good—she could really go for some chicken parm.
Leaving everything where it was, Lex switched off the desk light and got up. She had her black vest with her tonight instead of a coat; she put it on and zipped it up, added gloves to her hands and took hold of her purse. She didn't even look back at the mess of papers she'd curse herself for leaving when she returned in the morning, but she didn't care.
"Night, Larry," Lex said as she passed the security guard making his rounds in the hall.
"See you tomorrow, Lex," Larry replied. "Have a good night."
I will, Lex told herself as she hurried down the four flights of stairs of the building to the first floor. She was determined to enjoy herself tonight. For once in your life, Lex, give it up and be happy.
When she stepped out onto the busy streets of Boston, Lex took in a deep breath of the crisp, autumn air. It chilly, but she liked it. She had no worry of walking to Vinny's. It was only a few blocks away. Besides, driving wasn't one of her favorite things—cars were nothing but a sin to the ozone.
Lex took a quick glance at her watch—8:15. She told Steven she'd meet him in half an hour, so he had better hurry. Finding a decent pace, Lex hurried through the small crowd of tourists that were standing in front of shop windows gazing in as if they had never seen a store before.
Hurrying across a street, down the sidewalk and turning the corner of the end-building, Lex saw that there were cops everywhere. There seemed to have been some sort of car accident where one car had hit another which ended up into a tree.
"Perfect," Lex moaned. It looked like people were gathered around the site to see what happened; she had no desire to fight her way through, if the cops would even let her.
The only alternative was that ally she passed a block back. She could cut through and reach the other side to the street Vinny's was on. No problem…she'd just be a few minutes late.
It seemed colder in the ally, not to mention much darker. There were only a few spot lights and they didn't do much to help. She cursed herself for choosing this route—it was long enough where she was probably wasting more time there than if she had tried to fight her way through the crowed at that accident.
She came out onto the next street she had thought would've been where she needed to go. She turned around and looked back at the dark path she came from. "Damn it," she said to herself trying to find out where she was. It was pretty much deserted and she couldn't figure out where she was. Then she remembered that she was thinking of that stupid sports bar she had gone to with Steven and Mark. "Damn," she repeated and headed down the street. Vinny's was the next block over. If she hurried, she'd still be only ten minutes late.
There were a few people roaming the streets, but most people had given up in the cold and had gone home. She was tempted to call a cab, but even those weren't lurking about. There never was when you needed one; after all, this wasn't New York.
Then…Lex's heart stopped. In front of her were five people that didn't look too friendly. Two stood over the hood of a car, while the other three seemed to be guarding the area.
Just a few kids...Ignore them and you'll be fine, she told herself. She walked up further and then realized she should've quit while she was ahead. Now that she was only a few yards from them she saw one of the 'kids' had moved to the side of the car and started picking the lock. They were stealing the car. "Shit…" she said out loud without realizing it.
"Hey!"
Lex pretended she didn't hear whoever shouted at her. She quickly turned around and headed back to where she came. Her eyes searched the area for anyone she could run up to, but before she finish that search a hand grabbed her arm.
"Evenin' pretty lady," the thug said. His hair was jet black, greased into a tight pony tail; his face looked clean, but his hands were terribly dirty. He wore faded and ripped jeans and a shiny leather jacket that looked too good to be on him. "Where'd you be headin'?"
"Doesn't really matter, does it?" Lex snapped at him. "If you'd excuse me—"
"But I can't," he said, his bad marijuana breath making her nose cringe. "We thought you'd like to join our little party."
"Who've ya got there Mike?" Said another that looked similar to 'Mike' except his hair just looked like he washed it with dirt.
"A visitor," Mike replied. "Looks like she was headin' somewhere and went the wrong way."
"Yeah, and I need to be going; I'm late as it is," Lex said trying to pull her arm away from Mike's grip.
"We can help you out, can't we guys?" The other said over his shoulder. The remaining three came up, and Lex saw that the group consisted of four men, all of which looked like they had their vitamins, and a woman that looked as if she should on a cigarette ad.
"Jack, check to see what she's got on her," Mike said.
Jack, a shorter man with spiky blonde hair and three eyebrow rings reached over and took hold of Lex's purse. She tried desperately to pull away from them again, but Mike took hold of both her arms and kept her still.
The woman snatched the purse from Jack's hands and dumped out the contents on the sidewalk. Jack bent down and picked up her wallet while the woman spread out the other items, (including chap-stick, eye shadow, a cell phone, and a pack of tissues) with her foot.
"Boring bitch isn't she?" the woman smirked and looked at Lex as if she was some sort of insect.
"Drives a Beemer," an unnamed thug said.
"How ya know?" Jack asked.
"Keys—" He held up the black car key with the recognizable BMW symbol etched onto the side.
"What's your name?" Mike asked, Lex trying not to let his breath get to her. "I asked you a question, girl!"
"Alexa Woods," the fourth guy answered, holding up Lex's driver's license.
"Alexa? What kind of name is that?" The woman laughed and leaned over to get a better look at Lex.
Lex tried to figure out why anyone would wear so much makeup. She looked like a clown. "Did you guys ever hear of brushing your teeth?" Lex asked finally, knowing damn well she should've kept that to herself.
"You tryin' to tell us somethin'?" Mike said and shoved Lex into the hands of the one with the dirt hair. "Blade here likes black bitches," he said nodding to the man holding Lex.
"Blade?" She asked, trying hard not to tell them they were all stupid idiots that should go back to school and learn some grammar.
"I always carry a blade," he said with a snarl, whipping out a knife that had a blade of at least seven inches in length.
"This here's Sumo 'cause he's our China-man," Mike pointed out and Lex noticed that Sumo was indeed Chinese. "And here be my gal Jasmine."
Lex raised an eyebrow at this Jasmine—the name didn't fit her at all. Her hair was bleached blonde, skin that looked like it hadn't seen sun in years, and a nose ring that was much too obvious, not to mention that heavy makeup.
"So now you can be a part of our little family," Mike said coming up close. "'Cause we can't have ya going and telling nobody that you met us while we were having a few difficulties getting into our car over there."
"Oh, you were having problems? Here I thought you wanted to just take it for a test drive," Lex spat and looked away. Struggling against Blade's grip was pointless—his hands were tightly holding her arms where she wondered if he'd eventually cut off the blood flow.
"Bitch," Jasmine said.
"You seem to like that word," Lex said back very calmly. Shut up, Lex. You're in deep enough trouble as it is…Where's a predator when you need one? She gave a slight smile at her own humor as she realized she wished one of those hunters would appear when earlier she wanted to forget they ever existed.
"What ya wanna do with her?" Sumo asked Mike, his words broken up terribly with his Chinese accent.
"I say use her and leave her hangin'," Jack said.
"Beat her for her stupid mouth," Jasmine suggested.
"Or both," Mike said and burst out laughing, the others going along with him. Lex gasped and struggled against Blade's hold. She started to yell out, but his large hand covered the lower portion of her face and muffled any screams for help she attempted to get out.
"Hold up!" Mike said holding his hand up. He leaned in closer and looked at Lex's chest. She gave him a look of pure hatred, wondering what the hell he was up to now. His hand reached out and picked up the necklace that had fallen free from Lex's button-up shirt.
"What is it?" Jasmine asked leaning over next to him.
"Looks like that blue gem," Sumo said.
"Sapphire, idiot," Mike said. "Where'd ya get this?"
"None of your business," Lex said. They'd never believe her anyway.
"I asked where ya got it!" Mike asked and pointed a gun directly in her face.
Lex looked at the black weapon with little fear; although, she wasn't in the mood to have her face blown away tonight. "It was a gift."
"What's it worth?" Jasmine asked her as she grabbed the trinket and pulled it off of Lex's neck, the leather-like wire snapping free.
"Nothing," Lex told her truthfully. "I don't even know what the hell it is."
"Sure ya don't," Mike said. "Put it on gorgeous." Jasmine did so and showed it off, the four men whistling.
"Hey—coppers," Sumo pointed down the street at a passing police unit in the intersection.
"Time to head home," Mike said and nodded for Blade to bring Lex along with them.
"Hey! Let me go!" Lex yelled out, but Blade covered her mouth again.
"Told ya, darlin', that we can't have ya going to tell anybody that you met us," Mike said. "Besides, we're gonna have ourselves a bit of a get-together tonight. We want you to be our guest of honor."
Lex struggled against Blade's grip again, but the pain he inflicted on her by tightening his hold was too much. At this point, Lex wished Mike had pulled the trigger. She was tired of bad things happening in her life. She wished she hadn't walked to Vinny's…she wished that someone would save her before they hurt her more.
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AN: I love writing about gangsters—they're fun. lol. Anyway, I'm not sure when the third chapter will be up, but hopefully soon. The action has yet to begin…mwuahahahaha ;)