Finally Michelle sighed and, seeing no way to escape, slackened her wrist.
Nina arched an eyebrow and pulled Michelle's arm further into the car, bringing their faces uncomfortably close. "Get in the car," she said. Michelle could feel her breath on her face, and Nina's gun was now pressing uncomfortably against her stomach.
"My bags--"
"Leave them."
Reluctantly, Michelle pulled her feet into the car and slammed the door shut with her free hand, which she then put on the steering wheel. Nina made sure the other was next to it before she released her wrist.
"Where's Tony?" said Michelle. She stared resolutely forward at the wall which marked the edge of the parking lot, not quite able to bring herself to look at the woman sitting next to her now that she had a choice.
"On his way back to LA, just like we'll be in a few minutes. How've you been, Michelle?"
"I was fine until you showed up."
"Really? Your mascara's running."
"You do know you're violating the terms of your pardon."
"Gee, no Michelle, I didn't know. I'd better hop on a plane back to Africa right now."
Michelle forced herself to turn her head. "Yes," she said stonily. "You should."
Nina laughed. "You always were cute when you were mad at me."
Michelle felt a blush spread across her face and told herself it was anger. "What do you want?" she asked.
"The usual; money, a little entertainment along the way. You can start driving now."
Michelle started the engine and glared at her. "Where are we going?"
"Back to LA, I told you. I'll give you directions when we get closer." Nina stretched and leaned back in her seat, like a cat settling in for a long afternoon in the sun. She rested her hand on her lap, still pointing the gun loosely at Michelle. "Let's go."
Reluctantly, Michelle pulled out of the parking lot.
-- --
Michelle drove.
The muscles in her fingers started to cramp as she clutched at the steering wheel, and she concentrated on the road with an almost frightening vigor, trying to shut out all the other thoughts which were starting to close in on her. Where were they going? Would Tony be there? What were they doing to him? What were they saying to him? And why did Nina, of all the people in the world, have to be here?
Every now and then the temptation would grow too strong and she would sneak a glance at the other woman, who never seemed to even blink; every time Michelle looked, Nina was looking right back, smiling with that trademark twinkle in her eye which always seemed to imply that she knew something you didn't.
Michelle tried to tell herself she wouldn't look again, wouldn't give Nina the satisfaction, but eventually she always seemed to give in, cursing herself as she did, and the look on Nina's face telling her she knew exactly what kind of inner dilemma Michelle was facing, and that it amused her to no end.
The sky grew darker. The curtains and drapes in the houses they passed started to be closed more often than not. Finally, Michelle turned on the headlights.
As if this small movement had brought her back to life, Nina shifted her position in the passenger seat and fixed Michelle with a more attentive stare. "So how does Tony compare to me? I've gotta say Michelle, I didn't think he was your type."
Michelle felt her blood rush to her cheeks again. She felt more than saw Nina's grin widen, her lazy satisfaction somehow permeating the air and making it hard to breathe. "You never told him about us, did you?" said Nina; it was a statement more than a question.
Michelle stayed silent -- what else could she do? An admission would only give Nina more to grin about, and she would be able to see through the lie of a 'yes' in an instant. Nina was perceptive like that, something which had always made Michelle uncomfortable, unlike Tony, who could read her like a book and make her smile by doing it.
"I knew it." Nina shook her head gleefully. She casually raised her gun to examine it, then looked back at Michelle, grinning. "This is gonna be fun."
The cold feeling in Michelle's gut told her otherwise.
-- --
"Here we are."
Michelle had been longing for and dreading those words at the same time. Longing for them because it would mean an end to the torture of sitting in a car with Nina holding her at gunpoint and refusing to tell her what was happening to Tony, and dreading them because whatever came next seemed likely to be much, much worse.
"Park over there," Nina instructed.
Michelle brought the car to a stop next to what looked like an abandoned apartment building. Some of the windows were boarded up, others had been smashed in and just left that way. What was left of the paint on the walls was peeling away, and everything was covered in grime.
Not for the first time, Michelle wondered how long it took criminals to find these types of places, and how often they bumped into other people engaged in a shady dealings when they moved into a building. And then she wondered why she was wondering such an insignificant thing at a time like this, and the knot of panic in her stomach made itself known with renewed strength.
"Stop daydreaming, Michelle. Get out of the car."
Michelle obeyed, forcing herself to breathe deeply and remain calm, and was pushed with a gun in her back until they reached what looked like the door to a basement.
"Open it," Nina instructed, and then grinned her worst grin yet. "Let's see if I can't break Tony's heart again before they kill you."