"What is going on here?" a redheaded young man in a marine service uniform asked. The man looked no older than 23 with short red hair with tufts sticking out of his garrison cap. The man looked at the scene with confusion until the clerk answered him.
"She forgot to pay for her items and now she's short," the clerk said angrily.
"I told you, I left my stuff on the bus," Anne said, shooting back.
"Woah, woah" the marine said with his hands up halfway in a calm down gesture "lets calm down, what's going on?"
"She's not paying for her food," the clerk said.
"I told you I left my stuff on the bus" Anne said back.
"Then why didn't you get it back?" the clerk said.
"Calm down" the marine said while noticing her tattoos. "Hey, nice tattoos," The marine said.
"Why thank you'' Anne said. Indeed there were many tattoos on her arms, each with an intricate design, some of dragon's, some of flames, each having an intricate design. He then proceeded to notice one partulicar tattoo, one of a skull with a parachute in the background with a red beret on top.
"You were a paratrooper?"
"54th BEB, 173rd Airborne, Why? I see that you are a marine."
"2nd LAR battalion, just discharged, why?"
"Hey, who's paying for the food?"
"Oh yeah" Sprig stood up "I'll pay, it's the least I could do"
"That will be $5.17"
"Here you go" the marine said as he handed the clerk his money.
"Thank's dude"
"No worries, the least I could do for a fellow veteran"
"Also by the way I'm Sprig Planter, what's your name?"
Anne was visibly nervous, she had to think of something or risk going back. Thinking on her feet, she made up a lie.
"My name is Ann-" Anne stopped herself and said nervously "Anna, uh-" Anne said looking around "Anna Barnes"
"Nice to meet you Anna."
"Nice to meet you too, Spring."
"Unusual question" Anne asked while rubbing the back of her head "You got any money?"
"What's wrong?"
"I…." Anne stuttered, "forgot my money at my old house"
"Ok" Sprig said, sounding a little suspicious "what about your debit cards?"
"I left those too"
"Okay, is there anything you took with you?"
"No, like I said, I had to leave in a hurry"
"Why did you have to leave in a hurry?" Sprig was now sounding even more suspicious of Anne. Anne nervously looked around, thinking of another lie, then she got it, "I… had to leave in a hurry because of my boyfriend."
"Boyfriend?"
"Oh, yeah, he was super abusive, controlled my life, I just had to escape, but my escape was on a whim and I couldn't take everything with me." Technically the truth is if you replace boyfriend with prison, oh and add two others.
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, is there anything I can do to help?"
"No, you've done enough."
"Really" the gears in Sprig's head start turning "Should I go to the police?"
"NO" Anne practically blurted out. Sprig raised an eyebrow, Anne looking nervous, "My boyfriend is a cop and would totally find out if you told the police, he's...like super tight with all the departments and would totally take me back if you went to them."
"Ok" Sprig thought of another solution, then he had a lightbulb moment, "Wait a minute, why don't you stay with me and my family in Wartwood."
"No way" Anne thought "My….boyfriend will put you in danger too"
"No, no just come with me"
"I would just be a burden"
"No, it's the least I could do"
Anne was taken aback, she would like to have a place to stay while she looked for Sasha and Marcy, but being on the lam ment she couldn't stay in one place for too long. But, perhaps, Anne thought to herself, she could stay for a week or two to Wartwood. The only question was where is Wartwood?
"Where's Wartwood?"
"A small town on the shore of Lake Jackson, my grandpa's farm is there"
They did agree to meet at Marion Oaks, then move on to Miami for the next part of the plan, but she did need to lie low, after all they'll probably search the cities after the surrounding area of St. James, so a small town would be perfect.
"Ok, I'll go with you"
"Neat"
After paying for Anne's ticket, Sprig and Anne got on the bus to Wartwood.
Hold on girl's Anne thought to herself I'm coming eveluntly