It Takes One to Raise One
This one is a bit short. I'm also working on either an extension to 'No One Takes Down Hit Girl but Hit Girl' or a totally new story. It's posted as chapter 17 of that story right now. Please let me know what you think of this and the other. Reviews really help me keep going.
Todd's number was ringing on my phone.
Fucking Todd. I flashed back to a conversation I'd had with Marty last night. I mean, seriously Todd thought he was going to 'save himself for me'? As if I'd ever touch that little rodent or as if he even had a shot with anyone else. He wasn't saving shit.
Caller ID taunted me as it flashed his name again.
Dave and Marty were missing. Chris/Motherfucker/Emperor had claimed that he had one of them and that if I didn't turn myself into the cops… Well, I didn't even want to think about that he'd do. And god damnit, which one did he have? And what the fuck had happened to the other? How could I plan something with that big of an unknown?
Another ring. Shit. I might be running out of time. But I just couldn't make myself press the answer button. Then I thought 'Hey, dumbshit! You've been making a lot of stupid assumptions lately. What if it isn't Todd on the end of the phone? What if it's Marty? Or Dave?'
I tapped the green button on the screen and put the phone to my ear. This call I wasn't willing to put on speaker.
"Hello?" I said, not wanting to start whatever conversation might happen off on the wrong foot.
I heard Todd's voice and felt my heart sink into my shoes. My heartburn was turning into footburn. "Hi. My name is Todd. Umm, this might sound weird, but is Marty there?" He asked.
"Actually, no. I'm looking for him though." I said, trying not to scream at him.
"Yeah, well, Marty said to call this number if there was ever an emergency and I couldn't get a hold of him. Hey, I recognize your voice – this is Mindy, right?"
"Yes, it's me. Look, Todd, what's going on? What's the emergency?" I said.
"Long time no talk! So, anyway, this girl came by a couple days ago looking for Marty. She said he'd won the lottery! Which is so wicked cool. I told them he was on vacation and that they'd have to talk to him when he got back. But then she said that if he didn't claim the prize soon, he'd lose it. So I gave them his number and told them where he was staying. And then I got kind of busy and forgot about it. But I remembered a little while ago and tried to call Marty to tell him to look for the lottery people so that he didn't miss out on all that sweet money. He wasn't answering his phone and I know that they won't wait much longer before they give the money to someone else. So then I thought 'Hey – call the emergency number!' So I called so that you can tell Marty about the prize." Todd just blathered on and on like that. So excited about the bullshit prize and hoping that he'd get to share in the riches.
Holy fucking fuck. He fell for the god damn lottery con. I'm surprised there wasn't a Nirobi prince involved…..
"What did the lady look like? Did she give a name or number?" I asked. Jesus, this guy was really too dumb to live.
"Well, she was blond and hot and had big…" He stopped and I swear I could hear him blush through the phone. I remembered the big titted nurses Dave had described helping Chris when he invaded the graduation ceremony.
"Boobs, right? She had big boobs?" I asked. Don't guys ever notice anything else?
"Umm, yeah." he replied. "I didn't want to say it because yours are kind of small and I thought it might make you feel bad."
He didn't really say that, did he? I really needed one of those apps where you can kill somebody through the phone.
"You are NOT allowed to talk about my boobs, got it?!" I tried to take a calming breath and failed. "Look, did you get a name? A phone number maybe?"
He spouted off the info and I jotted it down. "She said she'd be going to California to meet up with him. Said her boss's office is the top floor off Imperial Tower and Marty should go there if she missed him. So, you'll let him know about the prize and where to go? I don't want him to miss out, because this one time, he promised that if he ever got rich, he'd buy me every single issue of the Kick-Ass comic."
I hesitated. Did I tell Todd that Marty was missing and not to tell anyone anything else because it might get one or both of them killed? Or did I risk leaving the cocksucker in the dark and him then blabbing that he'd found me the next time the inflated bimbo contacted him?
Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.
"Todd? I need you to listen to me. And I need you to fucking pay very close attention. Marty is missing. He might even be dead."
"What?"
"Look. The Motherfucker is NOT dead. Marty and Dave are both missing and if I don't do what he says, one or both of them will end up dead. I'm not going to let that happen, got it? And I know that you might have been all butt hurt last time about not being let into Justice Forever and not realized that you basically got Dave's dad killed by blabbing shit to Chris. But if you give them one more morsel of information, I will personally rip out your intestines, tie one end to the top of the Empire State Building, and then kick you off to find out if they're strong enough to make you bounce. Got it?!"
"Umm, yeah" Todd replied weakly.
"I don't care if they fucking torture you. You don't know where Dave or Marty or anybody is! Just act as dumb as you are!"
"O…OK. If you find out if they're de… I mean if you find out anything, will you call me?"
God damn it. The little shit cares. I tried so sound confidant. "I'll do my best to save them. And if the worst happens, I'll make sure somebody lets you know." I paused a moment, then added. "And my boobs are fucking perfect, not that you'll ever see them!" I hung up the phone.
Miranda looked at me. "What's with the boob stuff?"
I replied. "It was Todd on the phone."
She laughed half heartedly. "Well, at least that part of the world hasn't changed. What important things did he have to say?"
I looked up at Miranda and Marcus. "Some bimbo conned him out of Marty's location. I've got a lead from him that I'm going to check out. Top of an office tower. Imperial Tower. Chris is probably there; he's way too obsessed with the Star Wars shit to not be at the top of the Imperial Tower. Holy fuck I hate that guy." Miranda swore and Marcus just looked angry.
"I could call the police. Get a swat team up there maybe?" Marcus suggested.
I looked him in the eyes. "We both know that'll just get whoever the Motherfucker has killed. He's too unstable to risk anything conventional."
"Fine, but if things go nuts, I'm still calling SWAT." He pushed.
"If things go that bad, I might call them for you." I handed Marcus a piece of paper with a tracking number on it. "That number matches a couple packages waiting at the UPS store on 2nd Avenue. There's a set of my gear and Dave's in them. Take them to some random hotel, rent a room, and then call me to let me know where you are."
Miranda interrupted. "Why did you send equipment out here? This is supposed to be a vacation!"
"After that attack by the 'hospital orderly storm trooper what the fucks', I decided that a bit of paranoia was in order." She grudgingly nodded in agreement. I pulled a stack of hundreds out of my purse and handed them to her along with a disposable cell phone. "Take Bethany and find a place to hide. Toss your own phone in a dumpster so there isn't anything that could be traced. Who knows what else Chris's money can buy. All I can do is hope that disappearing will be enough to keep you both safe. I'll call when it's over. If you don't hear from me in a couple of days, drive back to New York. It will keep you off the grid. You'll find about half a million dollars hidden behind the wall of your closet. Use it to get out of there and to build a new life for the both of you." I stopped, then something else occurred to me. "Oh, don't try to take the money through airport security though. The drug sniffing dogs would go insane if they got close to it."
Marcus looked at me sternly.
"Hey, the previous owners didn't need it anymore, and have you seen what happens when you hit a bag of cocaine with a hollow point?" I said defensively.
Bethany spoke up. "Did you mail my stuff here too? I wanna help!"
"I… No… I can't risk… "I looked at Marcus, my eyes begging for assistance.
Marcus cleared his throat. "Bethany honey? You're not ready to help on something like this. This is what Mindy does. I don't like it, but it isn't my decision make. She's trained and sacrificed for years to be what she is. And, she's old enough to make that decision. Maybe one day, when you've learned enough, you can choose what kind if life you want." I know how much it cost him to even admit that.
Bethany spoke up. "Mommy?" I looked at her in shock. "I mean, can I call you mommy? I might not get another chance so, can I, please at least once?" I just nodded at her, unable to talk past the lump in my throat. "I love you. Please don't die. Please don't let Dave die either. I love him too. I want him to be my daddy some day. Well, I do if he stops being such a pussy."
I coughed and found my voice. "I'll do my best honey. And Auntie Miranda will keep you safe."
Marcus spoke up. "Bethany? Mindy is just about the best in the world at what she does. If it can be done, she'll do it."
We settled our plans and prepared to head out. I would recon the tower while Marcus grabbed the gear. Miranda would get Bethany the hell out of there. As we turned toward the cars, we got out next surprise of the day. It was Dr. Gravity half carrying, half dragging someone who looked like they'd been through a war. We rushed over and helped him lower the injured man to the ground. It was Marty. Miranda checked. He was still alive but had been beaten to a pulp.
I didn't think that I could feel any sicker but I actually had to turn to the side to throw up. Not because of how Marty looked, although it was pretty bad. It was because of what Marty being here meant.
Chris had Dave.
