Author's note: Well, we're back at the weird emotional rollercoaster chapters. Yay! Enjoy.
Roger entered the Space with a feeling of apprehension. It was empty. All his instincts told him to leave, so he turned to go.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Roger froze. 'It can't be,' he thought. 'She's dead.'
"I asked you a question."
Roger's heart lurched. There was no denying that the voice belonged to April. And she sounded angry. He tried to think of something to say, but before he could, he heard his own voice fill the room "I said I was going out! I don't have to explain myself to you. You're not my mother!" Roger frowned. "What?" he muttered.
"Well, now, that line was a classic." Roger spun. His mother stood on the empty stage, a tape recorder in hand. "Lovely, really."
Roger said nothing, but his mind was working frantically. 'She taped an argument that April and I had. But how? Why?'
Charlene smiled icily. "The Man," she said, answering Roger's unspoken question. "I paid him to spy on you. It was easier, until you got the bonehead notion to give up smack."
"Why?" Roger kept his voice level, though his heart was pounding.
"Because," Charlene replied, in a wicked tone. "You didn't follow the rules. You didn't play the game right. Now, you will."
Someone grabbed Roger's arm. He spun. Directly in front of him was the Man. "You!" Roger growled.
The Man shrugged. "Me."
Something hit the back of Roger's head full force, and he went down. Charlene laughed cruelly. "Bind him. We don't want him putting up a fight when he wakes up." To the Man, she said, "Follow that black wench. Make sure she doesn't talk."
"And Mimi? She's pregnant."
Charlene smiled cruelly. "Leave the Mexican whore to me. You just take care of him."
The Man nodded. "Right. We taking him to the warehouse, as planned?"
Charlene shook her head. "No. Take him to this address. Ask for Allison. She'll get him situated."
The Man nodded. "Okay. You're the boss."
Charlene nodded. "That I am. Now get out of here before the showboating wench comes back."
Maureen ducked out of sight as Charlene and her cronies went by, carrying Roger, who was out cold. As soon as they went by, Maureen whispered into her phone, "Damn, Pookie, you were right."
"Question is, why is she kidnapping him? What does she want?"
"Don't know. I'll head out and tell the others. You go find Mark. Meet us at the Loft in ten minutes."
"Right."