Disclaimer: blah blah, you know the drill. Enjoy!

Chapter 4 – Betrayal?

"It's all about speed and accuracy," said Sligo, blowing the 'smoke' from the barrel of his gun like in the movies.

We all climbed into the car, and it felt weird to be in the front seat, without restraints. Especially given I was in the custody of Vulkan Sligo.

About 15 minutes later, we reached our destination. Sligo and I hopped out of the car, and he spun me around to switch on the wire. He nodded at me to test it out.

"Testing, testing? We have you surrounded! Over." Sligo laughed, and nodded to say he heard it loud and clear.

"Take this," he said, passing to me what looked like an ear plug.

"What is it?"

"Headset. If I have to, I can tell you something, and only you will hear it. Now, time to make you sweaty…" He grabbed out a water bottle, and poured some over my head, underarms, and lower back, so it looked like I'd run a mile.

"How… how do I look?" I asked, trying to sound out of breath.

"Pretty… stinky! But make your breaths quicker, more irregular."

"How's… this?" I said, doing as he told me.

"Much better. Find a good spot, I'll be watching." He nodded to Harry and Viper, and they took off in the car, ready to strike if necessary. Then, he nodded to me, and we both went our separate ways. I felt so much like bolting and forgetting all about this, but Sligo was watching and listening. I couldn't get away.

About 5 minutes later, my earpiece came to life.

"On her way, heading straight for you. Looks tired, will probably sit."

"Got it." I let my breathing become ragged, and tried to make my face look red and hot from a long-distance run. I heard sniffling from behind me, and I turned to see Winter, with her puffy, red eyes.

"Ryan? I thought you were hanging back with your mum and the Gabster. What are you doing here?"

"You never could hide the fact you've been crying." At first she was surprised at my comment, but realisation dawned on her quickly as she stared at my red, 'sweating' face.

"Cal! How'd you get out? I thought he killed you! I'm so happy to see you again! Come on; let's go straight to the cops!"

"No, wait!"

"What is it?"

"He, um, might be watching the police station, or my home. He was pretty mad at my escape…"

"Yeah, but if he were chasing you, he'd find you here. It isn't a very good hiding spot."

"Says you. I have the feeling you came here to cry…" She blushed, and I couldn't help but smile at the way her cheeks turned a rosy red.

"Oh my god Cal! Your hand!" I looked down at my hand, bandaged in my shredded shirt, I realised some of the blood had soaked through, creating a large, dark patch on the material.

"Oh, yeah. I almost forgot about that."

"You almost forgot? Almost forgot you were shot?"

"Please, keep your voice down,"

"Why?" she asked, a confused expression took over her face.

"In case Sligo's here somewhere, and he recognises your voice."

"Ok, ok. Can I… see your hand?" I bit my lip, hoping neither of us would scream in disgust, and began undoing the knot.

"Holy… Cal, this is serious! He really did get you. It must've really hurt."

"It, uh, it did."

"Here, you need some clean cloth." She pulled out a spare shirt, and ripped it into shreds. I recognised it; it was one of her favourites. She ripped her favourite shirt… for me. And she has no idea what I'm about to do. I felt hot tears spring to my eyes.

"Cal? Are you ok? Am I hurting you?" she asked, as she finished the new bandage. She cupped her hand under my chin, forcing me to look at her worried face.

"N-no. It's fine, I'm sorry." I wiped my eyes with my good hand, and she lift the fingers from my sore hand to her mouth, kissing them gently.

"What's wrong Cal?"

"I need you to remember 2 things, Winter."

"Yes? Anything, I'll remember!"

"First… I love you."

"I love you too. But-"

"Second…" The black 4-wheel-drive sped in and came to a screeching stop in front of us. "I'm so sorry."

Harry and Viper jumped out, and Harry grabbed Winter by the arm roughly. She cried out, and I just cried.

"Cal! Who are these guys?"

"Umm, this is Harry, and Viper."

"Cal! What's going on? Why are they here?" She suddenly stopped squirming and crying. I didn't bother turn around. Sligo grabbed the wire from the back of my neck, yanking it off without a care for how much it hurt me. I cringed, but kept quiet. He held his hand out to me, and I pulled out the earpiece, placing it in his palm.

Winter just stared, clearly horrified by my reaction to the encounter. I cast my gaze downwards, too ashamed to look at her.

"Cal?" she said, her voice softer now. "What's going on? What did he pull from your back?"

"I was wearing a wire. I'm so sorry. Please, remember."

"It seems I've already forgotten." I felt like someone just kicked me in the gut.

"Alright, in the car. This place is too crowded," said Sligo, ushering Winter and the older guys into the back. He nodded to me, and I got in the front seat.

I risked a glance back, and saw her crying, while Harry and Viper held guns to her sides.

"You did good Cal," said Sligo.

"Thanks," I mumbled.

"No regrets?"

"Of course I have regrets. But you know I wouldn't change anything."

"Touché." I leaned into the window, out at the passing horizon.

"Sligo?" He raised an eyebrow. "When we get back, may I speak to Winter?"

"Guess so. But I'm not giving you the keys, if that's what you mean…?"

"No. Don't need 'em."

About 10 minutes later, we were black at Sligo's place. He led Winter and I down to the cell blocks, and he unlocked the door to the first one, the one I had stayed in. we both walked in, and Sligo seemed surprised at my willingness to enter. He must've expected me to want to wait on the outside.

"Half an hour?" I asked him.

"Ok. Don't kill each other."

"No promises," muttered Winter. Sligo just smiled, locking the door.

"Winter?" I said, as soon as he had gone.

"How could you?"

"Winter, please."

"No! You lied! You said you escaped, yet you were wearing a wire! How could you? I bet that wound is fake!"

"It's not, I swear!" She looked around the room, noticing the large, dark, wet patch on the floor in the centre.

"What's this?"

"All that's left of Three-o." She looked grossed out, and noticed a few of the bullet marks in the floor, and the one in the ceiling.

"And these?"

"Sligo's warning shots. A few were a bit too close for comfort."

"And the bed?"

"Told you the wound was real. That's where it happened."

"Eew! Looks like you turned our new room into a real pigsty!"

"Look! So far, you've had it easy! I was dragged off the street, kicking and screaming, shown to my worst nightmare, stuck in a choke hold, thrown into the car, hands and feet tied, dumped in a jail-like room, told to lie to you, shot in the hand, watched a death, and then forced to betray the one I love most. Then watched… as she turned her back to me, possibly never forgiving."

"Yeah, sure. Why didn't you run? You had open ground, crowds to hide in. Why?"

"Because he was watching! I knew it was true, and not just to make me feel uneasy, because before we saw each other, he told me you were heading my way. He had a gun. It was aimed at my head the entire time. Remember yesterday? When I told you his plan?"

"Yeah?"

"That's what it was. I was wearing a wire. If I said anything wrong, he'd shoot me from his hiding spot. He was either close enough to see really well, or he had binoculars, so if I looked like I was about to run, he would-"

"Shoot you."

"Yeah."

"But you're fast! I bet if you had just shot out of there, he wouldn't have been able to get you!" I shook my head.

"No! You haven't seen just how fast he is with that gun!"

"Oh yeah? How fast is he?"

"Before we left to… get you… Viper and I were mucking around. I was sort of stalling, hoping you'd get there and leave before we did. Anyway, Viper took out his gun, still joking around, and Sligo decided to muck around too. Before Viper had time to take aim, Sligo had taken out his gun and shot Viper's out of his hand. No one saw it coming. He said: 'it's all about speed and accuracy'."

"Whatever. I still can't believe you turned me in."

"Winter, look, I understand your feelings about this, but hear me out. I had to do it. Not just because of the risk of my life, but yours too. If I didn't lead you in calmly, Sligo would have used force. I didn't want you to get hurt…" I heard Sligo stop by the door.

"How touching! Ready Cal?"

"One minute, boss."

"Boss? Cal! You ARE working for him!"

"No, Winter! Please listen! I'm doing it for you! I know you doubt it, and I can understand that, but please, remember."

"Remember this, Cal. We're done. I never want to speak to you again!" I reached forward to comfort her, but Sligo had come up behind me, and he led me out.

"Hey boss?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you please give her a different room? That one is stained with blood. Mine and Three-o's."

"Uh, yeah, I guess so." He pulled her out of the blood-stained cell, and into the one across from it.

"Hey Winter?"

"What, Sligo?"

"Wanna hear something funny?"

"Not in the mood."

"Too bad. You know when I told Cal that he could help me bring you in, or I could shoot his brains out, he actually took time to consider it? And yet you're turning him away… tsk, tsk, tsk." Winter looked at me, her eyes wondering if that were true. I stared at the ground, before feeling a cold, heavy hand on my shoulder.

"Come on son. Let's get you a room organised!"

"Yes boss." As we walked upstairs, I took a peek at the front door.

"Haha, no way, Cal! That door is quintuple-locked! That means locked in five different ways. All windows are locked and barred shut. If they weren't, I wouldn't have let you stay up here."

"Ok."

"Hey, what happened to your funny mood, from earlier? You're not having second thoughts on things… are you?"

"Huh? No, I was just thinking about Winter. She hates me now."

"Yeah, no kidding! Get used to it, you don't keep your old friends when you're a crim."

"Wait, do you mean-"

"Welcome to the big leagues!" I heard Harry hooting, and Viper clapping in the direction of the TV.

"Yo, boss! Movie starts in five!"

"Awesome, be right there. Hey Cal, could you give me a hand with the chips and dip?"

"Sure thing." Sligo grabbed the dip from the fridge, and I got the packet of chips out. He grabbed out a large bowl, and split the packet open with his knife, pouring the chips in.

"Don't worry, I do wash it."

"Huh? Oh, that's good!"

"Haha, grab the dip, I think the movie's starting."

"Ok." I grabbed the dip, and Sligo grabbed the chips. Together, we walked toward the leather couch and giant TV.

"Ok, Cal, this is your first time eating in my living room, spill crumbs or dip, and you won't be living. Is that clear?"

"Very." The opening credits of the movie started, and I had a thought. "Sligo?"

"Yeah?"

"Could I take some chips to my room? I want to start setting up."

"Umm, I guess so. But again… no crumbs!"

"It'll be like the chips were never in there!"

"Ok then, grab a plate from the second cupboard, then no interrupting us."

"Thanks boss." I jogged back to the kitchen and grabbed a plate. Then, a walked back to the couch and grabbed a few handfuls of chips. I walked down the hall, toward my room, but instead of going in, I passed it, and went downstairs, where Winter was.

"Who's there?" she said. She sounded like she'd been crying again.

"It's me."

"Go away 'me'."

"I brought you food. Could we talk?"

"What food?"

"Corn chips. Probably the best thing you could get. I only got a loaf of bread."

"If you got bread, why are they giving me corn chips?"

"Umm, they aren't. I am. You aren't supposed to get any. They think I'm eating them in my room."

"You stole food and lied to them?"

"Haha, yeah. Guess I'm not such a 'goodboy' now, hey?"

"I'll say." She got up off the bed and came to sit by the bars. I sat down with her, and passed her the plate.

"Hey! Save me some!" I laughed, as she grabbed a handful and shoved it into her mouth.

"Cal, I'm sorry. I just don't know how I can trust you! You seem to be associated closely with Sligo, but you deny working with him, even though you call him boss."

"It's ok. Remember when I was first on the run, and I met you? I didn't know if I could trust you either. Now it looks like we're seeing it from each others eyes. But I don't want to call him boss. He wants me to, and if I can stay on his… well I can't say 'good' side… but his better side, he can stay happy, and we can hopefully avoid the gun. I don't want you to go through this pain." I cast my gaze over my injured hand.

"Cal?"

"Yeah?"

"I think I remember now." I looked back up to her smiling face. "But in the car…"

"Yeah?"

"You said you had regrets, but you wouldn't change a thing. Why?"

"Because changing even one thing that happened, would lead to someone getting hurt. I'd do anything to avoid having you shot. Even if it means taking the bullet myself."

"Cal, no. You can't do that!"

"No, you can't be shot. I won't let it happen."

"Aww, how sweet! The little love-birds sharing a snack and a heart-felt complement!"

"Sligo! No, it's not what it looks like!" I could see that he didn't have his gun or knife with him, just an apple, banana, and an orange. He threw them at Winter and she screamed, dodging them. He kicked what was left of the chips on the plate into the far wall, and the plate smashed, sending bits of chips and glass flying.

"You lied, Cal! You came down here to your girlfriend! Not in your room to 'set up'!" I attempted to crawl backwards, but I forgot about my sore hand. I put too much pressure on it, and fell to the ground, writhing in pain once more.

"Please! Sligo don't kill him!" cried Winter.

"No, I said I'd take a bullet for you, don't drag yourself into this!"

"A bullet, eh?"

"No! Sligo don't!" Winter had tears streaming down her face. He came up to me, grabbing my sore wrist and yanking me up. I cried out in pain, but he didn't care. He led me into the blood-stained cell, and placed me against one of the walls. He brought his fist back, and I tried to get away, but his other hand was on my chest, holding me in place. He swung forward, punching me across the face, in the cheek and lower jaw, knocking my head sideways.

Instantly, I tasted blood. I spat it out, and Winter screamed some more. Once more his fist went back, this time lower. When he swung forward again, he got me in the gut. I wheezed and dropped to my knees. He whacked me over the back of the head, then shoved me to the ground.

Bleeding and in horrendous pain, I refused to give up. Using just one hand, I tried getting up. But before I could get off the ground, he kicked me in the gut and I went down again.

I could no longer hear Winter's screams. Everything was blurry… fuzzy… I was looking down a foggy tunnel…

Through my dazed consciousness, I could sort of see Sligo finally leaving, and Winter, with her arms outstretched to me. Crying out what I guessed was my name. I couldn't just sit here! Trying hard not to vomit, I struggled to get up once more, blinking hard and shaking the dizziness out of my head. I spat out more blood, and slid backwards, leaning against the wall. I could see and hear again, but I was too weak, in too much pain, to do anything but sit there.

Rolling up my shirt, I could already see two huge, purple bruises, covering most of my stomach. I slid my shirt back down. If I could choose being locked in a small room with Sligo, or a lion, I'd choose the lion. Even if Sligo had no weapons, and his hands were tied behind his back.