The second I step through the doors my eyes instantly run over the several occupants. I check each name with my mental record of cops under Dylan's payroll. I can't have anyone ratting me out to him. I stall by the payphone right by the door, bobbing my head and occasionally saying something to make it look like I'm actually talking to someone. Rixon is busy humming to himself and twisting from side to side like he does when he loses interest.
"I don't think I can make it…" I mumble, instantly recognising a young burly cop by the desk.
John Saron, killed his partner last year for a healthy sum of about fifty grand.
From down the hall another cop comes in, short cropped blond hair and frown lines evident on his forehead.
David Andrews, the reason crucial evidence disappeared during a triple homicide investigation on Zack and Dylan Walker five years ago.
Figuring I can't stall any longer I put the phone back in its cradle and walk up to the desk, smiling at Saron.
The conversation Saron and Andrews are having cuts off immediately and Saron rakes his eyes over me. "Can we help you, ma'am?" he enquires, one eyebrow raised and a suggestive smile tipping at the corners of his lips.
I bite my lip to give off the impression that it's working but internally I really want to hit him. "Is there a bathroom I can use?" I drench my voice with sweetness earning a grin from Saron.
Cue the bile rising in the back of my throat.
"Sure, right through here." he gestures down the hall and I wink at him as I pass. I'm careful to keep tabs on Rixon who's still sitting on my heels out of sight.
By the time he's visible I've already slipped past Andrews and Saron and with a smug smile I hear Andrews chuckle while Saron grumbles something. Nothing more deterring to a man who wants to have a little fun than a toddler.
In the girls bathroom I usher Rix into a stall and dump my bag on the ground. I pull out the cheap disposable phone I'd bought last year for emergencies as well as a small folded piece of paper with a name and number scribbled on it.
"Honey, I need you to keep quiet while Mamma's on the phone ok?" i tell him, helping him onto the toilet lid.
"Kay." He chimes fiddling with his shirt.
I dial the number and tap my foot impatiently as I wait for the answer.
"Detective Natalia Alexander." A bored woman drones finally after the fifth ring.
"Five years ago a nineteen year old boy and his two friends were shot dead and left in an aeroplane hangar. Fingerprints were found that directly linked several members of the Walker family to the crime when they suddenly became unusable. I know the name of the officer that ruined your chances at convicting them."
"What the hell? Who is this?" Natalia demands, I can hear a chair scratching in the background followed by footsteps.
"If you're about to try and trace me, don't bother. I'm already hear but I need your help. I have information, information that can bring the hammer down on Dylan Walker himself but if you tell anyone about this call then there's a ninety percent chance I'll be dead before you can blink."
Dead silence. The only thing that assures me she's still there is her steady breathing. "You said you're here? Where?"
"Go to the woman's bathroom, make an excuse and hurry because I only have a few minutes."
My heart is pounding in my chest and my hands are shaking. This was the dangerous part, if Detective Alexander goes against what I'd said then I'd have fifteen dirty cops aiming guns at me almost instantly.
It seems like hours before I hear the bathroom door creak but it only makes my muscles lock up. please be Natalia, please be Natalia.
"Hello? Anyone in here?" a female voice calls and I let out the breath I'd been holding.
I pick up Rix and unlock the stall, leaving the bag there.
Detective Natalia is busy checking the other stalls and whips around with her gun aimed at us when we exit the stall. "Don't move." She warns, eyes stony and not leaving me. But then she hesitates. I know she's noticing Rixon in my arms, his head resting on my shoulder with his cap sitting skew on his curls.
Ever so slowly with my free hand I reach up to take off the wig to let my natural brown hair tumble down.
Her eyes widen and she sucks in a breath. Being the woman who'd worked on bringing the Walkers down for the better part of a decade she knew every member of the family, every acquaintance, every person they so much as passed on the street. And that included me since I was the girlfriend of the ring leader.
"Maximum Ride." She breathes, eyes flicking from Rix back up to me. "What are you doing here?" she demands, hands tightening on the gun she has yet to drop.
"I'm not here as part of some scheme ok? If you don't believe me then open my backpack." I nod my head to the stall and she cautiously edges her way over to it. the gun still aimed at me she lifted it onto the toilet lid and blindly dug around until she found the folder.
"Mamma?" Rix whispered in my ear. he didn't have to ask the question I knew was hanging in the air. Why is she pointing a gun at us?
I shift him slightly on my hip and smile at him reassuringly.
Uncertainly he lays his head back down on my shoulder, his small hands looping around my neck.
Detective Alexander expertly balances the folder on the palm of one hand with the gun still aimed in our direction.
I wait silently for her to read the first few lines of the folder and sure enough her eyes widen. "Where did you get this?" Almost as soon as the question is out of her mouth she snorts and shakes her head. "Never mind, the real question is why you're giving it to me." she closes the folder and puts it away but doesn't lower the gun.
"Trust me. It's not for free." I tell her simply giving her a 'what can you do?' shrug.
"Ok, then. What do you want?"
"Immunity. I want a fresh start with new identities and for you to trust me when I say that every single cop in this station is under Dylan's payroll."
Her eyes turn t slits instantly and I can tell she doesn't like what I'm saying.
"I'm not joking. If anyone figures out that I've been in here then I'm dead and you can kiss any chance of so much as denting the Walker family goodbye. If you give me what I've just asked for then I'll tell you everything I know. I'll testify against them and there's the added bonus of actually having incriminating evidence."
She doesn't move for what seems like years and my window of opportunity is closing rapidly.
"Listen, today I gave up everything, my home, my friends, my family all on the off chance that you would help me. I need an answer now because if I'm not out of here in the next two minutes then it's all over anyway."
Slowly she nods and lowers the gun. "I'll take you're offer." She's still not totally sold on my story but she's willing to take the risk.
"There's a list of names in the folder. You can't trust anyone on that list." I warn her and she nods.
"Fine, I'll try my best. You've really left him?" she raises a questioning eyebrow and her eyes dart down to Rix.
His hand reaches for mine and I give it to him knowing he's confused and maybe a little scared.
"Do you have somewhere to stay?" She asks, taking out the list then handing me the backpack with the folder.
I shrug. I'd figured we'd find some nameless hotel and hunker out there until they got things sorted.
She digs around in her pocket to bring out a ring of keys. She slips one off the ring and holds it out for me. "My apartment, I'm taking you know where it is?"
I give a 'guilty as charged' smile and take the key.
"I should be home this afternoon but maybe later since I have quite a lot to sort out. make yourself at him, there's a spare room and a little food in the fridge. Enough to keep you alive until I get there anyway."
Then she gestures to the door. "You better get going."
"Thank you." I say sincerely exiting the bathroom.
I bumped into Saron coming down the hall, no doubt to see what the hell was taking me so long.
I give an apologetic smile, "Sorry about that, we had a little accident." I look down at Rix and Saron scowls.
"Yeah." He says awkwardly and I leave the station.
I take the long way to the apartment, making sure that I'm not being tailed. The apartment is in an average building, nothing spectacular but not a dump either. I take the three flights of stairs to the third floor counting down the numbers until I reach 36B. I unlock the apartment and push the door open, taking a few seconds to listen in case there's someone in the apartment.
An hour later Rix is bathed, dressed in pj's and having a nap on the spare bed. I'd dug around in the kitchen and made us some food before settling onto the couch, my muscles relaxing for the first time today. maybe it would be alright. maybe I could actually do this.
What do you think? I'm still enjoying writing this and YOUR REVIEWS WERE AMAZIIING! You think we could do it again? Maybe a Fang chapter next chapter but then again maybe not.
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