"Look Kev, why don't you guys head back over to your hotel or Felicia's place and we'll meet you there later," Nick interrupted, giving me the evil eye for having to lie to Kevin and Brian. They were practically his brothers and he hated lying to them.
Kevin stared at me a bit longer before he and the others got up and left.
The apartment was still dark as I looked up at Nick.
"You should go too," I replied, turning around and staring at my cell phone.
"I don't want to leave you alone."
"There's security outside."
"I don't care Kate," he whined.
"So what do you we do, just sit here?" I asked, looking around the apartment, wondering how he could see us.

~10TH AVENUE~

Brian and Felicia were behind the cab that was carrying the others.
"Do you know what's going on?" Brian asked, staring at Felicia. Felicia innocently batted her eyelashes at Brian. Too bad he didn't know the truth, that Kate was a killer. And that she had heard the whole conversation about what had happened when Kaylee was talking too loud one day in her cubicle. But telling Brian now would give no satisfaction to her. She still had to pay back Kate for ever looking at Brian, then she would be satisfied.
"Not a clue," she said sweetly as she curled up on his arm.

~TWO CARS UP~

"Yo man, get off me," A.J. whined as his security guard was twice his size and his body weight was nearly crushing A.J.'s thigh.
"A.J., chill," Kevin commented, staring out the window.
"No he's like the size of us both and I'm getting crushed in the middle," he pouted.
"Well you're the smallest McLean, so that's where you're stuck. Now shut up before I throw you out the window," the body guard commented.
A.J. slid into his seat and pouted.
"Where are we going anyway?" The body guard ask, looking at Kevin.
"To Felicia's place down off of 5th," He replied.
"Then why are we on tenth?!" A.J. yelled, annoyed.

~TWO CARS BACK~

"Excuse me, Mr. Littrell, did you want me to just follow that cab up there?" The driver asked.
"Yes, of course," he smiled.
"Why couldn't we take a limo?" Felicia whined.
"Because then it's a little obvious that we're out and we're not suppose to be," Brian glared at her.
"Ugh," she sighed.

~BACK AT THE APARTMENT~

"Why hasn't he called?" I yelled, flustered as I stared at the phone.
"Maybe he's not watching anymore," Nick replied, sitting down on the couch.
The rain outside began to become a slow drip.
"Yeah right," I said looking around.

~10TH AVENUE~

"Man it's like everywhere I go there is traffic in this damned city!" A.J. yelled.
10th avenue was backed up due to an accident on the cross streets.
"Shut up McLean," the body guard turned from the window and replied.
"What are you, my mother?!" He yelled, throwing a hissy fit.
"Alex, calm down," Kevin patted him on the arm.

~AT THE SAME TIME~

Victor looked in his rear view mirror and stared at A.J. and Kevin in the backseat. He smirked, he had them right where he wanted as he picked up his cell phone and dialed.

~AT THE SAME TIME~

My cell phone rang from the counter as I ran to answer it.
"Hello?"
"Did you call for a cab?" Victor asked.
"What?" I asked.
"Did you call for a cab?" He repeated.
"What the hell are you talking about?!" I yelled, recognizing his voice.
"Because your friends did," he replied as he held up the phone. I could hear A.J. yelling at Kevin about something in the background and then he hung up. I looked at the screen of my phone. It was a private blocked number that had called.
"Dammit!" I yelled.
"What?" Nick asked.
"He has Kevin and A.J."

~AT THE SAME TIME~

"God, look at the traffic," Felicia whined.
"Looks like an accident of some sort, I'm gonna ring Howie, see if he's back at the hotel yet," Brian pulled out his cell phone.
Felicia sat back as the cab they were in pulled right up next to Kevin and A.J.'s cab. She stared out the window at the surroundings, she hated this city, but this is where work was now.
She glanced over and winked at Kevin and A.J. That's when she looked up and saw Victor staring back at her and smirking.
"Oh my God," she muttered. He put his finger to his mouth and worded "shhhhh." She watched as he picked up his cell phone and dialed, suddenly her purse began to ring.
"Hello?" She asked almost trembling.
"You better keep quiet or I'll tell Kaylee you know all about the whole Kate thing, that you listened in on her conversation. Then you'll be just as in trouble as your friend Kate," he smiled at her from the cab across the way.
"How'd you know that I knew?" She asked, her mouth hanging open in shock.
"I know everything Felicia," He replied as he hung up.
"What's wrong 'licia?" Brian asked as he hung up the phone.
"Nothing," she lied as she watched A.J. argue with his body guard now. What should she do?

~AT THE SAME TIME~

I grabbed my jacket and ran out of the building.
"Kate!" Nick called after me. "There's nothing you can do!"
"Yes there is," I said as determination filled my face.

~TEN MINUTES LATER~

I pounded on Kaylee's door. It was Saturday, she should be home, yet there was no answer.
I pounded harder and finally she came to the door, snacking on some fruit.
"Oh Kate, what do I owe this pleasure?" She asked.
Nick stood behind me, glaring at her.
"Let me in," I snarled as I pushed her door open. She cackled at me as I walked in.
"Call him," I said handing her the cordless that sat on the counter.
"Call who?" She played dumb.
"Victor, he's with A.J. and Kevin, call him," I demanded.
"Who's Victor?" She said stupidly as she looked at Nick.
"You stupid bitch, call him! Tell him to leave them alone!" I yelled.
"I dunno what you're talking about," she said fakely as the ping of her microwave went off.
"Fine I'll just call Amanda and tell her what's going on," I replied as I casually picked up the phone and started dialing. She ran over and snatched it from me.
"What do you want?" She asked.
"Call him and tell him to leave them alone. It's only because of you that he's back!"
"On the contrary Kaitlyn, he's back because his brothers' grave was dug up and the body is missing. His hatred for you has grown and will until the body is found." She bit into her mango.
"Whatever his madman problems are they concern me, not my friends. He needs to leave them alone."
"Well, he knows how much your friends mean to you. Just like his brother meant a lot to him, so I'm sure calling him will do no good," she winked.
"Call him, I want to talk to him," I replied.
"I don't have his number," she shrugged.
I sighed loudly as Nick stepped out from behind me.
He grabbed her by the shirt and slammed her into the microwave.
"I don't hit women, so I won't hit you, but you better give Kate that number now because those are my brothers and if they get hurt, I'll make sure you'll never be able to sit in your comfy desk at the Times EVER again," he let go of her shirt as she looked up at him terrified.
She dialed the number slowly as I saved it in my address book on my phone.

~IN THE CAB~

"Yeah?" Victor answered.
"It's Kate," I muttered.
"How the hell did you get this number?" He yelled.
Suddenly A.J. and Kevin stopped arguing and looked at the cab driver.
"Let them go," I said, my face red with anger.
"Why should I?" He asked. "They don't even know," he laughed.
A.J. and Kevin looked at one another as their bodyguard continued to stare out the window.
"Your issues are with me, leave them alone," I demanded.
"Make me a deal."
"What?"
"You and Kaylee meet me at the where house on 6th west, 58th at ten tonight. Don't bring lover boy or anyone else, including the police."
I sighed loudly.
"We'll be there," I replied.
"If you're not I can find them again, and I promise next time I'll kill them," he said quietly as he hung up.
"What did he say?" A.J. leaned into Kevin.
"I dunno, I couldn't hear," Kevin looked at the front of the cab.

I slammed down the phone and sighed.
"Okay, I know we hate each other, but he wants us to meet him tonight at ten," I said to her.
She laughed.
"Yeah right," she continued to chuckle.
"Look Kaylee, he wants to see you and I'm not taking no for an answer. I'll pick you up at nine thirty, you better be here or I'm going to the police," I threatened as I pulled Nick by the arm and led him out the door.

~EIGHT THAT NIGHT~

I sat nervously at Felicia's house biting my nails and watching the clock. We hadn't told anyone what had happened this afternoon because then the police would get involved and then they wouldn't allow me to go tonight. I had to go because I was putting everyone's life, including my own in danger if I didn't. Everyone stared at the television, including Nick, who looked back at me worriedly every few minutes.
There were two security guards in her apartment, one outside the apartment and two down by the front door.
"Kate, you okay?" Brian asked as I paid no attention to the television.

~NINE THIRTY~

I pounded on Kaylee's door.
She answered annoyed as she grabbed her coat and followed me out to the car. We sat in my car in silence as we drove down the dark streets.
"What did you tell everyone?" She asked.
"That I had to get home and I'd see Nick later," I said concentrating on the road, despising the fact that I had to be in such a close space with her.
It was a few minutes to ten when we pulled up the where house. I armed my car and walked with Kaylee down the dark and wet streets.
The dim street lights reflected off the slick pavement as Kaylee and I looked around. I wasn't sure what would happen when we got in there. Was I stupid for going somewhere with two people that hated me? What happens if they ganged up on me and killed me? I actually doubted they would kill me. As much as Kaylee hated me, she wouldn't want to get her nice skirt dirty.
Kaylee pushed open the huge door and walked in. I followed closely behind her as he looked around at the dark where house. There was a faint light at the back of it, revealing shadows of the night. I took a deep breath and walked next to her. I was facing one of my biggest fears right now, which was Victor. He hated me so much after what happened that I thought he was going to kill me for a long time. Going here tonight was not only stupid, but brave, especially with Kaylee; she wasn't much protection and could only make matters worse. There was a few windows, covered too heavily in dust one could barely see outside and the floor was black and dirty as I heard stray animals scurry in the corners, echoing throughout the huge metal building.
Kaylee and I looked up as Victor walked out in front of us, a gun in hand. He pointed it at us as we looked at each other, terrified.

Next

Contents