Liz laughed nervously. "Em, maybe you should slow down."
"Liz, you have to learn to drive offensively, or get out of the way." A few seconds later, she pulled up in from of Kelly's. "Liz, come over to my house tonight. Do you have to work early tomorrow?"
Liz smiled. "No, I have the day off. I'd love to come over. Let me just
get my things."
The two girls walked into Kelly's, and Liz ran upstairs. Emily sighed. What
a weird night, she thought. Maybe Sly could get through to Lucky.
-*-*-*-*-*-
Sly followed Lucky into the dimly lit catacombs. Why was he being taken on this guided tour of his past?
Lucky picked up his pace. Sly had trouble keeping up. "Lucky, come on, what are you doing?"
Lucky laughed and the sound echoed through the tunnels. "Follow me. Come on, Sly, you know this place better than anyone."
Sly started to run after Lucky. Just when Sly thought he had caught up with Lucky, he would disappear again.
"Come on, I'm right here," Lucky said.
"Lucky, this isn't funny." Sly's breathing was rapid. He wasn't out of shape. The whole experience just reminded him of running from Frank Smith's men. Suddenly, he was eleven years old again. Sly could almost hear his heart pounding.
"You're almost there!" Lucky shouted. Sly ran as fast as he could until Lucky made a dead stop at a crossroads in the tunnels. Sly immediately knew where they were. "What's your point, Lucky? Why did you bring me back to where my father died?"
-*-*-*-*-*-
Emily and Liz were sitting around Emily's room at the Quartermaine mansion listening to some music in their pajamas.
"I'm so glad you invited me back here, Emily. I don't think I would have liked just being alone after the latest rejection from Lucky."
"I figured as much. I don't understand him, but maybe Sly will."
"He seemed nice enough. I think you think he's more than nice, however."
"What?"
Liz laughed. "Come on, Emily, I see the way you look at him. What's up?"
"Nothing," Emily said a little too quickly. She started to blush.
"Whatever you say, but I think something's up with you two. Just don't forget about Juan."
"How can I? He's my boyfriend."
"Just be careful, that's all I'm saying."
A knock was heard at the door. "Come in," Emily called.
Reginald opened the door with a tray in his hands. "Your midnight snack. I have cookies and decaffeinated tea for Ms. Webber and pastrami on rye for you, Miss Quartermaine. I also brought some popcorn and a bottle of soda in case you wanted it later."
"You're a life saver, Reginald. Do you know that?" Emily said.
"I don't hear it nearly enough. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to bed."
"Goodnight Reginald! Thanks!" Emily called.
"Yes. Thanks Reginald!" Liz said.
Emily handed Liz her food then took a big bite out of her sandwich.
"Honestly, Emily, I'll never understand how you can eat that!"
"Ahh, it's perfect! You need to broaden your palate."
"I would expect to broaden it with foods like caviar here, not pastrami!"
"You don't know what you're missing, Liz."
"What do you think they're talking about?" asked Liz after they had finished eating.
"Who?"
"Lucky and Sly."
"If there's one thing I've learned about men, Liz, it's that they don't wonder what we're talking about. Don't worry about them. Sly will know what to say."
-*-*-*-*-*-
Lucky sighed. "I'm teaching you a lesson."
"What, Lucky? It's important to remember the past?"
"No, now you know how I felt all these months. Like a trapped rat in a cage."
"God, Lucky, I'm sorry."
"Faison led me on a thousand times, like 'keep going, and you'll get a reward.' It never paid off."
"That bastard. I'm glad he's dead."
"Whoa, did you know him?" Lucky asked, intrigued.
"He tried to get my father mixed up in some international cartel. He was also a suspect in my mother's murder."
Lucky noticed how Sly's voice got very soft at the end of the sentence. Sly always did that. It made Lucky wonder what she did to him to make talking about her so difficult. "Well, thank goodness for Helena. If she hadn't rescued me…" Lucky trailed off.
"What? She rescued you?"
"Yeah. I owe her my life." Lucky had a strange look in his eyes.
"Lucky, are you sure?"
"I just want to get on with my life. Can't everyone understand that?"
Lucky started to leave. Sly grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "Wait a minute, cuz. You don't think you're getting off that easily, do you?"