Searching for Salvation
She was right on his tail as he booked down the alley. Leaping on to the chain linked fence, he was agile enough to circumvent the obstacle in a few steps, but she was faster. In a single bound she used the wall to assist herself over. Through shortness of breath he could feel his body slowing down. There was a delivery truck masking an open rear entrance promising a plausible means of escape. He tore up the landing, ducking beneath a long package carried by two blue collars and dashed through the door. At the end of the hall sat a lift he instantly made for. She chased after him, diving over the box and flying down the corridor. The doors responded immediately with the request to ascend. Piling in and jamming at the button, the doors threatened to remain open. Perspiring and cursing at the mechanical doors, they sealed just before she could halt their progress.
She stood gasping for breath and leaning against the steel frame. Looking up she spied a sign direction her to the stairs.
The lift opened up to a stairwell that led to the roof. He continued up and through the door; fresh air, sunlight. With his first step of freedom he was welcomed with a fist. Striking him squarely, Silvia threw him over, knocking the wind out of him and evening the playing field.
The runner groaned and gasped for air, disoriented and rolling on the ground. He tried to rise to his feet, but they were kicked out beneath him. Collapsed again, he turned to face his opponent, surprised to find a cool twenty something female being the cause of his demise. She wore all black, concealing the vast majority of her skin, and kept her hair in a ponytail. She smiled at him as she placed her boot against his skull.
“You know it’s not polite to dodge a question like that, so I’ll ask again. I don’t suppose you know anything about the ‘reverend’ Matthew?” Still panting, she provided the fiercest expression she could muster.
“What are you? Some sort of freak or something?”
“Listen, I’ve already had enough of you, answer the fucking question and we can make this as painless as possible. Matthew, what do you know?!”
Stress in his voice indicated just how much pain he was in, but he tried to play it cool. “You catch more flies with sugar, sweet thing. And I wouldn’t mind seeing what you’re hiding under that outfit of yours— agh!”
Her foot dug deep into his gut. He got the message.
“You really aren’t in any position to make demands.”
“Worth a shot,” he moaned. “You got a name sugar?”
“Yeah, it’s ‘none of your fucking business.”
“ooo, I like ‘em feisty.”
“Silhouette.”
“I like that too.”
She hit him again, “Matthew, or we find out just how loud you can scream.”
“Hey, what kind of crazy chick are you? Matthew ain’t no kind of person you want to go messing with.”
“Try me.”
He wiped a trail of blood from his mouth but his stomach remained on the concrete. “Maybe you like it rough. You think you’re tough shit though? Matthew’d have my ass if I—“
Stepping on his ankle, she twisted her foot to indicate she wasn’t fucking around. He screams.
“Alright! I’ll tell you what I know,” he tried to steady his breath. “You wanna go after this guy, you better move quick. You didn’t hear this from me, but Matthew’s pushing all kinds of weird shit and he’s got money to resolve any ‘issues’ that might come along the way. Word is it’s coming in from all over. Enough that he’s making some big titles nervous, y’know?”
“Where’s he operating?”
“I dunno. I dunno where he’s getting it neither. This fuckers crazy though. He’s got that church. I dunno what’s up with that, but he’s got them eating out of this hands. They don’t step out of line, they don’t say a word. That’s all I know though. Serious!”
“You better be telling the truth.”
“Of course.”
“I’ll come looking for you if you’re not.”
“Hey, hey, if I find somethin’, you’ll be the first to know. You wanna give me your number—“
She gave him another kick, one for the road. Her communicator went off as she did.
“Get out of here!
“Yeah?”
“Sil, I’ve been searching through police files and haven’t found shit on the guy. You catch anything?”
“Police files? How’d you manage that?”
“Best not to ask,” he laughed.
“Just tailed some creep,” she looked up to see he’d scampered off. “Took some convincing, but even then, he didn’t know much. Apart from the religious experience, Matthew’s been buying in the drug trade and making enough threats to scare people into silence. He’s got something different.”
“That’s never a good sign. You get a location?”
“No, but Sean mentioned something about checking the docks.”
She could hear him sigh in the background. “You have to get him involved?”
“He wanted to help. Honest, we could use it at this point. With Matthew keeping quiet, we could use any sort of lead.”
“I just— wait, is that you on top of the Midstreet Complex?”
Silvia turned and looked around the surrounding rooftops. “Hey I see you!”
The transmission was cut off as a shadowy figure drew near. She made the outline of his hat well before his face.
“Got anything for me?” She batted her eyelashes.
Em-Aych greeted her with a smile and withdrew a file from his shoulder bag.
“Told ya; he’s clean. Ugly photograph though.” He removed a sandwich from where he’d pulled the file and proceeded to dig in. Looking up, he offered her a bite.
“I dunno what to make of all of this,” she spoke, still chewing. “There’s nothing here, but half the city’s still scared shitless by the guy.”
“A true criminal genius.”
“You were there though—“
“He’s definitely not that organized,” he shook his head.
“Exactly!”
Em-Aych paced away, tapping at his forehead. He used the sandwich to affirm his speech, “I just can’t think who’d jump aboard the Jesus train and be interested in pulling the strings.”
“We’re definitely missing something here.”
“The cunt’s guilty regardless. If we could just find the prick, I’d say we ask him ourselves.”
“You haven’t got a hint as to where?”
“None.”
“Well, hopefully Sean turns up with something,” some optimism in her voice.
“Be careful with him.”
“What? Why?” Puzzled by his attitude.
“He’s the shady sort. Might be better to keep him on a need to know.”
“He’s a friend; your friend.”
“All the more reason to be suspicious,” he kept his eyes down.
“Are you jealous?”
“That’s got nothing to do with it.”
“Fine,” Silvia sighed, attempting to relieve tension by rubbing her temples. “You know what time it is?”
Em-Aych pulled out his watch, “quarter past five. What, you got a date?”
“Rain wanted me over for dinner. I thought I ought to change before going over.”
“Might as well live over there; you ever go home?”
“Not if I can help it,” she laughed, giving him soft smile. “You should come.”
“Do I have to change?”
She looked at his trench coat and the black uniform. “Never stopped you before.”
“Eh, I should probably clean myself off. Mind if I do it at yours?”
“Yeah, alright.”
With a running start, they dove off the roof.
No comments:
Post a Comment