Back in da you

Del had no doubt that D could handle herself and while she was putting a whooping on the woman they’d targeted. He busied himself looking through the faces for those trying who weren’t pulling out their cellphones or using the distraction to cop a feel. It was turning into a madhouse as security had their hands full. The dancers were clearly holding back from acting he wasn’t sure how many were infected but he caught enough growls out of the corner of his eyes that he had an idea as to who was whom. He caught a small girl who looked barely an adult out of his periphery who didn’t hold back enough as the footballer who’d stolen a touch was floored and security nearest him was pulled in that direction.



Another guy with dreads was leaping in to help security and by help, doing most of the work. He was skilled making it hurt but leaving the side of beef alive enough to regret it. Refusing to be distracted he caught sight of the same bald guy who’d been humped by D outside of Beautimous’s torn between helping and moving away. Del fell into his shadow watching for friends and acquaintances. He spotted two just ahead of his initial target all moving outside most going for stash pieces. Nothing lethal it seemed but Del was no fool and knew this was about to get really ugly really fast.



He knew Nando had his ways but he couldn’t slow down or wait for him instead he moved to gain a clearer line of sight on the men trying to guess where they would attack from. It was clear they were on a snatch instead of a brace so he added up the odds the three of the he knew he could take down with or without Nando and D but he needed to hold back some as he had been drinking and was officially off the clock. Anything he did would probably get back. SO it would have to be as nonlethal as he could make it.



So he moved into the crowd placing himself just behind the rearmost goon and waited for D and her punching dummy to be brought out.

Nando stayed sitting watching everyone get worked up. Once the big boys got involved he knew it was over and so he stood stretched as they were escorting D out and the dumb broad to the angers office to wait for the police. He waited a second then headed back stage through the performers entrance smiling and jiving his way to the managers office.

Once he arrived and they were interrogating the woman. He paused just long enough to she made her attempt at escape. He pulled his snubnose from his ankle holster and his silencer from his pocket. Once she took off out the door Nando stepped back lined up his shot three inches from the crown of her head. Once she turned out the door and away from him towards the way she was led in he fired two shots into the space between her eyes then once twice at the fire suppression box causing the sprinklers alarms and lights to go off. He backed away unscrewing his silencer and making his way out front with the crush of bodies as everyone ran for the door.

She hadn't had this many fights in a good while and jumped like a scalded cat when del touched her. Nodding she ducked away and headed for the crowded street blending fast snagging a ball cap off a tourist and flipping him beads in return in short order that red mane was twisted up under the cap.

Only thing was her tats were unique she spotted an unattended jacket on chair back at an outdoor cafe. Walker tossed on table jacket snagged and donned and kept moving. Eventually the could duck off the main throughfair she leaned on a building and shook for a moment stuck in a weird head space before she could shake it.

Then as fast as it hit she was ok " nando probly ghosted and might be looking for us we should go to his place an wait he'd head back there I know "

Del fell into hired muscle roll watching over D as she weaved in and out of the crowd as they made their escape. Her experience with her boys out west showed as she disappeared in front of him. Not visually or actually but she’d changed the big clues that she was the same person and in his estimation as cop and man that’s all that mattered was a reasonable doubt.



As they waited he scanned the crowd with any luck they’d lost the getaway team and Nando hadn’t gotten caught up in any fallout. As he scanned he spotted Nando’s brim and said, “Yeah he is lookin for us. Here he comes now…”
Del continued scanning the crowd. He knew they were four blocks west of the car and fifteen minutes from Nando's place.  

He thought on the fact that they'd more specifically D had been made so directly in such short amount of time. He had to admit she was easy to see coming with her firey red and walk that wouldn't quit. Yet this was too targetted. Twice in a few hours and the money to afford mircoGPS locators. Yeah that was not good. Looked like the night would be filled with more questions than either of them would like. "Ya know I think it'd be better to head to my place they already found us at Nando's and while he got a better security system I don't have neighbors we have to worry about."

Yes that was all true plus the fact he had more weapons in case things really got dirty.

Sighing he knew Nando would agree to lay low and come at the enemy from a supposedly hidden location. The problem is the police were accustomed to those tactics and could trace almost everything back especially with everyone keeping themselves on permanent surveillance. Within three days of any dust up the PD were already in the loop.



“No. You have to act as if its business as usual. If you change the PD will be involved before we get to the bottom of who is what. Outsmart them at every turn by being ready when they think you’re not and playing the wrong place wrong time card. It’s the only way to stay clean of the PD especially down here we’re hip to the game we just play dumb."


He knew she was as serious as a heart attack and yet he had to laugh mentally as she made fun of him when he ran into the old hangout for his game dice. " I know you know the address Nando but go to my place its the best we can do for the night then we plan for the rest of the week. I can take time off but we can’t afford me to do dat. I know Ren’s crew is out of sorts but we can make them toe the line on dis especially as they know I can lower the hammer if we need to."

Nando shook his head smirking as he thought of sharing but thinking better of it."Dats not such a great idea but hey I’ll play long. Plus any reason to see your new digs upclose."

Nando fell into step with them his antennae dialed up to ten. One was permanently down and three were broke up but if they had sent as many as they did there would usually mean there were more. Plus while they had their ideas no one really knew for sure who was behind it. Even knowing there was nothing to be down but saint whoever came and make it too costly to try any shenanigans. Then there was also the fact that eventually D would go home and well it looked like that road trip would actually take place sooner than later. He pulled his phone texting as he walked firing off plans for things still in the works.

Wheels within wheels was how he was attacking this the more things moving the better. Soon he would have word back on any new hitters to town plus any roughnecks to boot.

Del Led them through his house Sparsely furnished would have been an overstatement. The only furniture there was being a fully stocked bar with tappers and stools. And a bed big enough for six. Twenty rooms and only two were furnished he knew they would think him weird but in truth he was rarely here for any real period of time. The house was bought as a hope for a future he wasn’t sure he would ever have.



It was a little jarring to him to face it himself but he smiled and acted as if was it was no big thing. He also showed them the one room that really held the place together. His armory it was a study he’d had retrofitted and secured. The walls had been retrofitted to be blast resistant and he had enough ammo to outlast a siege.



It was outfitted with enough gear that if he wanted he could actually open a dealership if he chose.
He didn't he had no real need of money or even the job he held onto through the skin of his teeth. It was for him a means to an end. The ends being him unravelling the mystery of why he was set-up to be infected and sent away. He was beginning to think it was a larger than he'd thought. 

As D stopped and looked for all the world far more damaged by the events he went to her and hugged her hard and strong reminding her that the worse was behind them. Or would be very soon.