Quadruple Duty

BANG!

“OWW!”

The corner of the antique credenza dropped and I winced, cradling my crushed finger. Even empty, it was just too big to get on the truck by myself. I frowned in frustration and pain. I loved this thing! But I’d have to leave it.

“Fuck you Dawn!” I cursed, probably for the fourth or fifth time. “You dirty thieving disgusting piece of—”

I heard a rumble. The loud squeal of metal grinding against metal…

The front gate!

I froze, pressing myself into the shadows of the cold metal wall. It was silly, really. Maybe I was invisible for now, but it’s not like I could hide my giant box truck… or the rolled open doors to two storage units.

My heart leapt into my throat as I saw the flash of headlights. They were rolling

down the middle row. My row!

SHIT!

Did the place have security guards? Were they doing a routine check? I couldn’t believe I hadn’t looked into that! Still, it was impossible for anyone else to be here. The keycode Jason provided me was the manager’s bypass — the only way to open the gate during non-business hours.

The loud rumble of an engine chugged down the middle row. I heard the squeal of air-breaks as the vehicle rolled to a stop just behind mine.

Fuck this.

Anger welled up within me. This was my stuff! I wasn’t stealing anything! Whoever was out there, maybe I could make them understand. Maybe I could make them—

I stepped out… just in time to see a man jump down from the cab of the truck. He was big. Menacing. Scary-looking, even silhouetted against the headlights.

A flashlight clicked on. It shined directly into my face, blinding me. Forcing me to cup my hand over my eyes.

“Ahem!” A masculine throat cleared. “Did you uh… need anything miss?”

Fifty-Three

SAMMARA

I was trembling. My tongue totally tied. I cringed a little as the passenger door opened and someone else jumped down from cab. Together, the two men finally stepped into my line of vision… and my heart soared.

“Ryan! Jason!”

Relief flooded through me. And happiness. And confusion.

“What the hell are you doin—”

“So you rent a box truck,” Jason interrupted. “And you rent a storage unit. And then you ask me to get you the keycode to this place.” He smiled and folded his arms. “Then you sneak out here in the dead of the night — somehow imagining we wouldn’t hear the beep of the alarm being deactivated — and now you act surprised when we show up?”

I shrugged awkwardly. It was pretty silly when you looked at it that way.

“I didn’t want to bother you,” I said. “Or involve you in something like this. T—The two of you could get in trouble!”

Ryan laughed. “That’s cute.”

“No, I’m serious! If the police showed up right now, we’re essentially robbing this place. Even if it is my stuff.”

Another rumble, another set of headlights. My eyes went wide with concern, until a second truck pulled up — totally identical to Ryan and Jason’s.

“Relax,” Jason said. “They’re with us.”