Holy shit. They’d taken down his attackers as if they were a kiddy gang. Jesse thought he was going to be beaten to death, but thank goodness he was freezing and wasn’t feeling much pain at the moment. Jesse stood on unstable legs as he tried to slow his breathing. It seemed impossible as his heart beat like a wild bass drum.
“H-how’d you guys do that?” Jesse stammered, staring at the men lying in a row like fallen dominos.
“That’s what we do,” Tech said, pushing his glasses higher on his nose. “We try to protect the residents from getting robbed by doped-up junkies.”
“Well, you guys must have a busy job.” Jesse brushed at some leaves and dirt that’d gotten tangled in his hair. He cursed, realizing he’d lost his beanie in the scuffle. “There seems to be a ton of those around here.”
“Yep,” Tech agreed. “But there’s only one supplier. And if we get rid of him and his synthetic drug that’s making people insane or flat out killing them, then maybe some of these addicts can get treatment. Treatment from a powerful drug that your best friend was selling.”
Jesse shivered, frightened, cold, and tired. He just didn’t think he could take much more. How had he gotten himself in such a shitty situation? Being leaned on by some narcs that’d basically just saved his life and were now asking him to do the right thing. To help them. Help the police fight a war they were obviously losing. Wasn’t it Jesse’s civic duty to do that? That’s how he’d been raised. But now when he was facing the fire, he was cowering. Oh god. His mom would be so disappointed. Jesse felt the tears welling but again held them close. Now wasn’t the time.
“Look, I know you didn’t do anything wrong. I checked you out, Jesse. You’re smart. Graduated with honors from a great college. You seemed to have done all right for yourself despite your circumstances.”
Jesse wasn’t gonna bother wasting his precious breath to ask how they knew this… of course they knew. They knew everything. Except how to get Worm to talk. But Jesse did, and it was time he did his part, time he did the right thing. Worm only had one soft spot, one weakness that the narcotics officers could exploit.
Him.
“We’re gonna get these men out of here. Let them sleep it off in the tank for forty-eight hours. They won’t hurt you any more tonight.” Tech pulled Jesse from his thoughts by sliding a business card into his front jacket pocket. “Call me anytime. And I’ll come get you if you’re ready to talk to Felix.” Tech started to turn away, then paused. “Try not to wait too long, Jesse. God has me checking up on you to make sure you’re safe—he knows you don’t belong on these streets—but I can’t be around all the time. And his patience wears thin, quickly.”
God sent them. Jesse nodded. “I guess God sent you two because you’re the most dangerous.”
The dark man behind Jesse chuckled menacingly, and the sound made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. It made him feel as if a ghost was lurking just a few feet away.
Tech smirked. “No. God sent us because those other two cause way too much trouble to be allowed out this late.”
“How do I know you’re telling the truth?” Jesse said to Tech’s back.
He turned and pointed at his open black parka, revealing the perfect Ivy League outfit of khakis, button-up shirt, and vest that was accented with a lot of badassness. “I’m telling you the truth. You can trust me, Jesse. I’m wearing a bow tie for fuck’s sake.”
Jesse would’ve laughed if he could, but there was too much weighing on his sad heart to manage the effort.
Mason
Bone-rattling thunder woke Mason in the middle of the night. He sat straight up in his bed as the sound of torrential rain and howling winds raged from a storm outside. The powerful gusts caused the tree limbs hanging over his house to beat aggressively against his rooftop. What the hell? He knew some weather had come in, but… Fuck! Before his feet touched the cold floor, his thoughts immediately whirled to Jesse. He darted into his closet and tossed on the first articles of clothing he could get his hands on. It felt like a rock had been dropped in the pit of his stomach. Jesse was out there.
Without thought as to what he’d say to Jesse when he found him, he threw on his all-weather jacket, grabbed the keys to his Explorer, and was out his front door. The cold, biting rain came down in slants and beat against his face as he raced down his driveway. He’d only been outside ten seconds, and he was drenched. He could only imagine how Jesse…. Goddamnit. Why’d you run out on me?