The Arcade by Aaron Pogue

Author:Aaron Pogue
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Masked Fox Productions
Published: 2022-09-20T00:00:00+00:00

26.

FIRST THIRTY SECONDS, I floored the accelerator and shouted swears in my head and watched the bulletholes blossom in my windshield. Sickness more than fear held sway.

I’d let him take her. I’d failed completely. And she was in more danger now....

I was in more danger now....

Forty-five seconds in, the thought hit me as I slammed to a stop inches short of Pennsylvania Avenue and all the busy traffic.

I glanced in the rearview mirror, and my rear window was gone. The alley behind me was empty, too. And I could already hear sirens heading this way. Hauser’s guys would be on cleanup.

I’d no more thought it than one of Hauser’s guys peeked out into the alley. He was a hundred yards back—just a shadow shaped like a hoodie—but he held his place and stood watch.

I spotted a gap in traffic and disappeared northbound.

Shoot, I was in real trouble. Even if I was right, and that “Get him!” hadn’t been meant as a kill command, these were killer dudes I’d tangled with. And Hauser knew me. He had my license number and five references. He knew my parents’ address.

I hung a right at the next light and diverted eastbound. Shoot! Shoot! I’d known the night might end with him knowing about my involvement, but it had seemed a noble risk to rescue a girl in need.

A police cruiser blew past me going the other way. Lights and sirens. Maybe they would save the day.

Shoot!

I’d almost been a hero. I’d had the girl in my car! If I had hit the gas—

“I would’ve broken her leg,” I answered myself. I’d tried to leave, but it wasn’t ever safe for her.

“She’s not safe now.”

That shut me up.

I drove on in darkness. I don’t remember the rest of the drive. I didn’t remember it as soon as I got out of the car at Ben’s place.

He opened his door on my second knock. His girl was on the couch. I’d caught them in the middle of some old musical. She looked really unhappy to see me.

Ben only grinned. “Hey! What’s up?”

“I messed up, man.” My voice came out thin and shaky.

His smile slipped.

I said softly, “I need someplace to stay.”

He blinked at me. That’s as long as he spent thinking. Then he said over his shoulder, “We’ll be right back, babe. Dave needs to talk.”

He didn’t wait for an answer, just joined me on the porch and pulled the door shut. Then he clapped me on the shoulder. “What do you need?”

I nodded toward his closed door. “She won’t like that.”

“She won’t like any of this,” he said. “But you need me now. I’ll work things out with her later.”

Again, he didn’t wait for an answer. He headed down the stairs to the parking lot and called back, “Come on. Let’s walk and talk. It’ll help.”

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