Page 11
Story: Black Shadows
Nodding, he purses his lips. “She was naked and looked like she hadn’t showered in at least a week. There was God knows what on the carpet, and the room reeked. There was a shitty mattress on the floor and bars on the window. It was fucked.”
Listening to all this, it’s upsetting me. Making my stomach turn. Hearing how she was left, possibly to die in that fire. She would have died alone and in the worst condition. I need some air.
“Let me go see if I can help Phoenix.” I head out of the room and turn my head to see if I can spot Phoenix. Walking out of the hall, I look at the nurses’ station and see her with Mason and Daxon.
Tilting my head to the side, I motion for Daxon and Mason to step over toward me. When they get to me, I whisper as quietlyas I can to them. “The girl that Drew saved, she may have been kidnapped.”
“Whoa. Are you serious?” Mason’s eyes go wide.
“Serious. Drew said the conditions were really bad. I had to step out. The shit he was describing…” I blow out a breath.
Daxon rubs the back of his neck. “Okay. We need to call Jonathan. He might be able to help. But also, Phoenix…” he trails off.
“That’s what Drew was concerned about. Considering she has a past, he was afraid it could trigger something,” I say honestly to them.
“He’s always protecting her.” Mason smiles.
The Jonathan they are talking about is Special Agent Jonathan Steele with the FBI. They have been good friends with him, from what I understand, since their days back in high school. Drew occasionally talks about how he owes Jonathan his life.
“Have we heard anything about this woman? Know where she is?” I ask Mason.
He shakes his head. “No. Phoenix is trying to find out now.”
“I am tempted to just go up and down looking for a room with cops coming in and out of it. No doubt a naked woman who was pulled out of a fire is going to raise some eyebrows.” I frown.
Daxon puts his hands in his pockets. “Did he mention a name?”
“No. He didn’t mention it.”
“Hey,” Phoenix’s voice pulls us away from our conversation as we watch her walk over to us. “She’s in room 529. But they won’t let her have any visitors right now. I’m going to call John.” She turns on her heels and heads off to do what she said she was going to do.
“Let me know what your friend says. I’m gonna let Drew know she’s in a room. I’ll see you guys later.” I pat Mason on the shoulder and nod to Daxon.
Making my way back into Drew’s room, I pull the curtains back and slide into the very crowded room. And then I spot Coach Bertelli.
Shit.
“Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?” Coach stands there with his hands on his hips, glaring down at Drew.
“Yeah, Coach, I do. But I couldn’t stand there and risk someone being in there, and someone was. Who knows if Fire and Rescue would have gotten there in time?” Drew answers back.
“You could have gotten hurt! You are an amazing pitcher, and you risked throwing all that away for someone you don’t even know.” Coach throws his hands up in exasperation.
“Coach, he was just trying to do the right thing. That’s all,” Cameron jumps in.
“It was fucking stupid, and he had no business doing it,” Tristan grumbles from his seat in the corner.
“Of all people, Evan agrees,” Coach snaps. “This is going insane on them social things you kids are always on. It’s a mess. And I don’t know what type of publicity will come from this.” He pauses and shakes his head. “Now, I know they have doctors taking care of you and checking you out, but I want Dr. Nichols to examine you and make sure you are fit to play. Understood?”
“Understood, Coach,” Drew agrees, staring at his lap.
“When they release you, these three,”—he points to me, Evans, and Davis—“will make sure you get home this time. No more playing superhero. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, sir. No more hero.” Drew sighs and tips his head back against the pillow.
Coach grumbles something unintelligible and heads out of the room. I glance over at Drew, seeing that he looks lost in his thoughts.
“Talk to me, Spencer. What’s going on in that mind of yours?” I wonder.
Listening to all this, it’s upsetting me. Making my stomach turn. Hearing how she was left, possibly to die in that fire. She would have died alone and in the worst condition. I need some air.
“Let me go see if I can help Phoenix.” I head out of the room and turn my head to see if I can spot Phoenix. Walking out of the hall, I look at the nurses’ station and see her with Mason and Daxon.
Tilting my head to the side, I motion for Daxon and Mason to step over toward me. When they get to me, I whisper as quietlyas I can to them. “The girl that Drew saved, she may have been kidnapped.”
“Whoa. Are you serious?” Mason’s eyes go wide.
“Serious. Drew said the conditions were really bad. I had to step out. The shit he was describing…” I blow out a breath.
Daxon rubs the back of his neck. “Okay. We need to call Jonathan. He might be able to help. But also, Phoenix…” he trails off.
“That’s what Drew was concerned about. Considering she has a past, he was afraid it could trigger something,” I say honestly to them.
“He’s always protecting her.” Mason smiles.
The Jonathan they are talking about is Special Agent Jonathan Steele with the FBI. They have been good friends with him, from what I understand, since their days back in high school. Drew occasionally talks about how he owes Jonathan his life.
“Have we heard anything about this woman? Know where she is?” I ask Mason.
He shakes his head. “No. Phoenix is trying to find out now.”
“I am tempted to just go up and down looking for a room with cops coming in and out of it. No doubt a naked woman who was pulled out of a fire is going to raise some eyebrows.” I frown.
Daxon puts his hands in his pockets. “Did he mention a name?”
“No. He didn’t mention it.”
“Hey,” Phoenix’s voice pulls us away from our conversation as we watch her walk over to us. “She’s in room 529. But they won’t let her have any visitors right now. I’m going to call John.” She turns on her heels and heads off to do what she said she was going to do.
“Let me know what your friend says. I’m gonna let Drew know she’s in a room. I’ll see you guys later.” I pat Mason on the shoulder and nod to Daxon.
Making my way back into Drew’s room, I pull the curtains back and slide into the very crowded room. And then I spot Coach Bertelli.
Shit.
“Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?” Coach stands there with his hands on his hips, glaring down at Drew.
“Yeah, Coach, I do. But I couldn’t stand there and risk someone being in there, and someone was. Who knows if Fire and Rescue would have gotten there in time?” Drew answers back.
“You could have gotten hurt! You are an amazing pitcher, and you risked throwing all that away for someone you don’t even know.” Coach throws his hands up in exasperation.
“Coach, he was just trying to do the right thing. That’s all,” Cameron jumps in.
“It was fucking stupid, and he had no business doing it,” Tristan grumbles from his seat in the corner.
“Of all people, Evan agrees,” Coach snaps. “This is going insane on them social things you kids are always on. It’s a mess. And I don’t know what type of publicity will come from this.” He pauses and shakes his head. “Now, I know they have doctors taking care of you and checking you out, but I want Dr. Nichols to examine you and make sure you are fit to play. Understood?”
“Understood, Coach,” Drew agrees, staring at his lap.
“When they release you, these three,”—he points to me, Evans, and Davis—“will make sure you get home this time. No more playing superhero. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, sir. No more hero.” Drew sighs and tips his head back against the pillow.
Coach grumbles something unintelligible and heads out of the room. I glance over at Drew, seeing that he looks lost in his thoughts.
“Talk to me, Spencer. What’s going on in that mind of yours?” I wonder.
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