Tip Five - Don't Bring Up The Past

Tip Five

               He knew before he got there that it was a bad idea. He knew he shouldn’t go alone to an alleyway to speak to them. He knew he should have told someone, and yet, as he stops behind the restaurant he knew he wouldn’t tell Josh he was meeting Mav no matter how much danger he was putting himself in. Alec had arrived early. Mav picked this spot for a reason Alec wanted to know why. He looks around, it only took him a few moments before he figured out what it was Mav liked about this area. There was only one easy way out of this area, and that was the way he came in. Alec hears footsteps approaching and he turns to look. Mav walks into view, seven people behind him. Alec should have known he wasn’t going to come alone. The seven people spread out to block the exit. Alec shifts slightly. He should have grabbed more than one weapon.

               “Good to see you didn’t chicken out, Alec” Mav walks forward and stands in front of Alec.

               “Chicken out of what, Mav? We’re just here to talk.” Alec keeps his hand on his knife. There was no safe way to handle this situation, any wrong move and the whole thing could go south.

               “Of course,” Mav smiles, “How have you been, Alec?”

               “You didn’t ask me here to ask about my life, Mav. Get to the point.” Alec hated small talk. There was no reason to beat around the bush, he knew what Mav wanted and knew what he was after. The quicker he could tell him again why he choose what he did, the quicker he could leave and get this whole thing behind him.

               “The same as I remember, Alec, so straight forward. What happened to the close bond we once had? We’re family, Alec, brothers”

               “Were,” Alec growls low, “After you sent your other family members to run my car off a cliff I kind of decided you weren’t much of a brother.”

               “You messed up, Alec.” Mav growls low, “You had to be taught a lesson”

               “I told them nothing when I was arrested, Mav, they didn’t know the gang had anything to do with it.”

               “You were caught, Alec, that’s enough of a mess up. They knew you were second in the Rawson gang. They knew you had connections to the rest of us, they knew if they grilled you then you’d tell them where we were. We couldn’t let that happen.”

               “So you run me off a cliff?” Alec growls, “I wouldn’t have told them a thing, Mav. You knew I was loyal to the Rawson gang, you knew I would have never allowed them to find you or the rest of them. The Rawson was my family.”

               “Then come back to your family, Alec. You know the only true way to leave is if we kill you.” Mav steps closer, “I would hate to have to kill you, Alec. Just come back to the gang, back to your family, and we’ll forget the past few months.”

               “No,” Alec growls, “You tried to kill me. If it wasn’t for the doctors I wouldn’t be here. I told you I was done with that, I’m putting my life back together.” Alec had been taken to the hospital. Josh had been the one on duty and had done everything to save Alec’s life. Josh stayed with Alec. He made sure he was safe. He questioned him about his past until Alec finally had told him all about it. When it was safe for Alec to leave the hospital Josh had offered up his home to him.  He had helped him learn to walk again, had made sure his medication was paid for. He wrote up references and made sure Alec was able to get a job. He paid for the private school so Alec would be away from the gang and could start over. If it wasn’t for Josh, Alec would be back on the streets trying to survive.

               “There is only two ways this will go, Alec.” Mav moves a step closer. “You come back to the gang, or you leave and we make your leaving a permit thing.”

               “You know my answer, Mav.” Alec backs up. This was going to turn ugly, “I’m done.”

               “Then we’ll end this for good.” Mav jumps at Alec and grabs for his shirt. Alec jumps to the side. His only chance was to get out of this alley. In here he was trapped and outnumbered. He didn’t have room to move without putting himself too close to the other gang members or Mav. He steps aside again as Mav grabs for him, but it was too late. He noticed his error seconds before he was able to stop himself from doing it. He should have known Mav wouldn’t have been so reckless in his attacks. He should have saw that Mav was pushing him toward the other gang members, not attacking, but he didn’t pick up the mistake until hands grabbed him and yanked him over. Alec pulls trying to grab for his knife. Mav slowly walks over. Darrell, one of the most loyal members of the gang as well as the youngest, pulls Alec’s arms behind his back. One of the others punch Alec in the chest.  Alec hisses as the wind is knocked out of him. Mav stops in front of him. “You are making this harder than it needs to be. Just agree to return to the gang and all of this can end.”

               “I told you already,” Alec yanks forward trying to get free, “I’m finished”

               “So you are,” Mav punches him in the chest. Alec tries again to pull free. Darrell shoves him down onto the ground. Alec twists, using Darrell being momentarily off balance to his advantage. He pulls free and rolls to his feet. Hands grab for him. Alec dodges and tries to get past the gang members, but he knows he’s out numbered. He shoves past two of them, grabbing one of their arms and snapping it on his way. The other grabs hold of him and pulls him back. Alec growls. He pulls his knife and swings, cutting into the second guy’s arm. He shoves past and heads toward his car. He had to get away, any chance of living was put on this one moment. A sharp pain omits from his leg suddenly. He screams and drops onto his knees. A hard punch to the back of the head sends him collapsing to the ground spots dancing in front of his eyes. Feet kick at him and hands punch him over and over. He pushes up trying to get back to his knees. He grabs for his knife a few inches out of his reach. A boot stomps on his hand and he screams again. Another punch to the back of the head sends him onto the ground once more. He tries to lift his arm to protect his head, but it’s not enough and the third shot to the head darkens the world.

 

               The waiter grumbles, he hated Monday mornings. The restaurant didn’t open until eight in the morning but he had to be there by six to start the grill and finish up any job not finished Saturday night. He tied the garbage bag and went out the back door to get to the alleyway, which held the dumpster. Maybe if he was lucky the person who came in at ten to take over for him would be on time. He tosses the bag into the dumpster and turns back toward the restaurant, nothing ever happened at this place. Sighing he opens up the door and steps back into the restaurant, he pauses as something catches his attention out of the corner of his eye. He steps back outside and lets go of the door. Something was behind the dumpster. He slowly walks over his mind racing. It could be anything, hell it could be a rabid dog or something. Though… it was pretty big. He stops at the edge of the dumpster and carefully bends to move a piece of ripped up cloth. He stops the moment his hand touches it. The cloth was on the thing behind the dumpster. It was part of the anim- human… His eyes widen and he jumps back. It was a teenager. His clothes were ripped up and he was covered in blood. The waiter turns and runs back into the restaurant to call 911.

 

               Josh steps out of the shower and wraps the towel around his waist. Though it was his day off Josh was up early. He couldn’t get in touch with Alec all day yesterday and he was worried sick. He knew something was wrong, he just couldn’t figure out what. Alec always answered the phone when Josh called. On the weekends unless he was out with Josh, Melissa or now Emma, Alec stayed in the house. When Josh showed up at Alec's no one was there, even his car was gone. Something serious was happening. Josh walks into the bedroom and grabs some clean clothes. As he’s pulling on his shirt the phone rings. Josh walks over and eyes caller ID.

               “Damn it,” he sighs, his work was calling. He picks up the phone. “Hello”

               “Josh, it’s Bridget” the woman says.

               “I can’t come in today Bridget, I’m having family problems.”

               “This isn’t about work, Josh” Bridget says softly, “They brought in a teen boy about ten minutes ago. Black hair, around seventeen… he was found behind the dumpster at Jitters restaurant.”

               Josh almost drops the phone, “You think it’s Alec?”

               “If it is…” Bridget swallows hard, “Just hurry down, Josh”

               Josh hangs up the phone. He grabs his shirt and pulls it on before grabbing his keys and running down to his car.

 

               Josh runs into the ER and to the desk. The desk clerk looks up, “Josh, I didn’t think you worked today”

               “I don’t. They brought in a teenage boy just a little while ago. What room is he in?” Josh looks around.

               “Teen boy they found behind the dumpster? Surgical room 3” the clerk replies. Josh runs to the room. Please don’t let it be Alec. He pushes open the door and hurries into the room. Two doctors and five nurses crowd the room. That was more than the normal which meant it had to be serious. Josh hurries over and pushes around one of the nurses. The teen on the body didn’t look like much. The parts of his body that weren’t covered in bruises and blood, was pale. His hand looked almost crushed. Josh sucked in his breath, it was indeed Alec. He moves over to the leading doctor.

               “What do we have?” Josh swallows trying to keep himself calm.

               “Teen boy found behind the dumpster at Jitters’s restaurant, from the looks of it he’s been there a little over twenty-four hours. No ID, no phone, no car keys, thinking possible robbery. He has several broken ribs his hand was crushed and he has three large hits to the head. He’s unconscious and at the moment not responding.” The doctor looks at Josh. “We have two doctors in here. I think we can handle this.” He looks back at Alec.

               “I’m the boy’s guardian. He doesn’t carry ID… his phone was probably in his car which…. should have been around the area.” Josh looks at Alec. “I know who did this.”

               The doctor looks quickly at Josh before going back to Alec, “Who?”

               “The Rawson gang,” Josh growls low. “They did this, I know they did.”

               “Do you have any proof?” The doctor looks over, “I don’t think the police have any fingerprints yet.”

               “I know they did. Alec will tell you when he wakes up.” Josh nods, “I know he will.”

               “If,” the doctor looks at Josh, “If he wakes up. He has a concussion and has been unconscious for two days now. There is a chance he won’t wake up.” The doctor goes back to working on Alec. “We’ll have to see what happens.”

Author's Note

For now... this is it. :) My editors are working on this and I hope to have it published before the end of this year. I may add a few more chapters... we'll see. :)