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Chapter 6: Child's Slay
"And what about his sister?" asked Pedro, "And if I should come across this other Pendejo, I assume the same applies to him?"
"No," said Teague immediately, "Him...you bring to me. Alive."
"Well, naturally," declared Theodora, "Though, I warn you, I wouldn't put much stock in bullets. Still..." she shrugged, "Try your best. Earn your keep."
"That, Senora, is why I armor piercing rounds," Pedro smirked, before walking over to a corner, and retrieving the compound bow from the wall, "And if they don't work...this will."
"You have your instructions, then," said Theodora, "Godspeed."
Without another word, Pedro left the hideout. It was time to hunt...
Teague, who had remained silent the whole time, finally spoke, "You've unleashed a monster, Theodora. But maybe it was the only way."
"I rid us of a monster," said Theodora, "And if he gets killed seeking out the other monsters...or if they manage, somehow, to kill each other, then all the better."
She shrugged, "You don't approve."
"It's not what I would have done," He admitted, sighing, pinching his nose, "I'm not judging you for it, though."
"Do you think I give a hot damn whether you judge me, Edward?" Theodora asked tersely, "I've been dealing with judgments my entire laugh. I've as much a say in how things are run here as you. I was not about to keep him locked up with what remains of our charges any longer. Frankly, I half expect him to hit the road and disappear into the wilderness without even bothering to find the killer. To that end..."
She fished about in her pocket, retrieving the map, "Here. I found it in the stock room. There are similar postings by the cabins, but this is the one paper map I could find."
"Let's shed some light on the subject then," Teague turned on the battery powered lamp on the bench, and started looking at it, "Alright. Let's plan an escape route."
"Well, the way out seems clear," said Theodora curtly, "There's one road connecting us to the highway. A bridge...and then civilization."
She paused, "Or something like it. It's a considerable distance, though. And in the driving rain..."
"I'd like to think the rain might hold the killer at bay. So maybe we should use it as cover," replied Teague, carefully studying the map, "But we also have to consider that he may have already boobytrapped that path. And...what are we doing with the bodies?"
"Well, we can't carry them out with us!" Theodora pointed out, "Sanitary concerns aside, we don't even have a school bus, much less a hearse. They'll be safer where they are, and the police will know better what to do with them than us."
"Alright then," Teague said, nodding, "Let's get everyone together and do this."
Leslie blinked, processing what was asked of them.
Then, it suddenly made sense. "No wonder you're so neurotic. You're addicted to opiates!" She bit her lip, pondering the decision. "I don't know if we should support your terrible habit...but if it helps catch this killer in the long run, I guess it's worth it."
Regardless, Leslie felt guilty for supporting Fitz's addiction. Maybe if he wasn't hooked on pills, he wouldn't be so...him.
Well, your reputation's already in the pot ten times over, Fitz thought, You were overdue for a drug scandal anyway.
And he might've gotten one too, if it weren't for the well-intentioned (ha and double-ha) maneuverings of Sam Henderson. And, anyway, he couldn't tell her this was a favor for the very girl he'd had her steal from before. He may have sold his soul for flattery and bullion twenty years ago, but as far as he could tell, Leslie still had values.
So, acting it was.
"Yes!" he exclaimed at last, "I...I need my..." he paused, "...Stuff! It...torments me and yet...it is a..a...er..."
He blinked, "A need. For my stuff. And I'd be very pleased indeed if you could get them back. My eye is gone."
He'd meant to work that in somewhere higher up as an explanation for the pain killers, but nerves had gotten the best of better men.
"Kellerman has them in her pocket, I don't doubt."
"Or her office here!" Leslie suggested, the investigative urge for justice lit up within her once more. "Don't worry, Fitzy. We'll get your drugs. Hell, I would want them to if I had a gaping hole in my head."
Then, she said something she'd rarely said to anybody as she extended her hand. "You have my understanding."
Fitz felt a distasteful tremor in his innards that he at first thought might be gout, or perhaps a kidney stone.
No! No, you despondent sot! Can this be...affection? For another being? My God...
"I am in your debt, Leslie Adon," he said tremulously, shaking her hand with both of his, and finding they were very sweaty indeed.
Remembering the other boy was there, Fitz turned to him, "And you too, little Cottonseed."
"Thank you, sir," Carl said, unsure of what to do next.
"I'll be too if you can get that knife," Leslie replied, leaving the handshake. "We have to have solidarity in times like these." She looked from Carl to Fitz, her two least likely allies. "Even if the company is strange."
"Queer bedfellows, yes," Fitz sighed, "Well...Godspeed."
What was this knife again...?
Leslie walked away with Carl. "Alright. Simple theft. Shouldn't be too hard. Door's probably locked." She turned to face him. "I don't suppose you know how to pick a lock, do you?"
"I'll need a hair pin, and paperclip."
"I have the hair pin. The paperclip..." Leslie looked around the room. "I don't think anyone here would bring paperwork to clip here in the first place. Fuck."
"Another hairpin might work," Carl replied, examing the lock.
"OK, just a matter of stealing another one," Leslie reasoned, looking into the crowd for a generous donor. "Hey! Hudson!" She called to the smarmy lady.
"Shut up!" Tina barked, "Christ, it's too early for that screaming."
She looked the purple-haired girl up and down, determining that this must be one of those sad specimens of teenage society they were cranking out these days.
"And you?" she turned to the hillbilly, "Ain't you the homo that used to date my niece?"
Carl's eye twitched at the reminder, "Unfortunately, Yes, I am."
Pedro quietly walked towards the showers, keeping an eye out for the Pendajo killing everyone.
Just who did that woman think she was, ordering him about? After coming into his home, destroying HIS property, and insulting and belittling him.
Perhaps if she had asked politely, he would have considered going after the killer.
But with that attitude?
"No thank you," he said to himself.
What he needed to do now, was get his money, hijack a car, and get the Hell out of Dodge as quickly as possible.
He had stashed the 10 mil in 4 different locations. One of which was near the showers. He would deget the money from the hideout last.