Lost Bird

Chapter 12

Sang's P.O.V.

"Da. That's me," Raven smirks.

        Blake seems to buy it. At the very least, he doesn't ask anything else about Raven.

        I roll the window back up and send Raven a glance before getting out of the car. I know he doesn't know what I'm up to, but I hope he trusts me enough to handle it.

Blake grins. "Alright, Sugar. We're alone now. What rumors did you hear about me?"

"Someone was saying that you're talking to gang members in the city. Some have said that you're into drugs and guns."

"Now who told you all that?," he asks, his face full of amusement.

I shrug. "Just some people at the club. After you offered me that job, I asked around about you. But I won't be working with somebody involved in this."

He laughs. "That's ironic, considering who you already work for."

"Are you meaning to tell me that Ian is involved in whatever this is?," I ask, trying to sound naive.

"Maybe. In all honesty, I'm not a hundred percent sure, he doesn't really trust me."

That's interesting. I assumed the two were close or they were at least working together. But as I'm starting to learn, he doesn't really trust anybody. I was asked to come here because he seems to like his bottle girls more, but now I'm doubting that he likes them enough to trust them with certain information.

        "Why don't you ride with me?," he asks.

"Why?," I narrow my eyes.

"So you can see for yourself. I don't think you'd believe what I was up to if I told you."

Oh. I nod. "Okay. I just have to grab my phone out of the car."

He heads to his car while I open the door Raven's rental.

I grab my phone. "Have somebody track my phone. Or Blake's. I'll check in if I can, but I don't want him getting suspicious."

"What's happening?," Raven asks.

"I asked him what he was up to," I shrugged, "Just trust me. I'll see you later. Don't follow us."

I shut the door before he can protest. I walk across the street where Blake is waiting in his car.

I take a deep breath before getting in. I hope I'm making the right choice here. After Raven speeds off, Blake also drives off in the opposite direction."

"So, what exactly are we going to see this gang member for?," I ask.

"There's this new drug called JH-14. It's a brand of synthetic weed."

        I obviously know all about it, but I have to pretend this all new information. "Synthetic?," I ask, "Why make a chemical based one when the real thing is out there? Wouldn't it be easier to just grow it and distribute that?"

         "Synthetics go under the radar. They're undetectable on drug tests. People obviously don't want to lose their jobs because they got selected for random drug screening. And kids like it because they can hide it from their parents or school easier. It's also not illegal yet, which makes it very popular."

         "I don't understand why you're so interested in it," I say. "You could easily get the real stuff."

     "First of all, I don't use drugs. Never been interested in them. But this particular batch is really bad. Normal side effects of synthetics are extreme cases of paranoia and aggression. JH-14 is so much worse and can cause permanent damage. Not to mention the physical side effects. It's the worst I've ever seen."

       "Can it kill people?"

         "I think it already has," he says, "There's been an increase in the local suicide attempt reports and they were using these drugs. There's people going into the hospital with flu symptoms and dying. Some people react differently to it and don't get sick, but I think it depends on how much is injected or smoked or whatever it is they're doing with it. While instances seem to have been contained, I'm hoping to stop anything more from happening."

         "So, you're trying to stop any more from being distributed?," I ask. "But won't they continue to just make more?"

        "Yes. They won't continue making this same strain for much longer though and then they'll be onto the next. Hopefully that one won't have such awful side effects. And if they do, I'll figure something out."

I can say that I certainly didn't expect any of this. He could be lying about all of this, but I believe him. Somewhat. I'll just have to see it for myself, I guess.

       "So what are you doing with all of it then if you aren't taking it?"

      He smirks. "Remember when I said you wouldn't believe me if I told you? Well, you'll just have to see that part for yourself too."

         I nod and then we sit in silence for the rest of the ride.

        We pull up to what looks like an abandoned house. After he parks, he says, "If you don't believe me after this, I don't know what to tell you."

         "I don't understand what you're doing," I say, "I mean I get what you are doing, but I don't get why. You didn't wake up one day and decide to start buying synthetic drugs and save a bunch of strung out teenagers from themselves."

       "Shows how little you know me, sweetie," he grins. "Maybe I do have a few secrets left."

       "What makes a wealthy playboy want to take the risk?"

      "What makes a girl stalk a man she barely knows in order to sniff out all of his dirty little secrets?," he taps his fingers against the steering wheel. "You said it was about the job, but it's more than that. It's the same reason you're in this car now. You're not begging me to take you home. I see that look in your eye. You're curious."

         I don't say anything. I don't really know how to respond to that. He reaches out and grabs my hand before bringing it to his lips. "Kind of sad, though."

         "What is?"

           "I was kind of hoping during any part of this, when you discovered what I was up to, I thought you'd finally admit the truth."

           "Okay, I'm lost. What truth are you talking about?"

      "That you're curious about me," he kisses the knuckles on my hand, "You like me."

      I let out a laugh. "I don't know you."

       "But what you do know, you like," releases my hand. "You didn't know me that well last weekend, but you still kissed me."

         He has a point. Except, up until this point I thought he was shady. I can't deny there's something I like about him.

      "Can we just get this over with?," I ask, ready for this conversation to be done.

      He laughs but opens the car door. I get out and when I'm about to start walking towards the house, he stops me. "Listen. I don't want to make a fuss about this, but I think it's the best if I do all the talking."

       I shrug. "Please do. You're the expert."

      We finish the short walk to the house. We step onto the porch and Blake knocks twice on the door.  It doesn't take long for someone to answer.

      But, as soon as the door opens, a gun is pointed directly at us.