Threatened

Chapter 16: Now What?

"Lee Grinner Pace! Get back here!" I scream at the tall figure walking out the door. "How the hell could you have not been prepared for this?!" I demand from the gawking prosecutor.

"The judge was paid! I know it! I didn't think anyone would have been able to bribe Rittenhour, but the Vipers found a way and now they're going to kill us all," Sam says with finality. He believes that we are going to die and I can't say I disagree entirely. We all need to leave this city as soon as possible. There is no guarantee the Vipers haven't already burned our homes.

"Call your parents from this cell," I say quietly, handing him a burner. "It's never been used, the Vipers won't be able to trace it if they've been keeping tabs on either of us. Tell your parents to go on a trip to Europe, Asia, somewhere on the other side of the world. I'll pay if money is an issue, just get them somewhere far away from here." Lee nods, practically rips the phone out of my hand, and walks off into a secluded corner to talk to his parents in private.

"You, Mr. Palteroy, ought to do something similar. Gang leaders don't take kindly to people who try to put them in jail." Sam pales, but does not argue or follow me when I run after Lee.

"Yes, mom. I know. Yes, I love you too. Alright, be safe. Goodbye," he says softly before turning to me. "She gets so worried. I just hope they can get to Greece before something bad happens."

"I'm sure they'll be fine. Is there anything you must have from your apartment? We need to leave as soon as possible."

"There are a few things I packed when you let me stay at your place... Is it possible to retrieve them?"

"If we leave right now and then catch a plane to a small city far away from here. is there any place you'd particularly like to go that no one would suspect you to go?"

"I've been to almost every state and I'd say Indiana is pretty quiet. I think it will be easier to blend into a city than the country. What is the second largest city in the state?"

"Fort Wayne. I used to have family there. That sounds like a good place to go while LA cools down. I'm going to check the car for bombs while you wait by the courtroom. I seriously doubt they are that fast, but I don't really want to take that leap of faith today."

Lee nods and walks back into the police filled courtroom. It's the right place to be if a bomb goes off.

"Hey, Anna. Sorry to hear about the verdict," calls a Californian voice. Zach strolls over with a tailored suit and a fake frown.

"What do you want? I don't have time for meaningless conversation, Zach. I have a job to do."

"Some job. Babysitting a star who couldn't keep his mouth shut."

"Are you telling me you think Mr. Pace should just have kept walking the night of the murder? That things would have been better if he hadn't come to us with his testimony?"

"Yeah, you'd have lived to see 40. Now you're staring down the barrel of a gun you can't talk your way away from." Something in his voice sounds like genuine concern, but his eyes do not share that concern.

"Zach, I know you think you are supercop, but really you're just as prone to destruction as the rest of us. Have fun with your new partner," I say, nodding at the man in a uniform talking to Lee. Zach looks taken aback.

"I saw you sharing coffee with him earlier and just before you came to talk to me, you told him to interview 'the witness.' Really, I have better observation skills than you give me credit for. Goodbye, Zach." I turn away and never look back.

I wave Zach's partner away from Lee and pull him toward the courtroom door. "Stay here and don't talk to anyone while I check the cars." He nods politely as I walk away. No one follows me outside, but I feel the pressure of a million eyes on my back. Paranoia is the scariest side-effect of this job and mine is about to get ten times worse.

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*sighs deeply* I am truly sorry for how long it took to get this updated. I have been very busy, or very tired, or I have had completely no idea what to write. That is the only explanation I have, and it is no excuse. I can't promise that I'll update again soon, only that I hope to update more often eventually. I appreciate your patience and understanding more than you could possibly know. Thank you.