TLC Shots

C.A.J. Part 7

(8:00 PM, Friday, Thorne's House)

Thorne felt a wave of relief wash over him. After all of his hard work ... and an anonymous helper bribing half of the people in charge of handling his case, Thorne had been placed under house arrest. Sure, he may have been stuck staying in his house with a police officer camping outside around the clock.

But it was much better than sharing a cell with that ex-gangbanger. If anyone thought Thorne was stupid and annoying, then they should meet his former cellmate. Crusty.

And that guy had earned than name for sure. If Thorne had to go back to that cell, he was heading there with ten bottles of Febreeze.

House arrest was so much better in a thousand ways. Now, it would be much easier to sneak out and go places than it was in jail. With that concrete prison, it took too long to get anywhere and take things he needed from other prisoners. But thanks to Crusty's idiocy, no one was the wiser.

It took Thorne all of ten minutes to get into his house, take off the tracking anklet the police had generously gifted to him, and slip out of the house.

But of course, Thorne wasn't totally stupid. He turned on the Roomba he kept for cleaning - as he was too busy with other things to think about vacuuming. He felt so proud of himself for springing for the noiseless model. Using it now, the cop outside wouldn't think he was vacuuming for what could be hours.

He taped the anklet to the Roomba and let the cops think he was pacing around his house. They loved to think that they had a leg up on him. That he was nervous about his case.

In reality, it was quite the opposite. Thorne was more optimistic about his case now than he ever had been. He could leave his house and do whatever he pleased. And thanks to the Clay's, this case hadn't even reached the major news reports yet.

So there was a very small chance that anyone would recognize him while he was out and about.

Before leaving his house, Thorne walked around his house, careful not the disturb any of the curtains. They were all black out curtains, and didn't allow outsiders to look in. Still, Thorne had no intentions of making his pathway to his arsenal known to the cop outside.

He went up his stairs and into his room. Sure, some things were not where he left them, a few objects disturbed.

But those cops hadn't been smart enough to move his bookshelf. His arsenal was safe, and the necklace rested in his bag inside that very room.

Satisfied, Thorne changed out of his normal clothes and into a nicer shirt and slacks. He decided to keep a hoodie on, because you never know when you're going to run into someone who watches out for every criminal that has ever existed.

Or those old people who only watch thirty different news channels. They were annoying too. If anyone recognized him from the smallest thing, they'd probably shout it at anyone who would listen to them. Then his story really would make the news.

He slipped out the back of his house, and was surprised to see that no cops were posted outside the back of his house. Thorne almost felt insulted that he wasn't being more carefully watched.

After all, he was an international criminal.

.....................

From the driver's seat, Scarlet groaned. "Are we really going to let him do this? For all we know, he's going to the airport to flee the country."

Cinder smiled at her. "Trust me. He's heading to the nearest bar. It's called The White Rose. It's got a three cornered jester's hat on the front door."