Lost and Found

Chapter Forty-Two

Trubel's POV

We got back to the house, and everyone who hadn't gotten arrested was waiting outside for us to get there.

"Dude, they got arrested!" Hunter yelled as we got out of the car.

"Has anyone heard anything from them?" Andre asked the group of men. Everyone shook their heads except Robbie who said, "We just saw the cop car parked behind them with its lights on and we kept driving."

"What if they find something on them?" Walter asked. "None of them have been law-abiding citizens, especially here!"

"If they get arrested, we'll deal with it," Roy assured. "But there's nothing we can do for them now. Plus, we've got another problem."

"Now, what?" Michael asked grumpily.

"Cash wants Trubel to plan a gang war," Andre hissed.

Everyone stared at me; some of them looked angry while others looked worried. I shrugged. "And we've already figured out all the details," I assured. "We just have to do it without screwing up, and then Cash won't kill all of us."

"I'm sorry, but why is everyone okay with her planning something like this?" Zach yelled.

"Here we go again," Orion complained rolling his eyes.

"For all we know, she could be planning a suicide mission!" Zach yelled.

I could have started yelling, but after today, I didn't really have the energy. Plus, me standing up in my own defense wouldn't change his mind, anyway.

"Cash wants her to plan it, so that's what's going to happen," Andre said. "End of story."

"Not end of story," Julian disagreed, joining the argument. "I don't want my life in her hands."

"Me, neither," Zach growled.

"And I'm sure Marcus wouldn't be okay with it," Julian added.

Marcus...

I just realized something horrible.

"Then, why don't you go complain to Cash. I'm sure he'd love your input," Roy said.

"Everyone, stop!" I yelled.

"You're going to have to make me stop because I'm not done talking, bitch," Zach growled at me. That was a mistake.

"Oooh," Michael chuckled, looking amusedly back and forth between Zach and me.

Without hesitation, I punched Zach, grabbed his arm, and bent it behind his back so he wouldn't be able to fight back. I slammed him down on the Mustang and held him there. Julian was about to come to his aide, but Roy woged and stepped in his way.

"I wanted you to stop talking because we are all in danger right now," I growled at him. "If Marcus and the others are released, they're going to come back here and lead the police right to us." I let Zach go and asked Roy for his phone. "I'm calling Bruno to tell him to get a hotel room or something. Someone call the others," I announced.

I called Bruno's phone from Roy's contacts while the others were still fighting or deciding who they were going to call.

The phone rang twice before someone picked it up.

"Who is this?" I heard a voice ask. It was a familiar voice that I could place anywhere. It was stern but also curious.

It was Nick. I was on the phone with Nick.

All it would take was me saying a single word and he would recognize my voice, too. He could find out I'm alive and the others wouldn't even know. I could talk, pretending I was talking to Bruno, but if the cops showed up here...

And if Nick found out I was alive, what would he do? Would he come looking for me? Would he get hurt trying to find me? Would he get killed? Would we both get killed?

"Hello?" he asked.

My heart was pounding, my throat was closing, my head was spinning.

What should I do? What should I do? What should I do?

"Hello?" he repeated again.

My aching soul wanted nothing more than to say the words, "I'm sorry." I just wanted to talk to him one last time.

One more time. Just one more and I could die a happy person.

I must have been making a weird face because Roy was staring at me with a confused expression. I quickly clicked the end call button on the phone and handed it back to Roy.

"Nick answered," I told him quietly.

"What?" Roy whispered back, looking worried.

"Bruno's still in police custody. We'll have to try again later," I told him. I looked up and saw Andre click a button on the phone and hold it out in front of us.

"Yeah, they're just giving us back our stuff, now," I heard Dwaine say. "It's good you called me because Bruno's and Marcus's phones are still in the car. But I had mine on me when I got arrested."

So Nick was in Bruno's car? Maybe they were putting a tracker on it...?

"Don't come back," I said quickly.

"What?" Dwaine asked.

"We think they'll be watching the car. You need to stay at a hotel or something tonight," Andre said.

"Got it," Dwaine said. "You still want us to get the word out that we're having a 'meeting' in two days?" Dwaine asked.

"I'll take care of it," I told him. I didn't want him doing anything that he could get caught for.

"Alright. Good luck and see you in two days," he said.

"See you, man," Andre said and then hung up the phone. He sighed, clearly relieved that his friends weren't getting arrested.

*************

Nick's POV

I was trying to hurry. In my mind, getting to HW sooner rather than later was the only way to go. I needed answers as soon as possible. I hoped that someone at the compound would help me.

I ran down to the car and told forensics that we didn't have enough evidence for a case and that we had to return the car. I told them I would take care of it, so they handed the keys over to me and I drove it out in front of the precinct.

When that was done, I pulled the note from my pocket and wedged it back between the center console and the seat where Hank told me it had been before. I was about to get out when I heard a phone ring. It was coming from the side pocket on the inside of the driver's side door. I pulled it out and the caller ID said Roy. As in Leroy, the owner of the car? I decided I would answer it.

"Who is this?" I asked. I wanted to be sure it was who I thought.

I didn't get a verbal response, but I was pretty sure I heard a gasp on the other end. Whoever it was probably realized I wasn't who they had been trying to call.

"Hello?" I asked. They hadn't hung up yet. "Hello?" I repeated again.

They ended the call.

Damn it!

I put the phone back in its original spot and climbed out of the car. The others should be on their way soon.