Perfectly Imperfect | ✓

Seventeen

"Who are you calling?" I asked persistently. "Just relax. You're safe with me." Niko placed a trusting hand on my knee as we sped down the road. I ran through the phone call in my head. Niko and his family haven't spoken in months, his mom and Dad both disappeared months ago and he and his brothers haven't gone to the cops because their parents are undocumented and obviously there's the whole gang thing.

"How are you supposed to get them back, you guys don't even have the power to-" I stopped talking. He pulled into an abandoned foreclosure mansion. His brothers stood outside of their cars tossing ammo and firearms back and forth. Several bodies circulated in and out of the huge property stacking up trunks with weapons of all kinds. Allison and Parker would be having a blast right now with all the heavy duty fire power surrounding me. My eyes drew their attention to a dark haired girl with butterfly knifes and blades of all kinds hoisted along her waist and leg. "Where can I get one of those?" I pointed to her as Niko strolled back over, now covered in guns and knifes head to toe, with a set of matte black brass knuckles. "I'll bring you home a set. But go straight home, don't stop for a coffee break, nothing. And please don't tell our little cop friend about it." He clicked the gun into safety and stuck it in the waistband along with three others and packs of ammo. "Okay. Be safe, come back to me." I said under my breath kissing him goodbye. Tears formed in my eyes and he held my cheek softly. "Don't worry yourself, like I said I still gotta bring home that present." He smiled, reassuring me.

As he hopped into the car with Rian I cruised down to the police station to find Allison and Lucas nose deep in the stack of files. "Isn't that illegal? You know since she's a part of the case?" I asked inching closer to them.

"Shhh. Keep your voice down." Allison hushed me signalling for me to join them. I scanned the file reading over the summary.

"This isn't our case.." I thought aloud. "Yeah Mr. Humblebee here was top of his class and solved 5 cases among other civilian heroic doings, while interning with the NYPD." She showed him off. He simple shook his head in an attempt to be humble. "What?! That's amazing." I patted him on the back.

"Can I talk to you...privately?" I nudged her shoulder. "Yeah. I'll be back." She kissed his cheek and we exited the station heading over to Niko's car. "Why do you have Niko's car, you could've called me." She huffed. "That's not important. He found his parents." I held her hands filling with unfamiliar hope. "Oh my God, that's amazing where are they?" She lit up.

"That's the thing he drove off and left with the gang, and there were probably a hundred other people who were strapped and loaded looking as if they were ready for the next war. He said not to tell anyone but you know I trust you." I looked her in her dark brown eyes. "We have to do something, they can't go in blind." She suggested. "I know. But we need to wait." I stopped her. "You still have our stuff in the garage right?" I asked, she nodded hesitantly. "We need to prepare first." I hopped in the car starting it up waiting for her to join me. "What about Lucas?" She asked looking back at the police station doors. "I'm sure he can find his way home darling." I assured her taking the car into reverse.

She hopped in eagerly ready for an adventure. Traffic was terrible, the sun began to set and rush hour snuck into the shadowed streets. I swerved onto a neighborhood street, remembering the wealthy path Niko drove on to reach the mansion. I despised to return on that route since it led us home regardless. He streetlights were turned off leaving us stranded in the dark. I sped up hoping to leave the shady ghost town of a neighborhood behind as quickly as possible. Then our tired squealed releasing a piercing squeal of air. "Are you kidding me?" I grouchily swore under my breath, slamming my hands on the wheel.

"Relax pumpkin I'm pretty sure he keeps a spare in the trunk," Allison unlocked the doors. I turned on the lights as she returned with a toolbox and a tire. "All yours hotshot." She gave me a small smile, knowing I knew how to work my way around motor vehicles. "Great. Here should be a flashlight or something in the back, I don't have my phone. You have yours?" I asked squinting through my glasses frame to find the correct tools.  "Nope it's with Lucas, I'll go look." She left to search the truck.

Moments later followed by a thud and clinking of metal I saw the light shine under the car, rolling with the slope and bumpiness of the road. "Allison?" I stood up to check on her. "What the-" I started seeing no sign of her. I picked up the flashlight shining it on the heavy boots behind me. Swiftly turning I felt a wet cloth stifle my scream as a needle shot deep into the side of my neck. Everything went dark, I felt numb. Terrifyingly numb.