Mr. Bad Influence

Chapter 24 - Part 3

Kerri tightened the laces on the pair of track shoes Stephanie had given her. She had changed into Stephanie's gym clothes in the car, which fitted her perfectly. Though the track shoes were a size larger than usual, they were still better than the ensemble she had been wearing.

"May I borrow this?" Kerri pulled out a black cap from the gym bag.

"Go ahead." Stephanie turned into a quiet street. "See anyone around?"

Kerri scanned the area. "Nope. I'm sure all eyes are on Nick now." Between her and Nick, he was much more newsworthy. There was a higher chance that he would go and do something that the media could sensationalize and talk about for days until someone else screwed up.

She was with a DEA agent anyway. What trouble could she get into?

"Are you sure your pastor will be able to pull it off?"

"He did pretty well when we were trying to get your tracking virus onto Douglas's phone."

"He didn't seem to understand how important the operation was."

"Are you still angry because he chose to have lunch instead of sending me to you directly?" Kerri shook her head. "He just couldn't believe what you had me do over the past few years. Anyway, he's the only one who trusts us enough to do what we ask without us having to go through a lengthy explanation." She didn't think Nick and her father fighting was a good idea either. "Nick will keep the media away from us."

"I hope so."

"He will." If Nick had to, he'd drive into a tree for her.

"The gym is closed," Kerri said as Stephanie stopped the car a street away from the gym. "How are we going to get in?"

"Don't worry about that."

Kerri glanced over her shoulder and hurried after Stephanie. They entered the back alley, and Stephanie knelt down in front of the gym's back door. "Are we breaking in?" she asked when Stephanie pulled out two metal pin-like objects. "I could've given Scott a call."

"Do you know his number without your phone?"

That was true. She only remembered a few numbers by heart. She didn't even remember Dana's number.

Stephanie grinned and turned. "I'm actually surprised you remembered my number."

"When you dread something enough, it gets drilled into your mind."

Stephanie laughed once and inserted the pin-like objects.

"How long will this take?" Kerri asked while looking around.

Stephanie didn't reply. Her hands kept moving up and down in a rocking motion, and Kerri stood by in silence, watching her. After a minute, Stephanie got up, pressed down on the handle, and the door opened. "After you."

Kerri stepped into the gym, and Stephanie was right behind her. There was a click, and a beam of light shone over her shoulder and into the gym.

"Where's the locker room?"

Kerri half jogged over. It was difficult to get her limbs to move faster. The energy buzzing through her had disappeared. A sluggishness had taken over, and she just wanted everything to be over and done with. She went right up to the locker that Scott had set aside for her.

She had needed a safe hiding place for the thumb drive, and she knew no one would suspect the gym. So she had come in, complained to Scott about the slight sour smell in some of the lockers, and asked in her sweetest tone if Scott could set aside one locker just for her.

Scott had taken a deep breath, but he agreed anyway.

She turned the knob right, then left, and right again, and the silver lock popped open. She removed the lock and opened the metal locker with glossy white paint. She lifted the spare set of clothes she had put in it and pulled out her Lululemon yoga pants.

She unzipped the small pocket on the side and pulled out the thumb drive. "Here you go." She lifted Stephanie's hand and pressed the thumb drive into her palm. "Take it. I don't want to be responsible for it for another second."

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