Sheltered

Chapter 53

"Are you seriously gonna pay four grand for him?" Savanna inquires nervously.

"It's really not a big deal to me, Sav. Just don't let it slow us down." He replies casually.

"How can you just hand out four thousand dollars?" She lowers her voice to a frightened whisper. "Did you rob a bank?"

"Savanna, don't worry about it. And no, I don't rob banks." He laughs.

Ammo trails behind them, panting happily.

"He looks so content with us." Savanna smiles as she fiddles with the polyester leash.

"Yeah, well don't get too attached. You never know." Luke chuckles.

Savanna elbows him playfully.
"Don't talk like that about Ammo... he can hear us you know."

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"Yes sir. The dog, rifle, and the glock. Thanks."
Lucas smiles as one of the men in a black suit swipes his metal card.

"It adds up to fifteen. Receipt?"
One of them asks.

"Just email me. Thanks."

As they walk out with Ammo & a complimentary camouflage backpack (full of their new merchandise), Sav bites her nails.

Once they step into the empty elevator, she speaks up as the door slides shut.
"Did he mean fifteen thousand?"

Lucas blinks a few times and laughs, processing her unexpected inquiry.
"Yeah. Yeah, fifteen thousand."

Half a minute of silence passes.

"Are you sure you didn't rob a bank?"

"Sav." Luke sighs, clearly amused by her suspicion. "I make my own money. It would be lazy to take it from someone else."

"You just spent fifteen thousand dollars on a trip that you don't even wanna go on."
Savanna expresses guiltily.

"Hey." He mutters reassuringly. "I want to help you. And I owe Ian, you know that."

When Sav's upset expression doesn't budge, Luke continues.
"I know it sounds strange to you, but I promise that fifteen isn't very much. You'll get used to it."
He sighs contentedly.
"The system with the metal cards. It's called Club Red. You'll learn that things work a bit differently in the Club."