Doc (01) Chapter 3

[Read Chapter 1 here]

[Read Chapter 2 here]

CHAPTER 3

 

The loud blaring alarm lurched me out of my dreams. Groggily, I turned over and began to hit the clock in an attempt to find the snooze button without opening my eyes. After a few seconds I gave up and pulled out the gun from under my pillow, put the magazine in and shot the clock.

“This is why you can’t have nice things.” Someone chuckled.

My eyes flew open instantly as I pointed the gun at the intruder. It took my brain about a second to catch up to the situation, and when it did I wished I had shot first.

“I have half the mind to shoot you.” I sighed disarming the gun before returning it to its resting place.

“You barely had half a mind to begin with.” Ray laughed as he flopped back down onto my couch.

“Why are you in my house?” I moaned as I swung myself out of the bed.

“Felt like it. What’s for breakfast?”

“Leave me alone.” I mumbled on my way to the bathroom.

Fifteen minutes later we both sat at my kitchen counter eating omelets in relative silence. I had changed into a mini red belted dress, the black buckled boots and my usual trench coat waited for me at the door. I felt overdressed next to Ray who wore a plain white V-neck and three-quarter khakis. There was little I would not give to be in jeans and a hoodie but Lex would chastise me again. Then again I knew people who would never associate Ray with the word plain whenever conversations like that came up I just rolled my eyes. I had to admit the combination of his caramel oval shaped face, arched eyebrows and flawless skin not mentioning his attractive height and muscular physique was impressive. Lex had once nodded and said “Yep. God took his time with him.”

But he was still extremely annoying.

“Ok” I sighed “How did you get in?”

“I disabled your alarm.” Ray answered nonchalantly.

“Sometimes I don’t know why I bother.” I shrugged as I hopped off the stool.

“Because it would be no fun if you didn’t.” Ray replied as if it was an obvious and normal answer.

“Yes that’s why I have so many security measures. It is all for your amusement.” My sarcasm was almost palpable.

“Yep.” He answered again with nonchalance.

I let go a deep breath before heading to the door “Let’s go you have to drop me off or I will be late.”

“Why do I have to drop you?” Ray complained as he zipped up his jacket.

“You are the only one here who has a car and since you decided to break into my house you should make yourself useful.” I reasoned while I locked the door behind us and turned on the security system. The good news is he did not break it. The first time Ray “disabled” my alarm system he poured chemicals onto the circuit board and melted all the wires.

“I don’t know why you live here.” Ray mused as we walked down the steps. “Wouldn’t it make more sense for G to live on top of his own bar?”

I turned back and looked at my home on the second storey of The Warren. Just like the first storey the interior of the second one was at odds with the exterior. “I like it here. Besides G has a home. I don’t understand why you used two medium level jobs worth of pay to buy that.” I pointed to the Lamborghini that sat in the dusty parking lot in front of The Warren.

“It’s a Murciélago. It was worth it.” He said confidently as he passed his hand over the hood “But you could always walk.”

“Just open the door.” I sucked my teeth.

“Then leave my Lamborghini Murciélago alone.”

Ray opened the scissors door for me; most likely afraid I would break it. I climbed into the small two seater sports car. I had stopped complaining for the time being because I was fully aware that Ray would have no problem dropping me off in the middle of nowhere.

“You forgot didn’t you?” Ray asked as he sped through the busy Lower Manhattan streets.

“Forgot what?” I was always forgetting something; there was nothing new about that.

“Today is pay day… So tonight” He trailed off

I sighed “We’re supposed to go to The Warren.”

“For a person who lives above a club you don’t really take advantage of it. Such a waste.” He shook his head

“Do you want to move in or something? ‘Cause I’d be happy to move out. You already make yourself at home. Stop.”

Ray jammed his foot on the break and the sports car came to a screeching halt in front of the studio. For the next couple of minutes the air was filled with the sound of car honks and cursing. Oh New York.

“Next time stop harassing me and pay more attention to the road.” I sighed as I climbed out of his ostentatious car.

“I’ll try.” He smiled and drove off.

Why are all my friends such pains? If I had not braced myself that stop would have thrown me into the dashboard.  Inside the studio lobby Lex waited patiently for me.

Sometimes I wondered if I just had a thing for tall friends. Lex was a little taller than my 6ft; her long brown hair framed her face with its natural gold highlights and swept down to her shoulder blade. She had expertly applied make up to her oval face and the eye shadow brought out her eyes which were dazzling amber in the sunlight.

“Welcome back.” I smiled as I hugged her.

“Thank you. I’m glad to see you so well dressed.” She smiled mischievously.

“Not like I have a choice.” I mumbled “But it’s not like I will be staying in this for long.” I held up my duffle bag as proof of my defiance.

Lex’s eyes narrowed “What do you have against look sexy?” she asked incredulously.

“It’s so much work.” I complained as we made our way to the room at the end of the hall.

“I bought you that dress and you never wear it. All I ask is that you dress more fashionably. Is that too much?”

“Yep.” I smiled as I hid my duffle bag under a bench. “You should just respect my decision to wear comfy clothing.” I mused

”Your choices mean nothing to me.” She laughed in a maniacal way.

I stifled my own laugh as we entered calmly into the exhibition hall. Light streamed through an open skylight and made the polished wood panel floor gleam. Sculptures stood directly under the skylight while the organizer had set up large paintings on the cream walls. I leaned in closer to look for any security measures around the sculptures; unfortunately they stood exposed just begging to be stolen.

All it would take was one well timed heist. I’d climb on the roof and Rochelle would create a diversion to keep people out of the room. Trick would disable the security cameras as I lowered myself from the skylight and had my pick of art.

“That is a marvelous sculpture you are admiring there. I believe it was sculpted in a time of deep emotional pain.” A male voice commented.

I stood up straight and smiled at the tall blond next to me; I recognized him from photos in the gallery owner’s office, his step-son I believed. In truth I had not paid much attention to the object in front of me, but now that I looked it did resemble a figure in immense pain. I think.

“Yes, it is very impressive but not one of my favorites. I am not a fan of the type of chisel the artist used. It goes too deep at times.” I pointed to a depression on the statue. I may not know art but chisels did come in handy as impromptu weapons at times.

I took his momentary distraction to scan the crowd for Lex. She was staring at one of the paintings on the north wall. Her above knee length grey one shoulder had attracted many eyes and one man had begun to make his way over to her. I kept scanning but I could not locate the owner of the gallery. I ground my teeth in frustration.

“I don’t know why but you look very familiar to me.” He continued after having apparently given up on finding the depressions.

I picked up a glass from a tray that a passing waiter carried and swirled it impatiently “You are in my comparative literature class.” I lied with ease before putting down the glass on another a tray and walked towards a painting situated next to a security camera.

“Sorry but I never did pay attention much in class. I’m Caden Scott.”

“Excuse me please Mr. Scott.”  I walked away abruptly.

From the corner of my eye I had spotted the man I had been looking for. I passed by Lex and tapped her on her shoulder. We both walked up to the short balding and fat man.

“Good afternoon Mr. Brandon.” Lex said coolly. “We are looking for your employer, Mr. Adams.”

“What business do you have with M-M-Mr. Adams?” He stuttered.

“He hired us.” I watched as the color drained from his face.

“Y-y-you are the extra security he hired to stop a robbery.” His voice dropped a few decibels as the last part. “No offense ladies, but you don’t look the part.”

“Let us worry about that Mr. Scott. Just relax no one is going to steal any of these works of art.” Lex comforted him.

The man had no intention of relaxing. He pulled out a handkerchief from his jacket pocket and began mopping up the sweat from his brow.

“I don’t think he will ever regain his rosy complexion again.” I laughed after he left.

“Possibly not. Who was that blond you were talking to?” Lex inquired as we made our way to a blind spot in the cameras.

“The step-son of our employer for the day. Let’s get this done before he decides he wants to know my name.”

“Telling from the absence of the owner of this gallery, and the large crowd of people around his step-son I’d say he is hosting while daddy is busy.”

“That’s great for him.”

“Excuse me ladies and gentlemen.” Caden said trying to get everyone’s attention. “More refreshments are being served in the next room before we move onto the next section of today’s gala.”

Lex and I pretended to have a conversation while we moved with the crowd. It was easier to scan the congregation, if anyone really did listen in all they would here was two people saying what really was a stream of random words.

Finally Lex spotted our aspiring robbers, two men dressed in black tuxedoes lingered towards the back. As soon as we exited the room I went to get my duffle bag from under the bench. Stooping out of everyone’s view I fished out the bag and Lex’s saxophone case. I handed her the black case and we made our way back into the now empty exhibit room. Inside, the two men had disabled just last of the cameras.

I cleared my throat and stepped forward “You two seem to be lost. I’m sure our gracious host said everyone should make their way to the next room.”

They exchanged glances and climbed down from the ladder. They picked up two slim poles that lay next to the ladder and approached us.

“Violence is bad.” Lex shook her head as she removed her unusually large saxophone from its case and slide the case itself across the room.

“Uh huh.” I took off my shoes and removed from my bag the two side handled batons I packed after I realized there would be an unconventional lack of impromptu weapons in this room. Something had told me G would have a problem with me using the sculptures as throwing knives.

The first thief moved towards Lex who had also lopped off her heels. He swung the poles at her legs, torso and neck but she deftly dodged all his uncoordinated attacks.

Lex turned the mouth piece twice, held down a key and blew, but no sound came out. She blew again without holding down any keys and a white mist sprayed from the bell. “Interesting factoid: by extracting and isolating a chemical from the geranium flower one can form a paralyzing agent. In humans it lasts two to three hours”

The robber looked at her incredulously as his muscles began to slump. The pole dropped from his hands and his legs gave way. Lex walked up to him and closed his eyes.

“You watch too much Disney.” I laughed as I lunged at the remaining thief.

I held the baton below its handle and dealt a forceful blow to his abdomen. However he tensed his stomach before I could make contact and the baton hit hard muscle. This man had more experience and skill than his partner and he quickly brought the pole around and swung it forcefully at me. I did not have time to move, so I held my other baton by the side-handle and brought it up to shield me from the blow.

I jumped back up and shook my wrist.

“Someone is losing their touch.” Lex taunted.

I sucked my teeth loudly “He should have doubled over. This will still be over soon.”

I locked eyes with my adversary and beckoned him forward. The way he charged at me reminded me of a bull but with more controlled rage. I did not move until the last second when he was roughly the pole’s length away from me.

Suddenly I struck his knuckle with the baton and following human reflexes he dropped the pole. Before the pole had time to hit the tile floor I twirled around him and struck the back of his knees. As he fell forward I hit the base of his neck below his hairline with just enough force to knock him out.

“You could have killed him with that blow.” Lex sighed after the “clank” from the pole hitting the floor had stopped echoing through the room.

“I try not to.” I smiled, checking his pulse just in case.

While I was busy with my little friend Lex had her saxophone case from where she had slid it out of harm’s way. She removed the top casing, revealing a hidden compartment. She pulled out a box of what appeared to be disinfecting wipes from the compartment and wiped of any remaining paralyzing agent form her sax and the robber’s face.

When we were done cleaning up, we re-enabled the security cameras and went to find Mr. Scott.

“Do you have a date for tonight?” Lex asked suddenly.

I groaned and pushed the door open.