Resistance Is Useless

I woke up to the sound of my doorbell being rung over and over again. I opened my eyes to Karina’s peaceful face. In a way, I felt guilty about last night. I wanted to go answer the door before it woke her up.

I pulled on a clean pair of boxers and some sweatpants, going downstairs to see who was annoying us. I ran my hands through my hair to make it somewhat decent.
“Shit,” I muttered under my breath when I saw flashing cop cars and two officers at the door. I opened the door. “Can I help you officers with something?”
“Alexander Gaskarth?” The balding one asked.
“Alex,” I corrected him.
“Okay, do you mind coming with us, Alex?” He asked.
I glanced around. “I take it it’s not a question. Hold on.” I shut the door and locked it. “I’m so fucked.” I told myself. I quickly ran to the basement door and locked it in case Karina woke up while I was gone. She didn’t need to know what was down there.

I went upstairs to make sure she was still sleeping. I hoped she wouldn’t wake up for a long time. I slipped on a plain black v-neck, my skinny jeans, and gray converse. I knew the cops were probably wondering what the hell I was doing that took so long.
I ran to the bathroom to brush my teeth and brush my hair. I pulled a beanie over my head to hide my non-straightened sex hair and tattoo. I grabbed a pen and some paper off my dresser and scrawled a note on it for Karina to read later.

Got called into work for something. I should be back in an hour or two. I love you, Alex

I left it on the nightstand and kissed her forehead before grabbing my keys and retreating back downstairs. I opened the door again much more confident and relaxed with a well thought out plan. “You gonna cuff me?”
I turned around while the balding cop clicked the cuffs into place over my wrists and escorted me to a cop car.

--

I wasn't surprised to find Jack, Rian, and Zack all at the police station when I got there. I knew if the police got me, they got them too. We didn’t talk to each other but instead sent little signals to each other. Keep the story the same, avoid questions if you can, act like you don’t know anything, and most importantly, don’t tell them the truth.
They took my fingerprints as if they didn’t already have my prints on file. I’d done this booking process once or twice before.

“Hat off, left side, right side, front,” An ugly red headed woman handed me the board for mug shots. She popped her gum obnoxiously.
I took my beanie off and dropped it in her hand, grabbing the board and walking into the bright room where the rest of the guys were taking their mug shots. Within ten minutes, the photos were taken and I was escorted into an interrogation room. I leaned back in the chair and put my feet on the table casually while I waited.

“Well, well, well,” A man wearing a suit walking in with a manila folder in hand. “Gaskarth, I wasn’t expecting to see you in here again. What’s this, the tenth time?”
“Well, Ted, I wasn’t expecting to be here either when I woke up this morning,” I smirked. “And what can I say, I’m a troublemaker. What do you want from me this time?”
“Come on, take it slow,” He said. “We’re in no rush. What’s new?” He looked through the file.
“Nothing ever since last time I was here,” I shrugged nonchalantly.
“Domestic violence with a girl, assaulting a police officer,” He skimmed through the list. “You’ve got to keep yourself out of trouble.”
I scoffed, “I have been. That wasn’t even domestic violence! That was two years ago! I told you we were arguing and she claimed I hit her and I swear to you, I would never hit a female.”

“She? Jennifer, was it?” He asked. “How is she?”
I gulped, “Yeah. I mean, I don’t know. I’m not with her anymore. I’m with someone else now.”
“Oh, so who’s the new girl? Tell me about her,” He closed the folder and sat in the chair across from me.
Cops always want to get inside your head.
I put my feet back on the floor, “Black hair and hazel eyes. Her name’s Clarissa.” I lied.
“That’s it? That’s all you’re going to tell me?” He asked.
“That’s all you need to know,” I said, folding my arms over my chest. “And by the way, she’ll be wondering where I am when she wakes up alone. So I’d appreciate it if you could just tell me why I’m here.”
“Isn’t that cute,” He mocked. He leaned forward, staring at me intently. “Come on, Alex. Tell me how you did it.”
“Tell you how I did what?” I asked, playing the dumb card.
“Tell me how you guys robbed the banks,” He said.
“You think I did what?” I sputtered fakely. “I’ve done a lot of things, but I’ve never robbed a bank and neither have my friends.”
“Feds aren’t stupid. We know you guys had to do it. All four of you have been in all those banks individually. What were you doing?”
“Maybe all four of us have accounts there,” I snapped. “I don’t stalk my friends’ finances.”
“So, you put large sums of money in your accounts regularly?” He asked skeptically. “Where’d you get it from then?”

“Now the IRS keeps tabs on my accounts? Since when?” I asked back.
“Don’t ask me questions. Did you or did you not rob those banks?” He shouted.
“No, I didn’t,” I lied with a straight face. “And even if I did and confessed to it, I highly doubt you guys have any evidence that says we did. I know how the system works.”
“Where’d you get that tattoo? It’s a new one, right?” He asked, pointing to my neck.
I must’ve forgotten to put my beanie back on after the pictures were taken.
“Yeah,” I said slowly. He confused me on the sudden subject change.
“Your friends got it, too? Or just you?” He asked.
“They have it too,” I said. There was no point in lying on that one. I knew Karina didn’t tell them about my tattoo.
“Alright,” He nodded. “You’re free to go.”
“Fucking finally,” I jumped out the chair. “You need to brush up on your interrogation skills. You’re not as intimidating as when I first met you. If you were like that again, maybe more people would confess.”

--

I got home and hoped Jack, Rian, and Zack were free to go too. They could probably hold it down. It was quick and easy.

I threw my keys on the kitchen table and poured some dog food into Baz and Peyton’s bowls. Karina hadn’t called or come downstairs so I figure she was still sleeping. I walked in the room and she was still asleep but wearing one of my t-shirts meaning she’d woken up some time while I was gone. My note was still untouched on the nightstand. I quickly undressed and crawled back in the bed next to her.
“I was wondering when you were coming back,” She mumbled, rolling over and facing me.
“Now I’m here,” I said, pressing my lips to hers in a long, slow kiss.
She giggled, “Ready for round three?”
“You know it,” I chuckled, pecking her lips again.