mobster mash

Athena and Max sat in the car just outside the motel for a couple minutes as they tried to come up with a plan to find Fletcher. If they asked upfront, the guy would just run away. Athena fiddled with her sleeves as she watched Max wrap gauze around his forearm to cover his Hellhound tattoo.

"Do you think that's necessary?" Athena asked.

"I don't know," he shrugged. "I don't have a problem with the Dragons, but I don't know if they'll have a problem with me. And if they have a problem with me, I'd rather just have them take me down than start a gang war."

"Take you down?!" Athena repeated, startled.

"That's not going to happen," Max said quickly, reaching over to squeeze her hand. "It's to be cautious, that's all. Anyways, we're going to pretend we have a delivery for him. The front desk should give us his room number."

"What are we delivering?"

"Good question," Max grimaced. "It can't be cryo. Not after what happened at the club."

"Is Fletcher just as gross as Corrin?"

"Probably."

"Deliver me."

Max was the startled one this time, staring at her in disbelief.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Seedy motels like this usually have a specific purpose, right?" she asked. "No one would question an escort and her... handler."

"I'm not taking you in under guise of your pimp," he said. "That's so gross."

"And you thinking that is what makes you so sweet," she grinned. "Relax, we're not actually doing anything weird. It's just to get to his room. Anything else will make him run."

Max sighed, reluctantly pulling his sleeves down and nodding. Athena stayed close by him as they walked into the motel lobby. There were some Black Dragon members eyeing them from where they lurked outside, but Max just kept a hand on Athena's shoulder and looked straight ahead.

A young woman was behind the front desk and looked up at them lazily.

"Can I help you?" she asked dully.

"I have an arrangement with Mr. Darwin Fletcher," Max told her. "What room is he in?"

"What kind of arrangement?" she asked.

"Let's call it a special delivery."

She peered around Max at Athena, then made a sort of disgusted noise.

"Of course," she grumbled. "What else do I expect from that guy? 203. Try not to leave a mess this time."

Max nodded to her and they went out the back door to avoid the Dragons this time. He may not have liked it, but Athena was right. Pretending to be an escort might have been the only believable lie for this asshole.

Max knocked on room 203's door, then moved Athena so she was in front of the peephole. She tried her best to look sultry and demure, and just a few moments later, the door unlocked and opened a crack.

"Yes?" Fletcher asked.

"I recieved a call," Athena said, making her voice a little more high pitched. "It sounded like someone here was looking for some company."

Fletcher hesitated, then opened the door all the way to let her in. She smiled and he gave her a goofy smile in return.

"I don't remember sending for you," he said. "Which agency are you with?"

"Mine," Max said, stepping into view and forcing the door open all the way.

Fletcher staggered back and nearly fell over in shock as Athena and Max let themselves in. Max closed the door behind him and pressed a finger to his lips to signal Fletcher to be quiet.

"We just want to talk," he said. "Stop shaking. Are you fucking crying?"

"No," Fletcher said, voice cracking. "What do you want from me?"

"I think you know what we're looking for," Athena said. "Now cough it up."

Max couldn't help but smile. In just a few days, she had become pretty tough. Now Athena was making threats, too.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Fletcher said unconvingly.

"What was your plan?" Max questioned. "Genuinely, I want to know. You've been in hiding for weeks, and you just shit your pants when we confronted you. How did you expect to steal from the Red Queen?"

"I just- I don't-"

"Sit down," Max ordered. "Don't move. We're going to search the room. If you move, I break your fingers."

Fletcher did as Max said, and Athen started sorting through drawers. She eventually found the card while flipping through some books. She held the card up and looked at Fletcher.

"Is this it?" she asked.

"No," Fletcher said. "It's... something else."

"That's the one," Max said, rolling his eyes. "God, this guy makes me fucking sad."

Athena pocketed the memory card and they were about to leave, but suddenly Max felt cold metal against his head and heard a clicking sound. He slowly put his hands up when he realized Fletcher was holding a gun to his head.

"You're going to shoot an unarmed guy in the back?" Max asked. "You really are a coward."

"Leave the card where you found it and get away from me," Fletcher warned Athena. "Or your boyfriend gets it."

Athena froze, eyes wide. Max was regretting leaving his gun in the glovebox, but apparently Athena hadn't been so careless. She slowly reached for her pocket like she was getting the memory card, but instead of getting the card, she pulled the gun from her waistband. Fletcher flinched, but pressed the gun against Max's head harder.

"You kill me and I kill him," he warned. "I'll do it. I'll fucking do it."

Athena looked utterly terrified as she tried to keep her hands and aim steady. He could see tears forming in the corners of her eyes, so Max tried his best to look calm and give her a reassuring look. Fletcher moved a bit suddenly and one of the guns fired, making both him and Max fall over.

Athena rushed over as Max checked himself over, then checked him a second time.

"Oh my god, did I hit you?" she asked desperately.

"You shot me in the arm you crazy bitch!" Fletcher cried out.

"I wasn't talking to you!" Athena snapped.

She helped Max sit up. He was stunned, but he wasn't hit.

"I think I'm okay," he said. "Wow. Nice shot."

"I never want to do that again," she said, helping him up. "Let's get the hell out of here."

The Dragons were starting to discuss the gunfire and wondering where it came from, so Max booked it out of there at high speed. While he drove, Athena called Leonard. She put him on speaker so Max could hear him too.

"You have the card?" Leonard said.

"Yes, and we can't hold on to it for long," Athena said. "Fletcher is going to send his Dragons our way, so we can't be sitting ducks. Where are we going?"

"I'll go ahead and send a message to the Red Queen's guys," Leonard said. "It'll look like it came from you. They won't know I was involved. Keep the card close to you until they hand your father over."

"And then what?" Athena asked. "Leonard, I'm really counting on you to get us out of there. We're only three people, and I'm pretty sure my dad is going to be too weak to be much help."

"Don't worry about it," Leonard said. "I said I'd send help. And we'll take care of cleaning up afterwards."

"I need more than 'don't worry about it'," she said. "I need you to promise me we're going to get out alive."

"I promise. Just make sure you keep the card with you as long as you possibly can. Try to stall. I'm texting you an address. Get there as quick as you can."

Athena sighed as she hung up. Her phone lit up a few moments later with a text. They were going to do their part. Hopefully that meant Leonard would, too.