11 pm

Elisha wanders the streets of Brooklyn, completely lost. Where is she? Where are her friends? Will Issac be alright?

She sees an 24 hours open diner, she crosses the empty street and enters the diner. She hasn't shower in three days and in need for one right now, luckily Issac gave her fifty bucks earlier.

"Hello darling, what can I get you?" The cashier smiles at her, he is in his mid thirties with the name tag Fred.

"Food, toothbrush and a shower", she slams the money on the counter.

"There's a store two buildings down selling toiletries and there's a shower I use in the back", Fred states.

"Good, how fast can you wipe up a hot meal for me?"

"What do you want to eat?" He hands her the menu.

"Large burger combo with a large drink and for dessert double chocolate cake and a chocolate shake", Elisha orders.

"Whoa, can you eat all th-"

"Have you seen me? I am lose a lot of weight."

1 hour and ten minutes earlier

"Hey boss is still at his function, let's go", Issac wakes Elisha up,"here, change into this", he unties her and hands her a sweatpants and hoodie.

When she changes, she puts her dirty clothing in the backpack and slips it on her back.

"Where are the others?" She asks as they sneak out the room.

"Out preparing for the trade next hour, but there wouldn't be one", Issac smirks.

They reach the empty living room,"there's a small forest behind the house and a road which my vehicle is park at, let's go", he leads her out to the back and to the dark forest.

"I'll hold your hand at all times, we'll use my phone light to see the path", he assures her as they walk deeper into the forest.

After a while, Elisha sees some light and a clearing. There's a car park at the side of the road as a van just pass making it dark again.

"I'll drop you off somewhere in the city, hopefully you can find your friends before it's too late. I have to be at the bridge though", Issac starts the car and hands her fifty bucks.

He begins to drive,"how did your talk went with your kids yesterday?" Elisha retorts.

"Great, my daughter is excited for school to start. She will be going in first grade."

"That's a first, most kids try to avoid first year elementary school."

They got to the city forty minutes later, Issac drops her off at a random street.

"Remember avoid alleys and try to get some pennies to make a phone call if you don't find your friends after a while. Its not safe out here", Isaac instructs her as she gets out.

"I know and no drinks from strangers either", she adds.

"Bye Elisha, it was nice meeting you, I only wish it was different circumstances though", he sighs.

"Right back at you buddy", Elisha nods and he drives off.

*****
Present

"And that's how I end up lost", Elisha finishes tell her story to Fred as she eats the cake.

"Wow so he actually let you go? I don't know if that was foolish or heroic of him", Fred laughs.

"It was a brilliant escape just I still haven't found my friends", she sighs.

"Do you want to borrow my phone? Its the least I can do since you tipped so well and kept me company for the past forty five minutes", he offers.

"Dude I gave you all my change, but sure."

Elisha calls Brendan, he picks up on the third ring,

"Hello?"

"Brendan?"

"Who is- Lisha?" He whispers.

"Where are yo-", she is cut off when the first gun shot goes off.

"Wherever you are stay there or go to the motel we are staying at. No don't they can be watching it, just stay where you are", he ends the call.

"Brendan? Brendan?" She says and sighs.

"Any luck?" Fred clears the table.

"No and I'm sleepy", she yawns, it is just pass midnight. The only place that is open right now is this diner, the supermarket a block down and clubs.

"You can sleep in the back room, there's a blanket and I can wake you up the moment your friend calls back", Fred suggests.

"No, I am good. Beside you should get the sleep, you been working for three days straight with barely sleep", Elisha suggests,"I'll out the lights and lock the doors for you."

"Thanks I need it, my workers don't like night shifts since its boring and people barely comes in after midnight. At three or so you'll get some drunkies and at 4:30 early workers for breakfast", Fred explains.

"I'll keep your phone close in case a call comes in."

--------

"Was that my sister?" Ace asks Brendan as they cover from the bullets.

"Yes, somehow she isn't here. We been set up, but she sounds safe so that means she escaped and Will doesn't have her hostage", Brendan confirms.

"What now? Draven is already injured and we have no back up."

"I'm working on it, where is Will anyway?"

"After  the shooting began, he disappeared", Zane ducks as he comes to his side behind the car.

"Let's use a diversion, call the cops. We'll use that as our escape, get Elisha and fly out here at 7 am as planned. Me and her for New York for the weekend and you guys for Chicago", Ace suggests.

"Where's Malcolm?"

"Unconscious, but out of harm's way",  Zane points over to the truck.

"Let's go with your plan. Call the cops, Draven is bleeding out", Brendan glances down at his wound partner who got a bullet through his arm which the bloody cloth is tied to.

The sirens near a few minutes later, it is two blocks away. The shooting had stop and now Will's men are starting to retreat or hide.

Brendan gets into his rented van as Zane and Ace place an unconscious Malcolm in the black seat with his bleeding out brother and Zane takes the front seat while Brendan is behind the wheels.

"Go over the bridge, there's a hospital about five minutes  away", Zane instructs as he looks at his GPS on his phone.

1 hour and a half later

"Your friends will be okay, they just need to rest. Especially the one with the gun shot wound in his arm, another twenty minutes and he would have  bleed out", the nurse explains.

"Thanks, do you know where I can get some water?" Zane asks.

"I'll bring back a glass, fill out these forms by the time", she hands Brendan a pen and the clipboard.

"Do they have any allergies?" Brendan asks.

"How should I know? You knew them longer", Zane scoffs.

The nurse returns with the glass of water, she gives it to Zane and takes the clipboard.

"I'll go call Elisha and ask her where she is", Brendan gets out his phone.

"I'll go pick her up and drop her off at the motel since we are to leave for our flight at 7, I don't think you guys are going back to Chicago probably until Saturday", Ace offers.

"Yeah Draven is in no state for flying and Malcolm still hasn't got conscious yet, but tell Lisha we're alright and will call once Malcolm is awake", Brendan tells Ace as he makes the call.

"Hello?" A sleepy Elisha answers.

"Where are you Lisha?"

"At a small diner, its open 24 hours", she yawns.

"Is it close to a store that sells toiletries?"

"Yes."

"I know where that is", Ace takes the keys.

"Your brother is coming for you, you'll see me soon. Stay safe."

"What do you mean? Ace is there?" She is fully awake now.

"See you when you get back to Chicago."

"Wha-"

He ends the call.

________________________________

One chapter to go then  the epilogue.

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