River O'riley

.. THE NIGHT OF THE FULL MOON ..

Sitting in the black Specter sedan that had been leased to me a few months ago after Amberley had stolen my Subaru, I brush the glitter from the sleeves of my jacket..

Fucking shite..

I couldn't walk across the Foxxy floor and not come out covered in the sparkly stuff, it's like a persistent reminder of a place I'd rather not signal having been..

Even if all I did was talk to Cherry and lose my temper with Melody, I still feel guilty.. Like I have done something I shouldn't have done..

It feels like a betrayal to set foot in a place like that while Lilly is probably waiting for me, like she usually does..

When I get back to the safehouse, I will tell her the truth about where I have been.. I will sit her down and explain everything to her..

Maybe she will be mad.. Maybe she will understand.. I just hope she believes me, because I don't want to be the one to hurt her..

When my phone buzzes in my pocket I pull it out, checking the screen to see Beckett's name..

This fucking ghost just won't stop haunting me..

I answer the call, hearing that same crackling sound, a drone like road noise or a far away bass drum.. "I know who you are." I say the same words Jun had threatened me with last time he called..

A quivering voice warbles a whispered response.. Female and familiar.. "R-River?"

My heart stops and an avalanche of ice and adrenaline crashes through my chest.. "Amby?"

Ther tremor in her tone couldn't be faked, the fear thieving the breath from her words.. "R-River.. I-I need h-help..

"Where are you?" I force the key into the ignition, tucking the phone between my shoulder and my ear, reaching behind me to feel for the lock box on the floor that holds my pistol..

"I'm in Chinatown.. T-This guy called me about filming some videos and I-- it was supposed to be a good job but now he won't let me leave.. I stole his phone and now I'm locked in the bathroom-- please-- you have to come.. "

I don't waste time on the question of what the fuck she was thinking taking on that kind of work or why.. Flicking on the headlights, I pull out onto the street, heading east towards China town.. "I'm comin' Amby-- Tell me exactly where ye' are, babe?!"

"At the firecracker factory.." She chokes out.. "On the second floor.."

Fuck!

I try to keep a calm reassuring voice all the while those familiar combat triggers begin to squeeze my breath shorter, forcing me to fight to take in enough oxygen to think straight.. "Alrite', it's gunna be alrite', just stay on the phone with me. How many guys are there?"

The uncertainty in her answer unnerves me even more.. "I dunno-- three--maybe four.. River, I can't-- I have to go back out there before he notices--"

I can hear the sound of Mandarin shouts and loud banging, somebody tells her to hurry her ass up..

"No no, don't go back out there, Amby-- Don't hang up--"

She doesn't listen.. "River, I have to go.. Just-- please hurry.."

The call cuts out and I turn down a familiar street, pulling up out front of an old brownstone..

....

"Shiiit River?! It's been a while.." Deyton Davis steps aside, letting me into his shabby, shithole downtown apartment..

"Aye, laddie.." I look around at the hoarded items, boxes of military magazines and miscellaneous junk piled high against the walls..

It reminds me a little too much of my own apartment before Lilly came to stay with me..

Shite... No time to think about that.

"I needa talk to ye', Deyton.."

I follow the Floridian fellow into the living room where he leans against the bench press that sits squarely in the center of the floor.. "I'm guessing you're not here for a social visit.. You heard about my--uhh-- hell, I dont even know what to call it.."

"Nervous breakdown?" I offer impatiently.. "Aye, I heard.."

There's no nice way of saying the guy is a fucking nutcase.. After he was honorably discharged from the armed forces, civilian life was a difficult transition for him..

I know too many guys like Deyton, with broken brains and messed up bodies.. Nightmares, paranoia and reels of bad memories..

Hell, I am one of those guys..

He lets out a bitter bark of laughter.. "Yeah sure.. I snapped and tried to take out half of a downtown precinct, but let's blame it on my 'nerve'."

I shrug as though it doesn't matter either way, because it doesn't.. "Good to see your doin' better lad but--"

He turns away from me, lifting one of the dumbbells.. "Can't say much for the meds, but my doctor is a damn honey.." He whistles..

"O'Aye-- Look--"

He keeps dismissing me, grating at my temper and chipping pieces of my patience away.."Why? You looking for some court appointed therapy yourself? Feeling a little crazy these days? Starting to crack, brother?"

I take an assertive step forward, doing the stupid dance of dominance that always has to be done around beefheads like Dyeton.. "DAVIS! Would'ya shut the fuck up and listen!"

He stops, truning to me with a dumb vacant stare.. "What?"

"I need guns.. Now seeing how mad you've gone, I t'ink ye' should just give me whatever ye' got and sit this one out.."

He chuckles.. "Nice try.. What are you in the market for?"

"I'm not in the fuckin' market, you're comin' with me down to The Factory.. Amberleys got herself in some shit over there, we gotta get her out."

He frowns.. "I don't fucking think so--"

"And I don't give a fuck about what happened between the two o'ye, ya shiteating-shellshocked-motherfucker.. She's your sister and I ain't goin' in there alone."

"This is the last time.." He grumbles as he turns to rummage through one of the boxes, producing a stockpile of weapons that's deeply unsettling.. "Ever since we were kids she's been pulling this shit.."

I move to begin shifting though rifles and pistols, strapping up, for what I have no idea.. "Whatever man, get ya boots, we're movin' out."