“Ah,” he said. “I can imagine you must be hiring a lot of employees.”
“For now, yes,” I said.
Brock still hadn’t responded.Where the hell are you, Brock? I need you now more than ever.
He’s not coming. You’re going to have to get out of this yourself.
“OK, Derek, I am sorry, but it appears we have decided to move in a different direction. We wish—”
“Woah, woah, wait a second,” he said.
In the background of his end of the line, I could hear what sounded like motorcycles roaring to life. It was distant, but distinct.
“You mean to tell me you’re not going to hire me? What was it, Miss Rogers?”
The chill in his voice… he didn’t care what the reason was. He wasn’t asking me for information.
“Derek, I am sorry, but it is company policy that once we make a decision, we inform you of that decision and move on—”
“No, no, no, Miss Rogers, I am sorry, but I will not take no for an answer,” he said. “Jobs are scarce in this town. You will not reject me for a job.”
I sighed and stood up from my desk. I no longer felt like I could stay in the office. Not if those motorcycles were coming for me.
“Derek, my decision is final. I wish you all the best, but it will not work out.”
There was a moment’s pause where I almost thought I would be done with this and that the bikes in the background were just a coincidence.
But it was only a moment.
“OK. Then when you see your loverboy again, you’ll be able to tell him that if he fucks with Bandits, we fuck with him.”
The line went dead. I felt a terrible sinking feeling in my stomach. I was a dead woman, or at least one about to get hurt badly.
I hurried to the car, but in the distance, down the long, open road, I could see three headlights approaching. Even if they were speeding, I still had some time, but I no longer trusted myself to get in my car and get home without getting assaulted. I hurried back inside, locked the front door, and called Brock.
It rang… and rang…Come on, where the fuck are you!… and rang… and rang…Brock, please!… and rang…
“Your call has been delivered to an automated voice messaging system.”
“Brock! Where are you!”
“‘Brock’ is not available. To leave a message…”
God fucking damnit, Brock, don’t let this happen. Please.
BEEEP.
“Brock! Brock, the office is about to get ransacked by three Bandits. I’m inside. I’m going to hide, but I think they’re going to take me, Brock. Please, please, Brock, please come for me. Please. I need you. I don’t want this to happen. I’m scared.”
I hung up. I looked back out. The single headlights were still approaching. By my best guess, it would be less than a minute, maybe thirty seconds, before they pulled up and arrived. Even if Brock and his guys left now…
This was a fucking disaster.
I was about to get taken. I was about to be raped.
It would be like the story Brock told me all over again.
I had to make a choice now. Get in the car, speed off, risk getting run off the road, shot at, or damaged…or stay in the office, hunker down, and hope to God that Brock came. I wished I had a rational mind, but I didn’t, and even if I did, I had no time. I panicked.
