Protecting Emily Ch. 01

"...Yeah."

"Can you move the car?"

"I..." Emily met his eyes and nodded. "Yes. I can do that. I'll move the car." She stepped forward gingerly and searched Kyle's left, then right pockets and fished out a thick keychain. "You'll handle..." She trailed off.

"Go. I'll figure this out." I hope.

She was out the door.

Calling the cops is a no-go until I know more. Fishy as hell, but...He needed more information. Can't make good decisions on bad intel. But in the end, he trusted Emily. She'd been scared - and given how these guys had acted, it seemed she'd had the right of it.

Dragging them by their shoulders, he moved Kyle out the back into the alley by one of the dumpsters. It wasn't a frequented area - and the fact was, there had been murders in the area about a year ago with bodies found nearby. It was part of why the rent had been so cheap. The area had gotten safer over the past year. Had gotten safer, he thought glumly as he deposited the body underneath a tarp.

"You're moving them? Isn't that...illegal?" She was back inside when he returned.

"I guess. Threatening to kill me is illegal too though - and you." he paused. "Is anyone going to come looking for these guys?"

"I....yeah. Eventually." Emily crossed her arms.

"Will they call the cops?"

"Fuck n-...I mean...no. No, they won't. No way in hell. They'd die first."

"Alright. Then we're good." Until you explain to me what the hell this is about.

"I...yeah. Do you...I mean, do you need help?" She came forward as he was moving the other victim - Julio - by his shoulders.

"I got it. Stay back."

She trembled and seemed about to cry, but nodded vigorously. "Thanks"

When he came back inside after depositing the second body outside as well, she was cleaning up the shelves and returning merchandise to its proper place. "Hey, that's fine. Leave that."

"Hey, let me do something at least. Please."

He didn't stop her. Only two smears - one rather large - of blood remained to say that anything had happened there.

"Where'd you park the car?" He said, grabbing his own keys from behind the counter.

"By the burger place nearby. There were a dozen others there. Doubt anyone will notice."

"Here" He tossed her the sweater. "Let's go. My car is nearby."

******

The drive was silent. He glanced at her from time to time. She bit her lower lip, and one of her hands was gripping the armrest of the car seat as though afraid she would fall out if she let go. She looked pale, and her skin shone with perspiration.

"Hey!" He said, touching her. She was cool to the touch. "You okay? Talk to me."

"I..." Emily cleared her throat but didn't speak further.

"Are you cold? Sweaty? Nauseous?"

"..A little."

"Look - you might be in shock. Talk to me. How was school?"

"School!? What the hell!? Why are you so fucking calm about this?" She exclaimed, panting. "Jesus! Shit!You just killed someone - with a shotgun! I just killed someone. How can you be so calm, Ben?! Why did you have a shotgun!?"

Or you can do that. He took a deep breath and turned left. In. Out. One-two-three. "I was in the marines. Training, and action in two tours."

Emily blinked. "You? A marine?"

He snorted. "Oh, so a Girl can be a geek, but a geek can't be a marine, huh?"

"No! I mean-" She broke off, something of the normal Emily returning and she gave a weak grin. "Sorry. That actually makes some sense. So you're...used to that?"

"Hell no. You never get used to it." he met her eyes. "But I know it. Old instincts, reflexes. Breathing techniques. All of it came back as soon as that guy pulled that pistol."

"Damn. I could use some of that." She panted and waved her hand at her chest "Feels like my heart is beating thousand times per second."

"Like I said. Emotional shock, alright? It'll be fine. Just breathe, in and out. Slowly." He shook his head. "No, Not like that - slowly. In through your nose, out through the mouth. You'll be fine. It's scary, makes you freeze up, but it can't really hurt you. Not physically."

A few moments and she nodded. "I'm trying. Thanks."

"Where the hell did you learn to shoot anyway? Those were pretty solid hits."

"My Dad was a Texan."

Enough answer for that, it seemed.

"Was?"

"Yeah...he died two years back. Mom...never knew her. It's...it's just me now. I don't have any family left."

"Oh. Sorry."

"It's...okay." She looked at him. "Seriously. You saved me. You really did, Ben. Thank you. Thank you so much. I...I wasn't sure that..." She cleared her throat, shook her head. "I'm just glad you were there."

Don't push her. One step at a time.

He pulled into the parking space for their building.

"Your place. If...that's okay?" She asked when they approached their floor and he seemed to make a move toward her door.

"Oh." He shrugged. "Sure." He hadn't exactly clean, but it would work. "Just a warning, might be kind of messy."

She snorted. "I'm used to messy."

When he unlocked the door and turned on the light, she stared.

"Shit. This is messy to you?"

"What?" There was a shirt thrown over the couch he hadn't had time to put away - and a glass, as well as an open book, was on the sofa table. Otherwise, the room had its typical order and cleanliness - but to him, even that could be a mess. Especially in the eyes of a girl.

"Jesus." She put down her purse on the living room table "I really need to start dating older men."

He chuckled.

"I'm serious! Some of those guys places, things on the windows grow without the help of light. Or...soil. And pots. And that's just plants." She grimaced.

"You want some coffee?"

"I...yeah, that'd be great. Thanks." Emily seemed to take care to sit on the couch, seating herself just so.

He brewed coffee. Put out some biscuits on a plate - it was what he had at home.

"Hey, that's okay, Ben. I'm not really hungry."

"You need to eat something. I don't have anything better here for now." He put the plate and cup down and sat down in the recliner on the other side of the couch table. "Seriously. Eat. How're you feeling?"

"...like shit. And...weird. Weak." She lifted the coffee cup and took one biscuit. Her hands trembled.

"It will pass. Just keep breathing evenly."

She did, closing her eyes. She'd left her sweater off.

Wearing only the tank top and a bra that he could see through the fabric, aside from her jeans, he wondered why she wasn't cold. There were still some stains of red on her face, and the bruise had begun to swell - though it didn't seem to be that serious. Still. Blood trailed from her nose.

He rose and went to the bathroom.

"Ben?" She called out to him, her voice quivering.

"Relax. I'm here. Not going anywhere." he came back, hefting the first-aid kit.

"Oh - So what? Gonna tell me you were an army medic next?" She grinned crookedly.

He chuckled. "Nah. But my buddy was. He showed me some of the basics."

"Nice guy."

"Mhm." He opened the kit and applied disinfectant to his hands. "He...didn't make it home from the second tour though."

"Oh." she looked down "Sorry."

"Yeah. Was a good guy." He inched closer, then paused. "Hey...is it okay if I...touch you?"

"Touch m-!" Emily looked exasperated "Ben! For fuck's sake!" A smile tugged the corner of her lips.

"Hey! Always gotta ask."

"You're helping me! Pretty sure even the army says you can touch someone if you're helping them with an injury, right?"

"...Yeah. Hold still." He took a sliver of sterile cloth and pressed it on the cut on her cheek.

"Besides...nggh.." She grimaced at the pressure "you're not exactly planning to grab my tits, are you? Because that's where I draw the line." She glared with mock-severity. "No touching my boobs!"

"Oh, I doubt it."

"Christ, I'm kidding, Ben." She murmured, closing her eyes. "The way this night is going, getting felt up by you would have been a nice change...you know, compared to what happened."

He ignored her quip, removed the cloth, and applied Neosporin to the cut, applying a band-aid. He then fingered the bruise on her chin and cheek area tenderly. "Any pain?"

She shook her head. "Just a bruise. It's swollen. Feels...thick."

"Right." He went to the kitchen to retrieve an ice pack from the freezer box which he handed to her. "Here."

"Thanks." She pressed the pack against her cheek and sighed.

He sat down back across from her and clasped his hands. "So..."

Emily met his eyes and swallowed. "Right. Shit."

"Don't get me wrong. I don't want to push you, but...at this point, I need some info from you. Two men are dead behind my store. Even if they don't call the police, there's bound to be some law involvement at some point. I'm all for protecting, but..."

She grinned weakly. "The Damsel in distress only goes so far, hm? No, I get it."

"It's okay if you don't want to talk. I'm not forcing anything."

"No. It's...it's fine. I just worry about...stupid shit."

He raised his eyebrow.

"Alright." She took a deep breath. "So. I'm...not reaaaally a student."

Ben waited.

"Well, I am. I was. But a year ago or so, when things turned...bad financially I started...doing stuff."

"What? Like dealing drugs?" He frowned. They seemed like drug dealers.

"What? No! Jesus." She exclaimed, frowning. "I'm not a damn dealer. I...I started doing some...porn. Amateur stuff."

"Oh."

"Then...well, I started to...sell other things." Emily sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "Look, I've been selling sex to guys...and couples for a year or so now. There. I said it. I've been a hooker."

"Oh."

"At first...it was a nice extra income. Plus, it's no big deal. Or so I thought. I loooove fucking, I love sex. I don't mind doing it, long as I get to pick my clients. On any one night, it was no different than being a drunk college student, hooking up with some guy." She shrugged. "It was fine - plus I made ends meet. But then...some asshole showed up at school, running his mouth...and they expelled me."

"Oh."

She looked exasperated "Fuck's sake. Can you please say something other than 'Oh'!?"

"I...yeah. What do you want me to say? Wait - they expelled you for that? Can they even do that?"

"Well, not technically, i don't think. But they didn't care, and i don't exactly have friends. Or legal representation. I wasn't... I'm not allowed back. That was eight months back. Then I met...other clients. Really rough crowd. But I needed the cash, and I couldn't get another job. I tried my hand at waitressing..." She shook her head. "Whatever. It didn't work out. And then I met Pedro. He was cool at first. Offered me protection through his guys, to make sure I only got the good, safe clients. Fifteen percent cut of my income seemed a good deal at the time."

"It didn't stay at fifteen, I'm guessing?"

"No. It didn't. And...well, you saw. In less than two months, I was basically...one of their fucking teenage hookers. And I had to blow Pedro and his creeps too. Shit." She looked down and wiped her eyes with the back of one hand. "So pathetic. I'm such a fucking mess"

"Hey. Nothing like that is ever 'pathetic'. You had your reasons."

"Yeaaah. Just none good enough." "So!" She inhaled shakily. "B-Beatings. They took my money. They still have my damn ID. They know where I live, so that's coming. Fuck! I don't even have my own cell or my only apartment key anymore!" She retrieved her cell phone from her purse and glared at it, tossing it on the carpet.

"So. I've been fucking my way through the city's creeps who pay well. Pedro's one scary motherfucker, and Kyle and Julio...well...they're...gone now. But there are others."

"So what..."

"Look. I came into...work today and they told me I'd have to do...things I told them I wouldn't. Hooker stuff. Tried to tell them. They...they..." Tears trickled down her cheeks.

"Hey, it's okay. You don't have to tell me. Or say anything."

"It's fine. Look. I flipped. I went batshit. Wasn't thinking. I went into Pedro's office while he was getting blown by one of the other girls, I grabbed some cash, I grabbed the fucking stuff from his desk and I left. Sort of as a 'fuck you' to him. Show him they can't push me around."

"That..."

"Was stupid as fuck. I know. I was mad, kay? Pedro called me some hours ago, all pissed. Told me if I didn't come back with 'the USB' that he'd kill me. I didn't even know I took a damn memory drive. I thought i just grabbed some cash, some papers he might miss. It was between some papers. And I didn't know why he threatened to kill me of all things. He's never done that before." She swallowed hard. "It scared the shit out of me."

"Do you have it?"

"Sure." She dug into her purse and put a black stick on the table "There's probably some shit on it, but I don't know...I don't know what."

Ben turned the stick in his hand, then froze and frowned. The stick said 'IronkeyD300S'. "Emily, this is...military-grade encryption. NATO and...well, armies use this. You pretty much need encryption software and a password to even open this. Not something some pimp would have. They cost more than $500. Each. Easily."

"Hardware nut, huh?" She grinned, but there was nervousness in it. "Shit. Well. Here's the thing. I heard some stuff from the other girls. The ones who've been with Pedro for longer. They said they overheard Pedro talking to some...Russian or Eastern European dude. It sounded like some...mob stuff."

Ben stared at the USB. Makes sense. Much of the prostitution is something the mob and the gangs have their hands in. "It doesn't matter. You'd still need the password to even begin to look at this."

"I think I have it." She dug in her purse and fished out a small slip of paper. "This was next to the stick. Pedro has shit memory thanks to all the drugs and other stuff. His login password is '12345' for god's sake. He'd never remember anything complicated like...this"

The paper held a 16-digit number, symbol, and letter combination.

Right. Mobsters, hookers, and Emily.

"So, if I even show back up to where Pedro is, I'm dead. I know it.Fuck."

"This is...serious." He took a deep breath. "Look, Emily-"

"I know!" She interjected, seeming on the verge of tears.. "I get it. I know. This isn't something you want in your life. You have a nice life. A store. Things. I know. I'm a fucking hooker, - a teen whore- and a mess, and...shit. Someone you say hi to. Sometimes. When i don't look like a...serial killer? I'm sorry I dragged you into this. You want me to go? I'll go. I'll leave you alone and figure it out. I can handle it." She started rising.

Ben frowned, reached out, and grabbed her arm. "That's not what I was gonna say. Sit."

She hesitated but slowly sat back down.

"I was going to say" he continued calmly "That this is serious. You realize you can't go to the police, right?"

Emily nodded vigorously "I know! Right!? That's what i thought! If these are mobsters, and this is big, some of the cops-"

"-might be in on it. Or at least bribed." He finished for her. "Yeah. Whatever you think, that doesn't just happen in movies or books. People are human. So. No cops - at least not until you know who you can trust. You can't go home neither. If they know where you live, first thing they'll do is turn your place upside down."

"Yeah, but-"

"No buts." He shook his head. "You need to stay low. Either you hide in plain sight and stay here - even if they knock here, I'll send them off. They can't go around wrecking apartments left and right. Maybe a motel could work - under a fake name, of course. Paying cash."

Emily nodded, though she looked scared.

"Look. We'll figure this out. Step by step. First priority - where are we-"

"Wait - We?" She interrupted

He paused. He wasn't sure when he'd decided to help her, but now that it was put to him, he couldn't even consider not doing so. Semper Fidelis. Corps and Country. She's certainly country. "Yeah. I want to help. I'll help you."

She shook her head. "It'll be dangerous, Ben. You've already done too much, and-"

"You can't use someone with military training, that what you're saying?"

"Of course I could!" She exclaimed. "Christ, Ben! I've already...used you in this. At the store. This is my mess. I'll clean up my own shit. I don't wanna put you in danger."

"My choice." He shrugged and smiled. "Marine, remember? Just point at what you want dead. Ever heard that one?"

Her lips twitched into a smile, her eyes glistening. "Ben, are you sure that..."

"Hey!" he frowned. "I said I'm sure, alright? Unless you really for some reason want to do this alone. I'll respect that. This is your thing - if you want it to be."

She shook her head emphatically. "No! I really don't. Not if I don't...have to. I'd already been...dead without you."

"Alright." He nodded, took a deep breath. "First things first. Anything from your apartment that you absolutely need or want to bring?"

"Yeah...A few things at least." She nodded.

"In a moment then. I'm thinking we stay here for tonight. Make a plan. First priority is figure out the drive. We need that info. With the password, I'll figure it out."

She nodded. "Alright. Then?"

"Once we have it, depending on what it is, we'll see where we go from there. Maybe the FBI. It can't go up all that way - but we'd need actual substance to go that route. Evidence of something. Something federal, not state B-S. Trafficking, Kidnapping for sex, anything that qualifies. Something hefty. Negotiate some sort of protection for you."

"And you." Emily added quietly. Her hands trembled.

"We'll pack some bags once we have it, and start moving. Toss that cell phone - we'll pick up some pre-paid phones on the way out of town and stick to those. We'll use motels in outlying areas - unless we think we can stay here safely. But I'm pretty sure that even if you're not here now, they'll stick someone to watch this place in case you come back."

"Shouldn't we leave...now then?"

"I think we can buy some time - and confusion with some misdirection."

Emily frowned, seeming confused herself.

"Don't worry - Leave that to me. You" he indicated her with his finger "focus on what you want out of your place and get moving."

She was quiet for a moment, then stood grinned. "You were some sort of sergeant, weren't you?"

He chuckled.

She came forward and put both hands around him, hugging him tightly. Her body was warm despite everything, and he could feel the press of her chest against his. "Thanks. Really. Thank you, Ben." She kissed his cheek.

"Hey, always. Now get going."

"Yes, sir." She mock-saluted and left.

Over the next hour, he did a few things. He downloaded the encryption software. He printed a template 'Eviction Notice' that he signed in a fake hand, and gave to Emily to put on her apartment room door with bright red household tape. He knew his slum landlord wouldn't respond to any phone calls about that one. He called the cops - not to report any crime, but to tell them he was worried about his neighbour, and they might want to look in an address that she frequented - where he used what Emily told him. If there are bribed cops on the force, let them figure that out. He went down to various ATMs close by and withdrew $3000 in cash. He printed a second notice - one that announced a renovation of his store. He checked his gun - the Glock he had at home, and found he had three boxes of rounds. He packed a bag with clothes, supplies, and what was needed and packed it under the bed, in case they needed to quickly leave.