The third ring comes on as I speed walk out of school. The sound of someone answering the call on the other line makes my eyes perk up.
"Lucas?" I ask. I haven't seen Lucas all day since this morning when he told me he'll 'deal with it'. What does he mean by that? I'm really worried.
"I'm sorry, Hazel. I got involved with some bad people and now I can't get out." Lucas is coughing badly on the other end of the phone.
"Lucas, what's wrong? Are you hurt?" I frantically pace back and forth, waiting for him to answer as other students pass by.
It's silent for a few seconds before he answer, "I got myself into this so I'll get myself out." It was immediately followed by a click then silence.
He hung up.
I clench my jaw and frantically search around for Mom. She's supposed to pick me up. I have to go find Lucas right now. What if something bad happened to him?
"What's wrong?" Corbin approach me with a worried look.
I stop pacing around and turn to him, "I think Lucas is in trouble."
Corbin let out a frustrating sigh, "You're going to find him, aren't you? I'll take you." His response earned a thankful smile from me.
He walk towards the parking lot and I quickly follow after him. We get into his car and he drives out of the school's parking lot.
"Where to?" He ask.
I shrug. I don't even know where Lucas is. "The bar, maybe?" Might as well start there.
We drove for about thirty minutes before reaching the bar. I hate this place. I enter the bar and am once again engulf into the sad quiet environment.
I immediately make eye contact with the bartender. He glance at me for a second before resuming what he was doing, wiping the counter. I walk to him, hoping he'll give me some answers since he knows Lucas.
"Do you know where Lucas is?" I ask him with hope that he does.
"No," he answer flatly, causing me to stare at him in confusion. I think he knows something but he just won't say it.
"Answer her." Corbin comes from behind me and hand him some money folded together. There must be at least more than $200 in that pile.
He scoff, amusingly, at Corbin and said, "Around here, snitches get stitches." He move away from us.
Well, it's clear he won't say anything.
I sigh and get out of there. "Where the hell is he?" I mutter under my breathe once I'm outside of the bar.
Think, Hazel. Where could he be?
This is only causing me more stress. How could I know where he is when I don't even know who he was to start with. I thought I knew him but this is a completely different side of him I've never known.
"I checked the room in the back," Corbin said. I turn to him, hoping to hear good news. He shake his head, "No one's there." I groan frustratingly.
"Excuse me," a voice said from behind me. I turn to see the source and is surprised to see a red head girl who's about my age.
I stare at her in confusion.
She smile slightly, "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with the bartender." I wait for her to continue. "Lucas is one of the members, right?"
"How do you know Lucas?" I ask.
She ignores me question. "My brother is also in the gang. I've been trying to get him to quit for a while now but he just won't stop. It's dangerous and I'm worried." She looks at me with a concerned look.
"Do you know where they might be?" Corbin ask to which she nod her head.
"They usually meet up at an abandoned warehouse about 20 minutes from here," she answer.
"Can you tell us how to get there?" I asks.
-
Corbin stop the car a little bit away from the warehouse so whoever's inside won't hear the sound of the engine.
There really is a warehouse like the girl said. It's dark outside but I can see the lights coming from inside through the creaks.
"Be careful," Corbin whisper as we get out of the car and walk quietly to the warehouse. The same car I saw Lucas go in with the other guys a few days ago is parked outside. Someone's definitely here.
"I'll go look around the warehouse in case there's anyone out here," Corbin tell me. I nod my head and watch as he walk around the warehouse.
I hear a loud groan like someone's in pain coming from inside. I quickly walk towards it and peek through a creak on the door.
"The only way out is through death." I hear a voice said. That's when I see someone lying on the ground, surrounded by five guys hovering over him.
A small gasp escapes my mouth once I realize who the guy on the ground is, Lucas. It's the exact outfit Lucas wore this morning, black shirt and jeans.
I have to save him.
I hold my hands up to open the door but Corbin quickly reach for my hand to stop me. When did he get here?
"You can't go in there. There's five guys in there. They'll kill you before you can lay a finger on Lucas." He stare at me with a serious expression, his voice laced with concern.
"If I don't go, they'll kill him." I whisper back.
"If you go now, you'll both die," he warn. "I'll call the cops first. Promise me you won't go in," he demand.
With hesitation, I answer, "Fine. I promise." He lets go of my hand and takes out his phone, walking away from the warehouse to call the cops.
I continue to peek through the creak, watching to see what they'll do next.
"You know the rules, Lucas." One of them speak. "Once you're in, you're in forever. There's no out." He kick Lucas's stomach and I quickly wince at the sight. Lucas is coughing and groaning out in pain.
Not able to take enough of this, I walk to Corbin to see him putting his phone back to his pocket.
"I'm sorry, but no matter what, he's my best friend. He's been by my side my whole life. I can't watch him die, knowing I could've done something." I tell Corbin and turn back to the warehouse.
I hear Corbin chasing after me. He grab my arm, jerking me back. He stares at me with an unexplainable expression for a second before speaking, "I'll distract them. Go through the back door and take Lucas to my car and leave." I stare at him, speechless. He's helping me?
Corbin takes out his car keys and hand it to me. "Wait," I tell him. He doesn't wait for me to continue, instead he walks towards the warehouse and pause in front of the door.
"Corbin-" I manage to mumble. I can't let him go in. I run to him to stop his plan. What if it doesn't work?
I watch as he open the door and enter the building. I quickly stop running further and pause in my spot only to hear a gunshot. My eyes widen at the sound and I quickly run to the back of the warehouse to find a backdoor there.
I slowly peek through the creak, hoping Corbin is okay, and see that all the guys are standing a few feet away from Corbin, leaving Lucas's lifeless body on the ground as a pool of blood is forming.
They shot Lucas. My heart drop at the realization. I put the car key inside my pocket and slowly open the door and enter inside, careful to not make a noise. My heart is beating so fast. This scares the hell out of me.
"Five against one? That's not fair." Corbin taunts them.
I ignore what's happening with them and walk to Lucas. He looks awful. There's bruises all over his face and arms. He's bleeding all over. They shot him in his stomach. I quickly silently shush him as he's quite surprised to see me.
"What the hell are you doing here?" One of the guys ask Corbin, clearly pissed from the sound of his voice.
I carefully help Lucas off the ground and walk him to the backdoor with his arms over my shoulder.
"What do you think?" Corbin respond.
"This has nothing to do with you, asshole. Get the fuck out of here," the guy warn him.
By now, Lucas and I are out of the building and walking to the car.
"What are you doing here, Hazel?" Lucas manage to ask through groans of pain.
"What do you think? I'm getting you out of this." I snap at him. I'm tired of his secrets.
We reach the car and I take out the keys to open the door. I help Lucas get in and I quickly get into the driver's seat.
"...take Lucas to my car and leave." Corbin's voice echo in my head repeatedly. I can't just leave him here. When the hell are the police arriving?
Lucas let out a loud groan as he puts pressure on his wound. I stare at his gunshot wound. It's bleeding nonstop. I look around, wondering what to do.
If I leave now, Corbin might get killed. If I go back in, we'll all die. If I leave now, Lucas might survive.
"Just keep pressure," I tell him and turn on the engine.