2. Exodus “Yin” Tan #2
“Yin.” Sawyer “Squirrel” McClay’s voice was clear through the speakers. “Need a favour.”
I chuckled.
“Oh yeah?” I asked, glancing around my vehicle then switching lanes. “I told you before, man. You’re too hairy to be my sugar baby.”
Squirrel laughed out loud.
“And I’m grown about it. No means no.”
I smiled.
“What’s up?” I asked.
“So, my girl is dumping me for a couple of weeks for a girls’ trip.” Squirrel reported. “They’re going off to talk about me behind my back.”
“And they’re going to.”
“Yeah, while drinking wine.” He laughed. “I thought I’d take that time to get out myself.”
“Say no more.” I switched lanes again to get off the highway. “But you might be on your own sometimes—entertain yourself. I might have a situation.”
“What kind?”
“I’m not sure yet.” I eased the Bentley in a parking lot of the high school. “But either way, mi casa es su casa.”
We talked for a while longer while I waited for Alisha to exit the building. I’d sent her a text message while still on my call and she’d responded with a smiley face.
“It just means she’s acknowledging the text.” Squirrel laughed. “It doesn’t mean anything else. You’re not new to women, brother.”
“Just new to this one.” I muttered.
“What’s that?”
“Nothing.”
I looked up in time to see Alisha descending the front steps with two male students flanking her in deep conversation. At the base of the steps, she paused to speak with them again then looked around.
Climbing from the vehicle, I waved and she smiled brightly, turned to speak with the boys and hurried in my direction. The boys didn’t leave until she was sticking her bag into the backseat of my car.
I chuckled.
“They were protecting you.” I smiled.
“They worry.” She replied, obvious love in her voice. “There was a strange man asking questions about me on campus and they didn’t trust that. They weren’t sure what was going on but I feel as if they know something is wrong.”
“It’s going to be a while until the next break, right?”
“Mhm.”
I had a lot to think about.
Sam opted to stay with our mother while we went through whatever this was. Since our other brother was working in Shanghai, we didn’t have to worry about space.
A part of me figured he just wanted to leave Alisha and I together—alone.
I made a mental note to kick his ass later, even as I hid a smirk behind a cough and finished the drive through rush hour traffic.
And after getting her to Sam’s, I dumped my keys into my pockets before facing her.
“You can have the guestroom.” I peeled off my light coat and tossed it onto a sofa. “Hungry?”
“Not really.”
Still, after she carried her bags to the guestroom, I set some perogies in the oven to heat while Sam’s leftover chili sat on the stove.
After setting my phone to charge, I pulled out my laptop to get in touch with Bambam.
“You look tired.” Bambam leaned closer to the camera. “Everything alright?”
“Yeah.” I rubbed my eyes. “Oh, before I forget. Squirrel is heading over.”
Bambam groaned.
“Married.” I reminded her.
She laughed.
“I can fight.” She gasped through her mirth.
“Focus, Bam.”
“Yes, Daddy.” Bambam cleared her throat. “I’m having issues with the satellite. So, I’ve had to go through as many cameras as I could. Keep in mind, some are cheap and shit so imagery may not be the clearest. See that car?”
Her face on the screen slipped to the left and I leaned forward.
“It’s been parked there all day.” She added.
“We know they know where she works.” I rubbed my eyes, thinking out loud. “We also have to assume they’re watching there too.”
“Unless they’re afraid of being caught.” Bambam replied. “Remember, that area is busy.”
Nodding, I lifted my eyes to Bambam.
“Have they approached the house?
Alisha entered the room then but said nothing even as she sat down.
“Um—hi.” Bambam greeted her from the screen.
“Alisha, meet Shayna Carter.” I introduced.
“Hello, Kitty.” Bambam lowered her tone. “You can call me Bambam.”
Alisha rubbed the back of her neck while laughing nervously.
“That’s a thing now?” She wanted to know.
“Sure, Kitty.” Bambam teased. “In this group, if you’re lucky enough to get a nickname, that means something.”
Alisha looked toward me, but I merely looked back to Bambam.
“It’s nice to meet you, Kitty.” Bambam giggled.
“Bam.” I cleared my throat.
“Right.” She winked at Alisha then straightened her spine. “Yes. They did a walk around the place, looked through windows, that sort of thing. They haven’t breached the door or any windows, though. What’s the plan?”
“At this point we don’t know what they want.” I explained. “We grab one of them and make him talk.”
“Okay.” Bambam dragged out. “Take Yang with you.”
“Yang’s in China right now.” I leaned back in the overstuffed chair.
“I don’t want you going out on your own.” Bambam leaned forward to focus serious brown gaze at the camera.
“Aren’t you my bodyguard?” I wanted to know. “What’s this?”
“Not that kind of bodyguarding I was Jonesing for Taijiti boy.”
I laughed.
“I’ll be fine.” I assured her.
“I’ll go with you.” Alisha spoke up. “Where to?”
“Absolutely not.” I chorused with Bambam.
She blinked.
“Too dangerous.” I folded my arms.
“And?” Alisha lifted her chin. “Who else is going to go? Besides, it’s my life and I need to have a hand in taking it back. Why are you allowed to take these chances and I’m not? There won’t be much of a life if we fail, anyway.”
I frowned.
“Call Tha’lab.” I suggested. “I’ll hit you back when we link up.”
“Incoming.” The hacker advised while typing.
Bambam offered us a salute and was gone.
“Who?” Alisha wanted to know.
“Backup.” I replied, closing the laptop and walking for the kitchen.