My Brother's Five Friends

by B. B. Hamel

  “What’s the plan, Lucas?” I asked him .

  “I know a place you and your mom can stay until this all blows over .”

  I wanted to press him, but suddenly there was a knock at my door .

  Lucas looked at me, holding a hand up for me to be quiet. I watched as he pulled a gun from his pants. He slowly opened the door .

  “What’s wrong, Nat? I was just—” Mom started to say, but Lucas quickly pulled her inside. “Lucas! Oh, what are you doing ?”

  “Mom,” I said to her, “Arturo knows about you and Franklin .”

  She gaped at me for a second. “You silly, dumb bitch,” she said icily. “You shouldn’t have told .”

  I was so completely taken aback that I barely even noticed when Lucas stepped between the two of us. “Natalie,” he said. “Natalie, calm down .”

  I realized that I was trembling and barely in control of myself. I took a deep breath .

  “It wasn’t her, Camille,” Lucas said. “Arturo saw you on security footage .”

  Her face dropped. “Oh. Oh dear. I’m so sorry, Natalie,” she said .

  “Listen to me, Mother,” I replied. “We’re going to do exactly what Lucas says tonight. Once this is all over, and we’re both safe, I want you out of my life .”

  “But, sweetie,” she said, “it was just a mistake. I’m so sorry .”

  “I’m tired of your mistakes.” I turned away. “We’re done after tonight. If you care about me at all, you’ll at least listen to Lucas .”

  “Okay,” she said softly. “Okay, sweetie. I’m so sorry .”

  But I wasn’t listening. I quickly threw on a sweatshirt and some sweatpants and tossed another pair to Camille. She pulled the clothes on over her still-damp bathing suit .

  “Okay, listen up,” Lucas said. “The plan is simple. We’re heading down to the garage where we’ll grab a car. From there, we’ll go to safe house where you two will stay until this all blows over .”

  “Sounds easy,” Camille said .

  “What about the cameras? And the gates? And the guards ?”

  “I’ll worry about all that,” he said. He walked over and put his hands on my shoulders. “You can do this .”

  I nodded. “I know .”

  He kissed me softly. I kissed him back, wrapping my arms around him .

  Camille cleared her throat. We broke apart .

  “What about Franklin?” Camille asked .

  “Don’t worry about him. Just follow me,” Lucas said .

  “But he’s in danger, isn’t he ?”

  I glared at Camille. “Stop. Just listen to Lucas .”

  She nodded, frowning .

  “Okay. We’re heading out now. Stay close to me. Don’t run. Got it ?”

  “Got it,” I said .

  “Come on .”

  I grabbed the suitcase and followed him, Camille right on my heels .

  We moved out into the hall and started heading in what I assumed was the direction of the garage. I was instantly lost after only a few turns .

  We didn’t see anyone, or at least we didn’t see an unusual number of people. The whole place was quiet, which wasn’t a surprise since it was so late at night. But it felt eerie, strange, and unnerving. We were running for our lives through an enormous mansion, but that mansion was empty. The only sounds were our footsteps and the wheels of the suitcase rolling behind me .

  We went down a series of short halls that finally opened up into the kitchen. Lucas stopped and turned toward us .

  “Garage is coming up,” he said. “Things might get hairy up there. Just stay behind me, okay ?”

  “Got it,” I said .

  We began walking again, but I could tell that Camille wasn’t following. I stopped and turned toward her .

  “Come on,” I said. “We have to move .”

  She frowned at me. “Sorry, kiddo,” she said, “but I have to help Franklin .”

  “Camille,” Lucas growled, “it’s too late for him. We have to go .”

  “Wait for me,” she said before turning and running back down the hall .

  “Wait!” I said, but before I could go after her, Lucas grabbed me .

  “Stop,” he growled. “Stop struggling .”

  “Let me go. I have to get her !”

  “Natalie, listen to me,” he said fiercely. “She made her choice, over and over again. She doesn’t care about you. Why do you care about her ?”

  “She’s my mom. She’s all I have left .”

  “I know,” he said. “I’m sorry. But she chose this. You have to let her go .”

  I knew he was right. I knew I couldn’t keep paying for her mistakes, couldn’t keep letting her bad choices affect me .

  So I relaxed. Lucas let me go. “Ready?” he asked .

  “Ready.”

  We began walking again through the kitchen. The staff ignored us entirely and obviously didn’t care. Lucas even nodded to a few people, and they smiled back .

  Soon we turned a corner and moved out into the garage. It was packed with cars, rows and rows of cars. Lucas led me toward the back, closest to the doors .

  Standing there were two armed guards. Lucas held his hand up and stopped me. They were looking in our direction, probably because they had heard my suitcase, but hadn’t seen us yet .

  “I’ll take care of them,” he said .

  I nodded, terrified, as he stepped out into the light .

  “Evening, guys,” he said .

  “Boss,” the one guy answered .

  “I need a car tonight .”

  He nodded. “Where you going? Arturo said we’re to monitor all cars that leave here .”

  “I got a package to deliver .”

  “Where to ?”

  He narrowed his eyes. “Not your business. Now get me the keys .”

  “Sorry, Lucas,” the other guy said. “Did your father approve this ?”

  “I approved this,” Lucas growled .

  “Sorry,” the guy said again. “Orders are orders .”

  Lucas moved so fast I barely followed. His fist shot out, catching the first guy in his throat. He doubled over. The second man stepped back, reaching for his gun. Lucas quickly grabbed the gun, forcing the guy back. He kicked the guy in the groin and smashed him in the face with his forehead. He toppled down .

  The first guy came at Lucas. They tumbled down, but Lucas quickly twisted his body, landing on top. He smashed his fists into the guard’s face until the man stopped moving .

  Lucas quickly got up and checked the other man, disarming him .

  “Natalie,” he called out, “come on .”

  I moved out toward him, fear lancing through me .

  “It’s okay,” he said. “Come on .”

  Lucas grabbed a pair of keys from the second guard’s pockets and hit the unlock button. The big SUV two cars over blinked; it was the same SUV Franklin usually drove .

  “Probably here to make sure he didn’t run,” Lucas said .

  “Are they okay?” I asked him .

  He shrugged. “They’ll live. Get in .”

  He threw my bag in the back as I climbed into the passenger seat. He got into the driver’s side and the engine roared to life .

  “Come on,” he mumbled. A second later, the garage door started to open. He grinned hugely. “Hold on .”

  We flew out the open door, out onto the road heading toward the front gate .

  As we drove, something caught my eye. “Lucas, stop!” I yelled .

  He slammed on the brakes. “What’s wrong?” he asked .

  “It’s my mom !”

  We looked across the lawn and saw Camille sprinting toward us, followed by four men. I climbed into the backseat and threw open the door. “Camille!” I yelled .

  She veered toward us, sprinting fast, her hair flopping in the wind. The men were yelling at her to stop, and I could tell Lucas was pissed, but I didn’t care. It was my mother, after all. I couldn’t just leave her .

  Ca
mille slammed into the car, practically diving inside. Lucas hit the gas and we lurched forward just before the men got to us. They were yelling, but we couldn’t hear them as I yanked the door shut and we flew forward .

  “I told you to wait,” Camille said .

  I glared at her. She didn’t say anything else .

  Up ahead, the gate was still shut. “Lucas,” I said .

  “It’ll open .”

  “How?”

  “Louisa. She’s in control of the compound right now.” I saw him grin in the rearview mirror. “The computers aren’t just for games. She shut down the security cameras too, let us move around .”

  I nodded, and suddenly something welled up inside me. It was hope, and gratitude .

  Louisa didn’t have to help. Lucas didn’t, either, but they both wanted to get me to safety. My mother too, I guessed. But I was willing to bet that they were both going to get into deep shit for this .

  For all the insanity, for all the awful shit, I was happy that I was in their lives. I was happy they were in mine .

  Ahead, the gate swung open. The guards in the booth were yelling, standing in the road .

  Lucas pressed the gas down, the engine roaring .

  The guys dove out of the way as the car shot out onto the main road. Lucas swung the car around, pointing it toward Chicago. The gate closed silently behind us, blocking the cars that were already starting to chase us .

  We sped out into the night, heading toward safety .

  30

  Lucas

  I watched as the city flashed by, the lights blending into nothing. I was headed toward my own personal safe house, one of several that I kept scattered across the city. It wasn’t exactly luxurious, but the girls would be safe there at least .

  And I knew Louisa would be safe, too. No matter what she did, my father would never bring himself to punish her. She could play him like a fiddle, although she couldn’t get him to allow her to join the business .

  No, I was more worried about my ability to solve this problem. My father was not going to allow Camille and Natalie to simple go free; he’d scour the city if he had to. And if I knew my father, he wouldn’t stop until someone gave them up .

  Which meant that I had to lie low. I didn’t know how I was going to convince him to pardon the girls, especially after I had taken out two of his guards pretty violently .

  Worries within worries swirled in my mind as we drove silently toward the safe house. Even though I knew I was in a shitty situation, I felt incredibly alive. I glanced at Natalie and caught her looking at me. She smiled, and I smiled back .

  I thrived under pressure, and this was the most pressure I had ever been under .

  It took twenty minutes to get to the house. I drove carefully, doubling back twice just to make sure that nobody was following. I pulled up outside the place and cut the engine .

  The house was a row home in a sketchy neighborhood. Camille made a face. “We’re staying here?” she asked .

  Natalie glared at her and then looked at me. “Are you staying with us ?”

  “We’ll talk inside,” I said softly .

  She nodded and went to climb out. She fumbled with something, and I watched her phone clatter down between her seat and the console .

  “Shit,” she said and began to dig it out .

  I got out of the car and helped Camille climb out. I grabbed their bag from the trunk and put it on the sidewalk. Nat shoved something into her sweatshirt and climbed out of the car .

  “Ready to see your home?” I asked .

  Natalie nodded .

  I walked up to the front door and unlocked it. We all walked inside together .

  I watched their reactions carefully .

  Natalie just smiled at me. Camille, though, looked like I was asking her to sleep inside of a dead, rotten corpse .

  “It’s not much,” I said, “but it’s safe. Nobody knows where this is .”

  “It’s gross,” Camille said .

  We walked into the living room and I put their bag in the corner .

  The place was pretty dingy, I had to admit. I hadn’t exactly put a lot of effort into cleaning and furnishing over the years. We pulled the covers off the couch and the other furniture, revealing the mostly second-hand stuff. Nothing hung on the walls, and the kitchen was mostly bare, but there was enough in there for them to live. I knew the linen upstairs needed to be changed, but the clean stuff was in the closet, ready to be deployed .

  It definitely wasn’t the lavish rooms of the mob compound, but it wasn’t so bad. Utilitarian and sparse, but not dirty .

  “Where are you staying?” Natalie asked me as Camille climbed the stairs, saying something about finding her room .

  “I can’t stay here,” I said, frowning .

  “Why not ?”

  “Because my father is going to be looking for me. I can’t risk leading him to you guys .”

  “Lucas,” she said .

  I grabbed her and pulled her close against me .

  I wasn’t going to let her down .

  I wanted to stay with them. I wanted to sleep with Natalie, to hold her, to make her feel safe. But I also knew that I needed to be able to move around the city, and I couldn’t risk getting followed if someone spotted me .

  “I have another place,” I said. “Vince will meet me there .”

  “Does he know about us ?”

  “Not yet. He doesn’t know about this place, either .”

  “Okay.”

  “We can trust him, though .”

  She kissed me. “I believe you .”

  Camille came stomping back down the stairs. “How long are we here for ?”

  “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” I said. “I don’t really know .”

  “Of course not,” Camille said, sitting on the couch .

  “But we need a few rules. First off, I need you both to give me your phones .”

  “No,” Camille said flat out .

  “Camille,” I said slowly, “you can give it to me or I can take it. Your call .”

  Natalie handed me her phone. Camille got up and reluctantly placed hers on top of Natalie’s .

  “Okay,” I said. “I’ll get you new phones. Just be careful what you do online. Don’t use your social media accounts. Don’t post anything .”

  “Seriously?” Camille complained .

  “Mom,” Natalie snapped, “we’re in hiding from the mobsters you pissed off, remember ?”

  Camille sighed but said nothing .

  “You both also need to stay inside. You can’t risk getting spotted .”

  “You’re telling me,” Camille said slowly, “that we’re stuck in here without real internet for an amount of time you can’t specify? Maybe forever ?”

  “Not forever,” I said. “I’ll fix this. But for now, you have to sit tight until it all blows over .”

  “No,” Camille said, standing. “No, thanks. I’ll go to the police. I’ll hire bodyguards if I have to .”

  “Camille,” Natalie said .

  “No. I’m not doing this .”

  Natalie rounded on her. “Sit your ass down, you self-centered asshole,” she said. “You’re going to stay here and you’re going to shut your fucking mouth the whole time or I’m going to beg Lucas here to duct tape you to a chair in the basement .”

  Camille stared at Natalie. “Don’t speak to your mother that way .”

  “You’re not my mother. You’re just a problem,” Natalie said .

  Camille’s expression was absolutely delightful .

  “As fun as this is,” I said, “I have to get going .”

  “Stay a little longer,” Natalie said, pressing herself against me. “Please .”

  “Sorry, wife,” I said to her. “Got to go .”

  We kissed, long and hard. Neither of us cared when Camille cleared her throat .

  Eventually we pulled apart. “Come back soon,” she said .

  “First thing in the mo
rning. You two need to rest .”

  She nodded. Reluctantly, I pulled away from her and left .

  I quickly got into the car and began to drive. I needed to ditch it, so I parked it in a handicap spot out front of a government building and walked away. I caught a bus going south and got off two blocks from the safe house that I shared with Vince .

  He was already there when I walked inside .

  “Big night,” he said, grinning .

  I had my hand on my gun. “We good ?”

  “Still on your side, boss .”

  I relaxed. “I got the girls out .”

  “Yeah? I thought they’d be here .”

  “Sorry, Vince, but I got them in a spot only I know about .”

  “Good,” he said. “Safer that way .”

  I sat down in a chair. Vince got up and handed me a glass of whisky .

  “The fuck were you thinking?” he asked .

  “I wasn’t, honestly .”

  “Arturo is having a fucking fit. I barely got out of the compound with my head on .”

  “Sorry about that. I’ll give you a warning the next time I have to escape with my stepsister and her slutty mom .”

  “Okay. Good .”

  We drank in silence then for a few minutes. It was close to four in the morning and I was absolutely exhausted. I knew the car would be towed or found soon; I wasn’t sure which, and I didn’t much care .

  All I knew was that I had to come up with a plan, and fast .

  “They find the kid?” I asked Vince .

  “Apparently not,” he said. “Someone must have warned him .”

  I laughed, shaking my head. “Camille. She disappeared during our escape. Must have warned him .”

  “Crazy bitch .”

  “She came tearing across the west lawn like a fucking psycho. I almost didn’t stop .”

  We laughed together. I felt like I was beginning to relax, loosen up .

  “How dumb can they be?” Vince asked .

  “I’m more surprised at the kid. He at least knows my father .”

  “Yeah,” Vince said. “He’s lucky Camille is bat shit insane .”

  We fell into another silence .

  “So,” he asked me finally, “how the fuck do we get out of this one ?”

  “Not sure yet. Did you contact the other captains ?”

  “The loyal ones, yeah .”