“We are short of people at the range. Do you fancy a job change? Come train and learn everything about weaponry? It’s not easy, and Target won’t hold back. But you’ll be excellent with weaponswhen we’ve all finished with you. You’ll have to step up your fitness and fighting skills to go along with it. We don’t allow anyone to work at the Range if they are unfit.” I wait for Jack to think about what I’ve said, and lean back and think about heading to the hospital tonight to see how mygirlfriendis.
“Yeah, Chaos, I’d like to do that. I have duties to watch the ladies, so what happens to that?” Jack asks, and it shows he takes what he is doing seriously, and from the look on his face he has committed to the women.
“You can check in with the women at any time. They all have phones you know?” I chuckle at the look of fake astonishment he gives me. “It’s true they all have one.”
“No! Really!” Jack jokes back, and I slap his shoulder. “I’ll contact you once I’ve spoken to Target and Winter.”
“Okay, thanks, Chaos.”
****
Walking into Victoria’s room, I pause as I study her. She is so peaceful, yet still pale. I step over quietly to her bed and take a seat. Her brown hair has been brushed and as it lies on the pillow, and now they have removed the bandage I can see it has different shades of brown in it. It’s not as dark as when it was damp, but it is still a beautiful color. She is a beautiful woman, and I can’t understand why there is no sign of anyone missing her. I’ll check with Forest later, see if a missing person’s bulletin has been put out.
A nurse walks in and gives me a small nod and a smile. “I’ll only be a moment with Victoria. I just want to check her vitals.”
“No problem,” I reply, and watch her do all her checks before she gives me another smile and leaves.
“Well, Victoria, it’s time you woke up. You can’t waste your life sleeping.” Then it hits me—Where does she work? Does her apartment need a month's lease paid on it? Is there anything else that needs attention while she is in a coma? I need to see Specs.
Turning my attention back to Victoria, I speak in a low voice again. “Come on, Vicky. You need to wake up. I’ll tell you I’ve got myself in a mess by telling everyone I’m your boyfriend. I even had my hair cut. I mean that’s something in itself.”
I feel a twitch from the hand that I’m holding. “You waking up, Vicky? Hope you don’t mind me calling you that, but it suits you, and we all get nicknames, or road names in my circle of people.”
Nothing, no more reaction. Damn, I was hoping she was coming around. Looking at my watch, I decide to stay another half an hour before making my way home, where I hope to catch Target and Winter. I tell Vicky about the shooting range and the people I work with.
When the door opens and a nurse pops her head inside, I nod when she tells me visiting is over for the day. “Okay, Vicky, babe. I’ve got to go now, but I’ll see you tomorrow. But sleeping beauty it’s time to come and live, and now you are my girlfriend don’t think I’m going to just walk away because you woke up.” I chuckle because honestly you couldn’t make up the shit that I get into.
Back home, I open a bottle of beer, take a seat in the living room of the apartment and look at Target. “I want to bring Jack over to the range and teach him everything about weapons and fighting.He’s a good kid, and he’s doing great, but following women isn’t something you’d call a vocation now is it?”
“Have you spoken to him about it?” Target asks, and I see Winter’s interest peaking.
“Yes, and he is interested although he was a little concerned about who would watch the women. But we all know those women can hold their own. They would, and do, run rings around him when they feel like it.”
“I have that old hog if you want me to give it to him. He’ll have to fix her up though. She’s at the compound in Meat’s shed,” Target offers.
Chuckling because I can imagine Jack’s face when he finds out he owns a hog, no matter the condition of it. “Let me have the title and I’ll pass it to him.” I rub my hands together with some excitement. “This is going to be great. You know I enjoy teaching.”
Target shakes his head, “Yeah, but don’t fuck with him. He’s a hell of a serious kid, and I think some of that comes from what happened to him.”
Winter joins the conversation for the first time. “He’s a great young man. The Stooges love him, and Mia treats him like a son. Everyone likes him, and you know, he’ll be an excellent addition here at the shooting range. It’s a shame we don’t have a spare room that he could have bedded down in.”
“Yeah, but with his hog he’ll be able to travel to and from,” Target replies as he throws an arm around Winter and pulls her into his side.
“Changing the subject, how is your girlfriend doing? Waking up yet?” Winter asks.
“Her fingers twitched while I was talking to her tonight, but she didn’t wake up.” I stand and take my bottle to the counter in the kitchen and then walk back. “I’ll keep going, but I’m going to speak to Specs and see what he can dig up. I’m going to see if a missing person’s bulletin has been put out for her too. It seems odd that nobody has come forward and is looking for her.”
“Yeah, I agree that is odd. You’d think she would have a friend, at least one friend,” Winter frowns.
“You would think so,” Target adds. “Speak to Specs and if you need anything shout out, Chaos.”
“I will. But I reckon things are good. I’m getting no bad vibes at all.”
Winter gets my attention again. “I’ll go visit her. Maybe others will help once she’s awake. I’ll speak to Kya and see if she wants the girl gang involved.”
“Fuck, Winter, don’t do that. I don’t want all the women swamping her when she’s no idea what’s going on.”
“Okay, I’ll not say anything. But you know we’d all help if we could.”
Winter looks a little disappointed, but also hurt that I’d said what I had. “Sorry, Winter, that came out harsh, and I didn’t mean it that way. I just think that with nobody coming forward, as yet anyway, it could be overwhelming if a horde of women turned up. Women she doesn’t know.”
“I see what you mean, and Kya is enthusiastic about us all getting together at least every eight weeks.” Winter smiles and I know I’ve not hurt her feelings. Target would beat my ass if I did that, even unintentionally.
“I’ll speak to Axel about Jack working here, and maybe he’ll look for another prospect?” Target says, and I look at him knowing he’ll sort this out without me having to get involved more than needed.
“That’s great, thanks. I’ll train him up if you can get the go-ahead from Axel.” Giving a thankful nod as I turn and head to my room.
Showered and in bed I’m lying with my hands behind my head and staring at the ceiling. I can see from the moonlight which is shining through the window. My mind is wandering, and I again play through what happened on the riverbank, I know I need to speak to Specs about that and to Forest.
As I drift into sleep, I see Victoria launching herself into the river with no sense of self-preservation. She was focused on saving that child. Yet, that mother has not enquired how Victoria is, and that in itself is suspicious!
