Clipped Wings

I was looking forward to kicking my shoes off and enjoying a hot shower as I hastily unlocked the door to the small apartment. To most people this little apartment does not look like much, but to me it is perfect. The outside is inconspicuous being above an older coin laundromat most people don’t even realize that there is an apartment above them. Stepping inside the door I quickly turned and locked the three locks on the door behind me. I quickly kick my tennis shoes off at the door and set my bag down. Since the apartment is essentially a studio, it does not take but a few steps to get into the kitchen. I like the fact that it’s an open area, less places for someone to be hiding. Reaching for my only mug to make some tea I was startled to hear the shrill ring of the landline telephone.The phone was installed here before I moved in. No one should have this number though. No one should even know where I am. I tried to tell myself that it was a telemarketer, or a

By the time I woke up June was slowing down and pulling into a driveway next to a quaint small yellow house. I admired the gorgeous garden out front with luscious hibiscus blooms, tulips, and other various flowers and plants. It was close to dawn as there were orange red streaks illuminating the sky. June pulled all the way into the open garage, and as if by magic the door started to close on its own plunging us into darkness for a moment before the garage lights came on.I happily got out of the car and stretched before twinging at the pain shooting along my left side. This is where Vex had done the most damage to my ribs. It served as a stark reminder that I was not on some vacation, but I was running for my life.“Are you ok?” June’s voice was laced with worry, she must have seen me twinge while I was stretching. I shook my head yes, letting her know that I was ok. Just then a door I hadn’t noticed before opened and I was surprised at the man

June’s Point of ViewOne of my biggest concerns was coming true. It dawned on me after Ophelia’s phone call that somewhere there was a mole in our operation. I hated feeling this way, like I could not trust anyone. I needed to get to the bottom of this problem and quickly before any of the others got hurt. I had a more pressing problem though. I needed to get Ophelia safe, and I was now extremely limited to where and who I would trust her with.With my back pressed against a wall I called Whiz. I knew in my gut I could trust him. He was fond of Ophelia, in fact he personally hand selected her name after his grandmother. Like always he picked up on the first ring. “Whiz we have an issue. He found Ophelia” I found no need to mince words. “I have her being transported right now but I need to find out how that scum bag found her.”“Start at the beginning, how do we know he found her?” Whiz was naturally untrus

Tobias and I did not talk much for the rest of the drive. A few hours later, as late afternoon approached, he pulled into a diner off the side of the highway. The diner exuded an air of nostalgic charm as he pulled into its parking lot, the late afternoon sun casting a warm glow on its weathered exterior. The building itself seemed to stand as a relic of a bygone era, reminiscent of the late 1980s, with its faded colors and retro design. The paint on the walls had weathered over the years, giving the diner a rustic, slightly worn look that added to its character. It immediately made me think of classic television shows with happy families, where problems could be fixed within the half hour of air time.“We are going to meet Hawk here. It doesn’t look like he has shown up yet so why don’t we head in and grab a bite to eat?” Tobias shook me out of my gawking.“A burger sounds really good” I tell him. The truth was my mouth was already watering thinking about a thick burger with cheese,