Beautiful Escape

Trip to Eastern

    Abby is currently going to college at Eastern State University in Eakins, Illinois. I had a few contacts who went to school there, more specifically the secret fight ring they call 'the circle'. I've even tried to recruit some new faces from that circle, but it just consisted of average college kids with anger issues. I was standing in my bedroom packing for my trip to Illinois when Mick walked in, "where are you running off to?" He sits down in my desk chair looking at me. "I'm going to find Abby to try and convince her to clean up this mess that you've gotten yourself into." I say with a menacing tone in my voice, he knows I'd rather live anywhere than with him, but I'm stuck here until I turn eighteen in a couple months.

    "Do you know where she is? As I recall she didn't tell either one of us where she was going to college." He asks, already knowing the answer. "Why would you think I'd tell you? So you can go there, ambush her and end up doing something stupid?" I zip up my suitcase and finish packing the boys' clothes, "I'm taking the boys, don't know when we'll be back." I take our bags to my car and load them into their car seats. 

    I go back inside, as I have just a couple more questions for Mick before I leave. "So, how much do you owe him and when is your deadline?" I found him in the kitchen pouring himself a drink. "$25,000 and he didn't give me a deadline because he told me that you and Abby would take care of it." I roll my eyes as he takes a couple shots of whiskey, "you are gonna be the death of me you know that right?" He shoots me a death glare knowing I was being fully serious when I said that. I walk out without another word to him, I started the car and drove onto the interstate towards my sister. 

    It was a 25 hour drive to Eakins, it would've been faster to fly, but I prefer to drive because it always calms me down. Although I was relieved to have finally gotten to the hotel about 30 minutes from the university, I am kind of freaking out about finding Abby tomorrow. I set up the pack-and-play for the boys to sleep in and got us all ready for bed. 

    The next morning I leave the boys with the babysitter to get some more information on Abby that wasn't in the file Benny gave me. In my line of work you can never be to careful with the information someone gives you, I like to make sure I have all the facts before I make a move. I've never been very good at chess, but that doesn't stop me from putting together a good strategy. 

    Now according to her schedule she should be in her advanced math class right now. I decided to keep my distance for now, the last thing I wanted was to run into America and her mama bear persona towards Abby. I learned the hard way not to get on her bad side, she may be short but when she's pissed off, she's scary. 

    Everyone was getting out of class by the time I came out of my thoughts, I lit a cigarette and took a long drag. I see Abby coming out of her classroom with some dude in tow that I didn't recognize from the file, which means that he wasn't her supposed boyfriend. He's cute at least, not my type, cleaned up, looks rich, probably in a frat. I'm actually surprised to see him with her, it seems like he's trying to woo her just to get into her pants. Which I know she would never go for, we may be from Vegas, but neither of us are like that. As far as I know she's a virgin, and I probably would be too if not for the r**e.

    I'm taking another drag when I notice that Travis guy walking up to Abby and that other guy she was talking to. He doesn't seem to like him as I notice Travis' shoulders tense. I know how to read a man's body language, even from a long distance like this.

    Travis and Abby start walking towards what I assume is the cafeteria, I start heading over there still keeping my distance. As I suspected, they meet up with America and some other guy who I can only assume is with America. They're all laughing as they walk into the cafeteria, and lucky for me there was an entire wall of windows so I wouldn't have to risk anything by going inside. 

    I had gone through half a pack before Abby and Travis left thankfully without America and whoever that other guy was. The last thing I need is to run into her and get smacked in the face, again. I was also able to get close enough behind them to hear that they were going up to Abby's dorm room to study for a science test that she had in her next class. She is starting to get sloppy since she hasn't noticed someone following her yet.

    Later that night I stop by the hotel to see the boys for a bit before I go back to campus to try and corner Abby alone to talk to her, so that way I don't get double teamed by her and America. Been there, done that, and to be honest, America might be short and sweet but she can be super scary if you piss her off. Anyway, after a few hours with my beautiful sons, I went back to Eastern campus to try and find Abby. I drive over to Morgan Hall, Abby's dormitory. By the time I get there, I see Abby and Travis loading luggage into a black Dodge Charger. She has a quick conversation with the passenger before it speeds off, then her and Travis go over to a Harley Davidson before they eventually ride off in the direction of the charger. 

    After finding the apartment complex that I'm guessing her friend Travis lives in, I drive back to the hotel. I am not going to go up there and talk to Abby with her little band in tow. I may be a trusted member of the mob, but I'm not an i***t. I'll just bide my time and wait for an opportunity to talk to her alone. It's just become extremely hard to do that thought, because she seems to never be left by herself. Which is frustrating, I've been in Illinois for almost two weeks now, and I haven't been able to do my pitch to her to try and get her to help our father with his dumb gambling debts.

    Two more weeks go by before I can finally talk to Abby, I was sitting on the steps of Morgan Hall smoking a cigarette, when she gets dropped of by America. luckily she didn't see me before driving away, but once Abby turned around with her bag, she saw that I was sitting there. 

    "What the hell are you doing here?" She asks me dropping her bag. "I needed to talk to you about something." I stand up putting out my cigarette. I walk towards her, "It's about dad, he's gotten himself into a bit of trouble." I look down after seeing the unmistakable anger in her eyes. "Why would I want to help him? He has done nothing but blame me for everything bad in his life." 

    "I would, but I have conflicting interests when it comes to who he owes money too." I gain some confidence to look up at her. "Why? Who does he owe money too?" She grabs her back and starts walking up the stairs to the dorm. "Benny," She stops abruptly and turns around. "What?! He actually borrowed money from Benny? How could he be so stupid?" 

    I back up a little while nodding, "I know, but it is what it is. So are you gonna help us or not?" She looks at me sarcastically, "Of course, I would love to help a man who has never really cared about me and blamed me, an innocent thirteen year old, for his failed career as a poker player." She laughs and walks the rest of the way inside her dorm slamming the door behind her.

    I call Benny on my way back to the hotel. "Hey, Talia, how's it going up there in Illinois?" I hang my head dreading the fact that I have to tell him that I failed in my mission up here. "It's good, I just finished talking to Abby, and she said that she wouldn't help Mick get you your money back." His five seconds of silence felt like five years. "I'm sorry to hear that Talia, but I needed her to say yes, not to mention that you're passed your deadline to even get her answer." 

    I park in front of the hotel, getting out of the car. "Wait, what are you talking about? You didn't give me a deadline. You just said to get an answer whenever I could get one. I'm sorry it's not the answer you wanted but that's not really my fault. I wasn't going to force her into anything she doesn't want to do, that's not in my job description." 

    I heard him sigh, "I'm sorry that you feel that way, but you knew when I brought you into this that if someone doesn't pay a debt owed to me then there will be consequences. Whether it is your fault or not, I get to choose who will pay off Micks debt. I had chosen Abby at first, but since she has said no, then it will fall onto you. Which means, you are no longer an asset to me."

    My breath catches in my throat, "What does that mean? I've done everything you've asked me to do." I make it just outside the door to my room by the time he starts talking again. "What I mean Talia, is that since you can't get me my money, then your life will have to make up for Mick's payment. I've already sent Marcus and a dozen of his men to take care of you for me." As soon as he hangs up I throw my phone against the wall shattering it into a million pieces.