1-The Border Run

1

The Border Run

The car came to a complete stop and they looked out the front window at what seemed to be a perfect house.  It was a three-level frat house, and there was a party in full force. College kids had overflowed onto the front porch in the warm spring air, each with a red plastic cup in their hand.  The music blared from inside.

It was roughly two in the morning.  Everyone in the house was either drunk or stoned.

“Now, that is just perfect.”  Sidney said, from the passenger side, her mouth curling into her usual pre-job grin.

She leaned toward the driver’s side and watched as Tobias, a skinny man with black slicked back hair and an angular face, placed a cigarette into his mouth and brought up his lighter.  This caused Sidney’s grin to revert into a frown.

“Didn’t you just put one of those out?”  She asked repulsed, as her soft tan features took on a look of disgust.

Tobias raised his eyebrow.  “Sorry, mom.”

Sidney’s eyes narrowed as she pulled her long brown hair back into a ponytail.  “You know, that’s why you never got any out of me back in the day.”

Tobias made a small grunt laugh.  “You flatter yourself, Kitty.”

Sidney frowned, deciding to pick her battles.  “Ready to do this?”

Tobias shook his head.  “It’s all you, babe.  You know this kinda face stuff is your area.”

“Not a fucking chance,” Sidney said, and Tobias turned.  “This is your job.  You’re the one that dropped out of the great fucking blue.  You’re coming with me.”

Tobias took a big drag on the smoke.  “You’re really gonna make me do this?”

Sidney smiled and handed him a pen and a small piece of paper.  “Hell yes!  We’ll make twice the money with you working half the house.”

“Come on, Sid…” Tobias started to whine.

Sidney shook her head.  “Don’t be a faggot.  It’s just a ‘border run’”.

Tobias took an angry sigh then snatched the paper and pen from her hand and opened his door, stepping out.  Sidney was so happy at this very second, she made a weird, excited forced laugh.

They we’re back.  Finally.

The pair moved up the street and into the party.  Sidney in her tight jeans and Bob Dylan t-shirt, fit right into the college scene.  Tobias would have a harder time, as he was in tan Dockers and a red, button-up dress shirt.  Even with his sleeves rolled up, he looked less like a college student and more like he was here to sell everyone something.  Sidney shrugged this off though, figuring the drugs and alcohol that were circling through the place would be enough of a cover.

As they entered the house, it became instantly too loud for the two to hear each other. Tobias motioned that he was going to take the downstairs.  This was a good idea. Tobias’ outfit would be less noticed with the drinkers than the smokers.  Sid nodded and flashed five fingers on one hand then repeated the motion two more times indicating that they should be in and out in fifteen mintues.

Sidney moved up the stairs, spotting an unguarded plastic cup sitting on the banister.  She snagged it to look more natural, then moved to the first door at the end of the hall.  It was locked, and rocking, so she decided not to knock.  Turning, she moved to the next room.  The door was wide open and there were five people inside passing a joint.

Perfect.

She moved into the room taking out the pen and paper, “Hey I’m making a Taco Bell run. Who’s hungry?”

The five all snapped to attention with the regular marijuana-induced paranoia.  Upon seeing, her they all became confused.  A thin man covered in hair and doing what Sidney had to guess was his best impersonation of a homeless person, spoke first.  “Who are you?”

Sidney smiled.  “I came with Jenny.”

One of the women in the room, or as Sidney had designated her based of her clothing, Slut-zilla, questioned, “Who’s Jenny?”

“Jenny knows Sarah.”  Sidney responded, without batting an eye.

“The Sarah who came with Jake?” the fat and most certainly smelly man holding the joint asked.

Sidney shook her head.  “No, the other Sarah.  The one who dated John.”

“Wait, I think I know her.  The one that dumped Bill and slept with Stephanie’s boyfriend?”  Slut-zilla’s less attractive counterpart asked.

Sidney looked shocked.  “She slept with Steph’s boyfriend?”

The room nodded.

Sidney faked applaud, “That fucking whore, just goes to show you, I keep telling Jenny she’s got to stop being friends with her.”

The room seemed to accept this.  Although Sidney had no friends named Jenny, and did not know any Sarahs, much less the evil home wrecker Sarah.  She did, however, feel a kinship with her in that one second, a bond between dirty liars.

Then it was gone.

“So who wants Taco Bell?”  Sidney asked again, grinning.

Sidney continued this way, moving from room to room and worming her way into conversations and social circles, collecting orders for tacos, burritos and nachos.  Then taking the money that was meant to be spent on said food, and pocketing it.  After ten minutes, she had worked every un-locked room on the second floor.  She had also done two shots and taken three hits.

She insisted it was for the sake of the job, although it was tough to convince even herself of this.

She then moved down the stairs and out the front door, meeting up with Tobias.  They calmly got into the car and pulled away.

They pulled away in the opposite direction of the town’s Taco Bell, without any intent on purchasing food or returning to the party goers.

The Border Run

****

Before…

Sidney walked into the front of the small Mexican restaurant and bar.  It was a small shoe box place that had good beer specials and was located only three blocks away from her house in Ravenna, Ohio.

She immediately saw Tobias seated in what used to be his normal seat at the bar.  Years ago, when they had started working together they had declared this bar the business room.  They called it this, because to the best of their knowledge, the staff was terrible with English, so talking about the less legitimate business ventures here was a better idea then somewhere where people could understand… and blackmail.

That had all ended one year ago when Tobias left after recording a short two word message on her voicemail.

I’m out.

She could still hear the message in her head as if it was yesterday.  Then, yesterday, she had received a text to meet him here at six.  It was six-twelve.

“You’re late.”  Tobias said, without turning.

“So are you, by about three hundred and sixty-five days… give or take.” Sidney said as she took a seat next to him at the bar.

The tan-skinned bartender saw her and walked over.  “Senorita what… ah… drink?”

Sidney smiled, remembering the drill she said just the name of the drink she wanted, “Margarita.”

The bartender nodded and rambled off to get her what she ordered.  Sidney turned back to Tobias and could tell he was bothered by something.  “So, what’s up?”

“You still working Kitty?”  Tobias asked, his stern face turning to a grin.

Sidney had promised herself she was going to give him hell when she saw him today. She would curse him out for dropping her like a bad habit.  He was her best friend, after all, and Sidney had felt so alone after he disappeared.  So many questions and no answers yet, as to where he went or why he couldn’t have at least called.  All of this, however, seemed to melt away at the old nickname he had for her, and all her rage was replaced with a relief that her best friend, her only friend… had returned.

“I keep busy.  I have to pay the bills that waitressing doesn’t cover,” She said with a grin.

Tobias nodded.  “Good, because I have a job for you.”

She raised an eyebrow and he took a big swig of the beer and a deep breath.  She could tell he was about to give her the story of where he had been all this time and what he needed from her.  She suddenly didn’t want to hear it.  All she wanted to do was work. Work with her long lost partner.

“Well, we’ll need some cash, then?”  She said quickly, before he could get started.

He looked at her, confused.  “Well,  yeah but don’t you want to hear-”

She cut him off.  “Of course I do, I can’t wait to hear where you have been or what the fuck was so important that you ditched your best friend and vanished for a year.  I’m looking forward to it, but let’s save it.”

“Well I’m clean Kitty,” he started.  “I was going to hire you to do this one.”

Sidney became angry now.  “The fuck you are!  You work with me or I don’t work.  I will probably need those hands of yours.”

He shook his head.  “But I made a promise-”

She cut him off again.  “Fuck that!  You’re paying for the alcohol and you’re driving.”

She stood and turned toward the door and Tobias became frustrated.  “What?  Where are we going?”

She didn’t break stride.  “A border run.  Which car is yours?”

“What?” he yelled, grabbing his wallet to pay the tab.  “It’s the Chevy Lumina.  You want to do a border run now?  I’m Not-”

“I’ll be in the car,” She said, ending his sentence early for the third time, then walked out the front door.

Tobias frowned and turned toward the bartender, who was watching the drama unfold with curiosity. “Padre… that woman is going to be the death of me.”

The bartender became confused.  “Padre… es… Priest… I no, no Padre.”

Tobias stared for a second then shook his head and shotguned his beer before slapping a twenty on the table and looking back to the bartender.

“El Diablo.”  Tobias said, as he pointed over his shoulder in the direction of Sidney.

The bartender nodded in realization.  “Ella es un demonio grande.”

EPISODE 1 end