Page 173 of Crew
Cross was on his feet, a dark look clouding over him. He swallowed, and a look in his eyes I had never seen before flashed bright. "What did he do to her?"
Jordan spoke faster now, his hand out like he could soothe Cross. "I don't know the extent of it, but she's in the hospital. Z's with her." He paused. "So are your parents."
Cross nodded, like he knew that already.
Jordan kept on, "They were gone on some trip. The hospital called them. They got there an hour ago. I've been..." He gestured to the desk chair. "I waited as long as I could."
"For what?" Cross laughed, an edge of hysteria there. "To let me sleep in?"
Jordan straightened to his full height. "To let the cops talk to Alex first."
First.
I looked at Cross. He and Jordan stared at each other with a shared understanding.
Then Cross turned to me, and I felt it. It started in my toes, making them curl, but the trickle moved up my legs. It pooled between them--where he'd been not long ago before we fell asleep again--and now it filled my chest. It went down my arms, making my fingers twitch, and it continued its path upward. My neck. The back of my head. Finally everything was coated.
I was ready. I knew what Cross would do, and I held my knife out to him.
He looked at it and shook his head.
He dressed, pulling on a sleeveless black shirt and jeans.
He left the room.
I followed him. Jordan followed me.
Cross went to his father's office. The closet opened, I heard a series of beeps, and he appeared again--a 9mm in his hand.
We waited three hours.
Three hours for Alex to be booked into police custody, to be processed, and then let out on bond. Three fucking hours, for hurting Taz.
In the meantime, we got the story.
Zellman was with Race at the hospital, and he relayed it on his way to the police station. He told us over the phone that Alex had shown up when Taz took him to the hotel. His mom had stayed back at the hospital to finish some additional paperwork, but Taz drove him, going ahead so he could sleep.
Alex showed up.
Drunk. High. In a rage.
He and Race started fighting, and he swung wide at one point, hitting Taz instead of Race.
He didn't realize it wasn't his cousin, and he hit her again and again.
Race shoved him off, but the damage was done.
Her left cheek was fractured. So was her lower jaw. All her teeth were intact, but she'd have to have her mouth wired shut for ten weeks.
Ten.
Weeks.
This wasn't supposed to happen.
Not to a Normal. To crew, yes. We ran that chance. We signed up for it. We signed up knowing the risks. But family. Friends? Fuck no. They didn't sign up for it.
It was wrong.
