Page 165 of Wrench
¡°Listen, you¡¯ve paid us back,¡± he said. and I felt a slight weight on my chest relieve
itself as he spoke. ¡°You don¡¯t owe us anything anymore. They uh¡ they wasted the ¡®good
for one free doctor¡¯ pass on me, I guess.¡±
My own grip around my mouth loosened, continuing to be surprised by the strange
touch of humanity and respect for a rule. I was expecting that he was being courteous in
calling to give me a warning, that I had to be there in twenty minutes ¡°or else¡±.
¡°But he needs help. And¡ and we don¡¯t know what to do. You don¡¯t have to do it, but¡
please. He¡¯s our brother.¡±
In the background I heard someone who sounded like Tank ask with urgency, ¡°Is she
coming?¡±
Another voice followed that sounded like Crow. ¡°Quick! Get towels!¡±
¡°Please, Samantha,¡± Archer said, this time with more desperation.
I gulped, staring at my reflection in the mirror and breathed heavily.
¡°I¡¯ll be there as soon as I can.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
When I pulled up fifteen minutes later, there were fewer bikes, but a clean white
pickup truck was parked outside. When I grabbed my first aid kit, I felt d¨¦j¨¤ vu. The only
differences were the sun in the sky, a sign in the window saying ¡°Closed for the week.
Don¡¯t ask why.¡± and my willingness to be there. Slamming my car door behind me, I
bolted toward the building.
Blood spatters trailed from behind the Tavern to the entrance. The same nauseous
feeling that crept up back at the motel bubbled inside me, but once again, I forced it
down, and entered.
I was surprised when the person I saw first was another woman. Older, blond, wearing
tight jeans and a leather jacket with the same patch as the others. All of them were so
disrespectful toward me, I assumed they disrespected all women. But instead, Tank sat
with his head pointed to his lap while the lady was red in the face from shouting.
¡°Who do you think you are? Some sort of mafia big shot? Running into some psycho¡¯s
house without any plan or backups? Huh?¡± she asked. ¡°Two of our boys are down, one
might not even make it. Not even a week after Hollywood.¡±
