Without Me

"Hey, it's me, Julie, I miss you. There is a small boy in the neighborhood here who comes to watch me paint. He even helps me mix the colors and on the days that it rains he comes back to clear the walkway free of leaves..." - Lugar was playing back a voicemail he received from his love.

He returned her call to which she picked up quickly. - " Are you okay?" - Was asked of him.

"Yeah, Yeah, you can't call anymore. It is not safe. I will be back soon." - He said.

"Why, is there something wrong?" - Julie had stood up to put on her shoes and grab her materials.

"Just- just, the boy. Tell me about the boy." - He said with a sense of urgency.

She paused briefly and almost took offense to his tone, " It is only a child, he has come everyday since you left. Maybe he doesn't have a family, like you, you know." - She played with the idea of new beginnings.

"Is he there?"- Lugar responded.

Julie had taken a step outside, " No, strangely he hasn't come today, we were just finishing a piece of work. Normally he's here by now." - She stated.

"Yeah, maybe. What is that noise?" - Lugar was anticipating the worst after hearing multiple doors shut and motor bike engines.

After placing her stool and continuing her set up Julie looked up and noticed a group of men entering the home adjacent to theirs. They paid her no mind; instead they entered the home as if to load off furniture from the moving truck they utilize. Though one of the men did startle her when he approached her, asking for a cigarette.

"Long trip, sure, give me one moment." - Julie said before continuing with Lugar.

"It is just people moving in next door. A man asked for a smoke , I'm heading in to bring him one." - She told him before running into the house.

"No! Julie, listen to me. Do not go back into the house. Get in the car now and drive to the airport!" - Lugar insisted and tried to warn of her of the danger she was in.

To neither of their knowledge, when he had gotten into the fight with Nina, she was able to pickpocket him and grab hold of some tickets with information of his international location. Leaving Julie unprepared to be standing face to face with Big D when she walked into the house to retrieve the cigarette.

"It's him." - She whispered into the phone before he took it and hung up.

"Julie! Julie!" - Lugar screamed from behind his teeth in hope for a response before crashing the hotel phone repeatedly into its prescribed post or hook. He gave her a call back but to no avail.

Pissed off was he, grabbing his only bag and was planning on leaving to come to her aid but there was an array of police units posted outside of the place and a helicopter stalking from above. They had barricaded the exit and were constructing a plan. Already, they were able to identify him along with his former connection with the U.S. Navy from CCTV at the game. Wondering why he would kill an FBI agent and what exactly was he involved in. At the moment he was considered subversive.

Unlike usual, this hotel in particular had inside doors and Lugar cautiously peeked out and down both ways into the carpeted hall. Before sighing and trotting into a nearby elevator; to his misfortune the power had been overridden.

"Damn." - He said, pressing the buttons and then swinging back into the hallway.

Making his way through two turns before abruptly pausing at a corner. Ten rooms down was a fire escape door being popped open. A riot shield slowly broke the tension before the rest of the team came looping behind it.

Lugar immediately changed directions and at this point began to run until he got to a window on the side of the hotel. There was no law enforcement there to engage. While being elevated three stories high, without hesitation he tossed his bag below and followed behind it.

Upon making it to the street he tried again to give Julie a call. When she didn't answer he tossed the phone into the woods and threw on his hood. There was a greyhound bus outside of a small cafe waiting for people to reload. He hopped in line and blended in with them.

"Hey man, you don't have a lighter do you?" - Someone asked him from behind and before even realizing and distracted by his get away he was being tased.

Lugar woke up at Renekies and was slouched over with his hands behind his back. John was sitting across from him at the booth.

"You can't seem to escape this place. This is where you used to come right? Sit right here."- John said mockingly.

Lugar grimaced and groaned while sitting up; giving John a badly intended look.

"What's that? I didn't hear you; somebody wants a drink huh.." - John said, waving his hand , ordering for someone to bring a bottle.

As the bottle made its way across the floor, Nina walked in. Her lip busted and eyebrow stitched. She grabbed the bottle and headed over to the booth in the corner. Lugar was tilting his head, smiling at her.

" What are you doing? We don't have time for this, put him downstairs until BIg D gets here." - She spoke angrily towards John.

"Well, I don't think that's very nice, playing with a man's emotions like that. He was just about to relapse as we celebrated his demise." - John laughed, crossing his legs and taking the bottle, pouring himself a drink.

"Take him downstairs, it shouldn't be too long." - Nina said, motioning for one of the many men to come and grab Lugar.

John erupted from out his seat and got close to her ear, " I want him to myself. You know what he has done to me. What has been taking from me." - He passionately reminded her of the disruption Lugar had caused in his life in particular.

"Well, what do you want me to do? He will get what he deserves."- She said to him.

John did not even peer back to take another look at Lugar. He could not stand to, not without inflicting some sort of pain on him. Disappointed, he stormed out of Renekies but not before releasing some of his anger and mentally snapping; swiping the bar top clean of its glasses and arrangements.

Lugar himself, still not having said a word. Both of their minds were on what they had lost.