Plan A

The sky was beginning to dim as Veronica glared at her watch. She would have only a short moment to make her withdrawal before the bank closed. Not like this college fund was going to do her any good now anyway. When Vee was 15 she had insisted on having it all in an account she herself owned, a mildly indignant child, but it paid back in kind clearly. With no cosigners, there would be no one to report the activity on the account. Vee clicked up the steps, her feet ached from the practically new shoes, her eyes were heavy and her limbs complained of the productive day that she had. Pulling open the door, Vee slipped inside mentally occupied by her anticipation of sleep to come. She glanced around for an empty station. Shit.

Upon lifting her head Vee found the gun pressed to it. The cold metal foreboding in its power, heavy against her racing forehead. Vee focused past the promise pressed into her skull, a icy stare met her panic. What was it with this city? Can't lose sight for a fucking second.

Vee swallowed her expression and used the crumbling bits of her remaining nerves to impersonate something akinned to humor. She glanced at the gun, lifting slowly her hand pressing a single forefinger to the barrel of the gun, shifting it away from her face slowly. With a bemused smirk, Vee said "Careful now you don't want to shoot your hostage. That wouldn't be a very wise use of what you are paying me." Vee added a chuckle that came out more nervous than she would have wanted, but that's about the best gunpoint acting she could do. His sneer faltered and Vee ran for a mile with this inch. "So where do you want me?" She sauntered around the thug watching his gun drop to his side.

"Ay! Somebody know this bitch?" He yelled it across the room, past the gated-off area. A large female rounded the corner. She wore clothes 3 sizes too big and had a split between her two front teeth when she talked. She was certainly as intimidating as any man ever was.

"Fuck no. She look like my sister or somethin'?" Said the brutish one, rapidly approaching the conversation. "Who the fuck are you?"

"Bitch says we payin' her to play hostage." The male seemed unconvinced, and Vee worried she might have made a fatal error.

"What? Fuck that shit." She said aggressing towards Vee, "We got hostages"

"Fine then, next time don't go begging Mr. Cruz for help. I let him know your rejection is meant with mostly no insult. Trust me he's not fond particularly fond of rejection." Veronica hadn't intended to toss around his name, it had stumbled out with her nerves. She turned her back to the two praying not to be shot and headed toward the door. More than excited to leave.

"Wait! Hold up," the female called after Vee, who was kicking herself for having played the role too well, "just go sit in the corner over there till we need you," she waved Vee off. Veronica hid in the corner praying for a smooth robbery.

Several minutes had gone by and finally, the phone rang. "Hostage, make yourself useful and get that. We don't want to talk. We want them to clear a path and watch us walk out."

Vee walked to the phone with a calculated carelessness, taking in a deep breath she lifted the receiver to her ear, "H-hello?" She smiled as her voice quivered. In a rushed whisper she said "Please help me! They are going to kill me! There are 12 of them, armed men and ..." Fear crossed the faces of her captors. She screamed slamming the phone to the side of the wall.

The male rushed over to her shouting obscenities "What the fuck you think you doin'?" Vee placed a finger over her smiling lips passing the phone to him. "Fuck you want?" He said more to Vee than the negotiator on the other end of the line. After a moment he caught on to her play, "Back the fuck off or we kill her!"

"No! No, please don't let them kill me!" Vee pleaded effortlessly, lifting herself to sit on the counter emitting another screech. The thug slammed the phone down, ending the call.

"That better work or I will kill you." He shoved Vee off the counter onto the floor and walked back to converse with his partner.

"It will if you play it right," Vee dusted herself off annoyed, "he didn't send ME for nothing." She thought for a moment about how to get two thugs out the door without fucking up royally. An idea slowly formed. "Where are the other hostages? Bankers, customers, guards? How many?"

"30 maybe, in the back, being watched, why?" The female responded, suspicious.

"Guarded? By who? How many of you are there?" Vee recalculated her plan.

"Six including us."

Six. Ok, that's still less than the 12 she had listed. "If you release the hostages and make a run for it at the same time there will be too much confusion for the police to get you. It's not like they can fire into an open crowd, too much of a risk. Split ways and get outta dodge, er the area, not foolproof but it's your best chance... Unless of course, you wanna try to negotiate yourself into a specific jail."

"Prison," the man corrected, "This is big-time shit. Long term lock-up"

"Same difference. Getting caught is still getting caught. I want my cut before we part ways... As in now." Vee flipped her hair.

The two looked at each other seeming to consider this plan. "Get the hostages."

"No don't. Toss me back there, let me rile them up. And make them think this is their plan. You will need to wipe your guns and leave the bigger pieces here."

"Fuck that!" The amazonian charged at her stuffing her bit to Vee's head. Veronica was becoming alarmingly used to the threat of a gun. "How do we know you ain't a cop? Tryin' to screw us over? Trying to get rid of our guns? Huh?"

"Because, for one, if I were a cop I would have just shot your ass when you weren't looking. And for two, what cop would drop the Cruz name?" Veronica popped off the name again, maybe a business arrangement would suit her well. People seem to react to that name so easily. Something to consider later, assuming she lived that long. Vee stored the knowledge for now. They seemed to consider this so Veronica continued with her plan stepping out of the sight of the barrel. "As I was saying the larger weapons will draw too much attention, making you a target. Concealed weapons will be fine."

"Yeah like they are not going to be suspicious of the people taking off with bags of cash." The female readjusted her aim. Vee kept walking not particularly fond of this cunt.

"Really that was your plan? A bag full of cash? Are you new at this or something?" She sighed, "You know anything about smuggling?" Vee had seen a couple of movies and was taking creative liberties with the rest.

"You want us to shove 2mill up our asses?"

"No genius, but feel free to do so. While you're at it please remove your head." The bitch swung the butt of the gun around hitting Vee in the mouth.

"Remember who you are talking to. You don't have Prince Charming here to back you up. And I don't mind fuckin up that pretty smile." This is why veronica hated other females, this shit right here.

Vee fumed, spitting the copper that filled her mouth, "You can fuck up my face all you want, bitch. It won't make you any less of a piece of groveling shit. Next time don't come begging for help." Veronica was lit. No longer caring about the gun, she was already dead technically, well legally. The urge to squash the gap-toothed cockroach overwhelmed her.

"Ladies... Ladies... Calm down" the voice was a new addition to the conversation, Vee's eyes flicked to the direction from which it had come. The embodiment of tall, dark, and handsome closed the distance between them. Vee's gaze washed over the groove between his pectoral muscles, a credit to the built physique. His shaved head was crowned with tattoos that washed down his body. His left arm sported the voluptuous body of a woman spreading her legs open across the top of a decorative print of 'LA'. Fascinated by the intricate twine of patterns inked up his arm and beyond, Veronica watched him carefully. He walked up to Vee taking her marked face in his warm hand examining the damage, he smudged a bit of blood from her lip and announced "You'll be ok. That will swell up a bit, but no official damage. That's a damn good thing too because sería una lastima to have to eighty six una de mis mejores ladrones over fucking up something tan hermosa." While Vee's Spanish wasn't amazing what she could understand left her face warm. He had spoken sternly to the woman. Then turned back to wink at Vee. "So the lady says wipe the prints toss the guns. Get the fuck to it, and Chica," his associate stopped to look at him."You will be compensating miss preciosa, here 20k from your cut for that shit... Roman," the pudgy-faced thug looked up for direction. "Bring us the bags call the others in. Tell Othello to stay put and watch our friends." He then grabbed veronica by the elbow and began pulling her towards the office area.

"I am perfectly capable of walking" Veronicas tone was harsher than intended, conjuring a vexed look from her defender. "I just don't like to be touched." She explained softer. He released her without questioning it. While the idea of him touching her made her pleasantly intrigued she didn't like being moved without option.

"You better have a damn good plan, beautiful. You fuck this up and you may have just started some serious shit." Vee swallowed the last of her confidence in her half-cocked plan.

"I think your best shot is to release the hostages and make a run for it in the panic. Swipe some less conspicuous clothing from some of the hostages strap the cash to your self and bet on the police having enough self-restraint to not shoot into an open crowd." Vee looked up at the man through thick lashes, awaiting his verdict.

Someone interrupted their staring contest with a cough. He looked up from the doe-eyed beauty in front of him to see a very angry woman glowering down at him with her jaw clenched, awaiting instructions. He would catch shit for playing Romeo but damn did he have a weakness for that long black silky hair and full pink lips, He shook his head to release the tension building from his thoughts. Refocusing on accomplice, he began searching through some drawers, retrieving what appeared to be packing tape. He tossed it at her and demanded "Strap that shit to yourself" motioning to the bag of cash in her hands "Make sure you pull the extra 20k out of your cut, for Bonita's face over here." Nodding in Vee's direction.

She was irritated watching him oogle the dumb bimbo. Nice ass and a ditzy smile and he was done for, lost all his sense. Fuck, why was he trusting this bitch? Anyone hired by a Cruz could not be trusted. How else would they have gotten so fuckin far? They'd be fucking lying, stealing, and cheating.

She grabbed handfuls of money smashing it on the desk glaring at Veronica as she watched her hands trace across his barred chest, taping down bricks of cash to his skin. She sucked a spiteful breath through the gap between her front teeth.

"That should do it." Vee said rubbing a bit of tape flat against his obliques.

He pulled a bit of tape off sticking it just below his belt buckle. "I'm not so sure that's taped down well enough." He grinned at Vee pressing his hips forward in temptation. Vee smirked her irresistible glimmer at him bowing her head behind a loose strand of hair.

"Good now?" The brooding accomplice smacked the tape down. His eyes got huge and his flirtatious grin disappeared entirely. Replacing its self with a vicious sneer. He cut his eyes over at her, Vee saw a touch of genuine fear wash over her. Was he something to be afraid of? He seemed nice enough, good-humored at least. Vee found herself wondering what lay at bay when he was brought to anger, had 'Death-by-snu-snu' over here witnessed his demons?

She'd backed away quickly "alright princess, let's get this shit done." Vee hurried along passing a gentle graze over Dulo's arm in an attempt to calm him down, passing a small smile.

Veronica followed SHe-Man around a corner and was grabbed unexpectedly, the air crushed from Vee's lungs when she hit the wall. "You ever try that fuckin shit again I will blow your fuckin brains all over the fuckin floor! You got that bitch?" She smacked the barrel of her pistol to Veronica's forehead.

The heat rose in Veronica again. Vee grabbed the gun, holding it still. "Shoot then! Huh? What are you waiting for?" The great barrier quief hesitated a moment before she pulled at the gun to remove it, to no avail. Vee was going to make a point, "That's what the fuck I thought. Don't aim a fuckin gun at me unless you plan on using it!" Veronica pushed the gun away from herself and tried to move past her opponent.

The woman slammed her grip into Vee's throat pinning her against the wall "Don't push me bitch you're lucky to be alive." Veronica struggled at her hand gasping for air, her eyes darting around for a weapon. Mind dimming from lack of oxygen, something on the woman's face caught her eye. There was a metal ring attached to her brow. Veronica reached up and grabbed it tearing it from her face, flesh still attached. She screeched whipping the butt of her gun into Vee's temple tossing her to the floor. The woman stormed from the room.

Veronica skid across the floor crashing against something soft. Taking in a deep breath before opening her eyes, Vee looked up at the stunned faces prodding at her. In a panic, Vee scuffled away from what appeared to be the hostages.

"Are you alright, dear?" An elder lady said watching Veronica cautiously. Vee nodded softly, wiping away imaginary tears.

"I'll be fine. How about you?" Her eyes held an innocence that touched the lady

"I'm not the one who wrestled with an armed robber." The lady smiled softly at Vee.

"They haven't hurt you, right? Any of you?" Her eyes grazed the crowd, they all seemed well enough. She raised herself up, shaking her head trying to clear her vision. A sudden urge to vomit bubbled over. Vee spun around hurling across the floor. Falling back on her heels a man caught her. Easing her to the floor. Can you have two concussions? Do they stack? Veronica groaned at the thought.

"I think she may have a concussion. We need to get her out of here." The man pleaded with the crowd. "She needs medical attention."

Vee forced herself to focus, her goal in mind. "We... Can escape." She mumbled, less acting than succumbing, "Cops are outside..." Yeah, this was no longer an act. She was struggling to keep her thoughts fully coherent. "Storm the doors and get out of the way... The cops will get th..."

"That's crazy!" Someone proclaimed

"So what? We all sit here and wait for them to kill us?!" Another voice whispered harshly.

Moments later the crowd had gained its confidence and formed a flock aimed for the door. The same man who caught her before tasked himself with supporting Vee under her shoulder.

"Ready? Let's go!" Someone urged. Vee could hardly comprehend the movement of her own feet. Things spun around her everything was too loud and nearly mute all at once. When her vision return the sun was bright and the cement of the front steps were underneath her. She stumbled across the steps unsure of when she lost her support, the screaming and panic fading back in. She could hear the crescendoing wales of the victims as they scattered down the steps. She could hear the officers yelling demands. Demands to stop. Stop.

"Stop right where you are! Hands up!" Vee looked around for who was being caught. Hopefully that Bitch who...

Suddenly Vee was on the ground her hand instinctively gripping her stomach. She looked down as she pulled her hands away. Some kind of fluid soaked her hands. She was confused till the pain started in. A rippling pain that muted the world again. She felt the darkness threaten to consume her. Something reminded her of closing cell doors the feeling of being trapped. Vee flung herself off the step, in a charge for freedom. At the street side something stopped her from moving, or rather someone, hands twisted her arms behind her back binding them together with cold metal. Placing her on the ground, the person rushed away from her towards the entrance.

Tears melted down her face, every effort she extended only failed her further. A deep fog rolled through her like in one of those shows when someone sees their life flash before their eyes. Only, Vee saw nothing. She had lived 19 years of nothingness. She had nothing to show for her life, not even to herself. In that moment she thought of Reese. Of his sweet smile and hopeful eyes, of his voiceful looks, somewhere along that thought Reese had changed into Noako. She thought of him hungry and alone. Of his innocent face hardening into a gang. No. She couldn't leave him. She had to try. Had to fight! Fear urged her to move forward. She pushed away from the sidewalk stepping out into the street, she stumbled crashing to the ground.

The screech of tires ripped through her thoughts. The click of a door.

"Get in!" Vee looked up to a stern face. She launched herself into the car with the last of her energy. She was flung about as the car ripped down the street.

The driver glanced between the road and the key in his hand, struggling to unlock the cuffs. As the cuff fell away from her and she was able to adjust, he reached in the glove box and pulled out what looked like an oil rag tossing it to her.

"Put pressure on it." He demanded in an oddly calm voice. How the fuck she was still alive, he was not sure. Not that he gave two fucks but he wasn't gonna just let her die in the street. Anyone trying this fuckin hard at least deserves a chance. "Stop struggling so much your bleeding all over my car." He said hands raised in defeat.

"I'll get right on that" Vee huffed with a touch of humor. She was fighting to stay conscious. Knowing full well that if she closed her eyes she would likely never open them again.

***

The two honks and the screech of tires were a rush signal to the hospital staff of All Saints Medical Center. Melissa rushed out the door calling her observations into a walky-talky "Female, approximately 20 years of age, weight about 130lbs, hight about 5"4. Gunshot to the left oblique. Contusion to the right temple. Possible concussion." Vomit spilled from the patient down Melissa's scrubs. "Scratch that, definite concussion. I need a trauma team, headed for OR room 3"

The scuffle of words rambled back through the fuzz of the radio, "Room 3 is taken."

"Room 4 ."

"4 is taken as well."

"I need a room or this girl is gonna bleed out."

"Proceed to room 3. We'll postpone"

Sometimes this place was ridiculous, Mel joined to save lives, but it seems like all this place seemed aimed to do was save money. Though this wasn't the first dying 20 year old she'd seen. It still weighed heavy on her. At 20 what in life have you experienced to look back on? Dying this young just isn't fair.

***

Veronica screamed and writhed in the velcro restraints she felt. A focused team worked around her. Words she couldn't understand passed back and forth, Not fully aware of what was going on just of the incredible pain that she was in. The adrenaline wore off and now there was no dulling of the eminence pain. The gunshot wound was indescribable. Every throb that hit brought with it the most gruesome agony she had ever known. Tears streamed down the side of her face her jaw clenched tight. The veins in her neck stretched and bulged. She glanced up at the girl at her side and hated her sympathy. Hated everything. She got shot. First week in this city and she got shot. By a cop no less. Fuck cops. Fuck hospitals. Fuck doctors. Her mind made the connection between her unwarranted hate for this innocent assistant and her real hate for what she represented. Some instrument rummaging around in her stomach sparked another round of pain and she ripped loose from one of her restraints. A firm grasp took her and a needle hit the joint in her elbow. Her cry echoed down the halls before darkness consumed her completely.

***

With a sharp inhale brightness broke the dreamless sleep. Veronica cringed, looking around the hospital room. She sat up confused, as fragments of the day before came crashing back over her. The strain on her body caused some kind of alarm to go off. Veronica began pulling the wires from her arms, setting off more alarms.

A nurse rushed into the room "You need to lay back down! You're going to pop your stitches." Mell said concerned.

"I need to leave," Vee demanded. "What papers do I need to sign? Release forms?" Vee began searching around for her coat.

"Ma'am you are lucky to be alive right now. Please lay back down."

Her coat hung in the closet blood-soaked and dried. Veronica shambled towards it "Why do people keep saying that to me?" She growled reaching into the pocket retrieving her phone, "Find me those papers or you are useless to me and may leave." She poked in a number "Yes this is Miss Vee. I'm at..." Vee glanced around a room for a hint to her current whereabouts. A small framed photo of the hospital deemed the location All Saints Medical Center. "All Saints. 15 minutes. Better yet, make it 10." Hanging up, she dug around the closet searching desperately for something. "Where's my money?"

Mel stood staring in disbelief, this peeved veronica. She grabbed Mel by the collar, fury powered by fear, "Where is my money?" Vee's voice was a low growl.

Melissa was stunned and but compliant stammered "Your... your Boss said he was going to pick it up. It's packaged up and waiting behind the nurse's station."

"Get it. Now," Vee demanded. Mel scurried toward the door.

Vee followed her to the door, the glower was a silent warning that didn't need words to explain.

Mel came back around the desk, several white plastic bags in hand, grabbed Veronica by the arm, and pulled her back into the empty room.

"Fucking Christ! Don't touch me. What is it with you people?" Veronica growled yanking her arm free.

"If I were you I would be nicer to me. I am after all saving your ass." Mel reached into one of the bags and pulled out a rather nice pair of men's sweats, and a branded white t-shirt several sizes big for her small frame handing it to Veronica.

Vee began pulling on the sweats that hung a bit loose on her. "Saving me how?" She flicked open the jacket noticing the tag was embroidered with a red stitch reading "CRUZ" a small smile formed at how that name seemed to follow her as much as she chased it.

"You have a gunshot wound and mild abrasions to your wrists. Along with the stacks of cash we found taped to your thighs, I'd be willing to bet you are the Cruz involvement in that robbery yesterday. You are not exactly inconspicuous. I'm sure the man whose clothes you are wearing would appreciate you keeping a low profile."

"What makes you think I'm with Cruz?" Vee said zipping the end of the jacket.

"No one else around here wears thousand-dollar suits and gets that physically involved in crime." Mel laughed. "Anyways, I want a piece of that pie. You toss me some change and I happily make house calls instead of you traipsing through here calling attention to all of it." Mel set the papers down on an end table, pulling a card from her coat pocket handing it to Vee. The card displayed a personal number for Melissa Coffmen. "You're lucky I called HIM instead of the cops. You're welcome"

"You called him?" Vee nearly choked out the words. A soft chill ran down her spine. She stopped listening. She ran towards the door peeking her head down the hallway that was Damien Cruz alright. He walked leisurely down the hall seemingly in deep discussion with a doctor. Vee stuffed the package haphazardly into the jacket and tried to walk down the hall inconspicuously. As she reached the end of the hall she glanced back. Her eyes met his, a devilish smile overthrew her better judgment but the expression he was left with watching someone walk away in his clothing, she couldn't hold back her amusement.

***

"Pleasure doin' business with ya." Damien shook the man's hand half distracted. "You were right to call really." He reassured him. His philanthropy paid its dues when his people ended up here. He got the call and everyone just filed the interaction under him 'mentoring' at-risk youth.

A woman danced through the crowded hall ahead of him, long black hair danced across her shoulders. She looked familiar, She glanced back at him knowingly. A sultry deviance in her expression. She tossed a wink at him, a smile playing on her full lips. She knew what she was doing and had the audacity to flirt with him. Damien wasn't sure if he was pissed off or turned on. He realized where he saw her before. At the bar, the night he promoted Jerm, she had been there. He hadn't seen her around so he was pretty sure she was a fed trying to move in on him. He told Jerm to keep an eye on her. Should see what he knows.

Another woman exited the room she'd come from. This one seemed to be hospital staff. Damien approached the girl.

"Hey," he motioned for her to come over. She looked at him with wide eyes and pattered over to him. He smiled a half-cocked grin and leaned against a wall, gaining her full attention. "Did you get a name on her?"

Mel tried desperately to pull her attention away from his flexed arm pinned against the wall. He asked something... "On who...?"

Damien nodded in the direction that the black-haired minx went.

"Oh," Mel scrambled her words together. Oh, well duh, but doesn't he know already? After all, she was one of his. Maybe it's a test. "I only caught the name 'Miss Vee'... But you know that already, right?"

Damien nodded. "She say where she was going?"

Mell shook her head.

"Well, I hear you're the expert on her case. Want to tell me what happened?" Does he really not know any of this? Was she actually providing useful information to Damien Cruz? She glanced around as if to tell him that other people shouldn't overhear what she was about to tell him.

Damien placed his hand at the small of her back and guided her back into the room. Closing the door behind himself, he awaited her answer.

"She was treated for a gunshot and a nasty concussion. I'm pretty impressed she is alive let alone walking away a day later." Damien was impressed, too. Having been shot was one of his least pleasant memories. "I'm no detective but I'm assuming she had something to do with that robbery yesterday. Given the giant bag of money she walked away with," Damien was really impressed now. Little thief stole couple mill. and his damn pants. He laughed to himself. He would have to meet this girl, for if nothing else, those are expensive pants. He would definitely need to see what Jerm found out.

"Do me a solid, and don't tell anyone else, ANY of this." He tapped her playfully under the chin and watched her knees quiver. He had gotten used to his effect on women it now served as a small amusement. The girl nodded, her eyes wide. Damien walked away ready to know more about this little thief.