Page 25 of Hell and High Water

“That’s what we do, Hell. Now, what are you going to do about becoming a cult leader?”

“I don’t know. I can’t believe it’s even real. Or that I could have a hand in running a town, managing people’s lives…”

“Hell, I can’t think of anyone better to save this town than you!”

“She’s right, you know? You gotta give yourself more credit. You’re a damned force to be reckoned with when you set your mind to something.” There’s more than a little sass in the way he says it, the edge of his lips curling in a smile.

I smile too, thinking of how I all but strongarmed him into finally kissing me, flaunted my ass for him to lure him in, and ultimately wore him down to fall for me, like I had for him.

But the realization comes that just a few weeks ago, I was doing good work with Evan, making people’s desires and hopes a reality. Changing lives for the better.

Making big moves and meaningful relationships.

“Alright, then. Where do we start?” I look at two of my favorite people, feeling a hint of hope, a beam of ambition.

“Well, first, we need to get you back to full strength,” Gavin chides, nudging me playfully.

“Mmm… and you just let me know if I can come play too, huh?” Ora winks. “But as far as info goes, I might just know someone who could point you in the right direction.”

5

TELL

I'm standing awkwardly in the only precinct in Sanctum still operating at any kind of standard capacity. The upper district of the Hills sure has its benefits.

Even so, I can tell it’s tense. No one is acting normal. No one wants to be here, including the officers who work in the building.

It’s a stop off on my way to my parents’ place, a delay I need to get my head straight and find some executable information about what’s going on with the law enforcement side of Sanctum.

Vinny is a sleazy C.I. persona I use to gather information down in the lower district and a go-between for some of the cops on the ‘nicer’ side of town. He’s a snitch, basically.

Because even the cops in Sanctum are classist.

It makes my hands itch, my blood boil a little.

But not Vinny’s. He’s used to the grind. He wheels and deals and does what he must to get by.

He’s always been a familiar face in both areas of town, so I am hoping to use his reputation, the normalcy of seeing him around, so I can get a bead on what’s going on in law enforcement. City Council’s been closed up, almost invisible.

So I have to approach things from another angle.

On top of that, I need to know if my cop contacts have had interactions with the Ghosts and Marco’s men. Rumor has it that people are switching sides.

The distrust and paranoia are real.

Which has led to several of my covers, faces I have used for years, being outed or cut off.

That’s the problem with being a little mysterious, popping in when I need things. When things get scary, those peripheral contacts are the first to shut down.

Worse, several of the gangs Devonde brought under his umbrella have suspiciously vanished overnight.

“It was that giant, Bull, I swear!”

“Nobody’s seen that freak in weeks, Vinny. And why would one of the scariest thugs in dockside be knocking over a gas station in the Hills?” Sloane shakes his head, rubbing his temples.

“I know what I saw, and dat’s what I’m trying to figure out. It’s like every fool down here’s gone nuts. Fuckin’ bonkers.”

“Yeah, well, crime is at an all-time high. We’re overrun, understaffed. It’s like somebody pulled the plug on our resources. Maybe it’s the same for the street level spooks to run the show, every man for himself, huh?” He raises an eyebrow at me, the implication clear on his face.

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