Present Day
Jazz
"Benny, answer that would you," I mumbled into the pillow. But the phone just kept ringing. I'll let it go to voicemail. Thanking whatever god was listening when it finally stopped ringing, I punched the pillow a couple times, trying unsuccessfully to make it softer. Fucking cheap ass hotel pillows, I hated this part of the job, no real home, no real possessions other than the car, armor, and weapons. Not even enough room in the car for a comfy pillow or two.
The phone started ringing again, and I knew, somewhere deep down, it wasn't a telemarketer who had chosen the number at random, there was bad news waiting, Don't answer it, if you don't answer it, the bad news can't get to you.
"Babe, answer that would ya?" Benny's sleep filled voice asked me.
"Fine, I'm up anyway," I grumbled as I reached across his chest to grab the cell. "This better be good," I growled into the phone.
"Jazz, there isn't a lot of time. If he knows I called you, that I had a phone," Calli's voice was quiet, shaky, but insistent, her fear evident in every word she spoke.
"Calli, who are you talking about?" I asked, trying to figure this out with only a small portion of the information in front of me. "Hang on, let me go into the bathroom, I don't want to wake up Benny."
"That's why I'm calling. Benny. You guys have to pack up, move out," Calli was saying as I turned on the light, causing the overhead fan to turn on as well.
So much for being quiet, I thought as the fan squeaked and squealed.
"What are you talking about Calli? We are in the place Nine sent us to. Where else should we go?"
"Anywhere but there. And don't take the car, he can track it. Please, oh Jazz, if you don't leave that hotel now, Benny is going to die, do you understand me? Dead, not coming back, dead as your mom," Calli was whispering, her voice feverish, but at the mention of my mom, my body went hot with rage.
"Calli, fuck you, I'm hanging up now," I was pulling the phone away from my ear, when I heard her apologize, "Damn right you're sorry. Fucking uncalled for."
"I had to get your attention. Get out of there, now! If you don't want Benny to end up like her, then you'll grab your cash and the clothes on your back and hit the streets. Jazz, I saw it, do you understand, I. Saw. It."
That's when I truly understood, Calli had a vision and it wasn't good. Benny was going to die if we didn't get out of here and quick. "Thanks for the heads up, I'll get him up and out." I said into the phone but didn't get a response. " Calli?" A shiver ran up my spine and I shivered.
"Calli isn't here, who may I ask is speaking?" An unknown male voice responded.
Without a second thought I hung up the phone, plunked it down into the toilet, flushing twice for good measure. When I got back into the little room that held the bed and tv, I started to say, "Benny, wake up, we gotta..." My words were cut short by what I saw, eerily like the day I found my mom. A strange sense of Deja vu overcame me. Benny, the blood, so much crimson, I hadn't heard a thing. "Benny?"
No response from the still form lying in front of the open door.