1 Are You Going Somewhere, Pretty?

It was night time but the moon shone so brightly, you could almost think it was daytime already.

Amelia and Joanna sat down on a bench, beside Joanna's tent in the trio squad.  

A/N: Trio squad is just a name I have formed for the place Amelia and other homeless people live. 

"How was work?" Joanna asked 

"Nice, same as always," Amelia replied 

"That's great," Joanna said, looking down at her fingers. 

"Yeah," Amelia replied 

The two of them went silent as they stared into the night sky. It looked so calm up there.  

Amelia contemplated a lot in her mind if she should tell Joanna about her resignation from work that day. 

It wasn't like a resignation, it was just her being tired of it all and shouting at her boss that she did not want to do the job anymore. Her boss was taking too much advantage of her. 

"I have to tell you something," Amelia finally said 

"Really? What is it?" Joanna asked as she turned to face her properly.

"Not now, maybe later. I have to get some apples down the street," Amelia quickly said

"Oh, okay but this night? Isn't it too late already?" Joanna asked with a frown 

"Come on, it's just past eight, I will be quick," Amelia said with a shrug 

"Okay, I will be waiting for you then," Joanna replied 

"You should go to bed, Joanna. I would probably go back to my tent when I arrive," Amelia replied 

"Take care of yourself then," Joanna said as she yawned  

"I will," Amelia replied as she started walking away

"And be careful!" Joanna shouted again and Amelia just waved back. 

"You are disturbing me!" James, Joanna's brother said with clenched teeth from inside the tent.

"Just face your own business!" Joanna replied, rolling her eyes, and sat outside to enjoy a little more of the night's breeze.

...

Amelia walked down the street and soon got to the small shop where most people from the trio squad get their groceries.

Some minutes later, she was already back outside with an Apple with her. 

She held on to the plastic bag containing the remaining apples and decided to eat one now.

She moved fast and soon, the small grocery shop was out of sight. She hummed as she walked and soon turned into the dark corner, very close to the trio squad and that was when she heard it. Footsteps. Someone was following her.

If she could get away quickly, she would be safe. Nobody dares to do anything reckless in the trio squad. It was a place for drunk, drug addicts. A place someone who had nobody else would be. A place for someone broken.

And in the case of Amelia and Joanna; it was a safe place.

Amelia walked faster but not fast enough as her follower soon stood in front of her. She felt so scared.

"Wh- what do you want?" She asked, her voice trying to come out ad brave and bold as it could but she failed in that.

Her follower chuckled and started moving closer to her.

He was a man who looked like he was in his late thirties. He had a grey beard and his hair was dark but also had some strands of grey in it. He wore a black round-neck top and blue jean trousers. 

Amelia did not know why but this man looked so familiar she moved backward anyways.

"Are you going somewhere, pretty?" a deep voice said to her, so close. 

Amelia turned abruptly and her head hit his chest. She moved back a little and got a view of his face.

He was huge, compared to the other one but he had no hair on his head and he sure looked more dangerous.

And that was when Amelia smelt it, alcohol. They were drunk, both of them.

"Uh oh," Amelia could not help but mutter 

"Come on, beautiful. Let's get to it," the first man said and Amelia soon realized what was about to happen but she asked anyways.

"Get to what?" her voice came out sharp now.

"Surely, we are not interested in your apples," the huge man said in his deep voice and Amelia could swear she hated his disgusting voice.

The other man laughed at the other one's joke and spoke up too.

"Come on, you are not a kid," the grey-haired man said as he grabbed her arm.

Amelia yanked it off hard and slapped him across the cheek.

"Don't you dare lay your filthy hands on me," she cautioned strongly. Her voice came out so bold and clear as she pointed her index finger at the grey-haired man.

The man's face paled in anger and the huge hefty one landed a blow on Amelia's face. 

"What a b**ch!" the hefty one cursed as Amelia staggered backward.

* * *

William rests his head against the headrest of the owner's seat of his car. It has been a busy day at the office today. Every day was always hectic, busy, and stressful but not as stressful and hectic as today. 

The very words of his father played in his head over again.

'You must get him for me, son. He is my property

And that was why he was on this trip. Not a long one, just a short trip around town. Even though it was in a direction opposite his house, he knew he wanted to do this today.

He could not afford to do it tomorrow. It was better to just end this day with finding Bob.

He sighed as he opened his eyes. 

Trio squad was not a safe place a normal person should be, that's why he was just going to find Bob and bring him back with him.

He looked out of the window for the first time since he had been in the car. 

Well, the view outside wasn't so appealing.

Two men looked like they wanted to take on a girl. She was moving back and she looked distressed.

William shrugged at that though, it was probably just how they do here in the trio squad.

The car moved slowly because of the potholes and William looked outside again.

Even though he was not concerned about the girl and the two men under the moonlight, he was curious about what was happening and how it would end.

But his driver kept driving away, so he spoke.

"Stop the car, Scott"

"Here?" Scott was a little surprised. He thought they would have to drive into the trio squad fully before they would find who they came here for.

"I believe that is what I just said," William replied coldly.

William is not a strict person but he had such a long day and he did not want to be stressed. 

He watched as Amelia slapped the grey-haired man and he chuckled. He was enjoying this.

He saw the hefty man punch Amelia in the face and he got angry. No one should hit a woman like that. And it was not a simple blow, he had hit her hard. 

He contemplated if he should get out of the car and intervene or maybe he should just ask Scott to continue driving.

'She is probably used to this and would get back up on her own, he thought and shrug

"Let's go, Scott," he said and rest his back 

Scott started driving and William looked back again. She did not look like she was going to get back on her feet. 

He saw her stagger backward and the grey-haired man push her back forward.

He asked Scott to stop the car immediately and rushed out of the car.

He has had such a long day. Why was this happening now? Today of all days when he has to find that Bob guy and get the hell out of this place. 

He rushed towards the two men and bent down, his hands on his knees as he panted hard.

"What are you gentlemen doing so late in the night?" He asked as he stood up and fixed his black tie.

The hefty one turned to face him so that the two men were facing him now.

"If I were you, I would act like I did not see anything and continue walking," the thin one replied as he cracked his knuckles.

"And you are not me," William replied, spreading his arms wide for emphasis. 

The hefty one looked at William from top to bottom and chuckled. William was going to be such an easy type.

William looked at the lady who was holding onto the wall, so she won't fall.

She looked like someone who was about to throw up and he shook his head.

'Only one hit and she is already like that. So fragile!' He seethed.

The thin man came at William and William quickly ducked. 

It turned into a real fight, so William left the thin one to his driver and personal assistant while he faced the hefty one.

...

Amelia stared at her front as she saw four things struggling with each other. Were they fighting? Were those things humans? 

She could not place the picture correctly and she shook her head vigorously to get her brain working normally back.

The commotion soon stopped and she saw a man in a black suit walking towards her.

She felt like her head was rolling and William watched as she collapsed on the floor.

"Ugh! I feel like she did that on purpose," William groaned as he said and turned back to look at the two men on the floor.

"Fools," he could not help but mutter.

He looked up at his assistant who was panting hard from that fight and he grinned.

"The perfect way to end the day, right?" William asked with a smile and Scott stared at him in disbelief.

'What perfect way?' Scott whined in his head.

"Get her apples," William said as he pointed at Amelia's apples that were on the floor.

Scott nodded in approval and William bent down on the floor.

He picked up Amelia in a bridal way and moved quickly towards his car. 

Scott rushed after him from the back after picking up the apples into the plastic bags.

* * *