Be Gay Do Crime

Ashe blinked blearily awake, the light piercing her brain like a knife as someone seemingly took a hammer to her skull.  She groaned, an arm lifting to cover her eyes, only for it to snag on something metallic.  Her eyes shot open, irreverent of the pain as she rolled her head to the side to see what it was. 

Her breath left in a rush, it was just the chain that connected the ID to her belt.  She was still in the sand, and based on the noises, the gator was still thrashing a bit with his meal.  Okay, a short blackout, not as bad as she feared.  Unfortunately, Ashe didn’t miraculously feel better, or get a second wind. 

Instead, she just felt cold, which wasn’t a good thing given it was early March.  A rather annoying country song began to play, and Ashe barely could recognize it as her burner’s ringtone.  She reached for the shitty fanny pack and pulled out her burner phone and swiped answer, smearing the screen with blood. 

“Holy shit A— are you okay?” Crystal said quickly, stumbling over almost saying her name.  “The feed cut out when you ran into those bastards.  Are you safe, do I need to come run interference?” 

Ashe chuckled weakly, which turned into a strained cough.  “I’m alive.  Bout the only upside right now.” 

“I told you I should have come with,” she muttered.  “But no, I’m too recognizable.  Probably right, but look where it got you!” 

“Dying alone in a sandpit while watching an alligator maul a man to death with a knife in my gut?” Ashe asked, then coughed again, flecks of red painting the sand. 

“Dying?” Crystal whispered.  “No.  Not just no but fuck the hell no.  You’re not allowed to die, do you hear me?” 

“Yes mistress,” Ashe muttered.  “There’s some hedges, near a pond.  Mind the gator, grab all the guns and magazines, might have my prints.” 

“You got it,” Crystal said, her voice clipped.  “Just stay with me, and keep talking.  I’m already on site, shouldn’t be more than a minute.” 

Ashe smiled, happy to have someone like that supporting her.  “You’re a good friend.  The best…” 

“Damn right I am,” Crystal said, strained, almost as if she was crying.  “I don’t know where I’d be without you, so don’t you dare make me find out.” 

What was she even worried about?  It wasn’t like she was actually dying, it had been a joke…  Hadn’t it?  She’d been shot, sure, and the knife was still sticking out of her gut, not to mention how the world just wasn’t staying still, and her vision was so damn clouded, and that damn chill was getting worse.  At least the pain was mostly gone, which might not actually be a good thing.

Huh.

Maybe she was dying. 

“Shit,” she said, coughing again instead of a chuckle.  “I think I’m fucked.” 

Whatever answer Crystal gave didn’t make it over the phone, and Ashe blinked, the clouds above shifting as she did, moving a fair distance, but more than that, she saw movement.  Oh, the bastard had fought off the gator and was crawling her way.  The gator was retreating into the water, a knife stuck in its eye.

That wasn’t good. 

The man looked as bad as Ashe felt, clawing his way towards her with blood running down his face.  He snarled as he forced himself up to his knees, then he pulled the knife from her gut with a sharp motion.  She hissed at the sensation, less pain than expected.  She didn’t have the energy to fight back, she could barely keep her eyes open.  So that was it, she was going to die. 

It wasn’t fair, but what could she do?  He raised the knife, then began to bring it down.  Ashe sucked in a wet breath as a black boot soared right over her and kicked the knife away.  The man fell with a yelp, and someone stepped over her, leveled a gun, and fired twice into the man, putting him down. 

Ashe blinked, as her savior stood over her protectively, the light casting them in an angelic glow, like a guardian angel.  A smile crept onto her lips as she looked up at the vision of beauty and safety.  She tried to reach for it, to touch upon perfection, but the darkness returned, beckoning her back into blissful oblivion. 

 

*** 

 

Death came for everyone at some point, it was an inevitability of life that eventually it all comes to an end.  Some people chose to hasten their time along, either by risk or virtue, or simply a desire to be finished with it all.  Where someone fell on that spectrum could vary from day to day, shifting with each event in their life. 

Sometimes a drastic change happened due to something completely out of one’s control, altering the course of a life.  She had experienced such an upset twice over now.  A wise man once said, the only ones who should kill, are those prepared to be killed. 

Ashe believed those words, and so, when she took up arms to fight, she understood that each and every breath might be her last.  That she needed to live while she could.  Yet, there were some things she convinced herself weren’t an option, like telling Crystal how she really felt. 

She wasn’t sure she would ever get the chance now, trapped in a haze between life and death as she was.  Or maybe that was the morphine talking, she thought she’d heard mention of it at some point when she floated a bit closer to life, but she wasn’t sure.  

It was a strange limbo that she found herself in, and it wasn’t entirely unpleasant.  There was no prolonged, rational thought, just short bursts of memory or idea.  No responsibility, no expectations, just that warm haze.  So, when it was interrupted, she found herself quite displeased by the sudden intrusion of conscious thought. 

“Ashe Hamilton?” someone asked. 

The voice was unfamiliar, but the name they used wasn’t.  It was her name, the one she chose for herself.  Worse, the light burned her vision, even with her eyes screwed shut.  Could she have the warm fuzziness back?  That was nice, and didn’t hurt her entire being. 

“Come on, you need to wake up,” they said.  Ashe grumbled at the voice, reaching for a blanket that wasn’t there and frowned when something nudged her shoulder.  “Just a few questions then you can go back to sleep, okay?” 

Blurry eyes fluttered open, glaring at the offending figure.  The lights were blinding, despite their apparent dimness.  Whoever it was, they were dressed in dark colors that dulled their figure further.  She couldn’t make out any features of their face, or what they were doing with their hands. 

“How many fingers am I holding up?” 

Ashe blinked, unable to see much, or focus.  She groaned, shifting side to side, which proved to be a mistake.  Something hurt like hell, several things for that matter.  

“Dunno,” she said.  “Did I get hit by a truck?” 

“Close,” they said.  “You’ve been shot and stabbed, not to mention that you lost enough blood that if you had not gotten treatment when you did, you would have died.” 

“That sounds bad,” she said, her focus drifting off again. 

“I do need to ask you a few things before you can sleep again,” they said.  Ashe felt like she should know the voice, but didn’t recognize it.  “Do you remember what happened?” 

“Jerkass with a gun,” she muttered without thinking.  Who was questioning her?  Why was she being questioned?  Something about all this should have bothered her, but she was too tired to care.  “Said I should die, didn’t agree with him.” 

The figure chuckled.  “I suppose that’s one way to put it.  Can you tell me more?” 

“Can’t even tell who you are,” she said.  “Barely remember who I am…  Just tired.” 

“No, I need you to stay awake,” they said. 

Ashe grunted, letting her head roll to the side.  Her eyelids were heavy and she let them drop, the comforting embrace of darkness rushing back once more, taking the pain with it. 

 

***

 

Ashe’s eyes flew open with a gasp, she started to sit up but nearly doubled over in agony.  Her breathing was heavy and labored, sweat rolled off of her in rivulets.  Some incessant alarm was blaring, something sterile and sharp was stinging her nose, and someone was staring at her from a small sofa with wide eyes.  Pain lanced through her whole being and she began to cough painfully, gripping at her side as she did. 

“Ashe!” her mom screeched, launching from her seat and wrapping her in a tight embrace.  “We were so worried that we lost you.” 

She froze, bits and pieces of the escape with Jason, fighting the bastards in the hedges, and the gator taking him into the water.  She tried to remember what came next, but it was all a haze.  One thing was clear, she was in a hospital.  How much did they know about how she got hurt, was she going to be arrested? 

Tentatively, she returned the hug and scrambled to think of what she could safely ask. 

“I am so confused.” 

There, a true statement that didn’t give anything away.  Given she didn’t have any obvious restraints on her, that implied they didn’t know the full details of how she was injured.  A brief flash of some shadowy figure asking questions crossed her mind and she was glad the hug hid her grimace. 

“Understandable,” her mom said, pulling back.  “What’s the last thing you remember?” 

Okay, that might be easy enough to misdirect on.  “A light and an angel coming for me.” 

A mirthless chuckle followed, and her mom wiped at wet eyes.  It was only then that Ashe got a good look at her mom, the bags under her eyes, the almost greasy quality to her hair.  When was the last time she showered?  More importantly, how long had Ashe been out for? 

“I need to call your mother, let her know you’re up,” she said.  “Crystal should be back soon, I had her go home to get a shower.”

“You look like you could use one yourself,” Ashe said, grinning slightly before her face fell.  “How long was I out?” 

“Almost three days,” her mom answered.  “You were touch and go for that first day, especially with the collapsed lung and nearly bleeding out.”  Ashe winced, her stomach dropping at the venom in her mom’s words.  “Your mother returned to work once you were stable, but insisted I take however long it took so you didn’t wake up alone.” 

Ashe could only smile at the sentiment, and at the fact that Crystal was coordinating with her parents on a rotation.  That meant that they didn’t know exactly what she was getting up to in her free time.  Relief flooded her as some of the tension left her limbs, and the tightness in her right arm abated just a bit. 

Waiting for Crystal would grate on her nerves, because she needed to know what the hell happened after she lost consciousness, but for the moment, her mom needed her.  She was sending messages on her phone, likely informing the relevant parties that she was awake.  If that included a police interrogator before she heard the ‘official’ story, that might prove problematic.

“Hey mom,” Ashe began, her voice soft, tentative.

“Yes honey?” she said, looking up from her phone.  Ashe’s heart fell at the look of raw concern plastered on her face. 

“Can…” just say it and get it over with.  “I don’t feel quite up to a dozen questions and my head is still fuzzy.  I’m getting a flash of memory here and there, but I don’t really know how it all fits together yet.” 

“Oh right,” her mom said, putting the phone away.  “I already told Cat that any questioning would wait until you’re released and we can bring you to the station directly.  She agreed.” 

Ashe slumped in relief, though the guilt grew with it.  She had the time needed, and would get a moment with Crystal to hash things out.  Glancing around the room, Ashe resolved to have that conversation in the restroom, after Crystal checked it for any bugs.  Not much point in learning proper op-sec if she wasn’t going to follow it. 

“Thanks,” she said after a moment.  “Like, I think I remember getting shot, but not the circumstances that caused it to happen.” 

“Oh right,” her mom said, sitting forward.  “The one on your arm can wait, but what happened with your leg?  The doctors said it was at least two weeks old, and was stitched.  Why was that the first time I heard about this?” 

Ashe looked away, heart spiking in fear and worry.  Would she figure out that it lined up with the night of the pawn shop raid, when she almost shot Crystal without realizing who she was shooting at?  No, she just needed to stick to the plan, they came up with a story just in case someone asked. 

“It’s embarrassing,” she muttered.  Her mom’s pointed glare told her that wasn’t good enough so she heaved out a sigh and spun the prepared lie.  “Crystal and I went to a range, one of my shots ricocheted back and grazed my leg.  I got on site first aid and went to an urgent care center and got stitches.” 

That part was at least true, she did get her leg looked over by a proper medical clinic, it was just one that didn’t ask pointed questions because it serviced the Viuda almost exclusively.  She even had records of the visit and the reason, and the range would be able to verify she was there and all that happened.  They knew to create alibis, and wouldn’t break that trust.  The greased palms certainly helped. 

“Ouch,” her mom said.  “Still, you could have told us.” 

She shrugged.  “I didn’t want to worry you after the last time I got shot.  Shit, I’m making a habit out of this, aren’t I?” 

“It’s definitely your worst,” Crystal said, standing in the doorway. 

Ashe turned, a smile blossoming on her face at the sight of her best friend.  Her hair was still damp, and her clothes looked to have been grabbed in a hurry.  Simple jeans and a band t-shirt, which she pulled off with an ease that Ashe could only envy.  She knew she would never look that good, not without hours of prep and some padding underneath it all. 

Crystal then dropped her bag and closed the distance, pulling Ashe into her second bone crushing hug since waking up.  “Never do something like that again.” 

Ashe choked out a laugh.  “Gonna need some context, my head’s still fuzzy.” 

Crystal pulled back, a soft smile on her face and pity in her eyes.  The worst part, Ashe didn’t think that she was faking it.  “Well, remember how Jason needed help?”  Hesitantly, Ashe nodded.  “Yeah, you got jumped right after, not sure of the details, but Jason called me and I got to you before the emergency crews.  There was a whole thing that day, and you just happened to be caught in the middle of it.” 

Ashe nodded, because she was now linked to at least one death, maybe more if they figured out it was her faking being on the security detail.  That was the part she would need clarified before she said too much. 

“I remember taking one of their guns,” she admitted.  “I think that might have been when I got shot?” 

“Near as we can figure,” her mom said.  “The entire timeline of events is shaky, and different statements contradict others, which makes us believe it was an inside job.” 

Yeah, she’d gotten that impression too.  Someone wanted Jason either scared or dead.  The worst part was, Ellington himself was high on her list of suspects.  He was exactly the sort of person to use the injury or death of one of his kids as a campaign tactic to garner sympathy and support. 

That being said, he wasn’t the only suspect.  Adrian Godrick was there talking to the Mayor, and clearly planning something.  Was it the same event, or a different fire they were attempting to stoke?  More so, did Crystal have her recorder from the event?  She’d kept it running through the entire thing, which would implicate her completely if it were in the hands of the police.  She didn’t have any way to ask about it either, not while her mom was there. 

“Well, fingers crossed that my memories get straightened out as the day goes on,” Ashe said.  “Could I get some soup broth or something?  Water isn’t getting the taste out of my mouth.” 

“Sure, honey,” her mom said.  “I need to get a shower myself, so I’ll get that sent up and go take care of that.”  She then turned a pointed look upon Crystal.  “No funny business, Ashe is weak and I don’t care how much you missed her.  Save it for after the doctor clears her.” 

“Mom!” Ashe squawked.  “We haven’t even kissed, let alone done anything else!” 

A flat look was her answer.  “You spend all this time at her place, and you don’t even make out?” 

“I was waiting for prom,” Ashe said softly, taking in all the details on the call button in her hand.  “Rethinking that now, given everything…” 

“We never know how long we have left,” her mom said, a pained smile tugging at her lips.  “My advice, don’t waste that time waiting for the perfect moment.  The best time to do something was yesterday, the second best time is right now.” 

Crystal took Ashe’s hand in her own, and squeezed, drawing her attention to the now tear stained eyes of her…  Yeah, she couldn’t deny it any longer, Crystal was more to her than just a best friend. 

“Oh, and one last thing,” her mom said from the doorway.  “Once you two get your story straight, run it by your mother and I first.  We don’t need the investigators tearing it apart.” 

Ashe’s jaw fell slack as she watched her mom depart, having dropped that bomb on their lap.  After a moment, Ashe gathered what little remained of her wits and turned to Crystal. 

“Please tell me the recording survived and that you have it.” 

Crystal, apparently just as shell shocked, turned.  She stared at her with distant eyes for a moment before mutely nodding.  As soon as Ashe got out of the hospital, they were watching that recording and making sure nothing too incriminating about her double life was on it, because the odds were good she would be having to show it to her parents before the week was out.

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