Ferris Wheel Of Speculation

"We've lost them," AJ said letting out a long sigh of relief.

But I was too caught up in my head to really listen to the rest. All I could possibly think about was Willow.

"Delilah? Are you alright?" AJ was lightly touching my hand now, on the wheel.

"Could you grab my phone from the back, it's in the front pocket of my bag." I told him.

He reached out and brought my light green bag ahead and ruffled through the front pocket.

"Found it. Should I call someone for you?" He asked cautiously.

"Yeah, dial Willow," I said still staring at the road ahead.

"Okay, why don't you stop by the Macdonalds there? The drive through. Then we'll go home." He said while dialing Willow.

I nodded and took a turn for the drive through.After 5 minutes and about four tries, AJ gave up.

"She's not answering," he said with a worried look.

"Dial her mum, must be saved as auntie Miller," I said, we'd reached the drive through and I'd ordered a wrap and a burger with two coffee's.

AJ's eyes went big when she answered, he put the phone on speaker and placed it near me.

"Hello? Leila, dear are you there?" Called the familiar voice of sweet auntie Miller through the phone.

"Yup Auntie! How are you?" I said leaning in.

"I'm fine dear, why the call all of a sudden? Is everything okay?" She sounded a bit worried.

"Oh great auntie! Just fine! I just missed your homemade pickles! So felt like Calling you!" AJ had taken the orders in and I was trying to park somewhere so we could eat now.

"You little pickle monster! I'll send you a fresh batch next time Willow comes. It's been very quiet without her here. How is she Leila?" The moment she said this I tensed all over. So Willow hadn't made it home after all.

"Oh.. she's good auntie no problems. Just a bit busy with studies, trying to cope with the heat, you know. Um...when did you talk to her last?"

"Well it's been a few days, about 4 maybe. Could you maybe ask her to call me. Her phone is perpetually out of coverage!" Auntie said a bit angsty.

"Sure will, Auntie, I've got to run right now! But don't you worry! Take care, bye!" I said my mind already racing at the possibilities of where poor willow must be right now.

Auntie made a sound and said goodbye. AJ put away the phone and the bag in the back and undid my seatbelt.

I was completely shocked and paranoid....I didn't know what to do.

He kissed my cheek and grabbed me and placed me on his lap. I just wrapped my arms around his neck and stayed there for sometime. I'm sure he was going numb under my weight but he didn't utter a word about it, just held on to me tight.

"Baby, listen. Everything will be fine. We'll figure it out. Here take your wrap. And tell me what Dima and Igor told you. Everything again."

And so I did. I got off of his lap and he awkwardly went to the driver's seat. God knows neither of us wanted me to drive back home.

"So he mentioned a picture? He said curly haired girl and you?" AJ said while driving, we were almost back at the penthouse.

"Yes, Igor recognised me and Dima knew he'd seen me too. Which shouldn't be possible. But then he mentioned the picture. What if Ghost gave him a picture of the girls and I? Maybe to keep me tied you know. Maybe he found out I hacked into his emails." I said holding my head.

"Calm down Lilah, look, you hacked into them very recently, Willow's mum says she hasn't heard from her in 4 days. That's long. And I don't think Ghost wanted Willow at all."

"What do you mean?" I said looking up again. We'd reached the parking underneath the house. It was lightly lit with yellow lamps.

"I think he wanted to kidnap you. I think he got that picture in John's phone. The one you sent him after the night in the club."

"The one with the three of us outside the Twilight Exit? Sam took it." I said remembering that night.

"Yeah. And maybe instead of you, those idiots got Willow? Because your other friend, the one with the long black hair, she's not in LA right now, is she?" He asked.

"Not as far as I know."

"Yeah well, we're going to have to tell the others! I don't understand what's happening! This was supposed to be just a typical heist!" He said, I think he'd finally lost it.

"AJ, they saw me. They'll tell Sergei and Ghost. He'll know we're onto him. We're so done!" I said with complete paranoia.

"No," he said simply. "That won't happen, Sergei has a reputation, he doesn't care for life. He'll have their heads, if he found out they messed up so big. They'll try to correct their mistakes themselves. That's when we get them. That's when we strike back. Plus, they never saw me. I'm your safe bet here."

"Well, what're we going to do now? Do you trust the others enough to tell them?"

"We'll tell them, Jake and John. And to the others we'll just say that Jake found out about the delay with the armour trucks. That way G won't be...well...too suspicious. I'm at a loss with him Lilah. He's taught me everything I know."

"I know babe, I know. But we have to be careful. You're smarter than to let your emotions flow through, right now." I said holding his hand.

He looked beaten up. He had a little black residue on his cheek and his hair was a mess. While his eyes were lost in some realm of thought and strategy.

"Let's get this over with first. Then we'll think about Willow and what to do next. Come on." He said, he was about to get out of the car when he grimaced in pain.

"Woah AJ. What's wrong?" I asked grabbing him and pulling him back. Then I remembered. When he came out of the club, he was clutching his side. I was too wrapped up in worries for willow to pay too much attention then. I cursed myself.

"It's nothing," he said and then groaned in pain.

"Well it's surely not nothing!" I said trying to pull his shirt up so I could see the damage done. "Let me see."

His side was bruised badly. It was an ugly blue. He must have broken something.

"Shit AJ. We need to get you too a hospital," I said instantly.

"Let's go up first. John will take me if he has too. You've had enough adventure for one day." He said.

"But...you'll be in so much pain!" I argued.

"It'll not be the first time. I'm fine, baby. Let's go."°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

John and Jake were on the couch, laughing and drinking wine when we came through the door. AJ was slightly leaning on me for support.

"AJ! What happened? Are you alright?" It was John. He'd suddenly leapt from the couch to take AJ by the other side.

I eyed John, showing him, the side where AJ was injured."What in the name of God happened?" Jake asked looking at me and AJ.

"I thought y'all were just going out for a date or something?"

I sighed and collapsed on the sofa chair. I hadn't realised it yet, but I was beyond tired.

"No, I was hunting Gh-" but AJ cut me mid sentence.

"Are G or Ghost here?" He asked to no one in particular, but with a slight desperation.

"Uh no, they both went out for a drink to the club. Lily and Jesse too," said John.

"The club? And you all are here sipping on wine as if we're not supposed to be taking down a bloody master heist tomorrow?" I said with concern.

"Heist? No you didn't get the message? That's strange. I asked G to tell you..." John said trailing off.

"There's no heist tomorrow, it got delayed by a week. The trucks aren't on for tomorrow." Jake filled in.

"But.. but how do you know that? Jake was it you, after AJ had asked you to check it out?" I asked.

"Well I was about to....but when I woke John broke the news to me. Apparently G told everyone early morning. So we'd not be too stressed." Jake said with a very confused look.

"G? G told you?" It was AJ, his voice was cracking, probably because of the pain....or because of the disbelief that maybe G really was involved with Ghost in this.

"AJ, you're hurt man. What the hell happened with you two?" John asked again.

AJ and I looked at eachother, before he started telling them about what happened, about Gokor and Ghost. And the Devils Nest, and Willow. I filled in from time to time. By the end of the conversation, Jake looked like he'd seen someone die infront of him and John....John just looked exhausted, not physically, but mentally.

It must be hard working with G and Ghost all the time.

"You don't think...G...?" Jake said ever so silently. As if even saying it out loud would be a crime.

"No. G would never. He would never let anything happen to his crew. He's always... Always..looked out for you first. I refuse to believe it," John huffed getting up from beside AJ.

"We're not saying that John...but something is going on. And Ghost is involved...and G is hiding something as well. We better find out quick or all hell will break loose. You mark my words," I said, getting up and moving to stand behind him.

His back was arched, his face set and rigid. He looked completely ready to fight. I'd never seen him so angry before.

"Let's get AJ fixed. He looks beaten up," said John, not looking at me in the eye.

He brushed from beside me and went to AJ. I closed my eyes for a minute, what was happening to me...I felt light headed, as if everything was going slowly. But when I opened them, I felt alright again. Maybe I'm just tired, I thought.

Jake was standing near the sofa too, AJ and John had disappeared somewhere into the house. And Jake....he was deep in thought. I went by him, and pat his arm.

"Jake it'll be fine. Don't worry." I tried to assure him.

He looked at me with his startling blue eyes and smiled, a very sad smile.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Jesse, I found a lump on his neck. I just.. I'm a bit overwhelmed with everything right now. Lily took him out to chill for sometime. And now.....this." He said.

"Oh Jake, shit. Did get any checks done?"

"Yeah, results will come this week or something I think." He said.

"Jake think positive, Jesse is a happy soul. He'll be fine."

"I hope so, Delilah. I really do."

We just stood there for a while, arm in arm. Mostly for support for me.

"Anyways, are you hungry. I could make you some soup?" He said smiling. That's what he did, some people clean when they're anxious, jake cooks.

"I'd love that."

Jake was talking about the Russians when I seated my self on one of the long bar chairs by the kitchen counter.Somewhere between him trying to pull off a Russian accent and bash Sergei. I looped out.

I felt as if my whole world was spinning, his voice was fading away slowly, farther and farther. I felt heavy, very heavy. Like something was muffling my breaths.

All I knew was that something was wrong, when, how, what? I could have figured out, but before thinking another thing, I felt a sharp pain on my head as I fell back from the chair onto the wooden floor with a thump, and darkness consumed me.°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

The next time I woke, I could see the familiar ceiling of AJ's room.

It was lightly lit by the moonlight coming in from the open curtains.AJ was lying next to me.

He had white cloth bindings around his torso. He was asleep, I was in his arms. I don't even remember what had happened, maybe I was tired.

But I still felt a sharp, bile like taste in my throat. My head was still aching and my whole body still felt heavy.I tore myself away from AJ.

His fedora was neatly perched on one of the stands.I looked at him then. He looked stunning as always, even in his resting sleep.I touched his temple softly and his eyes fluttered behind his eyelids.I smiled, he must be dreaming.As if right on cue, he said groggily.

"No...you mustn't...I can't keep lying..."

I was confused, what was he saying?

"I can't.... l-lie...." And then he shut back and turned the other way.

What in the world-But before my brain could even begin to comprehend anything, AJ's phone buzzed by his side on the night stand.A message was dropped in.

It was from a familiar name, and the moment I saw it, my heart cracked with more pain than I ever imagined possible.

YelenaGood going today, Big boy. Next time don't get punctured on the way out.

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Sorry for the delay y'all. I couldn't find time to write recently also I was having second thoughts about my work! But I'm determined to finish this! Thankyou for all the reads!!Xoxo💜✨💫