We were probably somewhere in the middle of Arizona by now. We needed cash and we needed it fast. Between whatever money Nate and I collectively had saved up, it was dwindling down to its last moments. We certainly didn't have enough to get another room for a night and we had no friends in Arizona with whom we could stay with. Of course, this all could've been prevented if Foosh didn't mess with our plans and use us as his puppets. The car that Blue Eyes had provided us was old, possibly from the 80's, but at least we could put the top down. It didn't run through gas so that was a plus. It's been a while since we had a real meal so we've been eating snacks and water.

"Where are you guys right now?" Nate had Swazz on speaker who was calling us from a payphone in order to protect his identity.

"I don't fuckin' know," Nate said, sounding irritated. "Half past Bumblefuck, Arizona. If I look to the left, there's desert. To my right? Oh look, more desert. I'm just followin' the signs to Cali. We have to make a pit stop though."

"Pit stop where?"

"Wherever we can get fast cash."

"Goin' back to your old ways, huh?"

"What are my options? I need the 550. It's better to rob out here in the middle of nowhere."

"What if you get caught?"

"I won't."

"Okay, let me ask better questions. How many guns do you have? How many bullets left? Do you have a plan B? What are you gonna do if you two get separated considering Liv doesn't have a phone anymore?"

Nate was silent, acting like he wasn't fazed by anything. But I knew he was. I wasn't even sure how many bullets he had left. He wasn't planning on shooting anything or anyone for the robbery but he would need those bullets just in case we ran into trouble with Bach.

"I'll figure it out," Nate gulped. "We'll talk soon."

He hung up and I looked around, happy I was wearing sunglasses so he couldn't see my sad eyes. We were parked in the parking lot of a convenience store of a small town not too far from the Grand Canyon. It felt nice to be near more civilization. But still it was a small enough town to target.

A man in a cowboy hat caught my eye as he stepped out of his truck. He adjusted his belt as two young women passed by him with their short shorts and cowboy boots. He tried to say something to them but they ignored him. My guess was because he said something demeaning...and looks like he's about to have twins. But I was interested in the shiny pistol sitting in a holster on his waist. I watched as they all walked into an establishment called The Harpoon.

"Babe," I said. "If we need another gun, we should go in there. I think they carry them around for fun around here."

"We're not gettin' another gun." He started the car back up with slight anger. "Like I said, you'd be staying in the car. I'm not lettin' my girl hold people up."

"Why not?"

"...Because that's not you. That's not the girl I know."

I shrugged. "I would totally do it."

"Really," he chuckled. "Olivia, the girl that hates crowds and loves books would hold up a store? Yeah right."

"Glad to see you have faith in me." I put my seatbelt back on and folded my arms.

"Don't be a brat."

"Yeah yeah, just drive."

We pulled off, wind whipping through our hair. We drove to the edge of town and parked a little past the city limits and Nate took his gun out of his waistband. He checked the clip and grabbed his backup clip.

"Do you really need the second one?" I asked.

"You never know," he replied.

His hands were shaking and he was sweating more than usual. I placed my hands over his.

"You're not doing this alone," I told him.

"No," he shook his head. "I need you to stay in the car, keep it running."

"Nathan! This town looks like it hasn't even discovered electricity yet. We can do this. Besides...you're not leaving me alone out here. Looks like the location of The Hills Have Eyes."

I kissed him, unbuckling my seatbelt as I did so.

"Come on," I whispered before getting out the car. I stopped to pop open the trunk, taking out the costume wig Nate had stolen for me. It took me a while to shove all my hair underneath a stocking cap but I made it work. The hair of the wig was short and black.

"That kinda works for you," he smiled.

"Yeah well don't get used to it. Okay listen, I'll go in first, you come in moments later. Scope out the place. Then when I wink, you do your thing. Got it?

"You're tellin' me what to do?" He pulled me in by the waist, a smirk across his face.

"Yes." I tap him on the nose. "Focus."

. . .

I walked into the small store. They sold items for outdoor activities, mainly hiking, biking, and camping. I was greeted by a middle-aged man waving behind the register and looking at me everywhere but in the eye. There was another employee: tall, male, a bit husky, possibly the register guy's brother. He was too busy looking at another female customer to notice me. They were the only personnel I saw.

Nate soon entered as well, not exactly greeted with the same facial expression. The guy walking around was keeping his eye on Nate as if he were about to steal something. I had to think fast as he made his way over to him. I tied my shirt up to reveal my stomach and ruffled wig a bit.

"Need help finding something, son?" The man asked.

"Actually," I cleared my throat from the end of the aisle. Both of them looked me up and down. "I could use a little help...sir."

I bit my lip a bit, being a tease and keeping my eyes a little wider than usual in order to come off flirtatious. He had no problem leaving Nate alone. He made his way toward me and I led him to the next aisle.

"What can I help you with, miss?" He loosened his tie a bit. His name tag said Harold.

"I didn't really need help with an item. See, I'm new to the area from Alabama and I was wondering if ya'll were hiring." My little country accent was completing my new persona.

"Uh, i-it's just me and my cousin runnin' this store, we don't really need the extra help," Harold explained.

"Can I at least get an interview? I can lift heavy things and I'm an excellent salesperson. Plus I see you could use a little push in your inflatable sales. Who else do you have to stand outside in a bikini with a filled pool and bring more customers in? I know I'm good for it." I winked and arched my back just enough for his eyes to leave mine.

"Uh...hey Billy," he called out. "I'm gonna talk to her about the new...position that just opened up."

Billy just held up the ok sign as he rung up someone else. Harold led me toward the 'employees only' door and Nate's jaw clenched. I shot him a look so that he wouldn't worry. Even though he knew what he had to do, he still couldn't shake that jealousy issue of his.

I had the chance to look around the small back office. There were no TV's which told me this store didn't have surveillance at all.

"I see you're not married," I said as I sat down and crossed my legs.

"Not at all," he licked his lips. My stomach was churning but I had to keep him distracted.

Moments later there was a thud and Harold became alert.

"What was that," he asked in a slight panic.

I quickly stood up and then straddled him in his chair. "I'm sure it's nothing."

"W-wow. I don't even—"

"Shh...it's so hot here in Arizona, how do you stand it?"

"Natural habitat I guess," he gulped.

He moved in to kiss me but I moved my head back. "All in good time, Harold. When was the last time you've been with a woman?

"T-Ten years ago."

"That's unfortunate," I said seductively, undoing his tie. His hands caressed my thighs and I felt so dirty. "Well I'm here now. I have such a strong fetish for older men, I couldn't help myself when I saw you, sugar."

I used his necktie to tie his hands together behind him.

"You totally have the job, Miss...what's your name?"

"Alice...Knoxville." It was the first name that came to mind. "Do you have anything I can blindfold you with? I have an S & M kink."

"I keep a spare tie in the bottom drawer."

I got off of him and purposely bent over in front of him.

"This drawer, sugar?"

He quickly nodded, getting excited much to my disgust. I took out the tie and blindfolded him, then I unbuttoned his shirt.

"I want to freshen up a bit for you first, okay? Where's your bathroom?" I asked.

"Right around there to the left. You can't leave me like this darlin'."

"That's part of the kink, hun. You sit there and wait and imagine all the things I'm gonna do to you. Get hard for me," I cringed.

"Shoot, I will. Don't be too long. I don't want Billy comin' back here."

"Don't worry I'll be quick."

I squeezed my eyes shut as I kissed him on the cheek and he took in a big whiff of the wig's hair. He probably smelled synthetic strands.

I quietly went the other way and back out into the store. Nate was standing there towering over Billy who was face down on the floor.

"Did you kill him?" I whispered frantically.

"No. I just knocked him out, I panicked!"

"Keep your voice down."

I walked to the front area and grabbed a pair of gloves. Nate kept his gun pointed at the unconscious Billy as I did a transaction to open the cash drawer.

"Will you put that thing away," I demanded. "Shit..."

"What," he asked.

"There's like no more than 200 bucks in here." I took all the cash out, leaving the coins, shoving it into my bra.

"Are you fucking kidding m—"

"We need to get out of here and fast, babe."

I quickly stepped over Billy and we headed for the door.

"You alright in there, sweetness? I'm cravin' that pie," we heard Harold shout out from the back.

Nate's eyebrows raised. "The fuck is he talkin' about?"

"Let's just go. Act normal, you don't know who's watching."

. . .

"We still need $340," I sighed. I shoved all the counted cash into the envelope. "Now what? I don't wanna do this again...and I need several showers."

"What were you doin' exactly?" Nate asked as he drove.

"I say we're short on the amount we need and you're wondering what I did?" My face scrunched up.

"We're on the open road, almost near the Grand Canyon. We have time to talk, relax, and collect our thoughts." He shrugged.

"Yeah, this won't make you relax," I scoffed. "I had to distract him somehow. I...seduced him kind of."

"Kind of?"

"Yeah."

His jaw clenched and he lightly nodded.

"...Did you kiss him?"

"On the cheek. That's it."

Nate's phone rang, breaking the brief silence and he answered.

"Skizzy Skate," Foosh spoke. "Got the car and the cash?"

"Yeah," he answered.

"All...of the cash?"

"...Still workin' on that."

"Work a little faster. Bach is gonna be headin' out to New York in two days. You better think quickly or else..."

"What do you want me to do, Foosh? Pull it out of my ass?"

"If that's what it takes," he chuckled. "I'm guessing I'm on speaker. Hello Liv."

"Jake. Hello." I spoke through my teeth.

"I'm here with a good friend of yours- what did you say your name was again?"

"Sammy..." The other voice said quietly. This was not a drill, it was actually Sammy. I knew his voice and he sounded in pain.

"Sammy?! Are you okay?" I asked with panic.

"We tracked him down through your computer," Foosh continued. "Did you ever, uh, tell Nate about the nudes of Sammy you still have saved? Wonder why you never deleted them. But...you kids can argue about that later. You have work to do and trust issues are not my strong suit."

Nate and I glanced at each other. He looked a little hurt and put his attention back on the road. I completely forgot I still had those pictures. I don't even think he ever knew Sammy and I had gotten past that night of the double date at Dave & Buster.

"Just in case you need a little more motivation to get a move on it..."

We suddenly heard Sammy cry out in pain.

"Sammy!" I shouted. "Foosh, I swear to fucking G—"

"You swear what, exactly?"

"What did you do to him," I asked. "He literally has nothing to do with this! Leave him alone!"

"I didn't do anything, Olivia. Evan, however, he felt like breaking Sammy's arm. He hasn't been too happy about you guys losing the money. Anyway, I'm bored. We'll talk soon."

Foosh hung up and I banged my fist against the car door. I felt horrible that Sammy got dragged into this and even more horrible about Nate being in the dark. I just didn't find my fling with Sammy too important to be brought back up. Plus with Nate's jealous reputation, he didn't exactly need to know.

"Nate, I swear I forgot—"

He cut me off by turning the radio on, blasting the volume. I didn't even try to speak over it. I just slouched down in my seat and kept my eyes toward the window as we continued down the road not saying a word to each other.