"So, what you're telling me, it that everyone I know is part of some huge conspiracy to control my every waking moment?" Esme asked softly. The car rolled forward at a snail's pace while she chewed over the information. They'd moved to the back roads to keep from drawing any attention from impatient commuters. After the first few impatient honks, Esme has started honking back with a few choice gestures out the window.

"Not exactly," Easton sighed. He'd given up on sitting properly and was awkwardly leaning forward over the center console. The slower pace made his face tighten and his eyes were constantly moving from place to place. If she hadn't been doing the same thing the last few days, Esme might have called him crazy.

Then again, she couldn't rule out being crazy herself.

"What does not exactly mean, Easton?"

"We couldn't exactly fill an entire building with operatives, not even with all sides supplying agents," he explained. "I'm not certain how many people are plants, but there's at least ten of us."

"And let me guess, you drew the short straw of getting close to me. What do you want from me anyway?" Esme skirted around a pothole. She reached over after to pull Nevaeh back into an upright sitting position.

"I can't talk about that here, it's sensitive information," he answered. "But I can tell you, getting close to you wasn't a short straw Essie."

"Why not?"

"He's clearly in love with you, idiot," Paula snapped as she freed her hands and jammed a thin piece of metal into Easton's side. He doubled over and Paula used the distraction to slam his head back into his door. As he fell limp, she grabbed his gun and aimed it at Esme. "Now then, how about we pull over?"

"Um, no parking on Tuesdays," Esme muttered, pointing to the signs along the street.

Paula clucked her tongue and shot at the roof, leaving a nice sized hole in it. "I said pull over."

Esme was quick to do as she asked this time and rested her hands on the dash as instructed after she'd parked. "Let me guess, you want me to go to some undisclosed location with you."

"You catch on quick," Paula hissed. She kept the gun trained on Esme while she pulled out a phone from under her seat. The screen flashed as she tapped through the screens with quick fingers. "But I think we'll just sit tight until someone comes to get us."

"Could you at least tell me what everyone needs me for? It's getting very frustrating being treated like a child," Esme huffed. The car still hummed gently, the keys dangling from the ignition. Paula hadn't allowed her to remove them. The pedal rested just under her foot, begging to be pushed down. It wouldn't take much pressure at all. But that gun would be a problem. "Or do you not know what I've got. I wouldn't be surprised if no one had told you, I've seen your reports. Learn how to spell maybe."

"I am very seriously considering putting a hole through one of your knees," Paula sighed.

"I dare you," Esme said. She looked back long enough to roll her eyes at the woman. Paula's arm had the faintest tremor. The fingers gripping the gun were scratched and her wrist bent at a slightly awkward angle. The aim might be dead on, but her arm wouldn't be able to hold it for long.

Esme turned back to face the front again, biting her cheek. Two unconscious people, one Paula, and a gun. The street they were on looked deserted, the houses run down, and the few cars were on their dying tires. There was no telling how far away help from either side was, but Esme was betting Paula's would find them first.

"Is your name even Paula?" Esme asked. She leaned her head back against the headrest, fingers drumming a rhythm on the dash. How many bullets, how many shots? Too many if it was fresh and not enough people to waste them on. She looked at the weapon in the mirror, trying to make out the finer details while Paula's hand shook.

The sides were mostly out of sight and it didn't look like that would be changing anytime soon. Esme gripped her hand around an imaginary duplicate, feeling the weight, the bumps and the grooves of it. She'd have to grab it by the top on the first try, but it was the round in the chamber that weighed on her.

Esme sighed, squeezing her eyes tight.

"What now?" Paula snapped.

"Back off ok? I'm having a rough day full of stupid choices," Esme shot back. She rubbed the back of her neck, trying to work out a stubborn knot. Stupid choices was an understatement. At least none of them had been hers. This would be her first and it was quite possibly the stupidest of them all. Esme did like to aim for the top.

"Hands on the dash, now," Paula ordered. The gun shook in her hands and looked dangerously close to slipping from her grasp as she waggled it at Esme.

"Relax, you uptight snot nosed model reject."

"You really shouldn't piss of the person with the gun," Paula warned.

"I don't think you're allowed to kill me, and I don't think they'd be too pleased with you endangering my life anyway."

The shot that followed nearly shattered Esme's eardrum, but the close proximity was just what she wanted. She jerked both hands back, grabbing the barrel and fumbling her fingers over the smooth sides until she found the release button. The still mostly full magazine hit the floor with a thud. Esme pulled forward along the top and heard the recognizable sound of an empty chamber. She let go as Paula jerked back and the woman fell back against the seat.

Esme followed her back, hands outstretched to grab her by the shoulders and pin her down. "You were annoying before, now you're bordering on deserving of one-way ticket to a snake infested pit," Esme grunted while struggling to keep Paula still.

"You have the most ridiculous one liners," Paula sneered. Her face went red as she pushed against Esme.

"Sorry, I'll work on them." They toppled over, half lying across Easton as Esme fought to stay on top. She worked an arm up, pressing her forearm over Paula's neck. It didn't take long to render her unconscious again, and this time, Esme pushed her out of the car and locked her out.

"Screw this, I'm going home."