S2W37: “Around Town and Underground”

© 2022 Phylicia Joannis

Bordertown wasn’t much to look at. Old apartments sagged on top of rundown storefronts in most places. Lots of liquor stores. The old apartment complex was only a block from the underground station, but Marcos insisted we take a roundabout route.

“It may not seem like it, but people are watching us,” he warned. “If they catch us snooping, it’ll raise too many eyebrows. Let’s stop at that corner store and grab something. You hungry?”

My stomach growled in response, and I followed him inside a store. The cashier eyed us with suspicion as we entered.

“Lemme get a hero, papi,” Marcos began as we made our way to the deli section. He started talking to the cashier in Spanish, then looked at me. “Sorry. Habit. Just tell him what you want. My treat.”

We left the store, sandwiches in hand, and circled around the block through a back alley, cutting through the courtyard of a housing project. We walked past the apartment building and crossed the street, leaning against a building as we finished our sandwiches.

The windows of the apartment were boarded up on the lower levels, but the top half looked like a horribly disfigured gingerbread house. Half the roof was either charred or missing, while the other half sagged inward.

“That doesn’t look safe,” I muttered to myself.

“You’d be surprised how many other buildings look like this in Bordertown. Our old apartment didn’t have a sagging roof, but a lot of the windows were blown out, or shot out. Our apartment was on the top floor and always leaked when it rained.”

“You think anybody’s in there?” I stared at the door, which had a large NO TRESPASSING sign on the front.

“Probably more than a few somebodies.” Marcos bit into his sandwich. “Let’s wait around for a bit. See if anybody comes in or out.”

I forced myself to eat despite the jitters in my stomach. This was crazy. I didn’t know what I was doing. I had no idea where any of this would lead, and if I wasn’t careful both of us could wind up dead. I started to tell Marcos that I’d changed my mind and we should turn back, but someone walked out of the apartment complex. A man with dark hair, a scar down one side of his face, and a navy blue jacket with BioTech written on the back.

“No way.” Marcos wiped his mouth and gave a short laugh.

“What?”

“I think I know that guy.”

“Is he a . . . friend of yours?”

Marcos shook his head. “Nah. He’s a bouncer. A nasty one.” Marcos rubbed his chin. “We should follow him. See where he’s headed.”

I found myself nodding, though my brain was screaming ‘no’ the whole time. We followed Scarface back to the subway station and past the turnstile, careful to stay several feet back at all times. He got on the downtown local, then hopped off at the next stop. We hopped off with him and hid behind a column, waiting for his next move. Marcos snuck a quick peek, then looked back at me.

“What’s he doing?” I asked.

“He’s standing at the edge of the platform.”

An uneasy feeling sank down into my gut and wedged itself tight. “Doing what?”

Marcos shrugged and leaned in closer. “If he catches us, we need a cover. I might have to kiss you.”

“What?” I squeaked, cheeks burning.

“Just joking.” He chuckled.

I stuck my head out, in part to hide the look on my face, then spotted Scarface right before he disappeared into the tunnel. “I think he jumped the platform.”

“Really?” Marcos stepped away from the column and shook his head. “Huh.”

“Come on, let’s follow him.” I made for the end of the platform, but Marcos pulled me back.

“Hang on a sec, Miracle.”

“We’re gonna lose him if we wait too long.” I couldn’t keep the edge of panic from my voice. Now that I was in the middle of it, I didn’t want it all to be for nothing. I stared at Marcos, who stared at the track.

“Remember how you had trouble getting on the subway car because of, well, you know?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, I have that, too. But with, you know, tracks.” Marcos looked away, embarrassed, and I bit my lip. As much as I wanted to follow Scarface, I knew I couldn’t leave him behind.

I grabbed his hand and pulled him closer. “No te preocupes, Marcos. I’ll protect you.”

He laughed and squeezed my hand. “Gracias señorita.” He stepped to the edge of the platform and ran a hand through his hair. “There’s an access tunnel a few yards that way. That’s probably where he went.”

“You’re familiar with the access tunnels here?” I asked. He nodded.

“Yeah.”

I waited for an explanation that never came. Marcos looked at his watch and blew out a breath.

“Next train won’t be here for at least seven minutes. If we’re gonna go down there, now’s the time to do it.”

“I’m ready when you are.”

He blew out several more breaths, looked at me, then hopped from the platform.