27 To Change (1/2)

Jack-

”Keep it tight to your chest, and far enough out so that you don't get hit when it recoils.”

”Like this?”

Nate nodded looking over my form with a satisfactory smile.

”That's about it. Remember, center axis relock is for close quarters. In halls or tight places like that. A normal shooting stance works better at range.”

I nodded and tried putting myself into the position from a draw a few times. Nate took it upon himself to teach me the center axis relock shooting style. He paced the garage floor looking at me from different angles.

”Keep your stance a little low so you've got good balance. Someone comes at you when your legs are fully extended like that your likely to get knocked off your feet.”

I bent my knees a bit and pulled again. My shoulder caught and popped painfully this time causing me to falter and almost drop the gun. He patted my good shoulder and took the gun off my hands.

”Good work. We can work on form a bit more tomorrow if you want.”

I stumbled over and crashed on the couch Adal had pulled in here for us. It sat against the wall next to Tony's old tool shelf. Adalwolf and Nate both figured that right under Ricky's nose would be a good place to hide. After my car crash it was easy enough to say I was dead. This threw off the scent of any possible rats in Adal's team, and put me on a lower priority.

The general idea was that I died in the woods. As far as anyone besides Nate, Adal, Johnny, or Jessica knew I hadn't been seen since the wreck. That was about a week ago. Maybe more it was hard to tell since days ran together a bit when you just sit in one room for hours. The story for Johnny was that he hit the road with the three-oh-two and was never seen again when I died.

The two of us plus the car had been sitting in Tony's garage since then. Our parents remained in protective custody. Jessica told the police that when she came to my house the day she disappeared some of Ricky's men attacked her. She escaped with the three-oh-two, and came back when she thought it might be safe. As far as were the car was she told the police she crashed it on some back road between here and Des Moines before she caught a bus back here.

She was in protective custody now too. This left Johnny and I with plenty of free time in the garage waiting for our chance. I got the chance to finish the suspension work on the sixty-nine. Tony had the parts on hand before he died so it was only a matter of installing. Johnny had to be my arms for most of it because of my bum right shoulder.

The pain had subsided for the most part, but I still didn't have my full range of motion. I was left handed so it didn't hinder me too horribly, but it was annoying. Between doing whatever it was that Nate did he found time to come see Johnny and I. He gave pointers and full on lessons which was a great break from the nothingness we had to deal with.

”Where did you learn all this stuff Nate?”

”Secret Service for ten years.”

”You have got to be fucking me. Secret Service?”

He nodded loading a clip into his gun, and pulling the slide back.

”Secret Service. I felt like I wanted a change of career, and I happen to run into Adal's father. The rest is history. Any more questions?”

”Uh, Yeah. Tons. First off how did you go from that to the drug trade?”

Nate turned to me crossing his arms.

”I was working as a bodyguard for a less than morally righteous man. A rapper I believe. He happened to have a deal with Adal's father, and tried to cross him. I got banged up pretty bad after taking down five of his men. Rather than gun me down he offered me a job. Couldn't say no when I was bleeding out on the floor.”

I blinked a couple times before crossing my arms and legs.

”That sounds like a huge lie Nate. All that sounds way too unbelievable. Why would he offer you a job and trust you just like that? Why would you just be ok with working for a guy who killed your last client, and beat the hell out of you? It doesn't add up.”

Nate laughed loudly leaning against the doorway to Tony's old office. He shook his head smiling slyly towards the ground.

”Sharp kid. You got me. It was a lie. Adal's dad and I grew up together, and ended up on very different paths. I ended up being responsible for the death of a couple civilians. No charges were put on me, but I just couldn't deal with the job after that. Not working tends to make you poor so when that happened Adal's dad offered me a job.”

”That sounds a little bit more believable. Why lie in the first place?”

He shrugged, absentmindedly gazing over his piece.