Free Ice Woman Assignment by Austin Camacho

Morgan said, pulling his shirt off. “I’m taking a shower to clean out all these cuts and bruises. They didn’t hurt you, did they? I mean, need any first aid?”
    â€œNope,” Felicity answered, turning her back to him. “Never touched me.”
    â€œGood. Then you get some rest. I’ll watch the phone. After the call, I’ll hit the guest room.”
    â€œTwist my arm,” Felicity said, smiling. “I’m beat. Let’s plan on a late breakfast and an afternoon flight to Texas. I’m tired of doing things the hard way.”

-11-
    Felicity’s eyes popped open, her face tense with anger. Why wasn’t Morgan answering that phone? He said he would watch the phone. Was he just watching it ring?
    Then she realized how light it was. Her all blue bedroom was positioned so her wide windows received the sunset, but she could still see the darkness was lifting outside. Her internal clock told her it was twelve minutes before seven in the morning. Surely Mark Roberts called long before this.
    Maybe it was Chuck. Pushing only her right arm out from under her thick blue comforter, she reached for the phone on her side table.
    â€œHello.” Felicity’s voice was still slurred from her recent deep sleep.
    â€œI know what you want,” the voice at the other end said. “You can save me. I will do anything you ask.”
    Felicity’s slender form snapped upright, and she filled her lungs with the cool air pumped into her apartment. In an instant she was completely alert. She knew that voice. She had heard it pronounce her doom in Anaconda’s mobile office.
    â€œFrederico? What is this?”
    â€œI ran,” the boy said. “Take me away from her. I lied and saved your life. Now you must help me.”
    How could he have escaped? Was this a trap? “Are you in danger?” Felicity asked. “Where are you?”
    â€œThe sign says Alameda Street,” Frederico said. “Ipassed City Hall a block ago, or maybe two. I can see signs I can’t read. It’s not English or Spanish. Senora, she will kill me if she finds me. I ran away.”
    Felicity’s mind moved like a race car. If it was a trap, they would just have to chance it. Having an insider in hand would certainly make breaking the Escorpionistas easier, and less risky. “Listen closely. There’s a restaurant not far from you. I’m going to give you an address. Go there and stay until I get there. Okay?”
    Four minutes later, Felicity, in jeans, Reeboks, and a blouse over a tee shirt, was shaking Morgan awake. His sleepy smile faded when he saw her expression.
    â€œNo time for questions,” she said. “Somehow Frederico found my number and he’s hiding from Anaconda. We need to go get him. Get dressed!”
    Morgan didn’t question his partner’s urgency. On their way out the door he had one question.
    â€œIf this deal is legit, you think the kid can hide from the Escorpionistas in this town?”
    â€œDon’t know,” Felicity said, “but he made a good start. He at least found a place he’s got a chance. One place where Hispanics won’t be able to disappear in the crowd. He’s holed up in Little Tokyo.”

-12-
    Felicity rolled slowly down the streets of Little Tokyo in her black Corvette ZR-1. She felt confident, but could sense her partner’s coolness in the passenger seat. Right then, she knew he wished he was holding a desk phone instead of her car’s cellular one. A desk phone he could slam down. The best he could do with the receiver he held now was stab the disconnect button as hard as he could.
    â€œI am not happy,” he said through clenched teeth. “We’re heading into a potential combat situation in broad daylight with no backup.”
    â€œI take it Alvarez was no more use than Conrad.”
    â€œRefused to even admit he knew me,” Morgan said.
    â€œGuess they want