22 - The bullet in my skin

**Lorenzo's point of view**

I shouldn't have said anything. It was so fucking stupid even to dream about having a 'normal' life, let alone talking about it. I changed the subject, right as I saw the pitiful look on her face.

''Are you excited to call Naomi?'' I asked, while I kept a stern look on the road.

Her eyes immediately glowed up, by the sound of her name. ''Yes, I am. But also a little nervous.''

''Why?'' I asked.

''Well.. She doesn't know where I am, she haven't heard from me since Friday which is three days ago, and she surely won't understand why I can't tell her where I am.'' She replied.

Her eyes went from sparkly to gloomy.

''And I can't bear the thought of her worrying about me. Which she will, no matter how I approach this.'' Adrena added.

I cleared my throat before I spoke. ''I know it's hard. And if I were you, I would've been so tempted to just tell her everything – so I totally understand if that's how you feel. But what are you planning to say?'' I asked, in a curious tone.

She thought for a second, before she answered my question. ''Shit, I don't even know. How do you tell your best friend that you're okay, when you're literally hiding from psychopaths? Like: 'Hi Naomi, it's your best friend Adrena, whom you haven't heard from since Friday. I'm okay, but I can't tell you where I am, and don't look for me.…. That doesn't sound suspicious at all, does it?'' she asked, in an ironic voice.

''Mhm, I mean, you could tell her that you went on vacation?'' I suggested.

She led out a laugh, as a response to my idea. ''She would never believe that! First of all, I'd never just 'go on a vacation' without telling her first. Second, she knows I don't have that kind of money. I'll figure it out Lorenzo, don't worry. And I promise, I won't tell her anything that'll lead her towards you.'' She added.

We spent the next thirty minutes, without speaking. I had turned on the radio, so we spent the time listening to bad pop music. I noticed that Adrena was bopping her head to the tunes, which made me beam.

I wasn't sure where we were going, but I was aiming for somewhere on the countryside. I just knew that we had to go as far away from the city, as we could. But I also knew, that we had to go back to Philly later today, so I could get my stuff. I've been so stressed about all of this, that I haven't even noticed the pain in my arm. I still had to get the bullet out.

''Adrena?'' I asked, as I turned down the music. ''If I pull over, then could you do me the favor, and take out the bullet that's inside my arm?''

Her eyes widened by my suggestion, and they were flickering, probably contemplating an answer.

''Uhm, I've never.. done that before. Won't it get infected? I mean, you should probably see a doctor.'' She said, with a frightened look on her face.

''Well, I can't really do that. It's too risky – and then the police would get involved, and we can't have that. So it's either you or myself, and I don't think I'd be able to do it.''

''Okay then.'' She said, as she led out a sight. Only a few seconds later, I drove into the side of the road, and stopped the car. We were already on the country side, so there wasn't much traffic.

''Wait, now?'' she asked surprised, with a horrified look in her eyes.

''Yes, now! It's fucking hurts, Adrena.'' I replied, as I grimaced. My breathing got heavier, as I began to think about the pain I was about to feel.

''Oh-okay! I'll grab the first-aid kit…'' she said, as she took it out of the side pocket, by her car door. She opened the kit, and took out a small scissor, some sanitizer and some bandage.

Meanwhile, I took of my shirt. I noticed her staring, and gave her a little smirk. She gasped – I know I'm handsome, but wow.

''I haven't even noticed how bad the wound was, until now!'' she shouted.

Oh.

''Well, then imagine the pain.'' I muttered.

She carefully took of the bandage that covered the wound, and began cleaning it, with the sanitizer.

I groaned in pain, as the alcohol met my skin.

''Sorry-'' she whispered, as she continued to rub my wound. ''Take off your belt.'' She demanded.

Damn, this girl doesn't have any situational awareness.

''Why?'' I hissed.

''You can use your belt to bite into – unless you want to bite off your tongue?'' she added.

She had a point. I was impressed by her way of thinking – it was a classic trick. Something I myself have used several times, when torturing someone, who didn't deserve to eat their own tongue.

I took off my belt, and folded it two times.

''Ready?'' she asked. As a response, I put the belt in my mouth, digged my teeth in it, and nodded.

She used the scissor to dig into my wound, creating a cut, that'll help her take out the bullet. I hissed in pain, and felt like I was about to faint. I could feel the warm blood pebbling out of the wound, creating art down my arm.

''Almost finished,'' she said, as she stuck her tongue out of her mouth, in concentration.

A few seconds later, she held out the bullet in front of me, with a proud look on her face. ''Got it'', she said, as she wrapped some tissue around it.

I was breathing fast, and still had my teeth in a firm grip around the leather belt.

Adrena continued to clean the wound, and removed the blood with some tissues.

''We need to sew the wound, but there isn't any thread or needles in the kit. Do you have any-''

I interrupted her and mumbled through the belt in my mouth: ''I have some glue in my bag, back at the motel.''

''Oh, okay. I'll just tie some bandage around it meanwhile, to stop the bleeding.'' She said, as she put on the bandage.

The pain was indescribable, and it made me want to smash my knuckles into something – preferable Dimitri's disgusting face.

I spat the belt out of my mouth, and cleared my throat. I wasn't able to use the wounded arm, so I had to drive with one hand.

''Thank you.'' I whispered, in a pathetic tone. ''Now, let's find that phone booth.'' I added.

''Lorenzo, maybe we should go back to the motel? You really need to close that wound before-''

''I promised you a phone call, so that's what you're getting.'' I interrupted, as I began driving.

We drove for a few miles, before we made it to another city – or, not really a city, more like a small spot between cities. Only a few minutes after entering the town, I spotted a phone booth.

''I'll park here. Do it quickly, and promise me, that you won't say anything about-''

She interrupted me, as she opened the car door – ''I promise, Lorenzo. I won't be long!''

She ran out, towards the phone booth. I watched her, as she picked up the phone, dialed a number, and waited. And then I saw her lips moving, which indicated that Naomi had picked up.

I suddenly felt a kick in my stomach. What if she's calling the cops after all? I felt like I could trust her, but in one way or another, she's still a stranger. A stranger whom I have caused a lot of pain.

After a minute of worrying, I decided to get out of the car. I grimaced, as I opened the door, because of the pain in my arm. I walked towards Adrena, and tried to listen to the conversation meanwhile.

''I can't tell you Nao, it's not safe. I'll try and call you again in a few days, but don't try and look for me. Promise that you won't look for me!'' I heard Adrena say into the phone.

''Nao, promise me!'' she pleaded.

I scanned at the surroundings around us, and got impatient. The chances of anyone looking for us here was small, but I was paranoid.

''Adrena, we need to leave,'' I said, as I looked around. Adrena looked at me concerned, and gave me a ''please wait'' look, with her eyes.

''What? Nao, stop! I promise you, it's not like that. He's not dangerous. But someone is looking for us, and if they find us, then they will ki-''

I grabbed the phone and hung up. She stepped over the line.

''What are you doing?'' Adrena shouted, while a tear rolled down her chin.

''I had to, Adrena. You said too much.'' I said, as I held a firm grip onto the phone.

''I didn't say anything?'' she cried.

''And still, you said too much. I couldn't risk it. Come on, let's go back to the car.'' I said.

''No.'' she stubbornly continued. She crossed her arms, which made her look like a spoiled child.

''Adrena! Get your ass back in that fucking car, NOW!'' I shouted, while pointing aggressively at the car that stood behind us.

She gasped by my words, and looked down onto the ground, as she began to walk. She sniffed, and I could sense that she was crying.

As we got back into the car, I looked at her, and said: ''I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell. But we need to be careful, Adrena! Our lives are at stake here.''

''Oh, I had no idea.'' She mumbled. She looked down at her feet, and had a sorrowful look on her face.

We drove back to Philly, to the motel. It was about to get dark outside, so if we wanted to find a new place to stay, we had to be quick.

As I locked us into the room, Adrena looked at me and asked: ''Didn't we book this for two nights?''

''Yes. But it's not safe to stay here. It's too close to New York, and I happen to know, that people are already looking for us.''

She gasped. ''Did your father tell you that?''

''Yes. So we need to be more careful, and we have to go further away, perhaps find a quiet motel somewhere on the country side. My plan is to drive throughout the night, and drive for as long as I can. But first, we need to glue this shit together-'' I said, as I used my head to point at my wound.

An hour later, we were back on the road. Adrena had glued my wound together, which hurt like shit, and then she packed my stuff. We left the motel without returning the key to the owner, instead we left him a note, beside the key.

I was tired, exhausted actually. My body was currently fighting off the infection that may appear in my wound, so all my energy was used.

''Do you have a driver's license?'' I asked Adrena, as I was hoping that she'd drive, just for a couple of hours, so I could get some rest.

''I do, actually. But I don't have it with me.'' She replied. ''But if I drived carefully, then it won't be a big deal, will it?'' she added.

I shook my head. ''Don't think so. Would you mind driving for a couple of hours? I need to rest.''

Besides, my mole inside FBI still had my car registered as a police car – so IF they stopped us, I would just tell them to call Jones – who has been working for me, for years.

''Of course! Besides – never in a million years, would I have imagined driving in a car like this.'' She said, with a cheerful smile.

She uplifted the whole ambience, which calmed my worried mind. I drove into the side of the road, so we could switch seats.

It felt weird not to be the one who was driving – to be the one, not in control. But it also felt… nice.

I gave her one last look, with a wry smile on my lips, before I fell asleep.