They checked out the motel the same way they came, through the back and out the alley. JoJo found herself walking on a different planet, all the colors of the night were gone, leaving the empty streets in a dull and gray tone.
"Shit!" Morris cursed, staring at the empty space that was supposed to be his car.
"Did you lock it last night?" JoJo questioned.
"Of course I did...!" Morris lied covering his mistake.
"You got a stolen car stolen??"
"That was exactly my intention." he cleared his throat. "Now whoever is chasing us is chasing a ghost!"
"Really?" the little girl narrowed her eyes.
"Really!" the big man grunted.
Even in broad daylight, the Red Light Strict wasn't the wisest spot to park one's car, they walked a few blocks without finding a suitable vehicle, leaving them no choice but to take the metro.
"We're going to attract attentions staying together." Morris said not far from the entrance. "I'll need you to go ahead, find an adult and stay close, people would think you're walking with a parent."
"Why can't I stay close to you?"
"Do you see any resemblance?" Morris stood tall, the little girl shook her head.
"I'll stay twenty steps behind, looking out for attackers."
"But if so dangerous, why not take a bus?"
"So they can't block us again. In metro they are limited to public transports only." he walked the little girl closer to the entrance.
"Remember. I'm right behind you. If you hear me snap my fingers three times, it means I'm taking care of business. Slow down you pace but keep walking. I'll catch up. Whatever you do, don't stop or look back. It will make you standout."
"Will I be able to hear it? There are a lot of people." JoJo looking at the human traffic.
Morris snapped his finger across her face, produced a loud smack that made her jumped.
"What if I reach the platform and a train is coming?"
"Then you get on. Get off at the next station, stay exactly by the door. I'll catch up on the next one, or the one after. If I don't show up after the fifth train, go find a policeman."
"Why can't we go to the police now?"
"Chances are they might send you to the same people again."
"Okay." JoJo nodded.
Moving down on the escalator, Morris kept scanning for eyes that may set on JoJo for too long. He couldn't help noticing how the girl questioned his tactics, and it wasn't the kind of silly questions asked by little brats, she was learning.
To reach the Zamoskvoretskaya Line they have to travel two levels down, at the long descend he spotted two thugs set their eyes on the girl. They looked like college boys dressed in military fashion, one army green and the other in camouflage, but more trendy, not official. They were making fun of the union on JoJo's jacket.
Morris turned back to checked his rear, making sure there are no more followers. He heard a scream and looked back, the two thugs who have reached the floor, one took each of JoJo's arms and carried her away. The little girl screamed frantically.
"JoJo!!" Morris yelled. So much for don't stop or look back!
Still having a line of people blocking his path, Morris jumped over the moving handrail and slide down the side slope, which seemed all so fun in movies, but painful in reality as he hit the first stopper, the triangular steel block that prevents people from doing exactly that.
The first stopper tripped him over and landed his back on the second, knocking his spine on the sharp block edge. Thankfully that was the last before he finally fell on the ground.
Regained his bearings and dignity, he turned to the continuous scream behind the human wall. He broke through the crowd and saw the thug in army green jacket, kneeling over his friend in camouflage. Across from them, JoJo stood white as a sleep, her hands full of blood.
"JoJo!" he ran up to the girl, she jumped to her conscious.
"I did... I didn't..." her lips trembling in fear.
Morris picked her off her feet and ran into the crowd, spotted a closing elevator, went over and barged through the door.
"GET OUT!!"
He threw a man out and pressed the CLOSE button, leaving the two alone in the confined space.
"Are you all right? Where were you hurt?" Morris searched over JoJo, trying to find where she was bleeding from.
He couldn't find blood anywhere else, but when he checked her hands, he saw the tactical knife he gave her the night before.
"You stabbed him?" Morris' eyes widened.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt him!" JoJo sobbed, her voice shaking.
Looking at the trembling girl, Morris knew she has never hurt anyone in her life. He held her tightly in his arms, never felt so relieved in his entire spy career.
"You did GOOD! JoJo! You did exactly what you had to do!" Morris kissed her on the forehead, wasn't even aware he did it.
By this time the elevator door opened, people at the Zamoskvoretskaya platform were not aware of what went on upstairs, minding their own businesses staring down their phones.
Morris helped JoJo to her feet, hid her bloody hands in her denim jacket pockets, blended into the slow moving crowd and boarded the metro.
Once inside, Morris pushed JoJo to the end of the carriage, hiding her from passengers with his giant built. He took out her hands and instructed her to wipe the blood off, using the inside lining of his jacket.
"It's okay. It's over now."
But little JoJo couldn't stop shaking, hugging the big man and would not let go.
They stayed until they reached Khovrino, the final station of the northwestern district. JoJo slowly recovered from her shock, but she refused to let go of Morris, clenching to him at every step.
They came out to Severnye Vorota Bus Terminal and made their way to the parking lot. Morris selected an old Lada Granta, judging by the dusty surface it hasn't been driven for a while, its owner would not miss it so soon.
He told JoJo to watch the back as he took out his soft metal strip and began working on the car window.
"Are we going to steal again?" JoJo asked.
"I'm not proud to say it but, Yes."
JoJo saw the door popped open, quickly slipped into the passenger seat, and then watched the man went under the steering wheel, hot-wiring a car the second time in the last twenty-four hours.
"Why is it always so difficult?"
"You need to find the ignition wire, and different factories use different colors."
"I thought they all work."
"In movies everything is so simple!" his back still hurts from that escalator stunt, thanks to movies.
The engine started, Morris returned to the dashboard and checked the tank, the meter showed half full.
"Next we need to find a gas station."
"But I heard it's only an hour to St. Petersburg."
"Maybe on a plane. It's a seven hour drive, probably ten with this piece of shit!"
YOU ARE READING
Dance Moms Bodyguard (8) JoJo and Talon
ActionAgent Morris lives with a haunted past, but his life soon changed when he took on the task to deliver a young kidnapped victim.
