Alice in Hollywood

"Who, him? He’s just one of the big wig company’s agents. I think he’s the guy that pays off Queenie Rose," Mr. Hatterio replied, rolling his eyes.

"Queenie Rose?" Alice asked.

"Yeah, better known as Captain Rose Halliday. Normally I go for dirty cop women, but this one just ain’t my type. If you know what I mean," Mr. Hatterio grinned and nudged Harry in the ribs. They broke out in laughter. Alice thanked them and left the pub. She really had no idea why she was still following this bastard, especially towards the pigpen. But the idea of him carrying that pay off money was to good to give up. Now if only she could catch him before he reached the station.

Damn it! I’m too late, she thought when she reached the station. There was still no sign of rat-face. Feeling dejected, she was about to walk away when she heard a couple of voices muffled in an adjoining alley. She peered down into it and saw the white haired suit talking with this large ugly woman. She has to be the Queenie Mr. Hatterio was talking about, she thought. Alice quickly ducked behind a garbage can.

"So did you bring it?" Queenie asked, her eyes alert and darting from side to side.

"It’s all right here. Same conditions as before, right?" Rat Face asked, a tiny smirk on his face.

"Right," she grunted. Alice’s mind began to fizz and she felt like she was losing her balance. She leaned against the garbage can and it fell over, the crash echoing throughout the alley. Alice looked up like a deer in headlights.

"Who the hell" Looks like we got a little sneak in our midst. Get her," Queenie spoke angrily and pulled her gun. Alice’s survival instinct’s finally kicked in, and she jetted. Looking back in fear, Alice ran on, but her pursuers were close behind. Her mind started to go all fizzy again. Oh Christ, not now, not now, she prayed. Just before her mind shut down completely, she ran across the street, the last sound she heard was that of a car squealing its brakes.

Alice awoke with a jolt, jumping upright in bed, to her immediate regret. She found herself in a hospital room. The white walls and lights pained her eyes.

"Holy shit, I’m alive, I’m alive. I’m hurting. Ow, fuck," she winced and nursed her ribs. After testing herself out she found only her ribs to be hurt badly. She scanned the room and saw her clothes lying in a pile on a chair. Letting out a pent up breath, she swore that she’d lay off the drugs, at least for a little while. And in the meantime, Petey’s got some answering to do. Grimacing, she put on her clothes, and took the hospital blankets and pillow. She opened the window and eased herself out, taking her time going down the fire escape and back onto the streets.