Heat

1

„Alright, here we go..." I sighed while I slipped out of the driver seat of my black BMW X5 at my usual gas station.

I was living for 2 months now in Detroit, Michigan and literally the only people I knew were the ones working here. Lani and Lucas were twin siblings, which had been lucky enough to find a job in a city which was shaken from poverty and unemployment.

But that's exactly why I'm here.....

I zipped up my coat to shield me from the January cold and thought about my day, while I pulled the spout out of the gas pump. The gas station was one of the older kinds, the one you still had to go inside to pay and I preferred it that way.

After 6 weeks I'd finally managed to read through every paper about the bankruptcy of Detroit, had cataloged and categorized everything and now I could finally start to find a solution.
I'd known from the start, when mayor Mike Duggan had called my company and basically begged me on his knees to come over for help, that it wouldn't be easy, but I'd never imagined this disaster.
Detroit had hit rock bottom with a shocking minus of around 20 billion dollars, an unemployment rate of 12 % while also 2 persons out of 3, and sadly the majority children, lived in poverty.

And I have to find a way out....

„Miss, I could've helped ya." Lucas said while he walked over to me and I smiled and shook my head.

„You better go back inside so you won't freeze your butt off. I got this."

„But..."

„Lucas?" I asked with a playful warning undertone and he smirked and rushed back inside.

He doesn't have to get sick because of me.

Just as I was looking at the display to see how much I'd have to pay this time, a black Tahoe with tinted windows stopped at the other side of the gas pump and I glanced over.
Every time I was here to fuel my car, somehow he appeared too. The door at the driver side opened and out jumped the same man I always saw.
Around my height, 5'8, casually dressed and as always his face covered with a hat and hoodie. The first time I'd seen him, I thought he was on his way to rob a bank, but when he appeared 5 days later again, I knew I'd just overreact.

He'd be in jail by now..... or he's to good to get caught...

Every time we were silently fueling our cars without making eye contact or saying a word and then I'd walk past him into the gas station, pay and walk out to my car.

Nothing really exciting...

I have to admit, something about this man made me curious. He would always keep his head down, almost like he wanted to ensure that I wouldn't see his face, never looked straight at me, though I had caught him glancing at me a few times. It was just weird.

Today ‚our' usual ritual changed, when he was finished before me and turned to walk inside and 1 minute later I pulled the spout out, placed it back at the pump, closed the filler cap and followed him.

„Nah.... we won't do that." I heard the man say when I'd stepped into the warmth of the gas station and Lani nodded repeatedly like Lucas.

„We insist. It's no problem at all."

„I fueled that damn car, I'll pay for it, aight?! Just le'me make a quick phone call to get someone over wit money."

„Put it on my bill, Lani." I blurted out before I could stop it and while she nodded, the man glanced over his shoulder at me.

„There's no need to, but thanks."

Nice voice....

„Look, before you get someone here in this cold, let me take care of it and we can go home." I tried again and he mumbled something inaudible. „Lani, just tell me how much it is for both, please."