{"id":301,"date":"2022-04-11T20:41:36","date_gmt":"2022-04-12T03:41:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cameroncorder.com\/?page_id=301"},"modified":"2022-04-12T22:02:14","modified_gmt":"2022-04-13T05:02:14","slug":"sleepless","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/cameroncorder.com\/index.php\/sleepless\/","title":{"rendered":"Sleepless"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Sleepless<\/em><\/p>

By Cameron Corder<\/p>

16%. Gabe had never been this low before, not since he was a kid. He\u2019d been feeling the side effects for hours now. Weakness in his limbs, sluggish thoughts, heavy eyelids. It seemed as though he\u2019d collapse at any moment.<\/p>

But he had a job to do.<\/p>

Gabe gave himself a slap on the face, which seemed to perk him up a bit. He leaned closer to the receiver, straining to hear the police scanner over the sounds of the falling rain. The mucky water in the alley was pooling fast and had already soaked through his shoes. But still, he listened intently. He wasn\u2019t going to let the rain make him mess this up.<\/p>

Months of planning had come to this. Tracking shipments, placing drop points, prepping the gear. He and his team put the work into creating such a scheme that would take the city by storm, and he\u2019d be there to turn it in to the Boss. Maybe his efforts could be finally recognized in full.<\/p>

He checked the display on his wrist. 15% now. He sighed, and had to suppress a yawn. He\u2019d have to take a hit once they had the product. It would be good to test it too, before they hand it off.<\/p>

A blip sounded on the scanner. A woman\u2019s voice came through the static. \u201c10-79, Ricchello requesting backup, Code 2. Over.\u201d<\/p>

A brief pause before the operator responded. \u201cOfficer Richello, confirm location. Over.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cLawrence District Hospital. Repeat, Code 2, 10-79.\u201d<\/p>

The hospital? Gabe had set the adjacent factory to be the target. That way, the hospital would heighten the danger without being directly in it. Maybe the officer was rattled and was giving the most recognizable destination for the backup.<\/p>

\u201cRicchello, backup en route. Maintain-\u201c<\/p>

A thunderous boom<\/em>\u00a0rippled through the air. Though dulled by the pounding rain, Gabe could still feel the power of the explosion in his chest. Already black smoke was billowing above the buildings between Gabe and the bomb site. Gabe smirked. Lyla had really outdone herself this time.<\/p>

The officer\u2019s panicked voice came back through the scanner. \u201c10-80, 10-80,\u201d she said, coughing, \u201cI need backup, NOW. The hospital is up in flames.\u201d<\/p>

Gabe flicked off the radio; he\u2019d heard enough. He flung the scanner, shattering it on the alley wall. He\u2019d make whoever pay for setting the bombs at the hospital. It only made this operation more bloody than it had to be.<\/p>

But he still had a job to do.<\/p>

He pulled a black mask from his pocket, tugging it over his face. Unzipping the bag at his feet, Gabe retrieved his shotgun and pumped it. Hopefully he wouldn\u2019t have to use it, but he had to be prepared, especially for the heroic types.<\/p>

He left the alley and walked straight into the drug store. There were a few wandering customers, none of whom had noticed him. Only the clerk had perked up and was already reaching for the phone.<\/p>

He shot once up into the ceiling. Screams erupted, and most fell to the floor. \u201cAttention please,\u201d he yelled, \u201cthis store is closed, GET OUT!\u201d<\/p>

The customers clambered for the exit, leaving Gabe alone with the store\u2019s clerk at the counter. \u201cCome on now,\u201d Gabe said, leveling the shotgun at the man. He pumped it, then said, \u201cYou know how this works. Hands up.\u201d<\/p>

The man complied, and by his expression, Gabe could tell that he wasn\u2019t one of the brave ones. All the better for the both of them.<\/p>

\u201cAlright, take me to the back.\u201d<\/p>

The clerk, who was now sweating through his shirt, stuttered. \u201cT-The m-money is here in the-\u201c<\/p>

\u201cI know where it is,\u201d Gabe said, \u201cYou think I\u2019m stupid? Take me to the Rejuveron.\u201d<\/p>

The clerk somehow grew even more pale. \u201cW-We don\u2019t have-\u201c<\/p>

Gabe fired into the wall, sending pills and cigarettes flying throughout the room. The clerk had yelped and cowered, but perked back up when Gabe aimed back at him.<\/p>

\u201cThat was the wrong answer. Wanna try again, smart guy?\u201d<\/p>

The clerk nodded.<\/p>

\u201cWell? Get on then, take me to it.\u201d<\/p>

The clerk was able to open the storage door, despite all his trembling. He led Gabe through the tight spaces between boxes until they reached the very back, near the garage door.<\/p>

And there it was, the Rejuveron. A lovely pallet of crimson relief, neatly packaged up for him. The miracle drug that liberated mankind from sleep. Instead of wasting hours unconscious in a bed, one could take Rejuveron and regain their energy without any side effect. And here was a heap of the stuff, all for Gabe\u2019s taking.<\/p>

If all the stores the crew were hitting tonight were loaded like this… well, it was enough for someone like Gabe to live like a king for the rest of his life.<\/p>

Gabe ripped the plastic covering and tore open the top of the nearest box. Reaching in, he pulled out one of the Rejuveron capsules and held it between his thumb and index finger. In the white plastic shell no bigger than a quarter, the red liquid shimmered in the incandescent light. So tiny, yet so powerful. The connectors at either end of the capsule seemed to be in good condition, too. It was the real stuff, alright.<\/p>

Gabe checked his watch, seeing that he was already down to 8%. One hit of this and he\u2019d be good to go for another ten hours or so. He felt an itch and had the urge to plug the capsule in that very moment, but he refrained.<\/p>

Instead, Gabe pocketed the capsule and turned his attention back to the clerk. He flicked the shotgun\u2019s barrel to the big garage door, and said, \u201cOpen it. Now.\u201d<\/p>

The clerk squatted, fumbling with his keys as he worked the padlock. \u201cYou\u2019re n-never going to get away with this,\u201d the man said, licking his lips. He pulled off the padlock, and slid open the door. \u201cThe cops\u2019ll be coming soon.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cCops are busy at the moment, don\u2019t you know,\u201d Gabe said. \u201cGo get the jack for the Rejuveron.\u201d<\/p>

As he scurried to obey, Gabe leaned out into the rain and whistled hard. Not too far off, a white truck started to back up towards the store. Gabe was glad that Lyla had been paying attention this time.<\/p>

The clerk didn\u2019t need Gabe to tell him what came next; he merely loaded the pallet into the truck, and hurried back into the storage room.<\/p>

\u201cAlright, you can go now. And I recommend getting far, and quick too.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cW-Why\u2019s that?\u201d he stuttered.<\/p>

\u201cHm, don\u2019t know,\u201d Gabe said as though in deep thought. He pulled a smaller bomb from beneath his coat and flicked a switch. He threw it into store, then shrugged. \u201cJust a feeling, I guess.\u201d<\/p>

While the clerk ran down the alley, slipping as he did so in the mud, Gabe opened the passenger door to the truck and climbed up into the cab.<\/p>

\u201cGot it all?\u201d Lyla asked eagerly.<\/p>

Gabe pulled off his mask and threw it onto the truck\u2019s dashboard. \u201cYup,\u201d Gabe said with a yawn.<\/p>

Grinning, Lyla drove forward and down the alley. Not a minute later, an explosion from the drug store rattled the truck. That took care of that then.<\/p>

Gabe rubbed his eyes. The itch for Rejuveron returned, and without a second thought Gabe pulled out the capsule and popped it into the port behind his ear. After two beeps, there was a soft hiss, and relief flooded his head. He sighed, sinking deeper into his seat.<\/p>

\u201cIs it good?\u201d Lyla asked.<\/p>

\u201cOh yeah, it\u2019s good,\u201d Gabe said with a smile. He checked his display. It was already passing 30%, and as it rose he felt more and more alert and energetic. \u201cNot a moment too soon too, I was already below 10%.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cJeez, Gabe,\u201d Lyla said. \u201cDoing that on a job? That\u2019s dangerous. You could\u2019ve passed out at any moment.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cYeah, I know,\u201d Gabe said. He almost shuddered at the thought of falling asleep. \u201cWhat are you at now?\u201d<\/p>

She checked her wrist. \u201c56%.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cAh, good,\u201d Gabe said.<\/p>

\u201cUnlike you, I never let myself get below 20%.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cReally? Seems like a waste of Rejuveron.\u201d<\/p>

Lyla shrugged. \u201cIt\u2019s a thing. I can\u2019t feel comfortable being so low.\u201d She shifted in her seat. \u201cNot after I fell asleep that one time.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cOh right, back when you were kid right?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cHow did that happen?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cMust\u2019ve been around ten years old when I was playing outside in the forest behind my house. Catching bugs and scaring birds. You know, kid stuff. Anyways, I didn\u2019t pay attention to my watch, and by the time I remembered to check my watch, I had already hit 5%.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cDidn\u2019t you feel the symptoms?\u201d Gabe asked. \u201cShouldn\u2019t have warned you?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI don\u2019t know, I was playing, man. Guess I got caught up in exploring and all that. But when I saw that, I thought that I could sit for a couple minutes, you know, to get a little back? Well, sure enough, I had gotten real comfortable and before I knew it, I was out. Didn\u2019t wake up until my mother had found me, about four hours later.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cFour hours?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cMmhmm,\u201d Lyla said.<\/p>

\u201cWhat did it feel like?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cIt didn\u2019t feel like anything.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cYou just close your eyes one second, and boom, it\u2019s four hours later, just like that,\u201d she said with a snap of her fingers. \u201cWhen you wake up though, you feel so slow. Almost like coming down from a night at the bar. Sure, my level went up like 40% or whatever, but it took a long time to feel normal again.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cJeez.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cSo yeah, keep your level up,\u201d Lyla said. \u201cI mean, it seems like you wanna go to sleep with how close you get to it.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cHa ha, good one,\u201d Gabe mocked, turning his eyes to the street. The Rejuveron was in full swing, bringing him back to full alertness. It was hard to imagine not having access to such a wonderful cure for sleep. Despite what some people said about it, Gabe was thankful for it. Though, he had to admit that not all of its societal effects had been positive.<\/p>

At the beginning of its introduction, Rejuveron allowed people to use their sleep time to go out and have fun, rather than wasting the night away on a mattress. The night crowds were just as big as the daytime ones, if not bigger. People felt as though they were given a third of their lives back from the clutches of sleep – because that\u2019s exactly what had happened.<\/p>

But, of course, not everyone used that extra time for partying and relaxation. No, instead, they got another job. Some even finding the time for a third. All too quickly that became expected of everyone. Going the extra mile was suddenly a requirement, even from those who couldn\u2019t afford the ever more expensive drug that enabled it.<\/p>

But that was why Gabe, Lyla, and the Boss were in the business of knocking off Rejuveron. Take from the rich, sell to the poor. They were so desperate to get their hands on it that they didn\u2019t have to mark it down much. Whatever they couldn\u2019t pay in cash could be made up in favors and loyalty to the gang. Sure, that could be seen as taking advantage of them. But neither he nor the poor he helped had created this system; they were just trying to survive in it.<\/p>

Gabe turned back to check on the cargo through the cabin\u2019s window. The Boss would be proud of tonight\u2019s haul. The biggest one in the gang\u2019s history, if Gabe wasn\u2019t mistaken. Gabe smiled at the thought of the Boss shaking his hand and congratulated for his hard work. But, for fear of being distracted, he pushed those thoughts aside.<\/p>

Because he had a job to do.<\/p>

\u201cAlright,\u201d Gabe said as they entered the warehouse district. \u201cCircle around the back there first before you pull into the drop off.\u201d<\/p>

Lyla raised an eyebrow. \u201cYou think we got a tail?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cNo. But with a score like this, you can\u2019t be too sure.\u201d<\/p>

Lyla circled around and wandered between the large warehouses until Gabe was satisfied that they weren\u2019t being followed. After that, then proceed to the drop-off point, which was in Warehouse 19. If everything had gone according to the plan, all of the separate crews through the cities should have come back here to unload the cargo and meet with the Boss.<\/p>

He grinned. The Boss would see that Gabe was someone worth keeping at her side.<\/p>

With one final check of her surroundings, Lyla backed into Warehouse 19. When properly situated, they left the truck and made their way through the shipping containers.<\/p>

The Boss was standing around a can fire, holding out her hands to absorb its warmth. Two gang members stood a distance away, forming a perimeter around their leader. Upon hearing their approach, the Boss turned to greet Gabe and Lyla.<\/p>

\u201cThe stars of the hour,\u201d the Boss said, holding out her arms. \u201cFine work tonight. Very<\/em>\u00a0fine work.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThank you, Boss,\u201d Gabe said with a wide smile. He looked around the meeting spot. \u201cWhere\u2019s the Rejuveron? Did it all make it here?\u201d<\/p>

\u201cHad some of the boys take a load of it back to a more secure location. With a score like that, it\u2019s best to take extra precaution.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThat\u2019s good,\u201d Gabe nodded. \u201cDidn\u2019t mean to doubt you or anything, Boss.\u201d<\/p>

She put a hand on his shoulder. \u201cDon\u2019t worry about it. I\u2019d be saying the same if I were you.\u201d The Boss jerked her head to the fire. \u201cNow, come over here. We should discuss your future in our little organization, and see what other schemes you can cook up.\u201d<\/p>

With a surge of pride, Gabe took a step forward when a rattle behind his back caught his attention. He turned in time for a BANG<\/em>\u00a0and flash of blinding light.<\/p>

\u201cGo, go, go!\u201d<\/p>

Gabe tripped on something and went tumbling to the ground, palms to his eyes. His eyes burned, but he could hear sounds of boots on concrete. What was happening?<\/p>

Gabe was pushed onto his belly with a knee digging into his back. A sinking feeling hit as he realized that it was police raid. But how did they find them, even after everything they did to be careful?<\/p>

\u201cStay back!\u201d<\/p>

The Boss. No, without her…<\/p>

\u201cHandcuff her.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cGet your-\u201c<\/p>

There was a meat smack, followed by the cinching of handcuffs.<\/p>

Gabe regained his sight just in time to see them drag away the Boss. \u201cNo…\u201d he managed to say, despite the jabbing knee.<\/p>

An officer crouched down to look Gabe in the eyes. \u201cWe got you, punk. You make me sick, blowing up a hospital like that. Disgusting.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThat wasn\u2019t… part of the plan,\u201d Gabe grunted.<\/p>

\u201cShut up.\u201d He stood, motioning to the officer on Gabe\u2019s back. \u201cGet him out of here. Then we head to the hideout to clear the rest out.\u201d<\/p>

The officer pulled his arms around to his back and secured him with a set of handcuffs. She yanked him up from the ground. \u201cCome on,\u201d she growled as she led him to a police car.<\/p>

All the planning, the preparation… All of his work dashed to pieces on what should\u2019ve been the night of Gabe\u2019s rise to infamy. He sighed, accepting his fate, and listened as the officer read him his rights.<\/p>

—<\/p>

Officer Ricchello pushed the man into the back of her squad car. Though she was glad to have the supposed mastermind of this operation in custody, the weight of the bombing left her saddened. She slammed the door, desperately trying to push the image of the burning hospital out of her mind. She thought about hanging back here and letting the rest of the officers take care of the work. She shook her head, then turned back to head inside once more.<\/p>

Because she had a job to do.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sleepless By Cameron Corder 16%. Gabe had never been this low before, not since he was a kid. He\u2019d been […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-301","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cameroncorder.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/301","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cameroncorder.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cameroncorder.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cameroncorder.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cameroncorder.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=301"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/cameroncorder.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/301\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":329,"href":"https:\/\/cameroncorder.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/301\/revisions\/329"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cameroncorder.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=301"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}