Prologue

So it started like any other day, like any I had for the past year or so since my ex-husband sent me back to America on a one way flight, supposedly back to Michigan, but in fact being dropped off in San Francisco instead. After going from shelter to shelter with no vacancies, I migrated to Los Angeles. As I thought about my kids and not knowing their whereabouts and worrying about their safety, I started to cry. But being cold, hungry and wet from the rain I got up from the cardboard box I used as a bed at night so I would not get too dirty. The old abandoned warehouse in the middle of a vast sprawling industrial complex had been my home for over a year. I started to head towards a bakery where the owner who took pity on the homeless would hand out fresh baked bread and soymilk. The only bakery with a vegan owner, who gave out food to homeless people early in the morning. Being Vegan sure was a pain when being homeless I thought to myself, it was a hard life. So after I finished my breakfast and talked to the owner I said my goodbyes and started walking to the shelter across town for lunch. Wearing a pair of old faded dark green cargo pants and black tank top covered with a faded black denim jacket and a pair of old dirty white adidas sneakers with green stripes on the sides, I began my daily trek.
Somewhere about an hour into my trek I stopped in a burger king fast food joint and used the restroom. Washing my hands, face and hair with the liquid soap in the sink, I used the hand dryer and dried my hair before setting off once again. I was walking down a sidewalk next to a busy road watching all the people rush to their favorite restaurants for lunch.
Suddenly spotting a bag with two containers of takeout food on the tables in front of a vegan/vegetarian restaurant and seeing no one there I made up my mind to steal the bag. Taking a deep breath I made a run for it just as six guys walked out. Hand on bag still running, without missing a step, kept going. One of the men yelled out at me. I looked back over my shoulder and saw a shaved-headed man chasing after me, as the other men looking disgruntled yelled at the man running after me to let it go.
But their words went on unheeded. I ran out into the traffic and across the road and shot down an alley way that would lead to a hiding place I used before to escape a group of men who tried to rape me but I hid till they gave up. Thinking I would be safe, I went there. After reaching the old building I peeked out a window, no one, so I went in to another room sat down and ate a delicious Vegan meal.
After finishing the food And feeling full, I went back on my way, only as I stepped out the small hole in the old locked door, a large man’s hand came into view and grabbed my collar of my coat.
I tried to twist free stepping on his foot and looking at the face of my captor, it was the man who chased after me from the restaurant. I saw the other men he was with as they caught up, slightly out of breath after running so long. I kicked his leg and twisted free and ran as hard as I could on a full stomach. All six of them close on my heel. I came to a dead end fence with barbed wire up on top, and I climbed the six foot high fence and jumped down the other side, cutting my hand open on the barbed wire as the men approached me. I took a moment to catch my breath as I took a white handkerchief from my pocket to stop the bleeding wondering if they would climb the fence after me.

As they got to the fence the shaved-headed man swore under his breath at me something I couldn’t make out. Looking at him in fear, I kept my eyes on all six of the men and the shaved-headed man yelled at me “You know it’s rude to steal from people?” I looked at him noticing his bright clear green-blue eyes that twinkled in rage. I mumbled an apology and said something about being hungry. I turned and ran again as he started to say something else to the others.
I had noticed the other men with him, the one who had told him to let it go had dark hair on the sides and a blond streak in the middle that was roughed up in the back, tall and thin with large sad looking brown eyes. The other two next to him one with shaggy black wavy hair and broad shoulders and a rough face reminding me of my father, the other with long dark hair and blond highlights on the left side and a short crop on the right side of his head. And a very large tattooed man with a baseball cap looking like a New York City hip hop junkie and another, more older man.
It took me some time to realize I knew who the men were. After all I had seen enough pictures of them on the internet.
They were the band members of AFI. My favorite band in the whole world. I felt like a complete fuckin’ ass for stealing the shaved-headed man’s food, Hunter Burgan was the bassist for the band a Vegan who also had a side project band called Hunter Revenge. The man with the dark hair and blond streak was Jade Puget, the guitarist. Then Adam Carson, the man who reminded me of my father was the drummer. And the man with the weird cut hair was Davey Havok; he was the bands front man, the singer. I always thought he was prettier than me. The tattooed man was Smith Puget, Jade’s brother and the bands tour manager. The last guy I recognized but couldn’t remember his name. He worked as the merchandise sales man when they were on tour.
Feeling like crap after what had happened I didn’t eat much dinner at the shelter that night.
The shelter coordinators and residents didn’t notice as they knew I was Vegan and would not partake in the food with them that contained meat in it.
Later, I thanked the shelter coordinators for the meal and proceeded to return to my little home in the abandoned warehouse where I lived for the last year.
Walking as the dark over took the day, sun fading in the west, at least the rain had stopped some time ago I thought to myself. After all the shelter allowed me to shower and change into some clean clothes, A tight pair of denim jeans and a light pink tank top with a white cotton blouse tied in the front.
I felt much better than before, forgetting the day’s events and wondering what my future would be.
I did not see the shadows in an alley darkened by nightfall. I was grabbed and pulled into the alley, a fist slamming into my gut, knocking the air from my lungs as I dropped to my knees as a hand pulled me by my hair back up to my feet.
It was the rape gang I had hid from a few weeks before. The leader of the group, a big burly beer gut man with malice in his eyes and a malicious smile pasted thinly across his face said “It’s good to see you again. We have some unfinished business to take care of.” Laughing as he unbuttoned and pulled down the zipper of his pants.
The only thought running through my mind was “damn, I am in trouble now, no way out of this.” The other three men who held me leered and laughed at me as the other man grabbed my shirt to rip it off of me, trying to scream but no words came out I heard footsteps running down the alley way and a blur of shadows knocked the man to the ground with a grunt, and a fight with my captors with my potential “savior” ensued. Seemingly like a lifetime had passed but was really only five minutes, my captors took off running having been beat.
I turned to my “saviors” in gratitude and started to say thanks when I came face to face with bright green-blue eyes hazed over by adrenalin from the fight, Hunter’s eyes. Captivating me for a second as fear of another abuse flooded my senses, he had a devilish look on his face, and the guys had saved me warding off an attack. “Are you alright?” Jade Asked. “yes.” Was my breathless reply. “Why don’t we go across the street for some coffee and rest?” He said. Not really a question, but I nodded my head in acceptance at the offer.
Sitting at a large table, I noticed a woman who seemed very much younger then myself seated next to Jade. Her honey blond cream hair done up and grayish-black eye shadow framing her beautiful eyes, reminding me of Paris Hilton, I realized she was Jade’s wife Marissa. While a tall thin woman with long straight hair was sitting next to Adam, a girlfriend maybe I thought.
Davey spoke up first, after we had all ordered our drinks, “We gotta stop running after you girl.” I smiled thin and weak, hoping I did not look too unenthusiastic. “What’s your name?” Jade asked me as we waited for our drinks. I replied “Alexandria, But I go by Alex. My friends call me Pinky.” I added. “What are you doing out on the street? Stealing food again are you?” Adam Asked bluntly. “No! They are a group of womanizing douche bags. They tried this once before but I escaped them last time.” I replied. “How long have you been out on the street?” Davey asked me. “About a year.” Now the weariness beginning to take its toll after all the excitement and fear controlled adrenalin started to run low. Our drinks arrived and I took my first sip of a fresh hot Green Tea soy latte in almost a year. Letting the pumpkin like flavor wash down, scalding my tongue and throat, wincing from the burning in my mouth. After Jade and Davey asked me a few questions about how I came to be on the street and a long explanation, All the while Hunter just glared like I was the worst person he had ever seen, I excused myself to the restroom.
Washing my hands and looking in the mirror to fix my hair. And then retuned to the table where the guys were waiting for me.
“I don’t think it is right for you to live out on the street. We have been talking it over while you were in the restroom” Started out Jade, “We think we will take you in” Added Davey. I started to protest as I had been doing well on my own for the past year, Jade cut me off in mid protest, silencing me with a look that said my fate was sealed. I looked down and mumbled a sad excuse for a thank you to the men who saved me many times in many different ways, as they sat around me looking at my sad appearance all the while Hunter just glared at me menacingly.
I could tell that he was the only one not approving this decision at all. Davey just looked between Hunter and Jade with a look of a father thinking about how best to stop a fight, with a worried look on his face. Jade asked me if I had any belongings. I nodded my head and told them where I had been living for the last year. They all looked at me in shock. Davey said “That’s no place for a girl to live!” I shot out to angry to care how it sounded “I am not a little girl, I am almost 29!” Their eyes widened and Adam let a cuss slip out under his breath.
After paying for the bill and finishing our coffees we all piled into a big dark cargo van, Davey was driving and Adam riding gunshot. Jade and Marissa was sitting next to me in the second row and Smith and hunter behind us in the third row of seats. Adam’s girlfriend took her own car as there did not seem to be enough room for everyone. We set off for the old warehouse to get all my things.

I walked into the ware house as they followed behind me, nervously I crawled under some old boards propped up against a door to a closet that I slept in and grabbed my duffle bag and a box of my things that I had filled full and pushed them out of the hole and slid them from under the boards. As my things were placed into the back of the van and we once again piled inside, I took one last look at my old home and said good bye, we headed to the house I would call my new home.
When we got inside Marissa went to get me some clothes to sleep in and fixed a bath for me, while Jade fixed up a room for me to sleep in as Davey helped him. Adam, Hunter and Smith sat down watching the last of a football game on television. As I came out of the bathroom after I had finished bathing Jade suggested to all we get some rest because we had a big day tomorrow. I walked into my new room and turned around to say thank you and good night, Jade said “don’t mention it.” I turned out the light and closed the door as I turned to face the bed, but feeling uncomfortable about sleeping in someone’s bed; I walked over to the dresser and the desk and crawled under it to sleep on the floor with the chair hiding me for protection. I quickly fell asleep soon after I lay my head down on the carpet.
Dreaming of my kids in Taiwan, that my ex-husband took from me. Being lost on the streets of LA, and the men who had hunted me for the last four months with intent to harm me. I woke up and quickly fell asleep again. This time in a deep dreamless sleep until the sun came up in the morning.