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Author's Note: Another entry in the 'Snapshots' series. If a picture is worth 1000 words, how much of a picture can 1000 words paint?

Thanks to Guri_ for proofing._

Thanks also to Thakur for the idea. Go check out his 1000 word adventures too!

The Getaway

Rain slicked the pavement beneath Alec's pounding feet. The world was a wall of water, stinging his eyes, splashing up from puddles to soak through his shoes and drench his socks. He ran faster, urging more speed from his churning legs. Thunder shook the skies above, threatening to bring the slate clouds down upon his head.

"Hey! Where ya going? Come back here!"

Above the sound of pelting raindrops, he could hear the splashing of his pursuers feet. At least four of them. Five? One would have been too many.

Knew I should've stayed home. Stupid!

His heart thudded wildly, his lungs burning. His ears flattened against his skull, bushy tail streaming behind him. Why they were chasing him didn't matter - it couldn't be good. Everyone knew what those red bandannas meant, and the size of that doberman who seemed to be their leader...

"Come on, dude! We ain't gonna hurt ya!"

Fat chance!

Alec juked down a side street, nearly slipping in an oily puddle. His soaked clothing clung, chafing. Home was blocks away yet, and even that might not be safe, but where else could he go? His only chance was to elude the hunters.

Why did I ever think it was a good idea to borrow that money?

Strange, that Broken Claws would be after him for that debt, but what other reason could it be? Santago had many resources at his fingertips, any of which could be deadly.

"He went that way!"

Alec chanced a look over his shoulder. Three bulky forms were tearing around the corner, a fourth hot on their heels. At least they weren't waving guns. Yet.

"Help!" he yelled, panting. "Anybody! Police!" A light flicked on in one of the houses, but he didn't -couldn't- stop. No help came. He ran on.

Think, idiot, think!

No flash of insight from above either. Alec silently cursed whatever inner demons had prodded him down tonight's path. Walking into that dive bar had felt intrinsically wrong from the start, even if it had been a dry, warm place out of the rainy night. His feet had carried him seemingly of their own accord, driven by the need to move, to be out of his tiny, lonely apartment, to seek out a better place to be alone with his thoughts, overwhelming the urge to flick on the TV or browse the net.

His wanderlust might be the end of him tonight.

A square of pitch black loomed. An alley! He risked the glance over his shoulder. They hadn't rounded the corner yet. This was it! He dove for the meagre safety, feeling as if he were jumping into the maw of a giant. The darkness seemed to swallow him whole, and he stumbled several steps, tripping over who knew what, colliding with first one wall, then the other, before managing to halt his mad dash.

Groaning, attempting to quiet his harsh panting, Alec blinked, his vision adjusting. The hulking shape of a dumpster offered a place to hide. He took it, lifting the lid and scrambling in. Soft shapes pressed unpleasantly against his body, giving beneath his weight, but squishing in a most disturbing way. The pungent scents of rotting food and moldy cardboard assaulted his nose, but he quashed his gag reflex, burrowing in as much as he could.

Wonder if this is what a coffin feels like?

In complete darkness now, Alec waited, tense. In retrospect, he was quite glad he'd only had one drink, or he might not have been able to climb into this tiny refuge. There were still some bright spots, weren't there?

_Damn. Just when I feel like I'm close to breaking through. If I survive tonight, it could make a hell of a script to submit. One taker, and I can pay Santago off in full. _

A muffled voice prickled his ears. From the mouth of the alley?

"Where'd he go? Down there maybe?"

"I dunno dude. Why are we bothering with this anyway? I hate running."

"I've got a reputation to keep. Problem with that?"

"No, boss. Sorry. Want us to check the alley?"

"Do it."

Alec stiffened, then immediately tried to will his body into complete stillness as footsteps came slowly closer. The garbage bags sighed and crinkled softly, still settling under his weight. It sounded like a gunshot to his ears.

"See anything?"

"Dude, I can't see shit. Got a light?"

"Oh, right."

The soft snick of a lighter, a quiet curse. Then, "Yeah, that's better."

A momentary pause, followed by some shuffling. Alec could _sense_them, mere feet away.

"Nobody here, boss."

"You sure? Check the dumpster."

Alec's heart stopped. Now what? Try to jump them? Fight? Run again?

The lid creaked, flickering light searing his vision. Alec cringed away, hoping that somehow, they might not see him cowering there.

"Hey! I see him!"

Shit.

The lid threw back with a resonant boom, echoed by thunder. Alec tried frantically to scramble away, clamber over the side, escape! Strong hands seized him by the shoulders, dragged him out of the reeking dumpster. He struggled wildly, but he might as well have pulled against handcuffs.

As he was hauled to his feet, arms neatly pinioned by a towering German shepherd and an equally large black bear, he got his first good look at his antagonists. All wore the red bandannas. The doberman stepped forward, crossing thick arms over a barrel chest, and heeled by an equine with a sour expression.

"Damn, dude, you gave us one hell of a chase," said the doberman, chuckling softly. "Shouldn't have done that, you know." He reached into his jacket.

A whimper rose in Alec's throat. He tried to find words, to plead, to do anything but merely watch as that hand came out, clasped around a... a...

A wallet?

"Here." The doberman held out the object, giving an impatient wave to the bear and the shepherd, who immediately let go of Alec's arms.

"You dropped this at the bar."