Chapter 6
The real Micky had finally drifted into an initially quiet sleep, which was disturbed eventually by another series of odd and disjointed images that he could not sort through in either conscious or unconscious states of mind. He rolled over, clutching at the pillow and groaning softly. He still believed himself to be Baby Face, and experiencing these other things that seemed to say contrary to that was only helping to make him very bewildered and distraught.
He could hear people calling for Micky in his dreams . . . most likely the other three band members. He felt, more than saw, them run through a house and find the lifeless body of the drummer. But it felt as if they were lifting him up and holding him, horrified over having found him shot practically to death.
"I'm not him," he moaned, tossing about on the bed until he was half-hanging out of it. "Don't you guys get it?! I'm not him! I'm the one who shot him!" Then he yelped as he tumbled out of bed to crash on the floor. He groaned, struggling to untangle himself from the quilts as well as to completely wake up from the dream world he had been in. This mad thrashing continued until Rocco overheard and went into the room to try to help get him free.
The lackey stared down at Micky in shock and confusion, hesitating to lend a helping hand in case his boss would not be happy to have Rocco see him in this condition. But at last, after another moment of observing the younger man flailing about, Rocco spoke. "Boss?" he said slowly. "Do you . . . want some help getting loose?"
Micky stopped his thrashing and looked up, indeed uncomfortable and embarrassed at being found the way he was. "No," he said then, fully waking up and realizing where he was. "I'm fine." He leaned back against the side of the bed, letting out a breath he had not known he was holding. Yes, he was Baby Face Morales?not Micky Dolenz. His dreams seemed to say otherwise, but it still seemed to him that the most likely explanation was that any semblance of a conscience that he had left was bothering him because of his previous misdeeds towards Micky.
I wonder if Baby Face deals with this a lot, he thought to himself, and then frowned. No, I mean me! I wonder if I deal with this a lot! Frustrated, he threw back the covers and stood up, staring Rocco down. "Start rounding up the boys," he directed. "It's almost dark and we should get going before long. It'll take a while to drive out to the Chanels' place." His stomach started to twist again as he said this. They were going to go out and rob someone. That was a crime. What was he thinking? He could not commit a crime!
Getting soft, are we? he thought to himself, and ran a hand over his face. Those dreams are getting to you. You can't let them stop you.
And yet he recalled that something had never felt right, ever since he had first gone to the Purple Pelican the previous night to see Ruby. He had been feeling as though something was terribly off, and he could not deny that. What he was trying desperately to deny was the idea that he was not actually who he believed himself to be. It disturbed him highly, because if nothing was as it seemed, how would he know what actually was real at all?
He came back to the present, discovering that Rocco had gone out of the room. Presumably he had gone to find the others. Ruby, however, was in the doorway, and Micky could see that she was concerned. Slowly he went over to her.
"What is it?" he demanded.
She looked at him, her blue eyes revealing the doubts that she held even though she tried not to speak of them. "Baby Face . . . I heard you screaming," she said softly. "You said that . . . that you weren't him and that you were the one who shot him. . . ." Gently she ran a hand through his hair. "Does it bother you . . . what happened with that musician?" Still unable to think of how to approach the subject of Baby Face not being the musician at all, Ruby was trying something else. She had been highly alarmed when she had heard him screaming several moments ago, and now she worried and wondered if this truly was Baby Face but that he was very emotionally disturbed.
Micky growled. "Of course not," he retorted. "He was just another victim, somebody who had to die. He couldn't mean less to me." He brushed her hand away. "What you heard was me having some stupid dream. Look, baby, I'm fixing to leave now. We can chat after the heist." With that he turned and went back into the room to gather up his jacket and hat. Ruby remained where she was, watching him.
"I think we need to talk now, Baby Face," she said after a moment's silence.
He frowned and looked over at her. "Yeah? Why?" he asked, pulling on the jacket and reaching for the tie, which he had taken off before laying down.
"Because I'm worried about you!" Ruby finally exclaimed, coming into the room as well.
"Not that again," Micky snapped. "Look, I said I wouldn't get caught by the police, and you know I'm not going to get out of the business." He tied the tie with a flourish and adjusted the fedora. "So I don't think there's anything left to discuss."
"It's not that," Ruby said, her voice lowering again.
Now she had Micky's attention. "Yeah? Well, what is it then?" he demanded, turning to look at her.
She tipped the hat back slightly to see clearly into his hazel eyes. "You don't seem exactly like yourself, Baby Face," she admitted, and then braced herself for the fireworks.
But there were not any. Instead Micky simply stared at her, stunned. "I . . . I don't?" he asked, slipping back into his normal tones once more. It was a subconscious reaction and he did not even know that he had done it again, but Ruby definitely did.
"No," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady, "you don't." She looked carefully at him. "You aren't Baby Face, are you?" she said, her voice dropping to nearly a whisper. "You're Micky Dolenz. It all makes sense. . . ."
Now Micky moved away from her, his eyes wide. Someone outside of his own mind was challenging his identity, and this was not something that he could easily handle in his current state of mind. "That's not true!" he yelled, pointing his forefinger at her. "I'm not Dolenz! I'm Baby Face! You don't even recognize me?" For that matter, he was not certain that he recognized himself. That was what scared him. He had fully believed that he was the mobster, but now he saw that not even Ruby believed it was so. And after his dreams had disputed the idea that he was Baby Face, he felt that no one could honestly tell him who he was. How could he be Micky, when he knew nothing of Micky's life? Then he would remember that he knew very little about Baby Face's life, as well, and his confusion would only continue to build.
Ruby shook her head, trying not to allow herself to be distracted by his outburst. By now she was actually almost entirely convinced that this, indeed, was Micky, and yet there was still another part of her that pleaded for it not to be true. "You were brought in to catch the rest of the gang, weren't you?" she asked, still in that near-whisper that was driving Micky utterly mad.
"No!" he screamed, his eyes widening as he continued to back up. He ended up ramming into a nightstand, but he barely noticed when he did. "You have to believe me, Ruby. I'm not Micky Dolenz!"
She looked at him, tears pricking her eyes. "I want to believe that. I want it so badly," she told him sincerely. Her heart was shattering. She had never seen Baby Face in such a distraught condition. What if it truly was him? She did not actually believe that, and she felt a sick feeling as she thought of how it would be if it was him. . . . But if it was, he would have gotten furious. She was certain of it. The man standing before her was not angry?he seemed to be bordering on panicked hysteria. Perhaps he was overwhelmed with the thoughts of what would happen if he was discovered. Ruby was at a loss for what to do. "I'm just so afraid that . . . that the Baby Face I've known is dead. . . ."
Before Micky could reply, a third voice entered the conversation. "Boss?"
Both looked over guiltily, looking like two deer caught in the headlights of a car. Neither wanted anyone else to know of what they had been discussing. That was private between the two of them. But to their relief, Rocco did not look as though he had overheard.
"The boys are ready to go, Boss," he announced. "They're out back with the getaway car."
Micky nodded, trying to regain his composure. "Alright. Go out there with them and I'll be right out," he directed. Rocco nodded and left.
Now Micky straightened up and pushed himself away from the nightstand. "He's not dead," he said quietly to Ruby, stopping to look at her for a moment. "I promise you, he isn't." He spoke with a certain firmness, but he realized that he was not sure if he was trying to convince Ruby?or himself. In any case, he wanted to depart immediately and get his mind on the heist. And yet, somehow, he knew that he would not be able to push their conversation out of his thoughts so easily. But that would not stop him from trying. "I have to go now," he said abruptly.
Ruby nodded. "Be careful, Baby Face," she told him, hesitating for a moment before then kissing him gently.
"I always am," he answered smoothly, again reminding her of the Baby Face she remembered. And with that he left the room.
Ruby heard him go down the hall and out the back door. She looked out the window and watched him and the others drive away in the black car. Then she sank down onto the bed and let the tears fall.
****
Mike yelped as the Plymouth sped around another corner. He braced himself, but could not prevent himself from flying to the side and slamming into Tony. But the mobster seemed much too occupied with what was going on around them to notice.
"Are they still chasing us?" he demanded, too crowded in to turn around and look out the window. After the strange men had initially shot at them, they had gotten into their own car and sped off, following the congested vehicle through the streets and into a bad neighborhood. The occupants of the pursued car were not only angry and frustrated, but completely bewildered over these events.
"They sure are," Peter said worriedly, ducking from instinct as another bullet whistled past and nearly shattered the side window that he was sitting by.
Baby Face cursed. "What the heck could they want?!" he yelled. Peter idly thought about how disturbing it was to see Baby Face dressed like Micky?wearing the blue eight-button shirt?while he was holding a gun and swearing.
"Maybe they're not after me at all," Tony said, shooting a dark look at Linda. "Maybe they're really after you, Baby Face. They could be from the Syndicate. They're probably still pretty sore at you after last time." And from the look in his eyes, Tony still was not feeling extremely pleased toward Baby Face himself.
"For all intents and purposes, Baby Face is trying to pretend he's Micky," Mike said flatly.
"He didn't fool us," Mugsy replied, going around another corner. The car bounced as it rolled over a curb. "He probably didn't fool them, either!"
Baby Face grunted. "I wasn't trying to fool you!" he shot back.
"You gangsters are such an arrogant, pompous lot," Linda grumbled. "You think that everyone will run in terror because of your guns and your reputations, and just because of the fact that you're notorious criminals. Well, I'm not running in terror."
"Do you think Vince is arrogant and pompous?" Baby Face pointed out, and then suddenly seemed to notice her presence there for the first time. "What are you doing still hanging around these people if you don't want to be with them?" he snapped then, climbing over Davy and Peter to reach the window. While they watched in alarm, he rolled down the window and leaned out, shooting at the car that was still in hot pursuit.
"What are you doing?!" Davy gasped. "You could get shot yourself!"
"I know what I'm doing," Baby Face retorted.
"See?" Linda cried. "That's just what I mean!" Then she paused, remembering what Baby Face had asked. "And of course Vince isn't like that. He's better than any of the rest of you." She looked from the quiet man on her other side to Baby Face and Tony in the backseat. "Vince doesn't belong with this kind of riffraff!" she yelled over the sound of Baby Face and the unknown mobsters exchanging shots.
Mike rolled his eyes in frustration. He could see when he looked up at the rear-view mirror that Mugsy was looking both annoyed and embarrassed. And even though Mike was not pleased about being associated with the gangsters, either, he could understand why Mugsy would be getting fed up with Linda's comments. If Mugsy considered Tony and the other man to be his friends, then he would not want someone else to continually insult them.
"So he doesn't, but you do, huh?" Baby Face returned, aiming another bullet at the other car's windshield before then completely reentering the Plymouth and rolling up the window again.
Linda looked stunned for a moment. She opened her mouth to retort, but then closed it once more. Baby Face had struck a nerve. That was why she was with the gang?because she did not believe that she deserved to be anywhere better. She crossed her arms, glaring ahead. Baby Face had the uncanny knack of being able to get at the truth of a matter?when he was not allowing his temper to rule his mind. Of course, she was not about to admit that he was correct in what he had decided that she thought.
"Can't we all just get along?" Peter pleaded. "Come on, guys, I know that things aren't really pleasant for any of us, but arguing just makes it worse." No one answered him, and he sighed.
****
It took quite another while, but at last they managed to elude the people who were chasing them. By this time it was completely dark outside and they had wandered into an area that was not heavily populated. As they drove past a dilapidated mansion, Tony suddenly perked up and told Mugsy to stop the car. He had seen Ruby's vehicle parked in the old abode's driveway. To help eliminate the chances of their own car being seen by any enemies, Mugsy drove it around the back before turning off the engine.
Baby Face frowned up at the manor as he opened the door and climbed out. "There's only a couple of lights on in there," he observed. "Maybe Ruby and Dolenz are the only ones home." But he held onto his gun, anyway, in case he would find trouble.
Mike frowned up at the building. "It's a nice place to visit, but I don't wanna live here," he muttered.
"It probably looks nicer in the daytime," Peter decided.
"It looks like a rest home for bats," Davy declared, and tripped over a log. This caused him to crash into Tony, who pitched forward and slammed into Baby Face. Micky's double cursed and stumbled, but was able to regain his balance without causing any other calamities.
Tony glared back at Davy. "Watch it," he grumbled.
"It wasn't my fault!" Davy snapped. "The log was in my way!"
"Excuses, excuses." Baby Face reached the door and tested it. "It's not locked," he discovered, and pushed it open. Most likely, he decided, it was simply such an old house that the lock had rusted away. He wandered further inside, the others following him closely. He did not speak, deciding that it would be best to remain quiet until he could be assured that there was not anything amiss.
He did not have to go far before Ruby ventured out of the room where she had been staying. Having heard the car, she had hoped that it was the gang back from their heist, even though she doubted that they could get it done in such a short amount of time. "Baby Face?" she called softly as she entered the hallway. Then she stopped and blinked in confusion at the sight of the Monkees standing there along with Tony and his mob.
"Uh, hi," Mike greeted with a wave. "Remember us?"
Ruby bit her lip and came over slowly. "But I thought. . . ." She gazed at Micky, wondering for a split second if she had been wrong and that it truly had been Baby Face who had been with her earlier?but then she saw the gun. She wondered if she could possibly begin to hope.
"Are you here alone?" Micky demanded, gazing at her searchingly with cold hazel eyes.
Ruby nodded, and then suddenly threw her arms around his neck. "You're the real Baby Face, aren't you," she said softly, feeling her spirits rise. Despite the fact that he was dressed as Micky, he sounded and looked and acted like the man she loved and whom she had feared was dead. As she looked into his eyes and then kissed him, she was all the more certain of it.
"Of course I am," he growled, pushing her back firmly but not roughly. "I want you to tell me what's been happening here. Tell me everything that's gone on since you met up with that idiot Dolenz. Why is he posing as me again?"
"And where is he?" Peter interrupted. "We've been looking all over for him!" He looked at Ruby urgently, the worry obvious in his brown eyes. "Please, you have to tell us!"
Ruby looked from Baby Face to Peter and then back again. "He . . . he went out to rob the Chanels' mansion," she admitted quietly. "And I don't know what's going on with him!" She led them back to the living room, explaining how he had been acting so strangely ever since she had found him and of how he had become almost hysterical when she had finally spoken to him of her concerns right before he had left. Ruby had believed that he had been deliberately impersonating Baby Face, but now, as she listened to the others talk over the whole thing, she was beginning to wonder.
"You say he said he was attacked and someone hit him on the head?" Mike asked, his brown eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"Yeah," Ruby nodded. "He wanted some aspirin for his headache."
"It all makes sense!" Mike exclaimed, leaping up from where he had been sitting on the couch.
Davy blinked at him. "What makes sense?" he demanded. "I don't understand."
"Well," Mike answered, determined for Davy to understand the urgency of the matter, "what if he really thinks he is Baby Face?! That bump on the head might've done something to his mind. And that would explain why he never came home last night, and didn't even call?because he didn't remember that he has a home with us and that we're his friends. And from the sound of it, he still doesn't."
Peter stared at Mike in alarm. "But if that's true, he could get really hurt!" he gasped. "He might even get thrown in jail!" He looked to Ruby. "You said that he was going to rob someone, didn't you?"
"He is," Ruby replied. "They've probably got there by now."
Davy sprang up as well, running to the door. "Come on!" he exclaimed. "We've got to find him before he really does commit a crime!" With that he dashed outside and ran to the Plymouth. Peter immediately followed.
Baby Face looked extremely irritated by the whole matter. "I wouldn't mind, if he took the rap for me," he growled, "but I don't want him trying to lift the stuff that I was planning to take!" With that he pulled out his gun, checking to make certain that it still had ammunition, and also went to the door.
Ruby quickly followed him. "What are you going to do, Baby Face?!" she gasped.
"I dunno," he retorted. "I'll figure it out when we get there." He felt like shooting Micky for pretending to be him again?and yet, if Micky honestly believed that he was Baby Face, it would not actually be his fault this time. But Baby Face was still angry.
Mike frowned at him, then glanced back to Tony and the others. "I've got a really bad feeling about this," he declared. "Are you guys going to come along too?" Not that he especially wanted them to, but it was extremely crowded for everyone to ride in one car?and Ruby's car was a lot smaller than the Plymouth.
Tony and Mugsy exchanged looks before turning back to Mike. "This, we have to see to believe," Tony muttered at last. He had to admit that he was curious.
Baby Face was nearly out the door when he stopped and turned back, his expression that of a storm cloud. Ruby blinked in confusion and stopped as well. "What's the matter, Baby Face?" she asked. Everyone else turned to look as well. Tony crossed his arms, looking annoyed.
"Are there any spare suits around here?" Baby Face demanded to know as he began unbuttoning Micky's shirt. "I'd like to get out of these crazy clothes."
Chapter 7
Chapter 5
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