Nemesis: Inception

by G. Michael Hopf

Fear was the main emotion driving Lexi. She didn’t want to lose her job, but she also didn’t want to be sexually assaulted. Her mind raced with what she should do. Her mother’s stern voice popped into her thoughts. “Lexi my girl, if you want to get ahead, you’ll have to do what you have to do.”

  His lips met her neck and she recoiled.

  “No, stop it!”

  His right hand migrated down to her thigh.

  Visions of her childhood rushed into her mind followed by the emotions of that long ago time. She could see the man, a man she was told she could trust, coming into her bedroom. The same fear that was in her then was present now. Her gut tightened when she saw the man’s face and his smell, a mixture of tequila and old cologne. It would linger in the air after he’d leave, only making her feelings of hopelessness and shame more intense. After a while the assaults became physically bearable, but what never did was that shame and self-loathing. Being only seven, she was incapable of fighting back, but now was different. She wasn’t young nor was she weak.

  Adam began to aggressively kiss her neck and his right hand was now between her legs.

  She clamped her thighs tight, but he forced his hand through.

  “No!” she yelled.

  He ignored her pleas.

  In her mind she saw the scared little child she once was. She couldn’t be that girl again; she wouldn’t be, she then told herself.

  “Adam, no, stop!”

  He still ignored her.

  With her right hand she reached back onto the table and felt for something to use as a weapon. Her fingers found the cold metal-framed stapler and grasped it tightly. Not giving him another warning, she raised the stapler but hesitated. Doing this would change her life, but she couldn’t think about it because allowing him to sexually assault her would also change her. She couldn’t be a victim again. With her mind made up, she raised the stapler higher, and with all her strength she swung and smacked Adam in the left side of his head. She had done it, but what she didn’t realize then was she had taken the first step in a journey that would shatter the old Lexi and give birth to a new woman.

  The blow sent Adam reeling. He fell to his knees and reached up with his hand to the point of impact. “You bitch, you hit me!” he cried out. He brought his hand back and looked stunned when he saw blood.

  Lexi felt powerful. She didn’t reply to his comment because for her words were meaningless, action was the only means of communication she’d engage in. With an anger that surged with every second, she continued her counterassault. She squinted and lifted her right hand high in the air and smashed his head again with the stapler.

  He grunted and collapsed to the floor.

  The two strikes against Adam didn’t satiate her rage, it only intensified it.

  Adam looked up at her, his face now covered in thick blood. His eyes grew to the size of saucers when he saw she wasn’t finished with him. He whimpered and crawled under the table.

  Lexi still held the stapler and intended on using it some more. She tried to pursue him under the table, but his kicks prevented it. Using her rage as a benefit, she turned the table on its side. The strength she felt from her pent-up anger was intoxicating.

  Adam rolled onto his back and screamed, “Help!”

  Loud bangs at the conference room door seemed distant to her. Her focus was on making Adam pay for all his transgressions. She kicked him in the crotch and straddled his limp body.

  Tears mixed with blood covered his face. He begged, “Please no, don’t.”

  “No?”

  “No, please don’t,” he again begged.

  “Are you fucking serious? I say no and it means yes, so using your definition, you want me to hit you again!” she asked, looking down on him, the stapler held high above her head.

  Louder bangs and hollering came from behind the locked door.

  Adam cocked his head towards it and screamed, “Help me, hurry, she’s trying to kill me!”

  Never in her life had she felt so good, so liberated. In the back of her head she knew this would not end well for her. There wasn’t any doubt she would lose her job, but the beating she was giving Adam would land her in jail most likely.

  The door crashed in and several people poured in, one being Jeff, a friend of hers and member of the corporate security detail.

  Lexi didn’t turn to see; she didn’t care. It didn’t matter whether she hit him once or five times, the punishment would be the same. It was this rationale that led to the last blow. Her emotionless gaze shifted to joy as a smile stretched across her face.

  Adam’s eyes turned to meet hers and fear filled him as he realized his beating wasn’t quite over.

  She saw that the two previous hits had done severe damage to his face and head. A large gash bled heavily on the side of his head, just above his ear, and the second to the top of his head was equally destructive. “This is for all the women you’ve ever hurt,” she declared. and Using all her strength hammered his face with the bloody stapler in a bone-crunching blow that shattered his front teeth and nose.

  Adam grunted out in pain but a second later fell unconscious.

  Satisfied, she tossed the stapler and exhaled heavily.

  Jeff stood behind her, a Taser in his hand. “Lexi, why?”

  She craned her head towards him and answered, “We were just discussing my application for associate director.”

  “What?” Jeff asked, confused by her nonsensical reply.

  “You don’t need to use that, I’ll be good,” she said, huffing loudly as she caught her breath.

  A large crowd had gathered at the open door. Murmurs and gasps could be heard all around.

  Jeff came up behind her and grabbed her arms. He pinned them behind her and cuffed them together. “Why, why did you do that to him?”

  Lexi grinned and replied, “I helped him understand some crucial things.”

  “What?”

  “Adam now understands what no means.”

  December 4, 2014

  “Wisdom is nothing more than healed pain.” – Robert Gary Lee

  Downtown San Diego, CA

  As Lexi walked through the downtown jail parking garage, she did so with her head held high, swagger in her step and a grin that told the world she didn’t give a shit.

  “What is so funny?” Carey asked angrily.

  “Nothing is funny, well, maybe seeing Adam’s face split in half.”

  “Lexi, this isn’t funny. You hurt him severely, and just because you’ve been let out on bail doesn’t make this go away, you do understand that, don’t you?”

  Lexi heard Carey loud and clear, but she didn’t care. She had a good case and she planned on using self-defense as the reason why she attacked him. “He had it coming.”

  Carey stopped her and said, “That might have been true, but there are witnesses to the last hit. That wasn’t necessary, that wasn’t self-defense.”

  A car horn blared.

  They both looked and scooted out of its way but not before Lexi flipped her middle finger at them.

  Carey smacked Lexi’s arm and scolded, “What are you doing?”

  “Fuck them, fuck everyone. All these zombies out here in a hurry to go nowhere,” Lexi declared.

  “What has gotten into you?” Carey asked.

  Lexi looked at her and said, “Sorry you missed your flight, but I’m happy you’re still here.”

  Carey found it impossible to stay angry with her older sister. “Well, it’s not like I have a job to go back to, and school, I kinda hate it. Don’t tell Mom that, though.”

  They both continued to slowly walk towards Lexi’s car.

  “You don’t have to worry about that, little sis, you know I don’t talk to her. Oh, that reminds me; please tell me you didn’t say anything to her about this.”

  “I might have said a word or two…”

  “NO!” Lexi bellowed.

  “Ha, just kidding, I know you wouldn’t want me to, so of course I didn’t,” Carey r
eplied and put her arm around Lexi. “You have me worried, though.”

  “I’ll be fine. Don’t you worry about me.”

  “I normally don’t,” Carey said.

  They reached Lexi’s car and stopped short of getting inside.

  “Believe me when I say that I know my legal troubles could be daunting, but that asshole deserved everything he got.”

  “I’m sure he did, but you beat him so badly, that’s not like you,” Carey said, unlocking the car.

  Lexi opened the passenger side and got in.

  Carey started the car and was about to pull out when Lexi stopped her. “Thanks for bailing me out.”

  “Of course, you’re my sister. We look after each other,” Carey replied with a gentle smile.

  Lexi cocked her head and returned her sister’s smile. “How about we take advantage of your extra day and go celebrate.”

  “What exactly are we celebrating?” Carey laughed.

  “Do we need an excuse? How about we celebrate that there’s one less asshole in the world today.”

  “I can do that.” Carey laughed and pulled her ponytail out, letting her shoulder-length brown hair fall. She scratched her head and checked her looks in the rearview mirror. “Where to?”

  “How about Nunu’s? It’s just up the street,” Lexi said happily.

  “We can’t go too big tonight, though, I have to be at the airport early,” Carey said, reminding Lexi of her new flight arrangements.

  “Just because I beat the hell out of some rapist doesn’t mean I’m no longer responsible. I’ll be up bright and early and get you to the airport.”

  “Good, then let’s get this party started,” Carey said joyfully and hit the accelerator.

  The car jumped from the parking space and squealed as she turned hard out of the parking garage.

  Lexi and Carey sat on their barstools, motionless, as their eyes were glued to the events unfolding on the television that hung behind the bar.

  “Another attack,” Carey sadly said.

  “Another day, another attack,” Lexi half joked. She looked around the bar and noticed half the patrons weren’t paying attention even though the bartender and owner had turned the music off and turned up the volume of the televisions. “No one gives a shit,” Lexi said.

  “That’s not true.”

  “Turn the music back on!” a guy hollered from a table near the back.

  “You see, Carey, point made right there,” Lexi said, waving her hand and pointing towards the man.

  “People are dead. Show some respect!” Carey barked.

  “What did I tell you, people really don’t give a flying fuck,” Lexi stated then took a big drink from her cocktail.

  “I can’t believe it, these things keep happening. There’s like something every other day it feels like. You suppose we’re safe here?” Carey asked.

  “We’re fine,” Lexi replied.

  “It just freaks me out,” Carey said, her eyes frozen on the horrific aftermath of the bombings in Seattle.

  “You’ll be fine.”

  “Maybe I shouldn’t fly tomorrow.”

  “Don’t be so scared. I don’t think they’ll try to hijack a plane again. Plus, why do something that requires more coordination when you can just blow up delivery trucks or shoot people in a mall?” Lexi said, referring to the tactics now deployed by the terrorists. The days of sophisticated and well-choreographed attacks were gone, they simply blew up trucks with explosives or ran into heavily crowded places and began shooting people.

  “She’s right,” a booming male voice said behind them.

  Lexi turned and saw Jeff, the security guard, standing there.

  “Looks like they’ll let anyone into this place,” Lexi joked.

  “Ha, this coming from the chick who mercilessly beat a man with a stapler,” Jeff joked.

  Carey looked at Jeff and smiled. “Who’s this?”

  “Oh, yeah, that’s right. Um, Carey, this is Jeff. Jeff, this is my little sister, Carey.”

  “Hi,” Jeff said.

  “Nice to meet you.”

  Getting right to the point, Jeff asked, “Tell me, Carey, what do you think about what happened yesterday?”

  Carey smiled and looked at Lexi. “I’ve known my sister all my life, obviously, and never have I seen her do something like that. I know she’s intense but not fucking crazy.”

  “You should’ve seen it,” Jeff said.

  “You saw it?” Carey asked.

  Lexi shook her head but couldn’t stop the toothy grin from appearing on her face.

  “Yeah, we work at the same place,” Jeff answered.

  “I don’t think we work at the same place anymore,” Lexi quipped.

  “That’s probably true.” Jeff laughed. “So how you holding up? I didn’t think I’d run into you here of all places. You’re not much for dive bars.”

  “I’m an ex-con now, so the environment fits my new lifestyle,” Lexi said.

  Jeff ordered a drink and took a seat next to them at the bar.

  Lexi knew Jeff but only through after-hour company parties or business social events. Being part of the security department, Jeff’s hours weren’t consistent, so he’d see her now and then. In the two years she worked at Bio-Gem, she had engaged Jeff in short bursts of conversation, nothing deep or meaningful. She found him ruggedly good looking and appreciated his good manners and polite demeanor.

  He was a big guy, standing over six feet two inches, and was very muscular. After leaving the Army three years before, he went to work at Bio-Gem as he put himself through community college on the G.I. Bill. He was born and raised in El Cajon, a small city east of San Diego. He came from a poor family and with no money to go to school, he chose the Army to help pay for his education. After doing a four-year stint, he got out and came home. He had been in Afghanistan but had never seen combat. As an administration clerk, he spent all of his time on base, and when not working he was at the gym.

  “So tell me something,” Jeff said to Lexi.

  “What?” Lexi said.

  “Did you take some kind of specialized training?”

  “Nope,” she answered, taking a swig of her drink.

  “I’ve just never seen a woman kick a man’s ass like that, it was impressive. By the way, you’re kind of a hero at the company, especially among the women.”

  “Should I go back and give autographs?” Lexi joked.

  “I’ll be your manager,” Carey piped up.

  “And you can be my bodyguard,” Lexi said to Jeff.

  “Sweetheart, I don’t think you need one.”

  The bartender stepped in front of them and set down three shot glasses.

  “What’s this?” Lexi asked.

  “Tequila shots on the house. I overheard what happened to you,” he said, pouring three full shots of Patron.

  “One for you too, on me,” Lexi said.

  “On you or on you?” the bartender joked and slapped down another shot glass.

  Lexi shot him a look.

  Jeff and Carey both stared, wondering what Lexi would do.

  Lexi grabbed her glass and a lemon slice; she kept staring at the bartender and said, “The last guy who got frisky with me ended up in the hospital.”

  “Just joking is all,” the bartender replied.

  Lexi’s stern look melted away. She called out, “Cheers, you all.”

  “Cheers!” the rest said in unison.

  They all tapped their glasses and downed the shots.

  Lexi slammed the glass on the bar. From the corner of her eye, she saw the harrowing scene still unfolding in Seattle. The blinking and flashing lights of fire trucks, ambulances and police cars lit the area in front of the stadium. The thick black smoke was still pouring from the massive structure. On the bottom of the screen information scrolled. ‘HUNDREDS FEARED DEAD, DOZENS MISSING AND HUNDREDS MORE WOUNDED’. For a brief moment she thought about those people who had died today. Somewhere families were just finding out ab
out their lost loved one while she sat drinking and celebrating. She pushed the melancholy thoughts from her mind. Tonight she wanted to have fun; she didn’t want to think about death or terrorism. Tonight was her night and she planned on making the most of it.

  She looked at Carey. A warm feeling came over her. She loved her so much. Their relationship was different than other siblings. Not only did Lexi love her as a sister, she cared for her like Carey was a child. Many horrible things had occurred in their childhood home after their father had died, but Lexi made sure to keep her safe and unaware.

  She reflected on what she had done to Adam, and even she was surprised by the ferocity she’d displayed. Adam had broken the dam of pent-up and bitter emotions. She knew she couldn’t go back and she had to be honest with herself, it had felt good. There was pleasure in what she did. She had done drugs a few times in her life, but nothing before had given her a high or rush like that. It was intoxicating and she wondered if it would change how she dealt with people going forward, specifically men.

  Her future was uncertain, but she’d worry about that another day. “Hey, what’s your name?” she asked the bartender.

  “James.”

  “Do you mind changing the channel?”

  “Um, I kinda want to know what’s happening.”

  “Oh, come on, that’s so depressing,” Lexi said.

  James looked at her puppy-dog eyes and relented. “Fine.”

  He grabbed the remote and tuned it to a sports channel. “That good?”

  “Perfect!”

  She looked at her sister and Jeff. They were having what sounded like a fun conversation. Turning her attention back to James, she cried out, “Bartender, line up another round. We’re partying tonight!”

  December 5, 2014

  “From the end springs new beginnings.” – Pliny the Elder

  Solana Beach, CA

  Carey inhaled deeply and sat up as if an electrical shock had woken her. She looked around the small condo clearing her eyes. The mid morning sun was peeking through the blinds telling her she was late. She leapt from the couch, her bed for the past week, and began to get dress. “Lexi! Get up, wake up. We’re late!” Carey yelled as she scrambled around the small one-bedroom condo, getting dressed.