Blood for Blood

by Simon Smith-Wilson

  Chelsea returned her attention to the street.

  Kerry’s house was just ahead.

  Her friend wouldn’t be home for hours, but Travis might be.

  If Kerry came home first, she would talk to her and learn where he was staying, but if Travis came home first, then Kerry would never have to know what happened here.

  The stakeout had started.

  ***

  Silence greeted her. It was like she was having some kind of out of body experience. Jillian wasn’t really sure what was happening anymore. This whole week had been one long nightmare. She was half-expecting something else to go wrong. Her eyes explored the V.I.P suite on the top floor of the Riggs Hotel. This was her home for as long as she needed. Marcus Riggs had given it to her, for free. Servants had brought up expensive clothes, jewellery and a wide variety of food. Everything she needed was laid out before her. It felt unreal. Marcus Riggs had offered her a business deal. He wanted her to invest her late husband’s money into North City and find a home here. She had always been looking for a place she could call home. She had always been looking for somewhere she could have a peaceful life, free of dirty and disgusting men. Had she finally found it?

  Jillian broke down into tears.

  ***

  Plans were already in motion. There was so much to do. Thinking about something and actually putting that thing into action were two separate entities. Kerry was finally able to plan for the future. It was a future outside of North City and away from Travis. The moment she got home the packing would begin. River had informed her that the company wanted her ready to move in two weeks. The sheer volume of things that needed to be done was incredible. The internal list within her mind was growing longer and longer with each passing second, but it wasn’t a daunting list. It was a list to happiness.

  Kerry paused in her shelf stacking, as River’s voice came over the speaker system.

  ‘The store will be closing early today,’ announced River. ‘All employees will receive full pay, but could everyone grab their belongings and meet at the back door. Thank you.’

  Kerry practically skipped down the aisle.

  This was a turning point in her life.

  ***

  Ariel giggled, as she held up her hand. The world felt as if it was moving. Bright colours danced across her line of sight. Euphoria consumed her, as she lay naked in the centre of the bed. The room could have been on fire, and she wouldn’t have noticed. On the peripheral of her hearing, she could hear a noise. Unconsciously, she turned her head and looked out through the open door. Karl was holding Alisha up in the air, shaking her profusely, whilst he screamed in her face. The child continued to cry, fuelling Karl’s rage. Ariel didn’t care. Her eyes returned to the floating hand, and the beautiful rainbow stretched out across the ceiling.

  ***

  Doubt was starting to find its voice. A chair had been pulled into the hallway, facing the front door. Danny waited, sitting in the darkness of the house. The handgun was placed on his lap, ready to be drawn at a moment’s notice. The longer he waited, the more nervous he was becoming. Danny usually acted first and thought about things later. Over thinking the situation was starting to do his head in.

  ‘Fire as soon as he comes in,’ he muttered.

  ‘Don’t hesitate, just fire.’

  ***

  The engine hummed, as the heater kicked out hot air, but that wasn’t doing very much to keep them warm. It was time to change tactics. Chelsea flicked open her handbag and rummaged through the contents. Her old front door key was somewhere in there. The house would be warmer than the car.

  ‘Yes!’

  She found the key.

  ‘Right, baby girl, let’s get you indoors,’ said Chelsea, but little did she know the danger inside.

  ***

  Her expression was unsettling. Beauty had been swept aside by a concoction of expressions consisting of determination and worry. Marcus tuned out to the noise of his advisors, as Melissa glided around his desk and lowered those kissable lips to his ear.

  ‘North City News is reporting gunfire and explosions in West Valley.’

  ‘How serious is it?’ he whispered back.

  ‘It is very serious. Five mosques have been burnt down overnight. President Lloris was the one that ordered the destruction of the mosques. The Muslim faith is out in force. President Lloris has had to leave the capitol, as military have taken to the street.’

  Marcus sat in his chair, inhaling a long and thoughtful breath. It was only a matter of time until something like this happened in the religious hotbed that was West Valley, a small nation born from the Old United States. Scenarios played out like a movie projector within his mind. The Muslim faith was heavily blamed for the Great War that disfigured the Earth and wiped out ninety percent of the human population. President Lloris was no fan of any religion and was driven to stamping out such stupid ideology. The world powers would throw their weight behind either President Lloris or the Muslims that were blamed for things that happened before they were born. South City would support the Muslims. Marcus knew this. South City supported all forms of religions and welcomed them into their city. South City would never support North City. John Riggs Senior would see to that. New Japan could go either way. The United Islands would be pro-President Lloris, but were currently anti-North City due to the aircraft being shot down. The dozen other remaining cities on the planet would support the winning side. The remains of the Russian Federation would throw their support behind Lloris. Port Heaven would support the Muslim victims.

  Who would Marcus throw his weight behind?

  He needed allies.

  North City needed allies.

  ‘Get me President Lloris on the phone.’

  ***

  ‘Are you sure about this?’ asked Ariel.

  Alisha had stopped crying completely by this point.

  ‘It’s safe, trust me,’ Karl pressed the syringe up against her arm.

  ‘I don’t know if I should.’ Ariel tried to move, but her body felt so lifeless. It was a combination of the come down from the lust dust, but also from being fucked so hard for so many hours. She felt like she had been swimming in the ocean for days, every single muscle ached. Ariel gasped, as the needle pierced her skin. The impact of this additional drug was instant. It felt like her mind was being sucked straight out through her eyes. Every single colour appeared brighter than before. The world seemed to spin, twirl, twist and bend. Her heart thumped like a drum in her chest, threatening to break through her ribs. It was hard to catch her breath. She clawed at the bed sheet, as her back arched up. An explosion of delight erupted from between her thighs. It was the orgasm of all orgasms. Ariel came so hard, but she hadn’t even been touched. It happened again, and she cried out. Every single muscle in her body was going tense. She never wanted this feeling to end. This was the greatest feeling on earth.

  Karl got on top of her.

  His dirty smile said it all.

  It was time to continue where they left off.

  ***

  Green traffic lights offered her right of way, but Malcolm’s old car refused to move.

  ‘Come on,’ willed Kerry, praying that the engine would start.

  She turned the key in the ignition. The engine tried, but nothing of any substance was happening. Headlights flashed by her, as angry drivers beeped their frustration. Kerry sighed. There really wasn’t a lot she could do in this situation. Malcolm’s car was several decades old. It had been doing alright, but the freezing conditions had finally won.

  ‘It’s fine. I have the transfer. Everything is moving in the right direction.’

  She would call one of the local garages when she got home; maybe they could save the car. She only needed it for two more weeks, once they moved to the new town, then there would be no need for it. Usually, something like this would have upset her, but today was a good day. Nothing was going to ruin her mood. Kerry wanted the new job, and she had got the new job. It would take
her ten minutes on foot to finish off her journey, which wasn’t the end of the world.

  ***

  ‘Hello?’ River stepped into the living room and flicked on the lights. The house was a state. It looked in the same messy condition as this morning. Had they gone out shortly after he had? He hung up his coat and tossed his keys into the little pot on the kitchen counter. Where were Ariel and Alisha?

  ***

  The snowy conditions had led to a difficult and slow journey across the city. This would have taken him twenty-five minutes on a good day, but it took nearly an hour today. Travis pulled up outside Kerry’s house, pulled on the handbrake and switched off the engine. The front door to Kerry’s house was ajar. He was out of the car in mere seconds, and that was when he heard it. Two loud gunshots came from within the interior of his former lover’s house and echoed away down the street. A silver revolver materialised in Travis’s hand.

  ‘SAM!’ He roared his daughter’s name, as he ran into the house.

  ***

  ‘Fuck. Fuck. Fuck,’ chanted Danny, as he skidded out into the backyard. ‘I fucking fucked up,’ he cursed, as the back gate bounced off the wall. His legs were going into overdrive, as his boots crunched down on the snow. He didn’t dare look back. Danny had made a mistake. He had taken out the wrong damn person. The target was Travis. He didn’t mean to kill the woman. He just shot the first person that came through the door. ‘Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.’ He sprinted off into the shadows of the night.

  ***

  ‘Eh?’

  Kerry looked at the open front door.

  ‘Shit,’ she cursed, thoughts instantly jumping to the conclusion of a break-in. She headed up the stairs and slowly pushed open the front door. Did she dare go inside? What if the thieves were still there? Maybe she should call someone? Would River come here if she asked him to? Travis was the first name that came to mind. He was more suited to dealing with the rough types.

  ‘No...’ Kerry gasped, as the front door opened fully.

  Travis was sitting in the hallway.

  Chelsea was in his arms. The baby in the car seat was on the floor.

  Her deep brown eyes were wide open, but the lights of her soul were out.

  A pool of blood dripped onto the floor.

  She had been shot through the chest.

  ‘I... I just found her like this,’ said Travis, as he cradled her lifeless body.

  ‘No!’ Kerry screamed out, as she rushed to her friend’s lifeless body. ‘NO! NO! NO! NO!’ Tears fell from her eyes. She shook Chelsea’s corpse, attempting to wake her from this endless sleep. ‘PLEASE! NO. WAKE UP! WAKE UP!’

  ***

  Ariel bounced off the wall, as she practically fell through the front door. Hungry and tired, Alisha cried within her arms. The red head laughed like a mad drunk. She didn’t even bother closing the front door. Swaying, Ariel walked into the front room. River snatched his daughter from her arms. Ariel doubled over the arm of the couch and continued to laugh.

  ‘Oh, baby. Oh no,’ River carried her into the kitchen, the light was brighter there.

  Alisha had a swollen lip, a big cut and dried blood upon her face. Her eyes were red raw; she smelt of shit from where her nappy had not been changed. River pulled out a wet wipe from the on hand stash on the kitchen island and began to clean up her face. Alisha grimaced but allowed her loving father to do it. She looked so frightened and confused.

  ‘Where have you been?’ asked River.

  He glanced back at Ariel.

  She had slumped down onto the living room floor.

  A deranged smile split her lips.

  Her pupils were the size of saucers.

  She had love bites all over her neck, her hair was ruffled, her lipstick smeared. The buttons on her blouse were done up poorly. The top button fitted into the second slot, the second into the third and the third into the fifth. He could see red marks on her knees and legs. Part of her skirt was tucked into her panties. He could tell with a single glance what she had been doing. Ariel had been fucking someone else. She stunk of sex and aftershave. And then she did something that would taint every single memory that the two of them had created. Ariel reached between her legs and began to stroke her most sensitive spot, biting her bottom lip in the process.

  It was such a dirty thing to watch.

  He knew the cause of this.

  ‘You took lust dust?’

  Everyone knew about the spreading concern in the media of the addictive lust dust.

  ‘You have been taking that fucking drug?’

  River put Alisha onto the floor.

  Ariel moaned, as her fingers entered her moist area. Suddenly, she screamed out. Pain sparked across the top of her skull. A firm handful of hair yanked her up off the floor and pulled her to her full height. Ariel attempted to pull away, but that only increased the pain. River dragged her down the hallway, spitting rage.

  ‘How dare you do this to us? How dare you do this to your daughter?’ He flung open the front door and pushed her out into the corridor. Ariel turned and attempted to force her way back in. A strong hand slapped across the side of her face, stunning her. ‘I gave you a second chance. I forgave you for holding our daughter out the fucking window. You were sick. I loved you, and I forgave you, but I will never forgive you for this.’ He grabbed her face, squeezing her jaw, and pinned her up against the wall. ‘Never show your face here again. You are not wanted, do you understand me? Try to get into my home I will fucking kill you.’

  And with that he walked inside, slammed the door and locked it.

  ***

  Danny was sweating buckets, which was saying something due to the arctic conditions currently attacking North City. He breathed deep, as he dragged Elizabeth to the very edge. Cold winds stung his exposed skin, as snow struck him side on. The snow was falling so heavily that he could hardly see in front of him. With a grunt, a groan and big shout he lifted Elizabeth’s dead weight onto the ledge of the roof. This was the final part of the plan. The suicide note would indicate Travis in some kind of plot with the Riggs Crew. Travis learned that Elizabeth knew and took a hit out on her. That was why she had to disappear, but she then went out after Travis. Travis will deny the allegations, but everyone will know that Elizabeth’s suicide was staged due to the gunshot wounds on her torso. This would turn Jasmine against Travis. The plan had fucked up. In an ideal world, he would have killed Travis and made it look like someone else took out Elizabeth, which would remove his mother's most trusted people and instill paranoia into her mind, but this make-shift plan worked, too.

  Danny pushed Elizabeth off the edge of the roof.

  Her body made a satisfying thud as it hit the snow cleared pavement.

  It wouldn’t be long until someone found her.

  The plan had been fifty percent successful.

  ***

  ‘Help me! Please, help me!’ Kerry screamed as she dragged Chelsea out of her own car. Nicola sat in the back seat hungry and scared. Doctors and nurses came sprinting out of the hospital entrance, as Kerry fell down on the icy road. She was covered in Chelsea’s blood. Someone came out with a trolley, as Doctors set to work at saving Chelsea, but it was clear to see that she was already gone. Kerry sat on the cold, wet floor, crying. That was the last time she ever saw Chelsea.

  ***

  ‘I appreciate your support, Mr President,’ said President Lloris. ‘The situation has escalated, but it is not outside of my control.’

  ‘You and your family are safe?’ asked Marcus, holding the phone to his ear.

  ‘Yes. We are in a secret location under the protection of my men.’

  ‘That is good. I will be making a public statement within the next half an hour to announce my support to you. I have one hundred of my best men ready to go at a moment’s notice. I have helicopters in North City airport that can get aid and manpower to you in no time at all. You just tell me what you need, and it is yours.’

  ‘Thank you, Mr President. Aid would be much ap
preciated. The terrorists are causing as much damage as possible, which is turning the general population against them. The captain of my guards is leading a decisive counter-attack as we speak. I need to win this battle with my own men. I have to show these terrorists that I can defeat them, but aid would be much needed once this is all over.’

  The public relations for Marcus would be good, too.

  ‘I will have the aid sent to you A.S.A.P.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘Have you heard from any other nations?’

  ‘No,’ laughed President Lloris. ‘This religious rebellion is a tipping point. Nobody wants a repeat of the Great War, but the religious virus that destroyed our great planet is still alive. South City will declare me a dictator, but my friends in the Russian Federation will support my move. New Japan could follow. This moment is going to change the course of history, Mr President. This is our chance to stop a second Great War before it begins.’

  ‘I agree,’ replied Marcus.

  Someone said something in the background.

  ‘I have to go, Mr President. I thank you for your support. I don’t forget my friends.’

  ‘Good luck, Mr President,’ replied Marcus.

  ***

  ‘How did it go?’ asked Fiona, as Danny pulled her into a side office.

  ‘I fucked up,’ replied Danny, he looked frustrated but was keeping it together.

  ‘What happened?’

  ‘I killed the wrong person. I thought it was Travis, but I got someone else.’

  ‘Did Travis see you?’

  ‘No. He didn’t.’

  ‘Good. And that about the other thing?’ She raised her eyebrows.

  ‘Elizabeth’s suicide has been completed. They will find her body soon enough. We just have to keep our heads down and wait it out. The seeds have been planted. My mother’s empire will crumble all around her. This is the first step to our victory. This is the first step in getting revenge for what they did to my father.’

  ‘What do we do now?’

  ‘What we always do,’ replied Danny. ‘We support the Queen of North City.’

  ***