Power

by Kenya Wright

  Choppa fisted his hands, but kept his attention fixed behind me. The poor Bordello brothers appeared confused and gave him a little room. Maybe they didn’t have any idea what was going on.

  “Here’s the memo to everyone who hasn’t caught up,” I said. “The war hasn’t ended, and it didn’t start with Domingo and Rasheed. That was only the beginning.”

  “And who’s at war?” Butterfly placed her hand on her hip.

  “You and I.”

  “Never. I’m the only woman you’ve ever loved.”

  “Stop it.”

  “And this bitch is nothing!” Before I could stop her, Butterfly charged over the table at Mary Jane, sticking the knife directly into her shoulder. The table fell over, knocking me back. Dishes splattered to the floor. Men ran, but I couldn’t see who.

  “No!” I roared.

  “You crazy, bitch!” Mary Jane shrieked and batted at Butterfly’s hair as the madam stabbed her again. My baby’s blood sprayed out and I fucking screamed bloody murder. Quick, Crusher went to grab Butterfly and probably take her away, but it shouldn’t have been his focus.

  Butterfly’s guard yanked his gun out, targeted Crusher, and pulled the trigger.

  No!

  A bullet ripped through the air. The bang came next. Crusher caught it in his arm. Blood spilled out of the hole and poured down to his hands. Thank, God Crusher was a mountain. One bullet couldn’t take him down. It was the same as a mosquito bite.

  He dove for Butterfly’s man, clasped those huge hands on the side of his face, and did what he’d been named for. Second by second, he crushed the man’s skull with his bare hands. Cracking ensued. Blood sprayed. The poor guy screamed as he died.

  I had no time to process it.

  Mary Jane?

  Someone shut off the lights. Darkness engulfed the restaurant. Light only streamed in from the glass walls and the glow of the ocean waving around the building. It could’ve been one of the twins who turned off lights, but I’d bet it was Hugo ready to take his revenge for his brother. I had no time for that bullshit either. Mary Jane had been stabbed and they were still fighting, I could hear slapping and cursing, shrieking and banging.

  “Mary Jane!” I yanked my gun out of the holster in my jacket and rushed over to where the ladies shrieked and struggled. The scent of blood filled the air. Subtle, but easy to detect since I’d been around it so often.

  Bone cracking continued to fill the air. Once Crusher started, no one could stop him. He’d be focused on that skull until bits of bone fell around his fingers.

  Movement came to my right. Without thinking, I shot.

  “Fuck!” Hugo screamed. A boom came next followed by feet scuffling.

  That’s right. Get the fuck out of here.

  I’d hit Hugo somewhere, but doubted the bullet hit his leg as the elevator binged open. Light spilled in from the opened metal doors. It gave me a few quick seconds to spot Hugo and the twins racing onto the elevator. I checked my right. Both Butterfly and Mary Jane tumbled on the floor.

  “Bitch!”

  “You’ll never have him!”

  “Get off me!”

  “He’s fucking mine! I’ve put in the time!”

  Blood painted Mary Jane’s arms and shoulders, but still she fought for her life. There was no time to think about safety when Mary Jane had been harmed. Everybody would die. Anyone I could get to. Not thinking of the glass walls or that we were under the sea and the pressure in the space could be too much with gunshots, I aimed for Butterfly’s head and pulled the trigger.

  The bullet hit skimmed Butterfly’s shoulder. Screaming, she jumped off of Mary Jane and dove under a table.

  I should’ve killed you long ago.

  The elevator doors slid closed taking the men to safety. I hoped to God Fuji was ready up above us. If he saw the way they were exiting, he’d know something was wrong and they’d be dead.

  Crusher began humming some stupid song. Maybe from Mulan. I didn’t know. It told me he was lost. Someone shot at him. The bullet must have hit his leg, because he fell down, but continued to break the guy’s skull apart.

  Fuck.

  Darkness returned. The staff probably shook in the kitchen. Only Butterfly, Mary Jane, and me moved within the room.

  Get Mary Jane the fuck out of here. Now!

  Crouching on the ground, I got to her small frame. I could barely see. There were more shadows than light. And the whole time the fish swam around the restaurant’s tunnel shaped glass, taking in the stupid humans.

  “Mary Jane?” I whispered.

  Frantic, she got into my arms. Her whole body shook and in that moment, I decided that she would never feel this way again. If I had to bomb a whole city, her heart would never beat this hard against my chest. Her breath would never shift to panting. Tears wouldn’t fill her eyes. Blood wouldn’t spill down another beautiful dress.

  In that moment, I’d realized what all of Crusher’s stupid ass Disney songs were about. In that moment, I’d almost lost her to a knife. In that moment, I’d discovered love and I wouldn’t let it or her go or be so close to danger again.

  Shivering, she held me close. “I’m okay.”

  “No, you’re not. You’re bleeding.”

  “She’s bleeding, too. I beat that bitch.”

  “That’s not the point.” I let her go and put her behind me, readying my gun for Butterfly.

  “She got me in my shoulder a-and. . .”

  The gun rattled in my hand. If I was being truthful with myself, I might’ve said that my hands were shaking as I waited for her to tell me the damage. “Where else did she get you?”

  “I-I got her too.” Her body spasmed behind me.

  Fuck! Focus. I get it. You’re a bad bitch.

  “I-I’m fine,” she whispered. “I got her, too.”

  “No one’s taking score, baby. I only want to know how you are.” Movement occurred on my left and then my right. Butterfly could always move fast. A chair crashed to my right immediately followed by some plates on my left. I kept us defended behind the lifted table, using it to block her attacks.

  The elevator pinged. Either she’d pressed the button or someone was coming down.

  I whispered, “Stay here, baby.”

  Mary Jane said nothing else and I hoped to God that she was just being careful and hadn’t passed out, or even worst.

  Don’t think about it. She’s fine. We’ll get out of here.

  Never before had I held so much horror in my chest. It had been years since my heart even pumped that fast. But I was shaking. It couldn’t be denied. For once in all of these years, Noah the beast of Din City was scared to death.

  The metal doors slid open. Silence ensued. Light spilled into the room. No one moved for several seconds, and still, I kept my gun pointed toward the emptiness inside the elevator.

  Go ahead, Butterfly. Get on. You’re so close to safety. Just run on in there.

  She did. She sped for the door as if she’d heard me. No shoes on. The dress torn at the legs and shoulders. She raced forward and I fucking shot over and over. Bullets carved the air between me and the elevator. I got her in the right leg, but it wasn’t good enough. Other bullets hit the glass walls. Fuck. The foundation shook, or it could’ve been my imagination.

  The doors began to slide close, right as she flew in, leaping into the metal box like an Olympic high jumper soaring over the bar. Rose petals falling everywhere and blood splattering around in the chaos.

  The elevator pinged close, and Butterfly rose to either Fuji’s gun or safety.

  I won’t rest until you’re dead. You better pick out a pretty little dress for your funeral.

  I checked the walls again. A few appeared cracked, but not completely. As expected, the glass was thick, but not bullet proof. I was sure they’d prepared for everything when building the restaurant undersea, but had not readied themselves against gangsters.

  “Mary Jane.” I rushed back to where I’d left her. “Mary Jane?” />
  But my baby wouldn’t answer, she lay lifeless on the ground with blood spilling from her chest, and all I could do was scream for help.

  “Somebody help!”

  For the first time in my adult life, tears actually left my eyes. Never had I cried at a funeral—all of those many black clothing gatherings where some mourned and others plotted. I never cried when I killed people—even the ones who meant a lot to me, like Domingo. I never cried when I’d been shot or stabbed.

  I never cried, until that moment when Mary Jane lay in my arms, still warm, but struggling to stay alive.

  Chapter 17

  Mary Jane

  A moron is riding a very skinny horse.

  Someone comes up and says, “Your horse is at death’s door.”

  “Good,” responds the moron. “That’s just where I was headed.”

  –Philogelos (The Laughter Lover)

  Pain gripped every part of me, but especially in my chest where the knife had burned through me like flames. Everywhere it had sliced, exploded with fire. I could not talk or move, just uncontrollably shake and hope someone would help me. Not able to take it anymore, I closed my eyes and wished I was numb.

  Noah, help me.

  I heard many things—gunshots and footsteps, the pinging of the elevator, the shuffling of feet, and the roar of more bullets. I got it all, but the worst was Noah’s tears. I hated the sound. So full of pain and needing more than I could do.

  Someone hard and warm picked me up.

  Noah?

  More sounds came. Crusher hummed an odd tune and passed out. How many times did he get shot? People cried and shrieked around me. I tried to open my eyes, but couldn’t. I tried to move, but only my fingers did, curling around the person’s hand who I hoped was Noah. At the bare minimum, it had to be a man.

  He carried me as if I weighed nothing. My legs wobbled over his arms. The elevator pinged again.

  “Mary Jane?” He rubbed his lips against my chin.

  Noah.

  He brushed his mouth against mine. “Baby, please be okay.”

  I’m fine. I got her. I stabbed that bitch back. I didn’t know I could do that, but I did it.

  The elevator pinged again. Metal doors screeched.

  More men and women talked around me.

  “Some of the bullets hit the walls!”

  “We’ve got to get out of here!”

  “We should be fine.”

  “I’m not waiting to find out.”

  “Shut up and get on the elevator!” Noah roared and lifted me up a little, placing his head on my chest. “Baby, please be okay. You weren’t supposed to be touched. I didn’t think she would hurt you.”

  Then clearly, you know nothing about women.

  The room went quiet aside from Noah’s pleas and the erratic beats of my heart booming in my ears.

  I’m fine. I’m. . .fine.

  Chapter 18

  Noah

  A moron’s farm is many miles away.

  To bring it closer to the city, he knocks down seven milestones.

  –Philogelos (The Laughter Lover)

  She has to be okay. She has to be okay.

  When the kitchen staff and I got to the top, Mo already had a car running and waiting in front of the elevators. Fuji had his gun out and aimed when the doors opened. When he spotted Mary Jane in my arms, he cursed, put the gun away, came for me, and took her as if I’d ordered it.

  “I’m taking her to the hospital.” Fuji didn’t even wait for a response. What else could I say? His gaze held rage. I knew if anything happened to her, not only would I hurt myself, he’d be there to put his gun in my face. I would accept the death with no problem. Clearly, he loved Mary Jane as much as me, probably more as a brother and sister, at least I hoped for his sake.

  But he did love her, so I let him take her away.

  Outside, hundreds of men stood in the parking lot. Choppa, the Bordello Brothers, and Hugo lay on the ground face down. Five men pointed guns at the back of their heads.

  “Someone get Crusher. He’s fucking holding a skull and shit.”

  He didn’t get any sleep. He’s never good when he doesn’t get any sleep. I hoped he would have let go of the fucking head by now.

  305 walked over to me, right as Fuji and Mo sped away with Mary Jane, and others went down the elevator to bring up Crusher.

  Fuck. Please, be okay, Mary Jane.

  “What the hell happened in there?” 305 asked. “I didn’t know who was responsible so I grabbed everyone coming out of there.”

  “Where’s Butterfly?”

  “I know how you feel about her, so I had JJ take her away to my guy to patch her up.”

  “How I feel about her?” I almost screamed. “What the fuck does that mean?”

  305 raised his hands and backed up. “You always soft with Butterfly and I heard some things. I figured. . .well, look, boss, she’s with J.J. now.”

  “With J.J.?” I asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “Call him.” I stared at my bloodied hands.

  Is that Mary Jane’s blood?

  “What?” 305 pulled out the phone even though I didn’t answer.

  “Check on JJ.” Taking off my jacket and unbuttoning my shirt, I headed over to the four guys. The ones dumb enough to think they could join with Butterfly and go after me. They shook on the ground as expected. Urine drenched the air. The twins had most likely pissed themselves.

  My people flooded the parking lot. There must’ve been fifty of them. I gestured for all of them to come over. Many did with no problem, but I saw a few struggle, before moving as if they weren’t sure what to do. Those few were sprinkled throughout the crowd, but all had that same look. They were scared.

  So Butterfly got to others. Loyal men had no need to fear me, but cowards did.

  “Who has a long blade?” I held my hand out.

  A tall, black dude rushed over to me with a fucking machete.

  “Stand up, Hugo.”

  He remained on the ground, but now he began mumbling some prayer and drooling all over himself as he cried.

  Mary Jane better be okay.

  “Somebody get this motherfucker up.” I slung my shirt and jacket on the ground. Two big guys picked Hugo up and dragged him to me. “Turn him around so he can see the crowd.”

  What is this, God? Some sort of lesson. You give me her and then you take her away? She better be okay. She better fucking be okay or this entire city will pay. The innocent and the guilty.

  “I think that Domingo’s and Rasheed’s deaths have triggered a problem in this organization, when at once, we’d all been happy and at peace.” I stretched my arms and gripped the machete hard. “I want you to all know, as your supervisor, that it is in my best interests to maintain a certain quality of life within this organization.”

  I walked over to Hugo and the the two men holding him up. “Every employee will be treated with the utmost respect.”

  I slammed the machete into his gut. Blood pooled under his shirt and spilled out of the gash. Meat appeared angry red and ripped apart, and Hugo screamed in agony. “Take off his shirt and stuff his mouth. I want to make sure everyone can hear me.”

  They did what I told them and quieted the man.

  When this angry, I had no fear or phobia like the other times. Too much rage boiled through me. In that moment, I was ready to see as much blood as possible. I didn’t give a fuck which one of them sprayed it out the most.

  I told her that she was safe with me and on our first date, she gets stabbed.

  Exhaling, I turned back to the crowd. “Although no one has said anything, I get a sense that people want to do things differently. Am I right?”

  Everyone shook their head no. Even 305, who damn sure had proven his loyalty more times than many. There was something about a bloody machete that made people want to listen more.

  “Oh, good. So morale isn’t that bad.” I nodded. “but just in case,” I returned to Hugo. “Open his jean
s and pull them down.”

  “Excuse me, boss?” One of the men holding him said. “Did you say pull his pants down?”

  “Yes.”

  They did, but neither seemed excited about it.

  “Now,” I swung for Hugo’s crotch, but didn’t let the blade touch it. I needed to get a few good swings in, before taking it there. It was best that I enjoyed this moment. I didn’t want to do the other thing, which was die in agony while waiting to hear about Mary Jane.

  “Please, Noah!” Hugo begged through the cloth. “Just kill me. Just kill me. Please don’t.”

  The guys stuffed his mouth more.

  “It’s too late for pleading, my friend.” I wiped the machete’s blade on his pants and swung it around in my hand. “So employees, my dedicated staff of motivated men. We meet tonight so that I can explain to you that there is an open-door policy in this organization.”

  I got in front of Hugo and yanked down his boxers. It hadn’t been the highlight of the night, but then my week had already gone to shit. His sad little dick dangled and he struggled to get out of my men’s hands. With his bloody shirt in his mouth, he could barely keep out the screams, but at least, everyone could still hear me.

  I placed the blade on the tip of his dick and tapped it over and over as I spoke. “I want you all to stay calm and be assured that there is a grievance procedure in this organization where you can voice your complaints and be heard.”

  I raised the machete in the air and in a flash, I slashed the tip off. That bulbous, meaty thing dropped to the ground along with pink and green gunk and a stream of blood that seemed to never stop. Bile rose in my throat. I turned away from the mess.

  She better be okay.

  The Bordello Twins tried to escape. Other men rushed and held them down. Choppa damn near had an asthma attack, coughing and sneezing on the ground. But poor Hugo was done. At least he would be in a few hours when he bled to death.

  “Tie his hands up and leave him by the shore.” I dropped the machete to the ground. If Crusher had been okay, he would’ve brought me over a wash cloth.