Hammer of the Gods

by B. D. MacCallum

  Three crew members appeared through the side door, guns drawn. When they saw what was happening, they lowered their weapons and stared. Damn, but this ship has become a strange place to live after Vali died! Bryndis keeps Thor closer than a tattoo, and Julia fires the coolest crew on Earth and replaces them with these scary-ass motherfuckers.

  Mikki couldn’t hear everything Thor and Christelle were saying, but it had to do with Christelle’s dead brother Robert. Yes, Mikki knew Christelle’s past, as did most of everyone onboard. If it was supposed to be this big secret, the least they could’ve done was call Christelle by another name. Mikki could get the internet on her fucking phone, for God’s sake!

  Mikki got a good look at the knife on the counter before Bryndis slid it behind her back. If it wasn’t the same goddamned thing Robert drove into Christelle’s shoulder before she split the bastard’s head in two, it was an exact copy. Now, someone was scaring the shit out of her with it! Who would do that to Christelle? It didn’t take long to come to a conclusion.

  Thor scanned the room, his eyes filled with pain and rage. No, there was more than rage in those beautiful blue eyes, there was hatred that only blood would quench. He’s gonna kill whomever did this! Thor’s fingers flashed: “Where’s Lindsay?”

  Just the bitch that came to my mind. Bryndis and I said that cunt was going to be nothing but trouble! Why doesn’t that idiot ever listen to anyone?

  Mikki headed straight for Lindsay’s room, Bryndis so close behind they nearly got tangled. This was going to be fun! Mikki had been praying for the chance to punch that smug cunt in her goddamned mouth. Too bad Christelle had to get scared shitless for it to happen. Christelle is one of the finest people Mikki had ever met. If Lindsay had anything to do with that fucking knife, Mikki would make her pay!

  Iona was rushing toward them from the opposite end of the corridor. Mikki didn’t have time for this shit. There was a small window of opportunity to do what needed doing, before Thor got Christelle settled down and used Lindsay to remodel the ship.

  “Iona, take Else and Jennifer for a drink in the lounge,” Mikki said quickly.

  Iona looked surprised. “Why?”

  “Because I love you girls like sisters.” Mikki half smiled. That didn’t hurt half as bad as she thought it would. “When the day comes, you can honestly say you have no idea what happened today.”

  Iona shook her head. “I’m mute I can’t say anything.”

  Else cleared her throat. “Ich spreche kein Englisch,” she said with a devilish grin, fingering the holstered pistol grip.

  Jennifer gave a sad smile. “Who would believe a drug smuggler, anyway?”

  Mikki nodded. “Blood and otherwise?”

  “Always!” the women replied in unison.

  The door to Lindsay’s room crashed open in a shower of splintered wood. The former MMA champion rushed in, catching the wide-eyed Lindsay in the chest with a kick with such force it surprised Mikki herself. The dirty-blonde- haired bitch flew several feet before crashing into the dresser, falling to the floor like a sack of flour.

  In a flash, Mikki had her knee in the whore’s back, pulling her head up by the hair with force. Lindsay coughed and wheezed as blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. Good! I hope I broke your fucking ribs!

  Mikki never really understood her utter hatred of Lindsay; maybe it was the fact the whore used her sad story on Thor, like she was the only one in the world with one. Hell, everybody’s got a sad, fucking story, Thor more than others! It might be Lindsay’s strong resemblance to Leeza Ortega, the last woman Mikki faced in the ring. Either way, Mikki didn’t care. She could’ve spent months searching for the cause; but the way she figured, a meteorologist and a complete dolt both get wet standing in the rain; knowing what makes it rain is irrelevant.

  Iona rushed forward, handcuffing Lindsay’s hands behind her back with practiced expertise. Those cuffs are probably still warm from Iona’s week-long sexcapade.

  Bryndis knelt before the cunt, placing the chef’s before her eyes. “We need to talk.” The words were colder than the North Atlantic in winter.

  Else helped Mikki get Lindsay to her feet. The bitch struggled to get free; a few punches in her mouth from Mikki put an end to that. Please, give me more excuses to hit you!

  Iona led the way to the aft hold behind the engine room. It was out of the way, noisy, and dark: the perfect place for what was about to happen.

  Mikki shoved Lindsay through the doorway. Iona wasn’t kidding about this place; it smelled musty, the stacks of boxes had an inch of dust on them, what few florescent tubes that came on were covered in a layer of dust. The vibration from the engines was nice though. Given different circumstances, and the right guy, this room had promises.

  That’s probably why Iona knew about it!

  Mikki shoved Lindsay onto a wooden crate, grabbed a handful of Lindsay’s hair, and leaned close. “Why?” she asked cold as ice. “Why would you do that to Christelle? What did that woman ever do to deserve that?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Lindsay said frantically. Well, at least the whore had the good sense to lie. Too bad she wasn’t very convincing.

  Mikki’s fist crashed into Lindsay’s cheek, creating a gash that oozed blood. “Liar!” Mikki screamed. Lindsay’s eyes began to flutter. “No you don’t,” Mikki said, shaking the slut. “You pass out when I say you can.”

  “It was just supposed to be a joke,” Lindsay said, grimacing at the pain.

  A joke?

  “I know a funnier one,” Else said rushing toward the seated woman, her gun drawn. It took a great deal of effort from Bryndis, Iona and Jennifer to keep the German woman from getting to Lindsay. Else pulled the hammer back on the .45 caliber pistol. “You’ll just love the punch line!”

  “Not yet,” Bryndis said coldly. “We just found the key to unlock many mysteries.” She released Else, hovered over Lindsay a second, then drove the point of the chef’s knife deep into the crate between Lindsay’s thighs. “What else have you done?”

  “What is the meaning of this?!”

  Mikki looked up to see Nwabudike stepping toward them; the man’s coal-black eyes falling on each woman as he moved from the shadows. Mikki cringed; being in the same room with Nwabudike Adeyemi was like standing near Death itself. The stone-faced Nigerian stood as still as a statue, waiting for an answer. Death is patient, after all!

  Bryndis turned to face the man, squaring her shoulders, meeting Nwabudike stare for stare. “She’s responsible for what happen to Christelle, and I want to know why.”

  Mikki swore she felt the temperature of the room drop by twenty degrees.

  The dark-skinned man’s eyes fell on Lindsay, then back to Bryndis. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his marlin spike knife the crew uses to loosen knots. He extended the long, tapered spike end, then handed it to Bryndis. “There is a nerve at the elbow.” He demonstrated on Bryndis’ arm. “She will tell you everything you need to know.”

  He tuned without another word, and slipped from the room as silently as he entered. Shapes moved in the shadows, and three more crewmen went through the door. Mikki wouldn’t have been surprised to see horned demons, or Hellhounds trailing after Nwabudike. She often wondered where his pale horse was hidden onboard.

  I’m glad I never met his sister in the ring!

  Bryndis studied the knife for a second, then turned to Lindsay.

  “No one was supposed to get hurt; he promised!” Lindsay said quickly.

  “Who promised?” Bryndis asked, leaning closer, that sharp spike glittering menacingly in the low light.

  “I don’t know,” the bitch replied.

  Mikki put her foot in the middle of Lindsay’s back, then pulled on the handcuffs until the pig-fucking whore screamed. Who’s your mama, Bitch?! If she couldn’t get Lindsay to talk, then she’d let Bryndis going crazy with that knife.

  “I don’t know!” Lindsay screamed. “He… He… AAAAAH!”

/>   Mikki released the cuffs.

  Lindsay moaned. “A few hours after we left Greece, a phone in my purse rang. I don’t know how the phone got there; someone must’ve slipped it in. The guy on the phone said he’d pay me ten thousand dollars to tell him where we were going next.” She looked up at Bryndis. “I thought it was a joke. I said Sicily, the man hung up. When we got there, I got a call, telling where the money was.”

  Bryndis backhanded Lindsay. “Thor almost got killed in Sicily, you stupid cunt!”

  “I didn’t know,” Lindsay said, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.

  “You wouldn’t,” Mikki said with a slap to the back of the whore’s head.

  Bryndis’ eyebrows rose. She turned to Mikki. “You knew?!”

  “Sugah, please. Why does everybody think I’m some backwoods, banjo-playing, retard?” Mikki grabbed a handful of Lindsay’s hair. “My guess, this cunt told our mystery man, every stop we’ve made since Greece.”

  “Does he know where we’re heading?” Bryndis asked.

  Lindsay shook her head. “I don’t even know where we’re going!”

  “Thank the Gods for small favors,” Bryndis said quietly. “You knew about Christelle, before you planted the knife, didn’t you?”

  The fucking whore hung her head. “Yes.”

  Iona rushed forward, kicking Lindsay in the ribs before anyone could react. Her hands flashed too fast for Mikki to read, but she got the gist.

  Mikki slapped Lindsay. “How much have you made from all this?”

  “Two hundred thousand,” the Bitch answered quietly.

  “My wardrobe is worth more than that,” Jennifer said.

  Lindsay looked Jennifer in the eye, pure hatred showing through like the sun on a clear day. “Thor never gave me any money. What’d you have to do for it? Let me guess: lock your ankles behind your head?”

  Mikki came down hard with her elbow, dislocating Lindsay’s shoulder with a loud pop. “You stupid, pig-fucking, piece of shit! You’re too ignorant to realize the last meal you paid for was before you met Thor. He took you in – despite my objections – and gave you everything. Most people would show some sort of gratitude, but not you. You repay his kindness with betrayal!”

  “Für geld!” Else added. “Welsche art von hure sind sie?”

  “Else thinks you’re a money-grubbing, whore,” Mikki said, ignoring the astonished looks from the other women. “I agree!”

  The cunt outlived her usefulness. The others may have had reservations as to what would happen after the talking was over, but not Mikki; she always knew what the final outcome would be. Best to get it over with before Thor finds them. That man didn’t need to carry the weight of a killing on top of everything else on his back. Mikki met each woman’s eye; they nodded on by one, grim determination on their faces.

  “I’ll do it,” Jennifer said, surprising everyone. Mikki honestly didn’t think the Ausie had it in her. I guess being called a prostitute changes your perspective.

  Lindsay began to sob uncontrollably. “Please don’t. please!”

  Good! She knows what’s coming. I’d hate for it to be a surprise.

  “It would bring me joy to do it!” Else stepped forward, raising the pistol.

  “NOOOO, ple – “Lindsay cut off as Mikki slipped an arm under her chin, breaking her neck with a sudden jerk.

  Mikki let Lindsay’s lifeless body fall to the floor, the other woman staring at her lifeless form in silence. Mikki knew Else would be fine – that woman has gone through some shit. The other women held brave faces, but reality would hit them later, in the darkness of their rooms. They may even cry and regret being part of this mess, but not Mikki; this wasn’t the first whore she’s intentionally killed. This one just happened outside the ring.

  Mikki rolled Lindsay’s body in a dusty tarp. Iona ducked from the room, returning with a length of heavy chain for weight. Good girl! They wrapped the chain around tightly, fastening the loose ends with removable links.

  “Did you learn all you needed to know?” Nwabudike asked, causing the women to jump out of their skins.

  Shit. How does he do that?

  “Yes,” Bryndis said quietly.

  “Good,” Nwabudike said, holding out his hand.

  Bryndis stared Nwabudike in the eye. Damn, but that woman’s got nerves of steel! “She’s dead,” Bryndis said, placing the knife in the man’s hand.

  Nwabudike put the blade into his pocket. “There was never a doubt she would be otherwise,” he said, unblinking. “Her cabin has been scrubbed- clean, and the door is being repaired.”

  Two men appeared from the shadows, snatched Lindsay’s body from the floor, then left the room without so much as a glance at the rest of the women.

  “There should’ve been a sum of money in her room,” Bryndis said. “Keep it.”

  Repulsion washed over Nwabudike’s face, vanishing as quickly as it came. “The money, along with the rest of her possessions, are no longer onboard this ship. If my men and I required monetary compensation for our services, there are a great deal of opportunities elsewhere in the world.” He nodded to the women, then retreated from the room.

  Mikki wondered if she had the same dumbfounded look on her face as the rest of the women wore on theirs.

  “Nennt mich verrückt,” Else said absently, her eyes on the doorway. “But I’m starting to like that man.”

  “You are crazy, Sugah,” Mikki snorted, placing an arm over Else’s shoulder. She nodded. “But that’s okay, so are the rest of us.”

  * * *

  Julia smith’s deep- brown eyes scanned the horizon, then studied the radar screen once more before making a few adjustments to their course. There was a ship miles off, but avoiding being seen would be easy enough. especially for Mjölnir. She gave the console a gentle pat, chuckling softly.

  She took a sip of coffee – laced with fine Jamaican rum – and smiled. Part of her wanted to skim just close enough to the other ship to cause a stir among their crew.

  Years ago, she would’ve done just that, and more! No one told her what to do then; she gave the orders to others that were obeyed without question, or they didn’t live to regret their decision not to follow them. The Ebony Obeah – She had the first man to call her that tortured half to death, before killing him herself. The name stuck, nevertheless. – ruled her crew with an iron fist.

  There was one exception: Thor one man fool enough to defy her; a smug, white bastard with sky-blue eyes and brightest smile she had ever seen. It would’ve taken a slight twitch of her finger, and the .45 she had pressed against his forehead would’ve snuffed out his life like a candle. “You’ll take nothing from me,” the man said. “But, give me one kiss, and I’ll give you anything you desire.”

  It must’ve been from lack of sleep, she was drunk, or both, but she kissed him. She nearly took a bullet in her leg, when the gun slipped from her hand and hit the floor. Mercy, but that man could kiss!

  Until that very moment, life had been easy; take what you want and move on to the next sucker. Care about nothing, or no one. If she knew all those years ago, one little kiss would turn her life upside down, she would’ve… I would’ve ripped his clothes off, and let him take me right there in that East-Berlin night club!

  Her smile faded, and she forced herself not to tear-up like a schoolgirl. I miss you, Vali, she thought.

  Julia tried for years to hitch a headfast to that man, but Vali refused to marry her. He would be hers forever, but they could never marry. He said his family was cursed, and it was the only way – outside of leaving her altogether – to keep her safe.

  The old man was right: his family is cursed. But, just because you’re not the one to die, doesn’t mean you’re safe. Vali taught her unconditional love, not just to receive it but give it as well. It tore her to pieces when Baldur and Gabriel died; it was worse when Chelsea was murdered. Vali’s death came as no surprise; she always knew he would die trying to fix things for Thor. Now, Thor was al
l she had left; losing him would be the end of her world.

  She laughed in spite of herself. She wondered what any of her old crew – if any of them are still living – would think to see her now: a graying old woman, still pining over her dead man, and fussing over his family to boot!

  She stroked her face. She wasn’t that old, was she? She still had her looks. Granted, she wasn’t the raving beauty that could stop traffic as she bent over to pick up a glove anymore, but she hadn’t tried in years, either.

  The door closed behind Nwabudike Adeyemi, and the young man came closer. “Lindsay Kennedy is dead,” he said matter-of-factly, staring out at the ocean.

  “Tank you, Nwabudike,” Julia said, quietly. “Her tings?”

  Nwabudike gave her a sideways glance, obviously irritated. “It is as if she never existed.”

  Julia kept an eye on the position of the other ship. “I want ya ta go to dis shithole wit Thor.” She turned to meet Nwabudike’s stare. “Do not forget, he is my grandson.” Nwabudike was one of the few people on Earth to know who she really is – Or was; that was a lifetime ago – and the implications of what would happen by letting her down.

  “You have made that fact abundantly clear.” Nwabudike turned to leave.

  “Ya forgetin’ someting?”

  Nwabudike placed a bottle of Jamaican rum on the console. “The first time Lindsay stepped onboard, you said Michelle would kill her. How did you know?”

  Julia made a few sight adjustments. If her calculations were correct; Mjölnir would appear just on the horizon of the freighter. Hopefully, someone was watching. “Because, no matter how hard ya try, ya can never change who ya really are!”

  She sighed when Nwabudike left. In the old days, she would’ve swept in like a storm, taken everything of value, and been gone in a flash. Maybe she would’ve shot someone just to keep the fear of The Ebony Obeah – God, I hate that name! – in their hearts. Now, Julia Smith’s thrills came from speeding in a ship that shouldn’t run this fast, and hearing stories of a mysterious ghost ship on the horizon.