“Get out the Bushmills, Muerto. I’m already jealous of Deke,” Gus said. “Those cretins this morning soured me on everything. We’ve outed them. They’re in our sights. A Bushmills would help tone down the rage leaking out of my ears.”
“Ditto,” Johnny said, accepting his larger than normal shot glass from Nick.
With drinks in hand, the Unholy Trio toasted. “To America… and death to her enemies.”
They clinked glasses in solidarity with Nick’s toast.
* * *
“We can’t do this, Jean!”
Jean smiled at the boy she had smashed to the floor when protecting Jay. “It’s easy, Paul. If you want freedom from being traitors, you have to step up.”
“I’m in,” Sedrick Montrose stated. He looked at Jean, Sonny, and Jay with determination. “I hate this shit. What we did was wrong. Jay’s a good guy. My folks taking money for us to act out sucks. That stuff this morning… it made me feel small… all the time trying to pretend a lie. Ain’t no one threatening us but the gangs back in Columbia Heights.”
“Good, Sed.” Jean patted Montrose’s shoulder. “We’re in the right.”
“Are we good, Sonny,” Sed asked Sonny, who had beat him so fast it had seemed impossible to the boy at the time.
“Jean leads our crew.” Sonny held his hand out to Sed. “We’re with her Dad in all things. We love America. We had our difference. I’m not as receptive as Jean. I trust her judgement in all things. If you turn on her, I will rip your head off, brother.”
Sonny’s statement paused the larger Sed. He hesitated but gripped Sonny’s hand. “Understood.”
“Good,” Jean declared. “What about you, Paul. Step up or step back.”
“Sed’s my friend. I’m in with him in all things.”
“Hey! What the fuck is this!” The other two boys and two girls from the earlier confrontation approached Jean’s new crew. “You Uncle Toms sellin’ us out!”
“Stay back, Manny.” Sonny walked into the confrontation without hesitation. “Sed and Paul are with us now. “Think about what you’re doing. If you start something now, I will kick the shit out of you, and you’ll still be suspended. It doesn’t matter what you do, Jean, Jay, and I will stop you.”
“Fuckin’-” Manny launched a fist, which Sonny grabbed into a face plant on the hallway floor. Manny yelped in agony as he avoided a worse deformity of his face as he turned sideways, preventing his face from meeting the school hall surface.
“I’m called Cracker by my leader,” Sonny stated to the others. “I’m also the enforcer. Join us or leave us the hell alone. Sed and Paul are protected from now on.”
“Your pussy better hide from us!” One of the group said, as they all backed away.
Jean rushed over to grab Sonny. “I got this, Cracker. Watch dipshit here.”
Jean gestured at the boy named Benson. “C’mon, Benjie, you want a piece. I’ll show you my moves, sissy. C’mon and get some.”
Benson attacked, filled with rage, blended into his being, without reason or compassion. Jean dropped at the last second, delivering a groin punch that ended in a screaming Benson in a fetal position. Jean leaped to her feet. “That’s how it’s done, homies. Stay the hell away from us or we will school you. As Cracker told you, Sed and Paul are under our protection! Anything done to them, and we do it to you double!”
The other two girls backed away. Jean’s no hesitation reaction to the challenge filtered into the gut feeling they were in the wrong. The clue of realization, if you don’t believe in something heart and soul, it would be best to avoid it, sent the other two in retreat. Jean straightened, the lessons of her own life on the line, filtering through her every action. She pointed purposely at the remaining two.
“Know this. We won’t back down. We will win, and we will hurt you. If you get your idiot parents involved, my Dad will shoot them in the head! Believe it. He’s a killer beyond your belief. He cares for me and Sonny to the point if you ever find a way to hurt us, he will erase everything you love from existence. Nod and leave if you understand!”
“We…we understand,” the last spokesman said. She and her one companion still standing took care of their fellow schoolmates, never losing sight of Jean and Sonny.
“Join us,” Sed motioned adamantly for the others loudly. “We can do this! Our folks are the sell-outs! I’ve seen the videos of those cop ambushes. When the people riot, all they do is break into stores in their own neighborhoods and steal stuff like when we got sent to El Cajon. Why are we doing this? Paul and I want out!”
Silence from the retreating figures left Sed with fists clenched.
Jean embraced Sed. “Don’t think right now. We’re together. If you have problems at home, call me. “Cracker and I are here for you and Paul no matter what. You two are in our crew. We do right… always. My Dad taught me sometimes we don’t know what’s right. Once guided, we never forget.”
“Those guys your Dad killed last night aren’t family. They get sent along with us, when our folks get paid to move somewhere. We’re like their cover.”
“How many places have you been moved,” Sonny asked.
“El Cajon and Pasadena,” Paul answered. “We came from Washington Highland in DC. Our folks were recruited there.”
Sed held out his hand to Jay. “Sorry for all this.”
Jay shook his hand. “If you need any homework help. I’m a geek.”
Sed chuckled. “I’ll take you up on that. So will Paul. We love it here. I hope to God we don’t get sent somewhere else.”
“Let me talk to my Dad. He will be interested in this moving protestors around the country. Maybe we’ll be able to help in some way.”
* * *
“That is outstanding news, Jean.” Cala walked alongside her while Gus and Johnny had their backs, with Nick walking point with Deke. “You, Sonny, and Jay are quite a team.”
“Now, we have Sed and Paul with us,” Sonny said.
“As Jean told Sed, I am interested in the moveable protestors.” Nick slowed a bit. “So, they move the thugs around with the single mom families, and a couple of two parent ones. They provide cover while instigating racial trouble, and they collect a paycheck for their trouble along with rent free living in nice places. Neato.”
“Did you find out anything, Dad?” Jean giggled at Nick’s terminator face.
“Oh… you so funny, little missy. We found the people providing the paychecks. You and your crew provided us with a missing part of the puzzle. I’m thrilled a couple of the kids see the futility in this behavior, especially when their own parents use them as instigators.”
“Sonny and I kicked the crap out of two punks again. I used the drop, groin punch Lynn uses. I like it a lot on unsuspecting attackers.”
“Great… another Cruella Deville acolyte,” Nick replied.
“Calm down, Betty, your vagina is showing.”
Jean’s use of the same Lynn Montoya Dostiene line Rachel used on him evoked a sighing shake of the head as his other companions enjoyed her rejoinder at Nick’s expense. Nick noticed neither Sonny or Jay entered into the merriment. “Thanks Sonny and Jay, the only two in this group who understand the seriousness of self-defense techniques.”
“Actually, Sir… I didn’t want to get shot in the head,” Jay quipped, drawing raucous amusement from everyone, including Sonny, who worshipped Nick.
“Gee… thanks for that, Predator. What role did you play in today’s information gathering exercise at school?”
“I sorta’ hung back and said, please don’t hurt me.”
“Great,” Nick said as more amusement followed Jay’s off the cuff remark, “another smartass. Just what we needed. I’m thinking more sipping on the deck, watching the fog rolling in. We’ll go get Jay’s folks first. They can eat with us. They can stay with us tonight. I’ll return them to their crime scene tape home in the morning early and take over clean-up.”
“I will attend to the cleaning with you,” Cala vol
unteered.
“I am in too,” Johnny said.
“I’ll supervise,” Gus volunteered. “I will be an active participant on the deck with a Bushmills in my hand though. It’s tedious work… but someone has to do it.”
“We need good food tonight,” Jean said. “I think we should order a pineapple pizza.”
“One of these days, kid… one of these days.” Nick expressed his displeasure for a hated food choice with fist pumping fury. “Pow! Right to the moon!”
* * *
One of the best gettogether parties ever washed over the McCarty household with food, drink, and laughs to accompany the incredible view from Nick’s deck. Pizza with veggie plate was the choice of everyone. Nick allowed the buying of one pineapple pizza, against as he put it, all basic laws of mankind and taste.
The kids adjourned to training with Sonny and Jean showing off their knife handling skills to Jay, introducing him to their chosen sport. The adults remained on the deck. Nick explained how diligent Sonny and Jean were in their knife activities. Having seen a brief demonstration, Dale and Beth Rivers accepted the passion and dedication, only slightly uneasy leaving their offspring in the hands of two proficient potential killers. As Nick explained, kids trained in the old days with firearms, but never went out to haphazardly decimate the population.
Situated in the aftermath of the meal on the deck, Beth remarked, “you write bestselling novels, and assume advisory roles with the US Marshal’s Service, FBI, and CIA. You’re a killer in real life. Does fiction and reality ever screw your head up, Nick?”
Beth’s question silenced everything. Nick shrugged, shifting Quinn to his other shoulder. “I was in Delta Force, still am in a reserve capacity. I kill for my country and in protection of everything I love. Certainly, fiction and reality blend together at times. I never lose track of the difference though. I have guiding influences with the kids, Rachel, and my partners. Gus, Johnny, and Cala work with me in a law enforcement capacity dependent on our differing skills.”
“We’re sorry all of you were drawn into our personal crap,” Dale said. “I don’t know how we would have fared without your help. Thank you.”
“I may have been the end cause of the escalation,” Nick admitted. “There are people who want me dead. We watch each other’s backs, but the reason it’s usually necessary is because of me. If you would like to split away from us, I will issue a directive to my daughter, sometimes known as Viper or the Daughter of Darkness, to back away from their absorbing Jay into their justice crew.”
Beth nodded at Dale, who smiled and gripped her hand. “We want him with Sonny and Jean. We’ve never seen him like this. He works out with every move taught to him. He is in thrall to Jean.”
Dale’s statement provoked hilarity. Rachel added a defining addition. “Jean absorbed Sonny long ago. The two of them together are a cosmic imbalance we handle and dread in some ways. We know they’ll grow up. With the bonding they have cemented in place, all of reality is at risk. The two of them want to join the Marines after high school.”
“Oh, good Lord… Jay mentioned that. We hoped Jay would become a doctor and attend Harvard if we can get him in. He has incredible foresight into the medical genre and enjoys it.”
“He can do a multitude of things, all at once. I had no medical inclination. I had a propensity for languages and sniping. I admit my fascination with Pulp Fiction came later. My advice would be to go full bore into any positive skill or genre Jay embraces.”
“As a pulp fiction author, with your reality background, Beth and I were already awed. The way you killed those guys assaulting us… scared the shit out of us.” Dale made placating motions with his hands. “Please don’t be offended, Nick.”
Cala reached over to pat Dale’s hand. “Stay calm. Nick is not offended. In the presence of a killer, so skilled, as to scare away more official entities, all of us must accept Nick is what he is. His own daughter refers to him as the Terminator, for good reason. The rest of us have embraced that one word description. Believe it and accept we can be many things in life. I was born into the Muslim Death Cult. Nick freed me of it with my husband Johnny and very good friend, Gus. I would kill, maim, and dispose of our enemies at Nick’s asking.”
Cala’s declaration provoked open mouthed disbelief at first, but her earnest delivery altered their perspective. “We have… been frightened of the deeds the Muslims have done in Europe, the UK, and Australia. Are…are they really such a danger?”
Cala patted Beth’s shoulder as they walked. “Much worse. They are mutants, believing in pedophilia, misogyny with female genital mutilation, honor killings as in my case, and the enslavement and murder of others who disbelieve. Islam is a cancer.”
“Jesus… why in the world do the feminists always defend Islam?”
“Because they don’t know Islam or Sharia Law,” Johnny said. “It is impossible to be a feminist and defend Islam and Sharia unless you are suicidal. If a feminist is caught in an area under Sharia Law, it means enslavement or death.”
The security alarms went off suddenly, sending Deke racing with a snarl down to the entryway. Banging on the door sounded with unintelligible shouts. Jean ran to the stairwell as Nick descended.
“One of those guys from the courtroom has Sed with him. It looks like Sed’s been beat-up.”
Nick turned. “I’ll handle this. Stay clear of the doorway. Take the Dekester with you in the back.”
Nick took a Taser gun out of the entryway hutch drawer. He opened the door. The man backed away from the screen as it opened. Nick reached a hand around and shot him with the Taser. He ramped the charge until the man on the porch barely moved in reaction to it. Nick gestured at a stunned Sed.
“Is this your Dad? I recognize him from the school board meeting.”
“No, Sir. He’s one of the guys they shipped here with us. My Mom’s one of the single parents. We had three of these men living with us. The other two are in jail. The other boys told Rafe about what Paul and I did today. He’d been drinkin’. My Mom tried to stop him but he locked her in the storage room. Rafe’s whupped me before. I can take it.”
“Did Rafe drive you?”
“No. He doesn’t have a car. He dragged me along, gettin’ madder every step. We’re only about a mile and a half away. I hoped maybe the walk would sober him, but it just made him worse.”
“Go on inside, kid. I’ll secure Rafe. He’s one of the imported goons you told Jean about?”
“Yeah. He’s been with us since the first move. They recruited Rafe from Columbia Heights. He’s bad mean even when he don’t drink. We stay out of his way when he starts drinkin’,” Sed answered on his way into the house, past the exiting Gus and Johnny. Gus handed Nick a plastic restraint and a roll of duct tape.
Nick restrained Rafe and duct taped his mouth. He saw Rachel at the doorway. “Can you take some pictures of Sed for me? You can clean his face after and give him an icepack.”
“On it.” Rachel went inside.
“What do we do with this chump?”
“I think Rafe can be taken into federal custody right now, so he can answer a few questions.” Seeing Cala at the door, Nick motioned her out. “Have you had much to drink, Cala?”
“Nothing. I am designated driver tonight.”
“Good. The Rivers are staying with us. I’ll need you to drive us to your house. We’re going to allow Rafe to fill in the blanks for us on what exactly happens in this rent-a-mob business.”
“I’ll stay with the family here,” Gus volunteered. “I’m certain you, Johnny, and Cala can handle the question and answer session. I haven’t had the ‘Lucky Lady’ out of port for a week. We can clean the Rivers’ house, take the kids to school, and then take Rafe fishing with us.”
“I believe you have an excellent plan, Gus. Let’s do that.” Nick slapped the groaning Rafe into consciousness. “C’mon, Rafe. Let’s get you into a car. I’m afraid we need to detain you in federal custody. I’m certain you’ll be abl
e to help us understand some details in our investigation.”
Cala moved around to Rafe’s groin with her stun-gun when he began struggling. She fired off an arc. “Cooperate, or I will need to discipline you. It is very painful.”
Rafe stopped struggling immediately. Nick and Johnny helped him to his feet. After they put him inside Johnny’s vehicle, they left Cala to watch Rafe. Inside the house, Rachel cleaned Sed’s face and handed him an ice pack.
“Bring the ice pack with you, Sed. We’ll leave you off at your house so you can unlock your Mom. Tell her we have Rafe and he’s being transported to federal custody. He won’t be returning.”
“Can…can you do that? Won’t they let him loose in a day? You’ll need me to tell what happened.”
“I’ll handle it from here. I may need to return him to Columbia Heights once we finish our investigation,” Nick explained. “I doubt Rafe will be returning, Sed.”
“Good! My Mom will be happy when I tell her. Will those other guys get to stay at our house when the police release them?”
“Not if you and your Mom decide they shouldn’t be there. They have no business being in your home. If your Mom will explain to my friend, Lieutenant Dickerson, what’s been happening, even if they get released, we’ll be able to block them from returning to your house.”
* * *
At Sed’s home, Nick opened the door for him. He rode in the front seat next to Cala while Johnny and Nick bracketed Rafe in the back. “Would you like me to come in with you tonight?”
“Let me explain things to my Mom first. She’ll get freaked out otherwise. Thanks for your help, Nick.”
“Goodnight, Sed. When I walk Jean, Sonny, and Jay to school tomorrow, you can let me know then whether you need me to provide more of an explanation. Stick with the truth tomorrow.”
“I will. I’ll tell Mom not to worry about Rafe. Bye.”
Hell on Earth Page 19
