by E R Landron
“I know you're here! It's easier for you to come out.”, I say.
The wind and some faded music was the only answer I got with some occasional car horns. I continued walking by. Some steps were heard but when I turn around… nothing. A metal hit the air vent and the clothing was gone. Besides it a moving curly hair. I walk towards it. Hannah is sitting with her forearms resting in her knees.
“You might of kill me now pig.”, she says.
She is trembling and tears were almost dried in her eyes. Ezequiel gets close with a distraught expression. Hannah notices his presence and trembles even more. I waive to Ezequiel and he lets go a huge sigh. He does not take his stare from Hannah. His fist told he was ready to fight or to harm her. He took some steps back, but his tense posture made Hannah to stare at his feet.
“Where is the orb Hannah?”, I ask.
“He took it.”
“Kokolite took it?”
“I bet you are the worst detective, huh pig?”
I took a deep breath and hid my gun. I kneel in one leg. I went to put my hands on Hannah but she moves her shoulders.
“What happened?”, I ask.
“Fuck off pig! If you want to tell this brute to kill me already!”, she snaps.
I gesture Ezequiel so that he could give us more space. His face of disapproval says it all but he concedes the request. He steps all the way to the edge of the building. He looks like he’s never seen the lights brighten up the club, cars and the people. "It looks like a feast", he says.
“Why? You think that the getting killed is an answer? Like it or not if something happens to you… maybe you got an easy way out but still, you’ll be the burden of somebody else. "Believe me, I know that.”, I say.
Hannah stops trembling and looks at me more attentive.
“I lost someone that was very dearly in my life... and I blamed myself for being so selfish. I did not attend his funeral. I even blamed God for it too.”, I say.
“So you lost somebody. I lost a clan. They were my family!”
“Yet you look like you have more to lose.”
Hannah cringed.
HANNAH
My mom and brothers pop in my head. I don’t want to admit that this pig is right.
“I can easily get killed by you, or others of your kind. But now what is going to happen... is that someone is going to become more powerful than you... more powerful than Ezequiel and it doesn't look good for any of us if that happens.”, she says.
I kept silent. A minute passes that seemed like a lifetime. The music fades even more and it appears that the wind was our only companion for a moment. I hesitate. She presses her lips letting me space for me to talk.
“Kokolite. He isn't that crazy as I thought... I mean he is a crazy person for what he did. But he is not that bad.”, I say.
Mieke tries to study me. She is listening carefully to my every word, every gesture. I lower my head. Sadness and guilt surround me. I raise my head with fresh tears. I try cleaning some and mess up the mascara that probably runs over my cheeks. Mieke swallows. She keeps quiet. I try to fight the knot in my throat.
“As I got close to the club, I decided to rest a bit. It’s not easy running from Zeek over there. Koko found me, and shoved me against the wall down in the alley of this building. I struggled, yet he knew my next move. He said that my family will lose their protector if I gave them the orb. I see in you they marked your house he said before he took the orb from me. His words were still sounding in my mind. I did not fight back. The sound of losing my family petrified me. I will sacrifice myself so you can learn, he said. I'll show you I'm right he said and started speaking through his mind as he was walking to the club with the orb. He was met by security. All hell broke loose. They started fighting him. He showed me that they were going to kill me if I showed up. I heard their thoughts. I heard their plans for me. He was right. As he fought some guys inside the club their thoughts came clearer. He said he was trying his hardest to maintain connection but all he got was a beat down. I could feel him. I could feel his pain. I could hear their thoughts on him. And what they were going to do to me if I was the one who delivered that stupid orb. I could… why was I so stupid?”
A flood covers my eyes. I barely see. Mieke sits next to me and puts her hand over.
All my emotions pour down. I have more bottle up things. I didn’t know they were so many. "What did I do? what did I do?" I say.
“We got to save him. Save Kokolite and get that orb.”, she says.
A sting in my stomach and my heart stops.
“What?”, she asks.
“Ripa! We are talking about Ripa. He owns the club. They say he's so powerful that the council has given him impossible tasks to fail. To kill him off. He has no rival and has more people under him.”
Mieke nods and does a head gesture to Ezequiel. He looks calmer. He also gave a nod.
“It’s either try and fail... or wait and let our loved ones die either way. He'll gain endless powers if he succeeds.”, Mieke says.
I think of my family and how they already marked the house. Die trying? Die waiting? Those are the only two options? I look at Ezequiel who is staring at me.
“What about you?”, I ask him.
“I’m the guardian of it. It is imperative that it be returned. Ripa will be a god if the orb is not returned.”, he says.
I look at Mieke.
MIEKE
“He is a juggernaut. But you are human.”, Hannah cries.
“I’ve survived a couple of attacks already. We have to work together.”, I say.
“How would we do it?”
“I’ve done special missions before. I think I have an idea.”
I get Kokolite trying to show the pain and everything. I don’t think it was a good move to teach her a lesson that way. That is the whole reason people are getting killed off, and he just handed the orb to them. In a silver platter. Anyways, talk about being confident, when in fact I'm scared shitless of this. Did they mark Hannah's house? Hannah came to my apartment. If there's a point to leave my control and take a leap of faith, this is it. Either way, I'm screwed. Getting as far away from the apartment leaves Diane with some sort of safety. Then again If Hannah knew where I live it would be no mystery for others as powerful as they say they are to find it as well.
GUSTAV SMIRNOFF Night - Bloody Mary Club, 11:15 PM
Music is playing loud, with GO-GO dancers, flashy lights, male and female servers walking side to side with filled drinks and empty glasses in their tray. A DJ is waving his hands with a flashy stage where the lights changes from each sound pattern he mixes and people are following him like he is a god telling them what to do. The club looks impeccable. Not the best I’ve visited. A bunch of security men comes in with beautiful women while escorting us. I see my skin glowing with some black lights as I adjust my Breguet. I see my hair sharp at a very polished wall. A floor manager of the club navigates us across the stairs to take us to the most prominent VIP section while some drinks and finger food are being served. "Anything else, for now, Mr. Smirnoff?": almost yells the floor manager through the loud music. I gesture no with my head. I let a dollar tip that widened the floor manager's eyes. The floor manager leaves. I want to get out of here.
“Think of it as an investment.”, Aleksey says.
“It was a mistake coming to America.”, I say.
“Remember this is PR, tomorrow we start business! Try to enjoy sir!”
Can’t live without Aleksey. Best assistant in Russia. I give a quick nod, grab one old-fashioned glass and chug a whole drink in a single gulp — a quick smile brakes when some model dancers get close to me. I move in accordance with the music. Let see what these American women have to offer.
KOKOLITE Night - Fluorescent Room, 11:15pm
The lights sting my eyes. People are talking, but I only hear a fluorescent light. The room looks like a surgeon’s room, with equipment, clean, stainless steel
frames. I’m tied to a chair — hands on the back. I taste blood. I open my eyes again. A black blur comes to me. My head goes all the way to the back as I feel all the nerves screaming in pain. My left eye is beginning to swell. I start focusing. Two kumori stand guard. Ninja guy and his ninja companions are here. Two stand guard and the one standing up is the one with the bushy eyebrows. "Heeeeeaahhhh." My head goes to the side and my jaw aches. I’m concentrating on the pain. I can’t hear their thoughts so much. I’ll just get a bigger headache.
“Now you look like your god. Resurrection and all. This is fun though. I am excited and all. But I need to know majo... where is she?”, Laim says.
I struggle to stay put. Some blunt objects and sharp ones lie on a table already with blood and from my damaged cloth, I can tell where the sharp ones went through. A knee to the face made me gargle as blood came rushing through my throat. I cough. A deep breath with an exciting smile claimed Laim’s face. Something is odd here. My mind is wondering. I’m in pain. Where am I?
“By the way, I did not know you are a vegetarian. I thought those were extinct. I bet you are like the humans too. Looking for organic and non-processed crap, huh majo? It is weird though... we thought we killed you, but... a piece of information came to us that somebody was bitten that landed on a hospital nearby the church. I mean it could not be a coincidence since that person is the sister of the girl cop you were with recently. Pity Ripa found out this way that you are alive.”
I lift my head with all my strength. Pain or not, I can’t have them hurt Mieke. Diane. The Priest. I cannot see from the left. It must be swollen shut. My lips are cracked filled with both saliva and blood — the hair on my face. Ninja man grows a bigger smile and licks his lips. Who is Laim I hear? The ninja guards say it is the ninja man.
“There it is. Why are you infatuated with the keisatsu? Don't worry... after you tell us about the neko, the keisatsu and her sister will die either way.”, Laim continues.
Keitsatsu is detective. Neko cat. I feel the heat driving through my body. I make a fist. A small sound of metal hitting metal started to sound. I am having murderous thoughts. The guards looked at each other. They are uneasy. I feel their adrenaline rushing. I feel fear in them. They look ready and on standby mode waiting for something to come their way. The sound grows stronger. And the guards start to murmur. The scalpels, blunt objects at the table were moving. The ground is shaking beneath the table. Laim and the bushy guy did not pay attention to it. I hear all their thoughts.
“Funny I thought you crazies were only hearing voices in your head and didn't care much of our world, or the pathetic humans.”, says the ninja guy.
“Funny... I thought Laim was Arab, and you are Japanese.”
The bushy eyebrow ninja palms my face so fast and hard that I hover in the air. The metals shaking stopped completely. My vision blurs completely.
“Baka! Ripa asked for the girl too!”, I think the Japanese says.
RIPA Night - Ripa’s office, 11:30 PM
All this time, preparing for this specific moment. Something that was supposed to be a secret… ruined by that stupid Lasovsky. Fucking cunt. Some men move to the sides of the office all the furniture leaving an empty space in the middle. The sarcophagus is brought over by others in a hydraulic fork stacker. The design of the sarcophagus is a weird Egyptian I have not come across in my many travels. Gold, blue and red colors filled the designs of it. Drake took off his hood. His bald head, white beard and pale skin that show some veins, makes me sick. Below his eyes he has reddish marks and his eyes glow blue. Maybe part of the ritual. He looks like a walking corpse. I made him use that hood. I know he is older than the council. Well, they are dead. He’s not. His long nails caress the skulls on his waist as the men kept working back and forth. I walk next to him observing everything and analyzing all.
“I hope this works old man.”
Drake nods and smiles with his crooked teeth. His appearance is repulsive. The sarcophagus is placed in the middle of the room and candles are set all over. The secretary enters the room. She has a whip on her waist.
“Didn’t know your secretary is human.”, the council secretary says.
“A fearful human is a loyal one.”
Drake smiles again, and the secretary also looks with disgust.
“I will call you Lucy.”, I say.
“Sir, that is not my…”
“I don’t have time now. You will be Lucy.”, I interrupted.
She forces a smile and nods. That’s more like it. Obedience.
GUSTAV SMIRNOFF Night - Bloody Mary Club, 12:00 PM
The music is too loud. I am getting anxious to get out. Bored. All these people bore me. I am here in the United States for business, not pleasure. I got lots of money, houses. I have traveled the world a couple of time. These polunochnyy klubs are the same der’mo. A gorgeous woman in a sparkly dress starts to dance close to me. I shake my head. She still tries to grab my attention. I politely force a smile as she holds my hand. I was going to take it away from her when the music stops abruptly, and the whole club is painted red with some emergency lights that flash the whole area. The people look up quickly confused at what just happened, and with it, the sprinklers turn on. Water flowed quickly, and the people started panicking and running as a weird sound took over the club and a robotic woman's voice commenced through the speakers: "Fire alarm, please exit, this is not a drill. Fire alarm, please exit, this is not a drill." “Etot”, I yell. Aleksey shakes his head. It continues replaying the same message over and over again. The waiters, managers, bartenders help people get out of the club. Some people have their eyes widened, others are upset. Stupid fighting over their fancy suits. Especially the women with their hair. I look at Aleksey again. He nods. My men start to make way for me to move. Between the commotion I see a few people running to the club with elongated arms. When I’m about to a second look, I am pulled by the manager and security people. I know I have not drink much. I try forcefully to turn back again and see the men, but they are gone. The manager screams some apology. I am too distracted to follow.
RIPA
I am pulling back my sleeves when a beeping sounds in the office. I give a nod to Lucy, and she presses a button, and an intercom sounds off, "Fire alarm, please exit, this is not a drill. Fire alarm, please exit, this is not a drill." I feel my face getting tense. I press my lips. I wave a hand on a wall, and one of the paintings turn into the digital blueprint of both the building and the Bloody Mary Club. It includes the downstairs tunnel and hall that connects both of those buildings. Three circles flash on the screen on the club. On the corner state FIRE WARNING. I give a signal to some of the men, and they run to the elevator on the wall as the wall is opened up. I go to the window. Cars are leaving the club, and people gather outside. There is smoke coming out of various parts of the club. I feel the vein in my forehead popping up as my whole body tenses up. My lips press together, and I am shaking from anger. Shadow spikes form all over his body. I am going to kill someone.
KOKOLITE
I hear a commotion. Everything is fuzzy. One of the guards Bluetooth beeps, and he answers it. "Something is going on. You guys need to head to the club." Laim looks annoyed and gives a signal to his men. They nod and leave. Ripa's men keep me on guard.
SECURITY MAN
The club floor looks empty as the guys and me continue checking everything out. Some voices are heard of angry people echoing through. I see somebody entering. I go after the person. "Hey, stop there. You cannot be here.": I scream. The person is moving through some halls and passes through the kitchen's door as it swings back and forth. I enter and take the baton out. It looks empty. Counters, fridge, stove, all look like they were recently used, but were either turned off or cleaned in a hurry. I stroll. The kitchen is big and bright, and the clean stainless steel will make anything moving evident. I stop to hear if anything sounds. Something moves. I turn and see a black hooded man elbowing. My vision becomes a blur. Fro
m his backpack, he takes a walkie-talkie and struggles to turn it on. He pushes a button: "I'm in Mieke". He turns to me. His knuckles come straight to my…
HANNAH
Between the commotion I make myself go in the front entrance almost unnoticed. Some security guards are more focused on getting people out that I’m slipping by with ease. I think my small stature also helps. I continue until a big hand stops me: "Everybody out!" a manly voice says. I wasn't paying much attention, so I palm straight on his nose making it bleed instantly and slam his head against a wall. A distant voice says: "You saw that?" but as I turn to the voice I didn’t notice any onlooker just people trying to make their way out in panic and upset. I get to the middle of the club, that was isolated, but lights continued to flash from side to side. I put my hoodie down. I tap the Bluetooth: "I'm in." Mieke replies: "Good, now Ezequiel must be almost at the end to the left, through some halls, the club isn't that big to pick up Kokolite."
“I hear something!”, I say.
“Hide.”, Mieke says.
I run splashing a bit of water on the wet floor. A sound through a hall to the right led ten security guards come in. I hide behind a pillar and duck at the same time as the men are verifying the place. I put my hood back again.
“I though you said that to the right there was nothing.”, I whisper.
“I see the blueprints as we speak. There is nothing there. What do you see?”, Mieke says.
“Some men came out a hall, probably a secret room. I don’t think they have water pistols.”
“I’m checking! I'm checking quickly!”
