13
TWIN DRAGONS SEEKING PEARL
She could hear music and it was close by, a flute or something like they had in orchestras or those Chinese gift shops on 7th and main. Shifting herself from the sleeping back Marg stretched her stiff legs; they were always stiff in the mornings now due to the cold and hard ground she had to sleep on, the bridge was no exception not in early autumn with chill winds blowing from the east.
Drawn under the bridge to the other side where there was some grass left she found the flute, it was large the biggest she'd ever seen and held by a man sat legs crossed like in yoga, a man with long hair and a light brown jacket who carried his stuff on his back. Slim and bare foot he was new to the area, not one of the usual bums and deadbeats, different in some way she hadn't figured out yet; kind of dignified even though he didn't have much; except that flute and he played it well.
Marg had an ear for music, she'd studied it at college in another life when she had grades, prospects and teachers when her life was going some place and people said she had real potential. The flute took her back in time to those carefree days to laughter and plans and friends, lots of friends to a time when she wasn't Marg she was…
The man had stopped playing why had he stopped, he was looking at her no not her behind her and Marg only realised why when it was too late.
Grabbed and spun around she smelled cheap booze and dirty weed, body odour and violence. The punks had found her, Danny's punks all bad teeth and greasy hair, torn jeans and running zits, ugly guys with ugly lives who liked to spread the misery around.
She told them to get off, it earned her a shake and a slap, she did not repeat the request what was the point; she was a prisoner now they'd take her to Danny or pass on one of his messages. No she didn't have any dope or any money, she hadn't rolled a John in ages when did she get the chance in this weather, the streets were full of cops thanks to another dumb terrorist alert so she had to keep a low profile like Danny.
A rusty blade appeared, six inches of strep infection that might give her liver failure if it went in too deep, "We have to cut you," said bad breath and Marg knew the truth of it, sure they did Danny's orders, she was late so she bled them were the rules. She bared her arms okay then best to get it over with; arms were best or upper thigh anything but the face. If they marked her face she couldn't work or score; punters hated damaged goods they wouldn't pay for it.
Marg was young and still pretty but her looks would fade and soon with this lifestyle; not just yet though huh?
"Take an ear," someone suggested.
"No an eye," said another member of the humane society.
"Shut up Danny said a finger or thumb," oh Jesus anything but that she needed all her digits how could she pick pockets otherwise?
Then the apes weren't looking at her they were staring beyond, a new factor had entered the equation it was the flute man, Mr barefoot he had ambled over; was he crazy did he have a death wish? Seeing him as a threat the apes shoved her aside and turned their attention on this new face.
He wasn't told to get lost these guys didn't give verbal warnings like wrestling referees they just cut you and they were going to cut this man she could tell.
"Run," Marg cried wishing she could but knowing she wasn't fit enough to outpace the uglies anymore.
One of them stabbed with his blade going for the throat, amazingly his hand was checked, held and twisted she heard the joint crack and the man sank to his knees with a cry.
When his partners ran forward to help the flute man kicked them, his legs flashed out left and right catching them easily bare feet as hard as leather delivering powerful blows that sent them spinning to grass and gravel respectively.
The last two got involved trying to grab and punch Mr Flute; ducking artfully he butted one in the guts and donkey kicked the other on the jaw then he looked down at the punk leader who he was still holding, the man begged for mercy. Quickly a rigid finger went into his throat poking and thrusting until the guy twitched, gagged and went limp.
It was over in seconds – five men beaten by one and beaten easily with almost no effort it seemed, beaten by amazing moves Marg had seen done once before.
"Thank you," she remembered how to say thank you from her old life as a business major, "I'm Marg I mean Margery but nobody calls me that anymore."
Boyfriends had, tutors had then there was mom but Marg didn't like to think about mom because she got upset.
"Caine," he said it so softly she almost didn't catch it; Caine was her dad's age maybe slightly older but lean and agile as a 25 year old gymnast with no little courage; it had really taken something to tackle Danny's punks did this guy not know Danny what homeless drifter didn't in this area of the park? Caine must be new a stranger from out of town but she was glad to meet him.
"Look it isn't safe here these guys work for Danny and he won't take kindly to you stomping all over them, not to help me."
"Why did they want to hurt you," Caine had a way about him a simplicity an honesty rare on the street where it was dog eat dog, what was his angle what kind of dog was he?
"Long story we should go," she ran but he didn't follow instead he studied the guy whose throat he'd poked some kind of pressure point move, it was the kind of thing her old coach would have done back in the days when she took self-defence when it mattered that a girl from a good home take precautions.
"Hey don't touch him, used needles."
But Caine didn't seem to mind like he had no fear of needles or what they might contain, instead he found the card one of Danny's, it said Danny Boy Gym South and Lexington.
"You don't want to go there or mess with Danny," Marg knew she certainly wouldn't then she had an idea did the guys on the ground have any money…they did, not much but enough for her purposes.
"Let's go eat," she enthused her stomach tight with hunger.
"This is stealing," Caine clearly wasn't used to the law of the street, finders-keepers.
"They stole it first," she insisted not sure if this was true and not caring, cash meant food and she wasn't spending another day without any there had been too many already; her ribs were poking out and to think she'd once had the nickname of chubby.
Giving this some thought Caine finally nodded maybe he was starving to, "We eat then we deal with your problem," he said, what did he mean by that she had a lot of problems – no home, no family, a dope habit, she lived on the street, people wanted to kill her – it was a big list this man had his work cut out.
Caine was a fussy eater obviously he insisted on someplace that sold vegetables as he didn't touch meat, so Marg took him to Mr Wok open 7 days a week, cheap oriental food, noodles, rice, chicken, good coffee. She had chicken and fries, Caine just had a plate of greens some sort of steamed cabbage that made her want to chuck but it was his choice.
"You okay with that," she asked surprised he'd rejected coffee in favour of still water, water to which he added this powder like ground chilli, "They do lactose free if you want it," she remarked.
Caine smiled the water was fine he liked to keep it simple, Marg added lots of sugar and cream to her choice to hell with simple she wanted a major sugar rush, god the food was fantastic better than her last 3 meals about which she didn't want to dwell on.
"So where are you from," she asked breaking a major rule of the street, never dig too deeply; everyone had a hard luck story she sure did, so why listen to more grief?
"China," he said and she blinked expecting up north or out west or maybe Canada anything but China.
"You've come a hell of a long way," she couldn't resist a smile and he returned it with a nod yes he had.
"Haven't we all," his response made her squirm a bit made her think of her parent's house in Glendale, two cars on the drive, a little brother, a big room with a plasma, friends who rang daily or hourly; Facebook and Twitter.
"Yeah I guess," she conceded, "But not many of us are from China."
"No you are from UCLA," his words made her jump she hadn't heard this in a long time not in two years since…since.
"How do you know that Caine?"
His finger touched her old sorority ring the one given to her by Phi Gamma Kappa the sorority she'd fought her way into, the one all the cool girls belonged to like Cindy and Jenni, the valley girls with their big cars and bigger allowances, girls who skied and rode ponies.
"How the hell did you know that," he was full of surprises?
Caine shrugged like it didn't matter but it did and she felt her eyes burn.
"Okay so I'm a college drop out, no biggie," but it was and she couldn't fool him, she was a screw up a loser, she'd had it all and flushed it away.
"You have much to give much to offer," was this a lecture, was she being preached to by a barefoot homeless man with long hair, a man her dad would have crossed the road to avoid?
"Not anymore," Marg sighed and suddenly she wasn't so hungry her insides were knotting up. Unimpressed he studied her, head on one side, oh come off it said that look you can't fool me and Marg realised that none of her prepared excuses worked on Caine he could see through them he could read her like a book.
"I dropped out during my final year, I couldn't take the pressure anymore all the expectations," this was a version of the truth the one she kept as a back up but it wasn't the whole story because she didn't want to get into Todd, the baby and the drugs, the fights with mom and dad, the missed lectures and her major very public emotional meltdown.
"What is wrong with you Margery you had such a bright future," Mom's voice piercing to the quick it always found the pressure point, "You're just a child."
Not a child not remotely childish Marg had seen red, "I'm twenty years old how dare you talk to me like that, you were pregnant at my age."
Face assuming a sad, wise knowing aspect Mom had stood there giving her daughter the full-on parental stare of despair.
"Yes and look what happened to me, no degree, no job and no future; without your father where would I have been?"
"Todd loves me," Marg's last line of defence the L word the romance angle, Todd was a good guy, he could be relied upon he was solid and dependable.
"Oh does he then how come he isn't returning any of your calls, why isn't he here supporting you like a real man; how come he has a police rap sheet as long as my arm. Wake up Margery; you used to be a smart girl."
That had stung and she'd felt the tears begin to burn at that stage, yes where as Todd, she didn't know hadn't seen him in weeks ever since – well she broke the news about the baby.
"Is this path easier," Caine asked and his eyes were burning right into her like he really wanted to know like it was important to him? None of your damned business she wanted to say, what's with the third degree, who are you anyway some kind of social worker? But Marg didn't say these things she was too fragile too tired.
"No," it came out as a gulp, "Not really," she gazed down at her plate and suddenly it was damp, "But there's no way back," she balled her fists feeling weak and pathetic.
"Perhaps there is," Caine offered and he was looking at Danny's card reflectively.
"I can't go there he'd kill me, you don't know what Danny's like what I've done for him, how far I've fallen," Marg was rambling she realised wallowing in self-pity and she was getting the shakes, the bugs, she was strung out and needed to score.
There was no judgement in Caine's eyes he wasn't looking down his nose at her like some of the people in Mr Wok; it was almost as if he'd taken a tumble himself like he'd fallen down on his luck to.
"Perhaps confronting this Danny will be part of your redemption," he offered. Marg found this a weird idea as it didn't seem likely; Danny was a psycho who'd probably have her killed Caine to he was not a man who listened to reason or to pleas for clemency.
"I have to keep away from him I owe him money I can't pay back."
"I shall come with you and explain this to him," Caine said simply like it was ever going to be that easy.
"He won't listen he never does, you've no idea what you're getting into. Okay you can fight but Danny is a killer."
Oddly the face looking back at her wasn't troubled at all like it had encountered killers before, Caine said, "Sometimes what appears to be strength can be weakness."
Marg didn't understand that or much of what this man said, he was an odd bird he didn't seem to belong in her world or any other, it was like he'd come from a different planet.
"Look Caine I appreciate the food but there is no way I'm going to the gym to see Danny, it would be suicide…for both of us, it isn't happening okay?"
Hoisting the 250 pound barbell high over his chest Pedro barely even grunted with effort, his huge muscles were like balloon animals and although not very tall he had expanded in every other direction thanks to metal and medication. Like most of the guys at the gym he took supplements, a polite word for steroids; everyone did it in bodybuilding it just saved a lot of time. Training got you so far but to be really ripped you need a few chemical friends and Pedro wasn't averse to taking them or selling them; he made a good living at it and who didn't need a few extra bucks?
He was lowering the barbell when the geek and the slut arrived, he didn't know the geek but the slut was a familiar face Mary or Maggie some damn stupid bitch name. Neither belonged in the gym, a place for big men with big bodies; the geek was like a stick of celery.
"Get the boss," Pedro told another hulk a kid called Carlos then he got off the bench, "Here for a workout," he asked in a snide voice, "You both look like you could use one," swaggering over towelling his elephantine chest Pedro sized the geek up dismissing him at once as a loser, "Mind you we're not cheap, two fifty to join, seven fifty annual fee then there's insurance and…"
"Cut the shit wise guy," Marg was trembling but tried to hide it, "We're here to see the zoo master not his pet monkey."
Pedro didn't like that no bitch bad mouthed him in his own gym it wasn't done, he'd busted men's jaws for less.
"Who the hell do you think you're talking to you little," but as he moved in on the slut, the geek interposed himself just stepped in the wall a hand on the big chest, fingers rigid. For some reason it hurt, it hurt a lot; Pedro felt like he was being stabbed and with a gasp he backed away nursing his sternum its nerve endings on fire from those fingers which were like steel nails. Who was this guy he didn't look powerful but his touch had hurt Pedro more than one of his daddy's drunken rages.
"Nobody touches me geek," but a she raised his fists Danny appeared and you didn't ruin his show, Danny nodded once telling Pedro to back off then ambling over the gym owner smiled at Marg, he had oily olive skin and slicked back hair reminded her of Al Pacino in Scarface it was an image Danny did nothing to dispel he was a legend in his own lunch time.
"Brought my cash baby," he asked filling his dark shirt with plenty of beef, taller than Pedro and smarter Danny called the shots here and he didn't just deal in steroids, "You know the money you owe me, the investment gathering interest by the day, how much is it now…let me see," Danny smiled, "A good looking girl like you can always find a way to earn it."
Stomach one big knot Marg couldn't meet those sparkling obsidian eyes, she'd already done plenty of 'earning' enough to make her parents sick with shame then Caine spoke.
"This young woman owes you nothing; we are here to absolve the debt."
This amused Danny no end, flashing big white capped teeth he looked down at Caine like he was some hired hand; almost everyone Danny knew was hired help.
"Absolve," he savoured the word, "My, my aren't we well spoken for a street bum, a street bum with no shoes or socks; and who are you to tell me my business Mr Long Haired Nobody?"
Caine displayed no fear nor did he back down, "I am here to end Marg's obligation to you," he said.
"Only money will do that, you got any," Danny snarled, "No I didn't think so," he made to shove Caine aside but it didn't work, the meaty hand was parried deftly and suddenly Caine was much closer to Danny having slid to the other side of him, shoulder-checking the gym owner so that he stumbled off balance into a nautilus machine.
Marg was astounded, nobody pushed Danny around it just wasn't done he was the big man who told other big men what to do; men who broke bones like twigs in their spare time.
"Pedro, Carlos; teach this hippy asshole a lesson."
Pedro and Carlos were a double act, a pair of arrogant, vicious vain heavies who had no scruples at all and even less brain cells; they did exactly what their boss wanted and Marg felt the blood drain from her entire head, oh god this was bad news.
Picking up a bulky hand weight Pedro swung it at Caine's head in a skull-cracking arc; it did not land, in fact it missed totally, Caine wasn't there to be clobbered he had somehow skipped and spun his way around the big ape moving inside the arc of his tyre-thick limb. A crane beak hand went into an arm pit finding the pressure point the artery and the small barbell hit the gym floor with a loud crash landing on the right foot of Carlos, who howled in agony.
A bent elbow nailed Pedro in the windpipe and the stiff fingers of a cupped hand blinded Carlos, flicking his eyes.
Marg blinked, had she really seen what she'd seen; no surely not because both giants were on their knees howling like babies clutching parts of their anatomies.
Danny couldn't believe it either not based on the dark fury across his face or the way his powerful body shuddered, grabbing a long metal bar he went for Caine swinging hard.
"Look out," Marg needn't have bothered because her hero had seen the threat and was already moving, evading the clumsy attacks, one of which brained poor Carlos, another shattering the water cooler but none found Caine he was like a shadow weaving this way and that untouchable, insubstantial. Swearing Danny tried harder but he was winded by a foot, dazed by a fist, sent off balance by another kick. For once his strength and bulk were handicaps because he wasn't fast enough or agile enough to deal with a moving target.
In that moment Marg understood what Caine had said about strength being a weakness, she could see it playing out before her, Danny's muscle and lifting power did not translate into skill or dexterity. He swung and missed, grunted and tried again only to walk onto a back fist that split his lip, a knee that cracked a rib, a thrust kick out of nowhere he couldn't avoid. Caine was fast and getting faster speeding up like a video on fast forward, he leapt over Danny landing on the far side of him to pick up his own metal bar, using this to block the attacks with loud clangs, the bar becoming a bojitsu staff in his skilled hands.
When he struck back hitting various soft targets Danny folded up, gripping himself before tumbling onto some practise mats, stood over him Caine twirled the bar like a cheerleader until its tip came to rest on the hoodlum's neck.
"There is no debt," Caine whispered softly, "Marg owes you nothing, she is free."
Blinking up through pain filled eyes Danny tried to rise but his body was incapable of it even with all the drugs, he had been comprehensively beaten up.
"Okay," the word was barely audible and Caine threw his bar high over the gym before striding to an exit, he extended a hand to Marg – come with me it said and slowly she made her way to him.
She couldn't believe where they ended up it was the last place on earth she intended to go, "Oh no way," she cried backing away from the entrance. Caine didn't try to grab her or use words he just stood there in that quiet, calm way of his like all this inevitable and she had no real choice.
"I'm not going in there," she told him face red hot but body icy cold, "This is the past for me."
He kept looking at her waiting, expecting.
"I'm leaving right now Caine," she insisted backing away with short steps, "Don't try and…" she had bumped into someone, collided with another human being almost knocking the woman over. Turning in horror Marg grabbed the stick-thin arms an apology on her lips, until she saw who it was and the woman registered her, familiar and friendly.
"Mrs Palmaya," she cried in disbelief gazing at the old secretary how had to be 80 if she was a day, she'd been old even during Marg's time at UCLA.
"Margery Hoffman my my what a surprise," said the white haired lady who was barely 5ft in height, "What has it been three years, goodness me you've changed," a nose wrinkled slightly at the scruffy clothes and lack of hygiene, the dried matted hair and absence of make-up.
A sudden wave of shame overtook Marg a feeling of unworthiness of failure of letting the side down, of letting this woman down in particular which was ridiculous but she couldn't avoid it.
"Have you spoken to your mother," the secretary asked, "No I didn't think so, well maybe you should perhaps we could call her together would you like that, she's been heartbroken since you err well left in a hurry?"
Head bowed Marg nodded once okay why not maybe it was time, hadn't she done her purdah; she couldn't go back to living on the street not with Danny on the rampage, maybe she should go home and build a new life. She had lost Todd and the baby and almost her marbles but there were still people who loved her.
She had to thank Caine but when she turned to speak he was no longer there, she couldn't see any sign of him.