"You sonvabitch! Move out the way!" yelled Abrego as he dove out the way of the shooting. Though he was a Columbian Cartel boss, with a sort of decent foothold in Rampur, he was a coward, known to desert his soldiers in time of a battle or even put them in harm's way to save his own grimy skin.
Therefore taking advice from a coward would be silly, thought Chang as he leaned onto his car, watching the latest shooting ruckus. Normally, he wouldn't even waste time with shootings as they were as normal as the humidity in the summer when it came to Roanapur. However, desperate times called for desperate measures. Chang was here simply because he owed Balalaika a favor. And favors that were owed to Balalaika were personally looked after by him. After all, he and she shared the special bond of survival.
Nothing was above survival in this city. And that is why he was here, instead of watching the ocean's wave caress the shore in manner which touched his heart.
Balalaika was out for blood. And it was hard to get Balalaika to that point, but the Taiwanese wanna-be mafia thought it would a very strategic and bold move to make their presence know in the city.
"It was bold alright. Bold indeed" Chang mumbled softly with a chuckle. But it sure wasn't strategic.
The Taiwanese head boss decided that it would be a brilliant plan if Hotel Moscow was bombed and completely tattered while Balalaika was away with her troops in Japan. The boss, who was short in stature, supporting not only a swollen beer belly, but a left eye almost completely mutilated of a knife attack he suffered in his teenage years, also thought butchering Balalaika's on guard solider to the point of no recognition would add the perfect finishing to their statement. To add a bit of more spice to their creative and certainly bold dish, they skinned the guard alive and hung him in front of the light pole, which shone limply upon the mayhem caused by the barbaric bunch.
"I want to teach them, baby. I want to teach them what happens when they play with fire." She had told him with dark eyes, brewing with revenge and blood.
"We've gotten ridden of most of the men. Half of them have been lead off the scene. The head boss's office is all surrounded." Reported his henchman Lui.
"Well that didn't take too long did it Lui" said Chang. Judging from the destruction they caused to Hotel Moscow, Chang thought they would at least hold their ground for an hour. He thought they would have more guts, as they did choose a fight with the deadliest woman to step foot on Roanapur soil.
He dialled Balalaika's phone number.
"It's done. Your lovely friends weren't as strong as we thought."
"What's the situation as of now Chang?" She demanded without being too authoritative.
"We've got him surrounded, most of the men went down and some scattered like bugs from the scene."
"Well, well. You think he feels fear?" She asked as she touched the cool drink in her hand.
He laughed "Come see for yourself. He's all yours for the taking." He ended the phone call.
As he stood from his leaning position, something caught his eye. It was her pale skin. It wasn't the type of skin you see in Roanapur. Her skin was flawless, untainted with the blood and its smell. Chang stood there motionless as if time had stopped and it all he could see was her skin. She turned around, searching for something. Chang couldn't quite make out the colour of her eyes, but they were almond shape. Stepping out of the dark shadows of the ally, her eyes skimmed the area as if she was scared of someone catching her. Her eyes finally found Chang's, which were hidden by his dark sun glasses.
Wanting to see her eyes, he took off his glasses. The hot wind blew her shawl away, though she didn't seem to notice as she stood there frozen. Her hair, a jet black, to the point it glistened blue under the half moon, danced around her head. Battered clothes, well what was left of the clothes anyway, clung to her body. The small lips, quivered slightly. She looked like Bambi, he thought.
Breaking the eye contact, the innocent doe wobbled on her feet. It looked like she suffered an injuring. Without shame, Chang openly watched her with curiosity. She suddenly realized that her shawl had blown away onto the street near Chang's feet. With a hand firmly across her bosom to protect her body and self respect, she slowly limped her way in front of Chang.
Chang, still standing there, with his body tense in anticipation, did not attempt to help her. Truthfully, he wanted to see her up close and personal. Her presence had him allured and there was no denying that.
She had finally reached the shawl, and she bent over to retrieve it, which was right at Chang's feet. Standing up slowly, her eyes remained glued to the worn out pavement.
"Look at me" Chang said to her softly.
But she wouldn't look up. The click of the Taiwanese man's gun had him on full alert. Drawing out his gun in a second, he raised it to the man's head without breaking his gaze on the doe.
"Cover your ears." He whispered and pulled the trigger. Blood and skin splattered on her and he heard her yelp in surprise and disgust.
"And here I thought I wouldn't need to feed bullets to anyone tonight". He said with an easy smile, but she still didn't look up.
Instead, she brought her arms back and pushed him with surprising strength. Although, it was only because he was caught off guard did he stumble back. With all her mite, she ran as fast as she could past him, forgetting her shawl.
"Hey now! That's no way to treat someone!" He said with amusement.
Chang's eyes followed her down the road, where she tripped and fell hard a few times. Something inside him made him want to go help her, but he stood where he was. It would be no use to help someone who was paranoid of their own shadow. She would trust no one, he thought with surprised bitterness.
" Ready to go?" asked his driver.
As her body disappeared to the corner of the street, he stood there a moment, somehow hoping she would come back, but he knew he would never see her again.
The city would swallow her both mentally and physically.
"Yeah. We're done for tonight"