Sorry it took me so long to update. I promised myself I would actually finish this one, and I'm holding myself to it.
Chapter Seven – Love and Hate
Andolini Estate, Townsville Highlands, 10:14 p.m.
The satin sheets are soft to the touch and cool on my skin. A cool night breeze blows in through the open window and caresses me gently. I close my eyes, taking in these sensations, and sigh to myself blissfully.
I haven't felt this way in many months. I'd had more than my fair share of boyfriends and one-night stands, but none of them ever filled my emotional void. My hunger for adventure, for danger, needed to be fed. Only one man could ever give me that ecstatic rush tingling throughout every part of my body – and at long last he gave it to me once more.
He sits up in bed and lightly kisses my shoulder. "I hoped you'd come back to me, doll," he says softly. "I knew you'd come back someday."
I stare into his eyes and sigh in mild frustration. "Don't read into this, Ace. Don't think for a moment that I'm not still pissed off about that stunt you pulled in the park."
Two weeks ago I had gone to the park with my then-boyfriend Mitch. I ran into Ace that day, and even though I could tell he wasn't happy about seeing me with Mitch, he bit his tongue and was polite to us both. I can still visualize him pulling that black cigarette from his lips and letting it slip from his fingers. The moment it hit the ground, his boys jumped out of the bushes and pounced on poor Mitch. They beat him nearly into a coma,, holding him down as Snake and Grubber pistol-whipped him senseless. I remember Ace simply turning away and nonchalantly lighting another cigarette while I chewed him a new one for a good five minutes. Even though Mitch was a shitty boyfriend – and we broke up five days later – he didn't deserve what he got. Ace only did it for the simple joy of pissing me off.
"Hey, come on. I thought I was doing you a favor. Trust me," he whispers, running his hand gently up and down my curves, "you deserve so much better than some snot-nosed, stuck-up prick with a bad case of Napoleon complex. He didn't look like he had ever made a woman orgasm. And," he smirks with that mischievous smirk of his, "judging from all the noise you made just now, I'm guessing you were no different."
I bite my lip and try my best not to blush. He was right – that had been a cause of many tensions between me and Mitch. I tried to be patient, but in the end it was a deal-breaker.
He sighs heavily as he pulls on his pants. "I was having a shitty day too, which didn't help. We paid a visit to Mojo Jojo – cocky little bastard – and he pretty much spit in our faces. So, naturally, I put two bullets in his ass. And not even an hour after that, I see this beautiful angel in the park," he winks at me, "looking as sexy as she ever did. And I start feeling a little better until I see that obnoxious little schmuck with his black T-shirt and his tiny dick and his-"
"Wait a sec," I sit up sharply in bed. "What happened with Mojo?"
He moves toward the window and stares out. The moonlight gently gleams across his luscious, manly figure. "Right before I did Boss Andolini in for good," he replies with a heavy heart, "I made him tell us who tipped him off. He fingered Mojo Jojo as the one who told him where his weapons disappeared to. We busted into Mojo's place, guns blazing and all that shit. I put a revolver to his head and told him he had five seconds to tell us what the hell he thought he was doing sending the Andolinis after us. All he did was stare up at me and laugh."
I stare up at him in confusion as I pull my panties up off the floor. "Why would anyone laugh when they're five seconds from getting their brains splattered?"
"I remember every word he said to us," he whispers as he stares out the window. He tilts his head down toward the street, just as I hear the sound of a motorcycle pulling up to the house. "He said, 'It is too late for you now. The message has been sent. The war has already begun, and none of you can stop it. Your blood will flood the sewers of this rat-infested city. Every one you love shall suffer, and we will savor every second of it.'"
I slip out from beneath the sheets and softly walk toward him. I wrap my arm around his waist and let my head rest against his sweaty, sculpted chest. He pulls me closer to him and places a subtle kiss on my forehead. "I wanted you to come back to me, doll," he whispers. "Just not like this. Just not now. I mean, if there was even the slightest chance that Mojo meant what he said…"
"…you thought they might come after me," I finish his sentence with a bit of hesitation. Just about everyone on the south side of Townsville had heard about my little flings with Ace. Mojo Jojo, who had eyes and ears spanning every last unlit alley of this city, was no doubt well versed on our promiscuous past.
"Exactly," he whispers back, not really wanting to say it out loud. "I knew he'd use you to get to me." My mind races as we cling fiercely to each other. I never knew he cared that much about me. Actually, I never knew he cared. Ace has never been one to wear his heart on his sleeve. I can only hope he tucks it away long enough to help me avenge Bubbles.
After glancing at the grandfather clock, I quickly slip back into my clothes. He throws on that black wifebeater that shows off his tattoos and makes my mouth water. As we walk together down the spiral staircase, I start to look around. I didn't really have time to take notice of the place when we came in – Ace and I were preoccupied with other things, so to speak. The dusty lavender walls are adorned with paintings, tributes to the Andolinis of the past, forever frozen in time. Antique furniture gathers cobwebs in the living room, its beauty left unappreciated by both its previous and current owners. Brightly colored Sicilian vases precariously perched on the shelves above provide the only vibrancy to this otherwise lifeless and empty place.
Lil Arturo sits on the couch, hunched over the coffee table polishing a dozen knives. By his feet rests a half-empty bottle of bourbon. He stops polishing the knife in his hand long enough to grab the bottle and take a swig.
"Dammit Arturo," Ace sighs in frustration. "I told you not to drink too much tonight. I need every one of you guys sharp as a tack right now."
Arturo chuckles. "Relax Ace," he replies, his speech only slightly slurred. "I can handle anyone who comes our way." Just to drive the point home, he hurls the knife in his hand at a dusty painting of Boss Andolini next to us. The knife hits the fat-faced man in the portrait right between the eyes.
Arturo gulps down more bourbon as he looks me over. "Hey Buttercup," he smirks, "you lookin' good tonight, girl," he smirks, his eyes fixated on my cleavage.
I roll my eyes. "Save it," I grumble.
The sound of a toilet flushing echoes from behind us. Just then I hear a loud slam, followed by the sounds of giant steps. I turn to see Big Billy, in all his girth, moving slowly toward us. He stops for a moment, having noticed me, and his face lights up with joy like a child on Christmas morning.
"BUTTERCUP!!!"
He charges me and swoops me up in his big arms. Most people would be scared shitless, but over the years I've come to understand Billy as a gentle giant. He squeezes me into a big affectionate hug, and as usual does not realize his own strength. I gently push him away from me and wiggle out of his deathgrip.
"Nice to see you too, Billy."
For a moment the mood is pleasant, or at least a little less awkward. Just then the door slams open, revealing a dark slender figure. His greasy hair waves gently with the breeze, as his eyes burn with the kind of vengeance only bloodshed can feed. The door slams loudly behind him as he slides a sword into the sheath on his belt. It is then I notice that he is holding something behind his back. He quickly flings his arm forward and sends something flying through the air, landing at Ace's feet. I look down and see the decapitated head of Butch, one of the Rowdyruff Boys, oozing thick black blood on the wooden floor.
"One down, for what its worth," Snake snickers. "Looks like there will be plenty more trophies for us tonight."
Ace glares at him in rage. "Just what the hell are you doing?"
"Exactly what you're afraid to do," Snake snarls back. "You know as well as I do what needs to be done. The only difference is that you're too chickenshit to take any initiative."
Ace punches the wall in frustration. "What would you have me do, huh?" he yells as he pulls his fist out of the plaster. "Is one girl really worth getting us all killed?"
Snake spits on the ground and glares back at Ace. "You seem to think so," he hisses. It is then that his eyes meet mine. He stares coldly at me as he sweeps his hair out of his face. He turns to Ace, pointing at me accusingly, and asks, "Why else would she be here?"
I see him reach for the sword and I grip Ace's arm tightly. Snake and I have never gotten along, but never before have I seen this kind of ferocity in his eyes. Never before has he been so bold as to call Ace out for any reason. I have no idea what could be driving him, but whatever it is, I can tell he'll fight to the death for it.
"Are you calling me disloyal?" Ace growls. "Cuz I'm not just gonna stand here and take it. If you got a problem with me, you better open your damn mouth and say it right now." He reaches above my head and grips the knife lodged in Andolini's portrait. With a swift jerk of his arm, he pulls his out of the wall and holds it defensively, ready to strike if necessary.
Snake, in response, picks two knives off the floor and brandishes them boldly. He sneers at Ace and hisses, "Fine, if that's how you want it. I'm going to finish this with or without your help." At that moment I notice something strange about his left upper arm – there is a bloody bandage wrapped around it, which he tried and failed to conceal.
"I just wanna be sure that you're on our side, Snake," Ace replies. "And if you question my loyalty for even a second, I'll prove it too you by giving you a head start." He turns around, leaving his back vulnerable to Snake.
"What the hell are you doing?" I whisper in panic.
"Don't worry, babe," he whispers back. "I got a plan." He winks at me and nods his head downward. It is then I notice that he is holding a shard of a broken mirror in his hand. He tilts his hand to the perfect angle, so that he sees Snake lunging toward him from behind.
At just the right moment, Ace ducks. Using his free hand, he makes a fist and jabs at Snake's bandage. Snake yells out in anguish. Perfect timing, I think to myself. Ace swings his leg low, catching Snake in his calves and forcing him to drop to his knees. Instinctively, Ace pins Snake against the wall and holds the knife to the back of his neck.
"I don't wanna do this, Snake," he yells as Snake hisses in anger. "I just wanna be sure that we're on the same side here."
Snake tilts his head boldly at Ace. "We're in this together, I promise you that," he snarls. "We both hate the Rowdyruffs all the same, but I have my own reasons for wanting them dead. There's not a chance in hell I could ever forgive them for what they've done to us. Or to you." He turns to me, yet in his eyes I see coldness – but with a sense of understanding. Daring to stand up, he turns around and stares deep into Ace's eyes. "Before this night is through, every last one of them will be dead. I'll make sure of that, personally if I have to."
Ace pulls the knife back and slides it into his pocket. "I'll admit that you were right," he sighs, releasing his grip on Snake. "We can't fight this war strictly on our own terms. But we can still win it. They may outnumber us heavily, but their numbers are meaningless if we have perfect strategy on our side."
"What are you going to do?" I ask, wrapping my arm protectively around Ace's waist. I want the Gangreens to win this urban civil war, and not just for my own lustful reasons. Eliminating the Rowdyruff boys would remove an enormous weight off of my and Blossom's shoulders. I never considered the Gangreens much of a threat, and during my brief intimacy with Ace, they tended to keep out of serious trouble. The Rowdyruffs, on the other hand, didn't really care who they pissed off. Townsville would no doubt be a better place without them around.
"I have a rendez-vous with one of the few guys that's actually on our side," Snake smirks, checking his watch. With frustration, he snarls, "Damn. I should've met up with him ten minutes ago." He pushes the front door open and lets the cool breeze rush in. Turning to us, he sneers, "It's time someone shook those little bastards up. It's time someone struck the fear of death back into their hearts." With a sadistic smirk, he climbs onto the motorcycle parked in the driveway, revving the engine twice before speeding off into the darkness.
I turn to Ace curiously. "What do you think?" I ask. "It seems like his mind is focused on something else entirely."
"Let him go," Ace replies, patting my shoulder reassuringly. "Snake has his reasons for hating the Rowdyruffs, but for now all I care about is that he hates them. As long as he's keeping our enemies distracted, we have more time to build up our defenses here."
I cling fiercely to Ace and inhale his musky scent. Nothing can make me give him up now. Wrong as it may be for a Powerpuff to take sides in a criminal civil war, I convince myself that I'm only looking out for Townsville's greater good. I at least have some leverage in bargaining with the Gangreens – something my sister will never have. Blossom seems to think that her past with Brick has some value, but I know that he could give a shit about her, or us. He's a self-glorifying tool, just like his brothers. No matter how many times she sleeps with him, it won't make a difference in the long term. She may think she's using him, but it's really the other way around.
I'm still not sure how to feel about Snake. Truth is, I've never really liked him that much, and I know he has never trusted me. But if he hates the Rowdyruffs, that's all I care about right now. I have no real loyalty to the Gangreens – or anyone, for that matter – but if I can use them to find out who killed my sister, then they're my allies for the time being. My loyalty is to Bubbles, and no one else. I will find my sister's murderer, and – even if it turns out to be the man I love – I will destroy his will to live. I will make him understand the magnitude of what he has done, and I will make him regret the moment he first set eyes on Bubbles. I will make him regret the moment he first spoke her name. And no doubt I will make him regret the moment he chose to take her life into his own selfish hands.
I know it's been quite some time since I updated this story. As you can all see, this chapter is quite a long one. Honestly, it was originally longer than this, and I thought of breaking it into two separate chapters. However, I truly intend to finish this story, and am holding myself to that commitment. Stay tuned for Chapter 8, as Blossom checks out Snake's story, and encounters some distractions along the way…
Peace, Love, and All Things Rock,
~Terra the Masterful
