Ch 09 - Time For A Ho Down
I finished last of my Bazoom and crumpled wrapper, tossing it into nearby trash can. It was nice day out, if chilly, and Lin and I were just finishing lunch. I pulled out my Volitions and lighter, lighting cigarette and blowing out smoke.
"That's a real shit lighter," Lin teased, smirking, but her eyes were twinkling. She lit cigarette of her own. "You should get a better one, you can afford it, ya know."
"So I am being told," I shot back. "But if I am losing this 'shit lighter' is being cheap to be replacing."
Lin chuckled, shaking her head. "I gotta hand it to you, Ivana," she said, tapping ash away. "You're doin' real well. And thanks for stickin' up for me."
I shrugged. "I am trusting you, is being no problem."
She smiled a little. "Still. It means a lo-…"
Her phone rang, loud screaming man and guitars wailing from tiny speaker. I sighed as she flipped it open.
"What?" she snapped. After few moments, she was rolling her eyes. "Uh huh. Okay. Yeah, gimme a bit."
Lin snapped her phone closed. "Sorry hon, I gotta go. Need me to drop you off at the church?"
I narrowed my eyes, frowning. "I can be walking from here."
"I know, I know," she grumbled, and was leaning over to be kissing my cheek. Damn her, but I grinned when I was wanting to be grumpy. "But like I was sayin' it means a lot what you did."
"Go. Be doing Rollerz shit, but you are being mine later, da?"
Lin nodded, smirking as she was getting up and crushing out her cigarette under foot. "I'll call you later, ok?"
"Go," I said again, waiving her off.
I took a few moments to be watching her leave, smoking thoughtfully, then was turning back to my Big Swallow. I finished Kooky Kola and was tossing it into trash, too. I got up, stretching and stubbing out my own cigarette, and was heading towards church when I was seeing Johnny and Aisha at table. Aisha was dressed in what looked like church clothes for old woman, must be disguise. I walked up to their table and Johnny turned to me.
"…Hey what's up," he said, and we slapped hands together. "Perfect timin'."
Aisha threw her hands to sides, looking fussy and getting up. "You two talk, I'll be right back."
I turned to see her be walking away, and back while Johnny started talking.
"Whatever. She don't appreciate fine dinin'," he said with grin. "Now I've been talkin' to Eesh's sister," he went on, touching table in emphasis. "Turns out, Tanya's been fuckin' people in every sense of the world."
I grit my teeth, setting jaw. Tanya Winters was running forced prostitution for Vice Kings. She also kidnaped Aisha's sister for her ring. I was wanting her to be deep in ground someplace where no one would be finding her moorzilka, disease-riddled body. Is being cheapest of train station whores, moorzilka.
"Not only is she blowin' King's body guard Big Tony," Johnny told me, voice rising. "But she's fuckin' Warren Williams, their numbers guy, whenever Tony ain't lookin'! Now between Tony and Warren the only guy she ain't leadin' around by his cock is King!"
I frowned, glowering. Women that fucked their way to top were being nothing but cheap whores. And men that were letting them were dolboyob. Is being 'idiot man' basically.
"So I'm thinkin' if we put the hurt on Tanya," he continued, making circle motion on table with hand and looking up at me. "We're fuckin' up the Vice Kings. She's got an operation in Prawn Court. That's where we'll start."
I nodded. Was good plan. Men are always being easy targets when fucking with their women.
"Roll in there and put the murder on anyone you see, customers included," Johnny growled dangerously, then turned light-hearted with smirk. "Who wants to die for a blow job, right?"
I grinned. Was definitely good plan.
"When you go for Tanya, be careful," he said soberly. "She's probably got some muscle in there."
I smiled without mirth, feeling my eyes go frozen like Siberian tundra. "You can be counting on me, comrade."
#
I prowled streets of Prawn Court looking for patrolling assholes. My Nelson shuddered a bit as I idled at intersection. I was really needing to be having Lin or Samson look into engine troubles. Then car problems were being far from my mind as I saw yellow Compton cruise by on cross street. I floored gas, screeching out and turning to chase him, engine backfiring before wheels caught. Another car was almost hitting me, slamming on brakes and steering away.
I raced up along side VK asshole and reached into the passenger seat, picking up my Spree and spraying him with bullets. Blood spurted from many wounds in chest, and as man died he swerved into my car, heavy blow tearing off my side mirror and surely putting big dent in body work.
"Fuck and shit!" I cried, wrestling with steering wheel and fighting free of his heavy convertible. It ran up onto curb and ran over several bystanders gawking and taking pictures with camera phones. Idiots were deserving their fate.
Bullets pinged and rattled off of my car, and looking over my shoulder I was seeing another yellow Compton speeding towards me. Putting Nelson into gear, I floored it and cut wheel, spinning car around to be facing them, and I leaned out of window to be finishing emptying my Spree's magazine at them. Right as gun clicked dry, engine was erupting in flames and Vice Queens narrowly careened to side, exploding into fire and shrapnel while more people were screaming. I popped empty magazine free and inserted another, racking bolt and readying my SMG for action again.
It was time to be going before cops were showing up. I sped away from scene of such carnage, turning several corners before I was seeing another yellow Compton, hardtop, and he was still being blissfully unaware there was predator hunting him. I pulled up next to him at red light, smiling knowingly.
"Hey there lil' mama," he called, grinning and showing gold teeth.
I picked up SKR-7 and fired into his window, blood splashing onto upholstery and windshield.
"Bye bye, comrade!" I crowed, punching gas and speeding through intersection to honking of horns and screeching of tires. I think there was being four of them…
There. Racing towards me was yellow Compton hardtop, two men inside. This would be more of challenge, I am thinking. I sped towards them, cutting wheel and hitting brakes, sliding to stop with passenger window facing them. I raked their windshield with gunfire from passenger to driver, and when SMG clicked empty, barrel smoking, both were dead and covered in much blood and gore. I started to be pulling away when my phone was ringing. Seeing Johnny's name, I answered.
"Da?"
'You handle up on those patrols, yet?'
"Just was finishing," I replied, guiding my Nelson carefully through traffic.
'So much for Tanya's hired help. Now get your ass over to the whorehouse and drop that chickenhead.'
Then Johnny hung up. Rolling my eyes, I turned corner and raced to brothel.
#
I pulled up to brothel soon, was not being far from where I already was. As I approached side alley, bullets started flying. I had killed all patrols I was knowing of, but someone had made sure I was having welcoming party waiting for me. I jerked my VICE 9 from waistband, racking slide and drawing bead on first VK asshole. I dropped him with two bullets to chest and ducked behind large orange pillar holding up back part of another building. Stepping out, I shot another in head, blood and brain spattering wall as he was collapsing down it, and two more shots took down last asshole.
Seven rounds left. I jogged around side of building and pressed myself to wall as bullets whistled past. Ducking down, I shot African American lady VK twice in chest and she crumpled against parked Compton convertible. I walked over to her, seeing her still alive as I retrieved magazine from her VICE 9.
"How many are being inside?" I asked coolly.
"F-fuck yourself… Saint b-bitch," she managed, blood on her lips. She was wounded badly, was being bad way to be dying.
"You are in lot of pain," I told her matter-of-factly. "Be giving me answers and I will be helping you."
"More than ten, p-plenty to kill yo' bitch ass, whore," she spat.
Narrowing my eyes, I put bullet into her head. "Thank you, comrade."
She was being in no more pain, at least.
I kicked in door to brothel. I was not attacked immediately, so was assuming they were waiting for me further in. I rounded corner and there was large, two story room ahead. Good place for ambush, but I was not having choice. I peeked my head in and then jerked back as doorframe shattered and was splintering, gunfire erupting form room.
Setting my jaw and taking deep breath, I dove into doorway sideways, firing into first asshole in yellow I was seeing and taking him down. I hit hard on my shoulder, firing up into next one. Bullets hammered into ground next to me, too close, and I rolled, getting to feet and changing magazines. I killed another VK, and winced as bullet winged my shoulder. Giving it quick glance and seeing only bleeding graze, I pushed pain away, firing again and again at defenders of Tanya's brothel.
"Vice Kings ain't ever gonna-…!" someone shouted from upstairs. I shot him in head.
I dashed into hallway to my right, adrenalin pumping. I kicked door open, doorframe cracking as I was rushing in and shooting banger with woman several times. He collapsed against wall, trailing blood smear as he fell.
I turned and shot another three times as he was pulling up pants. "Stupid bag of shit," I growled, dropping empty magazine and reloading. I ran back out into hallway and went to next door, kicking it open to see lady Vice King with whore on her knees.
Pillow princess. I squeezed trigger and was actually relishing sight of her flailing backwards to sag against bed. I'd be worrying about my spiral back into darkness later, for now I had shit to be doing for Saints.
"Get out of here!" I shouted, disappearing back into hallway and moving across to stairs. I charged up then, suddenly realizing I was having my Spree in my hands and was already firing short bursts at my enemies. The remaining at top of stairs fell before me, and I was running past to another hallway, this one left.
Taking deep breath, I kicked in first door I was coming to. Another lady Vice King was leaning against wall while whore on her knees was before her. I gave trigger quick squeeze, carefully controlled burst spattering bitch's insides against wall. The prostitute screamed, getting up and running around hysterically. I closed door behind me and ran down hall to next one.
Kicking it in, dark-skinned man was in bed with man, and he rolled out of bed as I drew bead on him, spraying bullets down range until he stopped moving. These rooms must be very well sound proofed if no one in them were hearing gunshots. It made sense though, for sex shop.
I made my way back to stairs and hurried across to other side. There was being no hallway, and so I was just kicking in first door. Another dark-skinned asshole had hooker bent over against wall, and I was dropping him like bad habit. His blood sprayed over woman's pale back and she screamed, panicking and running towards doorway. Reflex was taking over, and I gave her punch Lin would be proud of, laying her out and moving to next door. She would be waking up with headache, but alive.
My foot was being little tender, so I rammed this one with shoulder and stumbled in. Asshole inside was getting blowjob, and I finished magazine, squeezing down on trigger until Spree was clicking empty. I stared at his dead body, ignoring woman screaming in corner like incoherent harpy's baby. Finally shaking myself, I reloaded with fresh magazine, still breathing hard as I stood still, listening for any signs of enemy coming for me. Shadows danced in front of me, images of those long-dead, and I felt panic rising. Swallowing, I shoved it down, I was not having time to be reliving war shit, prison camp shit. Now was not being time. I could be breaking down back at church.
After taking few moments to be collecting myself, I ran down stairs two at once, rushing out to my Nelson to be heading back to Row. Already police sirens were nearing, and I was definitely overstaying my welcome.
#
I drove to church slowly, taking my time with traffic. That was big firefight, it was being long time since I was fighting like this. As I pulled into parking space, I was remembering first time I was killing someone.
It was chaos. Men shouting and gunfire rattling in distance, shots roaring nearby. Grenade went off and I flinched, clutching my 1891 rifle close as I leaned against hulk of burnt out car. I was terrified. Wanting to fight in war, and being in war fighting, were two very different things.
Goran was barking orders to Niko, Dmitar, and Darko. Darko Brevic looked like he could be Niko's ugly brother, though they were being unrelated. I watched three of them attack storefront.
"Girl!" Goran shouted. He was oldest of us, and squad's leader. "Cover them!"
Nodding, I swallowed, pushing back my fear and setting up over hood of car and looking for target. Someone peeked out from around building, exposing his head and most of his torso, and I sighted on his chest, but then hesitated when I had to pull trigger. I'd never killed anyone before, and I froze.
The man stepped fully out into street and started to throw grenade at our men running on store.
I fired, and missed, but he was jumping, startled and distracted. He did not throw grenade at least. Cursing, I worked bolt and steadied my breathing, just like Dmitar taught me. I fired again, and this time bullet was taking him in middle of his body, and he dropped unarmed grenade, looking around bewilderedly. I closed bolt, I shot him again, and he fell to ground, laying still.
I ducked back behind car, breathing hard. I scrunched my eyes shut, gasping for air. Goran made his way to me as other men's Krukovs opened up on enemies in the store.
"Are you with me, girl?" he asked carefully, slinging his Krukov onto his back and crouching next to me.
Swallowing, I nodded, but didn't open my eyes. I wanted to, all I could see was the spray of blood as my bullets hit that man, took his life, but for some reason the battle seemed scarier, and I didn't want to be seeing it.
"You've never killed before," he stated simply, voice gentle. "There's no shame in being unable to handle it the first time."
I shook my head, still silent, still struggling to be breathing. I wanted to cry for doing something so terrible to someone.
"He was the enemy," he told me gently, placing hand on my shoulder. "You are not the only person killing for the first time today, and you won't be the last. But you must understand it will get easier."
I nodded, swallowing hard. I finally opened my eyes, taking breath that only shuddered slightly. Gunfire was fading into distance, and he stood up, offering me hand, as Niko, Dmitar, and Darko were jogging back to us.
"Come on," he said. "We're pulling out."
I jumped as Johnny was knocking on window, clutching at armrest of car with death grip. I must have fallen asleep, and he startled shit out of me.
"Easy Ivana," he said, chuckling, voice being muffled by window. I rolled it down. "Didn't want you dyin' o' no carbon monoxide poisonin' or some shit. That's how people kill themselves in a car, right?"
I rolled my eyes at him. "I am being fine, thank you, comrade. I am needing hose to be killing myself in car, I am thinking. Is how they do it in movies, at least. I am just being tired I guess."
"Hey, it's gettin' dark, how about we roll down to Tee'N'Ay?" he asked. "Whaddaya say? First lap dance is on me."
I could not help but laugh lightly. Jut one of boys, I guess, but it was being better than dwelling on things long passed. "Fine, hop in. But later Lin and I are getting together. Of course if Rollerz shit is not getting in way."
Johnny got into passenger seat, and I was putting Nelson into reverse. "Yeah, yeah, I know not to keep a lady waitin' an' shit."
I backed out onto street and started driving down road. "Aisha is busy tonight?"
"Girls night out," he explained, leaning back and getting comfortable. "She told me I should have a guy's night out, so here I am."
I was giving him sideways glance, smirking and almost missing turn, but was tucking into lane behind blue Varsity and driving around it, speeding down street. My Nelson's engine bucked once before settling.
"Johnny, have Troy or Julius been asking you about me?" I asked cautiously, thinking of them asking me about Lin.
"Naw, well, Troy is always talkin' about ya, but not in no suspicious way or nuthin'. Why?"
I turned onto next street. "Troy and Julius, mostly Troy, asked me if Lin is still being loyal to Saints."
"Oh," he said somberly. "Well that fuckin' sucks. As much as I think she's a royal bitch with a capital 'B' Lin ain't no turncoat. That's what you told 'em, right?"
I nodded. "Da, not quite so… poetically, but I am believing in her."
"Good," he shot back, cracking his knuckles. "Maybe I need to have a little talk with Troy then."
We drove in silence for a few minutes and then he spoke up.
"Lin's a good woman," he admitted.
"You are knowing this from experience?" I asked.
"We're here," he said, pointing to sign and dodging question.
So we were. I pulled into parking lot and found space near back. Place was being busy, many cars in lot and even short line at door.
"I am guessing we are waiting bit before having sis'ki being waived in our faces, comrade."
