Protecting the Ones You Love
Something is going on in Hillwood and everyone is keeping a secret to protect their love ones. What would you do if you had to lie to the love of your life, just to protect them from danger?
Disclaimer: I own nothing from Hey Arnold. This is my first FanFiction story.
Chapter 44: New Friends
Helga P.O.V
(Flash Back 3 months ago)
It's been two weeks since Sid and Reba blackmailed me into dating Sid. For the last two weeks, I've been coming to the warehouse after school to learn 'the business' as Sid calls it. Lila and I are waiting outside the warehouse for Sid and Curly, so we can head to the club. Sid took me shopping the other day and made me put on this one shoulder satin short red cocktail dress, with red lipstick for the night. My hair is up in a tight bun and I was wearing black heels. Lila is standing next to me, wearing a green lace overlay sleeveless fare cocktail dress, black heels and her hair is down wrapped around her shoulders. We are both nervous, because we don't know what to expect.
Tonight is going to be our first time watching Curly fight. From what Curly told me it is nothing like Wrestlemania, he said that he never killed anyone yet, but only knocked them out. I start thinking about how the Mob is run. From what Curly and Iggy told me earlier, there is gambling and fighting, and that the Mob controls the banks and schools. Curly, Iggy and Edward have to fight in the ring and kill that person in order to win. If they only knock them out, they only get a third of that money. When fighters come to the club with their sponsor, there are not only here for the money, but also to gain control of certain areas. Reba has Wolfgang moving the money to different banks and collecting property in between the deals. I never pictured Wolfgang as the accountant type, but whatever he does for Reba, he is good at it.
Lila looks at me with her green eyes and whispers to me, "Helga, I'm ever so worried."
I turn my attention to Lila, "about what?" I spoke softly to her.
"I overheard Sid and Reba talking, they want Curly to kill this guy tonight. The guy that is going to be fighting Curley's tonight, well his sponsor is part of the British intelligence." Lila looked around the parking lot to make sure that no one heard us. "They said that Curly is starting to hold back with his fighting skills. They said that Curly needs to kill this guy tonight, so they can take over a certain area and if he does not kill him, Mr. Lloyd is going to pay the price."
"Mr. Lloyd, Rhonda's father?" I asked concerned.
"Yes." Lila nods her head.
"Why would Mr. Lloyd pay the price for Curly not killing this guy?"
"Because I am Mr. Lloyd's fighter and he is my sponsor." Curly came out of nowhere towards Lila and I. "I am doing this for Rhonda, the same way you are doing this for Arnold and Phoebe."
"Curly." Both Lila and I said at the same time.
"No more talking about this, Sid is coming." Curly grabs Lila's left arm, motioned for me to follow him and started leading us to the car. I guess he knew not to touch me or Sid would have a cow. "Whatever happens tonight, I am still Curly." He tried to hide it, but he was scared to death. He started speaking softly for only Lila and me to hear. "Tonight, before I start fighting come to the dressing room so we can talk, there is something important I need to tell you both."
We heard footsteps coming towards the car. I turned around to see who was coming towards us and it was Sid. "Hello my angel, you look breath taken." Sid smirks at me. He grabs my chin and lean down to put his mouth on mine.
I turn my head towards the right so, he can kiss my cheek. "Don't want to mess up my lipstick."
He started laughing, "You're so right." He moved his head away from me, turned to Curly and Lila and said, "Let's get this show on the road." He opened the left side of the car door for me and I sit in the back with Lila as Curly sit in the front with Sid. Sid started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. He turned to Curly and gives him a devilish smile, "you ready for them?" Curly did not say anything; he just turned his head towards the window. "We are counting on you and you know what you need to do. So don't fuck it up." Curly just continue to stare out the window, without speaking a word. We finally made it to the club and parked the car. Curly opened the door for Lila, as Sid did the same for me. Curly and Sid escorted Lila and I into the club area, we kept walking until we were in a room area, where we can see the fight. Sid turned to me and said, "Do you want something to drink?"
"Surprise me." I learned with Sid to just except anything that he gives you, because he is only going to bring it to you anyway. No matter, how many times you say NO, he is still going to bring you what you don't want. I turned to the couch in the room and sit down on it. Lila follows my lead and sits down next to me. Curly followed Sid to the bar area quietly. I was looking around the club area, when I felt Lila's hand grab my wrist. I turned to her and said, "What's wrong?"
Lila was staring straight ahead of us. I turned my head to see what she was looking at and Peapod Kid and his father walked into the club with five other gentlemen. "Is that Peapod Kid with his father? I though he moved to England."
"Yeah, me too," I agreed with Lila. We watched Peapod Kid and his father walk into another room across from us, so they can watch the fight. Peapod Kid kept looking at his phone anxiously and ignoring what his father was saying to him.
Curly and Sid came back to the room with our drinks. Curly was about to sit down next Lila, when Reba, Mr. Lloyd and five other gentlemen walked into the room. Mr. Lloyd walked up to Curly and ignored Lila, Sid and I, before speaking, "Are you ready for this?" He put his hands on Curly shoulders and I could tell that Curly was tension. Curly just nodded his head and walked away from Mr. Lloyd. Mr. Lloyd put his head down for a second and shakes his head before looking back up at everyone.
Reba smile at everyone and said, "That's great, we have people here from England that is looking to expand their business, with our property. And we are not going to let them, right Curly." She gives him a smirk, walk up to him and continue what she was saying, "You're going to show them what Hillwood Mob is all about. Just remember who you work for." She said threateningly to Curly. Curly give her a blank stare and she took a step back. "Go get dress." Curly walked past her in headed for the dressing room. Lila and I stood up and started to follow after Curly, when Reba voice stopped us. "Where are you two going?"
Lila spoke for the both of us, "I am going to check on Curly, to wish him oh so best of luck and Helga is going to the bathroom since it is in the same direction, right?" I nod my head and agreement.
Reba accepted what Lila said to her and said, "Hurry back."
We quickly walked to the back dressing area to find Curly. We knocked on the door, waiting patiently for him to open. He opens the door and looks at both Lila and I and motions for us to come into the room. We walk into the room and Curly close and lock the door. "Are you okay?" Lila walks up to him and touches his left shoulder, Curly as not spoke a single word since the parking lot. Curly just keep giving Lila a blank stare, until I walk up to him and touch his right shoulder. He looked down to the ground and tears started falling from his eyes. Both Lila and I grab Curly to us and the three of us held each other. After some time has passed by, we pulled away from each other.
Curly walked to the sink area in the room and washed his face, then dried it with a towel. Curly turned to Lila and me and said, "Peapod Kid and his father, is out there. Do you guys know who Peapod Kid's father is?"
"Yeah, he is Richard Peterson the III. He helps my father and a couple of other people in Hillwood with finances. If you cross him, he makes you disappear for good. What is he doing in Hillwood, I through he moved to England?"
"I don't know, but Wolfgang and I was talking yesterday and he found paperwork with Peterson's company."
"What kind of paperwork?" I asked.
"He found a deed and private accounts that are linked to Peterson company. I don't think he knews about it. I think Reba and Mr. Lloyd stole his property and he wants it back. I think that they are going to go after Reba, not just with this fight, but with everything. Whatever Wolfgang found out, it's not good, because she has Richard Peterson the III, sitting across from her."
"Is he a sponsor too?" Lila asked curiously.
"No, but his friend is a sponsor." Curly looked at the clock on the wall, took a deep breath and said, "look, whatever happens tonight..."
"Don't say it. You need your head in the ring." I said firmly.
"Rhonda would always love you, no matter what you do." Lila reassured Curly. We heard a knock on the door and Lila walked to the door and opened it for Mr. Lloyd.
Mr. Lloyd looked around the room at the three of us and said, "are you ready?" Curly nods his head and walked pass Mr. Lloyd out the door into the club area, where the fight was going to be handle. Mr. Lloyd shakes his head follows Curly to the ring.
Lila and I follow behind Mr. Lloyd, we walk back to the VIP area that we are going to be sitting. We ignore Reba and the five genlemen and sit down on the couch to watch the fight. We watch Curly enter the ring and some guy close the gates behind Curly. The bell rings meaning that it is time to start fighting. Curly starts punching the guy in the face repeatedly. The guy pushes Curly off him and kicks Curly in the head. Curly falls down on the matt and the guy lifts his foot in the air and bring it down on Curly stomach. Lila grabs my wrist tightly, and makes a screech sound. Sid comes over to the couch and sits next to me. Sid leans into my left shoulder and whispers into my ear, "Isn't this great?" I turned to him sick to my stomach. He looks at me and smile, "I get to be with you and watch a free show." Lila tighens her hand around my wrist, digging her nails into my skin. I turned to Lila, she looked like she was going to be sick. I turned back to the ring and saw that it was so much blood, coming from Curly and his opponent, I was going to be sick myself.
I looked across the ring and saw Peapod Kid run out of the room and into the hallway with his phone to his ear. I turned back to Lila and she looked like she was going to pass out. I turned back to Sid, "I am going to take her to the bathroom. We will be right back." I stood up and lead Lila to the back, where Peapod Kid just ran out.
I put my hand on Lila's upper back and walked her to the bathroom door. Peapod Kid was pacing back in forth on the phone. "How is she now?...How far apart are the contractions?...Okay, I am on my way." He hang up the phone and run out of the club without noticing Lila and I walking into the bathroom.
I wonder what that was about, but Lila just vomit all over the floor. I don't know how long Lila's head was in the towel bowl, but there was a knock on the bathroom door. "Helga, Lila, are you guys alright?" Curly spoke outside of the door.
"Curly is a life." Lila choked out.
I patted her back and say, "it sounds like it. Curly just open the door and come in." I heard the door open in Curly walked into the bathroom. His left eye was black and blue, his lip was cut open and his cheek was blooding. Curly shakes his head at Lila with her head in the towel bowl.
"Is the fight over?" Lila said not looking up from her spot.
"Yes." Lila finally turns her head away from the towel and looks at Curly. "Come on let me take you home." Curly bends down and picks Lila up, "both of you."
"Where is Sid?" I asked.
"Handling the rest of the deal."
"Did you...?" I looked into Curly's eyes and everything I needed to know he told me. Lila lean her head into his chest and closed her eyes as tears fall down.
"Let's just go home." Curly carried Lila out of the bathroom, as I followed behind. We walked out into the club area and everyones eye was on us, as we passed them. No one dare to speak to us, they just moved out of our way. I looked over to the VIP rooms and Reba, Mr. Lloyd, Sid and Richard Peterson the III was all in one room in deep conversation. I just hope I am far away from the bomb that is going to go off.
