Book 2: What's It Going To Be?
1997
Nicolana traced the soft slope of her daughter's nose looking down at her whispering, "Jessica." The hospital room was empty. Her mother had left an hour ago to get something to eat. Ari was on her way but was still a few hours away. Nicki cuddled her new baby to her chest feeling her heart swell imagining her and Lila growing up together. Tufts of brown hair peaked out from under a pink cap. She couldn't be happier.
She heard someone enter the room and looked up expecting her mother, but it was Hunter instead. The warmth in her chest fizzled, replaced by a cold pounding. He leaned against the door frame, his hair cut short in a fresh buzz cut, and the fresh tattoo on his left arm wrapped in plastic.
The purple dragon glared at her, it's mouth open in a snarl but she heard a laugh.
She looked down at Jess in her arms and pulled the blanket up higher. "What are you doing here?" she asked staring down at her feet.
He frowned at the edge in her voice. "I have a right ta see my kid, Nicki."
Nicki pulled Jess closer to her chest defensively. Her eyes flew up to his with fury. "You don't have a right to shit," she bit out struggling to keep her voice low. "You should leave."
They stared at each other for several tense moments neither backing down. "She's my daughter too, Nic," Hunter finally said taking another step into the room. "It doesn't have ta be dis way, Nic. Stay with me. I'll take care of both of ya."
Nicki furrowed her brow. "Why on earth would I want to raise Jessica in a gang? Do you hear yourself?"
"Jessica. . ." he breathed his eyes fixated on the buddle in her arms. He shifted his gaze to his boots. "The Purple Dragons are a family, Nic."
"Stop calling me that," she muttered. "You made your choice" –her eyes flicker to his fresh tattoo— "now get out."
He bristled. "I love you, Nicki."
She wrapped her arms around Jess tighter, squeezing her eyes shut as her heart ached, but a few tears still slipped down her cheeks. She shook her head and looked up at him through glassy eyes. "Not as much as you think you do."
2009
Nicolana wiped the blood from her daughter's face with trembling hands. "Oh, Mija," she muttered fearing deeply for her daughter's future.
Jess sat on the kitchen counter quietly not ready to tell her mother what had happened and what she had done. She said nothing, wincing when her mother pressed a cotton ball soaked in alcohol to the cut on her forehead. "Will he ever leave me alone?" she asked as Nicki smoothed a band aid onto the cut.
Her fingers paused then dropped to cup her daughters face forcing Jess to meet her eyes. "I love you so much, Mija. I'm going to protect you. Until my last breath, I will be there for you." She leaned forward placing a kiss on Jess's forehead. "We're going to go somewhere safe."
"Where?"
Nicki turned to pack up the first aid kit. "You remember Lila, don't you?"
"You mean Ari's daughter? Yeah, I remember her."
"Well, we're going to go stay with them. We're leaving tomorrow."
Jess frowned, "Why them?"
Nicki smoothed Jess's hair splitting it into parts to braid. "Ari was my best friend. We always hoped you and Lila would become friends, too."
"But Ari died," Jess said quietly inclining her head towards her mother.
Nicki hands paused remember the dreadful day she got the call that Ari and her husband died in a car crash. "Yes. . .she did. But her mom, Lanelle, was like a second mother to me, so we're going to stay with her for a while. We'll be safe there."
Jess hopped off the counter tying off the braids hoping her mother was right.
2012
"Why is it so hot!" Lila asked plopping down beside Jess on the front porch stairs with another popsicle.
Jess shrugged, "Mom says it's God's way of punishing the human race."
Lila frowned taring open the popsicle with her teeth. "Your mom says a lot of weird things."
The two young girls sat up, ridged and tense, watching a black van sputter down the road. They only relaxed when it was out of sight.
"Should we go inside?" Lila asked just waiting for the van to come back.
"No," Jess said fiddling with the end of one of her braids.
Lila looked at Jess, her green eyes open wide. "Are you sure? Maybe I should get Grandma—" she stood, but Jess grabbed her hand stopping her and pulling her back down to the withered wood steps chipping with red paint.
"No, if it was them, they'd be back by now."
Lila sat back down tentatively picking at the chipping paint. "What do they want with you anyway?" she muttered, flicking the paint chips into the grass.
"Hun, want's me to join the gang he runs."
"In New York City?"
"Yeah."
"I want to go to New York—I mean, not to join a gang or anything! But. . .what's it like? The city?"
Jess thought for a moment scuffing her feet against the wood. "It's huge and they're so many people. But it's also scary. Casey helps me get around though and back home."
"Have you heard from Casey?"
Jess's smile fell thinking about the older boy who had been her savior on more than one occasion. "I haven't talked to him in a few months actually."
Lila frowned, "Why not? I thought he was like your best friend—besides me of course."
Letting out a breath of frustration Jess laid down squinting up at the sun. "He is, but I just don't want anything to do with the gang or the city." She sprang up meeting Lila's eyes. "Four years and I'm getting as far away from New York as I can."
"What about me?"
"You can come with me! There are lots of big cities."
"Well, yeah, but I want to be a detective at the NYPD, Jess. Like grandpa."
"Well. . .I guess there are holidays?"
Lila still pouted wrapping the plastic tube from her pop sickle around her finger. "Do you think about leaving a lot?" she asked quietly glancing at the girl she saw as a sister. Part of her understood why Jess wanted to leave. There was a pain in her eyes. The fights with her mother she'd hear from down the hall never seemed to end.
"I just don't want him to find me again. Mom said we would be safe here. But they found us."
"But they havn't taken you again!"
"Only because Grandma chased them off with her rifle. They'll be back, Lila," she said, pulling her knees forward. "He always come back. Hun can rot in hell for all I care but he keeps his promises and he promised to bring he back, one way or another."
"Dinner's done!" their grandma called from inside the house.
Lila took Jess by her hand dragging her up from the steps. "Hun can dream all he wants, but he's gotta get through grandma first!"
Jess smiled following after her knowing it was wishful thinking.
2012 a Few Months Later
Jess stood outside the school gymnasium pulling on her sweatpants over her cheerleading skirt after a football game. She shivered and put on her coat zipping up her duffle and backpack.
"Need a ride?"
"No, my mom—" she froze realizing it wasn't a student or teacher. She stumbled back pulling out her phone. The man followed stepping into the light, the purple dragon tattoo curling up his arm plainly visible.
"She's not going to answer the phone."
"W-What did you do to her?" Jess stammered hands balling into fists.
He took a few more steps forward. "She's fine. . .for now, as long as you come with us."
"Tell Hun to suck a dick!"
"He will kill her, Jess, if you don't come with us," he said levelly picking up Jess's bags and walking back towards the parking lot.
Jess cursed under her breath following after the man. She watched quietly as he tossed her bags into the back wondering if she should run.
"Don't even think about it," he said startling her. "You can try and call her if ya want, but she won't answer. She was working at the Bulhr's house today, right?"
A pain shot through her gut and she looked down.
"Bein' a Dragon ain't so bad. Least you have a family," he said opening the passenger side door for her.
"I already have a family," she bit out.
"That old woman who chase's us off with a rifle?" he asked with a smile. "Yeah, gotta admit she made it hard to get to ya."
Jess sat in the passenger seat sour and tense and confused. So very confused on what to do.
"One day, this will all be yours," Hun said smiling down at his men moving cargo at one of Shredder's warehouses. Jess frowned at the men and women on the ground shifting her gaze to the Japanese man conversing with a scientist not far from them. His dark eyes met her for a split second. She looked away praying he hadn't noticed but he started to approach them. Jess wished she would spontaneously combust.
"Hello, I do not believe we have met."
Jess glanced up realizing he was talking to her and panicked.
"Master Shredder, this is my daughter, Jessica. I apologize for her rudeness. She is still learning respect," Hun said with a bow.
Oroku Saki looked down at the young girl. "Look at me child," he ordered. Jess looked up meeting his eyes scared to death, but also curious. "You remind me of my own daughter, Karai. Perhaps you two may meet."
"Um, that would be. . .nice," she said treading carefully.
"No tattoos? Have you not finished the initiation?"
"No—"
"That is why she is here, Master, to finish and become a Dragon."
Saki glared at Hun annoyed at him for interrupting. "I see. Report to me when the loading is finished," he ordered bidding goodbye.
Jess watched him leave hating to be left alone with Hun.
Saki paused by one of his foot guard whispering an order, "Watch the girl. She will be useful to us in the future."
The foot guard nodded, closing the door behind Saki.
"Where is my mother?" Jess asked as Hun led her to a back-office area. It was dusty and looked like it hadn't been used in a long time. She shoved her trembling hands into her back pockets.
"She will be fine as long as you do as I say," Hun warned his back still turned to her.
"I want to see her." Jess didn't believe for a second that Hun hadn't done something to her mother. Her breath stopped when she watched him go around the cluttered desk and pulled out a pistol. Hun set in down on the laminated mahogany watching her carefully.
He left the gun and opened the side door. "Bring him in," he spoke to his men just outside who were waiting. They brought in Andrew, throwing him down in the middle of the room before Jess. The young man pulled at his ties about to beg for his life till he looked up and saw the girl in front of him and her teary eyes. Dread filled his bones as he realized what was happening.
"You can't be serious," he hissed looking over at Hun shutting the door.
He grinned, "Deadly." He picked up the gun, checked its rounds and shoved it into Jess's shaking hands.
"I-I won't do it!" Jess said, proud of herself for sounding so stern. She dropped the gun to the floor half wanting to kick it away but knew Hun could be unpredictable.
Hun sneered working his Jaw in thought.
"You can't have a child kill me, you coward!" Andrew shouted. He turned as best he could too look Hun dead in the eye. "If you were a real leader, you'd kill me yourself."
Hun looked at him for a moment amused and then laughed. The deep chuckle unnerved Jess and Andrew. "Here's da thing, Drew. This 'ere is my daughter," Hun explained walking to stand behind Jess. He placed a hand on either shoulder and shoved her forward. "She's gonna be leader someday. So as her first act of service to the Dragon's she's gonna take you out."
"I said I won't do it!" her voice quivered.
Hun grabbed her face tugging her forward harshly. "Then I'll make you," he said with a voice dangerously low. He let go and walked back towards the door.
"No. . ." Jess breathed in a small voice.
Andrew looked between the two confused on what was happening. He pulled at the ties biting into his wrist but to no avail. He looked down at the gun a few feet away knowing there was no way for him to get to it.
Hun yanked an older woman through the door forcing her to the ground. She cursed at him her eyes wide with fury.
"Hijo de puta! Let us go, culo!"
"Still such a temper," Hun mussed brushing her tangled hair from her face. She was just as beautiful as he remembered, too.
Nicolana pulled away hating the feeling of his callused fingers on her face. "I'll kill you myself if you touch her!"
Hun stood looking down at the woman he once loved. He then looked over at Jess who looked so much like her mother but lighter in tone. He closed his eyes and let out a sharp breath letting himself imagine what could've been for just a moment. "Pick up the gun, Jessica," he warned pulling out his own. He aimed it at Nicki never breaking eye contact with his daughter. "If you don't, I will kill her."
"Are you fucking crazy!?" Andrew shouted pulling so hard on his ties his wrist began to bleed. "She's a child!"
Hun ignored him. He said nothing but pulled the hammer back narrowing his eyes at Jess. She didn't move, still weighing her options.
Her mother looked between the two feeling the tension growing while looking down the barrel of a gun. She looked back at her daughter with a chill. "Mija," she breathed watching as Jess picked up the gun. It looked so large in her small hands. She whipped back around to look at Hun. "You take me, coward! That's all you want!"
Hun ignored her still look at his daughter with silent challenge. "There's only one way out of this room, Jess. You as a Dragon."
Jess pressed her lips together in a thin line struggling to hold back tears.
Andrew's head dropped as he realized there was no way out of this situation.
Jess met his eyes as he looked up, weak, his cheeks hollowed by a thick five o'clock shadow. "Do it," he said quietly looking back down at the ground.
"No," Jess muttered feeling her throat ache. "I won't."
"I swear to God Jess if you don't pull that trigger, I promise will."
She looked over a Hun knowing full well that he would. She looked over at her mother, but Nicki was at a loss for words. She whimpered when Hun pressed the gun to Nicki's temple. "No, don't hurt her!"
The tears finally spilled over Jess's cheeks.
"Then pull the fucking trigger!"
Jess lifted the pistol, the weight making her hands tremble more than they already were. Andrew kept his head down not wanting to make it harder for her.
"I swear to God Jess—"
There was a sharp bang. For a moment it looked like nothing had happened, but then Andrew slumped forward, and blood pooled on the concrete floor. Jess gasped covering her face with her hands the gun forgotten on the floor.
Hun let out a breath, but he didn't move the gun from Nicki's temple. He looked down at her with a slight shake of his head. "If you're around, she'll never accept the Dragons."
Before Nicki could argue, before Jess could realized what was about to happen, Hun pulled the trigger, but he was weak and shot her in her chest. She fell forward. He cursed himself watching her shirt turn dark red.
Jess froze watching her mother fall to the ground. She fell to her knee's tears slipping off her nose like a river. Sobbing, she wrapped her hand around the dropped pistol. She looked at it for a moment before feeling a calm anger slip over her.
Just as Hun turned to congratulate his daughter on finishing the initiation he stumbled back in pain. He looked over at Jess and her smoking gun in disbelief. "Why you ungrateful—"
Jess cut him off, firing the gun till it clicked and she dropped it. Hun slumped against the wall struggling to breathe and passed out. Jess ran to her mother, turning her over, letting out a held breath when he saw that she was alive. "Momma, Momma, I'm sorry. . ." she cried looking down at all the blood. There was nothing she could do.
"Mija," Nicki breathed weakly using what was left of her strength to caress her cheeks. It broke her heart to leaver her in such a state. "Mija. Run."
Jess held her hand to her face even as she went limp. She laid her hand down gently and picked up Huns dropped gun her hot tears still stinking her face. "Run," she breathed before opening the door.
Jess stood under a streetlamp picking at the crusted blood still under her nails. She felt numb and empty even cold. It still didn't feel real. She kept thinking she was going to wake up from the nightmare to Lila shaking her awake for breakfast.
But that never came, and dull pain still throbbed all over her body.
Cars still passed and the light above her flickered. She only looked up when one of those cars stopped in front of her. When the window rolled down, she saw a familiar boy with jet black hair. He reached over and opened the door for her.
Jess got in feeling a sense of relief but wincing in pain. After making it out she'd collapsed near a busy street. The next thing she remembered was waking up in a hospital. Her shoulder shot with pain and her leg burned. Then she remembered being hit. With Casey she knew she was safe.
He glanced at her and the crutches she'd shoved in the back seat as he started driving. "Sorry it took so long. Haven't been in da city much lately. You ok?" he realized that was a stupid question. She was never ok after a run in with Hun, but this time was different. He could feel it.
"He killed my mom, Case," Jess said quietly looking down at her reddish-brown hands.
Casey went to say something, but words caught in his throat. He gripped the steering wheel tighter, his knuckles turning white.
"He forced me through the initiation. I'm officially a Purple Dragon."
The way her voice broke twisted his gut. He shook his head seething, "I don't see a tattoo. Fuck Hun."
Jess let out a heavy sigh too tired to think about the logistics. "Where are we going?" she asked knowing it wasn't the direction of his family's shop.
"Uh, some stuff happened while you were gone," he started, "Hun burned down our shop cuz my dad didn't 'ave da money. I begged him not ta go to the police."
Jess's heart sank further than she thought it could. "I'm so sorry, Casey."
Casey only relaxed when he saw skyscrapers in his rearview. Jess usually fell asleep on the drive, but she was still awake when he pulled into the driveway of the farm house. They both got out. He helped her too the door and noticed the bandages on her shoulder and leg for the first time.
Casey's mom was in the kitchen, dressed in a robe smoking a cigarette to quell her anxiety. She nearly dropped it when the two came in. In the light of the kitchen both Casey and his mother reeled back at the amount of blood on Jess. Most of it was on her clothes, but her bandages spotted with fresh blood as well.
"Let me get you a change of clothes and a bath started. I'll have some food ready for you when you get out." She rushed out of the room to do just that.
Casey pulled Jess into a loose hug not wanting to hurt her. "It's gonna be ok, Jessy."
Jess returned the hug after a few seconds, a part of her hoping he'd never let go.
Welcome to book 2! I'm still going to be updating as often as possible, but right now is midterms and I'm helping a friend of mine renovate her RV, so my brain is kinda fried. I hope you're excited for what's to come. I kinda want to do a prequel story with Nicki and Hun but I'm also thinking about a possible 3rd part to this story. Like I know how I want to end it, but I just don't know how far away that is. We'll see, but you have to stick around to find out.
Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think.
