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The two Samedi dragged me towards the black altar, forcing me to sit on it. Sunshine paused to concentrate and started to mutter prayers, recite verses in an unknown language. He seemed to have slipped into some sort of religious ecstasy.
If I didn't find myself being an important part of this sick bullcrap, I would be probably laughing my ass off then. But instead, it was pure panic that started to crawl through my body. I didn't believe in black magic, but did in crazy people doing crazy shit.
I can still hear his creepy voice:
'It is time.'
My nervous eyes recognized an object on his hand. It was some sort of weird rod: A skull on one side and a blade on the other.
The Samedi were on each side of me, painfully holding my arms. At the sign, they lowered me down and my back found the cold stone. All I had to stare in that moment was the iron of the platform over us, and the crazy priest's ecstatic expression.
Another unpleasant sensation of cold spread through my skin as Sunshine tore part of my shirt open, exposing my chest to the triangular blade, now touching the spot near to my heart.
I heard my friends cursing with exasperation on the background.
Shit. If a plan was ever going to present itself, it had to be now.
I gazed around, my mind desperately considering everything in the environment within a few seconds.
All the adrenaline must have increased my senses.
I just found something on that altar that could be our salvation.
I raised my head and my gaze searched for Gat's, I addressed an intelligence look to the boys, as if to tell them to be on their guards.
For the first time I saw Johnny pale, but he nodded back, and waited.
I drew a deep breath to gather all the strength left, making a tremendous effort to twist one arm and break free, trying to ignore the pain from my skin been cut by the blade in that movement. It didn't go deep, but blood squished freely on what was left of my shirt.
In a desperation move, I reached for one of the candles in the altar and threw molten wax on one of the Samedi's face. He stumbled back and screamed:
'Aaaah! Bitch!'
It created a moment of confusion that the guys were quick to take advantage from. I kicked the other Samedi, then hopped out off the altar and tried to grab a candelabrum to defend myself, but no sooner than my hands touched the iron a breath taking pain made me gasp, and let go of the weapon.
Sunshine twisted one of my arms brutally behind my back. I winced while he was screaming in my ear:
'That is blasphemy!'
He took the sharp part of the rod and was ready to slice my throat open, if I didn't manage to smash my heels on his bare feet, smiling in satisfaction at the loud scream it drew from him.
Of course it didn't stop him for long, he attacked back, and I brought the fight to the ground as he was much taller than me.
I quickly turned to check on the others and was relieved to see that Gat and Carlos brawled their way too.
Always there when you needed him, Gat came and broke our fight by kicking Sunshine in the head.
I gazed at Carlos who was also holding himself pretty well against his opponent, and for a moment though, that is it, we're leaving this boat alive.
We decided to take a dash before Sunshine recovered and rushed to the iron stairs that led to the exit, with one single purpose, get the fuck out of that sick place.
Johnny went first, followed by me and Carlos.
We were halfway up when the doors in front of us opened and two more green shirts appeared.
Johnny was closer so they threw themselves at him. I rushed to help Gat since I was the only one that wasn't tied, but it was too late. They used a stun gun to bring him to the ground, and since I was standing right next, got zapped too.
Brutal hands grabbed my leg and the taser came in action again, A Samedi was pulling me up the steel stairs with him.
I still had the time to look at Carlos, who came closer to help.
'Run Carlos, run!' I shouted.
We didn't have a chance anymore, but he did.
I saw him hesitating so I made it an order:
'Get the fuck out of here!'
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Carlos didn't stop running until he passed over that creepy corridor they used to access the interior of the boat, his eyes suddenly resting on a black candle.
'Shit, I'm pretty sure that it will hurt' He muttered, putting the ropes on his wrist over the flame. To avoid paying so much attention to the physical sensation, he concentrated on what he had to do, pushing back the feeling of panic: The Boss and Gat could be dead right now.
That she returned his feelings or not, it wasn't important; all he knew was that he wasn't going to let her like this...
'There's gotta be something on that boat that I can use.'
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Even if hopeless, the two Saints never stopped fighting.
Gat kicked the Samedi tormenting them off the platform, killing him on the fall.
Meanwhile The Boss had to go down the stairs and hurry throw herself at Sunshine, who was now shooting at them both.
Gat didn't waste a single second and went to the last man standing (who was quite bulky), bear hugging him. It caused his rifle to fire down over the steel platform, making the room under it to be a rather unsafe place to stay.
Not in the slightest distracted by this danger, Sunshine kept pushing The Boss towards the altar with his rod as they fought, unable to renounce his original project. She wasn't in such a good shape, and had to step back in that direction against her will, as he expertly swung the blade in the air, almost hitting her.
To her misfortune, while dodging one of his slashes she tripped over the body of a dead Samedi, and kissed the ground.
She landed on something cold that hurt her stomach, but did her best not to show to Mr. Sunshine just how happy she was when she realized what the object was.
He approached, seeing that his opponent wouldn't turn or get up, and presumed that he won the fight.
His imposing shadow reflected on the wall, the edge of the blade on his rod fantastically reshaped by the reflection of the candles, ready to discharge the blow over the Boss's lowered head.
Except, she drew a Vice, discharging a good number of bullets in his body.
Sunshine tripped over limply.
Like a weird, bloody doll and fell on his knees, sliding sideways.
'Phew!'
The Boss bent over a little and had the forehead pressed on the floor, catching her breath. She drew one more breath and prepared to go help Gat upstairs.
But as she turned, a hand griped her throat, with iron like tenacity.
What the fuck? The dead returned?
Sunshine raised her in the air and walked forward, never stopping from squeezing her throat. How he could still be alive…?
She just shot him at least five times!
By the ultimate irony she soon found herself lying on the altar again. The thing with Sunshine was that you could never be sure which time was really going to be the last.
'Fucking hell!' She thought, seeing that in spite of everything her situation didn't improve. Sunshine's grip was so strong, she was starting to black out from the lack of air, her mind started to race in panic as she was been asphyxiated. She grabbed his hands but there was no strength left in her fingers.
Out of nowhere, disconnected images from her past started to pass in her mind's eye at lightning speed.
She was seven years old, waiting at a long and crowded corridor of a public hospital in Mexico. Her dirty hands painfully held a piece of cloth to her bleeding mouth.
People were saying things in front of her, bluntly. Only fragments of their conversation could be heard:
'No she doesn't have anyone to take her'
'Forget about it, he broke the girl's jaw. He won't pay for anything.'
Weirdly, the hospital disappeared and now she was a teenager, dressed in rather shitty, shabby clothing as she used a public phone to talk to someone.
She barely had the time to acknowledge this vision and the picture changed already, out of control. Her heart reacted painfully as she recognized a stunning man with dark skin talking to her at a graveyard, a group of people dressed in purple observing them.
He held her shoulders solemnly:
'You earned your colors today.' Now her heart was flooded with gratitude and pride.
The scenario shifted again, she found herself in an abandoned church: A young Asian man patted her on the shoulder and said 'You don't look like much. But then, I don't look like I have an eight inch cock so I guess we're full of surprises'.
Now you could see a fancy building, on the background countless bodies of gangsters dressed in yellow. A man with intimidating style and class was giving her a pair of keys to his penthouse, in his attitude, there was respect and admiration.
Except in the next second she was in the living room of a house in the suburbs, watching a beautiful woman tied to a chair. In the blink of an eye a bald man swung his sword and decapitated her. She wanted to run after him and make him pay for what he did, but this was quickly followed by a blinding explosion and the feeling of being deceived. Blind rage pumped in her veins, but it was completely calmed as the last flashback presented itself.
A pale young man was staring at her, dressed in an orange jumpsuit. She told him 'Do you really expect me to trust some guy I don't even know?' Although, she knew instinctively, that she could. Carlos… But he managed to escape, and that was a relief.
'Val! Val!'
A familiar voice was screaming, bringing her back to reality with a kick. She was surprised that someone was calling her that and realized that she could breathe again.
Sunshine loosened the grip, preferring her to be conscious to feel the blade pass through her heart.
Was it to fulfill some request of their sect's strange rituals, or was it simply for sadistic reasons? Impossible to say.
The sharp blade shone inches apart from her chest, ready to be used.
She turned to see who was calling her as she didn't have the strength to do more, and recognized Gat across the large room.
He knocked the Samedi down and started to run down the stairs, but there was no human effort that could make him arrive in time.
She felt sorry for him, regretting that he might follow her shortly…
She gazed at Sunshine's piercing eyes, and expected with indifference the cold pain that should cut the strings that linked her to life, but Carlos was back.
Even if unarmed he discharged a punch between Sunshine's eyes, so strongly that the priest was knocked off his feet.
He grabbed The Boss by the arm, taking her out of the altar and placing himself protectively between her and the crazy voodoo gangster.
Sunshine swung his blade in the air, successfully hitting his neck, and smiled as blood started to run down his torso.
'You're finished my friend, accept that there is no way out of this for you' He said, pointing at a small legion of Samedi that started to invade the room.
'My ass!' Carlos said, taking something from under his coat, and tossing it over some engines, making it impossible to be retrieved.
He raised his hand to show that he just pressed a button on a small remote control.
'Beep beep'
'SHIT! Bomb!'
Everybody panicked and he didn't waste time to grab the Boss' hand, guiding her to the exit. As they passed by Johnny, his face shone with recognition. That silent compliment coming from the badass he feared and had admiration for at the same time mattered a lot.
'Nice job. Let's get the fuck out of here!'
They reached the deck in no time, kicking the mass of screaming people that tried to reach their way out as well.
Helped by Gat, he tossed The Boss on the water first, jumping right after as the meat cargo exploded with all its creepy craziness.
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Later that night, Gat organized an improvised party at the hideout to celebrate Carlos' heroic deed. And it turns out he did a pretty good job. He even managed a last minute call to get some top class strippers and a DJ.
It barely started and everybody was already having a hell of a time. The whole gang was eager to celebrate the fact that what could have been a disastrous defeat, turned out to be a smashing victory at the last minute. It was a fight for many heroes, one in particular. Almost the totality of the gang appreciated this kid, for his kindness and loyalty. Everyone was looking forward to praise his action.
The man who saved the day was still was in his bedroom, changing his ragged clothes after a quick drop at the infirmary to put a bandage over his neck.
As he headed downstairs, an enormous, enthusiastic choir greeted him. Everybody stopped everything they were doing to cheer; a few rounds of ammo were also fired on the roof to celebrate.
Overwhelming.
It was like a dream. All of this was for him. He felt so grateful for this warm welcome that it got him speechless. Carlos felt flattered and actually pretty proud of himself for once.
'Ah, bro, I wished you were here to see this. You would have been so fucking proud of your little brother'.
Gat was standing at the last step, waiting. He nimbly made his way up, raising his arms, and the crowd hushed. His presence alone was enough to impose silence.
'All I can say is...' He steadily grabbed his hand, shaking it strongly to demonstrate his recognition. 'You fucking rocked it today.' He raised his bottle in the air to propose a toast and the whole gang followed. 'To Carlos!'
The were louder than ever. His hand hurt, crushed under Johnny's mighty grip, but he didn't care. This had everything to be the best day of his life. He joined his palms and waved it in the air, thanking everybody.
'Jesus. This is better than winning the godamn world cup!'
There was one face he wanted the most to see him up there, surrounded by all this triumph.
He looked in the crowd for The Boss, but was disappointed to notice she was nowhere to be seen.
He and Johnny headed downstairs, as the gang resumed their partying and the DJ blasted music through the speakers.
'The Boss is in her room, I dunno why she didn't come yet, but I'm sure she won't miss a party like this for the world.' Gat told him, like he suddenly guessed his thoughts.
They were making their way through the crowd with difficulty, people stopped to compliment him or to give a tap on the shoulder, finally carrying him on their shoulders. Gat left him there having his moment and headed for The Boss' room to check if she was ok.
Maybe she wasn't feeling so good? It was not like her to miss a party in the honor of a Lieutenant who saved her life, he knew she always liked to thank her crew personally when something extraordinary happened...
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The Boss was sitting at the corner of the bed for more than half an hour, chin in one hand. She must have been immersed in unpleasant thoughts, because she was frowning and impatiently shaking a leg.
She had make up, her hair was dry and done. The bruises and cuts she had from the confrontation were not a big deal; she went to parties in far worst condition. All that was missing now was to put on her outfit, hanging in a chair right in front of the bed. Somehow she seemed to find this last step too difficult.
A knock at the door interrupted all the deep thinking.
'You ok there?'
She put a silk robe over her bra and opened the door.
'It's you Johnny. What's up?' She sounded relieved and tilted her head to one side, inviting him to enter.
He lied on the bed, in his usual friendly irreverence.
'Wanted to know what is taking you so long. Laura said she won't be letting anyone near the space cake 'till you get there.' He took a swig from his bottle. 'You women take forever to get dressed. I remember that Eesh… I was always late because of her… Well.' He stopped himself, and simply threw the whisky at her 'Want some?'
'No thanks.' She threw it back.
'Wait.' He said, suddenly taking his feet down and sitting to face her. 'What is bugging you?'
She shrugged and replied, trying to sound indifferent like always:
'Nothing man.'
'Boss...' He started, lowering his head so his eyes were visible from behind his glasses. 'You can bullshit anyone but me. No liquor? Cut the crap.'
It was annoying, all this pushing, but he was right. She could lie to anybody, not to him.
She took a few steps towards Gat and grabbed his bottle, taking a deep sip as she leant on the table in front of him.
'I'm feeling a bit weird tonight.'
'What happened?'
'Nah, don't want to talk about it. I think I will stay in and sleep it off.'
'Ok... If you need to talk or anything, you know where to find me.' He tapped her shoulder sympathetically.
'Thanks Johnny.'
He stood up and passed the door, but suddenly remembered something and turned on his heels, his head poking at the frame:
'Boss? Is there something you want me to tell Carlos on your behalf?'
She sighed heavily and answered:
'Right. Tell him what he did was fucking impressive. And that... I wished I could tell him all myself.'
'He will be glad. Too bad you're not coming. He really deserves it.'
'Gat?' She called at the last minute, trying to make it sound as casual as possible. 'Have you ever seen someone differently, all of a suddenly?'
'I dunno what you mean exactly, but, yup.'
'So?'
He chuckled in amusement, knowing very well how such things ended, even if he didn't have a clue of who she was talking about.
'Just make sure to wear a condom. Sweet dreams.'
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The party was a roof raiser. Now it was 4 am and most people's steam's were blow off from the crazy shit they did and all the drugs. The hideout was a mess of empty cans, melted foam and beer puddles. Some Saints were even sleeping on the stairs, or over the pool table. The few men still standing were heading out to greet sunrise with a street race.
If one was looking for Gat would find him sleeping soundly. He was lying over the counter of the bar, glasses still on. A kind soul put a blanket over him, his shirt was gone and his shoes too. A ridiculously large number of shot glasses were pilling up next to an Urban TK, indicating that whatever dangerous game that was played, he probably came out as the winner.
Only Shaundi left the party early to a more private one, carrying her soon to be ex to a room.
It was next to impossible to sleep well with all the noise that went on.
The Boss was starting to grow claustrophobic. As the loud music stopped and voices were starting to fade, she decided that most people were off.
It was clear to go out.
She had to avoid someone at all costs. Why? She wasn't sure, but a gut feeling was telling her it was the best thing to do.
She put her robe and followed her way to the balcony to have a smoke, they went back inside. On her way back to the room, she crossed Pierce running up the stairs. He seemed excited as he adjusted his cap in his head, and was talking to someone, she couldn't see yet.
'Hurry up! No matter what those assholes say, I'm riding the Vortex!' He looked up and finally noticed a figure leaning against a column. 'Morning Boss! You feeling better?'
She nodded vaguely as she heard someone catching up behind Pierce and turned to see who it was.
Carlos was still awake, apparently.
She gazed at him, hoping that she could still see him in the old light.
His eyes concentrated on hers for a sec and he smiled sadly, surely from the absence in the party.
All the effort was useless. He seemed so different. His exterior was the same, but she couldn't seem him as a kid anymore. She had a strange will to bury her head on that chest, that was always open for her, always inviting… Then sink into that feeling of sweetness, of belonging that seemed to walk hand in hand with Carlos. Allow herself to be comforted in those arms that were so protecting, and get closer to that soul that also longed for understanding and love. Ironically, behind all his shyness he was the first men she met that was strong and consistent enough to make her feel totally safe.
She had to muffle the will to call him, and looked away cuz the eye contact was becoming unusually long, and simply headed for the gun supply. She had to do something to keep her mind busy.
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'What are you doing here?' She asked, lowering her gun. 'I thought you were racing with Pierce.'
The Boss was surprised to see Carlos opening the door to the studio she broke in at Sommerset, hunting for Brotherhood drug labs.
'The Brotherhood it's still my job right? Even if I keep screwing it up. I am still the Lieutenant responsible for it.' He said bitterly, charging his shotgun. For a change, he sounded really pissed.
'I don't remember telling you to do so.' She replied dryly, his stubbornness was starting to hit a nerve.
'I see. Like last time.' He said, releasing his resentment about the boat episode.
'Yeah. Like last time. Were you crazy?!'
She was also more pissed than she expected. Maybe something else, more overwhelming, was reacting inside, and being angry was the only way she knew to deal with that.
'What was I supposed to do? Let you get killed?'
She found nothing to counter and kept silent. He was right, if he had followed her orders, she and Gat would be dead.
'You're welcome by the way.' He snapped, turning to leave.
In the quick moment their eyes met The Boss read so much bitter disappointment that her almost always inaccessible heart was gripped.
Yes, she had seen mortal fear, hate, and despair in the eyes of people she killed before. It did nothing to her. When she was burying Shogo alive to a choir of his blood freezing screams of mercy, nothing but hate and delight worked her heart.
But it with Carlos it's always been different. All it took was one look from those wide, dark eyes and everything that was bad in her seemed to go to a distant place.
She reached for him, and placed a hand on his shoulder:
'I just freaked when I thought you could have died because of me.'
'...You are just feeling guilty!' He answered, turning his head away.
'And why is that?'
'You know why. After that stupid shit I pulled, you...'
'Forget it. Stop beating yourself down.'
'Hmph... I shouldn't be giving you hard time.' He replied, realizing his frustration was pushing him over the edge. 'You're one of the few people who respect me, in spite of all the shame I put myself through out there. Don't worry, I won't let how I feel interfere in my job anymore.'
He got it off his chest and she listened, conquered.
'Please... Don't! You, Carlos, deserve no shame! And you never embarrassed, or disappointed me. No one less than a real man could do what you did. I know I never told you this before, but…' She passed one hand in her hair, uneasily. 'You are the person I respect the most in the gang. Just like I respect Gat, I swear…'
Those words were all he could take; Carlos quickly grabbed her face with both hands, kissing her affectionately. No sooner than he realized what he was doing, he stopped.
'I'm sorry.' He said, embarrassed. 'Wow, this keeps getting better. I swore to you I would never do this again, it's...'
She said nothing but stepped closer, gently touching the bandage his neck, the silent reminder of what he was ready to sacrifice for her. Then let her hand go up to his face and caressed his cheek, his jaw, and the side of his lips, with so much kindness and passion that it was hard to believe someone like her was capable of this.
Carlos shock didn't last long, heart pumping fast, he held her head closer and pressed his lips on hers, slipping his tongue inside her mouth.
Her hands slid under his shirt, pressing his muscles.
He broke the kiss to pull her closer to his body with both arms, placing them tightly at her waist as his face sunk on her neck.
'Boss…!' He breathed.
She inhaled deeply, and her hands grasped his skin harder. She soon felt a little spasm of happiness contract his torso. Carlos kept breathing heavily, unable to speak.
'I thought about you the whole day.' She confessed.
'Look at me…' He requested, pulling her chin up. His gaze locked on The Boss's. He searched for one of her hands and put it over his chest, making her feel his heart pumping under her fingers.
He was helplessly smiling, in his gigantic eyes there was all the caring, all the loyal love in the world…
In the Boss's heart, a burning sensation was spreading. Something was coming into light, strongly.
Carlos kept smiling as he saw the changes operating in her expression.
He slowly approached his lips to hers, invading her mouth again with his tongue. As she parted her lips more, allowing him more space, he eagerly sucked her saliva.
Their tongues played with each other tenderly, but Carlos' cock started to harden. He knew how much he was ready for her.
She smiled as she felt his body reacting.
The Boss broke their kiss to give him ascending kisses from his well defined torso 'till the neck, softly but deeply, with that violent adoration that characterized all of her affections.
His hands sunk on her hair…
His lips searched for her mouth as a tell tale sound of a zipper arrived to her ears.
He suddenly pulled her skirt out of the way and entered her, without breaking their kiss.
'I love you, you hear that?' He hissed, quickly squashing his lips on hers.
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'Wow. That was...' She stated when she recovered.
'I am just making it up to you for not been the perfect Lieutenant.' Carlos joked, raising his head, his full lips still flushed from the orgasm he had.
'Hmmm...Now I see that you're quite the perv behind an angel face.' She chuckled.
He feigned indignation, and kissed her collarbone softly, as his breath started to get back to normal:
'I dunno what you're talking about girl. I am quite the gentleman. I even apologize to people after throwing them off a car.'
Both laughed at this, going from torrid lovers to best friends with the biggest of ease.
They got interrupted though, by noises of tires. According to the multiple roaring sounds, more than one car was parking at the entrance of the dorm.
'Time to get out of here?' He asked.
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First Lemon scene on this fic: Again, sorry for the grammar mistakes. If you feel like it, please leave a review, as a member or as a guest. It always makes my day! Thanx for reading, 'till next chapter folks!