Eddy led the gang bosses into their establishment letting their eyes soak in the atmosphere. In a short month, Eddy and the others had transformed this place into a top-of-the-line establishment. There wasn't a single spot or smudge marring the place that was thanks to Double D and his OCD he supposed. Ed pulled the shutter door closed behind the gang leaders before walking over to his friends.
"Gentlemen thank you for coming here on such short notice. I know all of you have very busy schedules so we won't waste your time." He said before a trio of footsteps could be heard and out walked the Kankers. Lee was in the lead with a scarlet dress that matched her hair. The crimson curls were swept back from one side of her face revealing a beautiful emerald eye. The eye shadow she wore on accentuated the brilliant hue of her iris. The red dress she wore had a long slit along the side showing off Lee's perfectly sculpted leg.
On Lee's left was May her blonde hair flowing down her back like a river of gold each strand catching the light of the room and shining brilliantly. Her dress was a sheer white which matched her alabaster skin. Her sparkling blue eyes twinkled with an almost childlike innocence which was only intensified by the smattering of freckles across her face. The dress she wore clung to her body showing off her plethora of curves and the sway of her massive breasts.
On Lee's right was Marie her short blue hair was styled into a variety of small spikes lending to her tomboyish nature. Her dress was much shorter than Lee or May's ending above her knees and exposing her back. The deep blue dress seemed to suck in light from around her as she walked. Her chocolate brown eyes stared at the multitude of men. Lee went to stand behind Eddy while May and Marie presented the platters with filled glasses they were carrying to their guests. They returned to Lee's side once everyone had been served.
Jackson smiled showing off his golden tooth once more. "I do like a man who knows how to host." He said with a chuckle to which Santino had to agree. The three young men knew how to treat their guests. The shortest man gave a bow.
"Thank you we aim to please. Ah, let me introduce everyone. My name is Eddy, this is Ed, and Edd with two Ds we call him Double D and he is the builder of what you are all here to see." Eddy said stepping to the side as the Kankers each grabbed a side of a thick cloth and tore it from the table to reveal the Shriekers and Ravers. Predictably the gang leaders looked confused and unimpressed.
"Now hold on fellas just listen and watch." From the ceiling, a screen lowered and a video began to play. On the screen stood a man he looked around as Ed placed a single Shrieker, and Raver in the room. Once Ed had left the Raver began to glow and flash its lights a second later the Shrieker came to life and within seconds the man had fallen to the ground. Double D stepped forward to explain.
"These two inventions of mine called The Shriekers, and Ravers in conjunction can render a grown man unconscious in mere seconds and will have them that way for a minimum of five minutes. The perfect thing for crowd control or quick smash and grabs, is simply to toss the Shrieker and Raver into a room and let them do their work quickly, easily, and non-lethal for those of you who care about that kind of thing. The Irish group gave a hearty laugh which only made Santino shake his head. Of course, those young idiots wouldn't understand the necessity for nonviolence, but he did. Something like this could be quite useful in Santino's hands.
"That isn't all we also have bulletproof vests." Double D showed off a mannequin wearing what look like a suit vest. "It's thin, lightweight nearly indistinguishable from regular clothing, and yet twice as strong as what current law enforcement is wearing." At that Eddy pulled out a pistol and fired point blank into the Vest watching as each bullet slammed into the vest and rocked the mannequin, but after pulling the vest off there wasn't a single crack on the said mannequin. There was a plethora of impressive oohs and ahhs.
At this point, Eddy knew they were ready for the closer. Double D stepped back to overlook the vest seeing what damage had been done. "And all that gentlemen is just the beginning. We have many more products in the pipeline and all of you have the opportunity to get in on our ground floor. Now before we get to pricing there is one nonnegotiable agreement you all must abide by before even doing business with us." Eddy said looking at all the Leaders and seeing the skeptical looks on their faces before carrying on.
"That agreement is that all of you who want to do business with us agree to give us this section of the city," Eddy said as the leaders narrowed their eyes at this. Santino spoke up at this. "By "this section" of this city what do you mean exactly? Give us dimensions." He said as Eddy nodded and pressed a button on a remote causing the TV screen to change into a map of the city. "We're asking that the area of the city known as Old's Town be recognized as our turf no action above fifteenth and nothing below twenty-first, also nothing east of Montgomery or west of Madison," Eddy said as a red box was drawn around several blocks around their business.
"If you can agree that none of your men, boys, or affiliates will do their work on our turf without permission then we will do business with you. I mean it I don't want your great aunt's, cousins, niece's granddaughter selling girl scout cookies here without asking us." Eddy said as the leader of the Irish burst forth pressing a gun against Eddy's forehead. Santino and Jackson looked at the young Irishmen before stepping backward as their men grabbed their guns.
"And what if we just decide to blow all three of your brains out and take your shit and your girls huh shorty!" He growled in Eddy's face drenching him in the stench of whisky. Eddy looked at the mad Irishmen before giving a big smile.
"You could try." He said before a soft whir could be heard quickly followed by the sound of bone shattering and a strangled whine" Everyone's eyes traveled down to see the cause of the disturbance. It seemed the sole of Eddy's shoe had ejected downward with such force it had shattered Lucky Sam's foot. Blood began oozing out of the Irishmen's shoe before he finally screamed in pain falling to the ground as Eddy's sole retracted back to his shoe.
Now that they saw it in motion everyone could see that instead of Eddy's actual shoe coming apart there was a small casing around the bottom of the shoe that ejected and retracted the metal sole. Now that the shock had worn off Sam's men moved into action drawing their guns only for an array of red dots to pinpoint their skulls. From where he stood Double D had his finger trained over a device on his wrist. "I wouldn't." He said simply as everyone looked to the ceiling seeing small turrets trained on the Irish gang.
"I really hoped somebody would be stupid enough to think that we would let you in here and not have some kind of security. Smart move Lucky Charms." Eddy said sneering down at Lucky Sam before looking to his subordinates. "You've got a few options fellas. You can; take your boss and get the fuck out of here, or you can put your guns on the floor and stand there and listen, and maybe just maybe by the time the presentation is over I won't feel like blowing a hole in your boss's skull, your choice."
The Irishmen took a small moment to deliberate before stowing their guns and grabbing their boss before making their way out the garage door. Eddy watched them go before looking back to the other two gang bosses. "Sorry about that now where were we?" Eddy asked. Carl smiled before giving two slow claps.
"I like how you Eds do business; very well I accept your terms," Santino said as Jackson nodded as well.
"Ya got yourself a deal, my man." Eddy smiled the widest grin anyone had ever seen.
"Excellent. As a token of goodwill here are a few party favors." Eddy said as Lee and her sisters presented a medium bag to each gang boss. Jackson eagerly unzipped his bag and smiled seeing it was filled to the brim with Ravers and several pairs of Shriekers. Atop the pile of electronics was a card. "This will be our gift to you, but when you run out call the number and place an order. It will be delivered within three days guaranteed." Eddy stated as he straightened his suit. Jackson and Carl each smiled.
" Eds I'll definitely give you a call," Jackson said throwing the bag over his shoulder as Carl gave the bag to one of his men.
"Yes, I will let my men know that this area is no longer part of our territory," Santino said as he began moving to the door. Eddy smiled as he gave a small bow to each of the Gang bosses as they left. Once the glow of their headlights had faded Double D leaned against the table clutching his chest.
"That could have gone badly, Eddy. Did you really need to maim the guy?" Double D asked as Eddy scoffed.
"Of course, I did Double D they all needed to know we are capable of defending what's ours and now they do simple as that." He said looking at Double D. "If we want to be respected we need to have a show of strength. It's not like I planned on doing it from the beginning but I'll take any opportunity to make us look good and now we do." He laughed sitting on the table. "Plus who doesn't like free shit. They get a sample of what we're capable of and you get some more time to work on our next product."
Ed sat in a chair scratching his chin. "But Eddy we've nearly blown through all the money we stole, and it's not like they're going to be buying immediately how are we going to stay afloat until then?" Eddy shrugged.
"This place Doubles as a tech shop now so there's that, but I have a feeling a windfall is going to come our way pretty fucking soon, so until then let's just chill and coast until the bosses start ordering. Double D and Ed looked at each other wondering what Eddy knew or thought he knew that they didn't, but decided to leave it be. There was always a method to Eddy's madness.
On Eddy's advice, Ed decided to head back to the cul-de-sac after all this time and with the money, he made he'd bought his own truck so it was time to return his dad's car. It wasn't some brand new fresh off the line vehicle like Eddy had bought; instead, Ed had chosen an old school truck. It had a few dents and dings, but other than some surface damage it was a pretty decent truck and best of all it was his. Of course, right now he was driving his dad's sedan and May was following behind him in his truck. Ed looked at the upcoming sign that read Peach Creek home of the Fighting Cobblers. He smiled remembering his time as the Peach Creak mascot. It was pretty fun one of the few times in school he'd enjoyed himself.
About ten minutes after passing the sign he was once again in the Cul-de-sac. After months in the city, he could see how truly tiny the place was now. A semicircle consisting of ten or so houses Rolf's farm with its myriad of animals. Ed pulled into his driveway as May passed by the Cul-de-sac in his truck. She was heading to the trailer park to get most of Lee's stuff from the trailer. He climbed out of the sedan and took a deep breath as he headed to the front door. Ed used the key to open the door and walked in. He doubted his mother was home at this time of day and the last time he'd called home it seemed his Dad would be heading back to work at the end of this month another reason he'd come to return the car. He stepped in seeing the house had hardly changed in these last few months. He shrugged out of his hoodie and hung it up on the back of the door as his boots clomped onto the carpet.
Sarah was sitting on the couch using the term sitting loosely. She was upside down with her bare feet hanging over the back of the couch as the same reddish hair she shared with her brother was pooled onto the carpet. Her green eyes latched onto the TV. Ed spotted his sister's feet hanging over the couch and smirked before walking over and dragging his fingers across the soles of her feet. Sarah screeched as she flipped herself over the couch landing flat on her stomach and knocking the wind out of her as her wide eyes roved in their sockets before locking onto her smiling older brother.
"Ed you assh-!" Sarah stopped her insult short as she took a real look at her brother. For as long as Sarah could remember she'd never seen Ed as a real big brother. He was just the idiot who happened to be born a few years before her and who she, unfortunately, shared blood with. At best he was a convenient use of muscle. That's not to say Sarah didn't love her brother of course she did, but it was more the loved one has for a big dumb dog than an actual person. That was not the person who was standing before her now. Ed stood with his long orange hair tied into a thin ponytail he actually had a bit of stubble on his chin giving him a very masculine air.
Of course, his attire had hardly changed in her opinion, but the caliber was much higher. Ed wore a t-shirt that stretched across his chest on it was one of those anime girls he was always talking about. She was blonde with massive breasts and holding a sword that was easy twice her size and dressed in an armored bikini. Despite the overtly sexual picture Sarah having hung out with Jimmy for so long could tell the quality was top-notch, same for his jeans that looked to actually have been ironed to put a crease in them.
Finally, what she had always seen as Ed's trademark footwear his dirty boots were gone replaced by shiny black combat boots she would say. Overall her brother screamed maturity at her. This was someone she could actually call big brother and mean it. Ed gave a wide grin. "Is that all you're going to say to me Sarah it has been a while since we've seen each other." Ed looked down at Sara dressed in a blue sleeveless shirt and short shorts. Obviously, Sarah was taking far too many cues from Jimmy in his opinion.
"He-hey Ed," Sarah said climbing back onto the couch still trying to reconcile this man with her idiot older brother. As she processed this the sound of hurried footsteps came into the living room.
"Sarah, what's wrong why'd you scream?" Their dad said before looking at the man in his living room and recognizing his son. "Ed?" The older man asked as Ed stood up from the arm of the couch and walked over to his dad and gave him a hug.
"Hey, dad," Ed said clapping his old man on the shoulder. Ed's father looked up to his son for most of his life Ed's dad knew his son would probably catch up to him in height they were both the tallest people in their house but now Ed had passed his father up by a few inches.
"Son, what are you doing here?" His dad asked as Ed produced his father's car keys.
"Oh, I had a few days off and thought I'd bring your car back since you're going back to work," Ed said placing the keys in his father's hands.
"Oh well you didn't have to rush and what are you going to do now? You work in the city are you going to be alright getting to work?" His dad asked as Ed nodded.
"Oh yeah, no worries I've been working on this old truck and finally got it up and running so I'm good. Don't worry about me Dad. Oh and here's a little money to keep things going. Ed placed a stack of bills in his father's hand on top of the keys he'd given back. Ed's father looked down and nearly choked at the sight.
"Ed this is over two-thousand dollars!" His father yelled shocking Sarah to come over and look at the stack of bills.
"It's four grand actually," Ed said with a grin. Both his sister and father looked at him completely dumbfounded.
"Ed where did you get this kind of money?" His father asked starting to suspect something not being right. Working a minimum wage job might give Ed some decent money, but nowhere near enough to where he could afford to just give away four grand without a second thought. "Tell me the truth boy." His dad said as Ed just laughed.
"Alright, you got me I'm working under the table at a few places." He said rubbing the back of his head. "A little shady, but it's working for now." He saw the look of disappointment on his dad's face before the old man sighed.
"Alright son you're doing what you must but don't let them screw you over and you can always come back home. We'll work something out." Ed shook his head.
"Sorry, dad can't do that I like the way things are now." His father looked at him before smiling.
"Well if you like I love it. Come on sit down your mother will be home soon." His dad said slinging a hand over Ed's shoulders while Sarah grabbed his hand the three sat down in the living room while his father and sister asked him about his time in the city.
May pulled up at her childhood home and looked around with a hint of disgust. "Ugh and here I thought this place couldn't get any shittier." She said climbing out of the truck and making her way to the trailer door. She unlocked it with the key Lee gave her and walked in. Her family home looked so much smaller now. She honestly couldn't believe that she, Lee, and Marie actually lived here. "Well, time to get Lee's shit." She said moving around the house and grabbing this and that. Everything else Lee said to leave. Whoever moved in next was welcome to her shit as she put it.
May's first move was to grab the ship in the bottle hanging above the kitchen entrance and looked down at it before laughing. "I remember when we tore the cul-de-sac apart looking for this thing only to find Ed had it on his finger. The big goof had taken it by accident while sleepwalking one night." She said laughing loudly. May stored the precious family memento in her bag before heading up to the bedroom the three had once shared. May moved to the bathroom taking out Lee's products as well as her brush and comb before moving to her closet.
At this point, May pulled out her phone and began scrolling through pictures Lee had texted her to show May the exact clothes she was supposed to get. After checking off all but the last articles consisting of several t-shirts, a red short dress, and a leather biker jacket she found the last piece of clothing she was supposed to grab. May arched a brow as she looked at the sleeveless shirt in her hand. It was a larger version of Lee's favorite shirt from when they were growing up; a white shirt with red polka dots of varying sizes. "Geez Lee didn't know you liked this shirt that much that you'd buy it as an adult," May said realizing how sentimental her sister was.
May stowed all Lee's stuff in the large duffel bag she'd bought before the trip back home. After looking through the texts to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything she made her way over to the entertainment system and pulled open one of the drawers and looked at the sole item sitting within. A dusty leather-bound book sat in the bottom of the drawer, embossed on the front of the book was a single word; "Kanker". May reverently grabbed hold of the book lifting it up gently before blowing across the front removing the majority of the dust. May opened the thick leather cover and saw a picture of a young redhead girl. This was her mother she looked a lot like Lee or well Lee looked like her.
May flipped through the pages fast-forwarding through her mother's life until she came upon another picture. There was her mother in her late teens and in her arms was a small redheaded bundle. She sighed this was something she'd never wanted for herself to be a teenage mother, she thinks her sisters inherently share that fear of becoming their mother. Working herself to the bone to support herself and three girls all on her own. May shut the photo album and placed it atop the rest of Lee's things before zipping up the bag.
She knew Ed was probably going to spend a few hours with his family and she didn't want to barge in on that mostly because she didn't think Ed wanted her to. "So what should I do for the next few hours?" From what Lee said she'd only been paying the rent here to keep from having her stuff tossed out before she could get to it. So there was no power, water, or internet, nothing to keep her entertained. She sighed before standing up. "Well if I can't stay here guess I'm meeting Ed's folks." She said grabbing the bag and walking out the door leaving it wide open. Lee said she didn't give a damn about anything outside the list she gave May and that was good enough for the youngest Kanker. As she hopped in the car something came to mind.
Her destination set May drove out of the trailer park for the last time. Almost on autopilot May navigated Peach Creek. It was weird she hadn't been here in months, but she still knew the place like the back of her hand. After several minutes of driving May found herself outside a wrought iron gate. She parked Ed's truck and hopped out making her way into the Peach Creek Graveyard. May passed by several headstones and plaques before stopping at one. May read the gravestone; "June Kanker."