Mafia
Chapter Two
Duo and Hilde's Very Important Romance
Let's begin with Duo Laurence Maxwell. Duo was born into a middle-class family in Colony AAA-76; more commonly called 'The Third American Colony.' His father, who was a preacher, and his mother, who was a bar tender, raised him. Though his parents loved each other, as well as him, dearly, their constant bickering shook the foundation of their happiness. Duo ran away from home and was taken in by a rich businessman and his wife. Mrs. Rich Businessman, however, was a former prostitute, and Mr. Rich Businessman didn't seem to understand that you weren't supposed to make love to any woman besides your wife. Duo had walked in on his new father several times when he was with one mistress, or the other, depending on what day it was. After so many times, it no longer fazed him, and Mr. Rich Businessman spoke to him about it, refuting any importance it would later have on his young son.
Mrs. Rich Businessman always encouraged Duo to stay in school and get an education so that he would not have to live like a pimp to support himself. Duo was unmotivated, however, and breezed in and out of school. He found cocaine and marijuana more interesting. When the Businessmen confronted him for his continual absence, they bribed him with a car to remain between those four academic walls. It worked for a time, but Duo dropped out of high school completely when he turned eighteen, the summer before his senior year. Mr. Rich Businessman had told him that he'd been written into his multi-million dollar will, and his wife as well. If either of them died, the other would inherit the unattended fortune.
Duo had been left his father's estate, most of his money, all of his stocks, bonds, and twenty of his thirty cars. Everything else (which, compared to Duo's inheritance, wasn't much) was left to Mrs. Rich Businessman. Mrs. Rich Businessman seized the opportunity when it wandered by and murdered Mr. Rich Businessman in his sleep. Duo hadn't experienced anything this emotionally trying since his constantly arguing former parents, and ran away. Years of buying marijuana and cocaine had yielded him several connections to various dangerous people, several of which volunteered to knock his foster mother off, a possibility that had been basking in the back of his mind. He selected a few and invited them to sleep over. The assassins killed Mrs. Rich Businessman in her sleep, and locked the door to her room.
Duo was immediately apprehended, but when he produced an 'out of the house' alibi, as well as 'credible witnesses,' he and everyone involved were off the hook. Mrs. Rich Businessman's death would remain a mystery for a long time to come.
With Mr. and Mrs. Rich Businessman's murders, Duo was surprised to find himself deeply depressed and hopelessly addicted to marijuana, occasionally taking hits of crystal methane. He was proud not to be an alcoholic, but along with his overall mood, his inheritance was also slipping away. With much hesitation, he took the front seat in what his Mr. Rich Businessman left for him to build on, acting on told secrets and eavesdropper's luck.
In two years, Duo was worth twice as much as Mr. Rich Businessman had been and stopped taking crystal methane entirely. He was rather fond of his marijuana, so he kept it, sold it, and shipped it out around the colonies and a little on Earth. Now that the real world knew him, he began to dig deeper into the world that he'd scraped the surface of as a troubled teenager.
Duo was not a virgin. He couldn't even clearly remember his first. He'd been drunk the majority of the time, anyway, so it didn't matter. When Duo moved to Colony L6-22D, he became a regular in a poor, run down district dominated by gang members, prostitutes, bums, and stray animals. The cleanest place on that side of the city was Run Lola Run, a high-tech gentlemen's club. One of their star dancers was Duo's favorite dancer, and she called herself Felicia Scarlet.
Now let's hear the story of Ingrid Brunhilda Schbeiker. She liked best to be called Hilde, and was born to Communist Loyalists in Colony MC-J12. Hilde was kidnapped as a toddler and taken to Colony TYF-30 where she was raised by a man and woman of high-ranking military status. They home-schooled her, taught her to build her body and improve her discipline, and sent her to dance classes, clear attempts to keep her out of trouble. Hilde had natural physical endurance abilities, and was animate in her training variety for several years. She was having a fairly happy life, and was content.
When Hilde was twelve, both of her parents were invited to speak at a ceremony for war veterans, and they gladly accepted the invitation. Hilde was allowed to come after much begging and pleading. Unfortunately, it was a trap, and conspirators assassinated both of Hilde's parents, and made an attempt on Hilde herself. She got away, only to be swept up by them two days later in her own bedroom. Hilde put up an unexpected fight, and was knocked unconscious. She was taken by shuttle to an undisclosed location, and there she stayed, with the assassins that killed her parents, for five long years.
Those five years were not idle ones. Children at and around her age were living in a sort of boot camp; only this had nothing to do with serving your colony. It was a five-year intensive training program for a new generation of spies. An elite group of former military officials that had been banished from Earth for war crimes believed sincerely in the day the Earth and Colonies would war for supremacy in outer space. The best way to attain useful information would be through young adults—they could legally go anywhere they pleased, but were assumed not to know about the way the world works. Rigorous Martial Arts were crucial to their overall training, and geographical and language skills were a priority. They were taught about guns and all other sorts of ammunition they would be assigned, and put on a protein diet.
Hilde completed her training and was sent on several practice runs in other colonies. In most cases, everything that could go wrong was made to go wrong. Several times she would have lost her life if it had been the real thing, but she was a mistress of the dark by her eighteenth. She spent the next two years of her life in Colony L6-22D, working as a stripper in a low-class district of the colony, her dance skills finally earning their keep. She chose the name Felicia Scarlet in remembrance of her favorite childhood fairytale. It was just over the two years she'd been dancing at Run Lola Run when she first noticed a decent-looking man in the middle of the room keeping a close watch on her. It was nothing unusual, but he looked strangely fascinated with her, and she seldom found his eyes below her own.
Now, their first encounter. Since it was a weeknight, Hilde was looking forward to not having to deal with the usual riotous bachelors and dirty old men, or at least, not a whole stampede of them. Thursday nights especially she found relaxing enough to prepare her for the Friday night madhouse. And Thursday nights she got to tablehop. She enjoyed it because it was the best opportunity for tips. Ass-pinching cost (the price depending on the size of the red mark), lap-sittings cost, lap dances cost, and a ten percent gratitude charge was added onto every drink for the waitresses. It was just a fun job to do.
The largest crowd was ten around nine o'clock, and Hilde already had over seven hundred dollars under her belt…garter belt that is…including the hidden drink fees. Everything was going well that night, no fights or illegal gropes on the dancers yet, and the manager, Mr. Culvert, was very happy in his office. Hilde served a round of an expensive Scotch to three gentlemen and they gave her twenty dollars' tip. She smiled sexily at all three of them and slipped the bill into her bra. They whistled and howled at her reaction (Like animals, she thought disgustedly), and she left them for another table. As she was breezing by, a strong hand startled her by tugging her French Maid ensemble frills.
"Oh!" she cried, whirling around. That decent young man that was fascinated by her smiled innocently.
"Why ain't ya dancin'? I came to see ya dance."
"I don't dance Thursdays, unless you want a private dance."
The innocent smiled flashed sinfully. "I'd like that very much."
Hilde smiled her compliance and left to tell Madame X to cover her tables. Then she smiled sweetly at Duo and beckoned him into a private room, switching the sign from 'EMPTY' to 'OCCUPIED.'
Hilde turned on some music she'd recently rehearsed to and Duo flopped down on the red couch in the mediocre light. She offered him a tiny glimpse at what lay at the top of her thighs, quickly diverting his eyes down, and rolled down from side to side, breathing hard to exemplify her cleavage. She placed her hands on his knees and shimmied with an ending roll.
"What's your name?" he asked suddenly. Hilde didn't show how surprised she was.
"Felicia Scarlet. I'd think a regular like you would know."
"That ain't your real name."
"Nope." Hilde turned to the pole, grasping it with a flex of abdominal power and calf control to lift herself up and upside down, holding tight with her legs while she shed her uniform.
"You're good. I like your dancing. All the other girls suck."
"They have huge boobs. That's why they're still here."
"Yours ain't so bad, either."
Hilde held on the pole again, flipping herself back right, putting her back to the pole, and squatting down sensuously. Something about the way he said it distracted her. She rolled up, trying to effectively roll his comment off of her shoulders, but failing with every second she found him looking in her eyes, not her lace panties. He was giving her a weird, frightening feeling.
"My name's Duo. Duo Maxwell." Hilde halfway expected him to want to shake her hand. She slowed down a bit. If he was going to gaze that hard, she'd give it right back. She cat-walked over to him and stood over him with one knee on either side. She rolled over him, touching their foreheads, and coming eye-to-eye. Once eye-to-eye, his gaze significantly softened, and he looked pained, if nothing else.
"Duo Maxwell? The Duo Maxwell?"
"In the flesh."
Hilde rolled back, touching her head to her toes, and made her flat, strong stomach wave. Duo glanced down at it, and stole a glance at her panties, but waited for her to come back up and look at him. When she did, he could tell he'd distracted her again. Her eyes always shifted and glimmered in the light of a nearby candle when he distracted her.
"What's your name?"
"I told you. Felicia Scarlet."
"Mm."
The song went off. Hilde sighed and stood to change the music. Duo took her hand, standing up.
"You can stop now. I'll be back tomorrow night to see you dance." He placed two five hundred dollar bills in her hands and closed them. "How much for champagne?"
"Fifty for the Kendall-Chardonnay, one hundred for the Crystal, two hundred for the Jean Chateau…" Hilde trailed off when she realized what an enchanting shade of blue Duo Maxwell's eyes were.
"Do you like champagne?" he asked in a kind, low voice.
"I do, in small doses."
"Would you like some next Thursday?" He gently squeezed her hand. His eyes had not strayed from her royal gaze, imploring her to do the same.
"I would."
Duo smiled and kissed her hand. "Thanks for the great show."
Hilde remembered she was in underwear and felt like a foolish slut. She didn't lose composure.
"No problem. I can schedule you if you want."
"I'd like that. Write me in for eight o'clock."
"Gotcha."
"Have a good night, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Goodnight."
Duo reluctantly released her hand, slipping out of the door.
Now, their second encounter. The Thursday after Duo finally got to see Hilde dance for everyone in the room, he came in a few minutes early and took a seat near the cat walk-stage. Hilde spotted him in a heartbeat, and her heart, for some reason, was glad to see him. He looked so handsome. He was wearing a tux. The possibility that he could be two-timing some poor, innocent girl tickled her brain, but she set it aside. That wasn't her concern. She was the stripper.
Once they were inside their own room, Duo cleared his name:
"My friend just got married. I'm not in relationship right now."
Hilde could smell the lack of need for the last bit of information, but sighed with relief. "I don't like dancing for married men. I feel like the other woman."
Duo looked surprised.
Hilde blushed. "I didn't mean to just blurt that out."
"No, it's fine, I'm glad to know you're not a slut like your coworkers."
Hilde smiled. "Pamela Anderson's not a slut like my coworkers."
Duo laughed. "I'd say she's pretty innocent compared to them."
Hilde nodded frankly. She turned on her music. Her dance was slow.
Duo tried to be quiet so as not to distract her. But it was hard to resist that cute glimmer.
"You like this job?"
There it was. "It's alright. It has its moments. A lot of uppity people look at it as sacrificing your dignity, but I'm not a prostitute."
Duo's expression winced just a bit, but relaxed. Hilde danced on, unabated.
"You're really strong, ain't ya?"
Hilde smiled. "You noticed?"
"How couldn't I? Those're the nicest abs I've ever seen on a cute girl."
That comment definitely threw her for a loop. She stopped dancing to look at him.
"Don't tell me you didn't know you were cute!"
Hilde smiled modestly (in her underwear). "I've never felt very attractive. I thought about joining the army."
"You'd be an invaluable asset. You're strong. And smart, I see."
Hilde didn't start dancing again. Duo gave her a wave. "Why don't you sit down and rest for a minute."
"I can't—"
"It's my money, and I say you can sit as long as you like."
"I bet you do this with all the girls here."
"You bet?"
"Yeah."
"Care to make a wager?" Duo smiled, rubbing his middle and index fingers against his thumb.
"Like…"
"Ask around. If I do, then I pay you next Thursday for two sessions. If not, then you let me take you out."
Hilde saw where this was going. She blushed and smiled.
"What?" Duo asked with a warm smile.
"Lemme just save you a lot of time, and a lot of trouble. Yes, I'll go out with you. When?"
"Saturday night."
Hilde extended her hand. "Deal."
Duo shook it. "Deal. I'll pick you up here at five o'clock." Hilde smiled modestly again. God, this Maxwell guy is cute, but don't let your guard down, he's rich and young, therefore a player. Hilde sighed in spite of him.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing." She smiled again. "See you tomorrow."
Now, their actual romance. Duo picked Hilde up at five o'clock on the dot, as promised. She had actually bothered asking a few of her coworkers about him, but, being the busy girls they were, they didn't recall even seeing him, except for Miss Year-Round, who served him several drinks on several occasions, but he was always to pre-occupied with watching his Felicia Scarlet. Duo had on a black silk button down shirt that read 'Giorgio' on one sleeve and 'Armani' on the other, and black slacks dotted with 'G.A.' Hilde chose a black evening dress and inch-high pumps, no brand name given. Duo smiled his warm, handsome smile. "Ready for action?"
"You bet."
Duo took her to the theater to see a play called 'Judgment Day,' and both thoroughly enjoyed it. After that was LaBamba, and exquisite Mexican Restaurant where Duo was well recognized. It was a sort of an old-fashioned place, small, a dozen or so tables surrounding a dance floor at the attention of a Mariachi Band. Wine sips, dinner, dessert, and coffee later, the two laughed and joked about politics, Hilde's customers, Hilde's manager, Duo's friends, Duo's business partners, and Colony life.
"…and you'll never believe this, Felicia!" Duo whined through a laugh.
"Hilde."
Duo's laugh slowed. "What?"
"Hilde. Hilde Schbeiker. That's my real name."
Duo smiled his warm smile. "I promise you just get cuter as the days go by."
"You ain't so bad yourself."
"That's my line!"
They both giggled and toasted once more. Duo looked at the growing crowd on the dance floor. He stood, extending a hand. Hilde was enchanted. He was going to say those magical words, 'May I have this dance…?'
Duo pulled her to her feet and grasped her to him. "If you tell me you don't dance, that will qualify as the dumbest lie in the colony."
Hilde smiled her utter content. They danced the salsa and ballroom salsa until the restaurant was ready to close. And when it did close, this was the Duo Maxwell that was still circling in euphoric rhythm with his lovely date, so the bus boys cleaned and Duo and Hilde danced. They waltzed to ballads in Spanish and swung to jazzier tunes. Hilde was looking deep into his eyes, his absorbing, deep, cobalt eyes, and he returned her entrancing royal globes, her gentle evening stare.
Duo requested one more song, just for the night, one last love ballad. Hilde held his hand and shoulder, laying her head on him contentedly, and Duo held her hand and lower torso, sighing and closing his eyes, completely taken by her scent and soft skin. His fingers suddenly began to hold her harder, not hurting her in the least, but demanding her attention.
"I want you to come with me. I can't explain why. I just…want you by my side."
Hilde didn't say anything. She shone that irresistible glimmer, but it was surrounded by a bewildered expression. She still didn't speak. The night was suddenly cold.
The next day, Hilde arrived at work early for two reasons: to help get ready for a huge bachelor party and to get paid overtime for it. Mr. Culvert wasn't in just yet, and nobody would start anything until he showed up. Hilde sat opposite her closet coworker, Strawberry, loosely engaged in some trivial gossip. When she noticed Strawberry's attention wandering, Hilde followed her friend's gaze. Duo was coming at both of them. He stopped and looked at Strawberry.
"Would you excuse us, please?"
Strawberry nodded and stepped aside. Duo sat down next to Hilde. Hilde didn't look at him.
"I can't go with you."
"Why not?"
"Duo, you wouldn't understand."
"Try me."
Hilde stood up. "You're not the first to offer to take me away to the best existence I'll ever know. It's happened before, and every time I fall for it, I get hurt. I'm tired of hurting. I'm tired of being used. I won't do it again."
"No, you won't, not with me."
"That's been said. It was just another lie. He was just another lie." Duo stood up, inches away from her.
"Did he take you out to his favorite spot in town?"
"…no…"
"Did he insist you take a break and have some champagne without trying to seduce you?"
"…no…"
"Did he look you in the eye and tell you that you were beautiful?"
"…no, and neither have you."
Duo looked her straight in the eye with his fascinated, deep look. "Why would I waste my time if I didn't think you were beautiful?"
Tears fidgeted in Hilde's eyes. "I can't…"
"Look, I was never much for talking to girls, but I was always told that if I tell the real truth, then I might succeed. And I can't hardly find the words to describe how I feel about you, Hilde. That's the truth. All I know is that you hold my heart in your hands," Hilde's tears swelled higher, "and if I could have you by my side, I really would be the luckiest man alive…ever."
"Duo—"
"You know I'd die for you, right?"
"Duo."
"Yes?"
Hilde smiled. "I need to get my things."
Duo smiled. Hilde slid her arms about his neck and he held her close and their lips were quenched.