Chapter 3: Raul's White Carpet
Beatrix was ready and at Bill's at eight thirty. She actually was dressed and leaving on time for once but she took the long route just to spite him. A long finger pressed to the doorbell as she stood outside in the cool night air. She dressed in a flowing pasty yellow skirt that ran down to her ankles, a simple white tank top adorned her upper figure, and a pair of brown suede sandals to match. Blonde locks of hair were pulled half way back with a white ribbon. No matter the outfit Beatrix could always pull it off with a deadly beauty. She leaned her form up against the large marble pillar opposite the door, arms crossed over her chest in a fluid motion, blue hues staring off to the night sky. She knew this night was going to be hell but she prepared for it.
When eight rolled around Bill wasn't at all surprised that Beatrix hadn't shown up. He had expected her to do something like this. But he also knew that she would never stand him up. She'd show up.
At eight thirty the doorbell rang. Nikishi had gone home long ago and Bill answered the door himself in a white satin Chinese style top and black slacks. He had had some smartass comment ready and on deck to dish out to Beatrix when she showed up.
But....after seeing her...... leaning there, he decided to keep the comment to himself. As always, she looked stunning......but tonight she looked both stunning and utterly pissed off. A brilliant combination.
"You look stunning." Well....shit....that's not what he had intended to say. Bill frowned. "Let's go..." he said gruffly attempting to cover up his "blunder." "Elle and Budd already left.....they were tired of waiting for you." With that he headed for a silver Porsche 911 that was waiting in the circular driveway without even a glance behind him.
Her sour demeanor hadn't thawed any by his remark. She knew he hadn't intended to say any thing so that gave her a considerable amount of pleasure. "I'm not surprised," she replied to his comment on Elle and Budd having departed already as she slipped into the passenger seat.
She leaned back in the seat, hands folded in her lap, her gaze staring out the windshield. By past experience and remembrance she recalled the party took a good ten minutes from their current position. Lingering silence took over the car; the only sound was the wind whipping past the car windows that were partially open. Bea rose up a hand to push aside flying loose strands of hair. "Heated silence. My favorite part of the game," she muttered bitterly, loud enough to be heard as it was intended to be.
Bill glanced in the rearview mirror, smirking. He didn't have to even glance at Beatrix to know exactly how she looked at the moment." Indeed, my favorite part as well......and something I'm far better at." With that, Bill made a violent downshifting into 5th gear and the Porsche sped up by a good 20mph. They were already going over 65 before.
Once again, Bill fell into complete silence. His knuckles were just noticeably white as they gripped the steering wheel. She scowled at this and turned her attention back to watching the winding road. She wasn't any better at the silent game than Bill was so she decided to play along for the remainder of the road.
A whole ten minutes later, of utter, eerie silence between the two, they pulled into the crowded drive way of valet cars. As the car came to a halt at the entrance a young man in a tux approached Beatrix's side and opened the door politely. At any other time Bea would have given the man a polite smile but she was far from being polite. "I'll see you...eventually," she stated, her tone over laced with cold hostility towards Bill as she got out of the car. Obviously she was going go off on her own and enjoy the party in any manner she could. One manner would be staying far away from him.
"Sounds splendid," Bill retorted dryly handing his keys over to the valet...more concerned with a wrinkle in his shirt than Beatrix.
As Beatrix entered the party, Bill did likewise but through a separate set of patio doors. Raul had a very large house....one could even consider it a mansion. In the back was a large Olympic size pool and three hot tubs. Inside, the decor was ultra contemporary with floors that dropped into deeper areas. These areas' were filled with plush leather and suede couches and were generally places where people participated in questionable activities. There were at least two bars on the first floor alone not counting the wet bar by the pool. A large buffet table lined the back porch covered with a plethora of expensive and gourmet foods. Everything in the house was carpeted in cream white. Thus, the real problem with Beatrix's little bloody extravaganza the last time they were here. Of course everything had been replaced and expanded upon since then. Raul did a good profit. Huge fish tanks filled most of the rooms filled with expensive tropical fish. There were pool tables, large screen plasma TV's, massive speakers and all sort of manner of "boy toys" scattered throughout the house.
Bill found it nearly impossible to remain entirely cranky here. After sometime checking out the goodies, Raul gave him a little tour. The Latin man always went out of his way to impress Bill as much as possible. It was impressive Bill had to admit, but far from his sort of style. Apparently this is what being a small time coke dealer bought you.
There were a huge amount of people there and more were arriving by the minute. Most of them were disgustingly young and attractive not to mention rich by not always legal means. A parade of extremely good looking women adorned nearly every inch of the place. Bill, of course took advantage of the situation.
After a few drinks Bill found himself in conversation with a lovely Japanese woman in her mid 30's and a brunette who, despite being really drunk, was quite charming. He hadn't seen Beatrix since they parted ways and his thoughts strayed briefly, wondering what she must be up to. But he quickly shoved the concern aside as he and the two women talked loudly over the blaring music. At some point they wandered out to the patio, where it was somewhat quieter. The brunette apparently had reached her limit and threw herself into the pool before getting sick. Finding that whole act completely disgusting, Bill went back to talking with the Japanese woman. She spoke wonderful English, but he always took every opportunity he could to practice his Japanese. She found this very charming and took to laying her hand on his arm. Well, Bill thought to himself so far so good. Not to bad of a party actually.
Upon parting ways with Bill, Beatrix preformed her own tour of the house. On her casual walk through the numerous rooms she pointed out to herself that Raul had fixed the carpet. A coy smirk plastered across her face as her steps moved onward. Her mood had lightened as the night wearied on. She helped herself to a drink or two and the food buffet was enjoyable. Bea spotted Budd at some point; he was obviously drunk and was wooing the ladies that surrounded him. She found it even more amusing the thumbs up she received when she locked gazes with the cowboy before walking away. She had yet to run into Elle which she couldn't have been more pleased about. And Bill? Good riddance.
Her self-given tour had ended quite awhile ago as she was now lounging in the parlor area that was just across from the pool. She was leaning up against the wall in a casual manner, blue hues darting around to watch the many faces. "Beatrix!" Came that thick accent of greeting. Bea turned to spot Raul. Her head cocked to the side and she put on a pleasurable smile. "Raul, how nice to see you again."
Raul chuckled as he stepped in front of her. He wasn't bad looking, wearing a pair of expensive slacks and a light blue shirt with a crimson tie. "Do you like my new carpet?"
Beatrix laughed lightly at his sly attempt at a joke. "Oh, yes. It is quite lovely."
"Not as lovely as you, my dear." Beatrix raised a brow and wove a disciplining finger at the man. "Oh, don't go there Raul or you may need to replace that carpet again," she replied in a joking but all out deadly serious tone. She pushed off the wall and passed him by to find somewhere else to place herself.
The Japanese woman had excused herself to freashen up. Bill was far from a stranger to Oriental and general female social behavior and took it as she was not comfortable. He shrugged, if she really liked him, she'd be back. Bill threaded his way through the mass of people. Too many for that matter. As he already stated earlier he didn't really like this kind of thing.....maybe when he was far younger, but not anymore. Too fucking loud....and hot...augh. "Christ," he spotted Budd, who to nobodies surprise, was trashed. He was hanging onto a bottle blonde like she was a 17 year old flotation device.
Disgusted he turned and noticed Raul, of all people, talking to Beatrix. Bill pretended to be examining the sushi as he watched them out of the corner of his eye. The conversation was short and abrupt. Beatrix didn't look any happier. Raul looked even unhappier as he turned away and headed for the other end of the backyard.
"Bill," Elle's voice over his shoulder.
"Elle...where the hell have you been?" He turned to her. Elle was wearing a long white gown, which clung to her like plastic wrap.
"Hrm, around...." she flipped the butt of her cigarette. Elle never did very well socially. Most people were far too intimidated by her to really talk to her and she was a little odd to have a conversation with at times. Men, while perhaps attracted to her, rarely talked to her. Thus why she was such a great killer, she was a social outcast.
Just then, Bill spotted Beatrix jauntily walking back towards the house. Elle didn't miss Bill's eyes as they followed Beatrix's path. Elle took a long pull from her cigarette. "I'm going upstairs.....they broke out a three foot bong." She grabbed his hand, "Come with?" She said sweetly.
Tempting, but smoking weed with a room of 20 year olds didn't seem like his scene. "I'll be right along," he lied. Elle looked a little put out but nodded and headed up the patio staircase that led to the upstairs. Bill headed for where he had last seen Beatrix.
Beatrix could be sly and clever when she wanted to. She hadn't been lingering far from where Elle and Bill were conversing. Her back was turned as she was able to make out the soft thud of his footsteps on carpet even with the loud blast of music and social interaction. "If I were you I woulda gone upstairs and have myself some of that two foot long," she spoke up in a tone loud enough to be heard. She turned to face him as the final steps were taken. Bill figured Beatrix would already have spotted him. He was a little surprised that she had heard his and Elle's conversation. Then again, she was capable of quite a bit. "Hrm, actually I believe that's three feet Kiddo." Bill replied nonchalantly, watching her back. "That kinda thing will have you fucked for a good three hours...no thanks....not here."
She stared him down as a hawk would to an overly sized rodent. Her facade was monotone but it was a cover up for her current mix of feelings. "Why are you here?" She asked, her tone softer but softer wasn't always a good thing.
Bill returned Beatrix's hawk like stare when she turned to him. "Well....hm...I'm here because my drunken ass cowboy brother talked me into going." Deciding sarcasm was not the best route, Bill changed pace, and he waved a hand, "Looking for some company perhaps? Don't give me that look. You know I can't stand these kind of people....if you don't join me then I'm going to leave and I'm your ride. So then I'll have to drop your ass of at that excuse for a house that you have. And what a waste of a sexy outfit that would be." He held a hand out. If this was Bill's attempt at a treaty, it was far from normal.
Blue hues cast to the extended hand inspecting it as if it was a venomous snake and she was unsure how to approach it. Her hand wavered above his, duration high in her mind. She pulled her hand back to her side, her smile turned toxic in her own way. "I'm sure any of these fine fellas here would be more than happy to give me a ride back to that 'excuse' for a house I own." Any other time she would have taken his hand but her mood was still sour towards him. Bea didn't feel like sorting it out with a simple invitation to be his 'date'. "Take a good look at this sexy outfit, Bill," she took this opportunity to flaunt what she had and she had a lot. "Because, this all you're gonna see of it tonight." She turned from him in hopes to make her get away before she endured his reaction.
Bill's eyebrows raised a fraction. The small smile that was on his face before froze to an icy line. So, she wanted to play it like that. Very well. "Hrm, well goodnight then Kiddo. Try not to whore yourself out too much, I want you at my place early tommorrow." Short, to the point. Bill simply didn't feel like saying anymore. She wanted to play war games. He was fine with that. If she thought she could get under his skin that easily she was dead wrong. He turned sharply and headed out towards the patio to collect Budd before he made more of an ass of himself.
Beatrix shot Bill a steady glare as he walked off. She spent the remainder of the party chatting with a nice Christian boy. A few years younger than herself, she recalled him saying he worked for someone that was a good friend of Raul's. No matter, he was nice enough to give her a ride home and he wasn't an ass about it. That night she wasn't too keen on sleeping as it was becoming a hard task to manage. Eventually she drifted off and supplied herself with a solid four hours. Enough to function. Bill's definition of early was at sunrise, Bea's definition of early was an hour after sunrise.
And she arrived just as the sun had half way raised into the clear blue sky. She wore a pair of chopped off jeans that were now capris and a Japanese peasant blouse of soft blues. Hair was let down, not nearly as neatly tied up as last night. Approaching the door she rang the door bell, not waiting for the little Japanese door lady to answer Bea stepped inside. Her mood hadn't become any worse than last night. She was still pissed off at him as she was sure he was with her. So, all was right in their little world. Boots clicked faintly against the wooden floor as she walked down the hallway in search of Bill.
Attached to the back garden of Bill's house was a smaller Oriental style garden. Since Bill couldn't side with either Chinese or Japanese, it was something of a mix of both. There was a traditional cobblestone courtyard surrounded by a variety of Oriental plants and statues. Behind the courtyard was a small building topped with a Chinese roof style. Stone representations of a dragon and a tiger perched on each of the two visible corners. Two other two a snake and a crane naturally. It was a beautiful setting; one that Bill enjoyed spending most of his "down" time at. This is where Beatrix found Bill now.
He had been sitting in the middle of the courtyard meditating as the sun rose. Now, in the growing light, he stood performing slow Tai Chi forms his eyes closed, his longish hair falling across his face. He was wearing, as was fitting traditional Chinese clothing. At Beatrix's approaching footsteps he made no sign of indication but simply continued...his movements slow and deliberate. Here, he would slow his breathing to practically nothing. It was much like a slow death. Bill took his time and finally came to a closed stance. With eyes still closed, he addressed her. "Hello Kiddo." His voice was lake calm.
Hands were at her sides as Beatrix stopped to stand and watch Bill finish off his Kung Fu morning ritual. Any other time she would have found this perfectly normal but the way his voice was so calm sent a shiver along her back bone. Perhaps her own mood was a little too high level for the situation. But, this calm exterior he was displaying could easily be a cover up for any verbal lashing he had in store. Beatrix shifted her feet in a sudden uneasiness. She was glad he had his eyes closed. She sucked in a quick breath replying her own greeting softly, "Bill."
Finally, Bill opened his eyes. For sometime he didn't say anything, he simply stood there, hands clasped in front of him. It was hard to tell if he was looking at Beatrix or simply through her. "It's quite a beautiful morning," Bill said, his voice still in that calm low state. He took in a deep breath, hands falling to his sides. "I almost don't want to leave it." For the first time since her arrival Bill finally took a clear look at Beatrix, although his expression remained exactly the same. "I'm glad you came early." There was no leniency either way in his tone. Slowly he descended the stone steps, gaze now completely fixed on Beatrix but again completely unreadable. "Would you like some tea?"
This was a perfectly normal mood for any other perfectly normal day but Beatrix didn't feel the norm of it. Actually, she was quite concerned. She knew for a known fact when things got as tight as they did yesterday Bill never acted in such a manner the following day. The way he was staring at her, unreadable, book closed. It wasn't sitting well. She shrugged her shoulders to his question and turned to follow him. "Yeah...sure," her words were calm enough but came off with the uneasiness she rarely let through. She hated when he acted like this more so than when he was actually pissed off.
Bill led Beatrix inside, his bare feet slapping on the tile flooring. He took his damn time making the tea...grinding the leaves slowly between his fingers and carefully preparing the water. During all of this he didn't say a word as if he was still doing Tai Chi this time to the motions of making tea. He completely ignored the hair that had a tendency to fall in his face. Finally, he poured the tea in two small handle less cups.
He padded over to Beatrix and handed a cup to her. As she reached for the cup, his other arm flew out with lightning speed and grabbed her by the collar of her shirt. He pulled the wide-eyed Black Mamba face to face with him. "I don't think I've ever been this pissed off at you," he hissed, his voice deadly low. "I very seriously could kill you right now and if I didn't fucking love you so much I probably would have already." Underneath the vile, villainous hiss there was pure raw emotion. With that, he let go of her collar, handing her back the tea that had been caught in mid pass. He then padded back to the bar to put away the tea making ingredients.
Beatrix wasn't scared of anything, or a very low assortment of things. But this, his actions, the words, the motions, everything had been so out of place to begin with it caught her off guard. She should have expected it but she didn't.
She took the tea and set it down to the counter as she went to brush off the creases in her blouse. Motions were done in effort to shake herself back together. Slipping onto the stool, fingers went to lace back around the cup of tea; rising it to her lips she blew softly on it to cool the liquid. Blue hues rose, steady to Bill's. "You know," she began, her words soft, unsteady unlike her gaze. "This all started because I offered you a kiss, you took it but obviously didn't get you're satisfactory fill of it." If she wasn't so freaked she would have formed a smirk on her face rather than the thin line. "It's almost a funny thing to get so fucking pissed off about. But your, you...I'm, me...and that is the way things work. Wouldn't you agree--Charmer?"
Bill chuckled under his curtain of hair. The first sign this morning of his "normal" self. "Yes, I would agree Black Mamba," he replied affectionately, still looking at whatever cleanup task he was distracting himself with. "The kiss, well that was simply a metaphor. It was the catalyst you could say. A kiss, I mean talk about hokey. Then again," he trailed off, apparently choosing a different route. He finally turned to look at Beatrix, "I think what irritates me so much is I can't get to you. I can get to anybody, every thing I wanted, I got. Not because I was entitled to it, but because I am that damn good. Well, that or I worked my ass of for it. But you--" he shook his head, "......your something else completely. And I fucking hate that...." he turned away slightly, "...on the other hand....Jesus, I love it." Trailing off briefly, he went to wiping the countertop off. It was already spotless. "....Yet, I'm a lying son of a bitch...I could just be making all of that up....Your smart Kiddo...you decide for yourself."
Ah, that was the Bill she was familiar with, or as close as she was going to get at the moment. She took a small sip of the tea being still hot and placed it down to the counter. That smirk crossed over her angelic features as her own familiarity came back. "By your obsessive cleaning of an already perfectly clean counter top I'd be smart enough to know you weren't lying for a change." A slender brow rose in question. "But, I could be fucking myself and giving false hope that you are telling the truth." She exhaled an exasperated sigh and leaned forward against the counter. A movement she knew dug under one of his layers. "Aye, Bill, I'm gonna believe you this time. Though," she rose up a daunting finger to exaggerate her point. "..the day you get me is the day I'm dead. Until then your outta luck."
"Ah, well now you've gone and dashed all of my hopes and dreams." Bill replied, giving up on the pointless cleaning. He chuckled, "One of these days my luck is going to run out anyways Kiddo. It's only a matter time. I figure I've got it coming one way or another but in the meantime you've gotta grab up what you want. Life's too short to sit around and pine." Sometimes Bill would dish out these weird bits of "sagely advice." He only seemed to do this with Beatrix, since the rest of those who worked for him didn't seem to be too eager to hear it. Bill rounded the bar, his own tea in his hands. He leaned against the bar next to Beatrix, "Perhaps...I overreacted a bit yesterday, but it's done and over now. I will attempt to not be such an asshole to you Kiddo, I can't promise anything spectacular though." Bill never, ever apologized to anybody in his life so this was about as damn close to an apology as one could get from him. "Take it or leave it."
She laughed lightly and shook her head. "You overreacted just a little bit. One of these days you're going to perform the ultimate act that has everything to do with the point of overreaction and I do NOT want to be there when that occurs."
Beatrix turned her head to him, a mix of a shy smile on her face. Apologizes were rare from Bill and this didn't even have the words 'I'm sorry' in it but she knew it was just being laced over with other words. "I'll take it. Besides," she pushed off from her leaning position on the counter to sit up with a proper posture. "Someone once told me life is too short to sit around and pine," she finished with her own smart ass remark.
"Hrm....yes...well... perhaps," Bill pushed off of the bar, "Now," he got down to business, "I'm leaving for Tokyo in a few hours. O-Ren still needs somebody to hold her hand as she talks business with the Yakuza. I shouldn't be too long a few days, a week perhaps. In the meantime, I have an assignment for you and Elle." He gave her a look, "Yes. Elle." Bill went over to the living room table and picked up a small folder, he walked back and tossed it onto the bar near Beatrix. "That guy who wanted his wife offed...well, it turns out she isn't just some poodle carrying, beehive bimbo. Apparently, she's some kind of crazy bitch, who happens to be the women's state knife fighting champion and enjoys wrestling bears." Bill shivered, "Augh. She runs a small prostitution ring as well as some drugs here and there. Personally, she sounds like a complete dyke to me, no wonder the guy wants her dead. Anyways, best part is," he slipped into a drawling Southern accent, "....she lives in the heartland of Birmingham, Alabama." Bill snorted, "I would have sent Vernita with you, but she's out on another mission but I think you can handle a knife fighter perfectly fine. I want Elle to go with you because I don't trust her by herself at the moment, that and...," he glared, "...I want you two to get over whatever the fuck is going on between you two. Go mud fight somewhere in a trailer park or whatever but get it out of your systems. Ok?"
Beatrix returned his glare but it wasn't a threatening one just more of a 'fuck you'. She reached over and snatched up the folder to review the contents. She knew Bill was giving her cruel and unusual punishment to be teaming up with Elle, but they needed to sort out their differences. A mud fight didn't sound half as fun as a blood fight. She pulled out the black and white photographs of the said pray and reviewed the minor details written down on post-its. Finished she slipped the papers back into the folder. She leaned back in the chair, arms folding over her chest. "Bears, aye? I used to have a stuffed bear," she muttered more to herself as she was evidently processing the request. A hand came up to tuck a strand of loose blonde hair behind her ear. Bea was done thinking and put on a more preppy attitude. She bounded off the stool and stood in front of Bill. A grin evident on her face. She spoke in a sloppy southern accent, "Well, sweet'eart I'll be headin' out to Alabama. You have yourself some good fun in Tokyo." She leaned forward and pecked a kiss on his cheek, all in civilized fun and that she was putting on the drama queen routine.
Bill stood stock still. "Hrm, well, that's very sweet of you my dear." He smiled, a little tightly. His look turned vaguely concerned, "Watch your back down there Kiddo." There was a loud screech of tires outside of the house. "Ah, it appears Elle has arrived. I told her to swing by your place, pack light. I would recommend buying most of your weapons down there. And," he snatched the folder off the bar, and held it under Beatrix's nose, "Don't forget this. Now, get your ass out there before Elle comes in here screeching...it's far too early for that, I don't think I could handle it."
Beatrix dropped the cocky attitude and snatched the folder from his hand. Hands hanging at her side she took a casual step backwards, blues eyes sparkled with an evident look of not wanting to leave him. She blinked, the facade diminishing. "Wish me luck, I'll need it," Bea said her voice laced with sarcasm but had a serious depth. She turned on her heels and made a graceful stride out the door. This time around her departure was quiet and no slamming of doors could be heard or foul language.
Bill watched Beatrix's obvious hesitation and departure with a bemused expression. "Good luck Kiddo," he added finally. Then he turned back to the bar, tea in hand.
A hand slipped to her pocket to retrieve the pair of sunglasses that she slipped onto to block the blazing sunrays. Peering through the thick shaded lenses she spotted Elle in the driver's seat. Elle had on her usual haughty demeanor, eyeing Beatrix with that one blue eye as if she was her worst enemy. Which in fact she was, in a common sense to the word. Kiddo put on a calm demeanor and inhaled slowly before steps were taken to the passenger side of the car and she slid inside. "Elle," she greeted in the most civilized manner she could manage.
"Bea," Elle replied with a cool little dip of her blonde head. She lit a cigarette, throwing her arm over the edge of the convertible. Without checking to see if Beatrix was even settled, she slammed on the gas. The Corvette threw up a good amount of dust before flying out of the circular lot. "You'll have to tell me how to get to your place. I forgot," Elle said as they pulled onto the main highway.