Ch11

I'm not what you think I am. What you see, is what I want you to see, what I need you to see…
I'm a liar and a cheat. I make no excuses. I get what I want, it's nothing personal, just business. Everyone has a role to play, including myself. Nothing can be either good or evil. There's always a balance.

This city runs through my veins. It created me like it creates creatures. The only thing that matters is my end goal, my mission. And what I want? No- What I need?

Blood

Music blared all around me. Bright flashing lights swirled in the air in frenzy. Sweat drifted down my body as I moved through the crowd of people. My eyes scanned for my target. Once I'd located him I slowly crept closer, my eyes never leaving him. He was dancing amongst the other swarming bodies. I looked off to the side. Two pairs of eyes immediately sought me out.

I gave them the signal.

A moment later they started making their way towards me. Once I was behind my target I pulled out a needle from inside my purse. I threw myself roughly into the large man's back, thrusting the needle into him as well. The man jerked away and spun around. His eyes were wide as he looked down at me. Sweat was glistening on his forehead.

"What the fuck did you just-"

The man's eyes suddenly rolled to the back of his head. He was just about to hit the ground when two men appeared beside him, catching him by his arms. I nodded to the two men as we all made our way to the exit. No one gave any thought as the four of us left the club and walked to the van. The two men threw the target in the back, slamming the door shut.

The drive back to my place was short. I was eager and very excited. Tonight was going to be a splendid night. The two men parked in front of my place. I got out from the passenger side and swiftly walked to my front door, unlocking it. I threw my keys graciously onto the kitchen counter and made my way for my 'secret' door. Once I'd opened it I quickly scurried down the small steps that led into the tunnel. I pressed in the code for the steel door. Once the door beeped I entered.

White lights danced before me as I waited patiently. About a minute later I heard movement. I silently held my breath as the movements grew louder. Heavy grunts were soon heard followed by small thumps. A large smile greeted my face as the men walked in, carrying the unconscious body.

The two men lugged the body into the steel chair by the wall. One of the men grabbed a nearby knife and started ripping off the target's clothing.

"Where do you want him Ms.?" The taller man asked.

I smiled warmly at him. "On there ." I pointed across the room.

The taller man nodded. Once the target was completely naked the two men hoisted him back up. I watched intently as they made their way across the room. Tweedle dee and Tweedle dum, my own personal little army. They do whatever I say, no questions asked. They're loyal to a fault. I met them a few years back. I hired them to do a small job for me. I paid them handsomely. They appreciated the praise. Ever since that day they've decided to work solely for me.

The hook sunk deep into the target's shoulder. Blood started oozing out, dripping down the target's dark body. The taller man continued pushing the large hook further and further into the target's shoulder until the end of the hook poked through the top of the shoulder. There was a large chunk of flesh in-between the end hooks. The smaller/chubbier man did the same to the target's left shoulder. Once the target was on the hooks the men stood back and waited. I pushed a small button next to the door. A moment later a low rumbling noise erupted through the silent room. Slowly, the unconscious body started rising in the air. After a few more seconds the noise stopped and the body hung in midair. Blood started dribbling down onto the white tiles.

"His legs too miss?" The shorter man asked.

"Yes Georgie." I nodded.

Both men grabbed hooks from both sides of the room. The hooks were chained to the wall. One by one each man sunk their hook into the body's calf, pulling the end hook out just below the knee. The chains connected to the hooks were measured out perfectly. The target wouldn't be able to move his legs. Once the men were done Georgie stood by as the taller of the men approached. Wordlessly I turned around, giving him my back. The man unzipped my dress, letting it fall to the ground. I felt his hands on my shoulders as he slid each strap of my bra off. A moment later my bra came off and met with my dress. I heard the man drop down to his knees, his hands on my waist. His thumbs hooked to the sides of my thong. Slowly he slid them off all the way down to my heels.

Georgie suddenly appeared and lifted the back of my right leg. His small chubby hands gently made work of my right heel, then left. When the shoes were gone Georgie removed the thong from my feet. I closed my eyes as a coldness swept over my naked body.

"Thank you Dan, Thank you Georgie. You've both done well." I announced.

"Thank you Ms. Berry." Came the chant like reply.

When I opened my eyes both men were standing before me. Dan held my clothing and heels to his chest.

"Shall we wait upstairs Ms. Berry?" Dan asked.

A gruesome smile pulled on my face. "No Dan. That won't be necessary. I'll call you when I'm ready. This one will not be as fast as the last one."

"Yes Ms. Berry."

Both men exited the room, closing the door behind them. I slowly spun around and faced the unconscious hanging man.

IIPauseII - Fast-forward

2:30am

I left my apartment and headed towards Quinn's place. I let myself into her small stuffy place with the spare key I have. She doesn't know I have it. I made my way to the back, her bedroom. The room was shrouded in darkness. From where I stood she was still asleep. I set my stuff aside on the kitchen counter and crept into the room. The doc must've left earlier.

Through the dark I could barely see her. I went to the window and threw it open. A fresh breeze rushed in, the moonlight beaming like a flame. I tossed another glance at the blonde. I could see her clearly now. Her eyes were closed, a soft wheezing sound emitting from those small lips. There was a large strap across her chest. I walked over and tugged at the covers. There was another strap across her stomach. I looked down at her feet. Yep another strap there too. She must've tried to escape from the bed and the doc had to put her in her place. I gazed to the side of the drawer. Three needles were left on top. I dug into my purse and pulled out a packet of smokes and a lighter. I placed them on top of her chest. I'll bet she's going crazy in bed and not in a good way. She hates being confined/not doing anything. I firmly poked her forehead. She was out. Good I nodded. I walked out of the room and into the living room.

I looked in the kitchen, the fridge. There was nothing but scotch and a beer. I opened up a drawer. It had an empty packet of cigarettes. I sighed heavily. There was nothing for me to do. I checked the clock. There was still something else I needed to do. She's a big girl. I made my way out of Quinn's apartment, locking it back up. I called Georgie and Dan.

"Ms. Berry." Georgie answered.

"I need you to meet with me."

"Yes Ms. Berry. Send us the address."

"I'll see you soon." I replied ending the call.

The three of us were in the van, waiting. We parked a few blocks off from the house we were watching. The house was a small little hole in the wall place. It was a tall two story house with a two car garage and barred windows. The garage was filled with vehicles, even some parked along the curb. The grass on this place looked out of control, like a jungle waiting to happen. The lawn was littered with beer bottles. Towards the front door you could see a few empty chairs and more bottles of beer lying around. It should be any minute now. I put the call in about an hour ago.

Another dark van drove by us, parking across the street to the house we were watching. Showtime. A group of men, at least five strolled out of the van, all packed with guns. They all walked across the street. I waited in anticipation. A tall broad shouldered man kicked open the front door. A second later the place lit up like a Christmas tree. Flashes of light and gunfire erupted into the night as rounds and rounds were fired off. I could hear men yelling, screaming. I bit on my lip, my foot shaking restlessly.

The guns and flares slowly started to die down until there was nothing left. My eyes watched intently as a man stepped out from the house wearing a bandana. He started laughing and raising his gun into the air.

"That's right motha fuckas! We ready! We always ready! Come on!"

I rolled my eyes and grabbed the gun from my purse. They couldn't get the job done. How disappointing. I know one person who could take down all these fuckers by herself. A small smile graced my face as I pictured that said person strapped to a bed.

Georgie and Dan reached behind their seats. Georgie grabbed his shotgun, Dan his Ak47. I'm a firm believer that guns were created to kill things. Guns themselves don't kill people. Humans do. And it's what you do that really counts. I've been around just about any type of gun you can think of... Each has its own place at its own time.

The three of us exited the van and slowly walked towards the house.

"And this is why you only pay half upfront. Remember that boys."

"Yes Ms. Berry."

I've never been afraid of guns. Guns are just a way of life in this city. For years I've witnessed the things they could do. Their power…. But it's not really their power. It's the people behind the weapon. You're only as good as your machine.

For the past 7 years….. I've spent over hundreds of hours inside shooting ranges. I've pretty much hunted any animal that could move. This is what I've trained myself to do, it's what I've become- But that's another story for a later time. Right now I need to concentrate.

As we got closer I could see the man at the door turn around heading back inside. Once we got on the curb I made the first shot. A flash of light flared from the end of my stick. The bullet planted directly into the guy's head. He fell forward into the opening of the door. Georgie and Dan went in first. Bullets went flying everywhere the moment they stepped in. I calmly took a breath and entered behind them. We were in the living room. There were about ten bodies on the floor dead, blood splattered everywhere. Down further inside the house it led to the kitchen. I could see at least four of them. To the left of the living room was a set of stairs. They can take care of them.

I headed for the stairs and calmly walked up. Halfway up the first set of steps I saw a shadow. Someone was coming down. The guy didn't stand a chance once he came into my view. I shot him twice, once in the leg, the other in the head. He tumbled down the rest of the steps. I continued making my way up. There were four rooms down a long hallway. A blast sounded from ahead of me. A slug went right past me, hitting the wall. I darted into the first room. It was completely dark. No one was in there.

That's the thing with a lot of these 'Thug' types of people. They think it's enough to just have a gun, thinking if they just keep firing they'll eventually hit their target. But that type of thinking is not logical. For me, all it really takes is one shot, maybe two at the most.

I pressed my back against the wall, sliding all the way down. The nozzle of the gun touched the edge of my nose as I listened quietly. The gunfire downstairs was still going on. I need to hear…. Blur out the noises… concentrate Berry. A small creak sounded from down the hall. I took a calming breath and waited until I could hear something else.

I need to be smart about this- I can't take bullets like Quinn can. Quinn-

A moment later something heavy pounded somewhere in the hall. The sound was louder than before. Someone was getting closer. Knowing the type of weapons these guys had I completely got down on the floor, on my back. I heard another creak. My heart started racing. I knew what was happening next.

A storm of bullets hailed from above me. It went through the walls, the door, and even into the ceiling. I waited till the firing stopped. Predictable… I loudly banged my foot into the floor and waited for my bait to come to me. There was a long pause in silence. Footsteps slowly made their way towards my room. As cautious as a mouse.

As soon as I saw a shadow my gun was aimed promptly. Half of the person came into view as he looked into the room. A split second was all I needed as I fired out a round. He fell to the ground. I waited a little more. When I heard nothing else I stood up. I looked over to the guy lying in the middle of the hall. Blood was oozing from his head. I peeked around the door. The last door on the right was open, a light blaring on. I advanced and entered the room.

Tits. Large tits came into my view. The second thing I noticed was a Latino man hiding behind the large tit woman, a gun to her head. The woman was completely naked. She had small dark thin eyebrows that stood out against her blue eyeshadow and red lips. The man behind her had a shaved head, silver teeth shining as he growled at me.

"Stay the fuck back or I'll shoot the bitch." He announced.

I fired a round into the women's head and fired one more to the man's hand. He yelped and screamed out in pain, dropping his gun. The man eyed me, completely horrified and shocked. His eyes then traveled to the dead woman on the floor. He fell to his knees and started crying.

"BRANDY! NOOOO! BABY! NO!"

I saw his eyes travel to the gun.

"Touch it and I will put a bullet in your head."

"You fucking CUNT!" he screamed. "What the fuck do you want?"

I licked my lips and smiled. "Justice."

I fired another round straight to his head. He fell right onto Brandy.

"It's nothing personal. Just business." I answered into the air.

Footsteps sounded behind me. I whirled around and took aim. Georgie and Dan appeared in the doorway. They were drenched in sweat and blood.

"All okay downstairs?" I asked.

"Yes Ms. Berry. They're all dead."

We made our way downstairs. The entire place was covered in blood and bullets. I pulled out my phone and made one last call for the night.

"What a shit show!" Commissioner Lopez spat out. "How am I going to explain this Berry?"

"Gas explosion?" I suggested.

"There's bullet holes in all these fuckers!"

I didn't say anything.

"Did you get them all?" She asked, eyeing me with concern.

"At least everyone in there." I pointed out.

"Is it almost done?" She asked lowly, knowing full well what I was talking about.

"Nearly there."

"Good." Lopez nodded. "Now, get the fuck out of here. I've got a house to burn down."

"Yes ma'am." I agreed.

Dan, Georgie, and I stood across the street just as the house flew up in flames. Commissioner Lopez: We went to high school together once upon a time ago. We kept in touch.

Tonight was a good night. Now there's just only one more name on my list. Just one more and that's it.

My eyes crawled over the blonde again, looking to see if anything had changed since I last left her. Nothing. She was still asleep. I narrowed my eyes in on her. I couldn't help but stare. I raked over every scar on that mesmerizing mug. If there was ever a way of describing her….. Beautiful, gorgeous, scary, horrifying.

Quinn Fabray- Monster of the night.

Despite what others may believe she's not just a monster. There's another side to her, one that's so rare that when you see it you can't just look away. And how do I know this?

I lied- I lied when I said that I had been watching Quinn for a couple of months. It wasn't months, but years. Five years to be exact. Take a minute to absorb that. F-I-V-E years….

She'll never know that.

Here's another fact. We met nearly seven years ago. At that time it had been three years since my parent's deaths. And what happens to a person when you lose the only people who ever loved you? You die. You try to forget. You do anything to mask the pain.

I was an addict for nearly three years. I shot myself up with just about anything I could find. My choice of poison, heroin. On March 28 my life changed forever…

I was in a crack house down by 85th street. I had just shot up for the night, high as ever. I was sitting on a couch laughing with Tom and Marcus. Marcus was my dealer. Tom was just a guy I knew. The night was starting out great until the front door blew open. Shots fired out into the air. I didn't know what to do. I fell to the ground, covering my ears as the shots grew louder and louder. People started falling around me, screaming. Blood… it was everywhere.

I closed my eyes and waited. After a few minutes the shots died. It was finally over. When I opened my eyes Tom and Marcus were dead on the couch, riddled with bullets. I could feel my body shaking as my eyes suddenly came into contact with hazel. I was lifted off the floor and pressed into the wall. Something metal was stuffed into my mouth, pressing hard. I couldn't swallow. A hand wrapped around my throat and squeezed lightly.

"Do you want to die?" The voice asked.

The hand around my throat squeezed tighter. I couldn't breathe.

"You want to end up like your friends here? Just say the word." The voice said again.

I looked deep into hazel eyes. She wanted to kill me. She was looking for an excuse. She pressed the gun further into my mouth. I didn't have an answer for her. Tears started falling from my face. My body began shaking tremendously.

"Just say the word…"

I closed my eyes and waited for the inevitable. Flashes of my parents came before me in a quick blur. Bullets, blood, the car. My fathers….

I suddenly gasped for air, my eyes opening up. My fathers….

There was a loud grunt that erupted through the house. I could breathe again. I quickly fell to the ground again. When I looked back over she was on her knees, cradling between her legs. Blonde hair… She had blonde hair.

Hazel eyes blared through the darkness. They were all I could see. I knew I was dead in that moment. I quietly started praying as the blonde collected herself. Once she stood on her feet she aimed the gun at my head. After about a minute of staring at each other in dead silence she placed the gun back in her holster. She licked her lips and threw a smirk my way.

"If I ever see you in a place like this again I'll kill you."

I blinked in pure shock. A moment later she was gone. That day she gave me a reason to live. She saved my life.

Again, she'll never know that.

"You're back?" Quinn spoke softly.

I blinked and stared at the girl. Her eyes were still closed. How long has she known I was here?

"Yes." I replied back, tearing my gaze away from her.

Why the hell am I even here?

"Have fun?" she asked.

When I looked back at her, her eyes were wide open and staring heavily at me.

"I had some errands to run." I answered back softly.

"Right." The other woman answered back, closing her eyes. "You should take a shower. I can see the blood all over you."

I looked down at myself. I couldn't see any. I turned and made my way to the bathroom.

"Hey."

I spun around, tossing the blonde a glance.

"Thanks for the cigs."

A small smile lit my face. "Your welcome."

Warm water sprayed down my back, all over my body. I didn't realize how aching I was. Once I started washing myself that's when I started noticing all the blood swirling down beneath my feet. Strange… How could she see all of that?

Once I finished I wrapped myself in a towel that was draped over the shower. Her towel. I walked back into her room and sat in the chair across from her. Her eyes were on me. Once our eyes met her eyes darkened to a deeper shade. A silence came over us as we stared. The tension in the room was hot enough to cook a steak.

"You should get some rest. You look exhausted."

I shook my head. "I don't sleep."

I heard her let off a low scoff. "You a vampire? Is that what you're not telling me?"

Joking? I didn't think she had that in her. "I guess you figured me out."

"But seriously, you should sleep. I'll be fine."

A sudden wave of exhaustion finally hit me. Odd… A long yawn escaped from my lips as I scooted back further into the chair. I could feel my eyes drooping a little. I'm not falling asleep because she told me to. That would be bizarre. My eyes slowly started closing. Ridiculous. I'm ridiculous.

What did you guys think? Curious? Send me some love! More to come! Thanks for reading!