To Fireflyoflight457: I hoped for as much, but it's always nice to hear it )
To Digitaldreamer: Yes. I am VERY busy XD. I'm trying to work ahead in my schoolwork to make time for it all. I'm going to be in your shoes next year…Trench coat, eh? I think that can be arranged….MWA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Thanks so much for the review! It was a real motivational booster!
To Lyn: I know what you mean! I too find the Mafia to be fascinating. I think it's the way they carry out justice within the group...the sense of honor they have...that is so appealing. Thanks so much for the well wishes!
And now, I give you this special Thanksgiving Edition chapter of Up Against the World; low-calorie version so you can still enjoy your Thanksgiving meal and packed with extra suspense and action to get those hearts pumping so you can burn off a few of those Thanksgiving meal calories without ever leaving your seat XD!
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Chapter Seven
Maloof's eyes snapped open with a start when he heard a knock on his door. He rubbed his eyes pulled himself up off of the floor. He cursed under his breath as he glanced at the clock.
"Hey, Maloof? You in there?" A voice called.
"Yeah, Jackie. Just a sec." Maloof called back. He grabbed the morphine and needle and hastily stuffed them into a drawer. He dusted off his clothes and answered the door. A young man just a little older than Maloof stood before him.
"'Sup, Jackie?" Maloof asked casually.
"Nothin much, man. You look a little ruffled. Did I wake you up?" The young man asked. Maloof shrugged.
"Forget about it. I was just taking a little nap. No biggie." Maloof said. "So, what brings you to my humble abode?"
"Oh, I just dropped by to give you the directions for your dinner date tonight." The young man said, winking at Maloof as he handed Maloof an envelope.
"It's got the time and place and directions on how to get there." The young man said.
"Thanks, Jackie." Maloof said.
"No problem. See you around." The young man said. Maloof said goodbye and shut the door behind him. He leaned against the door and rubbed his temples.
"Great, now I gotta deal with the Russians half-stoned and with a hangover…" Maloof grumbled to himself. He sighed and raked his fingers through his hair. "Shit…I don't even have any ammo for my freakin' gun…"
Maloof sat down on his bed deep in thought.
Should he get ready first, or go out for ammo first?
Maloof's eyes wandered again to the clock. He cursed a second time and fumbled frantically for his cell phone.
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"They have guys watching Maloof's mother and Mikhail's parents?!" Raz cried.
"Of course they do, Raz! Do you think for a second that I'd let them remain in constant danger like this if their houses weren't guarded and the mafia didn't know my name?" Benny asked.
"They know your name?!" Lili asked. Benny nodded.
"Duh! The boss keeps tabs on Maloof 24-7! He knows that I'm a close friend of Maloof's." Benny said. He rolled up the sleeve of his shirt to reveal a long scar that had obviously once been a gaping wound that had to be sewn shut by a long line of stitches.
"And I've been appropriately warned to stay away from Maloof's mom and Mikhail's parents." Benny muttered darkly. Raz and Lili paled.
"I'm lucky to still be alive. If Maloof hadn't gotten down on his knees, promised multiple…favors...to a few choice people, and pleaded for my life, they would have killed me. The mafia agreed to let me live so long as I didn't go near Maloof's mom or Mikhail's parents or speak to anyone who knew anyone who knew Maloof's mom and Mikhail's parents." Benny said. "If I disobey, I was promised that I'd get a front row seat right next to Maloof to witness the murders of Maloof's mom, Mikhails parents, and Mikhail before I got beaten and killed myself."
"These guys have people everywhere. Cops, florists, plumbers, TV repair guys…everywhere! The risk was too high, so I didn't try anything." Benny said.
"Damn…these guys are thorough…" Raz hissed.
Raz cursed softly as he paced in front of the stage.
"This is so not good…" Raz muttered.
"No shit, Sherlock! This is practically a hostage situation; only the hostages don't even know that they're in danger." Lili said.
"Not to mention that these guys are sure to be keeping tabs on Benny as well." Raz said. Benny nodded.
"We're going to need some outside help." Raz said, deep in thought. "But who on earth would be able to help us out of this mess?"
A sly smirk tugged at Lili's lips.
"You're right. Before we can go any further with this, we need to make Maloof's mom and Mikhail's parents disappear." Lili said casually. Raz didn't seem to notice her content smirk. He just nodded and continued pacing. Benny sort of stared at Lili. He noticed her expression. Lili seemed to be waiting for Raz to notice it. After a long silence, Lili grew bored of waiting. She sighed, rolled her eyes, and grabbed Raz by his scarf.
"What?" Raz asked.
"I know how to make our hostages disappear." Lili said.
"Really? How?" Raz asked urgently.
"Sasha had some kind of witness protection program going for the rebellion." Lili said. She stood quickly.
"There's no time to explain the process. I'll take care of our hostages. Benny is best suited to find Maloof…" Lili said.
"And what do we know about Mikhail?" Raz asked.
"Oh, he's in this city somewhere. You can be sure of that. I haven't seen him in a while. That makes me nervous. It means he's planning something big." Benny said.
"We've basically got no leads when it comes to Mikhail." Lili said.
"Well, at least we've got a specific area to work with. It's a long shot, but maybe I can hone into his psychic signature." Raz said.
"Are you freaking crazy?! It's been a while since you've used your powers so extensively, Raz. Jumping right back in like this is dangerous! Not to mention that what you're going to attempt is damn near impossible even for the most powerful of psychics! Even at full strength, you'll exhaust yourself in less than an hour!" Lili said. Raz smiled at her.
"Then I guess I'll have to find him in under an hour." Raz said with a wink.
"I agree with you, Lili…but…what other option do we have? We don't know how long we have to track them down! We have to work under the assumption that there isn't time for a by-the-book investigation." Benny said.
"Wait a second…Elka said that Mikhail and Maloof were together in her vision. That means that they'll encounter one another. If you stick with one, you're bound to run into the other. We know a lot about Maloof. Benny, you and Raz focus on finding him. Mikhail will come to you." Lili said. Raz shook his head.
"I thought about that, and I feel that we need to find each of them before they encounter one another. The turmoil between them is fierce. I don't know if we can reason with them or protect them from one another if they are allowed to meet before we can speak with each of them one on one and explain the situation." Raz said.
"I agree with Raz. Mikhail has no qualms about hurting Maloof and taking out anyone in his way in the process. I've been in the middle of one of their fights before. I'm lucky that Mikhail just knocked me out." Benny said. Lili nodded slowly.
"I understand…" She said softly. She walked up to Raz and hugged him tightly.
"Do what you have to. Just…please…be careful, okay?" Lili said. The two shared a gentle kiss.
"I will. Don't worry about me." Raz said.
"Okay then, here's our strategy: I will handle making Maloof's mom and Mikhail's parents disappear. Benny, you know Maloof best, so you'll go track him down. Raz, you'll be scouting the city to find Mikhail before he crosses paths with Maloof." Lili said. Raz and Benny nodded.
"We'll check in through our psychic connection every hour, and, of course, if anything comes up, establish contact immediately." Lili said.
"Well, let's synchronize our watches and get this mission underway." Raz said.
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Mikhail stared down at his now gleaming arsenal, his fingers fidgeting nervously. He had picked out something to wear, checked his hidden armor for faults, and reloaded and cleaned every crevice of every weapon in his arsenal until it sparkled. Now what?
Mikhail's stomach gave a loud grumble.
He had been so encased in his thoughts of revenge that he hadn't thought to eat anything all day.
Seeing as he couldn't very well make a hit and take his sweet vengeance on an empty stomach, he decided to treat himself to a nice lunch.
So, he locked his arsenal up tight and headed out the door. He wondered to himself what he should eat on this most momentous occasion. He didn't feel like having fast food. No, he wanted to have something special…something satisfying…something…quality.
Then again, The Park Street Pizzeria was sounding pretty good to him right then.
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Raz and Benny stood in awkward silence in the parking lot as Lili's cab drove away. Raz had no idea where to begin, whereas Benny had so many ideas of where to start, he felt like simply running around in circles, flailing his arms, and screaming incoherently.
Just as Raz was about to say something to break the awkward silence, Benny let out a rather…odd yelp and jumped six feet in the air, effectively startling Raz to the point that the former circus performer stumbled backwards and landed seated in a trashcan.
Benny was doing some weird little jig that seemed to be some sort of nervous tic with his feet as he helped Raz out of the trashcan. Benny was caught between laughing hysterically at Raz, and screaming in sheer anxiety.
"W-what is it, Benny?" Raz choked as he tried to calm himself after the sudden fright.
"Park Street!" Benny cried.
"What about it?" Raz asked, but Benny was already hauling ass down the street. Thinking that something was wrong, Raz followed after him.
The chase went on for a good 15 minutes before Raz finally caught up with Benny inside a pizzeria.
Benny was standing at the front entrance and looking frantically around the room.
"A pizzeria?! What the hell, Benny?!" Raz panted.
"Not here…where?" Benny panted. "Why? He was supposed to…where is he?"
"Benny, what's going on?" Raz asked.
"Maloof. I was supposed to meet him here like five minutes ago…" Benny said. Raz's eyes narrowed slightly. He focused on the cashier hard.
"Maybe he got tired of waiting and left already…but even he isn't usually that impatient…" Benny said to himself. "Maybe he isn't here yet?"
It took a lot more effort than it used to, but Raz was able to pick up on the cashier's thoughts.
"Yeah…he hasn't arrived yet. The cashier over there has been out here for the past hour, and she hasn't seen him. He may just be late." Raz said. Benny breathed a sigh of relief. He glanced over at Raz just in time to see Raz go extremely pale.
"Raz? What's wrong?" Benny asked.
"Maloof hasn't been here…but Mikhail has…" Raz breathed.
"W-What?" Benny choked.
"Not two minutes ago…we must have just missed him…stay here and wait for Maloof, Benny! I think I can still catch up to Mikhail!" Raz said before darting out the door.
Benny watched the door for a long moment. He let out a long sigh and slumped boneless into the nearest booth. He rubbed his temples slowly. This was a hell of a lot more stressful than any opening night down at the theatre; that was for damn sure.
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Raz ran down the street as fast as his legs would carry him. He scanned the minds of different people as he passed them to see if they had seen Mikhail. For a good eight minutes, he was able to follow Mikhail by a trail of people who had seen him, but the trail went cold near a series of alleyways. It was there that Raz scanned the mind of a person who obviously knew Mikhail.
Raz didn't dare to approach him; not only because the man looked dangerous. Raz didn't want to interrupt the man's train of thought.
"It's too bad Dorton couldn't come. Of all the days to have a dinner meeting! He can't even come with me to go grab some late lunch. Well, it is his shift to work the register at the winery…I can tell that he still wishes he could join us, though…Let's see…Klyde and Garrod are coming…that leaves me with one extra ticket. Who else might enjoy going to watch the wrestling match? Bulgakov? I don't know…he's pretty strange. He hardly ever says a word. I wonder if he likes wrestling. Maybe we can get to know him better. Perhaps he just needs an opportunity to loosen up a little. I don't know if he even has any friends here…it might be just what he needs… Oh, but wait…he's going to be busy tonight. Dorton said that Bulgakov was going with him…a bunch of the guys will be at the dinner meeting…rats…I'll have to find someone else…"
Raz nearly jumped when the man's eyes turned to him.
"Can I help you with something?" The man asked warily with a heavy Russian accent.
"Oh, forgive me for staring…I was not sure if you could speak English…but…do you know of any place zat specializes in wine around 'ere?" Raz asked in a thick, French accent. The man's wary expression quickly faded. He grinned kindly.
"Matter of fact, I just come from winery. If you are to be walking down about 30 blocks that way and turning left, you will be finding winery. Mine friend Dorton is on shift. He is very smart when it come to wine. He take good care of you." The man said.
"Sank you very much, sir." Raz said.
"No problem. Hope you are finding what you are looking for." The man said before continuing down the street.
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Maloof sighed as he slipped into the shower. The hot water soothed the aches in his body; but agitated the aches in his mind.
He tried not start counting the multitude of scars that marred his body as he often found himself doing. He tried not to think back to the events that had earned him those scars.
He tried not to sort out which ones were self inflicted, which ones were inflicted by the people 'on his side', and the ones inflicted by police and members of other gangs.
He tried not to let his eyes wander to the scars that he had given him.
After Mikhail had stopped believing that Maloof wasn't really bad, Mikhail had come after Maloof with all of his strength. Many of Maloof's scars lingered from the times that Maloof had barely managed to escape Mikhail.
Maloof found comfort in the fact that he'd never done anything to leave a mark on Mikhail. It would make it all the easier for Mikhail to forget him if there was no physical manifestation that would remain forever on his body that would represent what Maloof had done and remind Mikhail that he had ever known Maloof.
What Maloof didn't think about was that scars are not limited to the skin.
He also tended to forget that scars don't wash away. He quickly threw the washcloth in his hand across the bathroom when he realized that he had done it again. He had scrubbed his skin to the point of bleeding.
Yet he still felt so dirty.
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Completely unbeknownst to Raz, Mikhail watched him as he dashed down the road toward the winery.
Mikhail, of course, was completely oblivious that the figure he was watching was an old friend. Mikhail just chuckled to himself and took another bite out of his pizza as he casually observed the flustered redhead dash down the road below him.
"Someone's in a hurry today." Mikhail chuckled to himself, swinging his legs carelessly over the ledge of the 8 story high apartment complex as he enjoyed his pizza. Mikhail liked to have a good vantage point as often as he could. He spent much time on rooftops observing the people on the streets below.
Even though it was less than two hours until the sit down, Mikhail knew that he'd better eat beforehand. One's appetite is quickly lost when one must dine over a bloody corpse with the constantly looming threat that the gunshot was overheard and the cops were on the way.
Besides, the second Maloof caught sight of Mikhail, the chase would be on.
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Benny tapped his foot restlessly and kept glancing at his watch.
"Where is he?" Benny grumbled to himself.
Sure, Maloof was usually at least 15 minutes late, but with the time approaching 15 minutes and 45 seconds past the agreed upon meeting time, Benny was growing worried.
Then, the mark hit 16 minutes. Benny jumped to his feet.
"That's it. I'm going out to look for him." Benny thought to himself.
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30 blocks was a much longer distance than Raz had originally thought.
"Man, I've got to get back into shape…" Raz panted as he passed up the 12th block.
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Maloof tugged on his boots, straightened out his vest, and tucked his gun into its holster; hidden by the material of his sweater. Only one thing remained now, and that was to go get some more ammunition for his gun.
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"Why didn't I think of it before? His apartment should have been the first place I searched for him!" Benny thought as he hailed a cab.
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Mikhail tossed the left-overs of his meal into the trashcan and started back toward his apartment to get ready for the sit down.
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Raz had to walk the last two blocks to the winery. He didn't have the energy to run.
Lili was right. Already, Raz was feeling mentally exhausted; and this was just from reading the thoughts of normal, non-psychic people.
But Raz had a job to do. He couldn't rest until he knew that Maloof and Mikhail were safe.
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If Benny hadn't been so fixated on setting eyes on Maloof's apartment, he would have noticed when his cab passed right by Maloof on his way to the nearest firearm store.
Benny jumped out of the cab and, rather than wait for the elevator, scrambled frantically up the four flights of steps to Maloof's apartment. He pounded on the door.
"Maloof? It's Benny! Are you home?" Benny called. After sixty seconds and no answer, Benny tried opening the door. It was locked.
So, Benny used his powers to defeat the lock and entered Maloof's apartment. Maloof was nowhere to be found.
The shower was still dripping and the towel hung in the bathroom was still wet, so Maloof couldn't have been gone for long.
Unsure of what else to do, Benny began searching through Maloof's apartment for any clue as to where Maloof could have gone.
Benny couldn't help but get lost in memories as he looked around the apartment. He remembered clearly the day that he realized that he loved Maloof.
It had been about a year ago. He had shown up at the theater all beat up that day.
"How'd this happen, Maloof?" Benny asked, gesturing to the steadily growing bloodstain on Maloof's sweater. "And when?!"
Maloof blushed slightly, his expression frustrated.
"I-I don't wanna talk about it, okay?" Maloof said. Benny sighed, his expression softening, and helped Maloof to his feet. He made Maloof lean against him.
"Come on. We'll go to my place and I'll get you patched up." Benny said softly. He supported Maloof out of the building and toward his car.
"When's the last time you had a decent meal? Have you slept at all this week?" Benny asked. Maloof scowled.
"Do you gotta bitch at me every time I see you?" Maloof asked. Maloof was unusually edgy. He kept his eyes on the ground and his head lowered. He was oddly pale and there were dark circles around his eyes. There was also a very odd look to Maloof's eyes that left Benny unnerved.
Benny had often seen that look in the eyes of some of Maloofs…less likeable…friends; like the drug dealers.
"Well excuse me for being worried about you!" Benny said. "You look like a fuckin' undead zombie supermodel."
Maloof had to chuckle at this.
"So you admit I look good." He joked. Benny smirked and rolled his eyes. After he got Maloof into the passenger seat of his car, he pulled out his first aid kit and wrapped a strip of gauze around Maloof's waist to try to stop the bleeding until he could treat the injury properly. Once they got on the road, Benny's expression became more serious.
"Really, Maloof; you look exhausted and you're really thin. When's the last time you ate anything or had a decent night's sleep?" Benny asked. He was tense as he awaited the answers that would confirm or nullify Benny's hunch.
Maloof's expression saddened. He stared at his own hands.
"I dunno. I ate half a loaf of French bread yesterday…I don't think I've slept in four days." Maloof said. Benny's heart plummeted. That was not the answer he was hoping to hear.
Benny pulled over. He stared at the road for a long moment.
"Malnutrition, insomnia, abnormal behavior, and dilated pupils…" Benny said softly to himself. "Check, check, check, and check. Positive for four major signs."
Slowly, he turned to face Maloof. He put his hands on Maloof's shoulders.
Benny had hoped that he wouldn't have to have this confrontation; but the evidence was piling up and blind faith and blissful ignorance weren't going to make the problem go away.
"Maloof, be completely honest with me…have you been doing drugs?" Benny asked. Maloof sighed and rubbed his temples.
"Okay, I won't deny that I'm probably high right now…" Maloof began. Benny paled dramatically. He was about to speak, but Maloof stopped him.
"Let me explain. I'm probably high right now, but I'm not doing any drugs. I swear it. The other guys were doing drugs, though. Ain't much I can do about second hand smoke. They'll sit there and smoke a kilo of that shit so that there's so much second hand smoke, all you gotta do is be in the room with them to get high." Maloof said. Benny let out a long sigh of relief.
"They won't let you leave the room?" Benny asked. Maloof shook his head.
"I make for a great punching bag once everyone's good and plastered." Maloof said softly. "Story of my fuckin' life."
Maloof drew a shaky breath and pulled his knees to his chest.
"Sometimes I wish they'd just kill me so it'd all be over." Maloof said softly. A pang of sadness tore through Benny. He took off his jacket and put it around Maloof's shoulders, embracing him gently as he did so.
"Please don't talk like that, Maloof. Try to get some sleep. We'll get back to my place, get you patched up, get you a nice hot shower and some warm, clean clothes, I'll make you a nice hot meal…I've rented a couple of movies. We can have a movie night just like old times; just you and me. You can crash with me for a while until you're feeling better. Sound good?" Benny asked. A small smile came to Maloof's lips.
"Okay. But I can't stay long. The boss will be looking for me." Maloof said. A deep loathing coursed through Benny's veins.
"Alright." Benny said softly. He started up the car again and Maloof huddled up under Benny's jacket. It was only a fifteen minute drive to Benny's apartment complex; but Maloof was fast asleep by the time Benny pulled into the parking lot.
Benny didn't want to disturb Maloof's sleep, so he opted to carry him.
Benny sighed. He couldn't waltz in through the main entrance and not expect to be questioned about the unconscious teenager he was carrying on his back, so he walked around to the alley way and began the tedious climb up the fire escape to his apartment. At last, he reached his floor and balanced Maloof on his back with one hand while he rummaged through his pockets for the key to his apartment with the other.
Eureka! He pulled the keys from his pocket and unlocked the door. A gust of warm air met him as he walked inside. He pushed the door shut behind him and carried the teen into his bedroom. He deposited Maloof gently on the bed. He got Maloof's shoes off and changed him into a set of his pajamas (despite the garments being a little big on the teen), leaving the shirt unbuttoned, and pulled the blankets up over him before exiting the room to find his first aid kit. He put a kettle on to boil in the kitchen before returning to tend to the unconscious teenager.
He gently shifted Maloof so that he was lying on his side and began to look him over for serious injury. He was thankful that the wound in Maloof's side was just a gash. It didn't look too deep. Benny pressed down lightly on Maloof's ribs to check if they were broken. This earned a pained groan from the teen. The ribs were probably cracked. Benny let his hand trail slightly lower. He pressed lightly on Maloof's abdomen to check for internal injuries. Much to his worry, Maloof jolted and started coughing heavily. Blood trickled out from between Maloof's lips. His eyes fluttered. He blinked up at Benny blearily. Maloof gasped and lashed out at Benny violently. Benny easily dodged the attack and quickly jumped onto the bed. Careful not to injure Maloof further, he straddled the teen's waist and pinned his arms above his head. Maloof struggled against him.
"Leave me alone, you bastard!" Maloof cried hoarsely, tears springing to his eyes.
"Maloof!" Benny said, trying to get the teen to calm down. "Maloof, relax! It's me, Benny!"
Maloof's struggles ceased. He blinked to get a better look at Benny. Tears streamed down Maloof's cheeks.
"Benny…" Maloof whispered.
"It's okay Maloof. You're at my place. They won't look for you here. You're safe." Benny assured him. He released the Maloof and gently climbed off of him. Maloof squeezed his eyes shut and let out a shaky sight of relief. He wiped the tears from his eyes, trying to look as though nothing had happened. Benny gently brushed a stray curl out of Maloof's face. Even that small action made Maloof flinch.
"Stop doing that. I ought to give you two for flinching, but you know I'd never strike you." Benny said. Maloof sighed. His midnight blue eyes were brimming with tears again.
"I-I know you wouldn't. I'm sorry, Benny. I-I just can't help it…I'm used to it." Maloof said.
"You've got nothing to be sorry about, Maloof. Now, let me take a look at your injuries…" Benny said, reaching to take Maloof's arm so that he could get a better look at the nasty scrape on his elbow. Maloof quickly drew back.
"Don't touch me!" Maloof said, his voice making it more of a plea than a command. Maloof cleared his throat and his voice took on a calmer tone.
"Gloves first. I don't want you catching whatever diseases those bastards have passed on to me." Maloof said. Benny sighed and pulled a pair of gloves out of his fist aid kit.
It was a major quirk that Maloof had developed. He was nearly obsessive over his own hygiene. He showered several times daily and had a dangerous habit of scrubbing his skin until it was raw and bloody; and even then, Maloof would still feel as though he were filthy.
He didn't like to be touched, either. Benny knew that it was out of a subconscious (or maybe not) psychological fear of contaminating others. Maloof had once tearfully confessed to Benny that he believed that he had contracted one or more sexually transmitted diseases.
Benny knew that Maloof had a very valid basis for his fear, but Benny shut out reason and avidly refused to even entertain the possibility that Maloof had been infected.
Besides, it wasn't like Maloof could just waltz into a hospital and get tested without running the high risk of being discovered.
"I take it that they assaulted you again, then?" Benny said darkly.
"I'm their toy, Benny. I'm nothing to them but a fuckin' toy. They have complete control over me. What I do, where I go, how I act…even what I wear." Maloof said, shooting a venomous glare at his discarded clothes lying on the floor.
"I didn't think you were dressing like that on purpose." Benny said. Maloof snorted.
"They don't give a damn what I think. They don't need a reason to rough me up! They don't give a damn if they break my ribs! They could care less if I'm in pain! They don't give a damn if I catch pneumonia, as long as my appearance is to their liking on my deathbed!" Maloof said.
"Then get out of there!" Benny said.
"You think I haven't tried!? You don't understand, Benny! Once you're in…once you're really in…there's no gettin' out. Not alive, anyway." Maloof said. "Besides, even if I could get out, what the hell would I do then? The Psychonauts are after my hide, there's no way I'd ever show my sorry face to any of my family or friends…"
"You could leave the country." Benny suggested.
"With what money, for what reason, and to go where?" Maloof said. He sighed. "What's the point? Everything I ever cared about is here. There's nothin' for me in other countries."
"How can you know that for sure?" Benny asked. Maloof buried his face in his hands.
"You only meet your soul mate once in your life. I found mine. My soul mate is here; and…well…you know how that turned out. Besides, who could ever love someone like me? I know I wouldn't." Maloof said. Benny felt his heart sink.
"You say no one could ever love someone like you…If only you could see yourself the way I see you…you wouldn't be so hard on yourself…" Benny thought to himself.
"Maloof, please tell me what happened." Benny asked softly. Maloof was quiet for a long moment.
"The boss whored me out to 'our friends' the Russian Mafiosi again as part of an agreement; and you know how the Russians like to play rough." Maloof said. Anger boiled in Benny's gut, but he decided to keep quiet. Even if he did speak, there was nothing he could do to change the way the Italian Mafiosi treated him. Talking about it would probably just make Maloof feel like some weakling whore of the Mafia…well, Maloof always felt like that, but Benny made it a point not to bring it up and remind him of those feelings.
"Yeah, so, the Russians had me do some of their dirty work, did with me what they pleased and tossed me out into the snow when they were done with me. I think I fell asleep in the park last night and when I came to this morning, I knew that the theatre was nearby…" Maloof said. He winced and put a hand over his abdomen. He coughed heavily, more blood trickling down his chin. Benny put an arm around Maloof's back to support him. Maloof slumped sideways against Benny, exhausted.
"Mother fuck, Maloof…what'd those Russian cock-suckers do to you?" Benny asked, gently laying Maloof back against the pillows.
"I dunno…I can't really remember…" Maloof said.
"Maloof, I think you may have some serious internal bleeding this time…" Benny said. Maloof suddenly had a conflicted expression on his face.
"Maloof, what aren't you telling me?" Benny asked.
"I-I didn't want to say anything because I wasn't sure if it was a dream or not…but…I think I got hit by a car while I was trying to run away…" Maloof said. Benny cursed and studied the bruising on Maloof's body more carefully.
"It'd explain the line of bruising and cracked ribs…" Benny muttered. "Maloof, you need to see a doctor for this…"
"You know I can't do that, Benny! I'll get turned in for sure!" Maloof said. "It's just going to have to heal on its own."
Benny sighed and sunk back in his chair. He was fighting hard to keep the tears stinging his eyes at bay. Maloof sat up slightly, seeing Benny's distress.
"Benny?" Maloof asked softly. "Benny, what's wrong?"
Benny couldn't hold back any longer. He sat down beside Maloof on the bed and pulled Maloof close to him, wrapping his arms around the younger boy's waist. He closed his eyes as he relished the feeling of Maloof's small, warm body against his own. He breathed in Maloof's sweet scent of cinnamon and magnolia with light undertones of alcohol and cigarette smoke and fingered one of those soft brown curls. He resisted the strong urge to move his lips just a few more centimeters to press them against the exposed smooth, tantalizing, golden skin of Maloof's neck. He kept himself from doing so by burying his face into Maloof's shoulder.
Maloof was stiff with shock in his arms. He could feel Benny's tears dampening his shirt.
"I hate seeing you hurt like this, Maloof. I hate seeing you being forced to do all these things against your will. Every time I see you with a new bruise…every time I see you cry…knowing that you're in so much pain that you wish I'd let you die…it breaks my heart." Benny whispered. Maloof almost gasped aloud. Tears sprung to his eyes and a light blush blossomed across his cheeks.
Maloof thought that there was no one left who truly cared about him. He realized now that Benny did. It had been over a year since he'd felt like this. For the first time in a long time, there, with Benny's arms around him, Maloof felt loved. He closed his eyes and sunk into Benny's embrace. Benny's heat soared as Maloof laid his head against Benny's chest.
Maloof was crying. It had been so long since Maloof had really opened up and allowed Benny to see his deepest pain. A year of forced work for the Mafia and all the beatings and cruel, callous treatment that came with it had hardened the petite teen. Back in their camp days, Benny tormented Maloof for crying; and now, he hated himself for it.
But now, Benny was, in a way, relieved to see him cry. It meant that the Maloof he knew was still alive somewhere deep down.
"Benny…I-I'm sorry…thank you…" Maloof whispered. As vague as the statement was, Benny had a pretty good idea of what Maloof was trying to say.
"You've been pushed around, defiled, beaten, degraded…you believe yourself to be hardened, marred, tarnished and robbed of innocence. Because of that you feel undesirable. You can't see any beauty in yourself. You're apologizing because you've believed for so long that you were an unlovable creature when I've been here for you all along. You're thanking me for reminding you of that." Benny thought.
For the longest time, Benny just held Maloof and let him cry. It wasn't long before Maloof cried himself to sleep in Benny's arms. Benny leaned back against the headboard of the bed with his eyes closed as he stroked Maloof's soft brown curls and traced patterns into the younger male's back. He blissfully basked in the feeling of Maloof's small body, warm and relaxed against his chest. He admired Maloof's angelic face (always, by order of Ruliano, left unmarred whenever he was knocked around to ensure that its appeal wouldn't lessen) as he slept.
Maloof had always had a youthful appearance, not just because of his size, but in the way his limbs remained lengthy in that adolescent way. On the other hand, he had a softness and fullness to his body (despite being underweight, even for his size) that gave him a natural air of grace and elegance about him. He still had that boyish slope to his cheeks, though his jaw had become more defined and had developed an almost feminine contour.
He still had that same cute little nose he had as a boy and his large, stunning, midnight blue eyes were accented by dark eyelashes, which, when he looked at you, gave the illusion that he could see right through you. It was both unnerving and enchanting. It was Benny's favorite trait appearance wise about Maloof. Maloof's lips were a close second.
Lightly parted in slumber, those soft lips were more tantalizing than ever before to Benny. He'd caught himself more than once imagining what it would be like to kiss them. There would be so much more to kissing him than the faint taste of cigarettes and alcohol. The feeling…the rush…the warmth…the taste…the experience of kissing Maloof would be far beyond anything Benny could possibly begin to imagine.
Benny had never felt so strongly about anyone in his life. To him, no one was a more awe-inspiring creature than Maloof. Just lying there with him in his arms…touching his hair…inhaling his scent…feeling the light rise and fall of his chest against his own with each deep, even breath he drew…Benny was in complete bliss.
But, he had to admit that there was an emptiness. Benny didn't instill the same emotions in Maloof that Maloof instilled in him. Benny wasn't the one could light up a universe of joyful dancing stars in the midnight blue heavens of Maloof's eyes. Benny was not the person Maloof longed to be with the most. Benny was fully aware of this fact.
That didn't keep Benny from desperately wishing that Maloof could see how deeply Benny cared for him. Benny would never tell Maloof himself, though. Benny knew that if it was meant to be, Maloof would see it for himself. .
Alas, Benny understood that he could never truly fill that special place in Maloof's heart. That person happened to be an old friend, so Benny tried not to feel bitter and jealous and hateful. However, more often than not, he failed miserably to do so.
It was only natural, really.
After all; the only person who would truly make Maloof happy…the one who could put stars in the midnight blue skies of Maloof's eyes…had spent every waking hour of the past two years hunting Maloof down with the intent of killing him.
Benny shook his head to clear his mind and continued his search of Maloof's apartment.
Benny froze in sheer horror when he pulled open one particular drawer.
There, sitting in front of him were several obviously stolen and partially used bottles of morphine along with several needles.
Benny's fists shook with rage and anguish. He had suspected that Maloof might have had a drug problem, but he had given Maloof the benefit of doubt.
Maloof had promised him that he wouldn't let himself get involved in drug use. He was furious with Maloof for lying to him; but Benny was also mad at himself. He felt like it was somehow his fault that Maloof had gotten mixed up in drugs.
If only Benny had been more involved with Maloof…If only he had been there for him more…if only he had done this or that, Maloof wouldn't have turned to drugs.
For the first time in a long time, Benny felt like pounding Maloof. He whipped out his cell phone. Someone was about to get an earful.
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Raz took a moment to compose himself before he walked into the winery. A tall man with dark hair greeted him from behind the counter. His nametag said 'Dorton'.
"Looking for anything in particular?" Dorton asked. Raz did his best to smile.
"Somesing special for my sweet'art. Ze problem is, zat I am not quite sure what sort of 'special' to get for 'er." Raz said. Dorton chuckled.
"What sort of occasion?" The man asked.
"A dinner date. It is 'er birthday." Raz said.
"Well, I think I have perfect thing for you. This white wine here is particularly good brand and excellent year. Price is definitely affordable, too. Trust me, this wine is better than most top dollar name brand. Great buy and great taste. I get it all the time." Dorton said, handing Raz a bottle.
"Oh, sank you. I sink she will enjoy zis." Raz said, taking the bottle up to the counter. He strained to read Dorton's mind as Dorton counted out Raz's change.
"Ah, young love. Hopefully, this kid's dinner date will go better than mine. The closest thing to a sweetheart that I'm going to see tonight is that cute little piece of ass the Ruliano keeps around; and after tonight, he's going to belong to Bulgakov! I wonder if Bulgakov will share…well…at least we're going to a decent restaurant. The Hard Rock Café is a definite improvement over IHOP…Speaking of which, after this kid leaves, I'd better close up. It's almost time to go."
Raz's heart skipped a beat. He suddenly felt ill. Dorton looked up at him.
"You alright?" Dorton asked. Raz did his best to regain his composure. He nodded and swallowed thickly.
"Just nerves, I suppose." Raz chuckled. Dorton smiled widely.
"Will you be proposing to this girl?" He asked. Raz blushed deeply as Lili's face flitted into his mind.
"I-I…Uh…gosh…I don't know…" Raz stammered. Dorton chuckled.
"Sounds like you really like this girl." Dorton said. Raz nodded slowly.
"I-I suppose I do…" He said sheepishly. Dorton handed Raz the bottle of wine and his change. He patted Raz on the back and winked at him.
"Well, I wish you luck with this girl of yours tonight." Dorton said. Raz blushed.
"S-sank you…" Raz said. He wandered numbly out of the store, still dumbstruck by the thought of marrying Lili.
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Benny started to dial and cursed the infernal device when he realized that he had forgotten to turn it on. Once he did, he felt rather stupid. A new wave of self hatred and frustration washed over him.
1) Calling Maloof in the first place would have greatly simplified things and 2) There was a message in his inbox from Maloof.
"Hey, Benny. It's me. I guess you're still in the theater since your cell phone isn't on. I'm really sorry, but I won't be able to meet you for dinner like we planned. I've got a hot dinner date tonight, so I've gotta get ready. Sorry for the short notice. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye."
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Raz nearly dropped his bottle of wine when Benny's voice rang through his head.
"Raz, Maloof is going to a sit down tonight!" Benny's voice cried. Raz had to lean against the wall to catch his breath from the scare. Suddenly, something clicked in his head. He paled dramatically.
When he tried to respond to Benny, Raz literally fell to his knees. He felt as though a lead brick had just been dropped on his head. His vision was beginning to blur slightly and his body felt strangely heavy.
"Raz, hello?! Did you hear me?" Benny asked. Raz cursed under his breath. He had almost completely exhausted his mind.
"Important…meet you at the theater…now" Raz was barely able to get the message to Benny. He pulled himself up and began the long run back to the theater.
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Mikhail tucked the last of his weapons into his shirt and out of sight as he turned to lock the door of his apartment. It was almost time. In less than half an hour, Maloof would be his.
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Maloof loaded a few rounds into his gun and tucked it back out of sight into its holster as he neared Ruliano's car. Ruliano whistled at him out the window.
"Damn, sweetheart! I'm gonna have to beat those Russians off you with a stick!" Ruliano chuckled. Maloof smiled coyly and flipped a curl out of his eyes as he climbed into the car beside Ruliano.
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Benny paced anxiously in front of the theater as he waited for Raz. When he saw Raz stumble into view, Benny ran over to help him.
Raz was all scraped up, pale, and breathing heavily.
"Raz, what happened?!" Benny asked anxiously.
"'m okay…just tripped…tired…" Raz gasped. Benny cursed softly and helped Raz up. He supported Raz over to the steps of the theater and made Raz lie down to catch his breath. Benny knew that Raz had pushed himself too far.
"Shit, Raz…come on. I'll take you back to my place. I've got some dream fluffs there that should help you until Lili gets back…she'll know how to help you…shit! Why didn't I pay more attention in Mental Wellness?!" Benny groaned. Raz grabbed Benny's arm.
"No…I'll be fine…We have got to get to the Hard Rock Café!" Raz panted. Benny gave Raz a strange look.
"What for?" Benny asked.
"Because, Benny! That's where the sit down is going to be and Mikhail has set up a trap there for Maloof!" Raz said. Benny was nearly sick.
"Oh god…" Benny whimpered. Raz stumbled to his feet.
"Come on, Benny! We have to go NOW!" Raz said.
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Mikhail waited quietly in the shadows in the back of the room for the guests to arrive. He was trembling in anticipation. He wanted to scream aloud when the door handle began to turn.
It took a hellish eternity for the door to finally open and another eternity for Ruliano to walk in with Mikhail's prey latched onto his arm.
It was like a magnetic force. The instant Maloof walked into view, his eyes were drawn to Mikhails.
To Be Continued….MWA HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!
I know. I'm such a bitch! MWA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!
Reviewing helps give me enough money to afford my fast acting anti-bitch-extra-fast-extra-awesome update syrup!
…mmmm….syrup! XD!
Speaking of which, has anyone seen my friends, the reviewers? Like, half of them are missing…I'm getting worried…
If you have seen or heard from any of said missing persons, please let me know in a review! XD!
Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone! May your Thanksgiving meal find you unburnt, may your smoke alarms lie dormant on this joyous holiday, may you come out on top in all quests for vengance on relatives during the big family thanksgiving get togethers, and may peace, love, and lack of food poisioning, calls to the fire department, and hospital bills prevail over this weekend.
I am thankful for readers who review...(Puppy eyes)