Chapter Four
Landing the final punch on the ninja to my right, I wait for the reassuring thud of his body hitting the ground. Thud.
"Gatecrashing my party." Elektra quips and I can smell her, dripping with sweat and gunpowder from the throw down she just rolled out on all eight of her assailants.
"You gatecrashed my date, thought I'd gatecrash yours."
"So it was a date." She mutters as I hear metal scrape momentarily against the marble floor. She's gathering her blades. There's something in about the way her words come out—there's a falter, an extra pause. She's wounded.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm not too cut up about it." She quips, "but… between you and me, she seems a bit… tame for your tastes."
"We're not talking about Karen." She walks past me, and I grip her arm with force, it stops her in her steps. I was always stronger, even if she was faster. She doesn't fight it, she lets me keep hold of her, suspended mid-step.
"You're cut."
"So are you, Matt." Her toned hand grazes my jaw and I realise my jaw is stinging. The adrenaline is wearing off.
"Let's get out of here."
"Hold on." She says as I approach the window. I wait, and that's when I hear it. It happens too fast for me to stop her. Crack.
"Elektra?" I demand.
"What? He killed a friend of mine. Now we're even."
I crouch beside the body, my fingertips find his twisted neck. Jesus.
"Don't bring that to my city."
"Your city? Look around, Matt. Vigilantes are a dime a dozen these days. Besides, knocking them out isn't enough sometimes."
"Killing them isn't the answer."
"You just haven't been hurt."
"I have."
"No, Matt. Not in the right way. Because if you had, you'd be leaving a trail of dead bad guys in your wake too."
I don't pry because her voice thickened and her words slowed down. She's struggling to speak, it's usually what happens when someone wells up. She's trying not to cry, and weirdly, in all the time I knew her, she never cried. All I know is, whoever has hurt her is going to pay in a big way.
"Come on, let's get you clean up." I suggest.
"Thought you'd never ask."
***
I can hear her in the bedroom, she's borrowing some clothes – walking through the streets in your vigilante get up isn't practical during the day and it's almost eight in the morning. She emerges smelling of my aftershave and shampoo.
Elektra told me they killed her family but didn't stop there. They trained her, made her lethal then tried to set her up, and in the process, they murdered the love of her life. She followed her leads all the way back to Hell's kitchen. I have to help her. I can't imagine losing Karen, or Foggy. Even if he hates me right now. It would be the end of me.
"Morning." She stifles a yawn as she struts into the room. Despite opening up to me, her confidence is still as strong as ever.
"Breakfast?" I ask. From the scent of detergent I can guess she's wearing the same t shirt Karen wore when I first brought her home. I crack a bemused smile. Must be a stylish t shirt. Shame I can't see it.
"I should go."
That's when my front door knocks and I freeze. Because the smell of fresh coffee with a dash of milk and sprinkle of cinnamon means one thing at the office.
"Karen…" I whisper. I know exactly how this looks and I don't want it to look like that.
Elektra is already at the door.
"Hey—oh. I'm so sorry." Karen's bright greeting switches to dismay then apologetic in two seconds flat.
"Oh, coffee. Sweet." Elektra says, I hear someone take a sip.
"You can keep it." I hear Karen say.
"Aw, she's kind. You should keep this one, Matthew!" She says before leaving me and Karen alone.
"Nice t shirt." Karen mutters, the way her heels whisper against the carpet tell me she's turning to watch Elektra go.
"She needed a place to stay."
"And clothes." Karen adds.
There's silence.
"Hey, can I take you out tonight…f-for food. O-or stuff?" I've asked before I can stop myself. I keep coming so close to losing her lately, over misunderstandings and Elektra.
"Wouldn't she mind?"
"She's here because she needs my help with some things."
"You don't have to explain yourself to me, Matt. Do whatever you want."
"I wanna do dinner, with you." I try, it's like prying water from stone. She's keeping her guard up.
"You mean like a work-dinner?"
"I mean like a… date." I manage, my voice catches in my throat. "But it can be right after work." I add quickly, trying to make it less awkward than it is.
"Sure, dinner or stuff, sound great."
I smile, relieved and hopeful.
"Why did you come over this morning?" I ask.
"I've come across something… some guy is butchering gangs throughout the city. It can't be the devil of Hell's kitchen."
"Vigilantism gone too far?"
"Beyond too far. We're talking militarised."
"Daredevil hasn't killed anyone so far. But this guy…"
Her statement bothers me. I was stood right there when Elektra snapped that guy's neck. I recall Elektra's words, her beliefs. Her justification in choosing murder when it's necessary. I don't know where I stand, but I know I wanna stand for good. However fucked up I am.
"I was hoping you'd do me a favour…" She trails off and I nod.
"Anything. Just say the word."
"Foggy."
Fuck.
I haven't even walked into the café and I hear his chair swing out. He's leaving.
"What, we can't even have a coffee together now?" I ask, exasperated.
"Foggy, please. You said you'd do me a favour." Karen objects.
"That why you showed up too? Doing Karen a favour? Well played, Page. Kudos for being an evil genius, but I'm sorry. Me and Matt are just…" he trails off, before walking away.
"Headed in different directions apparently." I scoff, and even though I sound incredulous, the hurt settling into my heart makes me wince.
He walks back toward us. He heard my remark.
"Foggy, we can't carry on like this." I say, and as I speak, I'm completely aware of Karen being present. "You know?"
"You know the city's favourite vigilante was filmed breaking into a warehouse where a dead crook was found earlier this morning, along with seven of his blooded buddies?"
He thinks I killed him.
"What? Foggy, no. He wouldn't do that."
"He hasn't murdered any one so far, Foggy. Why start now?" Karen asks, being the voice of reason.
"What has gotten into you guys? Just cut it out, now." She orders and I don't argue. I can't argue with Karen. Slumping in my chair, I run my hands over my head. That's when I hear the other chair slide out, Foggy settles into it but taps his boot against the ground. He does that when he doesn't wanna be somewhere.
Right now, he doesn't wanna be anywhere near me. And that hurts. Nobody sees your highs and lows like your best friend. It's always the people closest to you who see the worst in you.
"Seriously you guys, what's going on?"
"I thought you wanted to discuss this militarised vigilante who's wiping out gangs?" I ask. She pauses.
"It worked on you too, huh?" Foggy sighs, resigned. "You know, Karen, don't think I haven't noticed how much of a good liar you've become."
"I shouldn't have to lie to get you guys to meet up. Besides, it's partly true. There's a story here, something bigger is going on. And what little good we do is important, but the only thing more important than that is to support each other."
I look away. I'm transported back to the time I broke down in the office and told her I couldn't do this alone. She held me and promised me I wasn't alone. But she doesn't get it, she doesn't get how frustrating it is to constantly explain myself to Foggy. He holds me up to such a high standard and I'm no saint.
"Look, you guys… I wanna say something." She starts then there's a pause. I feel Foggy shift in his seat, he's sitting up. All ears.
"When I first met you guys, you took me in. And made me part of whatever our trio is, and I don't have a lot of friends out here. It would mean a lot if we could put our issues aside and just…I don't know, grab dinner tonight or something."
I pause.
"If not tonight, then tomorrow. I want us to do that. I need that for me." And there it is again, I thought it had vanished. That veil covering up something hidden just beyond her words. Something I can never quite pinpoint.
There are no quick quips from Foggy, instead I feel him reach across the table and squeeze her arm.
"We're always here for you, Karen. Whatever happens between me and Matt will never change that. We've got your back."
"I want you guys back to how things were. And no one is telling me what's going on."
"I'll leave that to Matt." Foggy says then his chair groans. He's getting up.
"Will you come tonight, Foggy?"
"I don't know, Karen."
I clench my jaw. That's a no.
"C'mon Foggy…"
"You and Matt go ahead."
"Has it got something to do with his ex?"
Shit. Foggy hated Elektra.
"What? Elektra's in town? You didn't tell me?"
"It's hard to tell you something when you won't even talk to me."
"Dude…" Foggy's voice is firm, it's a warning and I bite my tongue.
"Remember last time, Matt? Keep your distance from her. She's trouble."
Shaking my head, I finally let my frustration slip out, "I don't need to hear this. You guys have a great night."
With that I'm walking away.
"Matt…?" Karen's voice stands out to me, even though I can hear every single sound within a hundred meters, her damn voice still stands out.
"Let him go, Karen. He's half the man you think he is." I catch Foggy advising her as I go, and you know what? He's probably freakin' right.
Elektra and I dismantled three hideouts of the Hand tonight. We're getting closer to catching them and it's exhilarating. I pull off my shirt and she wolf whistles. We're both high off the adrenaline still. I missed feeling this kick with a partner in crime. In college, we'd do patrols together and fool around, it was the crazy. And I loved every second of it.
"You've been hitting the gym. I appreciate that in a man."
I laugh as I open the tap and run my bruised hand under the cold water. Closing my eyes, I let the soothing cold calm my fiery nerves and pounding muscles.
Warm hands trace my bruised back, I straighten. The warmth from her body caresses mine as she steps even closer. She's examining the countless scars on my torso.
"You've been a busy boy." She says in her half-mocking tone.
"You okay? You seemed off tonight." She concludes. I give her a half-smile.
"I'm fine."
"Did you have a domestic with your best buddy?"
Elektra and Foggy clashed on everything in college except for their love of whiskey. The only time they could stand to be around each other was if they were drunk. Speaking of drinks, I need one.
"Ooh, was it Karen?" She probes.
"What's your infatuation with her?" I ask, irked she brought Karen up. I didn't wanna think about Karen. It seems somehow disloyal to be stood here so close to Elektra then to think of Karen. It feels wrong. Or maybe, I just don't like the reminder that tonight we could have been having dinner together.
"I'm curious about what makes you so curious about her, Matthew. That's all."
"She's not as tame as you think. There's more to her. She's strong too. Not ninja strong, but a strong person."
"Boring." Elektra sighs. "Give me something scandalous." She toys, trying to bait me to see if I'll back out but something within me flickers, something I've kept supressed for a while.
"I'm on fire when I'm near her. My world is a little brighter with her in it. And I love that."
"Poignant."
"Why haven't you tapped that yet?" She asks as she strides in the direction of the couch. I hear her slump onto it. Gentle whispering of the blanket against leather tells me she's pulling the blanket around herself.
I walk over to the couch and sit beside her.
"Because I'm lying to her already and its killing me." I stop and just enjoy brushing shoulders with someone after so long. Her warmth is contagious. I feel her soft hair pour over my chest as she rests her head against my shoulder. With Elektra everything was always so transparent, effortless. We were reckless, because we knew the other wouldn't break.
Almost automatically, I find myself leaning in. How do I explain to either of these amazing women that when one looks at me, I feel like I can breathe and when the other looks at me, it feels like I can't.
"It's good to have you back." I tell her. She shifts, straightening in her seat. I sit up too. She turns so she's facing me and I feel her hands on my face. Cupping my jaw, she pulls me closer. And the realisation of how much I've missed this is a blow to the brains and my thoughts screech to a halt.
"I missed this." She whispers gently, it's like she read my mind and repeated my most vulnerable thought right back to me. Her nose presses against mine. She has no idea how alone I've felt since we parted ways.
Don't do it, Matt. I tell myself, recalling Foggy's warning in the café earlier. But she feels so good, like a shot of dark rum, intoxicating, smooth…heavenly. Her finger tips stroke my cheeks.
"For old times' sake?" She proposes in a whisper, her warm breath landing on my lips.
My resolve caving, I push my lips against hers and take her into my arms. She clutches at my hair and holds me close, there's no tenderness in our kisses. Just hunger, passion and desire. She pushes me backward against the couch and straddles me, leaning forward she showers me with kisses, her long hair caresses my face and chest as it hangs down.
Running a hand through her hair, I kiss her firmly, then pull away.
"This is a bad idea." I whisper, hating myself as I speak. She climbs off me and scoffs at me.
"I forgot how annoying your conscience is." She grumbles and walks over to the kitchen area. I listen to what she's doing. A cupboard opens and shuts. A lid is unscrewed, then gulping.
"Can I atleast offer you a drink?"
"A drink sounds great." I declare as I hang my head and run my hands through my short hair.
"She's really done a number on you, Matthew." Elektra remarks after a moment. I don't speak. I can't think about Karen right now. The curtains flutter and I pause. The wind is still today, not even a breeze.
"Elektra…" the dread in my voice resounds through the apartment. Suddenly, I hear several swift footsteps zipping around the apartment. Elektra grunts, the bottle smashes. A blow is delivered. I swing at the approaching footsteps, connecting with a ninja. I hear the swoosh of a blade being unsheathed.
"Duck!" Elektra barks. I do. The blade stings my ear, grazing it. I kick out, a clean sweep that knocks the assailant of his feet. He hits the ground hard and I use his scarf to strangle him only to stop when his struggles subside. I leap to my feet and battle the other ninjas.
I hear Elektra yelp in pain. Blocking their attacks, I hurry to her aid, when I feel a slice across my chest. Suddenly, it's as though all the fiery rage I carry in my breast pours out down my chest. Lightheaded, I collapse. Gradually, the footsteps, the swords, the thuds and grunts disappear. Everything fades out.
Author's note: Hey guys, read & review. I'd love to hear your thoughts!