Love Struck Eternal
Chapter 17 - Stupid fucking kid.
Sam's POV, A few weeks later.
My life was for once starting to seem like it had purpose again. I was making money. A lot of money. Cora was a good supplier, if not one of the best. Just endless amounts of product to sell and almost an endless amount of money to be made so long as you played it smart. His clientele was very organized and good for the constant demand. Even new customers that I attracted were sticking to the rules of business. Two weeks and no one has drawn a gun, a knife, or even remotely tried to threaten or rob me. No one wanted to take a chance messing with the mob. I understood because during my short time here; I've seen some shit. George was a perfect example. Nice guy, but I've seen him lay a beating on a few of his men. He's ruthless when pushed and even Cora when cornered.
Now Cora and I were getting along very well and I haven't had to fuck him in order for that to happen. He was too busy drooling over the profit I brought in. Almost obsessed even. He grew distracted and only saw the good side of what I was doing to his business. Which was all the better since I was robbing him at the same time. He gave me what I asked for. Thirty percent of every deal I made came back to me. But since he started getting blind; I've taken the chance of skimming some of his product off the top.
Every time he gave me more product; I'd cut some off and keep it for myself to sell for pure income. Of course I covered my tracks. I knew how it worked. All I had to do was make the coke weigh what the buyer asked for. They had no clue I was substituting the coke I stole with a cheap synthetic alternative that looked like powder. It was easy to do since Cora had a storeroom where he had every drug you could imagine. The drugs and the ingredients used to produce it.
A little scientific touch with a dash of chemistry and it was easy to do and thanks to what I knew about the business; it was even easier to sell if I went straight to Verno's men to off load. They'd buy anything I gave them and they wouldn't ask questions and thanks to that and the bank finally reimbursing my "stolen" money; I was saving up a hefty sum for the network.
Minky and I haven't talked much since our last personal meeting here at the compound when I first arrived, but I planned to approach him with some questions I had about how I could get my hands on more venom. I had two shots left and that wasn't going to be enough to work with if I ever planned on figuring this out.
Now I had one more deal to make today. Cora had a whole kilo he wanted me to offload to one of his normal patrons and I wanted to call it quits sooner or later for tonight. I've been on my legs all day running around this city for him. Well that goes for Mocha too. She's been moving just as much as me. I loved her so much. She's the only real friend I have.
Collecting my backpack from off the bed, I threw it around this nice blue hoodie I had on and looked at the exit to see Mocha sitting there waiting for me. I had my gun tucked under my hoodie near the front of my pants and with everything else ready, I jogged over to her and opened the door while saying to her.
"Let's get this done baby. One more run and we'll be ready for a long nap."
"Braf!" She replied as I went right for Cora's office to find him and a few of his guys waiting for me. The coke was just sitting on his desk and they all turned to look at me. Parting my hair out from the front of my eyes, I asked him on the approach.
"Everything set? This the package?"
Cora had a weird look in his eyes, but sat up and replied back.
"Yup. That's the last of it for tonight."
"Awesome. I'll have the money back to you within the hour. Come on Mocha….?"
When my hand went to grab the coke, Cora reached forward to grab my wrist. I instantly stopped moving and stared back at him as he calmly said to me.
"You aren't going alone for this. George is already meeting with the guy ahead of schedule to ensure the money is present for the hand off. These three are gonna escort you and once you have the money they'll bring you back here to me directly.
"Why?" I questioned as I knew the dude we were handing off to. He was a solid guy and without a doubt Cora's best customer. Never missed a payment and he had a family of his own to worry about. There isn't any reason why he would try something now that he was buying a full kilo. Unsure of my tone, Cora replied.
"Why? Because I fucking said so. You know how I feel about sending you out there by yourself when you're carrying a backpack's worth of product with you. And I don't care who the fuck it is paying for it ether. This city is full of scumbags. I'm not trusting anyone with this much product on hand. So you're getting an escort to make sure shit doesn't go south. You hear me?" He asked as he was squeezing my wrist really hard. Nodding my head I replied.
"Yeah…...okay. I'm sorry."
He just had this angry look to him as he let me go. Once he did he muttered towards his men and I.
"Just get out of here. All of you. I got shit to do."
For a moment I tried to figure out what was wrong with him. He seemed pissed off about something, but I had no idea why. Instead I was patted on my shoulder by the nearest guard who proceeded to urge me with a heavy voice.
"Grab the shit. Let's go."
I nodded and loaded the product into my bag and took one last look at Cora who still glared at me. Once we were heading for the door did I hear him order.
"Close the door on your way out."
The rear guard listened and once we were out of his sight we went down the stairs and out into the courtyard. A small four door sedan waited for us and I was urged to sit in the back with Mocha and the product as one of the guys drove us to the spot. Along the way I asked around the car.
"What was up with him back there? Did something happen?"
All three of the men gave me the same response. No one knew a fucking thing. Mocha sat on my lap the rest of the way.
I was doing my best to relax, but before I knew it; rain began to fall from the heavens. Enough so that it made the city streets start to flood in a matter of minutes. I could barely tell where we were at and where we were going. Everything just seemed so dark. Half the street lights were off and the buildings we passed seemed without any power. Was this all because of the storm? I wondered as we soon came to a stop in an alley that was connected to a block of apartments. This fucking place looked run down. Some of the windows were fucking boarded up. Were there even people living in these? I asked myself as Mocha let out a small whine. Even she was worried about this location.
"Alright. We're here. George should be inside. You two stay here and make sure no one interrupts us. Sam?"
"I'm set." I informed the driver who seemed to be in charge. Nodding his head this guy was a hedgehog the same size as Cora. The other two were these bigger echidnas.
With my father's hat back at the compound, I put my hood up and prepared myself for the rain and once my driver opened his door; I proceeded to follow behind with Mocha running between my legs as we rushed down the alley for nearby shelter inside the apartments.
The guy got there first and waited for me. I just nodded my head to inform him that I was ready and he proceeded to knock on the door. A door that had no handle. In seconds however it opened and behind it stood George and two other of Cora's men. All of which were some nasty looking wolves. With George giving me a smile, he reached out to offer me his hand from the pouring rain. As I went to take his offer, he asked me.
"How you doing Sam?"
Taking his hand, I replied as he pulled me gently forward.
"I'm good. A little tired, but good."
With my one foot through the door, I widened my eyes when all the sudden the wolf yanked me with everything he had. My body came to collide with his and with so much power behind his effort; George hit me right in the nose with his forehead. I heard and felt my nose break on impact and instantly let out a scream of pain as he threw me back outside and into the flooded alley. Then slipping over my own two feet, I collapsed and listened as George then wondered.
"How about now you fucking bitch?"
I couldn't comprehend what was happening. I struggled to open my eyes because I was bleeding so much from my nose.
"Braf! Braf! Braf!"
I heard Mocha barking out in confusion and not a moment later did I hear her cry from being kicked in the ribs. When I looked back up I found her rolling back with one of the three guards proceeding to kick her again so she would stay down.
"Mocha!" I screamed as George came in quick to punch me in the mouth.
"Shut the fuck up!" He ordered me as I hit the concrete so hard I nearly was knocked out from the impact alone.
With my back now exposed, I panicked when I felt George grab my backpack. He ripped it off and at the same time the man who drove me here punched me again in the face to get me back down.
Mocha attempted to get back up to help defend me, but was quickly held down by a knee getting placed on her neck from the same man who kicked her. All she could do was cry as I attempted to go for my gun. George saw it before I even had the time to grip the trigger and kicked my arm sending the gun off into the darkness beyond my sight.
"Aghhhh!" I screamed as I think he broke my wrist with that kick. It felt dislocated or just simply snapped in two.
"Come here!" George commanded as he got on top of me with all his weight. I saw a knife come out from under his jacket and without recourse he asked me while applying it to my face.
"You think we're fucking idoits don't you? You thought we wouldn't notice you robbing us?"
I was so scared. I had no idea what was happening. All I could think about was that knife as he asked me with a deep growl.
"You thought you were being so smart. You've been skimming us since the day you got here and selling it behind our backs to the Verno family for personal gain. You stupid fucking kid. You know what happens to fucking rats like you?"
"Stop! I'm sorry! I didn't think….!?" All that pain I felt in my wrist went away when George slashed me across my left eye.
"Aghhhhhhhhhhh!" I screamed as I felt him digging it across my face.
I couldn't cover up. The driver held my good hand down as George asked me with some laughter.
"How's that feeling bitch!? Don Cora sends his regards!"
I couldn't see. So much blood was leaving my face it obscured my only other remaining eye. All I could do was start to cry and the moment he heard my tears George put the blade in my mouth begging.
"Cry you fucking rat! Cry for help!"
"Help!" I screamed as he and the others began to laugh.
"Louder!" George ordered.
"Help! Somebody help me! Please!"
The whole time I screamed the knife was being dragged deeper into my cheek. I tasted blood as he tore me apart.
"Help me!" I begged through my gurgles.
Hitting me with his right elbow, George took the knife out of my mouth. Then I felt him grab me by my hair and force me to look at Mocha who was still crying out and barking for her life.
"You cost us a lot of fucking money you stupid bitch. Now watch as we repay the favor. Do it!" He ordered the wolf pinning Mocha down.
My world came crashing when the man pushed his knee down so hard onto her neck that it snapped it in two. Mocha's cries just ceased as I watched her legs and body jolt from the sudden release of pressure. The wolf and all of us heard it and sat up to look back at me as I watched the life leave her eyes.
I felt some part of my brain snap and every ounce of venom I had came out in full. George however didn't care as I tried with all my might to reach her motionless body. I got on my stomach and managed to get in her direction, but that didn't matter when a moment later I felt George stab me in my back. The knife went all the way in and in shock I couldn't do anything other than freeze and look up as the man who killed my dog stood up to see my face.
"Ahhhhhh….I…..ahhhhh…...no please!" I begged as George ripped the blade out and pushed me back down by my head.
I couldn't breathe. My heart was beating so fast and with nowhere to go and nothing to do; I rolled over to look up at George who was enjoying every second of this alongside his friends. This was it. I was dying. I saw my life flashing before my eyes and for some reason my last memory was of my father. It felt like my last hope so I screamed out in agony.
"Dad! Aghhhhhh! Daddy! Aghhhhh!"
George and the others immediately began to laugh as hard as they could, but in seconds George himself came to a stop to take a step towards me. I saw the knife coming for me again as he crouched over me to order.
"Shut the fuck up. Daddy isn't coming for you."
Grabbing me by the throat, George pulled me up and into his blade. I opened my mouth in complete shock and looked down to see it going through my stomach. It then became a matter of moments where all the pain I felt began to halt. My mind went soft and every thought I had disappeared. My vision began to blur and with my heart nearing its end, I listened as he urged me with a soft whisper.
"That's it. Good girl. Have fun in hell you stupid bitch."
Raptor's POV.
I was sitting down in my basement with Cody just enjoying some drinks when all the sudden I felt something completely different come over my consciousness. I didn't know what exactly happened but it was so strong that I physically turned ill. Cody who wasn't looking at me panicked when I threw myself out of my seat to start puking onto the concrete floor. My drink which was in my hand even went with it and the glass shattered into a million pieces as my friend asked me in complete concern for my health.
"Holy shit! Raptor!?"
I heard the door upstairs open as I stumbled out of my seat to begin crawling on the ground. From up there I heard Zeta ask.
"What broke? Are you guys okay down there?"
"No!" Cody shouted as he got down to wrap his hands around my back.
I tried to control myself, but Zeta came down in time to see me spit up the rest of my guts. Seeing that I was clearly not okay, she asked me while running over.
"Oh my god! What happened!? Raptor?"
She got down to get right next to my head as I struggled to catch air.
I had no idea what came over me. I was perfectly fine just a moment ago. I couldn't find the words as she ordered Cody who got up.
"Get a towel from upstairs! And a bottle of water from the fridge! Hurry!"
"I got it! I'll be right back! Hang on Rap!" He begged me as I was being cuddled by Zeta who asked me again.
"Raptor, what happened? Talk to me baby."
"I don't know." I replied with a lack of energy now that I threw everything in my stomach up.
Zeta rubbed my back as Cody could be heard running back down the stairs. This time Pepper was with him and when she saw the mess she also asked.
"What the hell happened? Are you okay?"
I shook my head as I felt the sickness come back in full force. This time I had nothing else to puke other than bile. Cody tried to give me the towel, but what came out from my mouth next was a good chunk of blood. I nearly passed out as Zeta screamed at her sister.
"Call Marx!"
"Zeta?" My voice came out with such little power behind it that I knew I sounded defeated. What energy I was using to hold myself up with; left me not soon after I called for her. Both her and Cody panicked and caught me as I collapsed on the basement floor. I could barely breathe. What breaths I took were short and resembled hyperventilation. Expect I wasn't gasping. I was just losing my lungs and shutting my eyes more by the second. What I saw before everything went dark was Pepper kneeling down in front of me with her phone going to her ear and Cody attempting to roll me over using my right shoulder, but by the time that happened I blacked out.
Roslin's POV.
Two cars left the alley and from across the street I stared at two corpses that could barely be seen by one singular light that was shining from above the beaten down apartment block. With the rain pouring down over my head, I slowly crossed the road and entered the alleyway.
Each step I took came with a small splash under my shoes and as I drew near; the rain under my feet became red with the blood of a familiar wolf. It made me slow down to look at it. I smelled nothing but the iron in the mist and took my opportunity to savor the familiar scent. In time, I took my last few steps and stopped myself alongside her rightmost side. Her blue hoodie was soaked and stained red. Only a few spots held its original color.
Her left eye was completely sliced in two and part of her mouth had been ripped open from the blade that cut her intestines in half. Bruised and beaten to death, I admired her position. I still remember when I met Marcus all that time ago.
Eight hundred years ago.
This kid was broken. Lost among the death of his raped mother and his castrated father. His sister was dragged away and the men in charge took joy as they beat her younger brother to a bloody pulp. I stood and watched from a fair distance away as four men with wooden sticks wailed on his legs with all they had. You could hear the bones breaking apart into fragments from meters away. The only sound that could rival it was the ringing of a church bell miles off to the south.
"Somebody! Help!"
I looked around. People watched as this happened. Those who did walked on without a word. It made me despise this situation even more as I heard him beg in tears of pain.
"Please for the love of god! Help! Somebody please help me! Stop! Aghhhh!"
I couldn't take this any longer. I knew if I didn't step in this kid would die. I couldn't afford to lose this opportunity. I had to help.
Going under my robe, I pulled out a small ivory dagger and walked right up behind the men. The fox on the ground widened his eyes as I reached out to grab the nearest of the four with my left hand. Unsure of what was going on; the man turned once he felt me grab him to be cut down as my right hand with the dagger sent itself through his skull.
You heard the skull break and using all I had, I pushed the body away and swung so fast to my right that the second human couldn't even react to what he just witnessed. Instead I slit his throat and watched as he fell to the ground gripping his neck. Blood was shooting out with so much force it looked like a geyser. However by then the last remaining men came at me as a pair. One swung first and using my powers he fell right through me, nearly falling over himself as I swung outward to stab his friend in the chest a handful of times before pushing him with enough force that the body was physically sent feet away and into a pile of wooden beams that held up a nearby chicken coup.
"Ahhhhh!" Hearing the last man coming from behind me, I stood perfectly still with my back towards him to wait. He swung again and just like before he went right through me again. Only this time I grabbed him by the neck and slit his throat from behind. The blood shot out over my wrist and I just listened in anger as he died in my arms moments later.
"Hmmp!" Pushing the body to the ground, I let out a sigh and looked back at the fox to see he was sitting there in the mud with barely enough energy left to ask me any sort of question as to who I was or what just happened.
Keeping my dagger out, I transferred it into my left hand and reached out with my right to see if he would take it. Our eyes never left one another as I soon commanded him.
"Don't just sit there boy. Do something."
The silence overtook us as the rain began to fall.
End of flashback.
Now here I am again. Watching as fate showed itself to me twice in my lifetime.
Kneeling down, I took a moment to look over at her dog. The poor thing died before it even had a chance to beg for it's life. It's spinal column was shattered in two and thankfully because of that it was quick to conclude it died without suffering. However it didn't make this any easier to handle for myself. That dog meant more to her then any human she ever met. That dog was her only friend and rightly so, her family. To not be able to save her is heartbreaking. Such a bond since birth they had…..wasted like this. I thought to myself as I looked back at Sam to reach out and touch her face with my right hand. I had a lot on my mind right now, but I had to say it to her. Running my fingers over her cheek I muttered.
"They were right. You were just a stupid fucking kid. You should have known better. Now look at you."
She was dead. It was no secret. I knew it and thankfully I got here in time to make sure Marcus couldn't. This chance was mine yet again to take and without a doubt I trusted my instincts. This had to happen. This had to be done.
Using my right hand, I ran it down to her stomach and made sure to seal and heal her wounds. Once that was taken care of did I go back up to her face. Her nose was broken and it took careful effort to get it back together. Then I did the same to her wrist, but once I did I finished up and sealed her eye and mouth. A nasty set of scars would remain. The cut went from the top left of her eyebrow and down and across till it met the bridge of her nose. The mouth on the other hand tore the spot where her upper and lower lips meet. It was small when compared to her eye, but it still looked bad from the outside looking in.
Once that was all settled, I switched my efforts to her brain and heart. With a hand on each, I focused all of my power to bring her back to me. A task so hard that I almost couldn't muster the strength, but after nearly five minutes had passed; I looked at her right hand to see her fingers gently shuffle. Then came a small cough and another twitch of her arm. My time neared, but not before she could open her eyes to see me kneeling here. Once I saw a glimpse of gold; did I say to her in a whisper.
Sam's POV.
"It's not your time yet child. Wake up." I heard a voice call out to me as I reopened my eyes to see this pure yellow echidna staring into my eyes from mere feet above my head.
I couldn't breathe at first. With his left hand on my forehead, I looked into his brown eyes to freeze up. I had no sense of awareness at that moment. It felt like it was just him and I in the rain and the only part of my body that I could move was my arms. So with almost no energy in my system, I lifted my right arm up to gently wrap my hand around his arm. Very softly he took my wrist with his other hand and whispered as I could taste my own blood and keep only my right eye open.
"It's okay. You're safe now. Just relax. Come on now."
His voice was so soothing. I felt all my fear leave and allowed my arm to drop once again to my side.
"You're okay. Just….?" I turned my head to my right to find Mocha. The echidna followed my eyes, but never took his hand off my head as I began to cry.
She did nothing wrong. She was innocent. How could I…..how could I just let her die? It's all my fault. I could have done something. After all she tried to save me. And what did I do for her? I just froze and watched as she cried her last few minutes away with a man's knee on her neck.
I saw the look she gave me just before she died. She had tears of pain and pure fear leaving her up until her final moments. She yelped and just…..she just snapped. Now I laid here regretting ever bringing her with me. I should have left her in Iraq. She would still be alive if I did. She would still be…..? I couldn't go on. I began to physically shake where I laid and cried so hard I began to sob wildly. The echidna who held me down looked back at me to say.
"I'm sorry for your loss."
Shutting my eyes completely to focus on my crying, I said to the man.
"I could have saved her! I…...I…..she was my best friend! I should have tried!"
"You did everything you could for her. Look at me." The man begged me as I struggled to reopen my right eye.
Once I did, I was informed by the echidna.
"You did your best. You can blame yourself all you want for what happened, but you did everything you could to save her. It's not your fault this happened."
Gently the man put his other hand on my stomach. I felt strangely warm as his hands grew hot. Now very slowly I slowed my crying and began to look him over. He looked to be my father's age at best. Wearing a hooded cloak that resembled brown ash. It had cuts and tears all over it. Some burns and even what looked like blood. Blood so old and dried up it could be mistaken for tar stains.
For what he wore behind that cloak looked to be an old black tank top. His chest and what fur he had could be seen poking out from each end and his pants looked like they belonged to the M.E.A.F. The same pattern and camo the soldiers wore, but there was no marking of it being part of the military. Instead it ended close to a pair of laced black boots. Once my eyes went back to his face did I manage to ask him in a loss for words.
"Who are you?"
Looking back at my one good eye, he replied.
"A friend. Just rest. I'm almost done."
It then came to my attention that I was no longer in any pain. I felt weightless and looked up enough to see all the blood that was absorbed into my clothes. I still couldn't move the rest of my body though. My legs and feet were covered in pins and needles. So many it was soon unbearable. The echidna noticed and gently whispered as his hands went down to my waist.
"Breathe."
I tried my best but it was so hard. My mind was overwhelmed with the loss of my dog. I didn't care about myself. Even after everything that was done to me; I still could only cry for her. Time left me again and before I knew it the echidna had released his hands from my sides and had gone back up to meet my blood covered gaze. I just continued to cry as he asked me.
"Can you move your legs?"
Part of me was still listening and the man nodded as he saw me begin to move my legs in different directions by only a few inches each way I went. After that, he looked back towards the door I remembered George coming out from. Then he looked around the alley to state calmly.
"Those men are gone. Your bag as well. They must have taken it with them."
I couldn't bring myself to move or say anything back to him. I was lost.
"Hang on for a second." The echidna said to me as he stood up to walk over to a pile of nearby trash cans. I saw him reach down between one of them and when he turned back towards me I saw he had my gun in his hand. On the approach, he asked me with a small nod towards my legs.
"Can you stand?"
I couldn't find the will to do even that and the man saw it as I shook my head at his request. So very calmly he knelt back down next to me to put my gun on my chest. My one eye looked at it in complete disarray as he proceeded to tell me.
"You need to try. We can't stay here."
"I can't!" I cried to him.
"I can't go on without her!"
The echidna took one more look at Mocha from where he was. Without another word I watched as he took a few steps over to kneel down alongside her small frame. With gentle hands he undid her collar and came back over to where I was to place it in my right hand. He forced my fingers to curl and with two soft eyes he said to me.
"You can. You have to. Sam? Samantha, listen to me." He begged as I choked up on more of my tears to hear him state.
"You're stronger than you think. You can help her by helping yourself in this situation. She wouldn't want you to freeze to death in this storm. Now come on. I'll help you. Okay?"
I nodded my head with shut eyes as his hand that held mine had slowly pulled away. Left with just the collar, I squeezed it and looked back up to see the echidna coming around my other side. Very slowly he took my other arm and helped me up to my feet. Once there I couldn't move my legs without his help. It took us a good minute to get out of the alleyway before he said to me while tucking my gun in my pants behind my hoodie.
"We need to find you a place where you can rest for the night."
I had no will to go on if I was trying to be honest. I didn't want to think about the future. So with a lack of understanding, I replied to him.
"Okay."
I tried my best to help him carry me through the streets, but it took energy I didn't have. It took enthusiasm I didn't possess. And it took a want to live that I could never imagine having again after this. But after nearly thirty minutes he found us a hotel and carried me inside where he was asked by the man at the front desk.
"Oh my god. Are you two okay? What happened?"
My head was dangling as the echidna who saved my life replied to the concerned individual who came out from behind the desk.
"I'm fine, but she's freezing to death. Do you have any rooms available with heat? Maybe a shower that we can rent for the night?"
Nodding rapidly the clerk replied.
"Of course. Take the elevator up to the second floor. I have a room open that you can use. Here."
Reaching out, the echidna took a key card off the clerk and went into his pocket to hand him a fifty dollar bill. The clerk took it, but the echidna then pulled out another fifty to say to him calmly.
"No need to tell anyone about this. Okay?"
Taking the money the clerk replied.
"Of course. Be safe and enjoy your night."
The echidna proceeded to carry me to the elevator where we made our short ride up to the room we were given. As he put the card in the door, I told him breathlessly.
"You should have left me there."
Using his foot to push open the door, he replied while carrying me inside.
"And what would have happened to you if I did? You would have died there with her. No. That wasn't going to happen. Now stop thinking about it and help me help you. You need to get out of these clothes."
I didn't say anything after that. Instead he carried me into the bathroom where there was a small shower, a toilet, and a sink. Very gently he sat me down on the toilet and knelt in to put his hand under my chin. I looked back up at him as he said it to me again.
"You need to get undressed. Okay?"
I had no clue what mattered anymore. I had no reason to believe this was even at all real. I shouldn't be alive. I didn't want to be alive. But something had me listening. So without any fight to give, I nodded my head and attempted to take off my hoodie. The man helped me by gently making sure it came off over my head without trouble.
Once it was off, he put it on the sink and looked down at my feet. Carefully he slipped my sneakers off and then my socks. My feet were soaked. Every part of my outfit was soaked and stained with blood and I still couldn't help myself even with this simple task.
"Sam?" The man muttered as he saw my eyes were both shut again.
Looking back up at his gentle gaze, I listened as he begged me.
"Stand up, please. Just for a minute so I can get your jeans."
I've never seen this man before. Never heard of him and I never trusted anyone I just met with my body. But for a number of reasons, I just didn't care. I expected even this ray of light to turn out to be a false hope. I expected him to rape me once I was naked and after losing Mocha, I prayed he did and decided to kill me after he was done. And once I said that to myself; I noticed the look in his eyes change. It's as if he heard me. I felt like he did, so with a broken look on my face I begged him.
"Please just get this over with. Just take what you want. Just do whatever you're here to do and kill me after you're done.. Please!" My voice broke and again I started to cry. It was not soon after that he informed me.
"No. Absolutely not. I'm not going to do any of that. Samantha? Hey? Sam? Stop crying." He begged as I shook my head and tried to shut myself up as I stood up from the toilet. The echidna took that as a good sign that I was listening and with one hand unbuttoned and unzipped my jeans. Putting his back to me as he threw my gun in the sink with my shirt, he ordered me.
"Hold on to me. I'm gonna slip these off you one leg at a time."
"Okay." I mumbled back as I used him to balance as he slipped me out of my pants one leg at a time. Once my pants were off and on the floor next to my shoes, the echidna gently got under my arm and carried me over to the shower where he proceeded to turn on the hot water. He waited till it was warm to ask me.
"You need help taking this off?"
He referred to my bra and for a moment I thought of an answer, but quickly shook my head to reply.
"No. I should…..I should be okay."
Using my hands, I reached back and undid the straps. It came off on it's own after and with it I slipped out of my underwear. The man didn't budge either once he saw that I was completely naked. Instead he helped me into the shower where I proceeded to sit down under the stream to just enjoy the soothing heat.
"Here." I heard him say to me as I looked to my side to see him offering me a bottle of shampoo from outside the curtains.
I took it from him and in a matter of minutes I had started to smell good again. My blood could still be seen leaving my fur in droves as I reached around to new spots of my body to clean. After I had cleaned part of my neck, I reached up to my face to feel the spots where George had cut me. I could feel the spots where my skin was shredded. It made me shiver in fear as I reached back down to touch my stomach. The wounds were all gone. No marks where he had stabbed me. Not that I could feel or see as I even felt behind my back where I know I was first taken by his blade's tip.
I was utterly silent as I questioned how this could all be possible. I should be dead. I was dead. How am I here now? Who is this man taking care of me? What did he do? I asked myself as I soon tried to reopen my left eye. When I felt the light come back to my retina, I felt a slight sting scrape across my iris. It took a near minute for my eyes to register with each other again. It then took me more time to get used to feeling this stinging sensation. After a while it went away and I was able to look around again using both. My attention was then grabbed by the echidna who said to me.
"You can't blame yourself for what happened. You can't. You can only move forward from here."
"How?" I asked him as he looked back at me as I remained sitting on the shower floor.
Kneeling down outside the tub, the echidna replied to me with a straight shooter type voice.
"By focusing on what matters to you now the most."
I don't think he understood what he was saying. The last thing I cared about was my future after today. I had no ambition. I had no will to go on. I lost everything. Mocha was dead and I officially had no one to keep me together. What was important? Go to school? I can't imagine sitting at a desk with a pile of books in my hands trying to learn basic calculations and scientific equations. What the fuck good would it all turn out to be?
Even my stupid dream of fixing viper venom and making it something better was pointless to accomplish now. Happiness wouldn't come from it all. It would turn out to be a bigger struggle that would ultimately drive me insane. The only thing I got left to feel is my hatred for myself and the people who ended my life and killed my best friend. In fact that's all I could soon think about. The echidna who sat next to me was looking at me as if he understood my pain and I almost got lost in it all until I felt his hand reach in to rest on my shoulder.
Upon looking back, I found him staring at me with a blank expression on his face. However what was on mine was nothing but pure disgust and absolute hatred for all of those men that wronged me. He sensed my hidden agenda and without altering his course he asked me.
"What matters to you now Samantha?"
I began to growl so hard that even he widened his eyes slightly from the realization of what I have become internally. Giving me the same expression, he then urged me with the same hand that held my shoulder.
"Give me your hand."
All I saw was red. Then I saw his palm resting in front of my left arm. All I wanted to do was kill those men. I wanted to kill every single one of them. With my vision going red, I stared into the echidna's eyes to listen as he said to me.
"I'll give you everything you need. Just let me have your soul and I promise you'll have your revenge. Starting with those who took her from you."
My mind wasn't questioning his words. I was just so mad that I ignored it and took his hand without any consideration for what would come. The second we connected to one another; I felt myself black out.
Three hours later. Midnight.
The first thing I heard was what sounded like running water. Then when I first opened my eyes I was blinded by pure white light. What came next was the dark gray metal of the shower head.
"Hmmmm?"
I came through and found out that I was still in the shower completely naked, except this time I was alone. The echidna was nowhere to be found and my clothes remained neatly piled up on and near the sink.
Taking my time to adjust, I sat up and back into the stream of the water which had long since turned cold. However my body showed no signs of reacting to its temperature. No goosebumps, no aches, no numbing pain. In fact I felt perfect. All the pain was gone. No stinging in my eye and not even a bruise on my face from the beating I once took.
Taking a slow course of action, I stood up on my own two feet and turned off the water. Nearby the tub hung a towel and calmly I took it off its hook and dried myself off. What took me minutes gave me the time I needed to think about what just happened. That man was real. I never got his name, but he saved my life and made me feel this way. I knew what I had to do, but in my current state I wouldn't have a chance at getting my revenge on Cora or his men. I felt good, but that wouldn't substitute my inability to fight. I needed help and given this chance I'd go to any length to see it was given to me. No matter what.
Now dry, I approached the sink to look at myself in the mirror. My once perfect face now held two vicious looking scars. The one on my left eye was on full display. You could tell from any angle that I was once slashed by a blade. It ran clean across the top of my eyebrow and down across the eye itself; till it stopped just at the bridge of my nose. But what made it look even worse was that the cut could be seen going across my cornea and even through my iris and pupil. It was this perfectly straight cut which had a perfectly direct red middle going all the way across to the other side where it met my skin again. Thankfully I could still see somehow. I don't know who I had to thank for that. Luck? Or that echidna?
My mouth on the other hand had a much more subtle marking. George only cut me about an inch deep right between where my lips met. I could feel the spot where he broke the skin with my tongue, but even that was healed.
Looking away from the mirror, I saw my gun resting in the sink on top of my ruined hoodie. Taking it with my right hand, I felt the urge to kill come back to me now harder than ever and that drove me to reach down for my pants where my phone had been resting in the back pocket this whole time. When I got it out, I found that it was covered in moisture. So taking the same towel; I wiped it clean and opened the lock screen to see a handful of missed calls from my mother, my aunt, and even my uncle Char.
Swiping them away, I then looked at my text messages. Everyone of them basically said the same thing to me. One from my mother, Pepper, and Char. Asking me to call them as soon as I had the chance. Taking my time to swipe them aside as well, I pulled up Minky's number and hit call. In seconds he picked up asking.
"Operator number?"
I was slightly confused that he didn't know it was me, but all the same I replied.
"Four, eight, two, zero, one, eight, two."
After a few seconds he then said to me happily.
"Ahhh Samantha. Sorry for the formal introduction. My line's encrypted and I'm not allowed to store numbers and names on my work phone. What can I do for you this time?"
Gently leaning on the sink with both my arms locked to each side, I asked him bluntly.
"I need help acquiring paperwork."
"What kind of paperwork?" He then asked as I quickly answered back stating.
"I need official documentation declaring me a citizen of the US. I'll also need a new identification card, driver's license, insurance card, and a new social security and birth certificate."
"Okay. Shouldn't be a problem assuming you have the money." He replied as I then wondered.
"How much will it come out to be?"
"Ahhhhh…..normally it would be a fair price, but lately there have been difficulties getting documentation verified. We've had to double our efforts and so that also includes the prices per each file you request. Looking at the numbers here on my end, I should be able to get you set up for roughly four hundred and twenty seven thousand dollars."
Now I knew I had at least half of that, but then came the other concern I wanted covered in advance.
"Now how much would that go up if I also wanted to blacklist my operator number and profile from the site?"
"Well let me clarify something for you Sam. Everyone can see you on the site if you were put up for a bounty. So far your name is clean and that hasn't happened. The only trace you have on the site is if someone wanted to know who cashed in on Rosco's behalf. We discussed this the other night when you had me blacklist your name from being attached to the completion report. If I remember correctly, you wanted to make sure that when the M.E.A.F got the confirmation report on Rosco's death; they wouldn't know it was you who pulled the trigger. That much was covered, but if you're asking me to blacklist your name permanently across the site for any contract, not just one, it would cost you an additional three hundred thousand. That brings your total to about seven hundred and thirty thousand roughly give or take a few grand."
I was thinking this over with my eyes closed. Minky remained on the line as I went over my options. After about ten more seconds, I asked him to be sure.
"So could someone still figure out my past dealings if they wanted to?"
Calmly Minky replied.
"If you pay the fee and have us cover your activities, you'll appear on whatever contract as an anonymous asset or third party. For someone to find out who exactly that asset or third party was; it would cost them nearly triple the activation fee you're paying now. So roughly a million dollars and most people won't waste that kind of money unless they have an extreme interest. I'd consider yourself covered despite that."
"Okay." I mumbled as he then wondered.
"Do you want me to ring you through?"
"Yes, but I'm short." I replied as he then asked.
"By how much?"
"Over half a million dollars." I replied back as he then went silent.
Tapping my free hand against the sink, I only knew of one way to make that kind of money, but I had one problem. It was left in my duffel bag at Cora's compound.
"Samantha?" I heard Minky say as I growled and kicked my way through the bathroom door and out into the main room of the apartment.
With my thoughts trying to find a way to reacquire my bag, I stopped in my tracks when I looked at the bed to find my duffel sitting on top of the pillows on the bed. What else sat there was Mocha's collar and her vest which was left on her body back in that alley. Tears came to me almost instantly and without my knowledge. I just felt them roll along my cheeks as I took my time to approach the bed. Once I was there, I stopped to open the bag to find my scholarship sitting inside next to the rest of my clothes.
I was so overtaken by emotion and loss; I almost forgot I had Minky waiting on the line. Wiping my face, I asked him.
"If I gave you my scholarship, would that be enough to cover what I'm missing?"
Minky was caught off guard for sure, but gave me back an honest answer by asking.
"That depends on the scholarship. You said it was a full ride to any school of your choosing, correct?"
"Yeah." I muttered through my depression as I reached over to pick up Mocha's collar.
"Okay. Give me a minute to do the math. I'll be right back."
I just nodded as the line went silent.
Without question I felt over the collar after putting my phone down on the bed. I had so much wrong with me that I didn't know what to do. I could cry for hours if I wanted, but I had to be strong. She would have been for me if the roles were reversed. But I couldn't just forget all she did for me. So again I gave my actions little thought and tightly wrapped her collar around my right wrist. I made it tight enough to look like a bracelet. In fact, at normal glance, that is what it appeared to be and I wouldn't want it any other way.
Giving my wrist an all around good look, I widened my eyes when I heard Minky come back to his phone to call for me. Picking back up mine, I listened as he informed me.
"The scholarship would cover the rest of the charges and believe it or not you'd be left with nearly an extra million dollars that we could have transferred to your account in a matter of days. Is this what you want to do to cover this Samantha?"
"Yes." I replied without another question.
"I'm gonna text you an address. Mail the scholarship to it and I'll have your funds delivered within two or three business days. As for the paperwork, it'll take about a week to get it all sorted out and shipped. They will all get delivered to me and we'll meet to make sure everything is to your liking. I'll contact you when I have everything together. Does that all work for you?"
"Yeah. Thank you." I replied as I hung up the line to look back at Mocha's vest.
With my anger coming to a strong boil, I punched it as hard as I could and cried out in nothing but internal mental pain.
"Aghhhhhhhh!"
mT Shadow.