THE PRICE SHE'LL PAY: For the secret she never knew she had...
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“We’ll go over it page by page when you’re rested, and entirely medication and pain free. Enjoy your party. I have work to do.” As he stepped down from the dais, Dr. Wise signaled the quartet to play.
“Wait, Doctor Wise. I’m fine. See?” She threw her head back to tousle her hair then, grabbed her face in pain.
Dr. Wise ignored her. After the toast, everyone was feeling a little sleepy, so full of rich food and wine. Two by two they left. Soon, the last scientist left the gym.
The servers closed the doors. Others had come to help clear the dishes and dishes from the dais.
Mavra tried to read the report but couldn’t and put her head down on the table.
“Let’s get you to your room Princessa,” D tried to help her stand but she refused.
Kenny noticed a tension between the two groups of servers.
D focused on them.
When Shanti looked at the servers assigned to her and the ones from the other side of the room, she noticed there was something familiar about one of the servers.
“Let me finish what I started sir,” D said to someone across the room, getting Mavra on her feet, taking the report from her, leaving it on the table, keeping his back toward the exit.
Kenny jumped to his feet, pulling Shanti to his side. He followed D’s gaze, backed off the dais as the servers closed in. Kenny watched all the servers, especially whomever D was talking to across the room.
All of them were pulling guns from hidden places within their costumes.
The dais servers’ guns were on D while D backed away with Mavra. They were Mavra’s bodyguards. D and Kenny took the Mavra and Shanti, backed toward the door closest to them.
Mavra giggled drunkenly, “Surprise,” she said.
“Back off,” D sensed the alpha male was advancing. D brought his gun up.
From a hiding place, Kate shot the alpha male of the dais body guards, then quickly dropped the others like puppets cut from their tethers. For the hell of it, she put Mavra’s face in her crosshairs, but followed orders.
“You’d better die soon bitch ‘cuz it’s getting hard to wait for justice,” Kate said to the face in her scope.
Sid, Iain, Mac, Dave, Eamon, Sam, Joseph, and Trevor as the second company dressed as costumed servers with six others opened fire on the servers on the far side of the room, moving toward D, Mavra, Shanti and Kenny.
Sid and company laid fire for them to escape.
On the other side of the door, Janitor and his contingent of men were waiting.
Everyone emptied into the hallway. Out of the crowd stepped a lone server.
Elise.
“It’s over,” Elise said as she waited for D and Kenny’s next move. She was ready to reach for Mavra, but Sam restrained her with Dave by his side.
“Easy now, El,” Sam said.
Janitor and his contingent walked up to D and Kenny and escorted them outside.
One of Janitor’s men took Mavra from D.
Janitor disarmed D and Kenny.
D didn’t put up much of a fight.
“Colonel Torsen,” D said smiling offering his wrists behind him.
“Hello D. Odd finding you here. Smithe-Jones? Bad company you’re keeping.”
Trevor grabbed Kenny.
“Listen sir. Trev. It was for the money, but not anymore. Things aren’t…” Kenny began to say but Trevor punched him in the jaw.
“Listen to his story, it might surprise you Trev,” D said.
“Save it man. It’s too late. There are no excuses. I don’t want to hear why you two went to the dark side. Not another fucking word, you greedy son of a bitch,” Trevor said handing D off to one of his guys who put them both in ankle zip ties and made them kneel.
Kate joined the party as the next to the last one out the door.
Sid followed.
Mavra, seeing the sniper rifle over Kate’s shoulder, suddenly sobered up.
Kate boldly walked up to Mavra biting her lip trying not to laugh, and looked at her healing half ear lobes.
“No where to hang those jewels, now right love? Love your new look,” Kate said and the smirk erupted into a chuckle.
“You?” Mavra jumped at Kate.
Elise pulled herself easily out of Sam’s grasp and intervened, pushing Kate aside.
“I’ve got this,” Elise said.
Elise jumped up in the air, and threw a roundhouse right punch over Mavra’s shoulder that landed on her jaw, just missing her face. Elise grabbed Mavra by the back of the hair, Mavra fell over backwards, a bit stunned, but rolled on her side, her training kicking in. Elise jumped on Mavra’s ribs with her knee then, sat on her, punching her everywhere around the head.
Mavra deflecting, kicked the back of Elise’s head with her knee, although the bulky gown slowed her, several times. Elise went in for a one-armed headlock, but Mavra knew moves too. Mavra pulled her feet under her and pushed to the right.
Elise rolled off and got to her feet while Mavra popped up on her feet and took off the skirt to the gown, Velcro-ed in place.
Mavra was pumping her arms rapidly, like a boxer, to clear her head.
The team backed up giving them room.
“Give this bitch the goods, El!” Kate said.
“Take her down El,” Dave said.
“When I’m done with her, you’re next,” Mavra said looking at Kate.
“Bring it on you ugly, pampered bitch,” Kate stepped up and spat in her face.
Mavra was in a rage, torn between whom she was going to pummel. Distracted, Mavra didn’t see it coming.
Elise did a leg sweep.
Despite being drugged, Mavra jumped over it, but screamed in pain when she landed. Mavra growled in a rage, now. Mavra body-kicked Elise once, but Elise charging forward offensively, grabbed Mavra’s leg.
Elise pushed with all her weight, pushing Mavra backwards onto her back, hard. If it weren’t for the partnership of adrenalin and hate, Mavra would have passed out as she groaned in pain. But rage trumped pain.
Elise was on top of Mavra, but Mavra punched her in the ribs and head several times. Elise protected her ribs, punched Mavra right on the breastbone, knocking the air out of her.
Mavra wrapped her legs around Elise’s back, needing time to recover.
Elise pushed up her legs, now fully extended while Mavra held her in a headlock. Elise brought a knee down into Mavra’s stomach and drove it up into her diaphragm, again and again.
Mavra screamed, “D?”
“I’m a little tied up at the moment love,” D said, enjoying their match.
Elise picked Mavra up despite the headlock and body slammed her onto her back. Mavra screamed in pain.
Elise put a forearm to her windpipe.
“Choke her out now. You’ve got this,” Dave yelled.
Mavra was stunned but held onto Elise’s hair. Mavra pushed off with one leg.
Elise ducked her head to the side as they rolled. Elise maneuvered to mount Mavra.
“I’m the one who broke your nose and I’m gonna break your fucking neck, you murderous bitch!” Elise yelled. Elise, on top of Mavra’s back, getting her left leg under Mavra’s, hooking herself in with her left foot, bent Mavra’s dependent leg in between her thighs and held on as she put her in a headlock that cut off her air.
Shanti watched but turned her face away most of the time.
Sid was close by her.
Dimitri looked at Sid. “Sir… please let me explain.”
Sid gave him a look of disgust, shook his head, and ignored him.
D was stunned and looked at the ground with nothing to say.
Elise punched Mavra in her head, but Mavra tucked her chin hard, blocked her fists with her forearms, turning blue, but she fought on. Mavra put her heels under her body and pushed up, over, and to the side with extraordinary strength, somersaulting over backwards.
But Elise held onto her hair and Mavra’s body with her thighs. Elise quickly grabbed one of Mavra’s fingers a
nd snapped it. It didn’t faze her. Mavra kept on maneuvering.
“Guillotine, guillotine,” Dave yelled at Elise.
Elise turned Mavra to her side, wrapped her arm tightly around her neck, and tried to push Mavra’s head forward against her forearm to cut off her carotids, but Mavra tucked her chin down.
Together they rolled on Elise’s back. Elise held on, choking out Mavra. Elise got in a few punches to Mavra’s nose. The cartilage cracked. Mavra groaned.
“Yes. Yes! More to the head, more to the head,” Dave yelled.
Mavra kneed Elise in the side of the head a few times, but suddenly raised her legs and hips and with her lower legs got them around Elise’s neck, and then crossed her ankles.
Mavra had her in a serious chokehold.
“Tuck your chin, don’t panic. Don’t let her go she’ll be out in a few seconds. Hold her El, hold her! Five seconds tops…” Dave screamed at Elise.
Elise was struggling for air, but she could feel Mavra’s muscles give just a bit. Elise got into her head and imagined Mavra’s body laying still. Elise held and held.
While the focus was on the women, D was moving his wrists until he felt the sting. Blood would help. So would the knife in his sock.
Kenny was watching him the entire time, waiting for a clue to his next move.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN — LET’S PLAY CHICKEN
WHILE THE MEN WERE WATCHING the women, D cut his ankle tie with his hidden knife, and broke away, stealing Eamon’s gun.
Kenny jumped up on his feet, still hobbled.
“D cut me loose. Cut me loose.” Kenny yelled.
“No man. This is a one-man show. You gotta stay for the credit roll.”
Kenny knew what he was up to and stood there watching, tears were coming.
D jumped into their fight, unlocked Mavra’s ankles, and grabbed Elise off Mavra by the hair. D pulled a limp Mavra to her feet. D pushed her stumbling, coughing up blood toward the gate, holding onto Elise with the other.
Mavra stumbled, crying, holding her face, her finger at a strange angle that she reset herself with a yelp. She walked toward the gate, crying, searching for a hidden pocket in her skirt.
D said to Sid, “Let me handle this.”
“The trust is gone D,” Sid said and advanced, his gun on Dimitri.
Kate had her rifle up, scope to her eye, “Possible gun sir. I can take her out.”
“Be very sure…” Sid said as he watched Mavra searching for her pocket.
Shanti screamed at Sid, “D and Kenny are with me. Please… believe me.”
Sid searched Shanti’s face then, back to D and Kenny. He had to be sure.
Mavra’s forehead filled Kate’s field. Mavra pulled a bottle of pills from her dress. She ate three, and ate snow to wash them down.
“Shit” Kate said disappointed. “Pills. No gun. Yet.”
Sam and Dave rushed him, but D put the Glock to Elise’s head.
Sid yelled, “Wait!!”
“Dimitri, no!” Shanti said.
D just smiled at her, “I’m still yours. You might not believe me right now. I know it looks bad, but we made a pledge to you. I still have a job to do. Tell them, will you?”
“I’m trusting you or else I’ll let them do their jobs,” Shanti said.
D put Elise in a chokehold, keeping the Glock to her temple and slowly squeezed. She was wide eyed. She stopped struggling.
“Sir?” Dave screamed.
“Dimitri!” Shanti screamed.
“Trust me. It has to be this way.”
The men went ballistic. Mac and Dave jumped across the space but Kenny dove in front of them and body blocked them, his hands still behind his back, ankles still tied.
D pulled an unconscious Elise’s hand to his, then handcuffed their wrists together with steel cuffs. He threw her limp body over his shoulder. Her eyes were open. She was stunned and unconscious.
Shanti stepped forward, “Dimitri, please.”
“They aren’t listening to me. I said… let me finish what I started! Ms. Andersen is just a bit of insurance so I can do my fucking job! God you’re still stubborn as hell, sir!”
Shanti turned to Sid and Janitor, “Let him finish his job. Please.”
The rest of METAPHOR screamed at Sid. “He’s Mavra’s mastermind. You can’t trust that fucker!”
Iain remained composed watching Sid, waiting on his strategy.
Sam especially was up in Sid’s face. “Don’t you fucking trust him, Sid.”
“I’ll get rid of her if you follow or she slows me down. You understand me, sir? Let Kenny leave with me or I’ll end it here and now,” D said pointing the gun back and forth between his temple and Elise’s.
Dead silence as Sid sized up D for several seconds then, looked at Iain and Jan for their thoughts. Janitor and Iain nodded.
Kenny looked at Sid, offered his wrists to be cut.
Janitor cut him free.
“Sorry sirs.”
“No!” Dave charged forward but Sid stopped him and Sam who both made a move toward Dimitri.
Iain held Sam back. “He means it. Don’t force his hand. Any of you! Stand down, Mac!”
Mac was charging forward and Joseph had a gun on Kenny.
“Wait… all of you! Alright D!” Sid stepped in front of Mac.
Everyone held their ground as D moved to the gate and opened it with a remote. Kenny stepped to his side, unlocked the cuffs, lifted Elise off D’s shoulder, and placed her on his.
Sid stepped forward, “I hope you know what you’re doing. There is no turning back once you leave here. Finish this job, D. We’re counting on you to be the “go to” man we used to rely on. Let them go.”
“I left you a little something on the table. Adios, Patron. For you, Madre Mia,” D said. He saluted Sid, blew a kiss to Shanti, and backed out of the gate.
Sid turned to the METAPHOR members, “He’s not a murderer.”
DAVE RAN INSIDE and got D’s folder and ran it back to Sid.
Sid read the documents and handed the folder to Shanti as Janitor looked over her shoulder.
“Is this good enough to convince you, Sid?” Shanti gave the folder to Janitor.
“You were right, Sid,” Janitor said and handed the folder to Sam.
Iain smiled. “Brilliant bastard, as always.”
Shanti watched them run away.
Sam was amazed and handed off the folder to Dave.
Everyone gathered around Dave to read over his shoulder and shook their heads, “Wow” they said.
D AND KENNY, with a re-awakening Elise, jogged outside to the cars where Mavra was stumbling. Blood from her face was dripping in the snow. She was hysterically crying.
“Get on your feet. Now!” D screamed at her.
D looked at the snow, remembering the image. He stood over her, the Glock in his hand, feeling heavier by the second. It would be so simple.
ABOVE THEM DR. WISE and an unseen friend watched. The other windows, empty. The drug, which had been baked onto the flutes had put everyone to sleep.
SAM SAID TO SID. “I hope to God you’re right about him.”
Janitor looked at Sid, so did Iain, not completely convinced.
Gunshots rang out.
Shanti said, “It’s alright. Tell ‘em Kate.”
Kate was still watching them through her scope.
“He shot the van’s radiator. That’s all.” Kate said.
“Let them go Kate,” Sid said.
“Yes sir,” Kate said removing her finger from the trigger.
MAVRA HOLDING her face ran around a hedge.
D ran to Kenny and hugged him.
“To the death,” D said.
“To the death. I love you, Man,” Kenny said trying not to choke up.
D saluted and Kenny saluted him back.
D said to Elise, “I’ll set you free of her. I’m truly sorry about your family. I had no idea… Keep your soul, Elise. Vaya con Dios, Amigo.”
D ran to ca
tch up with Mavra.
Kenny watched as D shot the van’s two tires.
Seconds later, D drove off through the main gates with Mavra next to him, in a white Ferrari he had hidden.
Kenny watched him go, waving good-bye.
D threw his raised fist out of the window.
Kenny raised his fist in the air.
Then D was gone.
D WATCHED Kenny disappear in his rear view mirror. He sighed as tears fell. He had not been this intensely sad, not in a long time. He’d filled his life with everything that would keep his mind away from that day. Col. Allen’s eyes never let on he knew, but D was sure the Colonel knew it was him. He’d been off on his own as usual. The Old Man had come around the corner as D, fired. Not since watching Iain put Colonel Allen on the chopper years ago, did D have this same life numbing regret that had had him wanting to eat his revolver. They’d all heard Colonel Allen had died of his wounds. After that, they’d fallen apart in one way or another.
D put his earbuds in then, punched in their song on his phone. He hummed his way back into his mission and smiled… He’d been saving it up. And tomorrow was Friday.
ELISE WAS LEANING ON KENNY, shaking the fog from her head. Kenny picked her up and carried her back to the school, tears in his eyes as METAPHOR ran to find a car.
Dave, Shanti, Sam, and Joseph ran to help Kenny with Elise. Dave took her from Kenny who sensed how much Dave cared for her. Dave helped Elise run, followed by Sam, Shanti and Joseph while Kenny ran to help with the cars.
“You’re going to be fine Elise. You did a remarkable job. I’ve got you,” Dave smiled down at her as she looked up into his eyes and smiled back.
Janitor said, “Two vans are parked down at the church. Keys on the left tire.”
“He’s headed for the airport. Take Elise and METAPHOR 2.0 home, Iain and Kenny. We’ve got this,” Sid said to Iain as Sid, Janitor and the rest, ran to the church, Sid clutching the folder.
“Sid I want to come with you and…”
“No Elise. This is my unfinished duty. Keep your soul… go home and heal. Everyone, keep an eye out for more of her contingent,” Sid said to Kate and Trevor and his team.
“Let’s go home El,” Sam said turning her toward their van.
“Thank you, Sid,” Elise hugged him and went to the van.