For the Love of Chocolat

by Sienna Mynx

  “Get the fuck out of my way.” Lee shoved Abahti aside. His enforcer, a man who went by the name Elvis, did all his work on a black-and-silver BMW K 1200 motorcycle with enough raw power to take you from zero to sixty in two seconds.

  “Off the fucking bike,” he ordered.

  Elvis would rather cut off his dick than part with it. But the look in Lee’s eyes left no room for debate. He stepped back, putting his hands up. Abahti, on Lee’s heels, barked out warnings, reasons to delay him. Lee tossed the helmet he was handed and hopped astride. He slipped the .45 to the back of his pants and tucked the .38 to the front. He released the kickstand and gunned the engine, then shot out of the alley before anyone could do or say something to stop him.

  ***

  Sasha closed her eyes. Every muscle in her weary body stiffened. It drained her mentally and physically, feeling her way through the locking system blind and deaf. There was a science to this, not one to be trifled with or defiled this way. She was really flying with no safety harness, and the stakes were high.

  “Okay…what’s it blinking?”

  “The last digit. Six is red. Are we sure it’s six?” Michelle asked.

  “I’m guessing.”

  “You got to do better than that, Sasha. What is it?”

  “It’s six. It’s six,” she said. “It has to be in sequence. Six locks. Six ticks, six….fuck. Fuck! It’s all six…that’s the key. Six to engage and six to disengage, that means it has to be...three? No! Wait, the number three is the key. Do three.”

  Kumar looked over. Sasha looked to him as well. He had finally forced himself to see her fear, acknowledge her desperation. She could always find his love for her in his eyes. Suddenly he was her sweet, understanding Kumar again. His hand went to cover hers.

  “It’s okay. She’ll get in,” he said.

  ***

  Michelle wiped her sweaty palms on her sides. This was the moment. She’d either find her freedom or damn herself to prison. She thought of Pops and the lengths he went to keep her from this fate.

  “For you, Pops. For us.” She pressed “enter” on the keypad.

  The machine’s locking mechanism began to grind and whistle through its release. She took a step back in awe as they unlocked one by one. All six. Sasha was right. Simplicity. Classic simplicity was the key. The final number had to be three. The door handle dropped, then the halves parted and the iron vault doors eased open slowly. A hot beam of light shone through. The treasure of Pops’ piggybank came into view.

  “I’m in,” she said in wonder.

  ***

  “She’s in!!” Sasha yelped and leaped onto Kumar. He hugged her back, squeezing her to him. “We did it! We did it!!” she kept repeating.

  “You did it. You got her through.” He half-laughed, half-choked through her tight grip to his neck.

  Sasha grabbed his face and without warning, kissed him long and deep, stealing his objections with his breath. She squeezed his jaws. “I love you, Kumar, only you baby, only you!”

  He nodded and lowered his gaze in shame and disgust.

  ***

  Michelle removed the transistor from her ear. She didn’t want to hear them. She didn’t want to hear anything. And from her pounding heart, it should have been impossible, either way. She stepped into the forbidden zone and scanned the wall blocks of safe deposit slots that covered every inch of the vault.

  Wrapped cubes of money stacked high, bricks of gold stacked at their sides. Glass casings on podiums with the most brilliant displays of jewels tempted her. It was too much to take in at once. And for a thrill-seeking crazy drunk like her father—this was where he came to play. Pops was a strange bird. He could have looted a vault like this and never had to do another job. But it dawned on her. It was always about control. The ability to do what so few could was his ultimate thrill. He failed at many things in life. Never this.

  She stepped around the vault as she fingered the small coin she’d taken from her pocket. There was nothing remotely visible that it would fit.

  “Okay, Pops. What would you do? How would you do it?”

  Strangely enough, with steel shelves and a steel ceiling, the floor was tiled.

  “Tiles?”

  ***

  “Michelle! Answer us!” Sasha yelled in the receiver. “It is it dead, Kumar?”

  “No. She must have it out of her ear or something.” He checked over the connections and got test signals back. Baffled, he looked up to the monitor with the open vault door. “What do you think is inside of it?”

  “What do I care? We got to get her out of there.” Sasha then addressed the man who had joined them. Jim, Jeff, she couldn’t remember his name. “Lee’s gone—you sure?”

  “If you can talk her out of there you need to do it quick. Either way, my orders are to move everyone back. We have to go. It’s too hot here.”

  Kumar slammed his fist on the control board. “I told you, assholes, I need my satellite signal stationary. We can’t move and keep their alarm system down. What the fuck don’t you get about that? It’s a science, damn it. A science!”

  “Kumar, baby, calm down,” Sasha said. His erratic behavior shouldn’t be witnessed now. She flashed the hit man a sexy smile. “Give us ten minutes. Please. We can’t lose contact with her. We have to get her back out of there first.”

  Kumar started pounding on his keyboard. The armed man looked him over suspiciously and Sasha stood blocking his view.

  “C’mon, man, it’s my sister. Lee wants us to protect her.”

  “Abahti said—”

  “But I will tell Lee you interrupted us prematurely. How do you think he will react?” The guy gave her a challenging once-over but Sasha held her ground.

  “Fine. Ten minutes. Then we’re out of here. Fuck it.”

  He left and Sasha clutched her chest. “Get Michelle on the transistor now! Now!”

  “I’m trying!” Kumar grunted.

  ***

  Michelle checked three corners. She found the fourth covered by blocks of cash. She pushed them away, breathing hard, then dropped to her knees. There it was. The chipped tile, so miniscule it would easily be missed. She placed the dime piece in its groove and it fit. A perfect fit.

  “I found it. This is it.” She reached behind her. She removed a pocketknife from her boot. In seconds, she lifted the squared piece. “Son of a bitch!”

  Underneath, tucked in the two-inch dark crevice, was a small tape cassette player, with a rubber band tying down a note and key. The note read: play me.

  She picked it up gently, as if it were the Chalice itself. She removed the rubber band and took the key in her hand. Her chest burned over what she feared would be her father’s words on the other end.

  “Pops.”

  ***

  Lee leaned into the sleek curve of the bike as the dial pushed past eighty; he swerved and cut around cars, dashing away from oncoming traffic. He gunned it past a delivery truck that nearly clipped him, then shot the curb and sped through a side alley. He raced out the other side, nearly running down several people. A car swerved when he cut into the traffic, and it slammed into another. Lee gave the bike more gas and pushed it harder. Dodging a SUV, he leaned in to the bike and avoided the collision by hitting the sidewalk. Pedestrians screamed, many dove out of his way, and he turned off into the next alley. He was one street away from the bank. He headed through the narrow alleyway to where he thought he’d find clear access. But Lee soon discovered it didn’t matter. Cumminskey’s men had gotten ahead of him. He removed his gun and fired in front of two witnesses coming out of the back of a restaurant. The blast from his gun popped rapidly and sounded like fireworks on the Fourth of July. Lee aimed his shot at three men lounging near a black sedan.

  The first two dropped but the second dove behind a green garbage can and fired back. His bike went into a skid and threw Lee over the handlebars. He slammed into the concrete hard, then rolled as the bike flipped past him, barely skinning his face with the sp
inning wheels. He could smell the burn of the engine oil as it flew by.

  He had no time for pain. He scrambled for his other gun, grabbing it up from the pavement, and fired back. Next he was on his feet, stalking down his prey. The young couple screamed, pressed to the wall, terrified. His victim’s chest exploded under the assault. Blood shot from the man’s gut and his mouth as his body danced in death-throes before dropping in a dead heap. Lee turned on the witness. “Go! Run!”

  The young couple did as they were told, never looking back.

  Blood trickled from a gash on Lee’s head down the bridge of his nose. He walked with the guns pointed south and emerged out of the alley. In the distance, the sounds of police sirens sang their pending arrival.

  Those three goons weren’t it. They weren’t even close enough to make a difference. Which meant there were more, possibly covering her escape route. Plotting to snatch her once she came out. And he might not have enough bullets. He searched the architectural design of the bank. He turned and noticed buildings on either side. It was the only way. Lee stuck one of his guns to the back of his pants, keeping the other tight in his grip. He snatched out his cell phone. A woman walking her dog saw the blood on his face and the steel shine of the .45 in his hand. She turned and went the other way.

  Lee dashed out into traffic, heading for the office building.

  ***

  The back of his limo smelled of whiskey and his favorite cigar. Eddie watched the satellite feed of the latest game over the head of one of his whores, who was between his legs bobbing up and down on his dick. He turned up the two hundred dollar bottle of Scotch and frowned at the field goal kick. The passenger door opened. The girl between his knees tried to lift her head. Eddie forced it back down. His man slid inside, bringing the night sounds of honking horns and cars racing along the avenue beyond them.

  “So what’s the news?” he asked, taking another swig.

  “She comes out, we grab it. Same as before, no change. Lee’s no fool. He makes a move, we rain bullets and the bitch is trapped.”

  Eddie kicked the woman off. She fell over topless, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand as she scooted away from both men. Fixing his dick in his pants, he sat upright. “I think I want Chocolat, too. Yeah, yeah I do.”

  “Done. Problem is, she may put up a fight, boss. Last time we tried it got risky. So what’s the most important? The Chalice? Or her life?”

  Eddie smirked. “Well fuck, if you put it that way. The Chalice, of course. Her life was just a little cherry for me.” He chuckled. “I was in the mood for dark meat. Besides she’s a bad bitch if she got this far and not set off any alarms. I could use the talent.” His eyes cut to his boy, who managed to screw up the last heist they went for. Drake blushed, then covered with a false laugh before getting out. Eddie sank into his seat and relaxed. Eyeing his whore, a dark smile formed on his lips.

  “Where you think you’re going?” He smirked, tossing the bottle. He grabbed her ankle, dragging her back to him for some fun.

  ***

  “Yes, I understand. Yes,” Sasha said. She hung up the phone in the trailer. Kumar’s gaze was trained on her. “What is it?”

  “Change of plans. Lee’s at the bank.”

  “What? How?”

  “That was him. When she comes out, she’s to go to the roof. The place is surrounded. He’s going to call back in ten minutes. I got to go tell them we aren’t moving. Lee says he’ll bring her out his way.”

  “What the hell does that mean, Sasha?” Kumar yelled, but she dashed out of the trailer door. He looked back to the screen. “How? How does he plan to bring her out?”

  ***

  Michelle pressed play. She settled into the familiar warmth Pops’ voice always brought.

  “Shell…I’ll be damned. You found your way in. You have questions, don’t you? You’ve heard a lot bad things about your old man at this point. I’m a traitor? Is it what they told you? I rolled over for the Feds? That I broke vows to an Order I help create. I turned rat on men who were my brothers? Every single one of those things they said is wrong.

  The truth is they were going to use you to get to me. No way in hell I would let them do this. Forget everyone you think is the enemy. I’m going to tell you who your enemy really is. The only reason why you’d be here instead of some lab working on your medical degree is Lee. Am I right? I saw it between you two. He denied it, but I saw it. I don’t want you with him. Any life you choose between the two of you ends bad. You hear me, baby girl? After this is done, you walk away from Leith Sullivan and don’t you ever look back.

  I know he cares, but look at what my caring has done to yours and Sasha’s life. Listen to your old man. If Lee let you take this risk, it can only mean he still doesn’t know the traitor. The man who’s been plotting behind his back from day one. It’s Abahti. He’s always been too close to Lee for me to expose him.

  Lee trusts him. I trusted him. I can’t be sure it’s him, but I’m almost sure. He works for an organization out of West Africa. They use a symbol. It’s a black and gold scorpion with eight legs. Abahti wears a symbol on his pinky ring. That’s your proof. If and when you need it, remember that.

  Now Abahti, for all his plans and schemes was no closer to the Chalice than The Order. But the men who came after were. Think of them as a shadow in our government, much more powerful than any organized crime ring you and I can dream of. When I got tagged, they told me about Abahti, his motives, they showed me proof, Michelle, proof of the Chalice. Then they gave me an option. Save your life or go to prison. I chose you, baby girl.

  I agreed to go after the Chalice. The damn thing was locked up in a vault under the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Yes, it was in plain sight for many years. I was supposed to make it look like a robbery, to cast suspicion on the Order and for the government to reveal its existence and theft. That’s what they wanted me to do. But you know your old man. I don’t answer to no fucking body, not even them. The only way to guarantee your freedom and Sasha’s was to expose them all. Even the brotherhood I was sworn to protect. We can’t live this way and not expect repercussions. I understand that now.

  It’s why I took the risk and put the Chalice here. I came up with my own plan. I cut the raspberries off the goblet and put them on the market. I started a bidding war for them. Consuelo, Escobar’s wife, told me Yacazza’s babe was screwing that young punk Bill Dwyer. I figured Abahti would make his move through the one player who had no allegiance to The Order. Bill Dwyer. Do you understand? Bill was working for Abahti all along. So I dropped a huge carrot for Yacazza to see if his babe would nibble. Soon everyone would be scrambling, turning on each other, and The Order would implode. Then before the dust settled, Abahti would be caught holding the smoking gun and the men hunting us would turn on the Black Scorpion group he works for. My brothers in The Order, Monk Eastman, Escobar, Lee—all of them would be released. And you, too, baby. You’d be free. I was going to take the risk. Keep you, Sasha, and Lee clean. Let them motherfuckers kill each other.

  I couldn’t tell Lee. He believes too much in the honor code I drilled into his head. And if betrayed, he’s hot headed. He would kill Abahti before we found out who the scorpion group really was. If you’re in the vault, then I screwed it all up, too.

  You’re short on time, so I can’t explain it no better than that. Just know this: I could only raise you and Sasha like an old drunk like me knew how. I’m sorry for so many things, but I ain’t sorry for being your Pops. Hell no. You’re the best part of me.

  Now listen to your Pops. That Chalice—the Holy Grail—it can still free you. Trust Lee. I know I told you to stay away from him, but you will need him now. Tell him I’m sorry for not cluing him in on this hustle. I would never screw him over. He was vulnerable, so it was best things went down this way. Tell him Pops says—be cool about Abhati until he unmasks those he serves.

  These people can cut each other’s throats for it. Get the damn thing and use it for your freedom.
I don’t know how, but you’re smart, baby girl. If you got this far, you’ll figure out the rest of the way.

  I know you’re pressed for time. The Chalice is closer than you think. I had to leave it where only my girls could reach it. Check the date of your birthday. Pops left you a gift.

  Remember why I call you Chocolat? Favorite story of mine, and if I’m dead, I want to tell it again. So it’ll be the last thing between us, just as it was the first thing between us. See, you was four and your sorry excuse for a mother of yours had abandoned you to the system. Yeah, Pops could really pick ‘em. Two junkie whores birthed my girls, but I fixed them. I went to get you when I found out you existed. I remember how you hid behind the social worker’s legs all ponytails and big brown eyes. Prettiest little thang I ever seen. My baby. I told you I was your Pops and I was taking you home. You remember what you said, baby girl?”

  Pops laughed.

  ‘You got chocolate, mister?’

  Pops laughed, coughed, laughed some more. His laughter made Michelle smile. She didn’t remember the day they met as he did. But she loved when he told this story.

  I went down the hall and bought every candy bar in the machine. And you been my little chocolate-drop princess ever since. Pops was a fool. I was a slave to this business, to my addiction, but you’re different. One day you gone walk away. Use the Chalice to do it if you can. Don’t die like your old man, penniless and filled with regret. I loved you. I love you both still. Always remember that.”

  The tape player clicked off. Michelle fell back against the wall of the vault with a trail of tears streaking over her cheeks. She choked down her sobs. Dropping her head, she let the tape player fall and hugged herself. The grief over his death finally hit, all these wasted years later. She grieved him once more.

  “Michelle! Michelle! Michelle!”