by Darcy Town
“We don’t know whether Rake’s serious about quitting.” Keto frowned. “Do not put all this on the young girl.”
Danny stuffed his hands in his pockets. “You didn’t see his face when he got here, Keto. I’ve haven’t seen him look worried or concern himself with anything or anyone in years, even before the drugs. He cares now and it’s because of her, so I don’t care what the fuck she is, we save her now and we save him after.” Danny made room for the third bag of ice as Evgeniy lugged another one in. “If anyone comes for her, they’ll have to get through me.”
Evgeniy looked past Danny to Ravil. “I’ll watch front door.” The Russian ducked to leave the bathroom. He grabbed the shotgun Danny left by his bed and took the stairs two at a time. He sat on the bottom steps and pointed the gun towards the door.
The laughter of two women proceeded Katarina and Tasanee’s arrival. The tall blonde American and petite Thai girl laughed as they stepped inside the house. Katarina saw Evgeniy with a gun and drew her pistol. “Fuck Czar, what the hell!”
Evgeniy smiled slightly. He gestured with the shotgun. “Move.”
Katarina threw back her blonde dreadlocks. “Are we expecting company?”
“Hey I want to see! What’s going on?” Tasanee ducked around Katarina, her spiked mohawk appeared first. She pushed her large black-rimmed glasses up her nose and looked around. “Do we get to shoot someone?”
Evgeniy shook his head. “Rake brought—”
“Rake?” Katarina gaped. “Rake’s here! Rake!” She looked up the stairs.
Evgeniy shook his head. “Gone before I got here. Dropped off girl in Danny’s room, she is sick.”
Tasanee ran up the stairs. “Where’d he go?”
Katarina tied her dreadlocks back into a ponytail. “He dropped off a girl?”
“Little.” Evgeniy measured her height. “Sick. He’s out getting money.”
“Oh.” Katarina followed Tasanee up the stairs. Both women ducked into Danny’s bathroom. Katarina towered over Tasanee and stared at Ravil. “Wow.”
Tasanee frowned. “That doesn’t look good.”
Keto glared at Tasanee. “Have you even been vaccinated, Rat?”
“Yes you racist African fuck.” Tasanee grinned. “Chinese Empire made it mandatory for anyone in the space program, even grease rats like me.”
Keto flashed his white teeth at her. “Good, because she has Chickenpox and God only knows what else.”
Katarina frowned. “Can we get you guys anything?”
Danny waved his hand. “Spruce up Rake’s room, he put her in there.”
“What about Rake?” Katarina chewed on a nail. “Is Rake coming back? Shouldn’t he have his own room?”
Tasanee made a face and stalked out. “I’ll do it! Asian maid to the rescue! Watch out, Czar. I am going to clean like a fucking typhoon!”
Evgeniy laughed from the stairs. “Rats cannot clean!”
Katarina stayed in the bathroom doorway. “Is Rake coming back?”
Danny stood and rolled his shoulders. “Yes, with money for her medicine.”
Katarina looked at Ravil. “Chickenpox?”
Keto nodded. “Yeah.”
She shook her head. “Where did he find her?”
Danny rubbed his temples. “Question of the hour my dear. We’d all like to know more about our new guest.”
***
Marx strolled through a dank, smoke-filled whorehouse. At least, he thought it was one. People were having sex, but many of them seemed to be drugged. He walked between couples, but no one even remotely looked like the man he searched for.
Marx was glad to be on his own. He did not mind Lincoln, but he found Kennedy’s quick-to-kill, brash attitude annoying. Not everything could be solved by bloodshed. Not that he would hesitate if necessary; he enjoyed it, but most things should come in moderation.
He checked the last room and frowned. He stepped past an unconscious couple and slipped out a window, dropping four stories to the street below. He landed on his feet, brushed his jacket off, and put his nose to the wind.
***
Kennedy sprinted through a late night fish market. The smell made his stomach grumble, but he prowled for prey and did not stop. He wanted to find the prey before Marx, to prove that this was the way to hunt. Clues were stupid. Hunters did not use these clues.
Kennedy was a rare Hunter, an individual tracker. He was valuable and he knew it, but right now, he felt worthless. He had to find the Rake prey. He licked his lips. He could keep up with this pace for hours. The city was large, but Kennedy was tireless and motivated.
***
Ravil woke up sitting in several inches of lukewarm water. Temperature down, she had risen out of imminent danger. Her vision was, as Rake would have put it, fucked up. The colors around her were not right, things were too bright. She grabbed at neon shapes that were not there.
Keto set a rag on her forehead. “Hello, Ravil.”
Her eyes flashed to his. “Where is Rake?”
“He’s napping downstairs.”
“No he’s not. He’s not in this building, he’s moving around outside roughly eight of your blocks away. Why are you lying to me?” Ravil swallowed, her throat burned. “I’m thirsty.”
Keto handed her a bottle of water with a straw. “How do you know he’s not here?”
“We always know.” Ravil drained the water bottle and touched the pendant at her throat. “But he will be back?”
He nodded. “Yes.”
“What is your name?”
“Keto.”
“Keto…” Ravil leaned over the edge of the tub and looked at what he was doing. He had a row of syringes all marked and laid out on the floor. She backed against the tile. “What are those?”
“Vaccinations.” Keto counted them. “You have not had any.”
Ravil did not know what vaccinations were. “I do not want any needles.”
Keto nodded, understanding her fears. “These are not like Rake’s needles. These make you better, not worse.” He frowned. “I do not know if it is better to do this now and chance you reacting poorly, or waiting. Waiting could mean you could catch something else, something worse.”
Her eyelids slid closed. “I don’t want those.” She passed out.
Keto picked up the first syringe and stuck her arm. The needle injected the vaccine along with a colored dye. He pulled the needle out. The light blue mark it left behind was bright against her pale skin. He wiped her arm with rubbing alcohol and readied the next needle. “I hope I don’t kill you kid, I really hope I don’t.”
***
Rake stumbled through the front door of Danny’s building, holding his head. He had blood on his hands. Evgeniy set his gun down and wrapped an arm around him. “He is back! Keto!” Evgeniy helped Rake into the kitchen and set him down at a chair. He looked at Rake’s forehead. “You have been cut.”
Rake threw money down on the table. “Yeah, thanks Spetnatz. I hadn’t noticed.”
Katarina ran into the kitchen, her eyes fell upon his injuries. “Rake!” She dropped to her knees and took his hand. “You’re hurt. Keto!”
Rake smiled. “Hi, Kat.”
Keto ran in. “I know! I had to switch with Danny.” He moved Katarina out of the way and tilted Rake’s head back. “Shit, Rake.”
Rake hit his hand away. “Get medicine.”
Keto stared into his eyes. “You have a concussion.”
Rake leaned on his elbow. “I guess.”
Keto looked to Katarina. “Ice him and give him two of these.” He handed her a bottle of pills. “Make sure he swallows and do not let him fall asleep.” He grabbed the cash from the table and stared at Rake. “I am going now to get medicine and as soon as I am back, we’re taking care of you, got it?”
Rake nodded and gave him a thumbs-up. “Right-o.”
Keto snapped his bag shut and ran out the front door. Evgeniy helped Rake to his feet. “Come.”
Katarina took Rake’
s hand. “We got your room set up. She’s staying in there.” She interlaced their fingers. “But it’s still your room.”
“Ravil in it now?” Rake blinked and looked at the stairs.
Evgeniy looked to Katarina. He frowned. “She is in bathwater cooling from fever.”
“Hey, Rake!” Tasanee stood at the top of the second floor with cleaning supplies in hand. “You look like shit!”
Rake grinned and gestured at her head. “I like the mohawk. That new?”
“Sorta.” Tasanee touched the shaved sides of her head. “I’m punking it up.”
Katarina glared at her. “Get him some water, Rat.” She shook the pill bottle at Tasanee. “Maybe some towels too and ice.”
Tasanee skipped down the stairs past her, looking between the two. “Right, fine, on it.”
Evgeniy pulled Rake towards his room. Rake grabbed onto the banister. “No, I want to see her.” He elbowed the tall Russian. “I want to see her damn it!”
“Your choice.” Evgeniy shrugged and helped him to the third floor. Katarina trailed the two, not looking pleased.
Danny looked up when the trio stepped into the bathroom. “God Rake, did you bleed all your guilt out while you were gone?”
Rake grabbed a towel and staunched his forehead. “I got the money, that’s all that matters.” He slipped to the edge of the tub. “How is she doing?”
Danny changed out the cold compress on her head. “In and out of consciousness. Rake, she didn’t have any vaccinations, nothing. Where did she come from?”
Rake shrugged. “I have no idea. She’s been on the run for a long time.”
“Well where did you find her?”
Evgeniy and Katarina sat on the floor beside him. Tasanee ducked in and handed Katarina a glass of water and an ice pack. Rake took the pills Katarina handed him. “She came with a man, but he died during the fight. I took her with me, she was helpless.” He brushed his fingers through Ravil’s wet hair. “Fucking American marines, I had to take her with me. It was obvious what they would have done.”
Danny closed his eyes. “That bar shootout was you? It’s all over the radio waves, Rake.”
Evgeniy patted Rake on the back. “We should have known. Who else could kill that well.”
Katarina grimaced. “The place lit on fire, no fingerprints.”
Rake managed to smile at Danny. “Lucky me.”
“Rake, we’ll be taking care of her, you need to take care of yourself now. Got it? Think about you, not her.” Danny looked to the other two. “Get him to his room.”
Rake made a non-committal sound, but he did not protest when Evgeniy got him to his feet. His eyes were stuck on Ravil. “Tell me if she changes.”
Danny nodded. “Of course, Rake.”
They helped Rake into his old room and sat him on a rug by his bed. Evgeniy left to retake his position at the bottom of the stairs. Rake leaned on his bed and stared at the new furnishings. Tasanee had put up paper lamps and taped cut-out stars on the walls. Some of her clothes hung on the furniture. “Nice of Rat to decorate.”
Katarina sat down beside him and washed his face with a wet cloth. “You could have waited, Rake. We have money. You didn’t have to go out there and do that for her.”
Rake shrugged and closed his eyes. “I didn’t know when you’d be back, and I couldn’t wait. Besides it’s your money.”
“God Rake, you’re family! Family helps its own.”
He opened one eye. “I wasn’t sure of my status here.”
She hugged him lightly. “Your status is the same as it always was. You’re one of us and you always will be.”
Rake smiled. “The Rogue Squadron.”
“Always, Rake.” She exchanged her bloodied cloth for a clean one. “Why don’t we go to my room, it’s more comfy than this.”
Rake waved his hand. “I want to be here when she comes back.”
She hid a frown. “Who is she really, Rake?”
He leaned his head on her shoulder. “I don’t know yet.”
Katarina ran her fingers through his hair. “Fine Rake, just rest now okay.”
Tasanee popped her head in the room and looked between the pair, eyes lingering on Katarina. She held up her hands. “I found your movie player. It was on the bed when I changed it. Want to watch it?” She tossed it towards the bed.
Rake nodded. “Sure thanks, Rat.”
“No problem, Solo.” Tasanee saluted. “Uh, I’m going to take watch and relieve Czar I guess.”
Katarina did not look up. “Thanks, Rat.”
Tasanee nodded. “Yeah no problem.” She skipped down the stairs.
He sighed. “You two still together?”
Katarina nodded. “Yeah.”
He smiled. “How do you make it work?”
She put an ice pack on his back. “What work?”
“The relationship, with your work I mean.”
“We have our boundaries.” Katarina took Rake’s jacket off and set it on a chair. She wiped his bare shoulders clean. “I don’t love the men I sleep with, it’s just a job. She knows that.”
“Rat’s great.” Rake smiled and his split lip bled. “You’re lucky.”
She nodded. “I know.” She looked over his bruises. “Who did this to you anyways?”
He shrugged and winced. “Don’t know, didn’t see them beforehand and when I got done beating them, their faces weren’t the same anymore.”
“It wasn’t a john?”
He smiled. “No, I’m not that stupid, Kat.” He touched his bloody lip. “Did Keto tell you about me quitting?”
“Yes. How badly did you hit your head?”
“Didn’t actually, just a cut.” Rake touched the bloody spot. He looked at Katarina and took her hand. “I’m coming back.”
“To stay?”
Rake frowned. “Don’t know.”
“Are you going to kick it here? Keto didn’t say.”
Rake shook his head. “No, not around her. I think I’ve scarred her enough as it is.”
“She doesn’t know?”
“Oh she knows.” He closed his eyes. “All too well, but no reason to add fear to the disgust and resentment she already feels towards me. I’ve seen others detox, I’m going to be a heinous son of a bitch.”
“Where are you going to go then?”
“Betty’s.”
“Betty’s?”
Rake nodded. “They owe me. I happened to be around at the right time to beat off a few assholes, I saved the day. Betty herself said she owed me. I figure she won’t mind tying me to a bed. Most of their beds have handcuffs and straps in place already. Ball gags too.”
“A dominatrix is not a doctor!”
Rake grinned. “They have the outfits, Kat.” He dodged the wet towel she threw at his head. His leg twitched. “Keto better hurry up.”
“Why are you still here?” She touched his cheek. “One of us can take you there and send him along after.”
Rake cracked his knuckles. “I have to know before I leave that Ravil’s all right. I don’t need that fear hanging over my head while I go fucking crazy for a few days. My conscience has to be as clean as it can be.”
She frowned and squeezed his hand. “You’ll come through it. Do you want one of us there? I could go with you.”
“God no.” Rake shook his head. “I do not want anyone seeing me like that.”
“Rake, I’ve known you for over twenty years.”
“Me being a six-year-old brat isn’t the same as a twenty-seven-year-old junkie.”
“I can take it. I’ve seen you at your worst.”
Rake squeezed her hand. “No you haven’t, Kat, and I don’t want you to. You’re a good friend for offering though.” He leaned his head on her shoulder. “Will you watch her for me?”
She looked at their linked hands. “Yeah Rake, I’ll watch her.”
He nodded. “Good, I know she’ll be all right then. You’re the best, my best girl, Kat.”
Katarina
snorted. “Rake, I’m your only girl.”
Rake laughed. “Rat counts.”
Katarina hit him. “Rat’s mine.”
He stuck his tongue out at her. “Fine you and Ravil.”
She rubbed her thumb across his palm and kept her voice level. “How old is she?”
“Fourteen or something, so she says.”
Katarina sighed with relief. “Oh, a kid.”
“Yeah, but she’s not helpless.” Rake grinned. “She knifed a guy for me and saved my life.”
“Is that why you’re protecting her?”
Rake shook his head. “No, she reminded me of…” He blinked away tears. “She had longer hair before.”
“Blonde.”
“Ish, yeah.” Rake shook his head to shake away the memories. “I couldn’t leave her. I thought I didn’t care about anyone anymore, and look at me now, back with you fucks, being a lame ass family again.”
Katarina pinched his leg. “We fucks want you here, asshole. Rat has had to be the smart ass for both of you, it tires her out.”
He licked his lips. “Well, tell her I’ll be back to help her out shortly. Then she can put her sharp wit and tongue to other uses eh?” He nudged Katarina’s leg. “Eh?”
Katarina blushed. “Shut up, Rake.”
He gaped. “I haven’t seen you blush in a straight decade. Damn where is a camera when you need one.”
“Jerk.” She grabbed his movie player. “I’m surprised you still have this.”
“Of course, you gave it to me.”
“You never sold it.” She unwrapped the headphones from around the device. “I always assumed you would have.”
“Sell my bible? Are you kidding? I’d rather die and I’m offended you would think I would sell your gift.”
Katarina glared at him. “Rake, I know addicts, they’d sell anything.”
He smiled. “It’s an ancient model. I didn’t even try. I wouldn’t have gotten anything for it, anyways.”
She pinched him. “Cocksucker.”
“Takes one to know one.”