by M. P. Lodi
Mike was laughing hard. Now he had Noah laughing too.
Caesar hit the seat in front of him. “You want us to torture Emily? Act like she was arrested by the SS or some other secret intelligence group? Make her think she is going to die?”
Mike pointed at Joshua. “It was his idea, but it’s not so bad.” There were a few seconds of silence as they all sat there, going nowhere in a hurry.
Mike added, “We would know if she'd rat on us, but I don't think she'd be so attractive without her hair, especially after being tortured, starved and abused.”
Noah stopped laughing. “Seriously guys, no more with Emily. She'll be fine. I promise you all. This Van Wyck is too crowded. There must be an accident. Put the traffic report on again.” Noah instructed.
Mike said, “Ok, but poor Josh here is going lose his little mind if they say Van Wike again.”
Noah shook his head. “I'm surrounded by clowns. Adolescent maniacs.”
“Come on. Sarge.” Joshua said. “It's all in good fun. Being cooped up makes us all a little nuts and maybe a little childish at times too. You know how badly isolation affects human beings. Remember that guy we saved in Afghanistan?”
Caesar said, “Oh God... that poor bastard.”
Mike said “Had the Taliban left him chained up like that anywhere else, he would have died from thirst. That little stream of fresh water saved his life.”
Noah exhaled loudly. “Water and those grotesque insects that he ate raw to stay ‘alive’. If you can call it that by the time we found him.”
Joshua turned around. “That's the point – he was there maybe a few weeks and already went crazy. Human beings need a change in scenery, people to talk to and communicate with, sunlight. That one had none of these. Now imagine us all cooped up for weeks. The few people we really meet, we kill.”
Mike tapped Joshua on his shoulder to look at the road. Cars pulled up some more. Time to pull up ten feet and stop again for another ten minutes. The traffic was damned unreal. So much like the military. It was hurry up and wait all through basic training and Military Police school.
Noah nodded. “Em is holding up better than I first thought then. She's been stuck in one place for weeks. Anyone else here ever think about how much like the old military saying of hurry up and wait it's like when we're stuck in traffic? I have visions of basic training all over again, being stuck on this damned road.”
Caesar stopped looking out of his window to turn and say, “I was just thinking that a few minutes ago until this one in the Blue Toyota pulled up next to us. His bumper sticker made me laugh.”
Mike looked out of the window at the man's bumper and read it aloud, “Be Nice to America, or We'll Bring Democracy to Your Country.” He looked at Joshua, and then turned to the back to smile at Noah and Caesar. “Good find, Caesar.”
Noah leaned over to see if he could take a look. “It really says that? That's kind of factual, no? Name one country that's liked us for bringing them democracy. At least since 1945?”
Caesar put his hand to his head, then squeezed the skin between his eyes. “This ride totally blows fellas. Is there an alternate route we can try? I should get out since we ain’t moving., Then I could go to the van and sleep in their back.”
Noah glanced over at Caesar. “That's a good idea, I think. You can probably get an hour's nap in before we make a move on that judge. Go ahead.”
Caesar unbuckled his seat belt. “See you guys later, time for some z's.” He opened the door and got out, then slammed the car door closed.
The van with the rest of the team was behind them. Joshua watched Caesar walk to them in the rearview mirror.
Mike asked, “Hey Sarge, did Caesar tell you about his little brother wanting to start up a garage, some auto repair place right next door in Jersey?”
“No, but we're always in need of repairs under the radar. Where in New Jersey?” Noah asked.
“His family has a place in Elizabeth, so I'm assuming it's there. Caesar didn't have the money needed to help him. I know how he never asks for anything for himself.”
Noah said, “Hand me that radio,” and pointed to the one between Mike and Joshua in the cup holder.
Mike handed it to him, and Noah sat back for a moment. He looked outside the window at the virtually unmoving traffic, and pressed the button. “My Lord, I believe we need a good repair shop somewhere in the tri-state area. We'll take care of the arrangements when we reach home. Over.”
Mike turned to look at Noah. Every member of the team knew that Noah would never turn down family. His people were his family, and of all the things in the world that could choke him up, helping his people was one of them. Mike watched Noah as he was looking out of the window, and he could see that Noah was holding back some tears. Mike, Joshua, Charlotte and the others could always tell. Noah wouldn't admit it though. He did know that Mike was staring right at him, which prompted him to put his palm up to him without turning to face him.
Mike chuckled. “I understand, Sarge.”
Charlotte
Charlotte was frustrated. What was wrong with that girl? It wasn't as though Emily didn't know what sort of things Noah, Charlotte and the rest were doing. Maybe she didn't know they had the mafia captain down there in the sub-basement? That was a possibility, but Charlotte could have sworn they had spoken about that in front of Emily. It was hard to tell with Noah, as he was usually tight-lipped when it came to his love. He considered her too sensitive to tell her what they did to the criminals. Charlotte figured they should take her on a mission just to watch a mobster get taken out. That would let them see what Emily was made of.
Charlotte looked in the bathroom mirror. Emily had gone into her room and locked the door after they came up from the sub-basement. Talk about a bad scene. Charlotte had no idea Jacob and Mike didn't clean the blood off of the floor. The mob guy that had tried to kill the Sarge, Emily, and their friends sure met his fate down there. The Sarge pulled a Theon on him too. Poor mobster squealed like a pig after he lost his balls. He told the Sarge information on captains, where money was hidden, force strength and much more.
Thinking about it all now, Charlotte knew she was stupid to assume the mess was all cleaned up. She let her attraction to Emily mess with her mind. Emily was one sexy little number, with beautiful hair, a stunning face, and a body to die for. She was game to play too. Charlotte could tell, and once Emily didn't say her safe word, Charlotte knew she was about to have some fun. She might have to punch Jacob in his mouth for fucking things up on her by not cleaning the blood up.
Now, even half an hour after her scare in the sub-basement, Emily wouldn’t even open her bedroom door. The Sarge was probably right, his woman needs to be sheltered and kept away from a lot of things. Anything hands on, and Emily might lose it. Although Charlotte definitely wanted to bring her on a mission now in an attempt to toughen her up.
Charlotte grabbed the towel and wiped her face. She walked out of the bathroom to go and check on Emily again. First, she listened at the door. The television in there was on, so she knocked.
After a few seconds and not a peep from Emily, Charlotte knocked again, louder this time.
“What do you want?” Emily asked after turning down the volume on the TV.
“To talk, please.”
Charlotte could hear Emily coming to the door. The floors in that bedroom were concrete and Charlotte had acute hearing as well as sight. Her excellent vision helped her win more marksmanship contests for money in Afghanistan than any other soldier in the Army. As far as her hearing was concerned, she could tell where someone was in almost any room if she knew the type of floor.
Mike and Joshua used to joke with her about it all and called her their 'little Indian tracker'. Charlotte had told them she was part Cherokee Indian on her mother's side, but that was a lie.
Emily opened the door and stood there, holding the door knob. She briefly made eye contact before looking at the floor again.
“Come in,�
� she said. Charlotte walked in and sat down on the bed. Emily finally let go of the door knob and sat on the bed as well. Then she laid back on the pillows she had set up to prop her up, crossing her arms in front of her.
“Em, I'm sorry you saw that. I was told it was cleaned up. You shouldn't have seen all of that blood. I didn't mean to scare you. Please forgive me.”
Emily muted the TV and stared at the screen. “I'm just a little scared. It all hit me at once. It's not just words all of you keep saying. You know how people say some really ridiculous things, boasts, and whatever? I knew what was going on, but seeing the blood in person made it more real for me.”
She looked at Charlotte and then continued, “It wasn't your fault, I guess. I mean, you only live upstairs and as for you not knowing there was blood splattered all over downstairs, well, maybe you just didn't know.”
Emily shook her head and closed her eyes. Then she looked at Charlotte again. She kept going, desperate to make her point. “You hear what I'm saying? Of course you had to know.” Emily took both of her hands and used them to cover her eyes as she rocked back and forth a few inches “I can't believe how stupid I was. I really am like that damned frog in a boiling pot.”
Charlotte put her hand on her knee. “It's OK; it was a lot to see. I understand completely.”
Emily's eyes teared up, and she reached for the box of tissues she had on the bed next to her. “I have to tell you that I don't entirely trust you. I was scared to death down there in your private torture chamber, where real people have really died. This is all just so surreal.”
“Am I scaring you now?” Charlotte asked.
“I'm starting to feel like a prisoner here, a little. If I wanted to leave, to walk out of this apartment, would you get in the way and stop me?”
Charlotte looked at her sympathetically. “You know we can't go out in the day, and especially not without coordinating with everyone else. It's not safe.”
“How am I supposed to trust you? Like I did before when I let you tie my hands together behind me? I don't know what I was thinking,” Emily said.
“Look sweetie, I'll be right back. Give me just twenty seconds.” Charlotte left the room, leaving the door open. She walked into her room to the dresser opposite her bed, and took out a pair of police handcuffs off of the top shelf. It seemed a little twisted and kinky, but Charlotte figured she’d try once more, this time giving her scared little friend some control over the situation and her. It could be fun and she still so wanted to play with Emily.
Emily was a challenge to her now.
She walked back into the room with the handcuffs and sat back down in the same position as before.
Emily looked at the cuffs. “You have to be kidding me, no way are you putting them on me.”
“Sweetie, I can forcefully cuff you if I wanted to. With ease.”
Emily backed up a little into her pillows, looking worried as she glanced at the cuffs again. Charlotte knew she had to calm her down and put her at ease.
“Here's the key, take it.” Charlotte held the key out for Emily to take it. She did. After Emily had it in her hand, Charlotte put her own hands behind her and cuffed them together. Then she turned around to show Emily she was cuffed.
“OK Sweetie, now I'm your prisoner. Surely you can't still be scared.”
“You’re a whacked out one, aren't you?” she asked Charlotte.
“I just don't want you to feel threatened in any way, and now you can't be. See? I'm totally at your mercy. I can't get out of these.” Charlotte turned around to show Emily her cuffed hands again, as she struggled to get free of them. “See… Don't feel threatened. Please.”
Charlotte had a T-shirt on and realized her nipples were hard and showing. Damn it, she was giving her intentions away. Emily noticed too. Maybe Emily was even more interested.
“So you're saying you can't get your hands free from them? This isn't a trick?” Emily asked.
Charlotte shook her head. “I'm stuck without your help.”
Emily stood up. Composed herself and looked at Charlotte. “I need to get out of this apartment. I'm going for a walk. I have the throw-away cell that Noah planned on using tonight. Tell Noah I'll call him later on that cell. I took it from the closet.”
Charlotte stood up, facing her. “You can't go out. You'll put us all in danger. Don't do this, I trusted you.”
“You trusted me? You're a lunatic who wants to fuck me. Don't tell me you trust me just because you cuffed your own hands together behind you. Do you realize how ridiculous this situation is? I see how turned on you are. You think we're going to have sex.”
Just then Charlotte said, “Dragon.” Emily looked at her, but turned to walk to the door. In a flash, Charlotte kicked the door closed and stood in front of it, blocking Emily from opening it.
“Get out of my way. Now. You can't stop me when you’re cuffed like that, so just move,” Emily demanded.
“I said ‘dragon’, which means you have to take these cuffs off of me. You know I can't let you go. Don't make me hurt you, Em. I swear I will if I have to. Give me the key for these cuffs,” she ordered.
“Not a chance,” Emily said with a flash of anger. The situation was getting out of hand, and Charlotte knew there was no way she could let her go. She had totally misread Emily.
Emily grabbed Charlotte by her arm. She never saw it coming as Charlotte stepped back a foot and kicked Emily right in the head. Emily went down and appeared to be unconscious. Her head slumped against the door. Charlotte's kick had connected right at the side of her mouth. Emily didn't move, and Charlotte quickly bent down to take the key for the cuffs from Emily's hand. It wasn't there, so she had to move Emily's body to get to it. It must have fallen out after the kick. Charlotte crouched down and, with her hands still cuffed behind her, she grabbed Emily's right leg and pulled her away from the door. The key was under her, so she grabbed it.
As she unfastened the cuffs, all Charlotte could think was 'The Sarge sure knows how to pick fucked-up women.' With her hands now free, Charlotte lifted Emily up over her shoulder and put her on the bed. She rolled Emily onto her stomach and then placed both of her hands behind her. She cuffed them together and double-locked the cuffs so they wouldn't get any tighter.
She had to decide what to do next. She couldn't have Emily screaming once she came round. Duct tape would prevent that possibility. The best thing to do was probably to bring Emily back down to the sub-basement. Locked up down there, the girl couldn't be heard even if she screamed at the top of her lungs. That way, she wouldn't need to duct tape her mouth closed, but she was going to do it anyway. The bitch was lucky Charlotte didn't give her a few extra shots considering she was going to leave her in handcuffs like that. What a crazy bitch this Emily was. She really thought she could get the best of her.
Charlotte thought of her favorite quote from Al Pacino in the movie Scarface.
With a less-than-impressive imitation of a Cuban accent, she said out loud, “You stupid fuck, look at you now.”
Joshua
It was dark outside. Joshua walked in the door and down the steps, followed by Caesar and Jacob. It was a little past 2200, and the cold wind sent a chill down into the basement as the three of them came in. The alleyway outside 143 Pine was curved in such a way that it always made a strong breeze go into the side door leading downstairs. It was great in the summer with warm breezes, but in the cold, it wasn't so good. Joshua had stayed at this location quite a few times this past winter when he was shacked up with Charlotte. It had been their fourth attempt at a relationship. Twice in Afghanistan and two more tries back in the States.
Joshua put his coat on the coat rack in the hall and walked into the living room.
Charlotte was sitting on the long sofa watching the news. She paused the news and looked up at Joshua. “I take it the operation was a success from the news. Where have you all been? This was four hours earlier.” She pointed to the TV.
Joshua rubbed his hands tog
ether and then blew into them. “We all need to warm up. It's cold out there. Like in the low 30s. It's starting to snow too.”
Caesar walked in. “Hey Spiderwoman, you got any more of that hot chocolate?”
“Sure do, how did it all go? Joshua is defrosting and ignoring me.”
Joshua walked over to the sofa and plopped down, still rubbing his hands. He said, “That wind out there is vicious. Makes me want to be back in the South. It never gets this cold in Louisiana or Florida.”
Charlotte looked at him and said, “No duh. That's the deep-south, as in closer to the equator.” She walked over to the cabinet that was above the sink and took out the box of Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate.
Caesar was standing next to her, watching. He said, “The op went well. That judge won’t be letting any more child molesters free. We made sure the media knew it was us too.”
Charlotte glanced at him. “Make yourself comfortable, I'll bring over a hot cup for you. By the way, it’s been all over the news for the past few hours.”
“I have to take a leak first, be right back.” He walked back just as Jacob was putting his coat on the coat rack in the hall. Caesar passed him in the hall and said, “Charlotte is making some hot chocolate. My nuts are still frozen.” Caesar said.
Jacob walked in smiling. “Can I have some as well, please?” he asked.
“Of course,” Charlotte said as she put the first cup in the microwave, setting it for 1 minute and 45 seconds. She had told Joshua that always made the perfect temperature for anything hot. She always set it for the same time.
“Where's the Sarge?”
“He went with Mike, Frank and Ninja Rob to make a deposit at some orphanage. They'll be back in a few hours.”
Joshua said “That's the Sarge for you. I think the breakdown is ten percent of the cash we keep for operations, expenses etc., fifty percent for the people with direct cash envelopes, and then twenty percent to worthwhile charities.”
Jacob nodded. “Then that last twenty percent we reserve for family, helping them with businesses and school and everything else.”