Savage

by Tiana Laveen

  Moving like a bolt of lightning, he charged the motherfucker, grabbing him from behind. They dropped to the floor. Muscles and bones slid against him, assaulting him with a pungent body odor and bad breath. They struggled, each trying to gain control of one another, but Savage soon overpowered him. Grabbing him from behind in a death grip, he positively identified the guy as he looked down into his eyes—making sure, just in case. The man’s eyes rolled as he gasped for air, kicking his long legs, fighting with all of his might. The man jeered forward, attempting to rock his head back for a brutal headbutt, but it was far too late…

  Savage snapped his neck, then scrambled to his feet, slipping over something slick, oily, and blood all over the gotdamn floor. The man lay on the floor, looking like the trash that he was. The man looked up at him, still holding onto a bit of life, his eyes dancing like those of a crazed lunatic. A strange grin creased the bastard’s face. Savage pulled out his gun.

  “Had to make sure it was definitely you first, Hickson. I’m doing you a fucking favor. Goodnight.” Savage grinned back, then shot the fucker twice in the middle of his skull…

  Thanks to his silencer, it proved a quiet killing. Blood sprayed on the floor and his shoes. He reached down and felt the man’s pulse. Slow… slower… then it stopped.

  Savage drew closer to the tub, pulled out a small camera from his jacket pocket and began to take pictures. He then checked out each room, gun drawn, only to make more grizzly discoveries. There had to have been at least a hundred animal carcasses in that house. The FBI would have to sort it all out. Making his way back to the room with the television and computers, he flicked on the light and began to snoop around.

  Sitting down at one of the computers, he pulled out a special stick drive that was programmed to circumvent any necessary passwords for logins. Within five minutes, he was in Hickson’s database. And what a treasure trove he found. Hickson had a hitlist of thirteen prominent politicians, and a few local folks were mentioned, too. He also seemed to have a creepy obsession with a stripper named Candy, for the man had collected over two thousand photos and video clips of the woman, most of them seemingly without her knowledge. He found a folder icon simply labeled ‘M.D.’ When he opened it, he discovered various files including scans of hand-drawn maps, deranged ramblings, and photos of his parents, many of them altered with odd drawings over their faces… He then found a real map of a vacant lot nearby, with R.I.P. written on it, right over a big black ‘X’.

  I bet that’s where he buried them. Jesus… The media is going to have a field day with this…

  He finished scouring the premises, taking photos, making notes. Though he was paid handsomely, in some ways, Savage realized that this was a thankless job. No one would ever know, besides the people in his organization, that he was the one who took this fucker down. The FBI and local police would take credit for the world wasn’t ready to know that real-life assassins existed, and sanctioned by the government to boot. They were cold blooded killers, hired to do a job. Nothing more. Nothing less.

  After about twenty more minutes of investigating, Savage pulled out his burner phone and sent Longhorn a text. Only two words were necessary…

  MISSION COMPLETE.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  If You Think I’m Pussy…

  “He just sent me a text, finally. He’ll be home in a couple of hours, y’all. Come on, help me get all of these wine glasses and cotton balls off the counter! Why in the hell did we have cotton balls in the first damn place?!” Zaire rubbed on her forehead. Her skin felt gritty, like sand. Her memory was foggy, and for all she knew, she’d danced naked out on the front lawn.

  “Your guess is as good as mine,” Kim offered wearily while she helped gather pieces of popcorn from the floor, her hair all over her head. “And I don’t remember this. Who had this hot sauce? I could’ve used some on the wings last night.” The woman picked up the half empty bottle and shook it in the air.

  “The hot sauce was for the pizza we’d ordered. I always put hot sauce on pizza, Kim.” Kim shot Allison a look as she tried to explain her unique tastes. “We gave each other facials and painted each other’s nails too. That’s why those cotton balls are out, Zaire.” Allison looked down at her toes. From Zaire’s vantage point, the bright pink polish was uneven and smeared. “You’d think we were sixteen-year-olds. We lost our complete minds last night. It was fun as hell… Let’s do it again.”

  The three paused and looked at one another, then burst out laughing. Zaire caught her reflection in the microwave.

  Good Lord.

  She vowed to never use a glitter bath bomb again. The three had used the thing in Savage’s hot tub, of all places. It smelled like bubblegum, and left a hell of a residue, too. It had taken her over thirty minutes to get the sparkles out of that tub. She surely didn’t want to chance Savage seeing it; he’d have a fit. She hadn’t even known he had a damn hot tub until the three had gone snooping about and discovered his small, well-equipped gym and the black and silver basin of joy. Allison had attempted to climb on the elliptical—bad move. Her forehead had paid the price.

  Zaire was hung over and had a horrible headache, yet she still reeled with elation.

  “Girl, you look like a disco ball!” Kim drew closer, dust cloth in hand, and burst out laughing. “Look at Zaire, Allison!” They both turned in her direction and fell into fits of laughter. “Doesn’t she look like a disco ball?”

  “Yeah! One that exploded!”

  “Thanks a lot.” Zaire poured a mug of flat beer down the drain.

  “None of us look all that great.” Allison giggled. “Kim, you look like your hair got stuck in a blender—a damn troll doll. Zaire looks like a cheap hooker with all of that glitter on her face. And I look like I’m going to the airport with these two damn bags under my eyes. I just hope I am flying first class. It was well worth it though!”

  Good times…

  Allison and Kim were clearly in just as bad of a shape as she was, and yes, in hindsight, it had been worth every damn ridiculous second. The ‘Girls’ Night’ at Savage’s home had turned into a true pow-wow, accompanied by way too much drinking. Once the liquor had loosened her tongue, she’d opened up, discussing her relationship with her mother from the very beginning to recent developments.

  As her two best friends helped her get her man’s place back in order after an evening of absurdity that had involved silly putty, softcore porn, Uno, and chocolate triple decker cake, she was surprised to discover that not only did they shower her with support to encourage her relationship with Savage, but they also expressed genuine admiration for her efforts to accept her truth and share it with them. She’d never forget this night.

  Pressing her foot on the steel pedal of the trashcan, she tossed in a plate of chicken bones.

  Bones… Skeletons in the closet…

  Discussing her childhood in any depth had been taboo for her, a rule she’d stuck by. She’d made her secrets her fortress, not one of lies, or so she’d believed, but one built from a lack of admission. Telling only half the truth was acceptable right? Savage though had taught her through his actions towards her how she’d been dead wrong about that and so much more. It was tradition to turn the other way in her family, to keep up appearances. The elders in her clan had encouraged her to pretend, her maternal grandmother especially, but it had to stop.

  And it’ll stop with me.

  Someone had to unplug the generational curse and rip it clean out of the socket. Mental illness was nothing to sweep under the rug. Her own mother was afflicted, and she would no longer throw a towel over the matter, and pretend half the time that she’d been hatched from a golden egg. A variety of mental challenges and illnesses affected millions of people around the world. Brilliant people, compassionate people, worthy people who deserved to NOT be alienated, but helped and loved.

  She picked up a plastic spoon and tossed it in the trash, smiling. Just a week prior she’d been under the weather, a 24-hour flu bug.
Savage had brought her some soup and even fed it to her. The sweetest thing…

  “Giiirl! That mothafucka had it going on, too! I should’ve slipped him my number!” Allison hollered to Kim, the two women still working on the mess left in the living room. They’d talked about men all night too…

  Naturally, they’d wanted to know where her man was. That was a normal question, certainly, but with a man like Savage, the answer was never cut and dry, or something she could delve deep into with mixed company. She explained that he worked for the government, and his job had to do with a bunch of classified information. Unsurprisingly, her friends had even more questions after that, their curiosity turned up a notch. Every time she tried to redirect the conversation, it came right back around like a Frisbee. They were completely intrigued by everything Savage.

  She couldn’t blame them. So was she.

  “Dude’s house is amaaaaazing, Zaire! I would love to live here,” Kim stated, the real estate agent in her overdosing on his digs.

  “Funny you should mention that. He asked me to move in with him.” Zaire grinned wide when both of her friends turned towards her, their jaws dropped with utter disbelief on their faces.

  “Oh. My. God! That is crazy! I love it! Are you going to?” Kim grabbed another trash bag and threw a big ball of used, tear-drenched Kleenex inside it. That therapeutic cry had done them a world of good, too.

  “I don’t know.” Zaire shrugged as she grabbed a sponge, spritzed it with bleach cleanser and began to clean the countertop. “I mean…” How could she say what she really meant? “I always envisioned myself being married first, then sharing a home with a man. I’m concerned because the one and only time I moved in with someone beforehand, broke that idea in hopes that it would all work out, well, you know the rest of that story.”

  “Stop overthinking everything. They aren’t the same person,” Kim offered as she fluffed a pillow.

  “Yeah, Kim, but if she wants to get married first, then that’s fine, too,” Allison said. “Some guys never buy the cow if they get the milk for free.”

  “That’s so old school.” Kim rolled her eyes. “That’s not how the world works. Besides, marriage is overrated. You of all people should know.”

  “It might be old school, and it sure isn’t for everyone, but if that’s what Zaire wants then she has the right to experience it. Marriage, house, then baby… In that damn order!”

  “What is this? 1955?”

  “Nothing new changes under the sun, Kim. As soon as a woman moves in with the bastard, they never propose but have no problem getting a woman pregnant. It’s crazy to me. So, you won’t enter a marriage, but you’ll make a whole new motherfucker walking the Earth! Backwards ass thinking, if you ask me.”

  “Okay, you have a point there, but different strokes for different folks. Well.” Kim sighed. “I know we aren’t around him a whole lot, but I like Savage, Zaire.”

  Zaire felt good about her friends’ approval. Though she didn’t need their blessing, it always felt good to have it.

  “I do, too. I’ve even spoken to him on the phone a couple of times when I called Zaire when they were out and about together,” Allison said. “I think he’s a really good guy. I like his vibe, ya know? And I know I haven’t always had the best judgment either when it comes to men, but you are aware how this works! We can choose for each other better than we can for ourselves.”

  They all nodded for that was on the money.

  “That’s so true.” Zaire laughed. “Somehow, we can tell if a man isn’t shit for each other, but in our own lives, it’s a crap shoot!” Giggling, she opened the microwave and began to clean it out too.

  “Exactly. So, since Kim likes him, and you know that I do, Zaire, and that’s a rare thing, we’ve basically formed a triangle of agreement. My only thing is, if that’s not what you want, then you shouldn’t do it.”

  “But she didn’t say she didn’t want it, Allison! She’s just rolling it around!”

  “She did too say that’s not how she wanted it to be. She also said…”

  And on and on her two friends went, nipping and pecking at one another like tiny birds. Zaire drifted away into her own thoughts, mulling over the possibilities. Savage had said to take her time deciding to move in, but she knew his impatient ass would want an answer sooner rather than later. Honestly, a change of environment might be helpful. She’d begun to feel like she was stuck in a rut. If she lived with him, she’d be a bit closer to her parents, as well as Allison. If they did get married and have a family down the line, the school system in his area was definitely better, as well as the hospitals, parks, restaurants, the whole nine.

  “Let’s turn on some music!” Kim picked up a large empty wine bottle and tossed it into the recycle bin.

  “Yeah, but not too loud girl. My head is killing me.” Allison ran her fingers through her hair and winced.

  “Does he have Alexa, Zaire?”

  “No, not anymore. Maximus doesn’t trust it.”

  “Why?”

  “He says it records private conversations and gives the information to Google or can be hijacked by foreign intelligence. He believes it’s like bringing a stranger into your house and letting them record your every move as long as they clean up a little and cook you a meal or two. The invasion of privacy is dangerous and nullifies the advantages, in his book. He also says it emits frequencies that encourage certain behaviors, such as over-spending and other mind control tactics.”

  Her friends’ expressions read something like, ‘Bitch, both of y’all crazier than a nun dancing in Hell.’ Brow raised, Kim moseyed over to one of Savage’s drawers in the kitchen.

  “I know I saw an mp3 player lying around in this drawer last night when I was looking for a bottle opener.” The woman rummaged through a junk drawer filled with stationery. “Here it is. Let’s see what songs are on here. Hmmm… Oh, shit!” Kim screamed, dropping the damn thing on the floor. They turned in her direction to see the mp3 player spinning about, one side of it flashing and snapping pictures fast.

  “What kinda shit is this?” Kim picked it up and studied it.

  Shit! That must be one of his little government gadgets!

  “Uh, give that to me, please!” Zaire snatched it out of the woman’s hands. Allison came over quick, wanting a closer look.

  “What the hell is that? That’s no mp3 player!” Kim put her hand on her hip.

  “It’s just a little camera. He likes cameras,” Zaire offered with a goofy smile. Her friends clearly didn’t buy what she said, both crossing their arms over their chest, giving her that look.

  “Zaire, you’re a damn liar.” Kim grimaced. “That looks like some shit from a science fiction movie. First, we see an axe on the wall in the guest room, and you can’t tell us why in hell Savage thinks he is He-Man. Now, this. This little thing almost sliced my damn thumb off, too. That’s why I dropped it.”

  “What?” Allison said, “It cut you?”

  They would never let this go.

  “Yeah, girl! There was a little blade when I pushed a little lever on the side. The damn thing popped out like… kapow!” Kim did a silly karate chop motion, drawing a giggle from Allison.

  “Look, I don’t know exactly what this is.” And that was the truth. “Probably just some manly fun gadget thingy. Anyway, I’m glad you’re okay. Let’s finish cleaning up, please.” Zaire busied herself with her task, her back to the two.

  Hopefully, she hadn’t said too much. If she did keep running off at the mouth, the men with the big guns, black suits, and dark glasses would come and visit their asses too, and that was the last thing she wanted. Their stares bore into her back, but she did her best to remain cool and calm. After a while, they finally began to clean up again, talk and carry on. Zaire sighed with relief. Allison started playing music from her iTunes playlist on her phone, and the three danced around to ‘Good Vibrations’ by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch.

  Just then, her cellphone buzzed. She pulled
it from the pocket of her oversized sleeping jumper and smiled. Savage had sent a text message:

  Savage: Baby, I’ll be home real soon. I’m about an hour away now. Tell Allison and Kim I said hello if they’re gone when I arrive. I love you.

  Zaire: Was worried. I love you, too. Are you hungry? We’ve got food left here.

  Savage: No, I don’t want any food. I saw you made use of my Grubhub account. Looks like you guys partied like rock stars. Glad you had a good time. I want something else though.

  Zaire: What?

  Savage: You know what I want.

  Zaire: I can’t. Have a terrible headache. Drank too much.

  Savage: But I’m not trying to fuck your head.

  Zaire: You are selfish. LOL

  Savage: Me? That’s YOU. The pussy isn’t drunk too, is it? Only you. The pussy doesn’t drink anything but cum, and I’ve got plenty of that. I make COCKtails all damn day.

  Zaire: I’m not having this ridiculous conversation with you right now. Goodbye. LOL

  She slid her phone back into her pocket and ran water in the kitchen sink to wash up the dishes. Her friends were laughing and dancing, having a damn good time.

  “I love y’all so much!” She placed her hand against her lips as tears welled in her eyes. Kim shook her head and laughed. “I’m serious! You always have my back, even when I don’t deserve it. I’m going to be a better friend. No more acting like my world is perfect. You both mean way too much to me.”

  “This girl still drunk, Allison. Out here showing affection, being all soft ’nd shit.” Kim winked at her, while Allison swiped at her eye, smiling. “Seriously though, we love you too, sis. And you’re a great friend; you always have been. Just because you didn’t tiptoe around me and could be abrasive sometimes didn’t mean you weren’t a good friend, Zaire. Your heart was always in the right place and we know you’d give us the shirt off your back.”