The Tale of the Blood Diamond

by Laveen, Tiana

  “Well, it looks like our work here is done.”

  Agent Kittle happily stood as well, appearing eager to leave. He grabbed the suitcase filled with cash, closed and locked it, then took quick steps to the front door of the hotel room. Lorenzo slowly glided behind him, a grin on his face that he couldn’t erase. In moments, the man fell to his knees in front of him. The naïve, greedy pest slumped over in a fleshy pile.

  Lorenzo clicked his tongue against his inner cheek and placed the gun with the silencer back into his pocket.

  “I’m sorry I had to do that, Agent Kittle. But, you are the type of mothafucka that scares easily. I had no real intention of killing anyone tonight. Why would I have gotten all of this money if I planned to ice you, huh? But, I have to trust my gut. You’re a scary mothafucka. I could see that about you. I can’t have any loose ends because after I off this mothafucka, I don’t want anyone being able to do a re-trace of steps, and the trail lead right back to my ass! No, sir!” He stooped over the dead man and peeled his fingers away from the suitcase, retrieving his money. Lorenzo shook his head. It was a shame, really. If only the mothafucka had had a backbone.

  If only he hadn’t been sweating and making a fool of himself. Thus far, Lorenzo had done well with eliminating any potential rats in the race. He’d even taken care of Centipede right before his disappearing act, making sure the man had a high that took his ass right out of here. After the evening he saw him and Centipede dropped the dime, he felt sorry for the mothafucka. He liked the old pimp, but Centipede had a big ass mouth and had pulled his card when he saw the lust in his eyes for the information he held. So Lorenzo bought some primo cocaine and mixed it with just the right amount of arsenic and rat poisoning, and now, Centipede finally rested in peace — restored to his former glory. He’d even paid for the funeral and gave his regards and regrets that he couldn’t attend. He made sure his girls spread the word about his heavy heart, and placed red roses on the man’s plot.

  This was the part of Lorenzo’s job he didn’t like. It was a necessary evil, but it wasn’t something he glorified or looked forward to. He was in the business of feeling good, of pretend love based on the profitability of sex. But, since he’d killed at a young age, he realized it must be in his blood as well, though he hated it all the same. He didn’t relish the shit — but being sloppy would cost him his life, and he couldn’t afford to leave scraps behind for any dogs to come and sniff, eating up his chances at a clean get away.

  He looked down at Agent Kittle’s body and shook his head.

  “At least you a lightweight son of a bitch. I can carry you outta here easily.” He went to the bedroom and dressed in his painter’s uniform. The light gray jumpsuit with splotchy white dye covering it fit the bill as he shoved the dead man’s body into an equally paint splotched bag made of thick tarp. Taking a deep sigh, he slung the waif over his shoulder, pulled down his cap and exited the hotel; on his way to a parked beat up van he’d rented just for the occasion. Into the back with a heavy thud went Kittle’s body as it hit some plumbing piping but he wouldn’t rest there for long. Soon, the corpse would join decaying debris and lifeless vermin deep in the Atlantic ocean, forevermore…

  CHAPTER NINE

  “You’re wasting time.” Jayme shoved her shoulder into the man, trying to move the brute the hell out of her way. That brute was her husband and here he stood, using his body as a shield to block her from entering the living room. She could hear their voices, strange dialects and intonations. A slew of men were in her home, and she wanted to meet these guys, find out what was going on.

  “I’m not wasting time and you can stop trying to bully your way past me, woman. You aren’t going anywhere until I explain this to you.”

  Jayme looked up into Xzion’s eyes. She cursed him, hated how he was taking her control, balling it up and tossing it aside like yesterday’s news.

  “Why do you keep fighting me on everything?! I have to beg you for information, force my way into the know. You promised me you’d be more forthcoming, and yet here we are once again, arguing about this assignment of yours.”

  “Jayme, you don’t understand. You think —”

  “No, I understand fully, Xzion!” She didn’t miss the silence in the room now as her voice escalated, no doubt eliciting the attention from the ‘guests’. “The world is turned on its damn axis, and you still are trying to keep me away from it. Well, I’ve got news for you! I live here, okay? This is my planet, and I may be just some cop to you, not a space warrior alien such as yourself,” she rolled her eyes, “but I have a vested interest in this place. I swore to protect and serve, and that’s what I’m going to do! Now move!”

  “You don’t understand what you are about to see, Jayme! This isn’t about control, damn it! I need to sit you down and show you photos and explain this to you, first.”

  “Photos? Like I need a picture book?” She laughed in disgust. “No, you said they are odd looking, fine. Stop babying me and give me some damn credit, here!”

  Suddenly, Xzion’s face cracked with a smile, showing all of his perfectly white teeth. He stepped aside and ushered her toward the closed archway door.

  “Jayme, since you believe you know what you’re doing, then by all means…be my guest.”

  Taken aback by his sudden compliance, she walked past him suspiciously then slowly opened the steely door. She gulped, then swallowed a bit harder as she took notice of an assortment of disturbing figures, all leisurely lounging about her living room. One grinned at her, its mouth the size and shape of a football.

  Oh…oh, shit…

  Her eyes fluttered. Before she knew it, her knees were giving way and black overtook her senses until she could hear and see no more…

  ****

  Xzion rubbed his chin and couldn’t wipe the stupid smirk off his face as he looked at Jayme slumped in a chair, an ice pack sloppily crowning the side of her bruised head. He observed her eyes flutter as she came to, her consciousness finally taking hold.

  “Hmmm, things still a bit blurry? Your vision will be fine soon. You took quite a nasty fall.” He stepped closer to her and pressed the icepack against her bleeding temple.

  “Oh Jesus…” she mumbled as her tired dark eyes surveyed the room. “It’s true…I didn’t imagine this. There really is a fucking E.T. in my house…” she slurred…

  ****

  Suddenly, a deep rumbling voice cut through the commotion. “We apologize for our intrusion and your subsequent shock,” said a creature with skin that appeared to be changing metallic colors, rather politely at that. He stood there in a black suit that seemed made of a material similar to leather, with shiny white and silver buttons. His neck was long, his head bulbous and his limbs stretched. His mouth showed nothing but blackness when opened. She placed her hand across her heart as if that would somehow quiet the fear-driven pitter patter. She’d never seen anything like this in her entire life and working on the streets of D.C., she’d seen a hell of a lot.

  On one side of the room appeared humans, but she knew better. She surmised by their clothing and all too familiar stances, they were Zarkstormians. They were dressed in black military outfits, and all possessed that same stern-faced expression she had seen on far too many occasions in her own home. In the middle of the room was a small cluster of these creatures, like the one that apologized to her. Their eyes were long and narrow, with white specks dancing inside of them. To the far right was a woman dressed like the Zarkstormian military. Her skin was buttery, a deep tan like her husband’s, and her hair just as black at Xzion’s, yet it flowed to her shoulders. She was attractive, and her body language, such as her head cocked slightly to the side and tough girl pose, screamed she was itching for a fight. Her slender yet feminine body moved in a black material that resembled shiny, liquid leather yet her feet were encased in heavy, black boots.

  I don’t like how she’s looking at me…

  The woman’s lips twisted in a grimace as she peered at Jayme, as if they h
ad some unknown history with each other. Jayme shook it off and continued to peruse the room.

  Next to her stood two beings with stark white flesh that seemed to glitter. Their hair was just as light, and piercing, large jade eyes took up half their faces. Their bodies were covered in loose, silky robes, and the corners of their lips appeared to be turned up in a smile. Xzion broke her thoughts as he spoke up.

  “Jayme, I will make this fast. Over here,” he pointed to the metallic skinned group, “are Zarkstormian allies. These people are called Maxoms.”

  “They…they aren’t aliens?” Her lips quivered as her head throbbed in pain.

  “Well, aliens is kind of an offensive term, but yes, that is what they are — just like me. I don’t mind the word, but some of us do. Now, over here are my people. The Zarkstormians. … This is just a small segment of the military population that has joined us for a meeting. The military will stay with us, but the others will return to their respective planets. I needed to brief them on what was going on so that we can have their continued support, and so they can get a sense of Earth terrain in order to help better protect you. If need be, they can be called in for back-up. Some have not travelled to Earth personally before, though their ancestors have. Now…” He paced the room. “The rest of them are not far from our home and shall remain stationed there, waiting for orders from myself and Aton. Matter of fact, they are right up the street. This is my sister.” He pointed to the woman who stood with the scowl still imprinted across her face. “Her name is Cxeza. You would consider her your sister-in-law.”

  Ahhh, his sister…

  “Pleased to meet you,” the woman said, her voice cool and icy, the glower still on her face. Jayme figured maybe that was simply how she looked. She’d forgotten that Zarkstormians typically didn’t smile. Xzion didn’t smile much either, but he’d gotten much better, so much so, it was coming naturally to him now. He had become the Zarkstormian exception, and he’d told her it was all her doing…

  “These two beings are Id and Lo.” He pointed to the dark aliens at the other side of the room. “They too are fierce Zarkstormian allies. They come from a planet called Poa. They are small in number, but very strong and wise. They have a long history with the Yuledrakes.” Id and Po both nodded and offered pleasant smiles in Jayme’s direction. One opened its mouth, and one of the most melodic sounds Jayme had ever heard seeped out like sweetly scented mist. It was as if she or he were singing the words.

  “Your son will be a great leader.”

  The words sent shivers up and down Jayme’s body. The alien was prophesizing, right there in her presence, and somehow, she knew the words were true. This was no conning Gypsy with a dusty crystal ball waiting for a crumpled twenty-dollar bill after a reading. Jayme never told Xzion, but while she was pregnant, she’d had so many dreams of their child growing up and leading a nation. She thought it was silly in retrospect to put such stock in a dream, but this creature stood there and reiterated what she’d always felt in the depths of her heart. She couldn’t help staring at the two aliens. They’d be going back home as soon as the meeting was over, but this moment would stay in her mind forever. She’d never seen anyone, or anything, so beautifully haunting before.

  What sex are they? I can’t tell…Do they even have a gender?

  “We are both,” the other one offered, reading her mind. “You wondered if we are male or female; we are one and the same.”

  Jayme felt the sweat roll down her face like slowly unraveled window blinds. She’d lost consciousness from a visual sensory overload and hit her damn head on the side of the door going down… and now here she sat: bloodied, confused and humiliated. She’d made a fool of herself, and worse yet, she was still scared shitless, looking at these strange beings, and knowing there were more Zarkstormians to come.

  “Sweetheart,” Xzion said as he gently touched her knee. “Aton is on his way as well. We are at war.” He looked towards the ground as if he needed a moment. “The simple fact of it is…you, your family, your friends…everybody, baby, is in serious danger.”

  Her heart fell so low; her feet couldn’t keep the damn thing up. She’d already known the truth, she’d known for weeks, but hearing it from him solidified it.

  Come on Jayme, pull yourself together!

  She fought for the right words, but her tongue stayed heavy while she chased coherent thoughts to utter. The man had finally admitted the damned truth and laid it before her. There would be no more secrets kept to protect the innocent.

  I’m going to fight. I don’t care who the hell walks in here, I’m going to fight!

  Yes… she was going to fight, bloodied head or not, scared to death or not. She’d fight because she had a baby, a mother and a father, a brother and friends that she loved. She popped out of her chair, took another look around her living room and met eyes with the man she knew was going to risk his own life to give her what she wanted…what she needed.

  “I’m ready. I can do this, Xzion. Tell me what I need to know, show me how to help you. I’m not just your wife; I’m your partner. Forever…”

  “Bravo!” his sister called out, clapping, her face still twisted in a condescending smirk. “For a minute there, I thought you were going to go into a fetal position and cry. Glad to see you’re willing to grow a spine. Geesh! I don’t buy any of this. She is just like all the others, and will only get in our way. Can we just put her away somewhere while we get this worked out?” Cxeza barked.

  “Excuse me?! Let me tell you something, See-ex-suh, you don’t know —”

  “Stop.” Xzion put his hands up and turned towards his sister, his brows furrowed and a look of heated anger on his face. “Cxeza, I wish to speak to you alone, but first, you are going to apologize to my mate.”

  The woman stood there defiantly, her lips sealed. She crossed her arms and turned away, as if nothing had been requested. She didn’t give one damn.

  “I said apologize, NOW!” Xzion roared, the vein in his neck pulsed as his voice shook the damn place, causing Jayme’s ears to ring. She’d not heard him yell that way, ever.

  Cxeza turned to Jayme, her eyes hooded as she did as instructed, belted out a half -assed apology. “I’m sorry if my words offended you. Maybe you should go lie down while we take care of this. Is that better?”

  I outta punch you in the damn throat!

  Before Jayme could protest and land into her, with her damned fist preferably, Xzion grabbed the woman by the arm, and harshly dragged her out of the room. The woman twisted and turned in his grip. The woman went off in their native language — no doubt cursing Xzion out. Xzion was responding back in the same way, the same angry tone, and Jayme couldn’t make heads or tails of what they were saying.

  She stood there with all of the beings and the Zarkstormians, just her, and them, and the song, ‘How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)’, by James Taylor coming through softly over the radio.

  “Uh…” Jayme stumbled over her words. “Well, can I get anyone anything to drink?”

  ****

  Xzion stood outside in the freezing cold with the woman he’d grown up with and took care of. They grew up in the same house, had been sent away to the same school, and though they were in different military branches and two years apart, they stayed in communication. Cxeza had always looked up to her older brother; she was proud of him, or so she claimed. Now, she looked at him as if he were some science project gone bad. He hated it, but this wasn’t about him or her, it was about so much more. Looking at her reminded him of their mother, as Cxeza was almost a splitting, younger image of her.

  “I’ve let your attitude slide since you’ve been here, Cxeza. I know how you, Mother and Father feel about my wife and myself still being here. I do not care what your opinions are. She is my mate, and you will respect her!”

  “She is a weak parasite that happened to get lucky and have your child. Nothing more. Hey, it isn’t her fault.” The woman smiled ever so lightly. “She’s human.” Cxeza threw up
her hands. “There is nothing she can do about her deficiencies.”

  Xzion pointed in her face, and talked through gritted teeth. “Don’t you ever speak of her that way to me again, or to her, or in front of her to others. Do not speak to the troop about her in a negative fashion. Do not speak of her at all if you must continue this! Those men look up to you — you are their leader. What you say holds weight and right now, you are a dishonor!”

  The woman recoiled as if he’d shot her with a laser gun.

  “What nerve, Xzion. You are the one that impregnated an Earthling! No one has told you just how disgusting many of us think that is, because you are feared and your offspring provided the cure. It’s looked at as ungrateful to utter such a thing, for due to your perversions, we have renewed life. There were plenty of Zarkstormian women who could have been your mate! This was totally absurd. Nevertheless, the nature of the whole thing is absolutely grotesque and if I’m the only one brave enough to tell you the truth, so be it!”

  Xzion’s hand trembled by his side. He tried with all of his might to resist hitting the woman. His eye warmed and his insides jellied. He’d never felt such rage towards his sibling in all of his life, and she definitely had a way of pushing buttons as of late — but this time she slammed the buttons down with a balled fist.

  “Oh, so you want to hurt me now?” She looked at him and took a cautious step back. “For telling the truth? For telling you what everyone is thinking but won’t say?”

  “Cxeza, I’ve never been more disappointed in you as a Zarkstormian as I am right now, at this moment. You have failed. Unfortunately, you and I share the same bloodline, the same lineage. You’re a disgrace, a dishonor to our people.”