by S. J. Smith
“Come near this woman again and I will break you. Now give me your gun,” Mockingbird rumbled at the swearing cop while pointing a hand gun at him. Jackson slid his gun across the floor.
“That’s how dumbass. You hurt a Daggers’ friend you piss us all off. Now, I remember you had a question Killgood,” Ajax looked at Red who raised a handheld radio to his mouth.
“Do it!” he said into the device.
“Suddenly there was a roar of engines and many headlights were pointing down the hills on either side of her store. A rev of engines and the lights moved quickly down until the Dragons in the lot were now surrounded. The new arrivals, more Daggers, got off their bikes and began moving towards the Dragons. Killgood and the injured cop were shocked, and stared for a moment as the fighting began. It was clear that the Dragons were getting beat.
“If you are wondering about your other men, we already took care of them. You are now alone boys,” Ajax told Killgood and launched himself across the room without any sign he was going to move. Killgood had only turned halfway back so he got blindsided. Terry noticed then that Mockingbird had slipped out with Charlene. Good, she thought watching Ajax punch Killgood in the face twice before he was shoved back. The big man’s beard was streaked with blood and he growled, rushing Ajax. The cop was still down on one knee and stayed there, watching the fight.
Ajax blocked his punch and had one of his own stopped. Killgood got one through and Ajax staggered back, but when Killgood rushed to follow up he caught a kick in the gut that doubled him over. Then Ajax brought his fist down and Killgood couldn’t avoid it. The man was already bent over from the kick so when Ajax’s fist came down like a hammer it knocked him to the ground. Ajax stepped forward and kicked him in the ribs and then the thigh before stepping back.
“I would kill you now but there are some other folks who have an even better claim to your sorry ass’s,” he told them both with a growl. She could see the rage in Ajax’s face as he stared at the both of them.
“What the hell are you talking about Ajax?” Killgood asked. Terry noticed the cop was looking nervous on top of his pain. Mockingbird must have really hit him hard. Or Charlene was a hell of a kicker.
“I understand getting by however you can. It is a tough old world man. Except for those middle eastern arms dealers. That is going a little far,” Ajax said softly. Jackson paled and suddenly bent forward to begin throwing up. For some reason that got Ajax to start laughing and to Terry’s surprise she heard Charlene and Mockingbird from the shadows of the stock room where they had apparently been watching.
“He gets it. That is bigger than a little dealing, or even local arms sales. The FBI gets pissed over that sort of international thing coming to America. So do I, boy. What the hell were you thinking?”
Jackson just shook his head, not looking up. Killgood snarled through the blood coming out of his broken nose, holding his ribs. He was tough, Terry would give him that, if nothing else.
“You don’t know what you are talking about,” he began.
“Sure I do. I thought it weird that right after I kicked those strangers off the Heights you were suddenly interested in those caves. I didn’t think much about it, but put the word out just in case something would come of it. The reason I was not pushing you back that hard is that I have a rule. If you want to keep someone from getting something, you have to know why they want it. It is much easier that way. Imagine my surprise when I found where those two gentlemen from the Heights were from. I was even more surprised when Chainsaw got the information out of them so fast. How do you think your boys are going to react when they find out you are going to prison for that?”
Killgood snarled at him.
“It’s no big deal. People sell weapons all the time. This was just a place for them to do it and a lot of money for space rental, that’s all. What the hell are you so bent about Ajax?” he asked.
Ajax laughed again.
“You threatened my woman, you threatened the Daggers, and you were bringing people into my territory. That is more heat than I like. I found a way around it though. Especially since you admitted your stupidity boy,” Ajax said. There was a rustling in the storage room and out walked a man in a blue blazer with yellow lettering that read F.B.I. Terry felt her eyes widen in surprise. Suddenly there were sirens all around them and flashing lights coming into her parking lot. She saw the Daggers had backed off already. The fight with the Dragons had not taken long and they were being arrested.
“You know to leave my people be right?” Ajax said to the man in the windbreaker.
“Yeah I know. I got your paper work too. Not much of a patriot if you want payment,” he commented while putting cuffs on Killgood then moving over to Jackson who was crying now. Charlene began taunting the dirty cop as more F.B.I. agents began coming into the store. It was over so fast Terry was surprised and yet glad. Maybe she could have her store back now.
*****
Terry was watching the sunrise an hour after the feds had left with the Dragons. She still was not sure what all had gone on. She turned to Ajax on the bench next to her.
“I know I have not slept in twenty-four hours, so maybe I am just slow. Can you explain things to me again?” she asked her lover, or one of them anyway. Red was not there right then. Ajax laughed softly and hugged her.
“Nope you’re not slow. I just didn’t have time to explain. I asked you and Charlene to change clothes as a sort of confusion to the enemy. I wanted Killgood to think you were just straights, clean and modest civilians. I wanted to make him wonder why we were here. Anything to make him wonder about something other than what we were actually doing,” he explained.
“Then I had my people spotted throughout the hills. They took out the Dragons as they tried to sneak up on us. That way we would have the upper hand. They really are not that organized of a club. Killgood is a more bulldoze ahead kind of guy. No subtlety at all. Anyway, I found out about the arms dealers this afternoon and sent someone to talk to them. Once I learned their relationship with Killgood and Jackson it was easy. Those two dealers were on the terrorist watch list. Normally I would not make deals with cops, even for an ass like Killgood. This though is a different situation, so I had someone put in a call and…ta da. It was a done deal. I just wanted Killgood to give me enough time to kick his ass before the feds got him. He did and I am happy. How about you?” he asked with a grin. Terry smiled for him, and then ruined it with a yawn.
“I am great. Just tired. So things should be back to normal then right?” she asked.
“Yep, well as normal as it gets with Daggers around. You know you are going to have more of us around now. Yellow Girl and Kay really like you, and Mockingbird is stuck on that little bird Charlene. Too bad about her sister. That part I did not know about,” he said softer. Terry sighed.
Cheryl had been talking too, and secretly dating Killgood for several weeks and knew all about the deal he wanted to make with the arms guys. It made her an accessory so she was going to do some time in prison. Charlene was a little upset about it, but Mockingbird was helping her stay positive.
“She will be alright. She is tough,” Terry told him.
He nodded.
“So are you Tumble Darlin’. I can’t wait to see how you handle whatever is next,” he said humorously.
“What do you mean? What’s next?” she asked startled.
“We are the Daggers Tumble. There is always something next.”
THE END
Bonus Story 10 of 40
Three of a Kind Desires
Damsel in Distress
Laura Ranger had come to Las Vegas looking for excitement and adventure. But she was not sure this was the kind she had been looking for.
“Look gentlemen, I won’t be able to serve you further. I have to cut you off,” she told the three drunk men in the VIP room. She was used to guys getting frisky. She served drinks in a casino after all, but this was getting out of hand.
“Ya hear that Mark?
She says she can’t serve us anymore,” said the overweight man named James.
Mark, the handsome one laughed. “I think she is gonna serve us alright!”
He reached out to grab her and she moved back, but he got a hand full of her uniform vest and blouse. James and the third man Harry moved closer. Laura jerked backwards as hard as she could and the buttons ripped off of her vest and blouse, opening her clothes down the front. Laura kicked out connecting with Mark between his legs. He went down cursing and let go of her clothes. She staggered back and got the door open as James grabbed her vest from behind and she wiggled out of it stumbling into the hallway, running into a man in a tuxedo and they both fell to the ground.
“Help! They’re attacking me!” she cried out, struggling to get to her feet. She heard cursing and a few thumps and by the time she got turned around, leaning against the wall of the hallway, security came running up. She saw a second man in a sports jacket holding James in an arm lock while the other two drunks were trying to look like they had not been doing anything wrong. Laura tugged her blouse together over her exposed lacey bra, blushing. Fortunately, she knew the security chief who had arrived.
“The police are on the way. Thank you gentlemen for intervening,” Jason, her friend, told her two benefactors.
“Not a problem. We were passing by and heard someone cry out. Then the door came open and this lovely lady stumbled out followed by these rascals,” said the man in the jacket. He was a handsome man, standing just under six feet with brown hair and a neatly trimmed goatee. The man she had knocked down was straightening his tux and was equally handsome, but clean shaven with black hair. He was a little taller than his friend.
“I am Mr. Brock Wainright and this is Jack Norton. We are available for whatever you need to make sure these thugs get what is coming to them,” he told Jason. Laura was as startled as Jason looked. She had heard word of a new customer named Wainright. He was supposed to be a billionaire businessman who was in town for a week. The casino employees were told who to look out for to make sure they got especially good treatment. Laura looked from one man to the other, wanting to remember every feature so she would recognize them around the casino. It turned out that would not be a problem.
After assuring them she had not been hurt, Laura spent the next hour in a security room telling them what happened. They went over it three times and it matched what they could see on the security tapes. By then, the three “VIPs” had been hauled off to jail for assault and she assured the police she would press charges. She was told to come to the station in the morning to fill out the paperwork. As she left the security offices she was surprised to find Mr. Wainright and Mr. Norton waiting for her. She was glad Jason had got her a replacement blouse so she did not look so torn up.
“Hello, Miss Ranger. I wanted to invite you to dinner with us. I am sorry about what you had to go through and realized if it was me, I would be hungry,” he said with a devastating smile. She glanced over at Jason and he gave her an okay signal. The two men checked out.
“That would be delightful Mr. Wainright. I would like to join you and you friend. If I could have a moment to change out of my uniform I can meet you in the dining area,” she told them with a hesitant smile. She was not normally a woman who was hesitant about anything, but this man was reputed to be amazingly rich and exciting. They both smiled and agreed. When they had left, Laura turned to Jason.
“Thanks for showing up so fast. I was getting nervous.”
He squeezed her shoulder and smiled slightly.
“Are you sure you are alright Laura? That was a close call.” he asked.
“I will be fine. They didn’t get a chance to hurt me. These guys should be safe to have dinner with?” she asked.
“Yes, they were checked out when they signed in. Very rich, but they have no history of anything but civil behavior,” he told her. Laura smiled and thanked him again before going to change her clothes.
Laura looked herself over one last time before leaving the staff area. She always kept a good dress in her locker just in case something came up that required it. A red, modest dress to her knees with black heels and a black half jacket. She thought she looked good. It showed off her voluptuous figure without showing a lot of skin or looking trashy. She had put her hair up on the sides and fluffed it out in the back, liking the fall of her auburn locks. She took a deep breath and went out to meet the men who had saved her.
*****
Three of a Kind
Laura was led into the luxurious dining area by the maître’ d whose name was Gerard. He gave her condolences for her ordeal as she saw the two men stand as they approached her table.
“Thank you Gerard. I appreciate it. I will be alright,” she told him.
Laura was welcomed to the table by the two great looking men and after assuring them she was fine they ordered a bottle of Dom Perignon. She had never tasted it before and found it to be delicious. She sipped it and made small talk with the men. As usual, her over developed people skills were working in good order and they were almost easy to figure out.
Both men exuded a confidence and control that was obvious to her. They spoke of travels and places they had been, yet they did so without really saying much about themselves. Most clients at the casinos, especially the high rollers, could not wait to brag about who they were and what they did. These two told engaging stories without the bragging. This made them very interesting to her.
“So Laura tell us, how did you end up working a casino job in Vegas? You seem more the sort to be running it,” Jack asked casually.
“I was raised in northern California and once I finished my associates degree I realized I was bored. Vegas seemed like a good place for excitement and possibilities. Not to mention casinos are great places to people watch. You can learn so much just by watching what is going on around you,” she told them with a smile and a shrug. They both nodded and smiled as dinner was served.
“So what do you see around us here, my dear?” Brock asked before tasting the grilled veal. Laura took a bite of her Chilean sea bass (recommended by Brock) before answering. She had never tasted anything like it but kept the surprise off of her face. She could see that these two read people as easy as she did.
“Well Brock, two tables that way,” she tilted her head to the left, “the couple have never been in a place so fancy and are not sure how to act. Two tables that way,” Laura tilted her head to the right, “the man is cheating on his date and she has not picked up on it yet. It is pretty standard behavior here in Vegas,” she said. Both men looked surprised and glanced over without being obvious about it.
“How can you tell?” Jack asked curiously as he took a break from devouring his lobster tail.
“Well, mostly because he glances up nervously every time a pretty waitress goes by the table. He does not recognize her and relaxes. His poor date knows something is wrong, but has not figured out what it is yet,” she told them. They seemed impressed.
“Nice, did you notice the table to the right of the cheater?” Brock asked. Laura’s eyes flicked to them and away. It was two men, neither looked particularly comfortable, but they were shoveling down their food as if in a hurry. Their clothes were knock off suits and one of them had not shaved for a few days. She finished another bite of her food and took a sip of the amazing champagne and considered.
“They are like the first couple I mentioned. I don’t think they have been here before,” she decided out loud, her voice trailing off. As soon as she said it, it seemed off but she could not say how.
“I think that that is only part of it. I would guess they have realized they cannot afford such a meal. They probably realized after sitting down but did not want to be embarrassed by saying so to anyone,” Brock said thoughtfully. Another glance and Laura could see what he meant and noticed something else.
“They are a couple too. I hope it doesn’t end badly for them. They go good together,” she finished.
Her two dinner compan
ions had not noticed that part of it and she felt like she had redeemed herself from her first decision about the couple. They were interrupted then when she saw her boss, the owner of the Casino Florence, coming towards their table. She began standing.
“Please, stay seated Miss Ranger,” he said.
She had never actually met him. She had only seen him when he was pointed out by the other employees of the casino. He was a short thin man who was obviously very aware of the affect his presence had on people. His mustached face showed confidence and control, like her companions, but it appeared less easy for him. He looked down at the three of them with a smile.
“I just wanted to apologize Miss Ranger for the treatment you were subjected to earlier. I have seen the security footage and I was appalled. I hope those men receive the full punishment they deserve,” he said formally to her as he ran a hand through his thick, black hair.
“Thank you Mr. Lander, that is nice of you to come and see me. I am glad these gentlemen were there to keep things from going too far,” she said.
“As am I. I wanted to let you know Miss Ranger that I am allotting you the next week off, with pay, due to the trauma you went through today. I hope nothing like that ever happens again and we are upping our security background checks to help ensure that very thing,” he told Laura to her surprise, she had never heard of that being done. Lander was well known for being a tightwad and she wondered why he would do such a thing. Lander turned to her table mates.
“I have comped the week for you gentlemen in repayment for coming to the rescue of my employee. You have done the Casino Florence a great service and it is very much appreciated,” he told Brock and Jack. They both murmured appreciation for his kindness and Mr. Landers said his goodbyes and left. They all glanced at each other. The men seemed surprised as well.