by Eve Langlais
If they had, then that meant they’d parked out of sight because he highly doubted they’d walked. Before he could head for the alley running behind the strip mall, the next most logical choice, he heard a bang. Gunshot! Before the second was done echoing, he was sprinting.
The alley lining the length of the strip mall had less light, but he didn’t need much to see the car parked, a sleek Civic, low to the ground, black body trimmed in subtle hints of emerald green. And slamming its trunk shut? Macey.
She whirled and leaned against it and exclaimed when she saw him. “Ted. Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Are you? Where’s Taotie?” He searched the grungy alley with its dumpster reeking of rancid garbage but saw no one.
A guarded expression fell over her features. “That pretentious prick and his sidekick are rethinking their choices in life.”
“Where are they?”
She didn’t reply. His gaze went to the trunk.
Surely, his assumption proved wrong. “Did you kill them?”
“Do you really think I’m capable of that?” A non-answer. And he might have said never if this were the old Macey he’d admired from afar in high school. Yet the woman in front of him wasn’t the girl he used to know.
This woman oozed cool confidence.
What had she done?
Ted stepped closer, “What’s going on, Macey?”
She sighed. “I really wished I hadn’t run into you, Ted. You didn’t deserve to get caught up in this.”
“Caught up in what? Let me help you.” She was in trouble, and while not a man prone to ride any proverbial white horses, he couldn’t help but want to come to her aid.
“You can’t help me.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Actually, I do know. You don’t want to get involved, trust me.” Her lips turned down.
“You’re really scared of this Ronin guy, aren’t you?”
“He’s a bad man.”
“And the twins’ father,” he stated.
She nodded.
“He doesn’t know you and the girls are alive.” He wanted to get the story straight.
“He thinks we’re dead, and I’d prefer it stayed that way. Now, if we’re done…” She pushed away from the car.
“I can help you hide,” he offered.
“Why do you keep assuming I need aid? I’ve been taking care of myself just fine up until now.” Her gaze met his, glinting with annoyance.
“That was before you messed with the Evening Swords, the gang that runs this neighborhood. You’ll need an ally.”
She snorted. “I’ll be long gone before they find out what happened to their street rats.”
“What are you planning to do?”
“Better if you don’t know. Better if you don’t ask. You never know what you’re capable of until pushed to your limits.” He only recognized her haunted expression because he’d seen it so many times in the mirror. The resigned face that said: “I’ve seen and done shit you can’t understand.”
“Is this your way of saying you’re going to try and kill me, too?”
“I’m not going to kill you.” She stepped away from the car, close enough to him that she had to tilt her head back to look him in the eye. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Why?”
Rather than reply, she leaned up and brushed her mouth over his. A surprise. “Sorry because you can’t be allowed to remember.” The needle from before finally made its appearance, jabbing into his side. He reeled away from her and yanked it from his skin. Too late. The contents had been emptied.
He frowned. “What did you do?” She worked in a lab, had she injected him with the bubonic plague?
“Just a sedative so you’ll stop talking.” She grabbed his hand and held him in place.
“I can’t sleep. I have to—” His thoughts were sluggish, meaning he blinked a few times as she poked the back of his hand with a second needle.
“Wass dat?” he slurred.
“Something to make sure you forget.”
Chapter Five
Portia barely managed to grab Ted when he slumped. Given his size, she couldn’t do more than make sure he didn’t slam his face off the pavement. The rest of him, though…it crumpled in a limp heap because she’d sedated his ass. She had to. The reasons were too many to count. Talk about the worst freaking luck in the world. Running into Chen, of all people.
How? What were the chances? She’d lived here for years and never suspected that one of her biggest enemies might be nearby. She hated the man and had roundly cursed—after she’d gotten over her panic—when she found out that he’d lived after getting shot in the head.
Chen didn’t deserve the privilege of living. The man was utter scum. Not bad enough that he’d kept her prisoner, he used to gloat about it, too—saying the nastiest things. Detail what he’d do to her body when Ronin tired of her being his wife. If Ronin ever heard, he’d have gutted Chen himself. But the bastard never uttered his threats anywhere near the cameras watching or the microphones listening. A clever feat given how many of them there were.
So many eyes and ears spying on her. Once she became aware of Ronin’s penchant for voyeurism, she’d learned to notice their presence.
They were everywhere.
But Chen knew a few spots where he could speak freely. And to add insult, Chen was also the one person Ronin never questioned. When she complained about him, Ronin would get that dark look in his eyes. The one that reminded her to tread carefully. “He would never betray me.”
Given their bond, she had no doubt Chen would have done anything to regain Ronin’s approval. He’d have called Ronin and announced his discovery the moment he had her secured. If she’d not acted, Ronin would have found out that she was still alive. Would have learned about the twins. That couldn’t happen.
Chen had to die.
The thought hit her inside the dojo, the second she recognized Chen. The question was, how would she kill him? Unlike some of the other moms, Portia didn’t often have hands-on missions. They preferred her coming up with interesting solutions in her lab. Recipes with unique delivery systems to fake accidents. Pricey accidents, and only if the target proved worthy.
Killer Moms discriminated when it came to clients. And given their success rate, people paid. That money kept Portia and the girls safe. But earning it meant letting go of some of her morals.
The younger kid, Eddie as Chen called him, walked ahead with a lanky slouch, his pants sagging in the ass. Would it kill him to get the right size or wear a belt? So unattractive. And stupid, too. She could see why Chen called him a fucktwat.
Chen had not really changed much. His hair was longer and hung over his forehead, and his face had a few lines in it, but he retained the same arrogance as always as he strutted beside her. He oozed smugness, certain that he had her beat. After all, Macey was just a woman. Harmless. Meek.
I’m not Macey. I’m Portia.
Portia never ducked her head, never promised subservience. Never took shit. Not anymore. She made her own choices, and she knew how to stop people who would hurt her.
She’d killed worse than Chen, but she’d have to tackle it right if she wanted to escape clean. Portia allowed Chen to keep his grip around her upper arm and followed his quick march that led her around the building.
The kid held up a key fob, and lights flashed on a car parked in the alley. A rather dark back street where pavement met garbage. Bags dumped beside dumpsters overflowing, mostly because there were those who went through it in search of treasures.
No cameras appeared to videotape, and yet she had no doubt that someone might be watching. Many of the businesses along this stretch might be closed for the night, their metal doors leading to the alley locked tight, but she’d wager there were some who lived on the second floors. Some had their windows lit, creating a glow on the other side of closed blinds. Through one lacking a covering, she could see the flashing lights of images playing on a screen. To
o much noise might draw one of the inhabitants to a window for a peek.
She’d have to act quietly. A pity she didn’t have enough syringes in her purse to knock everyone out. As it stood, she had one sleep and one memory wipe. She already had plans for their use.
At the small of her back, concealed under her jacket, she carried a small revolver. Lacking any kind of stamp identifying the maker, it also lacked a serial number. The grip of it didn’t hold DNA or prints very well. A good disposable weapon. Only the best for Aunt Joanna. She was kind of glad she’d agree to take it with her now.
It was an insult and a boon that Chen never thought to frisk her. In his mind, Macey didn’t carry weapons. Macey would just blithely go along.
I’m not Macey.
She’d never been happier about the choice to become someone else.
She didn’t draw the gun, not yet. The element of surprise would be key because firing it would draw attention, maybe even the police. It would remain tucked away until the last second. Maybe she’d get lucky and get away with using only her wits and fists to subdue them.
“Want me to use the rope or the cuffs?” Eddie asked, popping the trunk. The casual nature of the query let her know this happened often enough that he thought nothing of it. Chen hadn’t changed one bit.
“Not much point in either. She’s not going to do anything. She never does.” Chen smirked.
“Are you sure about that?” She couldn’t help but taunt him. “After all, didn’t you accuse me of conspiring to kill and escape you?” She smiled.
“You fucking cunt. You will pay for that.” Chen’s fingers bruised as he dragged her to a stop by the gaping trunk.
Better-sized than expected. A good thing it wasn’t the big fellow out here with them. He’d be a little harder to stuff in there.
But two skinny guys? The trunk would do just fine.
Chen shoved her towards Eddie, spitting. “You know what, get the rope. And the gag. Someone needs a lesson in obeying her betters.”
I’ll show him who’s better.
She caught the edge of the trunk as Eddie chuckled. “I’ll truss her ass tighter than a turkey at Thanksgiving.”
Ignoring Portia, Eddie leaned into the trunk. Gave her his back!
It was insulting how little regard they both had for her. At the same time, she’d never get a better chance.
Portia dove forward and slammed the trunk down, catching Eddie hard enough that he yelled. When the lid bounced up, she ducked, heaved Eddie’s legs, and dumped him into the opening.
The trunk slammed down in time for her to whirl and catch Chen’s surprised expression.
“What the fuck?”
She leaned against the bouncing car as Eddie thrashed in the enclosed space. “Did you really think I was going to just let you waltz me back to Ronin?”
“I don’t care how you go. I’ll drag you with all your limbs broken if need be.” He cracked his knuckles.
If he meant to frighten, he failed miserably. She straightened. “Only one of us is walking away today. And it is my pleasure to inform you that it won’t be you.”
“I am going to break you, fucking cunt!” Chen finally snapped. He dove at her, and she ducked, using her head and shoulder to block him, ramming hard into his stomach. The air oomphed from his lungs. He wheezed, trying to suck in a breath, which was when she projected straight up, the top of her head slamming into his chin. His jaw snapped shut, but he screamed nonetheless. Possibly bit his tongue.
Ouch. She didn’t actually feel any sympathy for him, not when her girls’ lives were on the line. Cold. Methodical. This was a problem that had to be solved.
Eddie thumped against the inside of the trunk. She grabbed Chen’s head before she popped it open. Chen’s face came down, and the pair rammed together. The blow sent Chen wailing to his knees. She ignored him as Eddie attempted to emerge, rising with a yell of rage. She throat-punched him.
A lethal move.
While he clawed at his crushed larynx, she focused on Chen. He’d finally fumbled for the knife he kept tucked in his pocket. Still with the switchblade. She recollected the adept way he used to wield it, an extension of himself that he liked to use to carve people into strips. Toying with them. She could only assume he killed them since she never saw those folks again.
He enjoyed hurting. How would he feel having the roles reversed? She would have loved to show him how that felt. He’d been one of those to hurt her. But that smacked more of revenge rather than protection. The safety of the twins came first and foremost. Now that she was compromised, every second counted. She had to deal with the situation and then get the girls out of here.
Hand to hand with Chen when he had a knife? Time to even the odds and risk attention.
The gun emerged, and she placed the first bullet in Chen’s head. Then another for good measure—this had been done before, after all. Just like a zombie, he wouldn’t rise again. He fell face-first into the trunk on top of a frantic-eyed Eddie, who would have hurt her badly if given a chance. Another person who didn’t deserve to live.
She felt nothing as she fired again. She’d just finished tipping Chen into the trunk and closing it when Ted came looking.
He should have stayed inside his dojo.
Now he drooled on the pavement.
She rubbed her forehead and paced. “This is not good,” she muttered. She glanced at the windows and didn’t see any faces pressed against the glass, but that didn’t mean no one watched—or recorded. Even now, video might be uploaded to the internet.
What a mess. She pulled her phone and made her first call to Aunt Joanna.
“Hey, Auntie, how are the girls?” Code for: Is it safe to talk?
“Sleeping like bears in winter,” the reply for: Go ahead.
Portia slumped against the car. “You might have been right about me staying away from this part of town.”
“What happened?”
“Let’s just say I am going to need a cleanup crew for at least a double.”
“Shit. That bad? What happened?”
“I ran into Ronin’s ex-right-hand man.”
No need to say who, Joanna was well aware of Portia’s history. “Oh, fuck. Chen is in town?”
“Was.” She eyed the trunk. “He won’t pose a threat anymore.”
“Good.”
“Not really. He wasn’t alone.” Which made her wonder about the third guy. Still inside the dojo? Eyeing Ted on the ground, she had to wonder since he’d emerged into the alley alone.
“Have you neutralized all the threats.”
“Two permanently, one…kind of. The fourth is pending.”
“Four? I thought you said it was a double.”
“So far for cleanup.” She eyed Ted. “That number could go up.”
“Geezus, girl. I warned you about that neighborhood,” Joanna barked. “I’m coming.”
“You will do no such thing,” Portia huffed. “You need to stay at the house and guard the girls. Get ready to leave.”
“I thought you stopped the threat.”
“I did. I don’t think Chen had a chance to say anything to anyone, but I can’t take the chance that he might find out.” There was only one he.
“Given you’ve only neutralized two of the problems, maybe instead of yapping at me, you should be handling the other two,” Joanna chided, but Portia knew it came from a place of love, the brusque kind that was frightened and frustrated because Joanna couldn’t be there to help.
“I’m going. wanted you to be aware of what happened before I went hunting for Chen’s other man.”
“And the fourth one?”
She eyed Ted on the ground. The right answer would be to get rid of all the witnesses to her sudden return to the living. Meaning Ted should die. And yet, she couldn’t do it. He’d done nothing wrong. She’d given him the serum, meaning he’d wake up and not remember anything from the past few days. Just long enough for him to forget that he’d seen her again.
“Don’t worry about Ted. He’s just a martial arts instructor. A nobody. I’ve made sure he’ll forget.”
“He’s a loose end.”
“You can’t dispose of him. He’s—” She’d have to give the right excuse if she hoped to keep him from being a casualty in this nasty situation. “Ted is my boyfriend.”
Dead silence.
Then laughter. “Bullshit,” Joanna exclaimed. “You just met the guy like yesterday. The girls told me about him.”
“Did they mention that we knew each other in high school?” She winced in anticipation.
“Portia!” Joanna yelled. “How long have you been compromised?”
Walking away from the car towards the end of the alley, she tried to calm Joanna. “It’s fine. I knew Ted before everything happened with Ronin.”
“Doesn’t matter, you know links to your past aren’t allowed,” she exclaimed. “Does Mother know?”
“Yeah.” And given the newest situation, Mother—real name Marie—wouldn’t hesitate to act. Which was why she needed to cement things a bit further. She needed to keep Ted safe. He shouldn’t have to pay for her mistakes. “I didn’t tell her we were involved romantically.” She glanced back at Ted. The things she had to say to keep him alive.
“Do you love him?”
The word almost caused her to erupt into a coughing fit. Pausing at the alley entrance, Portia leaned against the brick wall and stared at the sky. “Does it matter?” she asked, even as she knew the answer. Any tie to her past had to be severed.
“You know you can’t stay.” Even with Chen disposed of, the risk of someone else from her past being around remained high. After all, there had been two in less than a week. How many more familiar faces would she run into? But at the same time, where would she go?
“I can’t just move in the middle of the night. How would I explain it to the girls?”
“We’ll figure something out. Get home as soon as you can. I’ll have a cleaning crew sent asap.”
Portia hung up and sighed. What a mess.