This was what I was given as an assignment. Part 1 of a 5 book series. There were few descriptors apart from length and word amount then as I start to write they send me a note that says the woman, the protagonist, is this tough as nails warrior person so I wrote the project and made it the fuck work. I could post the notes I was sent on this story and though I went the River Song, Bourne Identity route with it I still feel the story works. Again this is raw unedited stuff, and I really need an editor by the way, so please read and enjoy. mind the typos. I will totally, totally put the other arts of this story up if I am hired to write them.
Note: I did edit it some and added about 5,000 words to the story so it probably reads a little different then it did before. Please read and enjoy and by all means let me know what you think.
1
Emma Byrne was already sweltering in the jungle heat. The vehicle was impossibly hot and she didn’t know what part of town she was in anymore. Sweat was stinging her eyes and she was trying very hard not to move her hands from her lap. They covered her head in a black bag and for a second she thought to herself, this is it, this is how I’ll go out, but that wasn’t the case. Several miles later the van finally stopped, the men that surrounded her shuffled out, and one of the men gently held her hand as they lead her out.
A short walk later she was given a chair and the hood was removed from her head. The room was a vast warehouse filled with wooden crates and vehicles. She shook her black hair out of her face and lowered her gaze as her vision adjusted to the light and was face to face with Duende, the prolific up and coming kingpin of Sao Paulo Brazil. She did her research. It only took him two years to conquer a quarter of the city. His meteoric rise was a combination of popularity and brutality. She saw pictures of him as a child and he looked so sweet in his school uniform. Today he looked hard. His eyes were dark and seemed to watch everything with a steady even gaze. The moniker came from his youthful appearance, “Duende” was Portuguese for “Elf” and it was very fitting, he was tall, with wiry muscle, and his face was still youthful, but there was an edge that you only got after looking your demons in the eye and embracing them.
He “What is it you want from me?” His accent was heavy and thick.
She stammered, “I’m a reporter.” She wasn’t usually shaken like this, but she had read the file and knew his gang, Os Novos Deuses, was at war with Primeiro Comando da Capital. This wasn’t the first real test of his strength, but it was certainly the most daunting. “My employers, Truth Hunters, are very interested in your story.”
He nodded, “This, I already know, my question is how do we move forward from here?” He leaned back in his chair and lit a cigarette.
Emma heard movement behind her and several men spoke in hushed tones. Duende took notice and looked at the commotion and waved someone over. “O que e isso?” She understood the phrase, what is it, but Duende and his man spoke and the rest was too fast for her to follow. She stiffened when Duende pulled a large handgun from his desk. He waved Emma to him, “Come. Rapida!” She did as she was told and he ushered her out. That was when she heard the first gunshot. It was a single shot outside followed by yelling and automatic gunfire. Duende took her hand and ran with her to a back room. Inside was a file cabinet and a metal desk. He pushed the desk out of the way quickly. The sound of gunfire was still present and Emma couldn’t tell where any of it was coming from, it seemed to come from every angle. “Follow the tunnel and you will be safe.” He said and she looked back to him and saw an opening in the floor. He pulled up on a metal ladder and hung it over a lip in then opening. leading to an underground tunnel. It smelled like garbage and stagnant water, but the gunfire seemed to be getting louder so she took to the ladder with speed.
She paused, “How will I get a hold of you?” She asked.
More popcorn sounds distracted him, but he looked at her with the same steely gaze he had when she first saw him. “Someone will contact you.” He assured her and shoved her down the stairs. She climbed and moved as quickly as she could. There were shriveled light bulbs that dimly revealed the long hallway. The floor was covered in an inch of water and the walls were lined with wires and pipes. Everything looked coated in brown and black grime and she didn’t even want to think what her feet were stepping in apart from water given the uneven and gruesomely malleable texture of it all as she pressed forward.
The tunnel seemed to wind on for almost an hour and she wasn’t sure where she was in relation to the street and even more wary of what could happen when she did find her way out. Where she could possibly be and what people she might encounter there. She did finally find a ladder and though her heart was thumping wildly in her chest she felt exhilaration. When she started with TruthHunters.com she knew they were exciting. They did the kind of investigative journalism that made a difference and showed the things other news agency couldn’t or willfully wouldn’t. The money wasn’t great, but they were making waves the same way Vice did when they first started. Their subscribers were numbering in the hundreds of thousands and she was itching to get out in the field. So far she had interviewed white nationalists, Antifa, and bikers, but this was the first time she had felt in danger. This was the first time she thought she might be shot. Rick Gantz, her camera man, was left at the hotel room waiting for a call to let him know she was alright. He was probably already panicking. He was good at being the rational pragmatist and was proud that he managed to keep her safe in spite of the subjects she was interviewing.
The ascent was somewhat underwhelming. She was in an abandoned building. Plastic hung over demolished doors that were open to the world. There was rubble and garbage strewn across the floor and pipes emptied water onto the eroded cement floor of the building. She careful made her way through the rubble watching for broken glass, needles, and worse. She heard people move into the building and her first instinct was to run, but there was no easy escape route from where she was standing. Instead she crouched as low as she could without laying on the ground and tried very hard to become invisible. A man and a woman came into view. She initially looked like she was trying to run from the man and Emma felt a jolt run through her when he grabbed her arm spun her around and kissed her. She was reciprocating as his hands explored her curves and she certainly had some. Her voluptuous body was pressed against a concrete wall as she curled her leg around his waist. Emma noted the similarity in their builds, they were both sexy, but what Rick would call thick. Emma never had any trouble attracting attention and here in this intimate place where she felt like an incorporeal ghost she could put herself in the woman’s place. Despite skin color, language, or religion she understood what the woman in front of her was feeling and she was envious. Their kissing gained fervor. She grabbed his muscular back as he bit her neck. She heard the woman moan and watched as she dropped her leg and released her grip from his back and reached for his pants. He pulled back to allow her access. He lifted a hand to grab at her heavy tit and must’ve decided he wanted a better view because he ripped her shirt open revealing her naked bosom. She bit her bottom lip as she looked at him lustfully. Her vision drifted from his handsome face to his erect cock.
Emma held her breath and felt her cheeks flush. She looked for an escape again, but the effort was only halfhearted. She didn’t actually want to leave and it felt almost like a participant. Of course that was her mind transferring onto the couple. She turned her attention back to them and shifted uncomfortably on her haunches and felt pins and needles in her thighs, but still she couldn’t bring herself to move. He lifted her up using his hands and the wall for support. She gasped hard as he pushed into her. She threw her head back harder enough that Emma was concerned, but she didn’t seem to notice or lose her focus which was clearly on the man in front of her. They were pulsing into each other and their sounds were getting louder. With each whimper Emma became more uncomfortable. The image in front of her was hypnotic, she couldn’t bring herself to look away until at the last moment. A moment that Emma could almost feel from where she was. The woman carved her nails into the man’s back and screamed, he groaned into her neck and she, to stop her sounds, bit into his clavicle. It was at that moment that the woman’s eyes lowered and met Emma’s. They were glazed over from what she had just experienced, but they were clear enough to know what the saw. Emma saw her eyes crease into a smile. Emma was discovered and embarrassed. She reacted without thought and clumsily rain toward the closest street access. Emma didn’t breathe again until she was on a sidewalk and three blocks from the couple.
“I couldn’t get a cab.” Was the first thing Emma said to Rick as she walked into the hotel room. Her pale white skin was beat red from the sun and her blouse was covered in grime and soot. Her phone died somewhere over her hour long walk through the sewers and when it happened she kicked herself for not putting it in airplane mode. Rick was a younger guy fresh off of reality shows and it showed in his sensibilities. He dressed like a metal head, with long hair, t-shirt and jeans combo, and his ever present denim vest that was eternally evolving with patches that seemed to materialize over night. Rick was holding something back. She could always tell. “What is it?”
He held his hands out and gently took her by the shoulders, “You might want to sit down for this.” He postioned her in the chair and she was too exhausted from the walk to resist. “Duende died about twenty minutes ago.”
“Shit.” Was all she could muster. Rick pointed to the television. It was a speech by the Mayor about the apparent shootout by Primeiro Comando da Capital and Os Novos Deuses. Duende was the only member mentioned by the Mayor and according to the news it was considered a great blow to organized crime in Sao Paulo. “So, night on the town before we fly home?” she asked defeated.
* * *
“Barsoom is the ancient name of Mars.” Bam Bam said over the man on the ground, David Head, as he pointed to the bathroom stall door where the word Barsoom was written in red. “You know that? You know where that comes from?” David shook his head, terrified. He was leaning against the corner in a bathroom stall cramped between the wall and the toilet. He looked over Bam Bam and the two other men who flanked him. “You guys ever heard that?”
The dude on the right, Miller, spoke up, “I mean I’ve seen the tag around town.”
Bam Bam was a handsome man. His face looked as though it could switch from an easy smile to burning righteous anger in the blink of an eye. His deep brown eyes, gave him a mysterious quality and it was that quality that he used in the service of the Irish mafia. He had a way of making people feel comfortable even while he was shoving their head into a toilet on Lower Decatur. “It comes from John Carter of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the guy who wrote Tarzan.” Bam Bam answered.
“I saw John Carter on Netflix, you know, it was okay?” The dude on the left, Dagby, chimed in.
“Really?” Miller asked.
“I wasn’t really asking for much and I heard it was shit, I was pleasantly surprised.” Dagby answered.
Bam Bam was listening and then glanced over at David and shook his head, “I’m getting distracted, You owe money, David, and we need that money today. If we don’t, and that was why I brought up Barsoom,” He points out to the guys, “Bringing it around. Bringing it around.”
“I don’t have it.” David sputters.
Bam Bam stands up, shakes is head and punches the door jam of the stall. “God damn it I hate when people say that.” David flinched at the punch, “Stand up David.” He orders, “Stand up.” David starts to move, but isn’t quick enough for Bam Bam’s taste and he pulls him up physically and pushes him against the wall. “I hate this part, but you know what David? I got bills to pay and unlike you I have to have the money to pay them when it’s due. See you got this idea, like, this ain’t a real bill. Like this is something you can put off.” Bam Bam punched him in the solar plexus, dropping him to the ground again. Bam Bam lifted him back up, “I’m about to go Tarzan on you David and these guys will tell you I can get real savage. Like the lord of the fucking apes.” He grabs David by the ears and looks him square in the eye, “We don’t want this, come chasing after you like this. Please don’t make it us do this again. You have another seventy two hours otherwise, I will have to disconnect something.” He stepped out of the stall, “Guys.” He said as he washed his hands at the sink. Dagby grabs David and pulls him from the stall and raises his arm to punch him as Bam Bam left the bathroom.
Bam Bam walked out of the bar casually, it wasn’t an area that he frequented, but he still knew a few places nearby, he wandered down Saint Charles until he found Lucky’s and made his way up the stairs. “Hey!” Lily said as he walked up to the bar, “Haven’t seen you in a while. You look beat.” She said as she tossed a coaster in front of him.
He smiled at her, “I’m fine. Tully and a beer please.” Lily went about filling his order. He always took a while to come down after he worked a guy over. It created a weird kind of Adrenalin. He used to like the job, enforcer to the mafia, but more and more it just felt like he was spinning his tires and not getting anywhere. The only pleasure he got anymore was how obscure he could make a reference and then tie it back to the guy they were leaning on. John Carter was a pretty big stretch, but not quite the biggest. It became a little bet between the guys at one point, but that was when the job was fun.
By the time Dagby and Miller sidled up to the bar Bam Bam was already nursing his beer. “See?” Dagby said as he walked in, “Figured you would be here.” Dagby said as he sat down.
Miller looked uneasy, but he also sat down. “You can’t run off like that.” Miller said.
“Dude, you guys called me last minute. You know I was supposed to be at the gym. I have a fight in two months.” Bam Bam explained.
Miller got up from his bench and grabbed him around the neck in a friendly way, “When you get the call you come, but we’re supposed to arrive and leave together. You know the rules man.” He gave Bam Bam a half hug before heading for the door. “I love you man, you just can’t be doing that shit.”
“Got it. You taking off?” Bam Bam asked.
“Yeah, jobs over and I have to be on my way.” Miller said before pointing out the door and exiting immediately.
Bam Bam nodded and he looked over to Dagby who shook his head. “I have to get home too. The wife is making Shepard’s Pie.”
“Nice.” He said as they slapped hands together in a goodbye. “I’ll see you soon, man.”
“You still good?” Lily asked as they left.
He lifted his beer and nodded. After another round he stepped out with a healthy buzz and groaned when he thought about the work he was about to do. He bee-lined to the gym and got changed with a few minutes to spare and the itching of a hangover creeping into his brain. Gordon, a short bald black man with a busted up nose and fists that were broken so many times they resemble maces more then hands, cuffed Bam Bam across the back of his head. “What were you thinking?” He said with a growl.
“What?” Bam Bam recoiled away from his trainer.
“I smelled the beer on you when you walked in, smell like a God damned brewery.” Gordon eyed him over, “At least you’re changed, get in there and start warming up. I’m gonna work that liquor off of you.” Gordon moved to the office and Bam Bam was left by himself again. There was a class working a few feet away, but they didn’t pay him any notice. He moved into the ring and started his warm up routine, which consisted of a circuit of push-ups, planks, and punch/kicking combos in rotation. He followed that with several rounds of shadow boxing. His brain started to dissolve into the work out and he thought again about his frustration with work. He was paid to hurt people, enforce the rules of his bosses, and act as a courier when necessary. Still, he had a nagging feeling that he wanted something more than to be a thug.
He saw one of the guys from the office talking to Gordon as he was finishing up his warm ups. Gordon was shaking his head and reacting with animated gestures. The other guy, he recognized as Jimmy, a low level weasel of a guy who ran book and did inventory for the restaurants and bars his bosses owned. He had only seen them speak once before and never like this. After a minute Gordon waved him off and got into the ring with a set of target pads. “What was that all about?” Bam Bam asked as Gordon squared off with him.
“It’s nothing.” He raised the gloves, “Jab, hook, hook low, hook, hook high. Then switch to the other side.” Bam Bam shrugged, lowered his head and nailed the combination twenty five times on each side, building on speed and power with each combination. They worked for an two and a half hours switching from target pads, to heavy bag, to sparring. Bam Bam tried to shake Jimmy from his head, but he couldn’t quite wrap his brain around it. Like an itch that wouldn’t quite be relieved. After break they worked grappling from different starting positions between top mount, bottom mount, side mount and on and on until his muscles were screaming at him and his arms and legs were glowing through a sheen of sweat. The shirt came of at some point during the grappling rounds. His partner kept moving on him which became frustrating quickly, “Get your head in the game.” Gordon yelled as he watched each move, each reversal, “You know this one. Breath, escape, get out of that. Keep breathing. You know how to escape. When you stop breathing you stop thinking. keep moving, hustle, hustle, hustle.” On and on until Bam Bam could hear it in his sleep. “Quit sleeping out there.” He said as if he could read Bam Bam’s thoughts.
Bam Bam was trapped under neath and his partner was moving into an arm bar. “You know better!” Gordon yelled, “Quit sleeping. Wake up Bam Bam! get your head in the game!” That was when he lost his patience.
Bam Bam tapped and got up from the mat. His face was red with frustration. He didn’t feel like he had any strength left in him. “Fuck this shit!” He yelled as he tore off his gloves.
“What’s wrong?” Gordon asked with concern in his voice, “You’re doing well, you just need to keep your focus is all. You looked like your head was all over the place.” He steadied Bam Bam who seemed agitated.
“I’m sorry Coach, I’m done tonight.” He never told Gordon what he did, but he suspected he knew. “I’ll get my head straight by tomorrow.” After all he knew Jimmy.
“You do that. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He nodded and Bam Bam headed for the locker room.
His phone buzzed as he was about to step into the shower. He answered it automatically. “Hello.”
“Hello, my name is Emma Byrne and I work for TruthHunter.com. We would like to interview you.” She said on the phone.
She had a great voice. Bam Bam smiled and answered, “Tell me more.” He wrapped a towel around his naked waist and sat on a locker room bench.
2
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Rick asked as he walked beside Emma on some street way out of the French Quarter.
“Brazil was just bad luck.” Emma said off-handedly. “Besides that, we’re already here. We’re in the Big Easy Rick. Why back out now?”
“How did you contact this guy?” Rick pressed as they stepped up to the bar.
“You’re not the only one with contacts. I have an old friend who lives down here and she, I guess, met the guy. This guy is an honest to goodness enforcer for the mob. Semi-pro MMA fighter out of New Orleans who moonlights as a genuine bad guy. The story writes itself.”
Rick found himself nodding at that in spite of his apprehension. “It really does, but still”
“still nothing. I just hope it’s not a dud, like Brazil.” She walked into the bar. She spotted him. It had to be him. She saw one poorly shot fight on YouTube, but still recognized the face, brown hair and defined arms. He was shooting Pool across the bar. There was a sense of determination on his face, but there was also a kind of casual nature to him. The way he interacted with the world around him said volumes about his character. He was confident, assured, and in control. He didn’t look anything like the bruiser she pictured in her head when her contact told her about him. This was a man who wouldn’t seem out of place in any environment you put him in. Time slowed the closer she got and she felt a kind of static the closer she got to the pool table. Jack “Bam Bam” Riley, a real-life professional criminal.
Bam Bam picked a bar in the Bywater to meet her. He felt like the French Quarter was too close and the other guys might see him. He couldn’t have that. This had to be discreet, he could bring her in, but he wanted to show her his world first, try to scare her off. This wasn’t the first reporter who wanted to talk about the Mafia. It was almost an inside joke among his friends, and some they let in, but most got shown a side they weren’t prepared for and high-tailed it put of the city. The mob ran New Orleans, it was like a secret that wasn’t really a secret. Most of the bars in the Quarter touched mob money at some point and there was an understanding. This was mutually beneficial. Local government got what they needed and the mob got to make their money without much intervention. The golden rule was don’t get seen. This was the last stand for old school organized crime and the city itself seemed to be protective of that fact. It didn’t matter if it was Italian, Irish, or even Russian mob, they all had stake in the city. He held his breath when his phone went off. He was at the pool table shooting some stick with the locals. Mostly hipsters at this point, but he remembered the darker times when the Bywater was a place you didn’t walk alone. It wasn’t an accident that he was working a table, always a fan of The Color of Money with Paul Newman and Tom Cruise and he wanted to look cool. He wanted to look like he was just a regular guy before he showed them the underbelly, but there had to be an edge. There was a kind of showmanship. Pool worked that angle hard.
She walked in as he was leaned over the table, he glanced up at her and the first thing he saw was her eyes. Dark blue against her pale skin that as was accentuated further by her black hair, her lips were pouty and full and he got weak in the knees when she licked her lips. He refocused on the cue ball and took his shot. He knocked it in and said, “I have to take care of something real quick, you wanna grab a smoke?” His playing partner, a guy called Sonny, shrugged and set his cue against the wall.
He reached out his hand as she approached and she grabbed hold. Instantly there was a spark between them literally as a shock passed between them and they both jumped from the experience. “Shit.” He said, she didn’t scream out, but she did put her finger delicately in her mouth and raised her eyes with a playful smile that melted him. That look with that smile played on him and stirred him. “Fuck.” He said, but it wasn’t about the finger, it was about her face and her energy.
“let’s try that again.” She said and reached out her hand. He was warm and reactive. He smiled as the current passed between them and when he grabbed her hand the second time it was an entirely different kind of current that passed between them. In her minds eye she was transported back to that Brazilian building with water cascading onto them from a pipe above. They took the place of the previous beautiful man and woman and were equally voracious in their appetites. Then her thoughts turned and in the dream Jack “Bam Bam” Riley hoisted her onto his shoulders with his face and more significantly his mouth working at her pussy. His strong hands held her waist just above the hips and she writhed above him showered but the water above her soaking her clothes as he lapped at her clit. Bam Bam found the man in the boat and made him stand up and salute. The spell was broken. Emma squirmed in her skirt as she fought the blush that was threatening to creep across her face. “So nice to finally meet you in person.”
“Likewise.” He said in response.
Rick crossed over and shook Bam Bam’s hand, “It’s a pleasure to meet you Mr. Riley.”
“Please just call me Bam Bam,” He turned back to Emma for a moment and addressed her, “I wasn’t aware that there would be two of you.” He said.
“I’m the camera man.” Rick disengaged.
“It is photo journalism, I can’t do much without a camera man Bam Bam.”
“That’s fair.” He was about to convince her to come with him alone, but Sonny returned from his cigarette and tapped him on the shoulder. He lost his train of thought and said, “Let me just finish this.”
“Of course.” She nodded and again laid that smile on him. He shook his head and wandered back to the pool table.
“What do you think?” Rick asked from her side.
“The jury is out, but he moves really well.” She said as she admired his stance as he worked his stick.
Rick followed her view and rolled his eyes, “shower it off there, Cap’n.” He said sarcastically.
“What? A guy like that is probably an asshole, never mind the fact he’s actively a criminal.” She gave him a little smack on the shoulder.
He raised his hands in defeat and said, “I’m getting a beer.” and then moved to the bar.
She watched him play his game and saw him glance at her as he played. He moved around the table give her a full view of his form, but she couldn’t quite get into the “bro” aspect to his demeanor. He reminded her of the kind of guy that she knew in college who always tried to get in her pants. She banished the momentary fantasy and stacked it with things she would think about when she was alone and about to go to bed. She joined Rick at the bar and found a fireball shot and a cider waiting for her, “Oh, you shouldn’t have.” She said and gave him a short arm hug shoulder before taking down the shot.
“Don’t mention it.” He said as he gave her a squeeze in return.
She shook her head and said, “No really, you shouldn’t have, this looks dangerous.” she eyed the shot.
“You know what they say, ‘when in Rome?’” He clinked his beer against her shot.
She took a breath for inspiration and took the shot. Her face screwed together as she took it down, “Cinnamon.” she grimaced.
“Chase it with the cider.” He insisted and raised the coder to her.
She took a swig from the can and the nodded, “Wow.” She looked at the label and then back to Rick, “That was pretty okay.” Rick shrugged and she followed with, “I am pleasantly surprised.”
“I think homeboy is almost done.” Rick pointed towards Bam Bam who seemed to be celebrating his win. Emma looked up in time to see the opponent put money into Bam Bam’s hand.
“Double or nothing.” Sonny said with an aggravated tone.
Bam Bam shook his head and said, “Not tonight man, I have to go to work, but we should do this again soon.”
“That’s some bullshit. You should give me a chance to win my money back.” Sonny was clearly puffing up.
“Just walk away, man.” Bam Bam warned.
Sonny’s eyes were burning into Bam Bam. Emma watched with curiosity and could feel Rick behind her fidgeting. She paid him no attention and instead watched the show. Bam Bam and Sonny they stood at about the same height, but Sonny was a lot bigger. She felt her stomach tighten.
“What did you say?”
“Did I stutter?” Their eyes locked together. Sonny didn’t seem to have the patience for the stare-down and shoved Bam Bam hard. Instantly Bam Bam pushed back and struck him with a jab and was following up with a cross, but failed to land it. Sonny stepped to Bam Bam’s back. He still had his cue and whaled on Bam Bam’s back. Bam Bam fell forward, but caught himself and turned to face Sonny as he was bringing the cue up to strike him again. Bam Bam was faster and speared Sonny into the pool table. The edge of the table got Sonny solidly in the middle of his spine, but Bam Bam wasn’t finished, he clasped his fists together and hammered at Sonny’s sternum.
He jumped on him as the bartender stormed over yelling “I’m calling the cops!” Bam Bam was on top of Sonny on the pool table pummeling Sonny in the face with blow after blow. The bartender pulled Bam Bam off, but he was in the moment and struck the bartender with an elbow to the face. He spun grabbing the bartender in an arm bar before stomping at his head as he put him to the ground. The fight grew as two more guys stepped up towards Bam Bam. One tried to grab Bam Bam, but he wrapped his arm and punched him in the throat dropping him. The bartender stood up as the second new guy threw a punch at Bam Bam, but with a smooth motion he wove his hand between the guy’s punching arm and his head and tripped him. The Bartender grabbed Bam Bam from behind in a bear hug and Bam Bam simply thrust backwards nailing the bartender against the wall and dropping him again.
Emma watched Bam Bam move and tried to anticipate the next action Bam Bam or his assailants would take and she felt a wave of euphoria when she was right. She was enjoying watching him take the men apart. Each punch, or hold, or sweep looked familiar to her even though she didn’t watch MMA and certainly hadn’t taken any self defense classes. It was like a memory of something before.
Rick was having a fit as Emma watched the display, “We really should call the cops.” He said.
Emma shook her head, “Don’t.” Bam Bam stepped away from the fight and exited. Emma grabbed Rick and pulled him outside with his half finished beer. “Come on.” Outside Bam Bam smoked a cigarette.
He stood next to a bank of plastic garbage cans as they got outside.“You ready?” He said and they both nodded in unison.
“Did you start that fight on purpose?” She asked.
“What? No. Why would I do that?” he waved it off.
“I saw money change hands.”
“That’s how gambling works, baby.”
She grabbed him and spun him to face her, “Don’t call me baby, and yes that’s how gambling works, but he only gave you two dollars. Not exactly worth the fight is it?”
“What?” he said feigning innocence, “Fine, yes I had him fight me, but the other guys were purely organic. I didn’t plan on them getting involved.”
“Why?”
“Showmanship.” He pointed out.
3
Rick turned the camera towards Bam Bam as he drove. Bam Bam kept stealing glances at Emma, but stopped once Rick cued her that the camera was ready and rolling, up until that point she had been staring out the window and watching the scenery. Bam Bam wasn’t driving anywhere particular it seemed, just cruising the streets.
Emma stepped into interviewer mode, “Did you grow up here?”
“Yeah, well Kenner and Chalmette mostly, but I’ve lived in New Orleans for the last ten years and we came down for Zulu and other stuff. Nola is where you come for a party. Kenner is where you go home and get a good nights sleep.”
“What about Chalmette?”
“Chalmette isn’t bad these days, before Katrina it was pretty rough, Hell all of this was pretty rough, but I mean, like anyplace else, keep your head and know where you’re at. Don’t be stupid.”
“Where are we going?” Emma finally asked as she looked over the huge boats on the river.
“Killing time. Things don’t really get going until about 11, but I am taking you someplace you might dig.”
“oh yeah, where is that?” Emma asked with a hint of flirtation in her voice.
“End of the world.” He said with a smile.
He followed the curve in the road as it passed a massive building covered in graffiti. “What is that?”
“Old Naval base, mostly just a squat now.”
“Have you ever been in there?”
“No. I know people who have. It’s about what you would expect, dark wet, smells like piss and shit.”
Emma crinkled her nose at that. Bam Bam parked next to a bar that had a small crowd of people sitting in front of it drinking and smoking. The neon sign in front read Bar Redux. The exterior had a mural across it of a cat of some kind with glass cutting into its face. He reached over to Emma who was still enamored with the Naval base and the potential mysteries it held inside, “We’re here.”
He touched her elbow and she felt that same warm energy as before and she turned to him as a smile crept across his face, he’s a charmer, she thought. “It reminds me of something.” She indicated the building and she felt something stir inside.
Bam Bam shrugged, “Maybe you were here before.”
She shook her head. “No. Never.” She got out of the car and looked over the small crowd in front of Bar Redux. “Is this the end of the world?”
“No. This is Bar Redux, it says so on the sign.” He lead them inside and the bar looked like mayhem. The young man behind the bar was a fuzzy headed elf of a man with a stoned grin plastered across his face.
“Is this a bar you frequent?” Rick asked as he took in the scene. There was nothing particularly unusual about the bar, but it had a rogues gallery of strange-looking men and women. A man in a three piece suit, but no shirt between the vest and his skin. Another girl was literally covered in clown makeup and just beyond the door to the smoking patio there was a congregation of people dancing to Latin music. None of it seemed to fit together intellectually, but it all worked. The vibe was good and comfortable.
“Can we continue the interview in the front where we have light and less noise?” Emma suggested.
“Sure. Let me grab a round.” He moved toward a break in the bar near the cash register and spoke to the elf who gave him a brief hug. Others greeted him with a nod or a handshake as he got drinks.
“He’s really cool isn’t he?” Rick asked Emma as they both watched him.
“A little too bro-y for my taste, but it seems to work for him. He doesn’t look out of place and that guy is wearing a dinosaur onesy.” She pointed out and Rick nodded in agreement.
* * *
Bam Bam sat against a graffiti covered wall with a High Life in his hand. He adjusted his shirt, “Can you hear me okay?” Rick gave him a thumbs up and he started talking. “I started with the organization six years ago as a bar back with a strip club in the French Quarter. It was alright, It was on Bourbon street and it was seriously lit. I did so much coke and smoked about an ounce of weed a day while I worked there. It was closed a few years ago when they tried to crack down on prostitution, but New Orleans has always been kind of a slutty city. You can’t remove the sex from this town. It’s in its DNA and there isn’t much else to say to that.” He took a swig of beer and waved at an acquaintance as they left the bar. Some of the other patrons were watching the interview. “So yeah, I was working and one day this guy comes in and, like he’s a friend of the manager, he asks if I would take his duffel bag across town and drop it off at an LA Fitness. I did it. Didn’t think much about it, I had an idea of what was being asked of me. I mean this is a mob town, but it’s symbiotic and it’s been here so long its like taking salt out of seawater. The gave me a hundred dollars to put a bag in a locker. So that became a thing. He came by once or twice a week and gave me a duffel that I took to a random location, sometimes it was LA Fitness, but other time it was other places and some of them a lot more dangerous. It just grew from there.
“I’ve been training in martial arts since I was like four years old and I have been into MMA forever. Everybody knew it. I did tournaments constantly so I should have figured, but at some point they asked me if I would go talk to a guy for them. They told me he beat the shit out of one of the strippers and it’s always been a weakness of mine, but I’m really protective of strippers in this city. I don’t allow that shit anywhere in my sphere of influence, so I was like, ‘yeah, please, let me.’ you know? So, I found the guy and, look, like, I’m not gonna get into the details here, but let’s just say they saw my talent that night. That was the last night I worked at the strip club.” He took another swig of beer and looked over at Rick. “Was that okay?”
“Yeah, we got it.” Rick gave an almost automatic thumbs up.
“How about you? Anything else you would like for your story?”
She smiled and thought for a second about the phrase “They saw my talent.” and her mind went to a warmer place then he likely intended. She shook her head with a smile, “I mean you’re free to elaborate as much as you would like, we’re just happy to put something on tape.”
“Can I ask you a question?” Bam Bam tilted his head with a smirk.
She shrugged, “Sure. I’m an open book.” She lied.
“You mentioned over the phone you had just gotten back from Brazil. What was the story down there?”
Her mind immediately flashed back to the couple in the abandoned building ravaging each other and smiled at the memory before she answered. She dropped the smile and said, “Well we were going to interview a crime lord, but he was killed.” There was something else nagging at the back of her head about the shootout, but she couldn’t quite follow the track of that thought.
“That’s unfortunate.”
“I was there right before it happened. I was one of the last people to see Duende.” She wasn’t sure why she told him that. She suddenly felt exposed and while there was no reason to take the event personally on some small level she felt somehow responsible.
“Have you had anyone die around you before?” He asked and when she looked at him his eyes were on her. She felt her face blush and hoped the light out here obscured her reaction.
“I never really knew my mother, which was like death, but I was so young it was just normal for me.” She admitted. She wasn’t sure why she was telling him all of this. It was as if the capacity to omit had been suspended and she was just singing her guts out to this guy.
“You ready to go?”
“Yeah,” Rick was fidgeting with his camera, “let me just pack this up and we can go wherever.”
Bam Bam stood up and stretch as he swallowed the last of his beer. Emma headed for the car, but Bam Bam stopped her, “We’re not driving over there. It’s just behind that building.”
“It’s all fenced off?” She looked confused.
He shook his head and said, “No, this way. There’s a path. It’s a just a short walk from here.”
Rick returned and they moved down the street in a staggered grouping. Emma and Rick were still in alien territory and checking out all the details of the place. The smell of the water, the traffic down the street on Saint Claude, and especially the shotgun houses they passed painted in strange colors. Bam Bam let them look as he lead them up a bank and onto a path back towards the Naval base. The river looked like it swallowed the land up ahead. Near the end of the path the saw a structure that looked something like a watch tower and a few dark tents out by the trees. It was very dark, but there was still some bleed from the street that made everything appeared as a shadow.
Bam Bam took her hand and lead her towards the structure. “My friends and I used to drink here after work.” He lead her towards the shed.
“It looks terrifying.” She pulled back.
“Nobody is here right now.” He cajoled.
She was sheepish, but followed him anyway. Her stomach tightened as they walked inside the building. “This was my place for years. Bars are expensive and people always showed up here. I miss it a lot.”
A beam of light from somewhere by the Naval base lit his face as he spoke. She realized they were inches apart as she looked up at him and stared into his eyes. The current she felt before spiked and traced a path from where their hands touched to her core and she felt herself quiver from his hand touching hers. She wondered idly as good as this felt what would it feel like if their lips touched. He seemed to read her mind as he lowered his head to her and their lips touched. Her soft tongue reflexively probed upwards towards his. His kiss was soft and strong simultaneously as his mouth moved gently with hers and their tongues finally made their way through to each other. She felt electric and the small quiver from before became a tempest that startled her enough that she needed to step away.
“I didn’t…” Bam Bam started.
“No, I, we should find Rick.” She couldn’t think. She could barely breath. She wanted him, but she stopped herself and hated herself for ending the kiss. She stepped out of the structure and saw Rick crouched on the trail as he watched a boat passing slowly on the river. She looked over to the Naval base and saw a hole in the fence. A chill crawled down her spine and felt a sense of deja vu. She was at the hole in the fence before she realized she was walking.
In a daze she kept moving forward. She thought she heard someone behind her say her name, but she had to see where this road lead. She lifted herself to a loading dock and found a found a door folded almost like paper with a hole big enough to allow access.
Inside the building it was dark and cold. She saw a woman and a baby out of the corner of her eye. She looked at them. She was clutching her baby tightly and her eyes were wide with terror. She looked to her right. Emma followed her gaze and saw movement in the dark. Maybe one hundred feet there was movement. A mass moving towards her blocking out the ambient light behind. She quickly realized it was men, three of them coming at her. She followed her instincts and ran in the opposite direction down a hallway rather then out the way she came. She turned a corner into a tall man’s chest. She smelled pungent body odor coming off of him. He grabbed for her and she screamed, the men behind had broken the distance and she was alone. The tall man grabbed her and pulled her too him, she felt hands behind her yanked at her skirt. She was pinned to the tall man’s chest, she pushed back as hard as she could, but he was too strong. One of the men behind her pulled her hips towards them at an awkward angle. Emma shut her eyes tight and as the hands behind her pulled at her panties she gave one last ditch attempt at escape. She shoved hard against the man holding her, but he was like a wall. Hope was evaporating until she heard the click of a hammer. That click stopped all action. “Hey cocksuckers!” She heard Bam Bam’s voice. The hands stopped groping her and the tall man’s grip loosened. A gunshot echoed through the desiccated building and a man’s voice howled in pain. Emma was dropped to the ground as the group shifted their attention to the man with the gun.
Through the gloom she turned to see Bam Bam fire his gun again and in the flash saw one of her assailants heads explode. Bam Bam pressed forward and batted another man across the bridge of the nose with the butt of his gun. Everything was happening all at once, another gunshot, another voice screaming in agony followed by the sound of a bone breaking. She stood from where she was and saw Bam Bam standing over one of the fallen men beating his face with the gun still in his hand. And after maybe five seconds she felt Bam Bam’s hand fold into hers and pull her down the hallway.
Outside Bam Bam looked her over, “Are you okay?” He asked and lifted her head up in his hands.
She nodded, “Yeah.” Her body was vibrating from t he Adrenalin. He took her by the hand and lead her back to the car. The shock of her experience was lifting by the time she sat down in his car. He crouched next to her still looking her face over.
“You have to be more careful.”
4
“Where to now?” Rick asked as they started driving again.
Bam Bam didn’t respond, he instead passed a car and sped down the road. A train whistle sounded somewhere in the distance and Rick leaned back into his seat. Emma had been silent since they started driving and it looked like Bam Bam was still wired from the altercation. Bam Bam finally spoke, “I’m taking you somewhere, it’s a little too early yet. You go into a place when it’s busy and crowded when you’re picking up so it’s a little more invisible. I mean here anyway. I don’t know how they do things anywhere else.”
Rick arched an eyebrow at the phrase, “What for you mean by that?”
“Thinking out loud.” He pulled into a parking spot.
Emma lifted her head as they parked, “Are we near the French Quarter?” She asked.
“Welcome back.” Rick said. She looked back at him and gave him a smile, “I was just processing. I feel better now.”
“We’re on Esplanade.” Bam Bam answered Emma’s question. “On the edge of the Quarter.”
She nodded.
Outside as they walked down Royal street Emma watched Bam Bam who seemed distant since the end of the world and she wondered what he was thinking about. They seemed to have instant connection, but since they were in the shack he seemed different somehow. She thought back to the building and while it was terrifying she was more interested in why she did it in the first place. There were so many things filling her head, but it was like a din and she couldn’t get a fix on why she was so antsy. There was something building she could feel that, but she felt like there was someplace she was supposed to go that would answer the questions that were burning in her brain. Even more infuriating was the fact that she couldn’t quite put words to the questions. So she tried to let it go and look at her surroundings. The French Quarter was alive with tourists moving in slow moving crowds with beads and fishbowls filled with red liquid. Most were laughing, some were crying, and here she was with this guy who didn’t quite match her expectations. He could fight that was clear and he had a dangerous edge, but it seemed like he went to great lengths to hide it. His head was looking straight ahead and seemed to be surveying the crowd as they walked down the street. “You’re not what I expected.” She finally said.
Bam Bam turned to her, “Who? me. What were you expecting?”
“I don’t know, more brooding maybe. You’re nice.”
“You mean soft.” He smiled back, “Yeah, I get that a lot. I’ve seen some things that would make you question God, but I stuff that shit down.”
“I don’t think you’re soft, just nicer then I expected.”
“I don’t like to be mean until it’s time to be mean. If you owe money, you’ll see mean.”
“Have you ever hung a guy off the balcony of his hotel room.”
“I have.” He said and he stopped in his tracks and turned to her. “A week ago there was a guy who didn’t just owe money, he ran drugs in another part of town and he made the mistake of putting an escort in the hospital. The boss had a sweet spot for her, I did too. She’s still got a broken rib and her arm is in a sling. Anyway I pay the guy a visit and he tries to play it tough, but I wasn’t in the mood so I shot him in the leg. To start. His guys show up, but they knew better then to step in and I had some back up anyway. I hit the guy, a lot, and there were words exchanged, but I had his face in my hands and I dug my thumbs into his eyes. I just kept hold and he was kind of whimpering and trying to talk, but he was having a hard time through his busted teeth and I just kept squeezing and jamming my fucking thumbs in there.” He stopped his story, “The worst part is they almost always shit themselves when they finally die. I can never quite get the smell out of my nose.” His face held the same mild expression, but she could tell he meant what he said.
“Wow.” Was all she could say. Rick was listening and while he was trying to be stoic his face showed his thoughts. He felt like she did with that hood over her head in Brazil. This might be the end of me.
“I’m not nice.” He said and started back down Royal, “Anyway, it’s your first time in New Orleans and I’m thinking a tarot reading would be good.” he said as he continued on.
Jackson Square was filled with people filing down Saint Ann and Saint Peter. On Chartres where the Cathedral and the Cabildo rose over the Tarot readers set out in front of the two ornate buildings. “We could just go to a shop.” Rick suggested.
Bam Bam looked over the readers then turned to Rick. “The shops are fine, but there’s someone I’m looking for specifically. She doesn’t do the shops, but I don’t see her tonight.” Bam Bam started into the alley until he came to a bar, “Here we go.” He said as they got to a little bistro style bar. He pointed out a woman, pale and skeletal thin, she was wearing a white gauzy slip and had a glass of absinthe and a book in front her. “Ms. Eleanor.” He called out.
She perked from her book, “Jack.” She said with a smile, her dentures were yellowed from age.
“I would like to introduce you to Ms. Emma and Rick, they’re journalists.”
She smiled as she rose and took Emma’s hand, “Aren’t you lovely.” She said as she ushered her into the seat across from her. “I would recommend a place in the Marigny. It’s a little pricier, but it’ll suit you better.” She said as she settled in and fished her cards from her purse.
Emma was suddenly nervous, “I don’t want a reading.” She said.
“I’ll pay.” Bam Bam announced and turned to Rick, “Have you ever had absinthe?”
“No.” He shook his head.
“This is my favorite absinthe bar, let me buy you a drink while Eleanor and Emma have a chat.” he lead Rick into the small bar.
“I’m not moving here.” Emma insisted.
Eleanor smiled at the response as she shuffled the cards and without warning rubbed the cards against Emma’s shoulder. The first card she laid was a man and a woman with cups in their hands facing each other. “I think the cards say otherwise my love. The two of swords speak of connection and love. You two are intertwined, you’ve already kissed.” She said as she examined the card. She drew another card, It depicted two children in a garden with cups laid around them. “The six of cups reversed, this past is coming back to haunt you. It is important to examine your past, but the concern is that you may be held back by your past and unable to move forward. The knight of swords reversed indicates resistance and lack of communication.” She said as she laid another card. “I understand you’re restless, he is to, and together you maybe able to forge ahead. He wants you, you want him, but you both are already putting up obstacles in your mind. There will be a period of misjudgment, what appears to be a curse may lead to your salvation and a steadier road.” She was laying cards faster and speaking as she dropped them at random intervals. She looked Emma in the eye as she spoke and as she laid the wheel of fortune card. “Fate is in your favor now, but you are at a major crossroads and before you find your path you will suffer catastrophe” She looked over the cards, then Emma, then reached into her bag and lit a cigarette. Emma was stupefied, she blew the smoke in Emma’s face then put the lit end in her mouth and blew smoke out from the filter and lifted the smoke over her own face and head. The cigarette’s job was apparently finished because she snuffed it out and grabbed Emma’s hands in hers. “I see your mother surrounded by women in celebration. They have suffered, but continue the struggle. The world is open to you now and there are wonders to come. Follow his lead as best you can, but understand your own path and honor it as well.” She said and smiled at Emma.
“Is that everything?” Emma asked looking over the woman with a mixture of bewilderment and whimsy.
“No, not quite.” She said as she leaned back. “There is a man here, he follows you. I don’t understand what language he speaks, but it sounds almost Spanish.”
“Portuguese?” She asked.
“Yes.” She perked at that.
“Duende?” Emma questioned. “Why? We only met for a moment.”
“It would seem your spirits connected in some way. Spirits are things of passion and it seems one of his last acts was to protect you.” With a wave of her hand she continued, “I don’t speak Portuguese, but this man follows you and will help you for the trials to come. It’s not going to be pretty for a while, but you have some powerful protection. Just don’t fuck it up.”
“What?” Emma asked with a laugh.
“Future is a delicate thing, today, tonight this is your future, but alterations can happen. You could fuck it up.” She shrugged.
“How do I not fuck it up?” Emma asked.
“already told you, follow his lead and honor your own path as well. It’s when you try to resist fate that things get cocked up.” She stated as a fact.
“How do you know Bam Bam?” She asked.
“He helped me once upon a time.” She answered.
Bam Bam and Rick wandered out from the bar as Eleanor scooped up her cards. Bam Bam slipped a hundred in her hand as he kissed her on the cheek, “Thank you.” He said quietly.
“Keep yourself safe. Tonight is a full moon.” She said as she graciously put the money in her bag.
“How was the absinthe?” Emma stood and stretched her arms over her head.
He shook his head. “Didn’t care for it. It tasted like black licorice.”
“Do you want to know the future?” She asked Rick.
“No.” He answered resoundingly.
“She’s very good. She knew some crazy things about me.” Emma explained as Bam Bam joined them.
“It’s time to go to work.” He said.
They both nodded and the group ventured off back to the car. “Eleanor said a few things about you.” Emma said to Bam Bam as they walked back to the car
“Did she now?”
Emma nodded emphatically, “She said you saved her life once.”
“It’s true. I suppose you want to know how?” He asked back and she nodded. She let her hand brush against his knuckles as they walked side by side. He didn’t retract his hand and started in. “Eleanor is addicted to heroin and one night I found her in that alley with a needle in her arm. She Oded, but luckily it was when I was working the strip club so I happened to have some Narcan and I saved her.”
“That’s it?”
“No. I sat with her as she came around and got her some food and coffee and just hung out with her for the rest of the night.” he explained.
She absorbed the information, “She also seems to think we’re romantically entangled. She knew we kissed. You didn’t happen to tell her that did you? Given your earlier display of showmanship.”
He stopped and turned to her, “You think I told her?”
“It crossed my mind.”
“What do you want to believe?” He asked.
“I don’t know. She knew things that only you and Rick know and I, just, don’t know.”
“You’ve been with me all night. How many times have I been on my phone?” She shrugged, “When would I have had the opportunity tell her anything.”
She screwed her eyebrows together trying to puzzle out the question he asked. He hadn’t been on his phone at all the entire evening as far as she saw and she wasn’t sure if Eleanor even had a phone. “Alright, I guess it’s legit. It was just crazy the things she knew.”
At his car he opened her door for her and said, “This has just been the appetizer for where I’m taking you next.”
“Where is that?” She asked and let her hand rest on his as she stood at the doorway.
“Collections.” He said with a smirk. She released his hand and got in.
5
RouxGarou didn’t look like much on the outside. It was not in the French Quarter, or Uptown, or any of the places tourists usually tread. It was in a nondescript building in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. The only indication that there was anything at all going on was the collection of cigarette butts along the curb and street in front and the fact that the house was painted a dark crimson red. Bam Bam parked a block down and get out. “This place is called RouxGarou, it’s literally an old school bordello, but really they treat it more like a bar where everybody gets laid.”
“Why isn’t it busier?” Rick snickered.
“What do you mean by collections?” Emma asked, Rick was cramped into the back seat with his camera and he was doing his best to film their conversation.
“It’s self explanatory. We take payment for services rendered, consider it franchise rights, whatever. Usually I go in with a couple of the guys, but I convinced them to let me take it alone tonight. Just a couple of locations to give you an idea of what we do without showing you the whole operation.”
“They were just okay with that?” Emma asked.
He shook his head, “Not really, but I told them I was meeting a girl over here.” He looked back at Rick, “No cameras in there.”
Rick looked to Emma with concern, “How do you want to do this?” They puzzled over the details before Bam Bam got out of the vehicle,
“I don’t like sitting this long. You guys coming in or not?” He asked as he got out. Emma and Rick quickly followed. “This place is all about discretion. Don’t draw attention. Don’t make a scene.” He didn’t lead them to the front door, instead he took the path around the side of the house and pushed a red button on a wrought iron door.
A large man with a face full of tattoos and an impressive mohawk in a three piece suit held the door open. “Bam Bam!” He said. The guy was so muscular that he was bulging out of his suit and his face looked incapable of a smile until he saw Bam Bam’s face. A grin cut across his tattooed face and changed his whole character.
“Marvin!” Bam Bam greeted him back with a nod. They clasped their hands together with a slap. “How you been?”
“Good, and you?” Marvin called back. Bam Bam just shrugged and moved past him. The population grew with every step and as Emma and Rick passed a doorway the were met with a bar. Completely invisible from the front, but alive and thriving from the back. Attractive men and women flirted to the sound of clinking glasses and soft jazz playing somewhere deeper into the house.
A tall older woman with salt and pepper hair greeted Bam Bam with a kiss to each cheek, “Darling.” She said with the drippings of an eastern European accent. Emma wondered if it was an affectation, but banished the thought and just went with it.
“Hello Ms.Nichelle.” He kissed her one cheek and gave her a brief hug. “This is Emma.” Bam Bam introduced her.
“I’m Rick.” Rick added.
Nichelle pondered the two of them, “I like her.” She turned to face him, “This isn’t a regular call, is it love?”
“No. I wanted to show Emma something she’s never seen.” He looked at Emma as he said the phrase. She gave a small smile. “I have some business with Ms. Nichelle if you’ll excuse me.”
“Please look around. Enjoy. Anything you want is available.” She eyed Rick on the last statement.
He nodded and moved to the bar. Emma followed after watching Bam Bam and Nichelle for a few steps before breaking away to join Rick.
Emma turned and lost Rick. She went to the bar, but didn’t spot him. Then made an attempt to find a bathroom in the hopes he would be there. As she moved through the house it had the feel of an elegant house party with the occasional liaison moving ethereally through the crowd until some man or woman scooped her up like an hors doeuvre. She was mesmerized by the crowd naked, kissing, in at least one case literally having sex against a bookcase. She found stairs leading to a second level. The upper level was strangely empty. There seemed to be murmurs from rooms as she walked down a long elegant hallway. More so than the lower level this place screamed bordello, but still had enough elegance that it didn’t feel on the nose, just sexy.
She moved into a room and saw movement deep inside. Gauzy fabric hung from the ceiling, obscuring her vision, but she could see a glint of sweaty flesh. A mocha colored thigh quivered just beyond the shrouds. She licked her lips, her mouth was dry; again she was a voyeur, but still she needed to see them. Courage was building in her spurred by the fire in her core. She pushed forward carefully parting the curtains that kept her from seeing what was going on in the room. She saw a gorgeous black woman straddling a man raised high above him like an angel with sweat glistening on her skin. She was rising and falling on the man’s length. The man was older then her, balding, but still fit for an older man. He back was arched slightly as he tried to reach further into her. Her attention was rapt, but something pulled against her elbow from behind. A hand. She recognized the feel of it, the warmth, and then she caught a waft of is scent, mostly, she believed, his natural musk with a hint of cologne. She spun and faced him and knew the eyes she would meet. The smirk was still present as he kissed her with intention. The slow interplay all night was culminating in the heat rising off her body.
There was a moment when she hesitated. A moment where she thought about the events of the night and about the world she was now in. She gave into the waves of feeling that were crashing into her. There was something to this place, something visceral, and real. It was something she felt the need to explore no matter where the road lead. In a fraction of a second she saw both exaltation and ruination and either choice lead her to the exquisite joy of his kiss.
Emma grabbed him around the back of his neck and pulled him to her. His hand moved under the small of her back and lifted her closer to him, but she wanted him doing other things with his hands. She pulled one down to her ass as she found the bare skin of his six pack stomach with her other hand. She was exploring him and he pressed into her stronger and set her gently on the carpeted floor. Her eyes went wide as she realized he was on top of her. She could feel the heat rise in her and wanted him, but she could hear the other couple feet away from them. Her head swam and soon she forgot about the people, the bar, Rick, all she was thinking about was his growing member pressed against her pelvis and how much she wanted it inside her.
Their mouths were moving in sync with each other, their hands were exploring delicate parts, and newly discovered places. They moaned into each other as her hands moved for his pants.
“Emma!” She heard Rick’s voice and for a second thought to ignore it. She wanted to go back to a second before, instead she groaned in frustration.
“Yeah Rick.” The irritation clear in her voice.
“There was a couple, like swingers, like they wanted me to join them. In bed. I am currently hiding from them” Rick’s face came into view, “What are you guys on the floor?” His face morphed from oblivious to understanding in short succession, “Fuck, I’m sorry.”
Bam Bam buried his face in her shoulder before standing up. “Shall we move on?” Bam Bam suggested.
* * *
Emma saw a dirty mattress leaned against a garage door. There was a single street light and chickens roaming between the houses. “Where are we now?”
“This is a trap house.” Bam Bam explained and turned to Rick, “they are not going to let either of you in.” He said clearly, “I can take a portable microphone if you want to listen in, but that can be tricky for obvious reasons.”
Rick thought for a moment and said, “Just call me. I have an app that will let me listen and record calls.”
Bam Bam shrugged, “That could work. What if they see the phone on?”
“Hang up.” He responded. “It’ll be something to work with.”
“That sounds great.” Emma added.
Rick and Bam Bam hooked everything up in moments. Bam Bam went inside and left Rick with headphones in his ears and the camera on his phone focused on Bam Bam’ entrance. He held the shot steady at the door.
“What’s happening?” Emma asked.
“Nothing. It’s hard to hear with the music they got playing, but he seems to be greeting them.” He said distractedly. It was an expression she had seen many times, it meant he was trying to focus on the words being said. The camera came down after he was clear that very little would happen at the door. She saw someone come out for a cigarette. He looked like a young black kid, lanky, but dressed in the latest fashion, which in this case consisted of a bullet proof vest and cargo pants. The kid didn’t seem to be paying any attention to the door or the car, but he smoked his cigarette. He seemed to be listening to something, because he seemed to be dancing here and there as he smoked. “Wait, something is happening. Conversation got heated.” He looked her in the eyes. “We should go!” His eyes were wide and she saw the keys were in the ignition.
She heard a gun shot. The boy raced into the house. She thought of Brazil, the panic she saw in Duende’s men. Her first instinct was to run. She wanted to jump into the driver seat and get away. There was something just below the surface. Something she felt when the bullets started to fly in Brazil. Something she was hiding from herself and she tried to focus on that kernel of sensation and explored it deeper. Her vision went red and she pulled herself from the vehicle. She didn’t want Bam Bam dead, but in that moment her concern was less about his survival and more about the growing beast in her belly that felt the need for release. She felt it in Brazil, but she also felt it in the bar where she met Bam Bam and she had an inkling that was the reason for her attraction. The violence was a puzzle piece that she wasn’t aware she was looking for.
She got out of the car and heard Rick say something, but she didn’t understand the words, or more importantly she didn’t care to understand them. She made for the side door Bam Bam had entered from. The door hung open and she heard another gunshot. This one close enough to make her ears ring. The first room looked like the garage guarded by the mattress. There was a bank of monitors showing the exterior of the house from all sides. One was clearly displaying the car they were in. Whoever was supposed to be watching the screens had moved to the house where the action seemed to be happening. The kid was just ahead of her and hadn’t paid attention to her, but he met the same scene. There were four men and a teenage girl in the room apart from Bam Bam. One of them had Bam Bam held from behind. Two looked like they had just gotten in a fight.
Something clicked in her head and she instinctively grabbed the kid and pulled him back in the garage. “What the fuck?” The kid yelled and pulled free. He lashed out and threw punches which Emma, to her surprise as well, managed to parry away. She wrapped one of his arms, pinned him against a wall, and grabbed the meat under his throat before she came to. She pinned the kid against the wall and had him immobilized.
She made a quick assessment and decided it would be better to pretend the position they were in was intentional instead of some unconscious instinct that seemed to be surfacing today. She said, “What the fuck happened?”
He swallowed hard through her hand on his throat, “Dude is a narc.”
“He is not.”
“Motherfucker was wired. Rhino don’t fuck with that shit.” She felt something in the back of her head react to what the kid said and her hands reacted again. She had him by the throat, literally, but she took a step forward and pushed her forearm against his throat. Her thrashed and tried to break the grip, but only punched him in the solar plexus and then his face to make him stop before he stopped thrashing. She let him go and the kid dropped to the floor like a brick.
6
Rhino clicked the hammer back and pressed the gun against Bam Bam’s forehead. Bam Bam winced and tried to breath. “You about to get a bullet in your head unless you start talking to me.” Rhino’s words were calm, but the others were egging him on yelling “kill this nigger!” and “you got be hard Rhino.” Rhino waved them off. “Right now we just talking. Ain’t that right Bam Bam.” Bam Bam nodded as best he could with the dude behind him pinning his arms back. “I didn’t hear you.” Rhino got close to Bam Bam, “What are we doing?”
“Talking.” Bam Bam stuttered. He was trying to turn his head as far from the gun as possible, but it was just there impossible to avoid and Bam Bam felt his life laid out before him. He fucked up. He brought reporters to a trap house. He didn’t let anybody know where he was at. Now he was about to die and he knew that it might cause a war.
“Stop!” Emma’s voice was loud and clear. Bam Bam couldn’t see her, but knew what must be happening, she was listening and was trying to save his dumb ass. Rhino took the revolver away from Bam Bam’s head and aimed it in her direction. She raised her hands and stepped forward cautiously. “I think there’s been a big misunderstanding.” She said.
“I’m listening.” Rhino waved her closer.
“I’m a reporter with Truth Hunter, it’s an independent news website. We’re doing a story on Bam Bam.” She pointed at him. She was creeping closer and marveled at how in control she felt. The room was big enough for her to move easily, there was a weight bench, a heavy bag, couch, television set, and a couple of reclining chairs. The kitchen was behind Rhino and beyond the a deck that lead to the backyard. The music was still playing. The girl on the couch was watching everything with an unconcerned look on her face, like this was some kind of minor inconvenience. She was close now. Close enough to deal with that gun which he was holding looser then when she first came in.
Rhino turned to Bam Bam, “You’re just fucking stupid.” His gun was lowered and Wu Tang came on the stereo and that’s when she moved. She moved on Rhino taking the gun hand and twisting it until it was aimed back at Rhino who’s face was an expression of shock. The trigger was pulled and the gun exploded in Rhino’s face. Blood spattered against Emma’s face as she pulled the gun from Rhino’s dead hand.
“Define irony.” Emma said as she raised the gun and fired again. Three men dead in as many seconds. The only one left was the guy holding Bam Bam and his jaw was on the floor as he watched this woman kill everyone in the room. “Let him go.” she said without malice. He did as he was told and Bam Bam was equally stupefied. “Are you ready to go.” She said with the casual manner of someone ready for their check at a restaurant. Bam Bam just nodded and followed after her as she went downstairs.
“What the fuck was that?” Bam Bam asked as they left the house.
She shook her head, “I don’t know. I’ve been feeling different lately.” she seemed strangely wistful as she got into the care.
“Different? That’s different? Seriously, we need to have a long talk.” Bam Bam said as he slid into the driver’s side.
“Yeah, we should talk about what happened at the bordello.” She said. Bam Bam was dumbstruck, “That is not…”
“What happened?” Rick asked.
“Emma here went all terminator and very likely started a war.” Bam Bam explained as he put the car in drive. “I am so fucked.” Gunfire popped from the window upstairs hitting the car and shattering the back window as he pulled out and blasted down the street. Rick was screaming in the back.
“I’m shot!” Rick screamed.
Emma snapped out of it and turned to the back, “What? Where?” Rick was patting his whole body down to look for the wounds. Emma helped, but found nothing. “There’s nothing there.” She said.
He calmed himself, “Oh, yeah. I’m, I’m okay.” He calmed a bit as they pulled out onto a busier road.
Emma turned back to Bam Bam, “Where are we going?” she asked.
“Well, we need direction.” He said and shook is head as he drove.
* * *
Bam Bam drove in a kind of daze. His thoughts were all over the place and he couldn’t figure out what to do next. He kept looking down at his phone expecting a call. After some time to cool down and let the Adrenalin in his system subside he found himself in front of the gym. Rick was checking his equipment and Emma still had a dreamy expression on her face, “Everybody out, we’re here.”
“Where is here?” Rick asked.
“Gordon’s gym.” He got out.
Rick tapped Emma on the shoulder, “What happened in there?”
She turned to him and shrugged, “I don’t know. It was like I was possessed or something. I felt this in Brazil, but it wasn’t this strong. Ever since I got off the plane I’ve felt familiar, like I’ve been here before.” Her eyebrows screwed together as she tried to search for the words for what she was feeling. She thought back to her childhood and remembered very little. Her mother had left when she was young and she never really knew her, so it was just her and her father. He never talked about her except to say she was beautiful and loved her very much. She pressed more when she was a teenager, but his answers were always evasive and she eventually gave up. “We should go in.” she said when she realized they were both sitting in silence as Rick was searching her face for some answer as to what was going on. She smiled at him and touched his hand on the headrest before leaving. He followed quickly after. She hadn’t thought about her mother in years, but suddenly it seemed she was a clue to what was happening to her.
Inside she saw Bam Bam talking to stout man next to an octagonal ring. They hadn’t seen Emma and Rick yet and seemed to be in deep conversation. She closed the distance and reached out to shake Gordon’s hand, “Hi, I’m Emma Byrne.”
He made eye contact, but didn’t take her hand. “You’re in a heap of trouble.” He said as matter of fact.
“I was just…” She tried to explain.
“It was a mess. This boy,” Gordon cut her off, “This boy thinks more with his cock then he does with his head and you just come here and walk in like you own the place. I don’t want none of this in my gym. Do you even know who that was that you killed back there?” He was getting animated as he admonished her.
She looked over to Bam Bam who wasn’t making eye contact with her. “I don’t know who they were.”
“They were part of the Guede Boys. They aren’t huge, but they are well connected to the city and you have just kicked a hornets nest.” He put his hands on his hips and shook his head. “I want you and your camera man out of here. I never saw you. I don’t know you.” He waved his hands and walked away from her and Bam Bam.
She turned to Bam Bam. “Do you want me to leave?” She asked.
He couldn’t quite look her in the eyes, “Listen, I have to find a way to clean up this mess and it’ll probably be dangerous to be around me. You should probably get out of here.”
“Well, can I contact you tomorrow?”
He shook his head, “I don’t think you get it. You are in danger, you should probably leave New Orleans all together.”
She tried to read his expression and that’s when she saw he was terrified. All night she hadn’t seen it, even when he had a gun to his head, but here and now she saw his whole spirit was afraid of what was coming for him. She wanted to be angry, but they were right, she had done something. She had murdered three people and hadn’t even batted an eye. She didn’t even know she was capable of what she did and now in after thought she didn’t regret any of the actions she took. Emma wondered what that meant, but she felt the sting of tears starting to form at the corners her eyes. She turned away from him and grabbed Rick who was a few feet back. “Come on Rick.” she said as she marched out of the gym. “I need a fucking drink.”
* * *
Bam Bam sat in the locker room on a bench with is head hung low and his arms draped on his knees. Gordon walked in and sat next to him. “It’s going to be alright.” He said and patted Bam Bam on the shoulder.
He didn’t look up at Gordon, “I really don’t think it is. The worst part is, I kind of asked for this.”
“When you work for those kinds of people you have to expect something like this and yeah, you certainly did step in it.” He nodded.
“No, I mean lately, I’ve wanted out. It’s been all I’ve been thinking about, but I just can’t quite get myself to pull the trigger.”
“well I think your girl pulled that trigger for you.” He said and in spite of himself Bam Bam let out a laugh.
“She certainly did. I thought for a second she might be the one, but man, after what I saw tonight I think maybe I dodged a bullet.”
“Don’t go sticking your dick in crazy.” He said, again trying to lighten the mood.
He finally lifted his head up. “I didn’t quite make it there, but man I was this close.” He made a small gesture with his thumb and forefinger.
“Shit. Well, she was a looker.” He nodded.
Dagby and Miller walked into the locker room and Gordon shifted and stood up. Bam Bam looked confused. “What the hell?”
Gordon shrugged, “I called them. Look, it’s better to come clean and rip the band-aid off.”
“I’m a dead man Gordon.” Bam Bam shook his head. He stood up and faced Miller. “Come on out with it. I know you want to say it.”
Miller smirked and started in,“You should’ve called us before you went to do collections Bam Bam.” Miller said, “At least then we could back you up, but now we have to bring you in.” He said.
“You know what’s gonna happen next man. I can fix this.” He insisted.
“How?” Dagby started in, but Miller stopped him.
“There isn’t any fixing this. Ian is going to have a sit down with the Guede Boys and try to smooth things over, but they’re gonna need to see you’ve been punished.” Miller explained.
Bam Bam tensed, unsure of his next move, but he knew something had to happen or he was going to be brought in and probably killed. They would drop him in a swamp somewhere out in the bayou and he would never be heard from again.
* * *
Emma and Rick found themselves back in the French Quarter and after brief walk down Bourbon Street found it to be far too crowded and headed for Frenchman based on a locals suggestion. Rick was doing his best to keep the mood light and was doing a decent job, but Emma’s mind went back to the trap house and what happened there. She was a murderer now. She killed men and what’s more intriguing, she was good at it. They wandered down Decatur Street towards Frenchman and she was still in a dreamy haze. Rick looked at home among the dirty kids hanging on the street and the tourists milled by with a slow awkward gait looking at everything they passed. They hadn’t quite made it to Frenchman when they wandered into a bar called The Abbey. It was a dark place filled with punks and a few tourists, but most of them talked and reacted to each other as though they were regulars. The woman behind the bar was a short woman with dreadlocks wearing a tight fitting vest and black and white striped pants. She was joking with a customer towards the end of the bar when they sat down on two mismatched benches. “This looks like my kind of place.” Rick said.
“Wait, you didn’t love the bordello?” She asked mockingly.
“Not near as much as you did.” He said as he shook his head.
Her mind jumped to Bam Bam and their encounter at the bordello. It was so random and not what she had expected to happen, but she was happy it did. She could feel his mouth on hers still even as her mind was reeling from tonight’s events.”Yeah.” a smile formed across her lips.
“What happened to him being to Bro-y for you?”
“Never say never.” She said as the bartender got to them.
“What can I get you?” She asked pleasantly.
“Hi, I’ll just have that shot and beer special.” Rick said as he picked up the small menu in front of him. “Um, Fireball and a Rolling Rock, haven’t had that in years.” he said with a smile.
Emma just said same and went back into her head. There had to be a way for her to fix the situation, but she was at a loss. There were so many questions that needed answers. “I’m staying.” She said out of the blue.
“What? Why?” Rick asked as the beer and shot were placed in front of him.
“I want answers and I want more then anything to fix the mess I made.” She said as she nodded her head. She took her shot down with a grimace and took a swig of beer, “Not as good as the cider.” She winced.
Outside The Abbey a tall black man in a t-shirt, a tail coat stood, and a pair of sunglasses with one lens missing lifted an AK-47 and fired on the bar.