Angel's Authority

Part One, Chapter Eleven: Eva Payne

Based on the Volition Inc.™ game: Saints Row™

EVA

I only knew how to find them by following one rather sloppy gang member. Dropped things all the time, almost got run over by a car and led me straight to the Saints' hideout. With a drunkard like this being part of their group, I was surprised that they even managed anything at all.

Anyway, I arrived at their so-called headquarters more easily than anticipated. It was a church looking like it had been demolished and abandoned years ago, full of ugly graffiti – nothing artful really, just letters and abbreviation – and had barred windows and walls, missing several bricks at some spots.

People were standing inside the church's yard behind a short fence, either talking, drinking or practicing their combat skills. Contrasting the gang's reputation once again, its other members looked like incapable hooligans too and I wondered how they had managed to topple both the Carnales and Westside Rollerz. They must have a secret weapon of sorts.

The closer, I got to the main entrance, the more people began noticing me and cautiously readied their pistols and rifles. I had mine strapped to the side of my chest, ready to shoot if they open fire.

As I was about to walk up the few steps leading towards the entrance, I was greeted by three people, one of them talking to one of the hooligans who must have called them.

"Who are ya and whatya want?"

Said the man who had talked to the hooligan before dismissing the latter. He was a quite tall and athletically inclined person with broad shoulders and a great amount of muscle mass.

His skin was dark though his eyes were of a glowing blue making him look much more handsome than he would have been due to this genetic rarity. His hair was dyed the color of freshly boiled corn, aligned in the suitable and quite ironic cornrow hairstyle.

He was wearing a black tank top which was tight enough to show off his muscles and slim jeans with the suitable white sneakers that had purple laces; the color of the Saints.

"Eva Payne. I have been following your successes, Saints. And I have decided to join you; join the fight against the gangs. The Vice Kings will finally fall as well!"

It felt odd, "auditioning" for a spot with the people I wanted to destroy but desperate times call for desperate measures. I didn't like this muscle man either. He was rude and appeared too carefree for my taste. And as far as I remembered, he was the one being released from prison upon the incarceration of Julius Little. Morning news released some new details and camera footage.

"Sorry but we cannot take any people at the moment."

Interesting. So he was their current leader? The other two that had come out with him – an Asian man and a Black woman – looked much more the part to be honest. And given the look on their faces, I assumed they disagreed with muscle man.

"And why's that? Your two puppets don't seem to agree with you. Besides, didn't you use to be more? And judging from this, I'd say that you'll need all the help you can get against the Vice Kings. Unlike the Carnales and Rollerz, they are business moguls; way smarter and with much more resources."

I left them all standing there, dumbstruck. Only muscle man didn't appear too impressed by the information I just provided him with. Unlike the other man; purple shirt, golden chains, fancy pants and black hair with its tips dyed blonde.

"Come on, Playa. She seems fine and don' forget that Julius took you just like that as well."

He said, almost begging muscle man who apparently was called Playa. The two just locked eyes, fighting off their different opinions with a staring contest as it seemed. Well the Asian man was wearing shades so I guess just a power play to assert dominance.

I just rolled my eyes, shifted my weight on one leg and gave out a long and annoyed sigh. Men.

"Listen, at least give me a chance. Your little boyband has seen better days, I figure? And I have really put an effort in practicing just to join you. Don't you at least want to see what I'm made of?"

I offered him, trying to sound desperate with an inkling dominant mixed in between. Something that screams "hello, please take me!". The Asian man just shrugged and pointed both arms at me in a "What-she-said"-movement.

"A'ight, Gat. But prepare her a trial, we want things to be fair after all! You and Eesh think o' somethin'."

A trial? I thought that my display of intellectual superiority proved more than some random trial but who was I to say anything? Oh god, I could feel the Sins' influence on my thoughts. Have they been poisoning them ever since? This world was truly toxic and only thinking of my family and of Bryn kept me concentrated and going and prevented me from swaying too far into the Seven's seductive whisper.

"Okay, newbie. We've decided what trial to test your skills with: Shooting range!"

Said the girl called "Eesh". I recognized her from a multitude of posters hung around the city. She was a famous singer called Aisha and I had no idea that she was with the Saints.

I always thought she was with the Vice Kings due to her contract. She was darker than Playa and had her hair tied into black braids that hung from underneath her crooked baseball cap; a matching piece with her Saints-themed college jacket, top and shoes. She wore denim hot-pants which were shorter than anything I would ever wear in my life.

Good thing that I practiced shooting; this trial will be a walk in the park.

"You have your own gun?"

She asked and I nodded, unclasping the holster underneath my sweatshirt jacket and pulling out the heavy metal. It was a big pistol, shining in silver with a black grip. According to Mr. Chang this had been the only thing they had to offer that day but I had gotten used to this bulky iron.

"You know that size doesn' matter here, sweetheart."

Aisha told me with a hint of amusement in her tone. How embarrassing it will be for her in just a few minutes. You don't talk back to me, girl! Ev. Stop it. The Sins are influencing you and you turn mean. I had to tell myself over and over in my head now.

"Sure! Bet you had to say that to Playa too when he first walked up to you."

I replied, equally gleeful though slightly sarcastic. The words just slipped without me even being able to do anything against it. The Seven really brought out the Evil Witch in me but Gat burst out laughing anyway, slapping his thigh once as he did so.

"I like you, woman!"

He added and I gave him a short wink. I had a feeling that only Playa was that stiff. Gat, at least, seemed like he cared for an occasional joke or two.

"Enough chatter now, Johnny. It's time for the trial to begin. Rules are simple: see those cans there? If you can hit every single one of them with a maximum of three tries per can, you're in. Any questions?"

Cans. Okay. It were seven in total, getting slightly smaller with each can that followed. I shook my head upon her question and her releasing two shots into the air told me that the trials were open. Should not be any more difficult than hitting the center of my target at the shooting range.

"Good luck, newbie and may the trials commence!"

She shouted after that but I barely even listened. It took me almost all of my concentration to aim for the cans. I had to stand from a distance of about ten feet apart and wanted to clear out every can on my first try.

This was easy. Can after can I released a bullet, hitting it straight in the middle. My clip was finished just as I sent the last and smallest can flying through the air with my last bullet.

"Impressive!"

Aisha said, genuinely convinced of her words. Johnny – or Gat, I don't know – also slapped my shoulder, congratulating me for the performance, saying that not even he had managed on the first try. Only Playa seemed to distrust me still. But I would have done so the same. I never said that I was to be trusted? Oh, these guys and I will have so much fun together...