The Siren (18+)

Chapter 27

"Tell me who did it." April stared at Marty who was trying to avoid her gaze. She had informed K that she would investigate who was responsible for the hidden bombs in the gallery. She called Marty to pick her up from the venue as soon as the bombs were defused and she was certain everyone was safe. "I can't." He spoke softly as he drove ahead. He knew who did it. She just didn't know why he was protecting them.

"Marty. Tell me."
"I can't April, I'm sorry."

April recognized the park where she met Lil Bleach for the second time, which meant Marty was in Little Seoul. If he wouldn't answer her questions she would just walk. She would find out who did it with or without his help.
"Stop the car."
"April at least let me take you home. Look at your shoes you can't walk like that in the snow." Marty tried bargaining with the woman.

"I'm not even kidding Marty pull over." She said seriously. She didn't want to waste her time on someone who couldn't share such valuable information. The man sighed in resignation and ran his fingers through his red and black hair. April did not appreciate that he was treating her like a moody teenager. As if she was being irrational in her need to find out who wanted to wipe out her family.

Marty pulled over next to the park across the gas station. He felt nervous that the CG girl would no longer wish to speak to him. She had remained silent since she ordered him to stop the car but he could feel her cold fury. He needed to think of something to say. Quick. "Please April."

"Marty." She hissed his name out, the venomous warning was clear. She just laid out a threat and she wasn't backing down. He pleaded with her to understand that he couldn't tell her the truth. When he expressed his inability to tell the truth she opened the door and walked out. "April! You need to understand. I can't. If I tell you then you would tell K or Ramee and they would kill them. I can't live with their blood on my hands. Please April." He was hoping that would be a good enough explanation that would make her consider his point of view. He desperately needed her to understand. Just for once if she could keep it from her family. He peered at her as the woman froze in the middle of the snowy ground. The giant fur coat somehow made her look more dangerous than usual. She turned slowly like a polar bear sensing it's prey.

"You can't live with their blood on your hands?" She asked incredulously and laughed. Her laugh was bitter and derisive. He could almost feel the corrosive venom that was pooling in her mouth. Concerned, he tried moving closer to calm her down but she raised her hand swiftly. She silently commanded him to stand still. "But you can live with my family's blood on your hands?" She slowly prowled towards him.

"Did you know a sixteen year old kid was at that party? So you can live with a child's blood on your hands?" She gave his chest a painful poke with her finger.

"You can live with the blood of the waiters and waitresses on your hands?" She poked him again.

Her ice eyes were furious. "You can live with all 53 VLC employees going to bed, hungry without jobs because the gallery had blown up?"

"You can live with my blood on your hands?"
The woman was enraged. She didn't understand why he had to keep this secret. She didn't know that he had to protect him at all costs. So he spoke. "I can't just let them get killed. Please. I stopped it before it could go wrong. It won't happen again."

"You would trade everyone for one person? Who are they? Let me assure you Marty Banks you may be able to live in an ocean of blood but know that I will drown you." This was The Dragon's Daughter his boys had warned him about. Her eyes were murderously focused on him while she breathed heavily. The steam coming from her nose and mouth may have been from the cold but in the moment they felt like an indicator of the fumes of her fury