Pannel & Hook

Chapter 26: Empire Ants & Opium

* 12 hours ago *

     "Now that we've all eaten, I'd like for you guys to do a job for me in exchange for your room and board here. In addition, you do the job successfully or otherwise to my liking, you may ask for anything in return...well, within reason of course".

     She smiled in her oversized shirt leaning her head against her palm making sure not to smudge her makeup.

     One of Nessa's doves placed a letter in front of Kimi. "That is a list of names and addresses of some "associates" who decided their independence was worth more than my loyalty...keep your faces hidden and handle the rest but the last one, you bring them to me".

*Now*

     BANG.BANG. BANG. The streets of Central Neverland looked so beautiful at night with the evening lights despite the gunshots that whizz past us as Kimi and Belle swerved side to side on the bike, keeping their head down and trying to keep our tail while tapping my thigh and shouting for me to stop squeezing them so hard.

     We followed them closely and thankfully they ran out of ammo until they stopped on the side of the street, fleeing into an ally.

     Their goons popped out of their two trucks like clowns from a clown car but screamed in pain as my Siren launched her knee between their legs and Belle broke their nose and brought the other's face to make imprints on a car window.

     "Pete, GO! We'll handle this". I did as I was told and ran after our target through the alley pushing over trash cans until they reached the end of it and dipped out of sight.

     I was moving at full speed and stepping in puddles as I reached the end of the tight alley and was met with something blunt flying straight into my stomach and a heel to my face before they made a break for it.

    It hurt like hell for a second but my adrenaline did its job and continued on after them along the side of people's houses, jumping fences and running past barking dogs.

     I chased her down the street and watched them push open a huge gate with golden initials and rush towards the massive house behind it.

     They tripped over their foot and I felt like I finally got them until the fucker tased me and left me seizing in pain on an expensive carpet while they called someone on their cell.

     Within a moment's notice, familiar footsteps from behind us arrive striking her to the ground and dragging m behind the bronze bar in the back.

     "You alright, bestie?". I recognized Belle's emerald eyes behind their ski mask and nodded as more footsteps arrived and gunshots followed with Kimi vaulting over the bar, crouched with us.

    "How many are there?". Kimi managed to shout in my ear as I crawled along the floor and quickly peeked, giving her the number three.

     She looked around for something to use and waited to hear the clicking of empty pieces before saying "Fuck it".

     Siren grabbed the sharpened Katana that sat at the center of the bar along with a glass bottle of brown scotch, shoving it in their back waistline, and leaped over the counter like they were inside of an anime and swinging the Katana across the midsection of the first, across the chest of the second and smashed the scotch against the head of the third before running them through before they could get a chance to reload.

     Charlotte bolted into the next room, which was a study, and tapped a guard at the mouth of the room to shoot us before he was met with a crisp right hook and tackled to the ground. I looked up to see they had me dead to rights and almost accepted it before I looked to my right and Belle with the golden piece, letting shots off at the remaining two guards.

     Before Charlotte could get to the desk, Kimi pushed Belle out of the way, lifting the katana above her head and throwing it with all her strength allowing it to plunge into their calves.

     As she started to bleed and cry in pain, Kimi grabbed them by the hair and slammed their head against the desk, knocking them unconscious.

"You guys okay?". Belle and I nod as we breathe heavily, trying to catch our breath.

     We managed to douse their leg in alcohol and whatever first aid we could find before putting them in zip ties and bringing them to a warehouse, Nessa told us in the letter before the fuzz got wind of what went down.

     The sign outside read 'Crockers Cannery' assuming they used to can food and stuff here given the assembly lines everywhere. We kept going until we reached the back where Nessa and Nicholas stood with a metal chair behind them.

     "How did you enjoy your first job, Isabella?". Nessa said smiling in a lavender trench coat that matched her heels.

"Assault with a deadly weapon, attempted murder, breaking and entering...".

Nessa looked annoyed which prompted Her partner to raise his hand for her to stop.

Kimi and I moved Charlotte from the bike to the chair, surprisingly not as heavy as I thought.

     "Wake her up, Tink". Belle rolled her eyes before using Charlotte's taser on her, shocking them awake.

"Good morning luv". Nessa smiled as she was thrown daggers from Charlotte's gaze.

     She began screaming behind the duct tape around her mouth before Nicholas unholstered his piece and pressed it against her head and lowered the hammer lifting her chin up to eye level as he finished his sentence.

     "Shut...the fuck up. Do us both a favor and think about your next words carefully before a bullet does the thinking for you". He removed the tape and stepped behind her and drank from his flask.

"I can't believe I actually loved someone like you".

     The sound of her heels bounced off the warehouse walls as she got close enough for her lipstick to appear brighter by the moonlight.

     "Darling...there's no one else like me". She smiled before placing a kiss on her lips transforming Charlotte's stoic mood into a drowning fear.

"Are you ready to come back to me and douse the flames of your actions?".

As the two fiery women spoke, Nicholas began pouring the contents of his flask on her head.

Nessa took out a match and lit it against the bottom of her heel as Charlotte looked in her eyes and replied shakingly.

"I'd rather burn". But her demeanor went cold as she saw Nessa's growing smile.

     "Bad choice of words baby girl". Before any of us knew what was happening, she tossed the match and watched her burn

     The screams were haunting even though it was only for a couple of seconds before taking out a gold piece that looked identical to Nate's and started emptying the clip, intentionally missing any vital organs only intensifying the screams and making her give out just as fast.

     I moved to try to do something, fuck, ANYTHING, before Belle grabbed my left hand putting her own over my mouth, covering my screams for them to stop as Kimi grabbed my other hand, pulling me back and returning pressure as I squeezed her hand while looking forward trying not to react as hot tears streamed down my face.