Metal Man

Chapter 11: Anybody home?

The elevator was in a park. Right in the center. Jade wondered what the locals thought of it. Especially since there were lieutenants surrounding it completely. Jade peered at them from behind a tree and realized that they all wore the same expression. All harsh and evil. A ripple of fear sounded in Jade's stomach and she shivered.

Jade lifted her head and walked straight into their sight. She could feel their gaze on her, staring at her, deciding whether to use the tranquilizer darts, to tackle her, or to kill her. And why she wasn't trying to trick them.

There was no way Jade could trick or defeat a crowd this big, no matter what tricks and tips she used. She would simply have to somehow cut the cables.

There would be hoaxes now. Jade stepped right up to the one closest to her. He had a jewel in his eyebrow, and it glinted when she looked up at him.

"We have a conundrum," said Jade, spreading her arms. "You want to preserve the elevator; I want to cut the cables. So what are we going to do about it?"

Okay, maybe a little hoax or two.

The lieutenant's face remained stoic. "We take you in the elevator."

"Yes," Jade persisted. "But if you get to do what you want, why don't I get to do what I want? I mean, we can still get down. The elevator will fall, so I'll still get down there. It makes sense."

The lieutenant stared down at her. "I've heard of your tricks, and I'm not falling for it."

Jade shrugged, calculating the man's expression. "Well, I guess we'll just have to fight, and you don't like that do you? Or, rather," she revised, seeing how he put pressure on his left more than his right. "you don't want to because you broke your ankle and it isn't healed since you don't want to displease the Boss."

The lieutenant did nothing, but that was answer enough for Jade. "There are nine other lieutenants, I don't need to worry."

"Oh, but you do," said Jade. "Because what happens if it gets reported back, and reaches the Boss while he's in a bad mood? He's going to have more of those, now that my friend Rosemarie's there." She saw the man tense.

"And all these lieutenants can't fit into one elevator, especially with me. What happens if you, by pure chance, are the last in the elevator? Even though you're the leader, obviously. It won't look good on your record."

"I will be going first, don't worry." But he worried. Jade could tell.

"Well, if you don't... I'm simply saying that you might not achieve your dream of becoming the Boss's successor." It was a complete guess, but Jade had struck home. The man's face paled a shade. "And believe me, when I get down there, the Boss will want to speak with me, and I could put in a good word, I suppose. If you let me do one thing."

"I won't fall for your tricks."

Jade smirked. "Well, either way I'm going to see the Boss, so, either I see the Boss with a good word for you, or not."

"You won't say anything about me. You just want to hijack our way of communication. Well, I can't let that happen."

Jade mocked a smile. "Oh, but there's a twist. You can. All you say is let her through, and I do one thing, and that's it."

"The Boss will kill me if I let you do that. And he only might kill me if I come down last, which is a very small possibility. Take her!" he yelled.