Vae Victus [Volume 1] [WOE TO THE VANQUISHED]

Chapter 7

"Kefi," John said as he picked up the call. "I am sorry, I will be late."

"Who's that?" I could hear a female voice in the background. Again with these jealous pangs in my heart.

"A friend," John said. It hurt me to hear that.

Friend, huh? I guess that's better than being defined as 'my wife's killer'. Positivity was a wonderful thing if I was not so bad at it.

"Who's that?" Now it's my turn to ask.

"A friend," John said.

I growled. John laughed. He understood me very well at this stage. Despite everything, I smiled.

"John," I said.

My voice was lighter now I had my new baby — Sig Sauer P229 pistol — tucked in the small of my back.

"Yes?"

"There is a woman here saying that you gave her permission to stay in our apartment for a few days," I reported. "She said her name is Jane Walker."

"Oh! Yes. Sorry, I forgot to tell you," John confirmed. "She is Sarah's half-sister. I heard she was evicted by her previous landlord."

"She is here with her boyfriend," I said. "Why did her landlord kicked her out?"

"Oh. She did not mention anything about a boyfriend," John replied. He sounded concerned. "But that's okay. Could you please kindly show them to the guest room?"

"Okay," I said. 

"Thanks, Kefi," he said. "I'll be there soon, okay?"

"I love you," I crooned. It felt weird saying that. But I learned that it was within the line that I could cross.

"Love you too, Kef," he said. "Bye." He hung up.

I walked outside the bedroom. The old me was back. In my tight blue jeans, white shirt, green vest and brown leather jacket, I prowled the hallway.

The front door was still open but the couple was nowhere in sight. I pulled my gun out and checked outside. No one was around. John's apartment was, as usual, the penthouse which covered the whole floor. The single elevator would only stop on this floor, the garage and the ground floor. It had not left this floor.

I cursed. They were still in the apartment. I walked back inside. Closed the door and latched the security chain this time. I then proceeded to check the apartment room by room. I made no sound on my bare feet.

I 'sliced the pie' on every corner. No surprises.

'Slicing the pie' was a basic tactic in clearing a house. You should never peek your head or walked into rooms with possible enemy combatants inside. It would leave you exposed and unprepared.

I opened the door, then I hugged the wall. With my gun raised and aimed into the room, I slowly walked in a semicircle with the door as my pivot point. This allowed me to see anyone inside the room before they could see me.

I repeated this process a few times before I finally saw them.

They were on the kitchen lounge. They had ransacked the fridge and food were scattered all over the kitchen table.

"Took you long enough," Jane said. She was munching on my sandwich.

I gritted my teeth and lowered my gun.

"Careful with that thing, missy," the boyfriend said. "You could hurt someone."

I sighed. Yes, keep talking and someone will definitely get hurt. "I told you to wait at the front door," I said.

"I was hungry," Jane said.

I scowled.

"What the fuck is your problem, bitch?" Jane shouted as she saw my displeased face. "You're a freeloader in my brother's house."

My hands tensed around the pistol. One tiny squeeze, that's all I need. I stared at Jane and her boyfriend.

Her boyfriend seemed to see the monster in me or a glimpse of it. He sat up from his slouch and seemed to ready to leap into action. There were ten feet between me and him. I could put all 12 bullets in him before he could touch a single fabric in my clothes. These were .40 S&W hollow points bullets. I could depend on their stopping prowess. Try me and it would be your last mistake, soldier.

I took a deep breath. Remember what John said.

"John asked me to show you the guest room," I said.

"Guest room?" she kept shouting. "We ain't no guests, bitch."

"Take it or leave it," I said. "I don't care."

Jane might have shared some DNA with Sarah, but the half-sisters were as different as night and day. Sarah was the gentlest, kindest and most generous woman I had ever met in my life. Jane was, as far as I could see, an insecure little brat.

Jane's face turned red. Her shoulders tensed and she was about to shout some obscenities when her boyfriend interrupted.

"We'll take it," he said. He smiled. "My name is Robert, by the way."

"Pleased to meet you, Robert," I said.

I did not mean a single word, but I was a domesticated animal at this stage of my life. Woof. Wag my tail. Keep my master happy.

"Do you have any luggage with you?" I asked.

Robert laughed. "No, Jane burned them all in our last apartment," Robert said.

"It was not me," Jane shouted. "It could be you!"

Robert laughed again. "Well, long story short, missy, we were really high. Jane had not paid rent in 3 months after her dad cut her out, and we burned everything we had."

He showed the content of the expensive looking bags to show half-burned items of clothing.

My eyebrows narrowed. John had invited a few arsonists into our home. 

The monster in me sneered. Our home, eh? Look what he had done to you, woman. I grimaced.

"Oh, don't worry, missy," Robert continued, "We would be on our best behaviors this time."

"You can start by doing what you were told," I said. "I told you to wait at the door until I checked with John."

Robert giggled. Is he high? Jane stared at me, her mouth was still munching her food. I tucked my gun into my back again and covered it with my jacket.

"You seem to know how to use that piece, missy," Robert said. "Were you in the military?"

"My dad taught me to shoot," I lied.

Robert smiled at me. I did not like his stare. He was undressing me with his eyes and after six months with John the celibate Pooh, I found it distasteful.

Jane agreed with me. She threw her half-eaten sandwich at Robert.

"Crazy bitch!" Robert shouted. "What the fuck was that for?"

I sighed. The next few days would be quite unbearable.