Volume V: The Tragic End of Treason

Chapter 2. Conspiring with the Enemy

            Now it gets interesting. Let me paint you a picture, or try my damnedest to create an accurate description.         

            Baroque Ransom is 17 years old. She’s a senior in high school, she’s got connections, but she’s the calm, collected girl in the corner. The art reject that nobody loved. This situation was established on purpose to provide good cover for the real operation. She was the top dog under Urban, her powerful yet protective older brother. She held the real power – access to clients. She knew where to find the real junkies, the addicts and fiends. Follow the consumer – supply and demand. Like I said, business. Baroque is dark in general with eyes devoid of emotion. Small by comparison to Urban, they didn’t appear to be related. And from all of this, and more, I know that she’s miserable. Absolutely at ends. My theory is simple.

            The family falls apart, and brother Urban takes care of his baby sister. His age isn’t easy to put a finger on - I’d say early 20s. So then Urban needs a steady job…the streets supply the product and demand, in a word – stable. Using his sister to get further, Urban rises among the ranks. I forgot to mention, Baroque has many charms to get a guy’s attention. Urban knew exactly how to play this off. She needs him just as much as he needs her. Urban sets up his enterprise based on the old Ransom family charm. It’s hereditary. Urban gained Baroque’s loyalty first on love and trust and when that wore out, threats, violence…love faded away. She was being used; not only did she allow it, she just didn’t care. After years of being her brother’s tool, I can only imaging what she’d done for him.

            For family, where are no limits. Never. Key word – Love. See also – Devotion.

            I know this because she told me so. In the middle of the night, after I saved her suicidal, junkie life. That’s another story. Perhaps I should explain.

            I started working for Baroque, getting product from her and selling on my own. Urban was the overseer to most everything I did. He paid me, gave me the product, he did the hands on stuff. Baroque was my connection. Urban didn’t trust me with her, so I seldom ended up with her alone. But then a situation arose and I found myself in a bit of trouble. I’m moving the story quickly, because that’s how it seemed to move in my mind. Moving really fast. I got jumped and lost a lot. Having nowhere else to go, I went to Baroque for help. I don’t know what I was thinking…that’s desperation for you. So I go running to this little girl for help. This child is supposed to save me? That’s delusion for you. I go to Baroque, knock on the door quickly, she lets me in, staggering away from the doorframe. I grabbed hold of her as I passed, leading her over to a couch to lie down. The specialty of the Ransom ring was painkillers.

            If you’ve never had to deal with an addict, thank whatever god you call yours. The kid caught a bad fix, she was shaking and crying, her arms cut to pieces, blood everywhere. She only wanted to sleep, she told me. Just sleep. But she couldn’t, so she wanted to die. I held her to stop the shaking, wrapping myself around her to pin down her arms so I could bandage them. What a fiasco…

            Hours later, after an unknown variable of patience and effort, she slept in my arms. That was the scariest event of my life; holding her after the shock was playing with fire. I tried to get away to go home and rethink my limited life options, but she was attached firmly to me. No way in hell could I slip out of her grip. There were stages to the event, parts and pieces; Baroque would rant about the evils of her brother, about the things she’s done on his behalf. She’d do anything for him. She cried about her sins, the crimes she’d committed, begging forgiveness. She was too young for this, much too young. The tragic part? She’d been here for so long, there’s no real way out. Urban loved her, but the bottom line remains – he’s a businessman. Whatever it takes to protect your motives.