Walking Dollar Bills

Chapter 30: Saving the Country and a Dollar

"Please! I'll talk! I'll talk!"

A quick jab pushes into the gut of a plump older man in his late fifties. The old man falls to his knees and gasps for air. He cracks open his eyes and sees a pair of pristine black shoes stepping towards him.

"Well? I'm waiting" says a voice.

The older man looks up and stares into the eyes of Mr. Peace. Beside Mr. Peace is a muscular man wearing a tight-fitting tuxedo. He grips the arm of the old man and pulls him to his feet. Mr. Peace taps his wrists in a steady rhythm that matches the tapping of his foot.

"Stalling are you?" asks Mr. Peace as he looks over his shoulder. The three are behind a large warehouse. While they are all alone, the sounds of bustling shoppers carry into their location.

A pile of wooden crates, rising six feet into the air, lean against the side of the closed warehouse garage door. Behind the crates is a ten year old boy wearing a bright red salwar kameez suit decorated in resplendent diamonds. Expensive gold bands wrap around his wrists. On his fingers are multiple rings with round rubies blushing with color. The boy has long black hair slicked back on the top of his head with the back and sides shaved bald. A diamond earring dangles from his left ear.

Cries from the older man fill the air, but the bustling of the crowd on the other side of the warehouse drowns out his agony. The boy clutches the side of the wooden crate, and winces at the jarring cry of the older man. He tries his hardest to glue his eyes shut, but the sound of an unfamiliar cry forces them open.

"You again?!" yells Mr. Peace.

Byrd holds out her red bird feather encrusted sword and charges at the muscular man, whose left arms drips with blood. Amara crouches over the older man and tends to his wounds. She has Granny's dagger in one hand ready to defend herself if needed.

"Kill her! She's the one who tried to cause a revolt in the silk factories!" says Mr. Peace.

"I was really hoping that factory would be the last time I had to see your ugly face" says Byrd side-stepping away from a right hook by the muscular man.

Byrd leaps into the air and pulls her sword over her head. The muscular man is slow to react and takes a nasty downward slash to his shoulder. More blood stains his tuxedo and spills onto the brown sand beneath him.

The older man squeezes his side as Amara tries to help him onto his feet.

"I got it from here, ma'am" says a pre-pubescent voice. Amara looks over her shoulder and sees the young boy draped in diamonds and rubies. She blinks her eyes hard as the boy sparkles like a star in the dark of the night.

"But, you're just a kid," says Amara.

"Richie? What took you so long? They were about to kill me!" croaks the older man.

"Respectfully, hush sir. I need to get you out of here" replies Richie.

Richie wraps the older man's arm over his shoulder and darts towards the other side of the warehouse. Amara watches the young boy flee for a moment before returning her attention to Byrd.

"I'm not done with you! I'll have your head, girl" yells Mr. Peace.

He dashes past Amara and disappears to the other side of the warehouse. Byrd sheaths her sword and wipes her hands. The muscular man is face down on the ground surrounded by pink sand.

"Well that was exciting. But, I wasn't expecting to see Mr. Peace again" says Byrd.

"Why do you think they were attacking that man?" asks Amara.