My Man In Black

Chapter 1

"Hey Beck, think you could close up tonight?" Scarlett asked me, I leaned on the bar and nodded to her. She sighed and threw her coat on. "Try not to stay too late, aright kid?"

Again I nodded and with a gruff yawn, she left. With cleaning cloth in hand I began to wash down the bar. The evening influx of people had finally died down to a few of the usual drunks, nothing I couldn't handle. Half of them were passed out anyway.

I was doing just fine, when a group of rowdy, obnoxious pirates entered the creaking doors. The usually quiet bar turned into a loud house. I reached slowly for a pistol under the bar and pulled it in short distance, just in case.

The Captain sat straight opposite of me and smiled, if that's what you call it... He was missing more than a few teeth.

"Hey there sweetheart." He slurred. His breath reeked of alcohol, and something else, that I had no intention in learning of. "So you the only one working this place tonight?" He looked around for anyone else, as if to confirm his theory. I walked back again towards the pistol.

"At the moment... Yes. But there is plenty of beer to go around and I'm sure-" I was cut off by the stench creeping closer to my nostrils. When I turned to see the man, he had climbed atop the counter and was instantly in my face. He grabbed me by the back of my neck and threw me onto the bar's counter.

I began to scream and yell for help, by now many of the drunks had either fled or went for help. The most atrocious thought crossed my mind as the man climbed on top of me. He was planning on raping me. I began panicking, to the point where I couldn't breathe. He pulled my hands above my head, and pinned my legs under one of his knees. The men that had come in with him were cheering him on. "STOP IT PLEASE!" I screamed begging for anyone to throw him off of me. Yet they all stood there with perverted smiles plastered on their faces. "Keep screaming sweetheart, I love it when they beg." I tried to squirm and stretched my lips away from his alcohol infested ones. That's when I noticed a man in the corner. His head was down, he sat silent with both his legs and arms crossed. His black suit matched his oil, black hair and dark eyes. He was not paying attention to anything. Or so it seemed.

It was as if the whole room had stopped. The cheering men were in slow motion, the captain was there but in that moment I didn't feel him. Me and the man made eye contact as a tear fell down my cheek. I mouthed 'help me' to him. He put his head back down and sighed.

There went my last hope.

The only thing that brought me back to reality was the sound of a zipper. I turned my attention back to the captain, who was drunk and attempting to pull down his pants.

Finally the man was thrown off of me. I spit of blood was left on my face and a hush fell across the room. The man in black stood across the counter. At a closer glance he couldn't have been more than 18. His facial features were gruff and lined, though they had the vibrance of youth.. He turned to the rest of the men, I scrambled to the corner of the bar where it met the wall and hugged my knees.

Again the room slowed.

And then it was like a flash. All the men who had been in the bar, were now lying dead, on the ground. In the corner of my eye I saw the captain raise to his feet. "Rob Lucci." He said in a hoarse manner. The man, Lucci, turned and faced the captain. "I heard you were in town. Didn't take you as the heroic type." The captain laughed roughly through the pain. He used the bar behind the counter for support. Lucci began walking away, thinking nothing of the comment. And then it hit me, my pistol was back there and Lucci knew nothing about it. The Captain took another step and reached casually for the gun. He laughed a little under his breath.