Orpheus's Fallen Angel Ch. 08

"Who?"

"...'Slick Vic' Levine. Remember him? He does jobs for the Irish mob."

"'Slick Vic' Levine? Your mom found out from him?"

"Yeah, he probably knows the owner. That's probably how he knew about Orpheus hiding out here."

"Now I remember Levine. Your mom and him used to date until...when exactly?"

"I think about a month ago."

"A month ago. Why they broke up?
"I don't know. I don't keep track of mom's boyfriends."

"Well, maybe the fact my mom isn't dating Levine anymore is because he's fucking DEAD!!!."

Pin's mouth drops as his lies fall apart. "...dead?"

"He got shot down by the police in that bank heist on Commerce Street last month." Moth informs.

Moth draws his gun from under his coat.

"You say I'm a shit liar?" Moth asks "I won't ask how your whoring mother would know of any of our business including finding Orpheus. I won't ask why she would even care to call up her old boyfriends to help us find Orpheus. And I sure as hell won't ask how your mom got the info of where Orpheus is hiding from a man who died a month ago." Moth aims his gun directly at Pin's terrified face "But I am gonna ask why did you lured me to an abandoned theatre in a deserted street."

"I'm sorry, Moth. I didn't have a choice." Pin defensively raises his hands. "He was gonna hurt Mom if I didn't bring you here."

"Who?!" Moth demands to know.

Moth sees the fear on Pin's face hasn't change but notices his friend isn't looking directly at him but passed him. Like someone behind him. Moth quickly turns a 180 and to his shock sees SpiderBat standing near him. Before Moth could aim and fire, his gun is knocked off his hand by the super-vigilante, followed by a fast punch to his face.

Moth lands on his ass on the sidewalk before the rest of his backside. Moth lifts his torso up as SpiderBat slowly marches to him.

"I warned you, Moth." SpiderBat points to the downed Moth. "I should have broken both your arms at the Carmen," SpiderBat cracks his knuckles. "I guess I'll start with the fingers and work my way down."

"Shoot him!" Moth orders Pin.

"But he'll kill Mom." A hesitant Pin says.

"Didn't you say you wanted to kill her so you can get the house?" Moth reminds.

"Oh, yeah, I did." Pin's face lights up.

SpiderBat stops his approach to Moth and turns to Pin as he reaches for his gun. With Pin being a new threat, SpiderBat dashes straight at him. Pin pulls out his CZ 75 just as SpiderBat drops to the ground to dodge the first shot, and swiftly swings his legs to the back of Pin's knees, knocking his feet, and rest of him, off the ground. Gravity takes hold of Pin, plummeting down to a hard landing on the cement.

Pin's gun flies out of his hand by the impact, landing near Moth. Moth jumps to his feet to hurry for the gun. The second he grabs the gun, Moth aims it at SpiderBat as he springs himself up. Two shots are fired but misses the fast and nimble SpiderBat as he dives behind the ticket booth.

"Pin, you fucking traitor!" Moth yells, running away. "You're dead! You hear me?!"

Moth keeps his former friend's gun at the theatre as he runs across the street to his car. Entering his car and locking the door, Moth scans the theatre for anyone chasing after him as he starts the engine. The only person he can see is Pin sitting up, nursing the back of his head, SpiderBat is still hiding behind the ticket booth. At the sound of ignition, Moth slams his feet on the accelerator. The back tires spins and squeals as traction begins to speed the car forward as Moth is a few seconds from a fast getaway. But suddenly...

THUD!!!

The loud sound from the roof of the car, startles Moth, letting out a fearful whimper but keeping his eyes on the road. Which became no relief for him as SpiderBat's head peeks down on the windshield, causing Moth to scream like a victim in a horror movie.

"GET OFF MY CAR, YOU PSYCHO!!!" Moth yells, pointing his gun at his unwanted passenger.

A shot is fired, leaving a gapping hole on the windshield but no sign of SpiderBat.

"Did I get you?" Moth murmurs with a glimmer of hope of hitting his target.

A gloved fist smashes through the driver's door window and grabs Moth's shoulder as he screams again. Moth fires a shoot up at the roof above him. The hand quickly pulls away out of the car and Moth's sight. Not wanting to take any more chances, Moth fires three more shots at the roof.

Moth manages to hold back his screaming as SpiderBat lands on his hands and feet on the hood of the car, immediately hanging on for his life.

"What the fuck do I gotta do to get rid of you?" Moth utters.

Moth swerves his car side to side to throw off SpiderBat as he holds down the accelerator, gaining more speed. SpiderBat pull himself closer to Moth and winds his arm for another glass-smashing punch.

"YOU WANTA PLAY ROUGH, ASSHOLE?" Moth shouts, aiming his gun. "WELL, I CAN PLAY ROUGH TOO!"

However, whatever road Moth was speeding down is gone as gravity shifts and spins his car.

* * * * * *

The first thing Orpheus notices leaving the men's room are four Leis waitresses dancing to EMF's 'Unbelievable' at a large table seated by eight men. He stops to take a moment to view a redheaded girl with pale skin in a coconut bra, a short Asian girl who looks more Korean than Polynesian in a flowered headdress, a tall curly-haired brunette with a butterfly-motif tramp stamp and a full-figured black woman with curves in the right places. Upon attentive study, Orpheus determines the dancing to be a mix of traditional hula dancing and the kind of striptease moves he could find at the Blue Shadow.

"What's this about?" Orpheus asks Reena, cleaning a nearby table.

"Those guys are from the fire department." Reena answers. "After every fire, they come here and the girls dance for them in appreciation of their bravery."

"Some kind of Polynesian tradition?" Orpheus questions.

"I guess you could call it a tradition." Reena explains. "A tradition to get men to buy beer and wings so they can watch girls in skimpy outfit dance before they move on to the nearest strip club."

"Hey, we're on the news." One of the fire fighter calls out, pointing at the wide-screen TV mounted above the bar.

With TV in Orpheus's view a caption on the screen catches his eye. TATTOO PARLOR BURNT DOWN IN RUTBERG

Rembrandt. Orpheus thinks.

Orpheus strides to the bar for a better look at the TV. With the loud music, Orpheus couldn't hear much from the TV and has to study the footage of the fire for clues of which tattoo parlor in the Rutberg district was on fire, praying that it's not Primal Instinct tattoo parlor but only see a three seconds of a burning shop before cutting to a female reporter with a fire truck behind her and switching back to the news anchorman.

"You guys were there, right?" Orpheus approaches the fire fighters' table.

"Yeah, what of it, pal?" A man with thinning brown hair closest to Orpheus responses.

"Do you know the name of the place?" Orpheus asks.

"Didn't have time to read the sign on the account the place was on fire." The fire fighter condescendingly remarks.

"What street was it on then?" Orpheus patiently asks.

"It was Tarrant Street. You work there or something?"

"My uncle's the owner." Orpheus states.

The once jovial fire fighters suddenly become silent.

"What?" Orpheus asks. "What!?"

"Ah, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but a body was found." The fire fighter states. "The police said it's the owner."

"Oh, god, no." Orpheus lowly blurts. "Wait, what about his wife? Did she survive?"

"We don't know, pal. We just take care of the fire." The fire fighter says.

Without further word, Orpheus hurries to the table he shared with Cupcake.

"I gotta go." Orpheus slams a twenty on the table. "This will cover the bill."

"Wait, I thought you wanted to find whoever's coming for you." Cupcake says.

"I can't worry about that right now." Orpheus says.

A confused Cupcake watches the hastening Orpheus running pass Reena to the door.

"Would you like your check now?" Reena asks.

"Yeah." Cupcake sighs. "And a job application."

Cupcake slumps in her chair with her glass of diet soda, observing the dancing hula girls to learn their moves if she gets a job at Leis, not aware of the limo parking in front of St. Vincent's.

* * * * * *

"While you were eating my pussy, I've been thinking about this whole Orpheus situation." Lady J begins as she fastens the gag harness of her sex slave. "At first, I thought my only option was to kill him, but then I asked myself; what's stopping me from having two sex slaves?"

Angel's eyes widen as Lady J kisses her shoulder.

"Wouldn't you like that, slave? Bringing the both of you back together to service me?" Lady J asks. "I've always saw myself as a bit of a romantic."

Lady J pulls Angel off the floor and haves her sit next to her.

"Think of the fun we'll have breaking him in." Lady J grins, rubbing Angel's arms. "It might take a bit longer with him than it was with you but eventually you'll both be on your knees, eager to tend to my needs."

Lady J pulls Angel closer for her lips to be closer to her slave's ears.

"Remember that bed at the playhouse?" Lady J questions as her hand slides down Angel's belly. "Imagine Orpheus tied to the bedpost, helplessly watching us having sex in bed. Doesn't that just make you wet?"

Angel looks away from her mistress when she feels two fingers violating her slippery slit. The hand between Angel's thighs pulls away and grabs Angel's chin, forcing her to look at Lady J.

"Or would you prefer to be tied to the bedposts while I fuck your boyfriend?" A stern Lady J suggests.

Unable to speak, Angel shakes her head no.

"So, do you like the idea of being co-sex slaves with your ex?" Lady J questions.

Angel nods her head.

"Good." Lady J withdraws her hands. "Not that you have any say of the matter."

The limo door near Lady J is open from the outside by Mr. Bruun with St. Vincent's behind him.

"Fetch me my duffel bag from the trunk, Mr. Bruun." Lady J orders her driver then turns back to Angel. "Mr. Bruun will be outside while I take care of business at the church, so I expect you to sit here and wait. Understood?"

Angel nods her head.

Lady J takes her jacket as she crawls out of the limo and shuts the door. Finally alone, Angel sits back and tries to enjoy her brief time without her mistress. With her arms bound behind her and her feet latched together, she moves her body to face the window facing the street outside. Angel tries to move closer to the window for a better look at Leis across the street when a young man bolts out of the Hawaiian-themed restaurant, sliding his goggles over his eyes. Angel instantly recognizes him. Orpheus.

Angel gasps as she watches Orpheus running like hell down the street without even looking to the church to notice the limo parked in front. Despite the tears, Angel views Orpheus as he jumps on a public trash can to mount the top of a bus shelter where he leaps to a telephone and climbs up the rungs high enough to spring across the sidewalk to the roof of a nearby building.

After witnessing her only chance of freedom dash from her sight, Angel falls on to the leather seating overcome with helplessness and hopelessness as more tears come.

Orpheus, you damn fool.

* * * * * *

Gemini finds herself laying on asphalt as she regain consciousness. She pulls herself off the pavement to see in horror the intersection of Wolf Avenue and Saratoga Street littered with destroyed motorcycles, fire and blood. The blood of her biker brothers. As Gemini stands up, she spots several Unholy Riders lying dead and bloody, one of them with an arm missing.

With Little Tokyo blocks away, the Iron Dragons wouldn't step out this far from their territory, but they're not known to attack in such an expertly stealth fashion. Gemini recalls the moments before they were attacked. It wasn't until the Unholy Riders were a few blocks from Sensei Xhan when one of them noticed the last three riders behind them were missing. A second after that, all Gemini could remember is blood spattering, her friends screaming in pain.

Gemini realizes the attack may not be from a gang but by just one person. She instinctually raises her Lorcin L380 to defend herself against her unseen adversary as she cautiously searches the area for survivors.

Gemini nears a wide window of a dentist's office, from the corner of her eye she spots a reflection of a dark figure on the window that wasn't there a second ago. Gemini quickly spins herself to the enemy behind her. The figure standing near the middle of the intersection is a woman with a lean muscular body and long jet black hair in a black high-cut bodysuit, black thigh boots and black cover over her nose and mouth, holding a katana sword. Gemini looks into the dark brown almond-shaped eyes of the lady ninja approaching her, swinging her katana cutting into the air.

Gemini fires a shoot. With elegant speed and accurate precision of her sword, the ninja deflects the bullet to hit the ground. Gemini is astounded but fires three more shots, only to be deflected by the sword and strikes a parking meter, a wall of the building across from the dentist's office and the light bulb of a lamp post, causing a small explosion of sparks.

Gemini contains her frustration and waits for the second the burst of light from the damage street lamp ends and provides the darkness she needs. She fires again. The ninja swings her katana downward and the bullet ricochets and grazes Gemini's shoulder.

Gemini's grunt becomes a scream from the pain, she does a quick check on her bleeding wounded shoulder before shirting her sight and her gun back to the scantly-clad katana wielding attacker, firing repeatedly until she's out of ammo before seeing no one there.

"Who the fuck was that?" Gemini asks.

"Gemini." A wounded voice struggles to call out.

Gemini turns to see Cochise with cuts and blood stains, as if he fell through a dozen windows. Gemini hurries to her lover as he falls to his knees.

"Swan...Death." Cochise blurts.

"What are you saying?" Gemini squats down at Cochise's side to help lift him up.

"That's what...she calls herself." Cochise says. "The Swan of Death."

Gemini lifts Cochise back up when she spot the lady ninja walking to them where Cochise came from, wiping the blood from her sword with a bandana she took from a slain Unholy Rider.

"How did she get over there so fast?" Gemini asks.

"You make a run for it, babe." Cochise draws his boat knife. "I'll keep her busy."

"No, I'm leaving you with her." Gemini objects.

Cochise grabs Gemini by her jacket and forces a kiss on her lips.

"Now run before I kill you myself." Cochise threatens.

After a moment of reluctance, Gemini runs as fast as she can as Cochise faces the Swan of Death.

"What's wrong, bitch?! That the best you got?" Cochise loudly taunts. "Either you show me what you really got RIGHT FUCKING NOW or you get on your knees and BLOW me!"

Gemini scuttles in an alley as she hears Cochise yelling a brave battle cry...which abruptly ends. She stops, fearing the worst. As much as Gemini wants to run back, she forces herself to keep running, unaware of the fire escape above her where the Swan of Death observes the fleeing Gemini. All it would take for the beautiful and deadly assassin to kill the surviving Unholy Rider is a shuriken to her jugular or impale her through her heart for a quick death. But the Swan decides to be merciful and allows Gemini to disappear in the alleys before disappearing herself.

* * * * * *

Moth crawls out of his overturned car through the busted window on the pavement of a parking lot. He looks around to get his bearing and spots the Snyder Street overpass up a steep hillside.

ABANDON ALL HOPE FOR YE WHO ENTER HERE is spray painted on the side of the overpass. Moth experiences a whole new level of fear as he stands up off the ground with a tight grip on his gun. An increasingly anxious Moth surveys the parking lot and spots someone near him. He aims, ready to shoot at the first sign of provocation, life-threatening or otherwise. But Moth discovers it to be a life size fiberglass statue of a cartoony woman with shoulder-length blue hair, wide blue eyes and an impossibly narrow waist dressed in a space-age astronaut-styled strapless cocktail dress and high-heeled gravity boots. Moth instantly recognizes her as Princess Bubbleheart from the old cartoon show Space Monkeys.

In any other situation, Moth would have been pleased at the sight of the fictional princess of Neptune, even aroused when he got first hard on as a kid one Saturday morning. But it only confirms his worst fears.

From the eerie silence of the parking lot, Moth hears moaning from the other side his upside-down car. With his gun in front of him, he cautiously walks around the car to find SpiderBat lying on his front semi-consciously on the ground.

"You son of a bitch." Moth hurries to the down SpiderBat with his gun aimed at him. "It wasn't enough for you to turn one of my friends against me? No, you just had to jump on my car some road movie psycho."

SpiderBat begins to slowly push himself up and faces the barrel of Moth's gun.

"Is your car insured?" SpiderBat sarcastically asks.

"All I had to do was gun it through that overpass and I would be safe." Moth angrily states. "Everyone knows you have to speed through the overpass at night but because of you, I fucking missed the overpass and crashed here."

"The Snyder Street overpass?" SpiderBat asks with a worried tone. "Are you saying we're..?"

"We're at Space Monkeys Adventure Park, you fucking masked moron!" Moth yells. "Y'know who's turf this is?"

"The Fiends." SpiderBat answers with a measure of fear even Moth notices.

"Yeah, the Fiends." A near-hysterical Moth replies. "Do you know what they'll do to us? What they can do to us? If we're lucky, they'll just kill us on the spot, but if you're unlucky enough to be in the Fiends territory, then your luck is completely shot to shit."

SpiderBat surveys the lot as he struggles to stand up. Moth maintains his gun to SpiderBat, but the super-vigilante is not concerned about Moth.

"Get that gun off me." SpiderBat continues to scan around him.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you?" Moth questions.

The unsettling silence is broken by a sudden, unnerving cackle coming from all directions, causing Moth to erratically wave his gun looking for hostiles to shot at while SpiderBat snaps into action with his fists ready. Movement is seen in the darkness of the parking lot as running, breathing and giggling is heard by SpiderBat and Moth as they become surrounded by the Fiends. With the overpass blocked off, the only path to take is to the theme park. Which the Fiends want.

"Because you'll need all the bullets you can spare." SpiderBat answers.