Philanthropy Pt. 03

I stared at her.

"Open the fucking app and check the security cameras. Hallway, lobby, and garage."

I nodded and did what she said. I could see people looking out their doorways and told her.

"Anybody looking like these two dead muppets?"

"No."

"Okay, let's go."

Amanda was the one who noticed. "Shanti you need pants."

Shanti looked down, cursed, and ran off and came back pulling her pants up. "Now we go. Straight down to the garage and out. Amanda, you need to support Peter. I need my hands free. Peter needs immediate medical care. We can't delay. I know where. Ready?"

I nodded. I was now wondering why Shanti had had no pants on. I looked at Amanda. Ah, I see. I was so proud of Shanti. She was just like me. I giggled.

"Follow me, stay close, but ten feet behind me. If I say drop throw yourself to the floor like you want to fuck it."

Shanti moved to the door and looked out. She beckoned and we followed. She was in full James Bond mode and I watched her in admiration. That's my girl, I thought.

"I'm your girl, too, Peter," admonished Amanda.

I swung my head to look at her and found I had to also stop my head from moving. "You can read my thoughts!'

"What? No, you just said 'that's my girl'."

"Oh, you are too, Amanda. I love you." Shit, I was saying stupid things.

"I know you do. Just not in the right way."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Not now, try to help me here. Move your other leg, walk dammit!"

The Carver door opened up just as Shanti reached it. Later I would replay it in my head over and over. It was over in a flash. Shanti reached in their doorway and somehow Brad Carver flew across the hallway and crashed headfirst into the opposite wall with a cry. Shanti crouched and placed the Glock at the back of his skull right where it met the neck. It was beautiful.

"One peep and lights out for you," I saw her muscles flex and the Glock pressed harder into his skull. "Your men are dead. All three of them. Want to join them? Right after you I'm taking out your bitch of a wife and then your fucking daughter."

There was a shriek from the Carver condo. "Leave him alone!" screamed Karen Carver.

Shanti turned her head to look into the condo. "Fuck you, bitch. You don't realise this yet. You and this piece of shit with my gun pressed to his empty head are dead. You shot my Peter. There will be consequences. The syndicate can't help you. The cartel can't help you. You can't hide from me ANYWHERE in this FUCKING PLANET that I can't find you. You. Are. Fucking. Dead. You have my promise. Dead."

Shanti reached down and picked up Brad Carver and threw him back into his condo. I could see the large wet stain at his crotch. I heard the heavy thump. Shanti looked at me and beckoned.

"Come on. These fucking twats are on borrowed time. Useless cunts."

Amanda helped me past the doorway. I looked in and saw Nancy cradling Brad on the floor. He was cradling an arm that was oddly bent. I saw Dana standing behind them. She was crying and had her hands over her mouth. She looked at me with fear and then saw the blood on my leg. I made Amanda stop.

"Dana. Come with us. Get away from them. They hurt people. Kill people. It was your parents that had me beaten. It was your parents who had Amanda raped and drugged. It was your parents that tried to finish the job at the hospital. It was your parents who just sent two men into my apartment to kill me, Amanda, and Shanti. Oh, and one sniper up on the next building over. They are murderers. They have destroyed countless lives for greed and power. Come with us?"

She shook her head. I could see the fear there. Digging in deep.

I sighed.

"Let's go Amanda."

We joined Shanti in the elevator and the doors closed and we descended.

I woke up after the surgery in a small clinic in the west of the city. The doctor checked my vitals, handed me a few pills, and told me to get out. Shanti met me and we joined Amanda in the waiting room. It was still dark out and I felt groggy.

"Thanks, Shanti. I owe you again."

"You owe me two pints of blood. And Amanda, too."

"Where now?"

"We meet Imani at her place. Then the cops will arrive to question us. With Imani. Then, well we'll see, won't we?"

I nodded and we left the clinic, with me on crutches, and got in my car. Amanda drove and I lay in the back seat. Shanti gave directions and we pulled up to a high-end condo I knew of. We went in, buzzed her condo and went in and up.

Imani met us at the door and ushered us in. I met her brother. A really fucking tall guy, thin like her, and he could have been her twin. They held hands when Shanti outlined everything including threatening the Carvers.

Imani just nodded and then picked up her phone. She waited while it rang. I heard it pick up on the other end. "Hello?"

"Hi, Darren? It's Imani... yes, he's here with me and Shanti and Amanda. Peter just had surgery... Yes, he was shot in the right thigh. Nicked his femoral artery. He nearly bled out. Yes, I'll hold." Imani looked at me. "He's going to send uniformed officers here. They'll bring you to the station for questioning and statements. It has to be now. The press are all over this. The Carvers too. They want you and Shanti arrested for the death threats."

I nodded. I was expecting this. "We need to leave Shanti and Amanda out of this."

"It's too late, Peter. The Carvers saw all three of you."

"And the dead guys in my apartment?"

"Burglars."

"So, this is going to come down to what can we prove the Carvers did. Meanwhile we threatened them, so we're the bad guys?"

"For now."

I pulled out my phone and tapped away for a moment. I then handed it to Shanti. "I need your digital signature on this."

Shanti stared at the screen and read it. "This says I'm your employee."

"Yes, it'll be back dated about two months."

"What? Why would I be your employee? I'm your bodyguard."

"So, I can take all this on me. You worked for me. Followed my orders. It will help protect you."

Shanti laughed and Imani joined her. I didn't get the joke and said so.

Imani wiped her eyes. "Oh, Peter. Time you knew. Shanti isn't a bodyguard for hire. She's still SAS. Always has been. She's a fucking Commander. She works international crime. She's fine. Everything she did tonight is under British rules of engagement and cleared by your federal government. The police chief has already been fully briefed. He was always aware.

"We need to deal with the press and the Carvers. They moved before this could be contained. Honestly, Shanti I wish you had just killed them."

"Dana was present."

"Ah, I see. Well. There is one bit of good news. By the Carvers saying to the press that you attacked them as a result of the armed robbery in your condo, they have unwittingly attached themselves to it. Why would you attack and accuse them of it if they weren't involved? It's a minor point, but it's a wedge in the door. We'll exploit that. Hold on..."

She put the phone back to her ear. "Uh-huh. They're here now? Okay, they're ready to go. Thanks, Darren. Okay, bye."

There was a buzz at the door and Imani rose and answered it. She came back and announced the police were on their way up. We rose and Imani opened the door to them. It was all very civilised. We were all handcuffed and taken away. I was brought to the hospital for observation, with two cops outside to guard me.

A doctor came and examined my gunshot wound and was impressed a veterinarian could do such a great job. He ordered two weeks bed rest, concerned the artery would open up. I lay back and used my tablet. I checked the data stream coming in and smiled at the ceiling.

Dana came and visited me a couple of days after my admittance. I told the cops to let her in and to give us privacy. They agreed and Dana entered and sat in the chair beside my bed. She looked at the monitors and then out the window and then finally at me. I was staring pretty intently at her. I didn't know who I was going to meet. Happy Dana or pissed off and angry Dana.

She looked me right in the eyes and I could see her determination.

"Give me the truth. All of it," she said.

And I did.

After I was done, she got up and I thought she was going to leave. She hadn't interrupted me once or made any motion. She moved to the blinds and closed them. Then she shut the door. She turned and looked at me.

"I'm gonna get in bed with you, okay? I need you to hold me? Okay?"

I nodded and she moved to my bedside and pulled back the sheets, stared at my hospital gown and the tent I had made, and crawled in to lie against my side with her head on my right shoulder. I wrapped my right arm around her, and then brushed at her hair to get it out of my face. She settled in and said nothing.

Yes, I had an erection. I can't control it. All the time I was speaking to her I was seeing her either sucking my cock with those lips and freckled face, or her munching on Amanda with me clearly seeing her perfect ass and pussy.

"My parents are horrible, aren't they?"

"Yes. They are."

"Are they really wanted all over the world?"

"Well, as I said, the ICC is involved."

"All those people in the old condo. They did those horrible things to them?"

"Yes, Dana. They did."

"I can't go back there. I can't."

This is the moment where I was either the hero or the asshole. I thought about it and decided. "You need to go back there." Yup, asshole all the way.

"I can't, Peter!" and the waterworks started.

I held her and comforted her. Eventually she stopped.

"I can't. Don't ask me. Let me come stay with you? Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"Stop it. Time to grow up, Dana. There is no hiding at my place. That's not going to happen. You need to go home. Then I have something I need you to do."

"What?"

And I told her.