Bliss Vallance's Story

Nevaeh was in the midst of all the commotion. Honestly, she couldn't think how she was nearly locked inside the bathrooms. What the hell was going on? Girls screamed, guys shouted, clicking of guns were heard and all that Nevaeh could do was be pushed inside the corner of the room.

"Hey!" She shouted, "Let go!" Someone grabbed her arms from behind and tightened his grip. Her eyes swept across someone, a man. He looked familiar but she couldn't quite put a name to his face. It was just a blur after all. The waitress screamed and shoved her heel into the man's foot and he pushed her to the ground. She fell and finally rolled over to meet the nose of gun aimed at her face.

"Don't. Move." The man ordered. He looked Asian, dressed properly and his eyes looked her over. Oh she hated the feeling. She felt like his eyes traced her every curve and crook. Nevaeh's eyes were locked on his and her lips pursed in question. So much for the first day of work. She thought. Nevaeh noted many weapons being tossed across the floor. She hadn't seen the face of a gun in forever...and just the sight stunned her sharp movements.

He motioned for her to get up and carefully, she did. They were near the bathrooms or, that's what Nevaeh figured. "Look, I don't want any trouble..." She said calmly, though her voice gave her fear away. The man smirked and flicked his gun towards the bathroom. "Please..."

"If you don't listen..." His accent thick, almost tripping over his English. "I will shoot ya head."

"Nevaeh!" A woman cried out. She was one of the dancers. Cherie..Cherry, Chardonnay.. It was some sort of sweet drink. She couldn't recall it. The man aimed yet another gun in her direction.

"No! Leave her alone!" Nevaeh shouted, moving forward. She pushed his arms up and he fired at the ceiling. She moved to knee him and he immediately grabbed her waist, pulled her down and pinned her to the ground. He slugged the side of her face, punching her with a ring. She felt it cut near her temple and the pain was immediately. "Get off of me you bastard!"

Everything moved at full speed, it was hard to pay attention to what was going on in her surroundings. "Let me go!" She shouted, though she felt blood trickle to the corner of her lip. She spat, it directly hitting his face and he growled.

Jude had never thought he'd live to see the day where he wasn't the person to jump the gun, starting the fight with whatever enemy stood in his way (despite peace talks he might add) in a dangerous situation. No, the person to break the tension in entirely the wrong way today was Suri, the firecracker that she was, deciding to rescue their newest and most obnoxious damsel in distress. He'd have to remember to send her a fruit basket or a few bottles of tequila or something in gratitude for starting the night off right. Then, of course, there was Maria being dragged off because, of course, she just had to attract the psychopaths. Speaking of psychopaths enamored with Maria, there went Jackson, pulling out his gun and letting it fire expertly into the skulls of the two Japanese men who had had the (dis)pleasure of escorting the brunette bimbo from earlier.

Cole had been wrong, Jude mused as he slid his own knife from his coat pocket, the blade shining momentarily in the still flashing lights on the floor below, forgoing the gun given the tight quarters(he preferred his knife anyways; it was so much more... intimate). The fun wasn't over; it had only just begun. Which was exactly why Jude launched himself out of his seat on the couch, past the tumbling fighters, and onto the nearest Japanese gangster who was about to have the unluckiest day of his life. Or last day of his life. Whichever. The man obviously hadn't expected to be tackled to the ground by the short, smiling man reclining on the couch. His mistake.

The handle gripped in Jude's hand was a comforting familiarity, almost like an old toy. Oh, he didn't get to do this nearly enough-with that thought, Jude began to stab wildly. Or at least it appeared to be wildly, blood spurting, staining everything within a five foot radius. It was actually quite precise- cruelly so, none of the early stabs fatal,but severing tendons and muscles in an almost surgical manner before finally going for the major arteries. The Irishman drew himself to his feet, blood splattering his face which was pulled into an almost demonic Cheshire cat-like grin before a new opponent raised his gun, clearly hesitant to fire on the blood covered Irishman. The adrenaline was coursing through his veins now as he whirled on his newest opponent, knocking the gun from his hand and, gleaming blade arching in the air, set to work. Oh, God, how he loved his job.

Everyone here was an idiot. Strong, beautiful, cocky, admittedly, but still idiots. It was an idea that Martin had entertained before, mostly after he'd been overburdened by paperwork or had to deal with one too many rants from the over-dramatic lives of his coworkers, but this was just proving his point. The peace process was doomed from the start, he supposed, as he grabbed Daniel and hauled him behind the couch in an attempt to find a shield between them and the fighting. The Japanese mobsters had already been teetering on the edge by storming in like they owned the place, but the moment they grabbed Maria and the woman from before, the night's events had already been set in stone.

He couldn't hear himself think, the screams from below assaulting his ears, the furious sounds of fighting on the second floor. There was that girl again, shrieking like a banshee about clothes or some other nonsense, and then, for no particular reason, punching Jackson. The sight was must have been enough to distract the older translator because suddenly someone was on him, dragging him out from behind the couch before unceremoniously tossing him to the ground. Of course, he mentally groaned as he saw his attacker- perhaps the biggest and burliest of the Asian gang- towering over him. Someone up there must really him.

Then the man was on him, a series of brutal pistol whips putting him into an almost state of shock and all but shattering his glasses. He was bleeding now, the shards of his glasses having done their job as well as the throbbing wound on the side of his head. It was then that he realized that, even in a room full of people, he was alone. He wasn't going to get any help. That thought sent him scrabbling for the gun hidden under his jacket as the Japanese man dragged him to his feet, raising his gun to finish the job. It was so easy, after all- now that he'd toyed with is prey enough, shoot the cowardly American and then go on to a worthier opponent.

Only he didn't get the chance because there was a loud almost deafening sound and the man crumbled to the ground, a single puncture wound in his suit just over his heart. Martin was standing shakily, trying to wipe the blood from his gaze, only serving to smear it further across his face, gun held in his other trembling hand. His mind was still jumbled from the earlier hits to the head and the pain was so... so distracting. Fuck. Just.... Fuck.

( Double post, sorry. )

"Mae!"

Maria had paused momentarily to strain her prominent ear though it was deathly close to the barrel of a gun. A ghostly gale caught her hair and whipped it around her face. Was there even any point in calling back to him? At the sound of her brother's voice, she hooked her heel into one of the rusty steps. In turn, it caused Akihiro to nearly fall on top of her.

"Chitai mesu!" Akihiro screamed.
"I don't know what that means." Maria replied flatly.
"I should just fucking kill you."
"Oh. Please." She stated like a millpond.
"I'll just break your goddamn leg." He reached for her ankle to pry her foot from its post.

Ruction within the club was at an all-time high; squawks and bellows were permeating the thick walls. Unfortunately, given the neighborhood and the traditional loud noise that rose up from the establishment, no help would be called on. Of course, it probably really wasn't that unfortunate. The last thing the Occheto's needed was more fuzz on their ass end. The public's acclimation to the bar was more of a blessing than anything in the current state of affairs. Any amount of extra attention could be the end of all of them.

A slew of muttered obscenities escaped Cole's lips while he tripped, not paying attention to his own direction as he stumbled over Jackson. Cole glanced back and forth, apparently more than a little confused. He sure had a tolerance for alcohol, but maybe not as great as he thought. Starting to wobble, he held his head as he peered down at his doubled over friend. Everything was amplified, to the music that still played and down to the defining contours and shapes of people panicking and thrashing around. Jackson spat and rolled onto his back after the assault the hellcat, Bliss Vallance, had inflicted on his stomach.

Shiny white teeth, imbrued by his own blood, shaped a sinister look. He beamed from ear to ear and grunted, "She's a carbon copy of a nineteen year old Maria." Relieved that Romeo had taken the cutthroat little Japanese prick off his hands, Jackson commented, "There's…"

His smoky eyes averted Romeo's gaze and looked through the derelict doorway where he'd seen Maria nearby a few moments ago. And out went his attacker - Bliss. A girl! A goddamn, hotheaded, spoiled brat of a girl. She took him down faster than the Japanese bastard and well, he should have been ashamed. He'd be damned if she wasn't a sight to see in all of her glory, half clothed and incandescent. Sitting up, he scrutinized their surroundings. Still perched near the table, alarmed and uneasy, was Daniel. Needless to say, Jackson wouldn't be helping that kid out too much. Coming up the stairway to the second floor were a handful of external gangsters, stragglers of the Japanese Mafia.

"Eight, give or take, coming up the stairs." Jackson got to his feet.
"Armed?" Cole ventured.
"Nah not that I can tell."
"More little ones?"
"Eh, few tall and broad, mostly small."

Cole still had his back to them. He had to mentally congregate himself before he whipped around to face a small militia. Unclenching his stiff shoulders, he tugged at his tie until it was by a very small margin, hanging onto the collar of his shirt. Then he turned, his gun cocked back and his eyes focused. They really weren't the ones he wanted.

Pop! Pop pop!

"Asshole!" Cole dropped low, growling at Jackson, "I thought you said they weren't armed."
"I guess my eyes aren't as good as they used to be man." Jackson laughed.
"They aren't shit!" Cole joked.

In one swift movement, Cole rushed between two of the men, shouldering them both in perfect symmetry. They reeled until one fell, and the other grasped the railing to avoid suffering the same fate. Howling over the music, they grew hot under the collar by the minute. But the Occheto boy couldn't have cared less - he had a personal vendetta and didn't give a fuck about what the repercussions were for such distinctive resentment.

Jackson eyed Jude, silent and bloodthirsty as ever. There was some insouciance between himself and the Irish man, however, Jackson candidly appreciated his craft. Jude sure was a master of it. The way he ruthlessly stabbed at the long-indisposed Asian man was praiseworthy. Of course, only a psychopath would think something like that.

That's what they all were anyway. Psychopaths.

Cole had nearly forgotten all about his M.I.A sister as his hands wrapped around the throat of the first-half of the Russian duo. While one hand retched the gasping man's trachea, the other pummeled his face into a bloody pulp. Pure fixation and madness played on the young man's face as he left his first victim unconscious. Around him, girlish screams were heard and even pleas for him to stop. But there wouldn't be any grace in such a situation.

Outside, Maria was about to return some less-than-enthused response as Akihiro gripped at her ankle. Lucklessly, the Vallance girl had flown out onto the platform. A blast cracked through Chicago's inanimate air and the Japanese man went down squalling like well, a pussy, if Maria had to be honest. In fact, it made her think back to how she had shot the detective and he didn't so much as flinch when she pushed her dainty little index finger into the entry wound. These Japanese 'mobsters' sure were lackluster.

The Vallance girl, scantily clad yet, Maria could easily admit ravishing all at once, had shot down Akihiro impressively well for a spoiled brat. With the cool evening zephyr snaking around them, Maria stared astounded at Bliss, "Holy shit."

"You fucking bitch!" Akihiro howled from where he had tumbled at the base of the stairway, "God dammit! Fuck!"

Her heel, firmly planted into the stair, was finally retrieved as she shambled up to the terrace to meet Bliss, "Thanks. Thank you." Notwithstanding the exchange that had occurred between the two less than an hour ago, Maria's tone was unfeigned and even slicked with that particular sweetness she used for only those she adored. A moment of silence passed between the two girls, noiseless appreciation hanging by a thread amidst them. Grasping the rusted banister, Maria peered down at her dress that had attained the DNA of Akihiro.

"Well shit," she sighed, "I guess I'll have to get something else tomorrow from the boutique."

But all of Akihiro's crowing had procured awareness from brutes below. Two of them stepped over their fallen comrade and marched straight up the stairs. Maria looked back at Bliss, her cocoa hair delicately puppetereed by the wind to flawlessly frame the look of accomplishment on her young face. Maria knew exactly what she was feeling in that moment. It was perhaps that nostalgic comprehension that killed her reaction time.

And like that, the two girls were towed down the stairwell, had their wrists and ankles bound with zip ties and their bodies carelessly tossed into a van. Maria's frame knocked into Bliss's as they tumbled around in the back of the stark vehicle. Beyond the blacked out windows, she could discern the distinct sound of Akihiro's virtuoso English as his cronies helped him up.

"Those cunts are going to be crippled when I'm fucking done with them!"

Sighing in a lukewarm fashion, Maria looked over at Bliss, "So I guess you've never been in this situation before. Well - neither have I. But it's safe to say that we should both conceal as much personal and family related information as possible. And…" She had to grit her teeth, she was scared to make another promise she couldn't keep but… She knew how much siblings meant to one another.

"I won't let them take you away from me."

Her sentiment sounded more of a citation from a romance novel than the words of reality, but she was sincere. No monetary value could be placed on family and she knew the flora and fauna of the situation all too well. She knew the look Cole got in his eyes when she was harmed. There was no way in hell she wanted Romeo to suffer in the same manner and after all, Bliss manifestly had no clue what she had gotten herself into. It was up to Maria to adjudicate the pickle to the best of her ability and ensure that the Vallance girl was returned home safely.

The car ride was short-lived yet irritably bumpy. Time and time again Maria would roll helplessly against the inner-walls or Bliss. And when whoever it was that was driving braked, they did so ferociously. Pallid street lights flooded the back seat suddenly as Bliss and Maria were clutched by their legs and pulled out of the lorry.

Enclosed by the factors of their trade and the barricades of the club, the hired hands of the Occheto's were having quite the party. Jackson was yet again in a fist fight, bludgeoning a man of the same stature with his balled mitt. The brunts dazzled the Japanese dolt as he staggered; before Jackson's prodigious hands could grab hold of him again, the joe was tumbling against the railing. Seizing the moment of opportunity, Jackson rushed him and wrapped his large digits around the man's jowl before using his leverage to completely push him over the edge. Down the casualty went, falling through the air until his soma met the stage below with a repugnant 'thud'.

Dirting off his hands, Jackson turned just in time to see the battered interpreter, Martin. Plasma soaked his face and an obvious wound gushed from his head. It seemed at last the ranks of the assailants were decreasing but, the fight wasn't getting much easier. Jackson called over to Martin, "You alright man?"

Distracted from his unremitting pistol whipping, Cole jerked to attention when a body sailed down from the upper level of the club and crashed into the stage. Putting distance between himself and his recipient, he looked up and called out, "You're cleaning that up, asshole!" It wasn't until he made his diction that he realized his victim had become inert. As much as he would have loved to kill the two of the Russian pigs, he wanted them to be cognizant of the suffering they'd be feeling.

So he abandoned his mission and headed back up the stairs, where absolute hell was ensuing.

One minute Tesla was playing a game of cat and mouse, feeling Romeo's piercing stare as she moved along, thankful for years of ballet that gave her agile grace and great flexibility, then the next minute the whole mood shifted as men flooded into the second floor staging what seemed like a scene from a James Bond movie. A champagne flute she had been meaning to set on the coffee table before everyone fell from her hand, shattering across the floor.

Her mind flashed back to the first night at the bistro - two thugs storming in to collect the head of a young girl and then Big Daddy initiating a slaughter of those involved and witnesses. Her mind went into shock, remembering Cole's steel like stare as he forced her hand to take another persons life.

She didn't realize she had taken retracting steps until the feel of the cool wall against her back made her come to a halt. Her eyes jumped from the Asians thugs who used guns as use of intimidation, to Suri who slowly stalked behind one of the men, a glint of metal catching Tesla's eyes.

Oh God, what kind of shark tank did she let herself fall into?

All at once the whole thing shifted from a takeover to a slaughter. Suri had a knife slicing into the neck of one man, the handsome devil smiling as if he had heard the funniest joke suddenly turned into a malicious machine stabbing one of the thugs who was unfortunate to be in his path.

Although she heard the gun shots of Cole and Jackson's weaponry, Tesla couldn't tear her eyes from the man who had mercilessly stabbed his opponent. It was totally insane, yet mesmerizing. All of them moved in such synchronization with each other, at first appearing compliant and submissive then in unison they shifted the odds in their favor. Just moments ago she had been serving these people drinks, giving them flirty looks and swaying her hips just a little more than usual, smirking as she noticed their eyes tracing her figure.

Trying to appear invisible, Tesla felt as if she had blended into the wall, unseen by all but witnessing everything. What would these people do to her? They could only trust her with so much, what if they thought she was becoming too much of a liability. She wouldn't say anything, truly - Tesla wouldn't even ask for anything in return just a job and her life.

Once Romeo had grabbed her arm, Tesla felt as if she were a rag doll, limp under his hold. Although she looked into her eyes as he demanded, she didn't begin to make out what he was saying until he began to shake her - setting her straight.
“It's going to be okay. I won't let anything happen to you.”
Belatedly she began nodding, unable to form words. Her parents had never prepared her for something like this. But Romeo had said he wouldn't let anything happen to her, basically saying he would protect her. Once again Tesla's looks had saved her, and she felt as if she could trust Romeo to assure her safety.

Pulling her into a much anticipated kiss, Tesla felt her liveliness return, hips pressing against his and her lips tingling under his. It was brief, leaving her body aching for more, but she allowed herself to be shoved behind the bar as more gun shots popped through the air. She bit her lip as he ordered her to stay, still nodding in compliance.

Once again the blonde found herself crouching behind the bar for her life as lives were taken just feet from her. The cuts on her feet had just began healing, although she had grown used to the ache. This was these people's lifestyle - and crazily enough Tesla didn't want to run from it.

They were fascinating, and addictive. Pumped with adrenaline and lust, it was an intoxicating feeling. Peeping occasionally from the side of the bar, she could see Jackson and Cole move in sync with another as they took 6 to 8 men down. These people ran the streets for a reason, they were brash and violent with narcissistic and psychopathic tendencies.

The sounds of glass breaking and bodies dropping harmonized with the screams of the girls downstairs. It was the symphony of the black city, and Tesla reveled in it. She leaned against the cabinet behind her, crossing her legs that stretched across to the wall across her. The best thing to do, she had learned, was to wait the storm out.

Bliss watched as Maria stumbled up the stairs.

“Thanks. Thank you.” Maria said to her in a voice much kinder then the one she had used before when talking to Bliss. Rather sweet.

But Bliss did not feel the need to be thanked for something she stopped happening that went against her morals. She would have done it for anyone.

They stood in amiable silence for a long moment. A cold breeze stirred the night air and for the first time Bliss realized her unclad state, shivering as wind stirred her long dark loose locks.

"Well shit," Maria sighed, "I guess I'll have to get something else tomorrow from the boutique."

At the mention of a boutique, Bliss's ear sprang to attention much like a Cat that heard a sound as it slept peacefully.

“Boutique?!” She questioned eagerly, a genuine smile stretching across her lips. “Is that where you got that gown from?”

Eyeing the enviable gown that clung to Maria's perfect curves with wanting. Inbal Dror in Chicago, she still couldn't believe it. Her mother was simply going to die when she heard!

Attention riveted by the subject of fashion – Bliss's favorite which she could go on about for all time – she was just about to question Maria if there were any decent places to shop in the City when out of nowhere an arm came around her waist while the other grabbed the gun out of her hand.

“Hey!” Bliss shouted struggling. “Let the fuck go!”

She screamed and struggled, yelling at the top of her voice as Maria and her were manhandled down the stairs by a pair of Asians. Panic bubbled through the feisty beauty as she kicked and punched, spat, screamed and squirmed.

“Would you shut the fuck up?!” The guy manhandling her spat close to her ear in irritation as she made it hard as possible for him to keep her balanced in his grip as she continued to struggle. His hand came to cover her mouth and Bliss bit hard drawing blood.

“Argh!” He shouted in pain but bastard didn't let go of his clamp like grip on her waist. “You bit me! You fucking bitch!”

“And I'll do it again motherfucker!” Bliss screamed back; her fear taking a backseat to her anger at being brutally manhandled by a slime ball as he settled her on her feet and then another back hand landed her on the floor and he began tying her arms behind her back and her feet up with zip ties.

“Anata wa on'na jitto suwa~tsu te kusodarou!?” (Would you fucking sit still you cunt?!)

The Asian prick screamed words Bliss didn't understand as she scratched, clawed, kicked and struggled as he tried to tie her up.

“I have to say,” He added in English after throwing her into the back of a van unceremoniously as he nursed the blood drawn scratch wounds on his hands and arms. “You're the most vicious little she-bitch I've ever had the ill luck to meet in my whole entire life.”

And then slammed the door shut.

“And you're a mother fucking piece of shit!” Bliss screamed back at the closed doors not even registering the aches and pains of her attack in her fury.

It was only then she paid attention to Maria who was at her side as the Van roared to a start speeding away, causing the two women to crash bodily into metallic walls and themselves.

"So I guess you've never been in this situation before. Well - neither have I. But it's safe to say that we should both conceal as much personal and family related information as possible. And…" Maria sighed and stopped for a moment.

Are you fucking crazy?! Bliss was about to shout at her. Of course she had never been in this sort of situation before!

But Maria spoke again before Bliss could get her words out.

“I won't let them take you away from me." Maria finished with such sincerity that for once Bliss was glad she never opened her mouth.

She was scared. Bliss had to admit. More scared then she had ever been in her whole entire life. What were they going to do to them? Bliss shivered at the thought of rape. Clean murder would be preferable. She hoped they just killed her quickly.

Are you fucking crazy! A voice inside her head bought her back to her sense. She was far from deaths door yet.

Bliss Vallance would not go down without a fight!

Bliss never ran away from a fight. Retreated, to regroup, rethink and strategies but NEVER run away! From the options of Flight or Fight, Bliss Vallance always fought and she would survive. She would get out of this! She had survived worse.

Actually, she hadn't but she was brave, careless and threw caution to the wind. She had already taken the hardest step in her whole entire life today by going against her parents will and if she could do that she could certainly do this!

Or she was talking utter crap! But that's all she had right now. Her will to fight and survive.

“I believe you.” She said firmly to Maria as they crashed into each other again, knocking hard. “But nothing's going to happen to either of us.” Bliss said firmly. “We're getting out of this.” She said as if there was no other option.

The next time when the van slowed, Bliss put her plan into action. She slowly shimmied her arms down her back smoothly bring the looped tied arms around her waist, trying to slide her huge hips through the loop.

“Argh!” She struggled. “I swear to God!” Bliss cursed out loud. “I have the hugest hips in all of creation. The smallest waist of all my friends and the flattest stomach.” She added proudly for a moment. “But like the most ginormous hips! . . . Argh!” She grunted in pain until her hips were through the loop and her hand finally in front.

Thank God for Pilates!

Bliss breathed heavily her head resting back on the cold metal floor for a moment.

“Okay, turn around.” She commanded Maria and pushed the woman onto her side before Maria could even realized she had been turned.

Bliss's fingers reached for the zip tie around Maria's wrist but just as her fingers made contact, the Van braked sharply and the sounds of doors opening and then clanging shut pierced the suddenly cold and frigid air of the night.

And then the back doors flew open and a large hand clasped Bliss's ankles pulling her forward. Bliss's struggles began anew.

She screamed as a man laughed and she kicked; the flat of her shoe making contact with his face as she half lay in the van feet up in the air as the man grunted in pain and fell a little back.

“Fucking let go!”

As Suri pressed the knife deeper blood seeped down through her hand which made her grin as she struggled for breath. The man's hand finally loosened as gun shots were shot close to them. She took her advantage and sliced the mans throat, watching as he dropped to the ground his hands gripping against his throat as he struggled through his last few breaths. Suri felt lightheaded for a few moments as she tried to get her breathing regulated. She saw Bliss flip her off which just pissed her off, she just tried to save the bitches life. The girl was lucky the guy was already dead or she would have just gave Bliss to him.

Looking around Mae was no longer in the room, Jude was taking down another man and the Bliss girl was now hardly wearing any clothes "what the fuck is going on" she muttered out loud.She quickly stepped over bodies that littered the floor, shaking her head. This definately was going to be a night to remember and a big mess that will need cleaning up after all of this.

She was following Jackson just as Bliss showed up and sank her fist in Jackson's face, Romeo was behind her trying to make excuses for the girl. Suri just looked back at Romeo "that girl needs to learn who are the enemies, really" she eyed him before. Cole and Jackson were going at it again as other men started running up the stairs, guns were shot and Suri quickly took her gun out, the guys went to take care of their own but her eyes were scanning the ceowd for her missing friend. "Where the fuck are you Mae".

As the fights continued two men came running towards her looking for a fight, thinking it would be easy to take down a girl. Well they were wrong. Suri lifted her gun and shot two bullets in one of the guys forehead, just as she was going to impale the other one with bullets strong arms wrapped around her torso. Words were spoken but she didn't pay any attention, something about having another one. "I don't think so buddy" the other asian was already running towards her, at the right moment she kicked her legs up into the mans chest. The man fell bakcwards as he got the wind kicked out of him. Suri took this minute of oportunity to bring back her elbow then jab it back into the guy that was holding her. The man let out a grunt loosening his arms around her, she aimed her gun at the guys foot, pulling back the trigger she watched as a bullet lodged into the mans foot.

He yelled a few obscinities as he let go of her, she quickly placed a bullet in the guys head before turning her attention to the other guy that was back on his feet and seemed to be quicker then she thought. A sharp pain was felt in the left side of her lower ribs, the guy was able to get a slice before she brought up her leg and kicked him backwards. "You just fucking ruined one of my favorite jackets asshole" she put her foot over the guys chest, stepping down as she put a bullet in the guys throat.

Blood was seeping out of her jacket as she she looked around for her partners, seeing Cole coming up the stairs she went over to him "I don't see Mae, or that bitchy annoying girl..we have to find them before you father finds out shes been kidnapped" he looked around at the bloody mess, screams and cries could be heard throughout the club. Taking a deep breath she took it all in. Most of the asians seems to be dead or hurt, there were still many around fighting others. It was a blood bath in the club, red could be seen sprayed over the walls and puddles of blood on the floor.

What could anyone really say about the Occheto's? It was hard to narrow it to one, simple word. Something that would define their magnificence and horror all at once. Perhaps…

Diabolical.

And that was indubitably what Cole was as he bashed his way through enemies, towards the doorway his and Vallance's sister had disappeared through. He heard Suri, sure enough, but found himself too irritated by her 'thank you captain obvious' words of wisdom to reply. The cat's paw notified him of the ichor that stained his once immaculate pressed shirt, his slightly marred flesh. It didn't belong to him, though, which was enough to make him cock a smug smirk. Once he had stepped onto the ramshackle veranda, he could see the preponderance of nighttime Chicago. It was a beautiful thing he would have basked in if it hadn't been for the monstrosities he'd witnessed.

Maria and Bliss were gone.

'Screeeeeeeeeee!' Rubber spat potent smog as tires spun and an anonymous van pulled away. It was too obvious for Cole to miss. "Son of a bitch," he sizzled and stepped one foot back into the chaos, "Jackson! Romeo! Jude!" He jerked his head towards the chilling outdoors, and wasted no time in flying down the stairs, "They got them. Shit. Shit."

"I have the hugest hips in all of creation!"

"Heh…" Maria was wrenched back into reality. In spite of all the commotion, bumping around and discomfort, she'd drifted away to a place her mind subconsciously trained her to go. Conceivably it was something taught latently to suppress potentially traumatic ordeals. Silently, Maria listened to the girl verbally note her own paragons. All she could really relate to was the huge hips part, which only came in the form of quiet nodding and simpering.

But, she did have to applaud the girl's sincere effort to get them both free. Preparatory to really comprehending what Bliss was working out, Maria was partially upright as Romeo's little sister began fiddling with her plastic manacles.

"Put them side by side!" Akihiro's voice came.
"How's your leg Akihiro?" Maria mused.
"This bitch wants to die." He growled as he limped ahead of the men that were carrying Bliss and Maria.

Ancient chairs squawked as the girls were dumped and tied firmly into them. Two sole, pallid lights swung to and fro from the ceiling above the femmes. The air was stagnant and dry. Surrounded by what appeared to be metal room dividers, Maria had few things coming to mind. Cheap set up. Hurt egos. Pussies.

Glancing towards Bliss, she began to speak something reassuring, "I wouldn't really take their bullshit personally, they don't see a whole lot of women. That's apparently - - -" Her pejorative issue was cut short as Akihiro hitched towards her surprisingly quick for having a blown-out kneecap. Blood flew from her mouth, spattering Bliss's half-bare torso. At the throbbing of her gums, Maria rolled her lips, tasting her own vital fluid and assuring herself he hadn't loosened any of her teeth. Tilting her head up to look at him, she sighed, stultified by his bruised self-importance. Olive eyes were trained on Akihiro, disinclined and blank.

This only earned her another punch on the opposite side from last. The force of gritting her teeth caused her to insufficiently grin, blood seeping through her unpigmented teeth.

The sound of knuckles on flesh made her flinch, until she realized it wasn't being inflicted upon herself. Akihiro had swiftly brought the back of his hand across Bliss's perfect face. And man, if she was keeping up what she had been all night, he wasn't going to hear the end of it. Maria closed her eyes and hung her head, stars still speckling the insides of her eyelids as she muttered, "You know you're a real pussy when you start beating someone for no reason at all, well - except for that she's very, very good at hurting your feelings. But anyway, that's besides the point because..."

Maria looked up, slightly dazed from the pummeling, "She doesn't know what I know."

A blood bath. That was the perfect word for the second floor of the Windy City. Bodies littered the floor, blood spatter painting the surroundings like an impressionist painting. No one was completely clean, at least some red painting their clothing. Or, in the case of Jude, completely covering him, drizzled across his beaming face as a fourth victim fell to his knife, arterial blood gushing like a macabre fountain.

It wasn't simple faceless murder, a quick stab and go if you will; oh, no. Jude was a connoisseur of death, but he would never forget a face. There was the young lady in Belfast with the beauty mark just left of the tip of her nose, the elderly man with the ginger-speckled beard when he'd first arrived in Chicago, the men now lying dead on the floor like marionette puppets whose strings had been cut... Yes, he remembered each and every face. He would never forget them because they would definitely never forget him. But that was neither here nor there as he finally pulled out his gun, cleanly shooting a man behind Jackson who'd been trying to get the jump on the enforcer right between the eyes, watching him crumple to the floor without so much as blinking. He had a job to do, after all.

Speaking of his job, it appears it just got a little more complicated as Cole summoned them, the hounds of Hell. Fuck, Maria would be lucky to be let out of her room ever again after all of this. Honestly, yesterday, today.... She just couldn't help playing the damsel in distress, could she? He followed Cole out into the cool night air, keeping pace behind him as he flew down the stairs, watching the squealing van disappear down the street. They must have all been a sight, if there had been anyone out to see it. A traumatic sight that might require therapy, but a sight nevertheless.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Who was talking to him? Between the ringing in his skull and the general ruckus that was the club- even louder now than before which was a feat he had deemed impossible- between the screaming and the gunshots, it was a miracle that he had heard Jackson's question at all. At least he thought it was Jackson. Everything was kind of blurry with the loss of his glasses; he wasn't blind, but faces were hard to distinguish now, fuzzy portraits of what they should be. Luckily enough, their opponents definitely had a look about them that was hard to mistake for any of his coworkers.

Was he fine? No, no he wasn't. Even without a doctor's opinion, he knew he was far from all right between the head wound and the rivulets of blood from where his glasses had cut up his face. And even as he spoke in reply, blood dripped from his lips like some shitty vampire film from a cut within his mouth.

"I'm fine. Fine." A body fell behind Jackson- one of the Japanese thugs, hopefully. His gun was still clenched tightly in his hand as the report of the kidnapping of Maria and- whoever the Hell that girl had been who'd started the evening off so wonderfully.

"Go on! They're more important!" He had to shout to be heard over the din of the club. Because, in all seriousness, Donna Maria came first on the priority list for just about everyone in this room, and he was slightly impaired but could still see well enough to aim a gun. As if to emphasize the thought, he gun went off again, hitting one of the still lingering mooks (mooks! Ha, they were like video game minions, weren't they? Not worth anything to anyone in the long run besides his own conscience) in the stomach. He didn't want to, he really didn't want to, but hopefully not everyone would run off leaving the clean-up to himself and Daniel. Then again, given how passionate the Occheto family was about Maria and revenge, it might just end up like that. Maybe it Suri stayed behind, as unlikely as that was, they could finish the job and get out of here.

Before Jackson decided to jog in the direction of which Cole called his name, he plodded through fallen folks - and they weren't just of the Japanese league. Somehow waiters and paltry Loreleis were lying on the floor and, he really couldn't help it when he accidentally kicked, nudged, or even stepped on some of them. Ubiquitously they laid, strewn like discarded figurines soused in gore. Jackson cracked his neck, each bit of bone popping raucously out of tune. Over the pandemonium he could hear a woman scream, "No! Leave her alone!"

He curbed his path just short of Martin and peered over the banister. A honey-haired eyeful on the floor below was thrashing around, a few feet away stood a panicking club noble, making a complete fuss under the disco lights. It was eerie and sickening.

Thinking himself a hypocrite for pondering a speech towards Martin about not playing the hero and this not being the time, he clenched his jaw. Cool, gunmetal eyes flashed towards the doorway again. A large hand grasped the frigid metal bar while the other lined up his target. After escaping the chamber with the crack of gunfire, the bullet whizzed downward at an explicit angle. It pierced the assailant's shoulder, sending him toppling off of her and shrieking in his native tongue. Crimson rivulets poured from the wound and onto the slick, checkered tile. Jackson peered down, shrugging as if to say, 'sorry for not getting to you sooner, lady'. When her big doe eyes looked up at him he could have sworn he recognized her…

But there wasn't time for all of that. He marched over to Martin, grabbing him roughly by the shoulders. His lecture was abandoned as he looked over the man, "You sure? You gonna' be okay?" Something seemed terribly off about him and - shit. The blue-collar was missing his glasses and had obvious blunt-force trauma. "Ah fuck, man, your glasses." He knew the clock was ticking though, and there was no way in hell he'd get out any other way; he'd simply have to trust the man. He gave Martin a reassuring nod and jogged out onto the balcony or, lack thereof.

"They got them. Shit. Shit."

Cole was galloping down the stairs, his shoulders rigid and smoke billowing behind him to eventually sail into the upper atmosphere that it would soon be prodigal with. But until then, it would paint itself in smoky, hoary spirals across the underlit azure sky.

"Some shitty old looking van just peeled out, and they're in there."

The two family cabochons, oddly brought together by fate in what seemed to be a horrifying fairytale, sat side by side to face their punishment. It was only when the Italian girl with serious jade eyes mentioned knowing some consequential segment of information that Akihiro refrained from punching Bliss for easily the fifth or sixth time. She was hellfire, spitting after every assault even as her eye swelled shut. Maria was definitely more analogous to the Vallance girl than she had predicted. She might have even began to like the girl a little, she realized as she smiled at the tough cookie. Akihiro stepped away from Bliss, snatching a bottle of beer off of a solitary table.

"What do you wanna' tell me?" He smirked at Maria and wrung his wrists.
"What do you want to know?" She played back.
"Where the shipments come from. Locations. Names."
"I thought you and Mr. Big Man there just wanted your drugs." She shook her head.
"I don't want to play a thousand questions, here. Just fucking tell me."
"Where do I start?"
"… Anywhere." His patience was wearing thin, but he was giving her a chance.
"You're not the only pack of idiots that speak in a different language that we've dealt with. So I need you to be a little more specific."
"Fucking games!" He downed the beer, then cracked the bottle across Maria's face.

Without slight scrutiny of what he had just inflicted, Akihiro grabbed a handful of the shattered crystals from the floor. Turning to Bliss, he grabbed her by the back of her hair and began palming the hand full of shards towards her lips, "You want something to chew on, don't you bitch?"

Every last detail of her surroundings were pitching and dipping. Maria's head sunk between her shoulders, then rolled slowly back and forth as she attempted to make sense of what just happened and what in the fuck hit her. Spontaneously she expectorated, a few tiny bits of glass flying into the air, but nothing compared to what Bliss would be facing. "You're the bitch," Maria muttered between a few quaint coughs. And without so much as revoking his retribution on Bliss, he steadied himself on her chair with his free hand to give Maria an abrupt kick in the sternum.

"Argh!" He shouted, having bore too much weight for his liking on his injured knee. But in no time, he returned to shoving the glass against Bliss's pretty little mouth.

Magnitude forced the chair onto its back, and down went the Occheto girl with it having been tethered to its arms and legs. Along with the kick, the impact of falling alone was breathtaking. Something ignited pain in her hip, searing the bone. She'd completely forgotten that she crammed her cell phone into the lace lingerie beneath her dress.

"What are you talking about? Maria? What's going on?" Jackson started down the unsound stairway, "Just relax, it's all gonna' get handled." Cole unexpectedly halted to retrieve his phone from a pocket, halfway across the parking lot. He turned slightly to look at Jackson, his eyes ablaze with hope. Instinctively he hit speaker phone as he answered, breathing with relief, "Mae?" But all he could make out were muffled shouts. It was no use. He ended the call, looking at the phone with silent desperation until he remembered…

That stupid fucking app Mae had me get. 'GPS Rock'. It was so if, Cole's directions were completely ridiculous, Mae could just look him up and find her way to wherever he was herself. It tracked locations. And thank God for that. "Follow me," he said quietly to Jackson, hopping into his car and looking up his little sister's position. Out onto the street the Ford Focus squealed shortly thereafter.

"Wh- what the fuck," Jackson sighed as he looked back up towards the balcony, waiting for someone, anyone to come. At the sight of a recognizable face, he yelled, "We need to go, like now."

ROMEO VALLANCE

Too caught up in the sudden blood bath and the slaughter, Romeo paid little attention to anything besides trying not to get shot or cut by some Japanese Fuckers blade. He needed to find Bliss. Where the hell had that girl run off too?

Blood spattered his starch white shirt as he shot three consecutive rounds into two opponents taking them down instantly. Shit! He hated getting his hands dirty. Blood was never a nice matter, especially when he had to go home covered in it and the Staff at the Chicago Grand wondered who the hell their Boss was or what he did.

“Jackson! Romeo! Jude!” Romeo's attention was diverted by the Occheto boy's shouts from outside.

Romeo sped out after Jackson and down the old stairwell to the sight of a cursing Cole and the chilly night beyond the open doors.

“They got them! Shit! Shit!” The words left Cole's mouth but weren't quite registering with Romeo at first. “Some shitty old looking van just peeled out, and they're in there.”

The rest of the conversation between Jackson and Cole was muted to Vallance's ears as his breath came in short sharp rasps and he ran a shaky hand through his hair.

Those bastards had Bliss?! Bliss his sweet innocent little baby sister. Blood was pounding so hard in his ears, rage blinding his eyes, not even noticing Cole had depart.

“Wh-what the fuck . . .” Was that Jackson?

Vallance couldn't tell as he roared in anger. “She has nothing to do with this! God damn motherfucking cock sucking bastards!” As he began to pummel and kick the rachitic handrails so ferociously that the front part gave and clattered to the floor.

What were they doing to Bliss?! All the answers to that though churned his stomach something vicious as he turned and tried to calm himself and think straight. But Bliss wasn't like Maria, she wouldn't be able to block it out or stand the pain. She had no idea what was going on! It wasn't right?! It was all his fault!

“What was she doing out here?” Romeo questioned out loud looking at Jackson but his words were really only an echo of his minds thought process trying to grasp at anything that could possibly make the situation more stomachable. There was nothing.

And then it hit him and almost in hysteric's he laughed out loud like a mad man and shook his head in disbelief.

“She was trying to save Maria!” He laughed.

Bliss! Hot tempered, unpredictable, sweet, kind and generous Bliss . . .

And then his laughter disappeared as soon as it came and a dangerous glaze stole over Romeo's eyes.

“If they've harmed one hair on her head I'm going to chop those motherfuckers up with my bare hands!” He said in a cold final undertone.

“We need to go, like now.” Jackson's words caught his attention once more.

Vallance nodded.

“Hold on one moment.” He said before racing up the stairs taking to steps at a time, pulling his phone out of his pocket and dialing Doyles number.

“What the fuck is it Vallance?” The dirty Cop croaked down the line. “I'm fucking sleeping.”

“I don't care if you're half way through fucking your wife!” Romeo spat. “Get me a location on this number.”

He ordered reading out Bliss's cell number. The girl never went anywhere without it. Her lifeline as Bliss used to say. A morbid grimace stretch across Romeo's lips realizing how true her words were now.

Shit! Bliss . . .

“Right fucking now!” He commanded down the line.

“Sure man. Give me a few. I'll call you right back.” Doyle said seeming to grasp the urgency of the situation and that Romeo was not fucking around.

Vallance stepped back into the once luxurious room that now looked like something out of a bad mob movie. A Japanese fucker stirred at his feet. Once he would have let the man struggle in his own blood but now that a shadow of rage, revenge and fear had clung to Romeo's broad shoulders, he looked down coldly into the mans eyes and shot him point blank through the skull.

Something, movement caught at the corner of Vallance's eye. Tessla. A sudden but short lived relief surged through him at the site of the blonde bombshell fully intact. How he wished Bliss had been with her.

Walking over towards her. Vallance pushed her hard back against the wall. Her gasp of surprise music to his ears as his body pressed into her perfectly curvaceous form, burying his face into the curve of her neck.

“Tesla baby . . .”

He was sinking and she was his anchor.

Her arms came snaked around his shoulders as his wrapped around her waist, his Glock pressing into the dip of her spine. He needed her. Needed to get a grip on himself. He wanted to scream and shout and punch the nearest thing but in her arms he found a certain calmness as he took in deep breaths of her lovely lilacy scent.

“They've taken her.” Romeo breathed mournfully against her skin and then peered up and looked down determinedly into her stormy eyes as one of his hands played in her blonde waves. “But I won't let anything happen to you. I swear it! Ever . . .”

He declared his most sincere promise as he pulled her by his grasp on her hair causing their lips to collide as he fervently plundered her mouth in desperation. His tongue gliding along hers, devouring the sweet honeyed nectar that was Tesla.

Yes, she was undeniably beautiful and breathtaking all at once. But there was more to her then just her looks. Romeo saw an innocence in her eyes that called within him a ferocious desire to protect, even in the short time he had known her. There was something about Tesla . . . He didn't know what it was, all he knew was that she didn't belong in a place like this. Showing off her body and serving drinks to dirty bastards to make a living . . .

Abruptly pulling out of their embrace, Romeo sighed as he pressed his forehead against hers. Calm at last and thinking straight.

“Let's go.” Vallance said as he pulled away and placed a quick peck to her lips; twinning her small delicate fingers through his large ones as he pulled her along, skirting the blood and dead bodies as he headed out the other door.

Planning to over step the woman that lay on the floor. Not caring who she was; Romeo spared her a glance and then had to double take as recognition flashed through his mind and he stopped suddenly causing Tesla to almost fall onto her face but his grasp on her fingers stopped her forward decent.

“Nevaeh?” Vallance question a frown creasing between his brows.

It was her! Did all the women in his life find this one day to plague him.

“God damnit Nevaeh! What the hell do you think you're doing here?!” He barked at her as his free hand gripped all the way around her upper arm as he hauled her onto her feet as if she weighed nothing more then a single grape.

Nor did he give her the chance to speak as he pushed her forward and began stalking forwards. One hand at Nevaeh's finally curved back pushing her forward to where he wanted to go and the other grasping Tesla's pulling her along and down the stairs.

As they reached the bottom, Jarvis came into view. The man was getting up and rubbing his head, obviously confused and disorientated still.

“Where the fuck were you?” Romeo spat towards his right hand man. “They've got Bliss!”

“What? Bliss?!” Jarvis cursed something obscene. “I'm sorry man.” True regret and remorse lacing his voice. “I don't no what happened. One minute we were talking and the next is now and the place is empty.”

“Fuck!” Romeo spat as he let go of Tesla's hands.

His eye's wondered to the stirring battered Russians and his rage ignited once more.

“I want those motherfucking Russians alive.” He commanded Jarvis pointing to the men. “Tie them the fuck up and these two,” He added referring to the two women. “don't let them out of your sight and you God damn make sure nothing happens to them. Keep them in the Office and when it's safe make sure they get home alright.”

Though the club was empty, Vallance couldn't be sure they weren't surrounded from the outside. It was safer for the girls inside here for the time being.

Jarvis nodded his agreement.

Romeo swept passed them all and into his Office pulling out the bottom draw of his desk and the hidden compartment as he picked up the Colt that lay there and shoved it into the waist band of his trouser and then began to reload the two Glocks strapped under his suit jacket and shoved extra clips into his pocket.

His gaze pulled to the Louis Vuitton Suit Case and Duffle bag. Bliss's stuff. His determination to get back his sister live and well ever more solidified as he stalked out the room.

“You listen to Jarvis.” Romeo commanded sternly as he made his way towards the stairs. “I'm talking to you Nevaeh.”

Running up the stairs and through the bloodied room and down the rickety stairwell which he had demolished in his rage. His phone beeped and a text from Doyle confirmed the location of the number.

“Let's go.” He said decidedly as he shoved the Colt into Jackson's grip.

Bliss screamed, spat, scratched and struggled all the way to her uncomfortable seat as she was strapped in next to Maria. The fear of God in her but she would be damned if she let this bastard see he had her scared.

She would die fighting till her last breath. And she had no doubt now that she would die. Her death was immanent. But Bliss would not sit there and wait for it. When it came she would know that she didn't give up till the end.

The room was dark and the only light was dim from a bulb that swayed above them. Bliss turned to look at Maria as she said something to her. Bliss heard the words but they didn't make sense and the next moment her eyes widened in horror as that bastard who she'd shot in the leg punched Maria's pretty face so hard that blood spattered onto Bliss's naked form.

Bliss peered down at the crimson liquid marring her flesh. Terror and adrenaline running riot through her body all at the same time.

“Stop! You fucking bastard!”

She screamed as Akihiro's fist sunk into Maria's cheek again but on the opposite side and then before she knew it he had moved a couple of inches and Bliss didn't even see his fist coming as it made contact with her face.

Blood filled the inside of her mouth as pain exploded in her head. Her face reeling to the side with the impact of the punch.

“Shut the fuck up bitch! I've had quite enough out of you for one night.”

Akihiro's grin spun in her vision as Bliss righted her face. Her dark locks moving out of her face. His happy features boiling her blood as her senses slowly returned. She would wipe that smile off that fuckers face! Bliss swore, even in her precarious position strapped to the chair.

“Make me. Motherfucker.” A cold sneer spread across her lips as she gathered all the spittle and blood in her mouth and then spat it onto Akihiro's face and watched it dribble down onto his shirt.

Akihiro roared and began pummeling her face again with his fist. Bliss lost all feeling after the second or third punch but she screamed and spat even as he continued his relentless assault on her beautiful face.

Never! Never would she just sit there and take a beating. She would fight until the last ounce of strength left her body and even after that.

Her heavy head sank to her front as the mans brutalization suddenly ceased. Bliss could hear nothing but the blood running around her head and leaking out of her skin. Her left eye almost glued shut and she could barely see out of it as she reeled; swaying from her bound seat.

The ringing in her ears continued endlessly as the sound glass shattering added to the painful noise. Then her head was yanked back by her dark locks and sharp shards of glass were pressed against her lips before she had a chance to spit in the bastards face again.

"You want something to chew on, don't you bitch?" Akihiro's crow like voice sneered at her.

Bliss shook her head from right to left trying to dislodge his painful grip, the sounds of her cries muffled by his persistent press against her lips. She wanted to die! She wanted to live. She wanted to fight!

Yes! She wanted to live and fight! She would! She would never give up. This pain was temporary. She wouldn't cry, wouldn't shed a tear, wouldn't show her fear and terror. NEVER!

“You're the bitch.”

Maria's slurred words reached her ears and Bliss wanted to cry. The woman was still trying to save her. But Bliss wouldn't cry.

“Argh!” Akihiro shouted in pain as he kicked Maria down.

This small incident causing the man to pull his glass filled hand away from Bliss's mouth for a second. But it was enough for her. As his hand returned it's assault against the delicate skin of her mouth, however this time Bliss's mouth was open and even though the sharp shards enter her mouth and cut the insides of her tongue and the inside of her cheek Bliss's teeth sank into Akihiro's flesh.

It was the most excruciating pain she had ever been in in her whole entire life. But it was worth it when the bastard screamed like a little bitch as Bliss ripped a large chuck of the side of his hand off by her bare teeth.

Jumping back he screamed a riot as he nursed his bleeding hand. The blood flow unstoppable.

The taste and the texture of human flesh in side her mouth made Bliss's stomach churn. She was going to be sick but not before she spat the flesh out of her mouth; to land across near his feet, grinning as she laughed out loud. Glass still in her mouth but it mattered little to her now.

“I certainly did want something to chew on.”

She bestowed unto him a bloody toothy smirk before unleashing the contents of her stomach to the side.

Martin didn't bother to flinch when Jackson- and he was sure it was Jackson, blurred face or no- grabbed him roughly by the shoulders. In his dazed state, he couldn't really fathom what was going on, only aware that it was happening. The adrenaline rush was wearing off now, making him more aware of his throbbing head, the pain slowly growing with each throb. It was funny what ran through his mind at the moment, just the thought that at least he hadn't been shot again. It was the little things, or maybe that was just the head trauma talking. The concern, though, that was surprising. It wasn't that he and Jackson didn't get along, it was just that they usually didn't find any reason to talk outside of the occasional meeting with foreign business partners.

"Fine, it's fine," He said, trying for a reassuring smile that came across as grotesquely fake. Which was a shame, really, since he liked to pride himself on his fake smiles. Almost no one could usually tell the difference. But it apparently had done the trick or the situation was more dire than he had supposed since Jackson nodded and disappeared out the ruined door. He let out a shuddering sigh, the pain making him more aware of his surroundings. It was like a scene out of a slasher film, the floor littered with bodies and coated with a thick layer of blood. He couldn't tell if the nausea curling in his stomach was from the sight, the smell, his head wound, or a combination of the three.

Someone was running back into the room now and more people were popping up out of nowhere, some of them women and one man that he could loosely associate with Romeo. He rubbed at his face again, biting back a hiss of pain. All right, he shouldn't wipe his face anymore. It only served to further irritate the cuts littering his face.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cole was running down the rickety stairs now, his panic mounting with every step. Had the situation been any different, Jude, who stood at the top of the stairs watching the scene play out below, may have actually been amused to see the normally so cocky Occheto boy lose his cool. But this was personal now- they couldn't allow an opposing gang to just waltz in and make fools of them. Even more concerning, they'd taken Maria(and the brunette bitch, but Jude couldn't bother to muster up any amount of caring about her despite Romeo's obvious attachment) who Jude was admittedly fond of. It was definitely a mistake on their part, however. One did not simply mess with the Occheto family's principessa. There would be Hell to pay, and Jude was certainly looking forward to it.

"We need to go, like now." The simple command had Jude moving again, no longer just the spectator to the unfolding drama, as he made his way quickly down the unstable stairs, passing Romeo who was retreating back inside for some bizarre reason. The blood spattered over his body was still slick, leaving sticky, red partial shoe prints on the staircase. His gun had been carefully replaced back in its hiding place beneath his coat but ready to be retrieved at a moment's notice.

"Ready," And he sounded more perky than he had any right to be, the psychopath that he was, but he couldn't help it. The promise of more bloodshed was like a siren song, calling out to his twisted little heart. And now Romeo was there, finally picking up the pace as he shoved a gun into Jackson's hand. Oh, this was going to be fun.

Too impetuous by the pressing risks he'd managed to gamble, Cole's car nearly turned over as he haphazardly rounded a corner. There in the distance, daubed against an otherwise prepossessing Chicago panorama, was the warehouse he'd taken the location of via some truthfully stupid app his sister made him download a couple days ago. Cole's index finger popped the glove compartment open as he steered, determined, towards the sinister parking lot. Another Beretta tumbled out and onto the floor mat.

He pressed one foot to the crumbly macadam as he pushed open his door. Dulling, the engine of the car soon quieted. Unorthodox was it to him now, to have silence - well, besides the vehicular buzzing from the inner city and the passing breeze. The alcohol and all the maelstrom from the club had really gotten to him. Predatory cyan eyes scanned the area while his ears strained, wondering if and when Jackson would show up.

Expressionless, Jackson's vacant eyes searched the face of Romeo as he stormed back out onto the terrace above. Incertitude had overtook him and though he wasn't sure why, he knew that everything unfolded at such a rapid pace that he wasn't likely to figure it out. Just a few minutes earlier, Romeo was kicking the shit out of the railing and throwing a fit. Now he'd returned, slightly cooled off yet more minatory in movement. Jackson's eyes flitted until he nodded, accepting the sleek piece of weaponry.

Together, himself, Jude, and Romeo piled into his truck. More than once or twice, Jackson stole glances at Jude who was, well, terribly peachy keen. But it wasn't out of place or unwelcome. This in fact, reassured Jackson that there was fun to be had. In no time they had pulled up to the stark looking location, all too appropriate for the state of affairs in which they were dabbling. Cole's car was parked, the door ajar and the interior light still on. He hadn't gone in more than two minutes ago. Jackson said nothing as he scrambled from the vehicle and towards the building.

Maria couldn't make out what exactly was supervening above her. So she lay, breathless from her impact and without much of a choice, letting the slurred, nebulous sounds and voices around her lull her into darkness.

"Shit!" Akihiro yowled, reeling back and cradling his hand. "Orokana mesu inu! Both of you stupid cunts want to die! Alright, alright!"

The yelling forced her to blink at full tilt as her brain accepted messages to assemble what was going on. Maria had previously garnered a black eye from a drugged out girl and now she'd be sporting two; bruises on top of bruises. Agony combusted in her face, but the worst of it was located above her brow bone where a fair-sized piece of glass was lodged from the beer bottle. Struggling to sit upright, to see that Bliss was alright, Maria pathetically wriggled.

Unexpectedly, foul laughter filled the room as Akihiro paced back to Bliss. He stood a few inches away, safe from her jaws but certain she'd almost done more damage to herself than anything. It seemed he was contemplating something serious, his deep mahogany eyes tense as he looked the beautiful damsel over. Under any other circumstances he'd have simply admired her from afar, like some sort of delicate piece of porcelain - too rare to touch. But in the current state, she, having shot him in the leg and being an extended trophy of the Occheto family, well, she needed to be tangible. And her sharp tongue wasn't doing her any favors, so to speak.

Her petite, pedicured fingers twitched just beyond the arm rest of the chair where her wrists were firmly bound. Akihiro wasn't close to done with her, and in spite of the quick injury she administered to his hand and knee, he wasn't going to provide her the same luxury. "Killing you so early in the game would be a kindness." He sighed as two of his own fingers traced her index, "I'd really love to, but… There are consequences," he snapped the digit back, splintering bone stentorian, "For being a conniving bitch."

Knowing the sound all too well, Maria immediately identified it as her pale virescent eyes darted back and forth from behind swollen lids, barely able to see, "Hey. Hey!"
"Shut up!" Akihiro growled, "Or I'll break every fucking bone down to her fucking distal!"
"D-distal? What are you anyway, a medical school drop out? I mean - are you done whining yet?" Her voice croaked.
"Whining?" He grabbed Bliss's middle finger then, fracturing it with the same ferocity as the last.

Before she could cry out or muster another smart response, Akihiro seized the Vallance girl's throat with his bloodied hand. Completely taken by his rage, he couldn't stop even though he was ordered to keep the two girls alive.

"Come break my distal then, faggot." Maria toyed, her face smug, slightly welted and black and blue. Grating noises permeated the room, the sound of exertion and asphyxiation. Whatever a distal is... Maria thought to herself as the throbbing from her head injury vanquished mostly all other brain processes. Akihiro abandoned the wheezing girl he was hellbent on abusing to loom over the fallen one whose smirk was likely to push him over the edge. He'd have never admitted but, her name calling was maiming him in unimaginable ways. But she already knew that.

A once polished dress shoe delivered multiple kicks to her ribs until he finally relented, contented by her quietude. "Now," he breathed, turning back towards Bliss, "About doing you that kindness." He grabbed her throat again.

"Won't be doing much of anything with another busted knee," came a quiet voice from behind the divider. Gunfire split the gasping from Bliss as Akihiro fell in a heap, absolutely screaming bloody murder. Cole had shot from point-blank range, sneaking out from behind the thin panel and for moments, only seeing Bliss. Her fingers were contorted, her face wounded and her mouth a powerhouse for gore. "What did he do to you," Cole's voice was a quiet requiem as he looked over her, too scared to cup her face in fear of injuring her further. His hands scrambled to get her out of the chair.

From the other side of the room he could make out the sound of maybe one, or two men talking in a foreign tongue. He'd have more company and if there was any hope of him getting himself and Romeo's sister the fuck out of there, he'd have to be quick. Well, at least that was his first and foremost priority until a bone-cracking puff was heard. Following her cough, blood spattered the unfinished cement floor as Maria exhaled.

"Mae, I'm here," Cole reassured as he cut away zip ties to free Bliss, who, by the looks of it, would probably pass out. Like a bag of sand, he hauled her up over his shoulder and pointed his gun towards the opposite side of the room where his baby sister lie on the ground, "Just give me a minute…"

Her biting of the bastards flesh had did little good except stop him for a moment as he whined and cried like a little bitch. If she was capable of feeling surprise at this moment in time then that was what Bliss was feeling because she had bit a big massive chunk of his hand off.

Her stomach still roiled and she was sick again as she remembered the taste of flesh in her mouth as Akihiro turned his attention back to Maria and began pummeling the poor girl again. Bliss murmured and tried to tell the bastard to stop but her stomach still churned and her breathing ragged as she tried to catch her breath. Her head pounding something fierce.

And then he stood before her again. Safe. She thought she was safe as he stood close enough to garner a presence but far away enough that his fist couldn't reach her face.

"Killing you so early in the game would be a kindness."

Bliss flinched as his fingers traced over hers. Her body shaking from the beating she received but her spirit and will as strong as when they had first grabbed her from the top of the stairs at the Gentleman's club.

Her hope of a quick death thoroughly dashed by his words.

"I'd really love to, but . . . There are consequences," he continued coldly and then suddenly snapped her index finger back with a disgusting crunch. "For being a conniving bitch."

Bliss screamed at the top of her lungs as and indescribable pain shot through the delicate digit. Whimpering in pain she kicked and struggled in her seat.

“Oh God!”

Her head reeled forward as she tried to breath; so close to passing out. She wanted to give into the feeling but that would mean giving into this bastard, giving up! And she would never do that. He would have to slit her throat before she stopped struggling. Stopped fighting for freedom. For life . . .

Again, she heard Maria's voice calling out but it was as if she spoke from far away. The words muffled to her ears. Poor Maria. Bliss mused in her half conscious state. She sincerely hoped the woman made it out alive. She had taken a less of a beating then Bliss had herself. Bliss wasn't so sure about herself . . .

Bliss screeched again in utter undeniable pain as another finger was pushed back, jumping up and down in her seat at sensation. But she didn't cry. She refused to cry!

“You motherfucker!” She screeched again but there was a small break and he was gone but all to quickly he returned.

“About doing you that kindness." A large hand clasped her throat and Bliss chocked as she looked up from her good right eye to see Akihiro's grinning face as he squeezed her trachea harder.

This was it . . .

Bliss thought even as she tried to gasp for breath that wasn't there. Her toes curling in her shoes, fingernails clawing into the armrest.

This was how her life was going to end . . .

And the only thing Bliss could think was how sad it was . . . She may not have been good person but she wasn't a bad one either and she didn't deserve to die in this manner. But murder was hardly fair she thought with an internal laugh as she became weaker and weaker and waited for the end . . .

She thought it had come when the grip slacked from around her neck. But she coughed and sputtered viciously wheezing heavily, half bent in her seat as much as her restraints would allow. Blood dripping from so many places she didn't know where one wound started and the other end.

“What did he do to you?”

Bliss used the last of her energy to look up at the starling new voice. Her good eye watched in fearful happiness as she recognized the man that was trying to free her as one of her brothers friends from the club as he spoke again but not to her . . . at least she didn't think it was her in her disorientated state.

God, she hoped he was real.

She hoped that bastard Akihiro was dead, better yet she hoped she was dead as the man hauled her over a shoulder. Bliss grunted in pain as her still sensitive stomach was lodged against his shoulder.

Her long beautiful dark chocolate locks falling over her shoulders and head irritating her sensitized skin. Bliss raised her head slightly at the sudden sound of voices and peered through the veil of her tresses as her brother and others raced forward.

A smile cracked her broken lips as the men stopped in front of her. They were saved! She dared to believe it now. As almost sweet laugh left her lips and she remembered the man who held her initial question.

“Nothing compared to what I did to him.”

She said surprising even herself at the almost playful tone of her voice as she smiled brokenly up at her brother and his two cohorts and then passed out as blackness consumed her.

ROMEO VALLANCE

The drive though not significantly long or hindered in anyway felt like forever to Vallance. Miles upon never ending miles. But he restrained himself from kicking the shit out of the dashboard in his fit of temper. Instead he sat in stoic silence as he contemplated what he was going to do to the bastard that had abducted his sister.

He stole a quick glance at Jackson who drove and Jude who looked unsurprisingly calm, an almost joyous serene calm over his features as he no doubt contemplated the kill. The Irishman had Serial Killer written all over him Romeo ventured and Vallance was glad at times like this that the man was on his side.

The destination came into sight. A cold haunting building came into view.

All three men raced inside the derelict structure as they spotted Cole's car parked haphazardly in the empty parking lot. Romeo's mind raced at what they would find inside. Adrenaline pumping; his heart pounding ferociously as he spotted Bliss's half naked form slung over Cole's shoulder.

“Fucking yes!” Romeo breathed as he raced towards the pair.

Jackson and Jude keeping pace with him as they all stopped just behind Cole. A dark heavy mass of perfectly loose curled long hair reached almost to the back of Cole's knees hiding her face. But she was awake and looking at them through the heavy veil.

But something wasn't right. Romeo gently pushed the heavy mass over her shoulder and head revealing a grotesque sight. Not grotesque but completely abused.

Her beautiful face a mesh of disconcerted flesh. Her left eye so badly swollen that it was almost shut and black and blue in color. Blood raining down in rivulets and streams. Thick and sticky and dry. Her once lovely pink lips cut and gash with pieces of glass still stuck in the skin.

“Oh Bliss!” He breathed as he ever so gently, almost not touching, rubbed the back of his hand against the good side of her face as tears brimmed his eyes and he almost chocked on his sob. “What have they done to you?”

Yet, even now, to his utter amazement and pride. She laughed and smiled. Almost beautiful in it's sad and brokenness.

“Nothing compared to what I did to him.” She grinned and then passed out instantly, her head drooping back down, still shouldered by Cole.

“Bliss!?” Romeo shouted urgently but dare not touch her for all her injuries. “Wake up sweety!?” He said as panic ran through him and he placed his fingers at the base of her throat to check for a pulse. “Still strong.” Vallance sighed in relief.

Still going strong . . . His Bliss.

Even after all she'd been through . . .

Romeo had been blind to the rest of the room and the people in it until that moment. His sole concern and eyes for his baby sister.

But now as he looked around he saw an Asian man on the floor, both knee caps blown out. One wound looking very recent as blood gushed out of it and the man rolled in pain on the floor. However, the thing that Romeo's eyes honed in on and untethered and unleashed his pent up deadly anger and frustration was the man's hands stained red raw with Blood . . . Bliss's Blood!

Vallance's eyes narrowed and then a split second later he threw himself at the Asian bastard on the floor and began pummeling the man to a bloody pulp as he roared. His anger an insipid cauldron boiling over as Romeo saw nothing but red.

Beating the shit out of the bastard. Blood soaked his hands, arms, shirt front and face.

“Don't worry.” Romeo spat menacingly down at the bastard grabbing him up by the shirt collars as the mans head lolled half alive. “I won't kill you yet. Not before I put you through every single tiny thing you put my sister through and then some more. By the time I finish with you you're going to wish I killed you now!”

The look in Vallance's eyes deathly as his large fist sank into the pricks face again . . .

Romeo wasn't the only one who felt that the drive lasted much too long. It wasn't worry or nerves that caused the time to drag on for Jude, however. Maria, he was sure, would be alive when they arrived, much too precious to be killed this early on in the game. As for the other girl, well, she could be dead in a random alley for all he cared. No, it was the anticipation, like waiting to open presents on Christmas day. He flexed his hand slightly, humming a little tune under his breath as they pulled to a stop, watching Cole already disappear into the building that presumably held the damsels in distress. Killing people like he had just moments earlier brought on a heady sensation that he would loathe to stop now. His hand flexed again when he, Romeo, and Jackson finally exited the car, racing after Cole, into the unknown, ready to face whatever came his way. Ready to open his gift.

After all of that anticipation, Jude was almost disappointed with what awaited them inside. There wasn't a huge group of Japanese thugs, just a large room with that girl(he'd probably have to learn her name at some point because she was as difficult to kill as a goddamn cockroach so he knew he'd be seeing more of her) looking brutally beaten if the fact that she passed out moments after they entered the room meant anything. Some short ways away was Maria, still clinging stubbornly to consciousness like the proud, tenacious woman that she was. However, the sight that caught his attention was the Japanese man writhing on the floor, unable to even attempt to stand due to the gunshot wound to one of his knees. It was a pitiful sight, the cocky bastard shrieking like a banshee, obviously in terrible pain. It was indeed a good thing that not one person in this room actually gave a shit. Case in point, Romeo didn't even hesitate before throwing himself on the man and beating him into an even bloodier pulp.

With everyone's attentions focused solely on Bliss, a little bit on Maria, and on the idiot who'd thought it a wonderful idea to cross the Occheto family, Jude's attention began to stray from the scene and look towards other parts of the room. Which, in this case, actually ended up being a wonderful thing. Coming from another room, drawn in by the shrill cries of their leader, two members of the Asian gang were approaching now, guns drawn and leveled at the man currently pummeling their boss to within an inch of his life. Jude had to give them credit- he hadn't even noticed them and now they were so close...

There was a loud popping sound and one man crumbled to the ground, a bullet lodged in his skull. However, there was no second shot. Modern marvel that it was, Jude's gun had chosen this exact moment to jam. Damn unreliable thing. He knew he should have gone with the Glock tonight, not this skinny sorry excuse for a handgun.

The other man flinched, freezing in a mixture of shock and terror as his partner collapsed, spraying his face with red. He was staring at Jude like a deer caught in the headlights as the bizarre grin settled on him. In his fear, he hesitated. That was his problem- he hesitated. Soon he joined the death toll for the day, one of Jude's knives sticking out of where his right eyeball had been, the hilt the only part not currently hidden inside the man's head.

Then, as calm as you please, Jude made his way over, retrieving his knife. It made a sickening "shuck" sound as it slid out of place with a little tug. There. Now, that was a good finale for his night.

"Sorry to hurry everything along, my friends, but I think we'd better be wrapping this up," he said, tone disturbingly chipper. There were people to be taken care of and they were in the territory of an enemy they knew almost nothing about. Stalling right now would probably just bring more problems.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Only moments after the enforcers and Romeo had disappeared after Cole, Martin was surprised to find yet another concerned person hovering over him. What was it, his birthday? He bit back a snicker at the thought, convinced that giggling randomly probably didn't seem like a good sign. It was Suri this time, hand tilting his chin upwards just a little bit. Huh, she was actually concerned. First Jackson, now Suri... Well, color him surprised.

"I should be able to," He replied, pleased that he couldn't feel as much blood dripping down his lips anymore when he spoke. "I have a... A Mercury Sable." It was far from the flashy cars that his coworkers drove and was a color so neutral that it didn't occur in nature. Still, it had always gotten the job done for Martin and, really, nondescript cars that looked like almost every single other car tended to come in handy. She removed her hand then and he blinked slowly, looking around for Daniel.

"I left him behind the couch," He finally said, resisting the urge to rub his eyes again, instead fishing through his coat pocket for his keys before holding them out for her. "You drive." It wasn't just an offer. He was in no position to drive right now between his still oozing head wound and his glasses or lack there of. He could still walk at least and hesitantly grabbed one of the bodies, following behind Suri. He didn't ask Daniel for help or those stragglers that were connected to Romeo in some way that would probably make sense if his head hadn't ached so badly. He wouldn't- he couldn't ask that of anyone.

He could hardly look at her. The most pathetic part of it was, he felt as a dead loss and nothing more. This was nearing easily, the tenth time he'd let her down in the mere past week. Her distinctive cheek bones were covert by swelling flesh, the feline green eyes that so often expressed more than her words, barely open to a slit. His grip on Bliss slackened as he lowered his eyes, distracted from where he had aimed his gun.

"Your minute has been given," she said, still sentient enough to joke with her big brother. As angry as she could have been, she wasn't. There was nothing but relief to be had at the sight of Cole, notwithstanding the trauma done to her ribcage and head, "but hey, is the kid alright?"

"She's gonna' be okay, Mae," he buoyed up, interrupted by a familiar voice.
"Fucking yes!" Romeo rushed to the scene.
"He broke bone," Maria groaned, "He broke her bones."
"What have they done to you?" Romeo mourned.
"She's gonna' be fine, Mae."

Bliss went limp, but no weight hardened against Cole's frame. She was already basically dead force, incapable of functioning due to the harm she had endured. Which, to be honest, was quite more than a few slaps and punches. Pretty tough, he noted mentally. Jackson stepped beside Cole, watching quietly as Romeo proceeded towards the indisposed Japanese assailant ululating on the cement. The room had quieted momentarily as Romeo's mammoth fists cudgeled the squalling Asian who was hemorrhaging rapidly. Throwing a wayside glance at Bliss, inert and bruised to all hell, Jackson rubbed a hand across his face. It sickened him. Such heavenliness, beat to shit - and then…

"Where you been all my life?" Maria's eyes flitted upwards as Jude strolled by, his aspirations unfolding in front of him and his face speaking nothing short of sheer felicity. She knew that look all too well.

Maria. A crack disintegrated the atmosphere. Gunfire. Then, the 'clink' and 'clack' of a gun jamming. Jackson would have handled the two thugs appropriately, but Jude already had it under control, clearly having premeditated it to some degree. Jackson padded past the Irish lunatic, straddling a body and retrieving his cutting tool from the deceased man's ocular cavity. He squatted beside Mae who lie on her back, fettered to a cheap, old chair.

"Kid? You're a kid too." He forced a smile and looked over her, unnerved at the idea of so much as touching her skin to get her out of her catch 22. On top of that, he was sure she didn't want his help.
"You're a kid." She quipped, her energy for comebacks sliding.
"You wanna' know something though?" He sliced a zip tie away from her wrist.
"What's that…" She sighed, closing her eyes.
"You're pretty alright, kid."

The maimed Occheto girl, apparently sparked inwardly by this nostalgic sentiment, laughed. You're pretty alright, kid. That was what Jackson had said on possibly their second or third date after Maria cracked some crude joke and turned a tint of red for letting it slip. Jackson, what a piece of work. He could be stupid as all hell, carry the jealousy of a teenager, be worthy of a good right hook, and delicately maudlin - it didn't make sense. She let her head roll to the side, looking at her brother and dismissing Jackson without any words. God, she hated that son of a bitch.

"…I think we'd better be wrapping this up."

He stood, taking the hint from Maria and paying heed to Jude's words. It was bittersweet. Someone else would surely help the beloved princess. And besides, if someone didn't put a stop to Romeo's brutalization of the Japanese knucklehead, there would be nothing but vital matter left. Jackson fastened his hands onto Romeo's vast shoulders, tugging him away from the man who was now, surely dead. Or, at least, halfway there. He was still.

"Come on man, we gotta' get the girls out of here."

With a nod, Cole secured his hold on Bliss and said, "I'm taking her out to the car. Someone get Mae - hurry it up." When the cool air hit him, he felt a certain extent of solace. Neither girls were dead, or crippled. Well, in Bliss's case, her fingers would be disabled for a couple of weeks but to Cole, that was nothing. Not to say he was oblivious to the effects it would have on a girl like her; she'd probably never experienced even a slight percentage of what she incurred on that night. Romeo was going to lose his fucking mind, that much was for sure.

Jude wiped the knife blade unconcernedly on his suit pants, the gore, still warm from the freshly dead man, sliding off of the steel with ease. His suit, he reasoned, was already ruined if the mostly dried blood coating it was any sign. That was going to be an absolute bitch to get out. The room was quiet now, the only noises breaking the the eerie silence being the sound of Romeo still pummeling the Japanese man who wouldn't last long at this rate and a quiet conversation from Maria and Jackson as the enforcer cut the zip ties binding her to a worn, broken-down chair. Some of their conversation drifted over to him and, however unwillingly, he listened in.

Kid? He resisted the urge to snort, the switch blade returning to its place within his jacket. Honestly, they were both still children in the eyes of the Irishman. Through his own family, he had been involved in the tumultuous world of death and murder before Jackson was properly potty trained, before Maria was even born. But even more interesting was the tension that arose from the interaction, noticeable even to his discerning ear. Then again, there had always been a tension there, it had just been more sexual tension a while back. Now it was just deliciously awkward as Jackson retreated to finally pull Romeo off of that poor son of a bitch still just clinging to life.

"Someone get Mae - hurry it up."

Well, that was something that he could certainly do. Jude meandered his way over, finally getting a good luck at the Occheto girl. In the dim lighting it had been hard to see, but as he approached her beaten and bruised features became clear. She was far from the collected and fashionable beauty he'd seen just a short while ago, strutting into the Windy City with a smirk on her painted lips. Still, she was beautiful, if not in her features but in her tenacity and resolve, still checking in on the brunette bitch despite her own injuries, that fire he so admired still alight. There was a reason she was his favorite lady. His hand ghosted over one of her swollen cheeks, only for a moment, head tilted to one side.

"Come on, lovely Maria," He cooed, drawing out her name as he always did, lips quirking into a tiny, genuine smile. Then, ever so gently, he scooped her up into his arms, holding her bridal style like she was the most precious think in the world. It was bizarre, the tenderness, given what he'd done at the club, what he'd been doing only a moment ago, reveling in the decimation and mutilation of his enemies. "Let's get you taken care of, love." Then, like a knight in bloody armor, he carefully followed Cole out into the cool Chicago night, holding Maria delicately to his chest.

A whirlwind of feelings, needs and wants hit Bliss as she slowly returned from the blackness that had consumed her. How long had she been out? She didn't know. But she guested it couldn't be too long because she was still in that God damn dark room!

Were these people stupid? Still remaining here? Bliss's anger sizzled even as her face ached and hunger hit her. Yes! Hunger! She hadn't eaten a single thing since six o'clock in the morning and what little of it had been inside her belly had been excommunicated from her stomach when she had been sick. Twice.

Oh! She wanted to get out of here! But the room was eerily silent except a thump thump sound and angry grunting. What the hell was that?! Bliss thought as she was over come with darkness again for a moment. Her mind whirling; closing her eyes against the sudden dizziness that claimed her momentarily. But it passed as quickly as it came.

One hauntingly heather gray eye fluttered open, but she couldn't see anything from her upside down position, even as she looked up, except the exit. Her door to freedom . . . To life.

If only these idiots would move! What if that bastard came back? With more of his friends?! Panic and fear ran through her suddenly and she began to shiver convulsively.

Luckily her fear was short lived as she was swung around on the broad shoulder she was carried on.

“I'm taking her out to the car. Someone get Mae - hurry it up.” Said the man who carried her.

But as Bliss was turned she saw what had been going on behind her back. Her brother was beating someone to a pulp! Drenched in blood. Bliss watched in disbelief and disgust as someone she vaguely recognized but could not quite place at the minute, tried to stop Romeo.

“Come on man, we gotta' get the girls out of here.” She heard him say to her brother.

But Romeo did not relent. It sickened Bliss. It wasn't right. Even now, after all she had been through. After all Akihiro had put her through . . . This . . .The horrific sight in front of her . . . it . . . it just wasn't right!

She didn't want her brother to become a killer. A murderer. She didn't want what Akihiro did to her to be the reason that such a bloody stain mar her brothers soul.

“Stop him! . . . Please!” Bliss cried out with all her strength at the man that was trying to restrain Romeo; as she was hauled out of the dilapidated building that she had thought would be the place her life ended.

Relief surged through her as a cold blustering wind hit her. Her dark locks flowing with the night air. Her bare skin clammy and hot all at once to the touch.

Free at last!

Real joy. She knew what that was now. Knowing she had faced certain death and worse and fought and survived!

A bright smile laced her abused lips as her brothers handsome friend laid her down in the back seat of a car ever so gently only causing her the slightest of pains. But compared to what she had suffered tonight it wasn't even worth a mention.

“You know,” Bliss teased him playfully, sliding her good hand down his tie as he hovered over her trying to make her as comfortable as possible, Bliss guessed. “I usually make sure a guy takes me out to dinner first before I allow him to take such liberties in the back of a car . . . But I suppose for you I can make an exception.”