Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 248926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1245(@200wpm)___ 996(@250wpm)___ 830(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 248926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1245(@200wpm)___ 996(@250wpm)___ 830(@300wpm)
I leaned his way. “How is my Mouse?”
“Still asleep, Blue is inside. Valentina is out of the hospital against her doctor’s wishes. She was in your suite waiting for you when I entered. Valentina is now with Blue in the room, watching Emily too.”
I nodded. “Get your guns out, David. Make sure our people have theirs out too.”
David gave me an odd look, but did as I said. Then, he ordered the others. They kept their guns to their sides.
“Alright, people.” Maxwell walked over to the Harlem Crew. “It’s time I reintroduce you to the Mouse and ask you to make a serious decision—a difficult one that deals with your heart and maybe even your soul.”
Watching everything, Jean-Pierre stood on the other side of the room with his arms crossed over his chest.
“Em did everything in this room all by herself.” Maxwell gestured to the bodies. “She sliced them. She diced them. This was all her.”
Low muttering sounded among Harlem Crew. Several people widened their eyes. Others shook their heads in disbelief.
“Em has. . .episodes every now and then. Especially, when life gets shaky, like now. As you can see. . .these episodes. . .are dark ones.” Maxwell walked down the front of the line. “Therefore, you have some new duties. I need everyone to not only have her back, but watch over her.”
I assessed their faces, searching for the ones most bothered by the news.
“There are small signs to tell you when Dark Em is coming. She gets a little dizzy.” Maxwell went to the side of the large group. “She stares off and might not have heard what you were saying. She rubs her hands a lot. You see that, you let me know so I can check on her.”
Several men focused on the pile of dicks.
“If Em is acting strange, proceed with caution.” Maxwell returned to the front. “When the episode happens, she’s not herself. She’s something else. She might even come for you, especially if you’re a man.”
Two guys whispered on the side.
Maxwell walked on. “And you can’t protect yourself from Em. You can’t harm her, because then I’ll be coming for you.”
And the Brotherhood.
“So what you have to do is get away, yet protect her. Make it to me, but without harming her.” Maxwell stopped in front of them and backed up several feet. “It’s a tough job within an already deadly position within the Brotherhood. So. . .I give you all a choice. In fact, this is a decision of the soul.”
I raised my eyebrows.
“None of you signed up for this part of the job. So, I’ll give you a chance to think this over.” Maxwell sighed.
I frowned.
“Everyone get in one straight line.” Maxwell clapped his hands. “Real quick. Time is of the essence.”
Harlem Crew rushed into the new formation, surrounding us in the room and pressing tight against each other.
It took a few minutes before they finished.
“Here’s the decision.” Maxwell scanned their faces. “If you think you can’t watch over Em or handle her dark side, then step forward. No harm. No foul. You get a ticket back and some cash. I’ll pay if the Lion won’t.”
“I will pay.” I smiled. “And those that remain and stay fiercely loyal to the Mouse, not only will you be rich, but generations of your family will be wealthy too.”
“There you have it. If you want to quit, then you get a ticket home.” Maxwell shrugged. “Step to the center of the room, if you can’t hang with it.”
Four men rushed forward, pushing the others out of the way. The one person that had vomited earlier was one of the people that headed over. Two women hurried over next, making it six people.
They all stood in the center of the room.
Everyone else in Harlem Crew remained where they were.
I scanned their faces. “Anyone else?”
They remained still and kept their views forward.
I looked at Boris.
His gaze was on the pile of dicks.
I pointed to him. “What about you?”
Boris gave me a sad smile. “Before Emily came to Kapotnya, most of us were eating cats and digging in the trash can for food.”
Several bobbed their heads.
“Now I eat good.” Boris touched his stomach. “I will ride into any hell she asks me to. Dark or light, I will protect her.”
“Good.” I went over to David, took his gun out of his hand, and shot at the people standing in the center. I got one in the head. Another in the leg.
The rest ran away, screaming.
David shot one man in the chest with his other gun. My men blasted the rest.
Six bodies lay on the floor.
I handed David the gun and faced the rest of Harlem Crew.
Maxwell grimaced and stormed my way. “What the fuck, man?! I promised them a ticket home.”
David jumped in front of Maxwell, making sure he didn’t get to me.