Page 132

Chapter 44
Poison
Burned frames
––––––––
The walls are paintedin red, white, and black checker box design; throughout them are different varieties of painted pictures hanging of naked women. Some with chains around their necks, while other men stand around holding the chains—another perverse art of a woman held against her will while in bondage hangs from a wall.
I look away, ready to tear the pictures down. Who in the fuck drew these? The floor is outstretched with deep red carpet, dark like red wine. It's crisp and clean, as if no one walks on it.
“I like creepy, but fuck me,” Mal says, glancing at the walls and pictures.
“This is sick.” Anita looks around in disgust.
We continue down the hall that seems to stretch on forever until we reach the middle. As soon as we make it there, the doors at the end of the hall open. Men, or women, with dark suits, silver skeleton masks, and best of all, guns now face us. They immediately point and fire in our direction.
“Shit,” I grit, slamming my hand into Anita and pulling Mal back to the wall.
“Looks like the fun has started.” Anita huffs with a smile.
I can’t help grin back at her, the exhilaration driving in my gears. We each pull our smoke bombs, tossing it in both directions as the bullets fly around us. Some hit the edge of the wall. The gunfire stops, and I can hear the confused murmurs of the shooters; then seconds later, a pop and a hiss sounds along with angry curses and shouts. One of my techs, Jesse, added a little sting that burns anyone's eyes that’s in it’s proximity.
Everybody puts on their shades to block them from contact with the mist. Without further ado, I simultaneously activate my HP-M5 submachine and Jax does, too. Moving from the wall, Mal and Jax take the other end, shooting at anyone we see standing. Anita stands next to me, shooting her HK-MP7 submachine. She stands rooted in place despite the pressure from the discharge.
Eventually, the mist began to dissipate, and now you can witness what's left of the damage.
No one is left. For now. I look down the halls, spotting one door that looks different from the rest. It’s red with that centipede symbol I’ve come to despise.
I turn to Mal and Jax. “You two take the direction down that hall. No one makes it within two feet of this door.”
Jax places his gun down, bobbing his head slightly, and for once, there appears to be some life filled into his eyes. Mal begins walking back; already excited that she gets to use her gun some more.
I turn back to Anita. “You ready, amor?” My eyes roaming up her body as she stands between two men dead at her feet.
“Of course.” She smiles, stepping over the bodies, and heads toward the door.
I saunter to her, my gun at my side. “What do you want for dinner?”
Her gun’s raised slightly. She taps her chin in thought. “I have a taste for tacos.”
“I like it.” I stepped over the body whose head was blown in. The spilled tissues and crimson reminds me of squashed tomatoes. Hmm.Some salsa on tacos sounds nice.
Her arms brush against mine, her finger gliding over my knuckles. “What do you want to eat?”