I'm so sorry for the long wait! I'm such a bad author but I lost my muse for this story and then I didn't like any of the ideas that came to mind. I'm hoping I can stay on this again for a while so please bare with me a little longer. Enjoy.
October 16
Sophia's pov
"If you are going to be part of this family you need to know the system."
A few minutes ago two younger girls appear out of no where, leading me to another room before setting a few thick folders on the table "Like any organization we have a hierarchy. To keep it simple we chose a deck of cards. The key figures run from jester in the lowest rank to King."
I flip open the first page.
"You may call us Bishops. I'm Bishop A," the first one places a hand on her chest "and my sister, Bishop B," I eyed up the second one, a edge of darkness lingered on her skin "but to keep an air of discretion most use the first letters of our titles."
Doyle's earlier fight flashes across my mind "Q, K, got it."
I nod once as we sit
"In here we don't use our real names. Our old lives, our old vendetta's are gone. We just exist as a single unit, a single mind in the system. When you are here you will operate as that." I look over the papers "Normally we wouldn't accept outsiders. Everyone here has been here since they were little, we break you down, and remold you in our image. Your our weapon to use as we want." My eyes flicker across the hall to Doyle, finally realizing where that speech had come from "Outside, your life is your own. Do not bring outside drama into the system."
"We operate mostly from Russia but we do have ties to the other major countries. The organization or kingdom is made of seven different parts. Each building has its own hierarchy. The most common one is the great hall. It has any bounties in play or available. It's a good place to meet fellow members," Bishop B adds "but be careful, the slots are first come first served and blood has been spilled before." Her smile promised pain.
"The castle is off limits. The higher ups use it primarily for meetings. The territories don't always get along so a no blood law was created. Meaning anyone in the castle can not die. You break this rule and you will be cast out and eliminated with the force of the entire kingdom."
"So kind of like the John Wick movies huh?"
Her eyes flicker to me, not a hint of amusement in them "Yes, but this is real. I put a bullet in your head you don't get back up." I nod once trying to ignore the judgmental looks
"This is the armory, where all of our weapons, drugs and other contraband are acquired. The library will be shown to you in time, that has all our cleaned weapons and it's where you'll go before and after missions to suit up or clean up."
"The mote is where all the bodies are taken, after a mission they come in and clean up the mess. Finally we have the kitchen. It has any and all information you will need, since you are a wet works asset you will be spending most of your time there learning, when Mama deems you ready we will put you on missions." Bishop B adds.
I scan over the folders, taking in the different locations before me. Most of them large buildings, even fancy hotels.
"The great hall, the castle, the armory, the library, the mote, and the kitchen. That's six." I pull up fingers.
"The seventh place is the vault, it handles all our money."
"But we don't talk about the vault." The first bishop hisses, glaring at her sister, clearly debating on ripping her a new one or overlooking my question entirely. But seeing how the cat was out of the bag she sighs "We don't talk about the vault because only an Ace has the location and knowledge of the vault. Should they be compromised the whole system changes."
"Ace?" I distinctly remember them stopping at King.
"Ace's live outside the system. Even in the hierarchy very few people know of their existence."
"Ace's hide in the back ground don't they? Letting the king, who I assume greeted us the first time, run the physical show but still holds the kingdom in an iron grip."
"Flame said you were smart." an old voice says from the door way. I turn seeing the woman from before, calculating eyes on me again.
I fight the urge to squirm, despite her appearance I knew this woman was dangerous. "You're Ace I presume?"
Her eyes hold mine and I can't help but swallow "I'd be careful who you say that too girl, it can have deadly consequences..." suddenly I felt like I was drowning in a sea of darkness, a force so vast it was impossible to stay above water. My throat tightened, my palms were sweating and I felt the Icey hand of death gripping my neck. Then just ad quickly her smile changes, any ounce of danger vanishing and I suck in a deep breath, my body remembering how to work.
"But you can call me Big Mama. I'm in charge of the armory. Anything you need I can get it. Guns, knives, bombs, gases, armored vehicles you name it."
"Useful..." I set down the papers, swallowing roughly "But right now I only want one thing."
She sighs, shaking her head with motherly amusement "I don't know where Fang is. -But I may know a guy."
..
..
'Take the back road to the old warehouse, meet the key maker.'
I walked into the under ground arena, eyeing up the competitors duking it out in the make-shift ring, the mixed crowd screaming and shaking the metal cage, to the announcer watching from the side lines, head swerving left and right as he calls out the match before us. I eyed the floor, a mix of various items, the spilt food and beer cans, to the blood. The older stains that no one bothered to clean up and the fresh stuff splattered along the crowd from a well placed punch. It takes a moment, a single twitch of my head and I turn, looking back at the door. I could feel Dark Sophia wanting to come out and play.
I bring both hands to my head, trying to block out everything else as I forcefully shove dark Sophia back.
"You okay?" Bishop B asks, her tone not exactly caring but not overly harsh either.
It takes me another minute to gather myself.
"Yeah, just a little blood thirsty that's all..."
From the sudden increase of cheering I assumed we had a winner, the loud voice echoing through the speakers as half the room cheered and the other yelled, spitting on the unconscious fighter below them.
I steady myself, turning back to the girls and see them nod once, walking through the crowd before me. With the fight over it was easier to focus on my surroundings. I noticed the room was composed of a lot of under ground thugs and low life's, most just looking for entertainment. This was clearly not a prestigious institution like in Tokyo.
We continue our walk through the room, behind the bar, through a sheet of heavy red curtains and back further, to a set of lockers. I take in the array of half dressed men and as I'm hit with overly eager looks I feel my face shift in displeasure, despite the mix of bodies every male here paled against Kaoru. Our walk stopped by an older man standing with a twenty five year old fighter. Judging by the scars on his body this wasn't his first match.
"You got this okay? The crowd is on your side so don't fuck this up." he grips his shoulders, their faces inches apart.
I look at him, already displeased with "the key maker". He was older then I expected, probably his late fifties, a receding hairline and a yellow stain sticking to his dirty white tank top. I noticed a five o'clock shadow below greasy unkept hair and barely suppress the urge to roll my eyes as I see the stereotypical golden chains draped over his neck. I continue my descent, noting the black belt around his fading jeans hidden by a bulging beer gut and finally find his dirty shoes. A total 180 from Mama's pristine appearance.
"Hey." Bishop A states, voice firm.
In fact, everything about this place was different. The worn down building, the pungent smell of old sweat and blood to the flickering lights over head. Either this sections king wasn't too worried about appearances or the whole operation didn't stick around long enough to bother with maintenance.
The older male stops his pep talk, eyes flickering over to us in annoyance before he turns.
"Come back later, I'm busy."
"Find someone else." Bishop A states again
He holds her gaze "Fuck off, I already settled my debt with Big Mama and I have a match."
When he moves to pass us a blade slams against the locker, blocking his path. I watch the older male pause, seeing bishop A lift her pendant in the air.
"We're here on business, so find someone else to watch your little match."
"Unless K wants a war on his hands..." Bishop B smiles, the blade scraping along the metal with sparks.
He sighs, shaking his head and waves over a younger male "Watch the fight for me, I have business." I move out of the way as the two unneeded people disappear and feel his eyes on me "Who's the bitch?"
"She's a new Wet works asset." Bishop A states.
The key maker sits down, eyeing me up carefully "She any good?"
"She's killed twelve people already." A states
"Fourteen." I correct, leaning on the locker beside me "But twelve here."
"You brought a baby to my doors?" he glares at Bishop A.
Bishop B moves, the blade scraping along the door in another warning.
The two bishops were almost impossible to tell apart. They were identical twins for sure, the light blonde hair, thin frames, bright blue eyes and thin lips were mirror images. To make matters worse they dressed the same, different outfits each day but identical. I assumed that was another tactic to throw people off but in the last two days I'd noticed some differences about them. Bishop A was always the one that talked, calmer then her twin. Bishop B was hot headed and often took on the role of muscle. But the biggest clue was something so simple, a fact that most people would miss. When they walked they often switched sides but Bishop A's hand was always on top.
That never changed.
"She's flames student so get off my ass." she removes some papers from her jacket, handing them over "This is a direct request from up top."
He sighs deeply "Fine. I can run her name up the flag pole, see if she gets any bites." he glances over the papers "What's her skill level?"
"That is still being tested." Bishop A answers, checking her phone.
"Then why the fuck did you bring her too me?"
"Because she's looking for someone, the stuff for her can be done after." Bishop A pulls out another photo, handing it too him.
He takes the picture with annoyance but after a quick glance drops it like it burned him. He was out of his seat, backing away from us.
"Are you guys out of your fucking minds?!" he hisses darkly "That traitor almost destroyed everything! Why are you going after him now?"
"Because blood must have blood," Bishop A states.
"That's the rules." Bishop B continues, the grip on her blade tightening "Are you refusing to work?"
I could clearly see this man was torn, the way his body tenses. Bishop A had picked up the photo, handing it too him once more, arm tense like a challenge as they lock eyes.
He glares at her, snatching the photo "It's been years since he went dark, what makes you think I can find him now?"
"We just need a lead." I state, feeling his eyes on me again.
"Well we all know this wont be easy, so what do I get in return huh?" his eyes trace over my body, clearly unsure about my presence "I don't do anything for free."
I hear the cheering outside, a single dark thought echoed through my mind and can't help the twisted smile that finds my lips
"How about a fighter?"
..
..
October 19
I had been fighting none stop the last three days. After making my way through the ring with almost laughable ease I was finally allowed to go back to the hotel. 'The key maker' or Rick as he told me said K would have more advanced fighters for me soon enough. I'm sure Mama and this area's King had been trading information and finding a more permanent position for me. I was clearly talented sure, but I was so new, a fact that put more then a few people on edge.
I sigh, relaxing in the warm bath and try to ignore the ache in my body. Combining every fight, every face and all the information the bishops were throwing at me I was exhausted. Everything had changed over night once again and I craved a sense of normalcy, but like always fate was laughing at me. Doyle hadn't returned. The male had been spending more time with big mama. I couldn't help but shake my head every time I saw them. It was clear the two of them still held much love but from what I wasn't sure. Trying to pry that information was like pulling teeth.
I sighed before sliding under the water.
There was still so much I didn't know about Doyle's past.
(Flashback, two weeks ago.)
"Who is this?"
"Nicholas Kuznetsov." My eyes look over the screen "my old partner."
I looked over the map, eyeing him softly "What happened between the two of you?"
He looks away "It doesn't matter."
"Doyle if I'm going to kill him I should at least know why." My eyes hold his "Doyle."
He flinched. He actually fucking flinched. I feel my face soften and my gut twist. I could tell he hated this easy atmosphere. Probably pulling up old wounds.
"It was supposed to be easy." He stared out the window "it was just another routine mission. One target. In and out." he strikes up a cigarette, already feeling stressed "Nicholas had planned the whole thing. A single bullet to the back of the head, execution style. But when I got there, the client wasn't some fat pig, instead it was a room of two dozen CIA agents. They had surrounded the building and I'd walked right into it." his hand tightens, crushing the cigarette
"I was sure it had been a trap, that the CIA had somehow weaseled its way into the family. I mean I was being hauled away in handcuffs and the only thing I was worried about was Nicholas" I watch him punch a near by wall in anger.
"When it was all over I learned my partner had sold me out." I feel my heart drop "He had cut a deal with the government, telling them the whole thing had been my plan and he was the unwilling victim." he shakes his head "My safe houses were ransacked, my weapons taken, my fortune divided and my assets liquidated." He tosses the cigarette out the window, his words filled with more pain then I'd ever heard before "Everything we had spent the last seven years building... was gone in a fortnight."
I shake my head, watching him slowly sink onto the chair "For his crimes Nicholas spent six months in prison before he walked. I got three years and a death sentence..."
"And now instead of hiding he's living it large somewhere in Russia..." I sigh, trying and failing to kill all of my anger. Yes Doyle was a shitty person but you don't betray family, not like that... not to save your own ass "Don't worry Doyle," the loud click of a gun echoes through the room, his eyes finding mine and the smile on my lips "People can only run for so long. Fates a bitch like that."
I understood his hesitation, his need to pull away from this mission. He needed to finally put an end to this pain, to wipe away this betrayal... but how could he? It was clear that Doyle loved Nicholas, probably like I loved Kaoru. So, no matter how much trouble I caused him, or how much time it took him to train me he'd do it. Because in the end, he needed me to pull the trigger.
Read and Review. Peace.