Killer Crown

"Don't yell at me! I didn't know, she left the house when I was out and when I got back she wasn't there."

"Well she has a phone right?"

"Well yeah but..."

"But what?"

"She left it in our room."

"What the f.u.c.k man?! You mean to tell me that my sister just disappeared outta nowhere?!"

"Listen man, I didn't come here to be your friend-"

"You came here for help."

"Exactly. So let's put our differences aside and focus on what really matters: Kaz."

"Fine. You got anyone else looking for her?"

"Somewhere between 250 and 300 men, why?"

"300?! Gotd.a.m.n man, you really love her."

"She's my everything...that's why as soon as we find her I want you to take her in."

"I don't understand."

I sigh,

"Kazmaria doesn't deserve this life and if she's with me s.h.i.+t like this will continue to happen. So I have to call off the wedding and hopefully you'll let her stay with you."

"d.a.m.n, you'd give her up just to keep her safe? I respect that Ricky. Ok...let's f.u.c.king do this."

He holds out his hand and I shake it,

"We are gonna get her back Yoyo, I put it on my life."

***

'We've been walking for a while now. Should I ask where we're going?'

But there was no need. He kicks open what i'm a.s.suming is his bedroom and and lets me down,

"You can use the bathroom to clean yourself up. I'll send someone to get you something to wear then i'll be back."

"Oh, ok."

I look around the room for, anything that I can use as a weapon or maybe an easy to open window.

"Don't even think about babe. There's no way you can escape; the windows don't open and i'm locking you in here from the outside."

"So...this isn't your room?"

He smirks,

"Why, would you prefer to be move in there with me?"

"G.o.d no, I was just asking."

"Right, but if you change your mind just holler and i'll come get ya."

"Great, can you leave now? You're face is making my stomach hurt."

"Perra grosera, espero que no te ahogues en esa bañera."

(Rude b.i.t.c.h, I hope you don't drown in that tub.)

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Go wash up."

He slams the door behind him and sure enough a loud click is followed after.

"d.a.m.n p.r.i.c.k."

The room is big and empty. The walls are boring and colorless, like much of what we pa.s.sed on the way here.

I enter the bathroom and flick and on the light. I'm astonished by how nice it is. The whole room is covered in grey tiles, there's a gla.s.s shower with a seat, a tub so big it looks like a jacuzzi, and neatly folded towels.

On the counter there's several different bottles of body wash, all with different aromas. I grab the nearest one and turn on the water.

'I use to love taking showers with Ricardo, now i'm not sure if I'll ever get the chance to again.'

I fight back my tears and run a bath. I remove my blood-stained clothes and toss them on the floor. The warm water burns my injury but I pay it no mind. I scrub as hard as I can to get rid of the filth, as her words spiral through my mind.

'You're a dirty girl, Zero. You know what happens to dirty girls don't you?'

"No. I am not that girl anymore, I am Kazmaria Hernandez. I am not your puppet...not anymore."

***

"¿Cuántos hombres tenemos en las calles?"

(How many men do we have on the streets?)

"Right now i'd say about 250. Some of em are working from here to see if they can gather any kind of footage of what happened to her."

"Mhm, did you call Yoyo?"

"Yessir."

"And?"

"He has his men down south looking around and a few helicopters."

"Good,"

I light up a cigarette,

"Call Carlos and tell him that i'm expanding the control room and he can gather as many men as he needs."

"Right away sir, anything else?"

"When you have the time, tell the boys that they have two days to find something, two days until I start taking lives."

"Y-yessir. I'll let them know right away."

"Good, now leave."

The lanky man hurries out of my office and i'm left alone with my thoughts.

'What I wouldn't do just to see your smile again, to hold you in my arms, to taste your sweet lips, to smell your delicious scent...to tell you that I love you.'

"Te encontraremos Kaz, lo prometo."

(We'll find you Kaz, I promise.)

***

"Hey, you done in there?"

'A woman? She doesn't sound like the two from earlier.'

"Ok uh, yeah you can come in."

A short woman walks into the room holding clothes over her arm and a pair of boots in the other.

"Put these on and let me know when you're done. I can't leave the room but i'll turn around."

"Ok?"

'Something about this outfit is making me anxious.'

I pull on the s.h.i.+rt, then my pants, then lace up my boots,

"I'm done."

"Great, now if you'll please stay sill while I apply the finis.h.i.+ng touches."

"Sure?"

She paints my face and drapes me in heavy solid jewelry.

"Ok, wait here until sir comes to retrieve you."

She leaves the room and I look at myself in the mirror. The blue and gold face paint is placed delicately around my eyes, mouth, four head, and chin. Large dangling earrings sweep my shoulder and a cloak is laid across the bed.

I thought my time here was gonna get somewhat better, but these people are insane. They have no idea how many lives were lost the last time I was in this.

"d.a.m.n, you clean up nice, Negative."

'Kai...'

"Why am I dressed up like this?"

He licks his lips,

"Don't play dumb with me. You know exactly why, now chop chop. Your audience is waiting."