Preface

Once upon a time lived a young girl. Happy as could be, she could often be found running the halls playing hide and seek, giggles filling the air. Until one day, the sound of screams replaced the sound of giggles. And when the screams stopped, there was silence. You see, everyone in the home had been butchered, leaving only the little girl. Wondering the halls, she went from room to room, finding nothing but death.

When eventually the gruesome scene was discovered, the little girl was sent off to live with her father’s brother. Her Uncle was a wealthy bachelor who had never wanted children, but his honor meant he couldn’t turn his back on his niece and he was her only living relative. So, he took the little girl in and hired nannies to raise her. 

It didn’t take long for her Uncle to notice how charming the little girl to be – his staff were all wrapped around her fingers just a short time after she arrived, just as her parents and their staff had been before. Always a business man, he started to think of ways he could use his niece to potentially better their own situation.

As she grew, she was given the finest of educations. Not just reading, writing and math but hand to hand combat, etiquette and decorum, even poisons and other less visible forms of murder. No one knew quite what the little girl's uncle had planned for her, until the girl’s 17th birthday.

That’s where our story picks up.....

Chapter One

Persia, 1928

“But Uncle, I don’t want to be married. Especially to some man I’ve never even met.” Esther was sitting on the edge of the couch, legs crossed and clear frustration written across her face.

“You will do as you are told. Besides, I’ve arranged a chance for you to meet him; he wishes to have dinner with you tomorrow night. His business contacts reach far and wide Esther, this could do big things for our family.” Her Uncle sat behind his desk, a drink in his hand. He leaned forward, his eyes meeting those of his young niece. “Imagine Esther, the wealth you could have. Your children would never have a worry. You could take care of your Uncle in his old age.”

With a sigh, the girl shook her head for a moment, her eyes focused out the window. It was quiet for a few moments before Esther looked back at her Uncle and nodded. “Very well. I will meet the man. But...”

“No buts,” Her Uncle interrupted, his voice stern. “You will marry him. If you don’t like him, you will bear his child and then you can dispose of him. I’ve taught you more than enough ways of how to do so without being caught.”

Esther knew better then to continue arguing in this sort of situation. To say she was angry was an understatement; she had always been obedient but she felt her Uncle was crossing a line here. To be married would mean putting aside everything he had spent her whole life teaching her; she never anticipated this would be the end goal. Marry some wealthy man and pretend to love him so she could claim his fortune? No. That is not what she had envisioned her life looking like. She took a moment to steady her voice before speaking again. “Very well. May I be excused?”

“You may. Do not be late tomorrow.” Esther nodded slightly to her Uncle before standing and making her way out of the room. Tomorrow she would have dinner with this man that her Uncle had arranged for her and she would give it a try. She knew the ending before it began, truthfully – she would hate every minute of it but she would marry the man anyways. Or so she thought.

Chapter Two

An Evening Gone Wrong

Esther’s chest rose and fell with every breath as she turned the corner and took cover behind a large grandfather clock. She closed her eyes, willing the guards to run past her position, her mind wondering how she had let it go this wrong. Everything had happened so fast and now she wasn’t sure quite what to do to get out of the mess she had created.

The evening had started as expected. Esther had dressed in one of her finest gowns and was driven to the home of her suitor by one of her Uncle’s men, Amir. She had to admit it was an impressive sight; her Uncle was a wealthy man and had a very nice home, but this place….this was like a palace. Exiting the car, she allowed herself a few moments to take in the view and steady her nerves before she headed inside.

The décor of the inside of the home was equally exquisite. Expensive art hung from the walls, framed in what seemed like pure gold. All of the furniture seemed custom designed with the highest quality of wood being used. Velvet curtains draped the windows and impressive chandeliers hung from the ceilings.

“You look lovely tonight my dear.” The man who stood before her was older then her Uncle, his hair more salt then pepper and his face worn from years in the sun. Still, he was broad shouldered and still seemed to be in good physical condition. He was dressed in his military uniform which she found rather odd considering the dinner was just meant for the two of them. “Come, dinner will be served in my private dining room.” He extended his arm to her, and she slipped hers through it, allowing him to escort her through the halls of the massive home to a small dining room that was already set and waiting for them to arrive.

The evening proceeded rather easily at first. Esther knew how to charm; she had since she was a child and this man was just like all the rest – he expected people to fawn over him so she did just that. But when dinner was over and they were finishing the last pieces of desert, something went wrong. Suddenly the man’s lips went blue and he started coughing. He stood and a sheer look of panic crossed his face as he clawed at his throat.

Looking back, Esther had to admit that she sat rather frozen for a few long seconds. Her brain moved at a million miles a minute before it finally caught up with what she was seeing – the man she’d just had dinner with was dying. She screamed for help and within minutes’ staff and guards were rushing into the room but nothing could be done.

Panicked, the girl fled. Not the wisest of options, truthfully. She hadn’t poisoned him herself and she could probably have talked herself out of the situation if she had given the situation some thought, but she’d acted on instinct and instinct told her to run. So, run is exactly what she did.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as people filled the room, including the driver/bodyguard that her Uncle had sent with her. One of the guards was inspecting the body when, whispering with another guard next to him and within a few minutes they had realized that their employer was poisoned. “Seize the girl!” The guard shouted, but by then it was too late – Esther was gone.

Slipping away from the grandfather clock she'd hidden behind, she managed to make it out the front door and to the car the had brought her there. Luckily, her driver was still inside, seemingly napping the evening away. He was startled awake when she slammed the door.

“Esther, what in the world….”

“Drive, now.”

He immediately obeyed and they pulled away from the mansion just as the guards were spilling outside. Amir, looked through his rear view mirror and frowned. “Explain.”

Taking a moment to catch her breath, Esther simply shook her head. “I don’t know Amir. One moment everything was fine and the next he was just…dead.”

“Esther you didn’t.”

“No! I don’t know what happened. I was not responsible for this. But they think I am.”

“Well running away didn’t exactly help the situation.” The man chuckled, although how he could find humor in the situation was beyond her.

Esther bit her tongue to keep back the very sarcastic reply that she first thought of. She didn’t have time to worry about semantics, she had to decide what to do next.

As if reading her mind, Amir spoke again, his voice calm. “I will take you home and your Uncle will know what to do. Don’t worry little lamb, he will smooth everything over.”

Her Uncle…what in the world would she say to her Uncle?

Chapter Three

Betrayal

Esther jumped out of the car nearly the moment it came to a full stop, running into the home and through the halls until she came to her Uncle’s study. She was slightly disheveled, between running out of one home and into another, but that was the least of her worries at this point.

“Esther, what are you doing here?” The older man seemed truly surprised to see his niece, his face showing a trace of concern as he noticed her current state.

“Oh Uncle, the most horrible thing happened. The man he just…. collapsed and…. he’s dead…. I don’t even know what happened….” Esther was pacing the room, her thoughts racing as she tried to remember what had happened. Shaky hands pushed through her hair and she shook her head as if trying to clear away invisible cobwebs that were keeping her from having a clear picture of the night.

Her Uncle walked out from behind his desk, pouring two glasses of whiskey from a cart in his office and approaching his niece. He handed her one of the glasses and pointed to the couch. “Sit. Drink. Calm yourself.”

Esther did as she was told, sitting on the edge of the couch and sipping from the glass her Uncle had handed her. She could feel the alcohol as it traveled down her throat and she willed it to calm her nerves. Another sip or two and she felt ready to start again. She raised her eyes to her Uncle, who was waiting patiently for her to speak.

“I went for dinner as you asked. We were nearly finished, eating dessert and he just…. started chocking. His lips turned blue and he hit the ground. I didn’t know what to do, I froze. People came rushing in and I just…ran.” Esther’s eyes fell to the floor, ashamed at the action that she had taken. She’d been trained better but nothing had kicked in that night, nothing except fear. “It was all I could think and then they started chasing me and I’m sure they think I killed him Uncle but I didn’t, I really didn’t.”

She was met with silence and when she eventually looked back up she could see the color had drained from her Uncles face. It seemed almost an extreme reaction given the circumstances, but she also realized she was in a decent amount of trouble.

“You did what?”

“I ran.”

The man drank his entire glass in one gulp before putting it on the desk and letting out an audible sigh. “You weren’t supposed to run.”

“I know but I….” Wait. What did he just say? Esther met her Uncle’s gaze and a look of shock crossed her face. “I wasn’t supposed to…. Uncle did you do this?”

He didn’t answer her question, instead he continued to ramble. “I spent years on your training. Years. You learned to be calm. You learned to lie. Hell, you didn’t even have to lie this time, you just had to charm your way out of trouble. And you RUN?” His voice was harsh now, anger clearly replacing his initial stunned response.

“You set me up?!” Esther stood, unsure if she wanted to slap the man or burst out in tears. “Why? Why wouldn’t you tell me!?”

“Because it had to be genuine.” It was her Uncle’s turn to pace. “The man was after too much. I couldn’t let you marry him, no, he wouldn’t have done right by this family. But an outright no would’ve been punished and I couldn’t have any retaliation. Besides, him out of the way would open some new ventures for us. It was all planned out.”

He stopped and looked at her, shaking his head. “But you’ve ruined that now haven’t you?” The utter disgust that was in his voice made Esther flinch.

“If you had thought to share the truth I could’ve been prepared. I could’ve been ready. What are we supposed to do now?” Esther was frenzied. Why had she run? Guilt was implied simply because of that and her ability to talk her way out of things had all but disappeared. But it wasn’t impossible, surely.

“I’ll turn myself in. Speak with the police. Explain how I was scared and confused. I ran out and when I got here you made me see the error of my ways and brought me immediately back. Surely that should be enough?”

Suddenly, Esther could hear a banging coming from the front. The man’s guards had chased her out of the home, it wouldn’t be surprising if they had followed her here. Her eyes met her Uncle’s and once again her first reaction was to run. But she couldn’t make that mistake twice. “I can do this.” Her voice was strangely soft and calm when it escaped her lips this time, and her Uncle nodded in response. Together, they walked to the front and he pulled open the door.

Chapter Four

Goodbye home, Hello America

Esther stood off to the side as any obedient woman would. While her head hung low, her eyes were busy assessing the situation. Waiting on the other side of the front door were half a dozen of the dead man’s guards. They filed into the home without bothering to wait for her Uncle’s permission, their leader clear by his haughty attitude and rather domineering presence. He completely ignored Esther, instead turning his full attention to his Uncle.

 “Surely you know why we’re here Omar.” Using her Uncles first name was an insult; disrespectful and clearly done to get a reaction. But her Uncle didn’t rise to that trick.

“Of course, I do. You’re here for my niece.” Her Uncle gestured in her direction and she quickly approached, standing just behind him to the right. “She will answer your questions.”

The Captain of the guards laughed, glancing back as men as if incredulous at the statement. “You say that as if the girl has a choice. But honestly Omar, you know better. Honor dictates that you answer for the girl; you must come as well.”

Now this her Uncle wasn’t expecting; neither was Esther, to be fair. A look of terror seemed to flash across the man’s face as he sought the words to talk himself out of the situation. “Surely that’s not needed. The girl did no harm, she was simply scared and made a poor decision. She’s right here for you to speak with her.”

“No.” The Captain stepped closer to her Uncle, grabbing the back of his upper arm firmly. “You will both come with us.” Her Uncle was truly panicking now; he pulled back from the larger man, resisting his grip. Esther would’ve been amused if she didn’t see the utter foolishness of it. What did her Uncle except to do?

Stepping forward, she spoke up, her voice gentle and soothing. “Come now Uncle, you are my guardian after all. There’s no reason to worry. We’re just going for a little chat.” She willed him to be calm, knowing how horrible this could go if he didn’t.

“Right, of course.” Her Uncle relaxed slightly, nodding at the Captain of the guard. “Lead the way then.” The Captain, with a sly smirk on his face, turned and prepared to walk out the front door. One of his men moved to open the door….right before dropping dead, the sound of a gunshot echoing in the front hall.

Her Uncle violently twisted away from the stunned Captain, pulling a blade from his sleeve and slicing the man's arm, who instantly lost his grip on her Uncle.

Chaos quickly broke out, the guards pulling their weapons and her Uncle’s own men quickly filling the room. Esther was stunned – this wasn’t the plan! This time, however, her instincts kicked in and she quickly took down the nearest guard, sweeping his legs out from under him. She whistled to the nearest friendly face and held her hands out, a dagger being tossed towards her. She used it to slice the neck of the guard she’d just taken out, grabbing his gun and sliding it into her belt.

Just as she was about to move on to the next man, she felt a grab at her arm. Quickly lashing out, the man jumped back, laughing softly. It took a moment for her to notice that it was Amir. “Come Esther, we must go.”

“What? I can’t leave!”

He wasn’t exactly taking no for an answer. He dragged her towards the side hall, even as a bullet whizzed past her ear, causing her to flinch. “No time to argue dear, we must go now.”

She looked over her shoulder to see her Uncle still fighting with the Captain of the guard. It would be her last look at her Uncle as Amir whisked her away though the halls to the staff entrance, the sounds of fighting falling behind them.  

Something wasn’t quite adding up for Esther but she didn’t have time to figure it out right now. Things had turned so quickly but none of it made sense…. why would her Uncle have his men move in so quickly? Hadn’t they agreed to talk their way out of it?

Amir’s car was already started and waiting for them. He pushed Esther into it before getting into the driver’s seat. She noticed that there were some bags already in the car and she was even more confused.

“What is going on Amir? How did it get to this point? Why are there already bags packed?" The car was speeding down the main road at this point, clearly trying to pull away from the house just as fast as possible.

The older man sighed, shaking his head. “Your Uncle was up to so much more then you are aware of pretty girl. We knew it may not go well for him and that he would end up dragging you down with him. The chances of you both coming back alive were slim. So some of us well….we made a plan B.”

“Some of us? Some of who exactly?”

“The staff. The guards. Those who have seen you grow since you came into our lives as a child and refused to watch your Uncle destroy you."

This caused Esther to pause. Her Uncle's own people had turned against him for her? To ensure her safety and her ability to live. But how would she live without her Uncle? As difficult as he sometimes made her life, he also provided for her and ensure her every need was always met. If he were gone she would have no guardian and then what would become of her. “But where will I go Amir? All I know is here and now I can’t possibly stay here, they will surely be looking for me just the moment they realize I'm gone.”

“You are going to America Esther. Las Vegas to be specific. The plane is already ready, I called ahead to make some arrangements." 

Esther sat in the back of the car, silent. America? Her English was decent but the idea of being thousands of miles away from the only home she knew was frightening, to say the least. What was she supposed to do once she got there? Where would she live? How would she survive?

As if reading her mind, Amir spoke again. “I will be coming with you but not right way, I need to finishing tidying things up here first. The bags have some funds for you to live off of, but not too much, we didn’t want to draw attention. Find work Esther; you have very important skills that will get you far. You are a smart girl; you will do well."

The rest of the car ride was quite as Esther tried to wrap her mind around how much had changed in her life in just one day. She'd started the day upset at the thought of being forced to marry a man she knew nothing about and now that man was dead and she was leaving her home forever. Her Uncle was likely dead or captured and the only items she had were whatever the staff had packed in these bags. Who knew things could change so fast?

And to think, this was only the beginning of her journey...

Chapter Five

Starting over

A few months later....

The young Islamic girl wiped the counter with an old tattered rag, trying to clean up the mess left by the customer that had just vacated that area. Dressed in beige slacks, a white shirt and suspenders, she looked rather out of place in the grimy, dark bar that she occupied. Her long black hair was in a tight braid down her back and she did her best to remain as inconspicuous as possible.

Back and forth, back and forth, went the rag.

“Barkeep, I need another whiskey!” The rag stopped as the gruff voice broke Esther from her daze. She glanced up towards where the voice was coming from and nodded slightly, grabbing the bottle and heading over towards the man.

Just how she’d ended up here a story in and of itself. Fleeing Persia, she’d landed in the United States utterly and completely lost. She spoke English, having been taught from a young age, but the nuances of the language escaped her, which sometimes cause problems. She had enough cash to get by for awhile but she needed to earn more and apparently, it wasn’t the easiest of times to find work in the US. Perhaps Armin hadn’t realized what he was sending her into but there were many moments where she realized she would much rather be facing the firing squad back home then be wondering these poor and filthy streets.

One day, while out hunting for work, she decided to duck into this place for a quick drink. Inside she’d found an elderly man who was being stiffed by a few of the locals. She watched as they bullied him into pouring them more and more drinks while never paying him a dime. None of the others in the bar seemed to care and certainly no one was going to do anything to stop them. She sat back and watched until she couldn’t stand it a moment longer – the old man just looked so defeated.

Walking up to the two men who were drinking for free, Esther leaned on the counter next to them. “Don’t you boys think you’ve had enough? Maybe it’s time to pay up and leave.”

The men looked at Esther, looked at each other, and then looked back as Esther before laughing. “Don’t you think you should mind your own business baby girl?”

Esther nodded slightly, resting her head on her hand, propped up on her elbow. “I could. Or, I could ask you again, nicely, to pay the man.”

Again the men laughed and Esther just shook her head. The man in the center, a burly, smelly looking man with a long beard, knocked back his drink and grunted. “I’ll tell you what sweetheart. If you can get my wallet from me, you can give the old man whatever’s inside of it.” He sat back on the stool, grinning.

Esther grinned in return, reaching into her back pocket and pulling something out, waving it slightly. “You mean this wallet?” She opened it up, pulling out the cash that was in it and tossing it on the bar towards the old man. 

"Fuuuuuck Gavin....how the fuck..." The man on the left, his words slurred, seemed genuinely shocked that Esther had managed to get a hold of the wallet without them realizing it.

Gavin was clearly the man in the middle. He reached for his back pocket, half expecting to find the wallet she had silently lifted off him earlier. He looked at Esther again, and then at the old man, who had already scooted the money off the counter, although his hand was clearly shaking as he held onto it. "Why you little...."

"A deal's a deal, right Gavin?" Esther's voice was calm as she spoke, although a slim knife suddenly appeared in her hands. She flipped the blade between her fingers effortlessly as she stared at the two.

Gavin flushed red in the face and his body language screamed indecision. Finally, he stood and motioned for the other guy to follow him. "You haven't seen the last of me baby girl. I promise you that."

She leaned her back against the bar and watched them walk out, a triumphant smile on her face. Once she was certain they were gone, she turned back to the old man.

“Why?” He looked at her, clearly worried she was no better than the men who had just left. He still held the money she’d pulled from the wallet, although he’d had the chance to stash it while her back was turned.

Esther simply shrugged. “Sometimes the world needs a little good in it.”

The old man nodded and went to put his money away. Esther moved back to the table she had been sitting at and the drink she’d left behind. It was only a few minutes before the old man approached her.

“I’ve seen you around here before. Searching the newspapers. You know if you’re looking for a job well…maybe I could help you out. I’ve been looking for someone a little younger to help me run the place and I've got a room in the back you could have because I can’t pay much.” She wondered what this old man had been through in his life, to be so nervous in his approach. Beaten? Threatened? Extorted? Whatever it was, it clearly had affected his soul.

She accepted his job offer and a few months later here she was, a seasoned bartender. She’d come to find out that it was in fact all three of the things she’d named that had broken the old man – he’d been beaten, threatened and extorted. He had to pay taxes to the local gang if he wanted to survive but those same taxes took nearly all his profits. Plus, the men who came to collect the taxes often wanted to drink for free, eating into what little the old man had left. It was an awful situation and Esther had been looking for ways to intervene so as to help the man. He'd taken a very fatherly sort of position in her life and since she hadn't heard from Amir since she arrived she was starting to value the old man's friendship more and more. So far, however, she saw only one option:

She’d need to get into the criminal world herself.

Chapter Six

Enter Husky Radhe

Every Thursday, right when they opened. That’s when they would come around to collect the taxes, the worst time of the week, right before the weekend rush. There were a variety of people who had come over the months but for the past few weeks it had been the same man. Unlike some of the flashier members of his crew who liked to throw their weight around, he avoided drawing attention to himself. So, he'd stop by when they opened and the crowd was minimal. Esther had watched and learned his routine - he would come, sit for a drink (double Canadian whiskey, neat, no ice), take their money and then leave. He was charming, that much was true, and oh so easy on the eyes, but Esther couldn’t let herself be distracted that easily. In return, his eyes had been on her from the moment he saw her. Something about her made him wonder if there was more to her than met the eye; could she turn into more than just another worker in a bar down the street?

Having thought more and more about her plan over the past few days, Esther realized that it could be beneficial in multiple ways. More than just getting protection and some leniency for her current boss, getting into the crime world would suit her skills and make her more money than she was making here.

So, when he arrived today, she was ready. Although her normal outfit remained the same, she taken just a little extra time to get ready, making sure her hair was done well and adding a bit of makeup to brighten her face. He came in when they opened, as he normally did, and she delivered his drink to him, but not the envelope. Not yet.

“You know, if you’re going to keep taking our money every week, I figure the least you could do is share your name.” She smiled slightly, years of training making the effort to charm seem perfectly natural. 

As she tried to start a conversation with him, his hesitation was evident. He had been in this situation one too many times. A girl with eyes full of dreams approaching the charming young mobster to find a way out of her mundane life. Even so, there was something about her, hidden below the surface, that intrigued him. So, he suppressed his inhibitions and flashed his most charming smile as he responded "The name's Husky. But you can call me whatever you want as long as you call me quickly."

"Although you now have me at a disadvantage, for I do not know who this creature bold enough to walk up to me is. I do not appreciate being in the dark. So how about you take a break and share a drink. Maybe we can get better acquainted.” There was something off about her so his guard was up. He figured the best way to figure out her motives would be to keep a closer eye on her, so with a wink he gestured to a vacant seat next to him.

Esther took a moment to glance around the still empty bar while considering her next move. As not a single soul besides the man had walked in yet, which wasn’t entirely abnormal for a Thursday, she went ahead and pulled a second glass from behind the counter. After pouring her own glass of whiskey and putting the bottle back away, she turned her attention back to Husky.

“My name is Esther, and to be perfectly fair I walk up to you every week. Same drink, same envelope full of my hard-earned money. I simply haven’t said anything until today.” She smirked slightly and took a sip from her glass before continuing. “I stay on this side of the bar but we can get better acquainted just the same.” She probably could have gone to sit next to him but she made a very purposeful choice not too. The move was meant to assert her own bit of dominance in what was clearly a very one sided relationship.

The power here was in his hands, not hers, and while she didn't want to get the bar set on fire she also wasn't going to simply fawn all over him. She wanted to show she could be an asset to him, not just another girl trying to get a free ride.  Esther had always been superbly confident, even in the worst of situations, and that wasn't simply going to disappear. "Tell me Mr. Husky, just where does my money end up going every week?"  Ok, it wasn't technically her money, but if the old man wouldn't stand up for himself, she would do it for him.

Husky couldn't help but chuckle. "Feisty one aren't ya?" he paused to smile before continuing "The money, goes into the pockets and purses of people who pose problems. A part of it for instance goes towards bribes to keep the cops from sniffing into unlicensed bars such as this. Parts of it go towards expensive suits such as this." He twirled with a smirk to show off the suit. Even though he avoided spending money irrationally, suits, women and wine were enough to tempt any man. 

“Feisty doesn’t even begin to describe me.” She said, almost under her breath. Still, she winked, sipping from her glass again as he continued.

"So, Miss Esther, does it bother you that your, what was it you said? Hard-earned money? That's right. Does it bother you that your hard-earned money is wasted away on thugs and goons? Does it make you feel like the world should be fair instead of whatever it is instead? Does it bother you that you can't kick me out even if you wanted to?" he teased, curious to see how she would respond.

She didn’t actually care, although that fact seemed to escape him. She cared that it was going into his pockets instead of hers or instead of the man’s who built and owned the place. Of course, he was just taunting her at this point and Esther had to focus very hard to keep herself from making a very stupid remark in reply. She couldn’t let him get under her skin, not this soon.

When he had finished talking she took another slow sip of her whiskey. Her attitude would seem unfazed although a keen eye would be able to see the tension in her body. When she felt just the right amount of time had passed, she responded. “Not exactly. The world has never been and will never be a fair place. The strong will always dominate over the weak. The weak will always serve the strong.”

Esther tilted her head slightly, leaning forward and looking at the man. “And if you think that I can’t kick you out of here, you are sorely mistaken.” There was a twinkle in her eye as she said it; she knew it wouldn't exactly be smart, but to say she couldn't? Well, that would just be foolish. 

"Ooh I like you." He replied with a grin. This woman had the smarts to know when to shut up when she should and speak up when she could. This may just be the kind of woman his crew needed right now. While his word wasn't enough to get her in, it sure would carry enough weight for the boss to consider it. All of that was a distant future though. He did not know if she was worth his attention. For all he knew, she was all talk. He had to wait till he saw her in action.

"Tell me something, what is someone so... determined, for lack of a better word, like you doing wiling away in a place like this? But more importantly," he paused as he came to the crux of the matter "Just what did you hope to achieve by trying to charm me today?" His years as a smuggler had taught him many things, so he had naturally picked up on her subconscious tells. The extra make up, the anxiousness in her eyes, the pride hidden in her posture, told him everything he wanted to know. But he was curious to see if she would continue to play around or come right out with the truth.

“Straight to the point then.” She couldn’t help but laugh softly at his question. Esther reached under the counter and slowly pulled out the envelope that was stuffed with the cash she would be forced to hand over. She held it in her hands on the counter, looking at it for a few moments before looking at Husky. “It’s simple really. I want a chance to prove myself. To cut these taxes down and maybe even get more permanent work with whoever it is that you work for. How I ended up working in a place like this really isn’t what’s important. What’s important is finding a way to move up and out of here.”

“I’m not asking for a handout.” She placed the envelope on the counter in front of him. “I’m asking for a job. Let me show you what I’m capable of and if I succeed, you put a good word in for me with whoever it is that I actually need to talk to. Because I’m certain that someone higher on the food chain wouldn’t be out here collecting taxes from lowly little places like this.” A slight jab, true, but to be fair he'd kind of earned it; he seemed almost overly confident.

"If I was not already intrigued I might have taken offence to that taunt." He replied with a grim expression. She didn’t respond, knowing there was really nothing for her to say.

A hidden past, that was nothing new in this line of business. But could he really trust someone with a job for the crew if they were not willing to be forthright with him?

Still, there had been a particular thorn in his side that he had been too distracted to take care of. Even though she had lost some of her attraction with that jab, it seemed the perfect opportunity to see just what this brash young foreigner was made of. "Barry the Butcher. You know him? " He paused while she nodded then continued. "He thinks he saw some people indulge in some questionable activities recently. For some reason, perhaps tired of these taxes that you mentioned, he has decided to let some of the FBN agents know about them. I need him to forget what he saw. But I don't want a single scratch on him or his family. If you can do that, you've got my endorsement." 

Standing up slowly, he lit his cigarette and said, "As for this place," He paused to take in a long drag before continuing, "Tell the old man his whiskey has lost its charm for me. I'm thinking of moving on to greener pastures. He can expect Tony the Bull and his boys to come over next week instead. Word of advice, not all tax men are as amicable. Know when to piss people off and when to shut up and you might just go far." With a slight nod in her direction, he grabbed the envelope and stepped out.

She didn’t bother to try and stop him. While she was fully aware his last statements were designed to make her nervous, he failed. In her mind, she had fully succeeded in today’s conversation, even if her jab at the end had maybe been a step too far. She would make it up to him when she accomplished his task. He seemed to be trying to make it difficult with his restrictions but she’d already thought of the perfect way to still succeed and she couldn’t wait to get the job done.

Finishing off her whiskey, Esther put the glass away and went back to preparing for the evening rush.

Chapter Seven

Paying the Butcher a visit

Esther headed out of her small room in the back of the bar before the sun had even risen for the day. While the man had said she could not harm a hair on the head of the butcher or anyone in his family, he hadn't said she couldn't harm anyone at all. So, she’d outlined a rather perfect plan and decided to put it into motion the very next day.

First, she broke into the butcher’s shop. Picking the lock to his back door, she eased herself into the shop and spent a few minutes setting up the scene exactly how she wanted it; once that was done she headed back onto the street to find the perfect victim. It didn't take long for her to find a homeless bum sleeping on the corner. Although part of her hesitated, knowing that this man had not done anything wrong, she also knew it was the only way to achieve her end goal. As she stated to Husky that day in the bar, the weak exist to suit the needs of the strong and in this moment Esther needed this man to become one of the strong. She quietly knocked the man unconscious and dragged him back to the butcher shop. She tied his wrists and ankles together and hung him by his wrists on one of the hooks, as the butcher would a piece of meat.

And then she waited.

A few hours later when the butcher arrived to open shop, he would find Esther sitting, one foot propped up on the edge of the counter as she balanced on the back legs of the chair. She held a knife in her hand, long and slender, using the tip of it to clean under her nails. She glanced up as the door opened, smiling softly at the butcher. “Hello Barry.”

The man looked confused, although that wasn’t surprising. He knew Esther only as the bartender where he came occasionally for a drink, a quiet young thing that barely kept eye contact. And yet here she was sitting in his shop before it was even open, wielding a knife and hanging next to her was the wiggling body of a man, who was now awake and quite startled to be hanging the way he was. His mouth was taped shut so he couldn’t scream but Barry could see the fear in his eyes.

“What….what’s going on here?!”

“Come in and shut the door please.” Esther’s voice was very authoritative as she put her feet down, the chair landing on all four legs once more. She stood and motioned clearly for the other man to sit down. “You and I need to have a chat.”

Barry was too stunned to argue; he closed the door behind him and sat in the chair that Esther had just vacated. Esther took a few moments to silently walk around the man she had tied up, trailing the knife along his chest lightly. “You see Barry, we have a bit of a situation and I was sent to correct the problem. It was made clear to me I wasn’t allowed to harm you, or any member of your family, so I had to get a little….creative.” Esther smiled at the butcher, her knife slicing open the man’s shirt. She dragged the knife down the man’s bare chest, harder now. He squirmed slightly at the feeling.

Barry’s face continued to show confusion until finally it hit him what she was referring too. “What? No Esther, don’t you understand. This could be our out. We could finally stop paying taxes, live in peace…”

“No.”

“….I saw enough, I can tell the police and these thugs can get arrested and….”

“NO.” Esther’s blade dug between the man’s ribs, just under his heart. He screamed and although it was muffled by the tape over his mouth, it was enough to get Barry to stop rambling. “Oh now look what you made me do.” She frowned, not having quite intended to cause that kind of damage right away. Ah well, she just had to roll with it.

Looking back at Barry, she saw he was once again too stunned to speak.

“Listen to me Barry. If you do this, you put you and your entire family at risk. So you get the police to arrest one of them, so what? Another one will just move in in their place. You think what I’m doing to this guy is bad? You could be this guy Barry. I brought him here to show you what will happen to you if you keep going down this road.”

Esther shook her head, pulling her blade out . The man squealed and blood started to pour from the wound. “You want this for yourself Barry? For your wife or your kids?” Barry’s eyes were wide now he watched Esther’s blade. She put it down on the counter, which elicited a sigh from the man hanging from the hook. Perhaps he though she was done with him, but she was far from it. “What do you do to tenderize meet Barry?” Her eyes twinkled slightly as she started treating her victim a bit like a punching bag, starting with his kidneys. After a minute or so of that, she stopped.

“You can’t be a rat Barry. If you’re a rat, you will get caught. And if you get caught, you’ll be hung to dry. Do you understand what I’m trying to tell you?” Esther stared at him, wanting to see him broken, wanting to know she had really gotten through to him. She used his name purposefully, repeatedly, to drive her point home. She ripped the tape off the man’s mouth but before he could scream she’d grabbed his tongue in her hand. “This is what will happen to you Barry, if you’re lucky.” The man squirmed as he realized what Esther was doing, trying to get away from her, but it only took a few moments for the knife to come slicing through his tongue. She held it up to make sure Barry could get a clear view. She could see the man struggling with indecision, his shoulders slumped, tears coming to his eyes.

“If you’re not so lucky, you will die.” Esther was firm in this, definitive. Barry looked up, his eyes going wide again.

“No, Esther…..”

A quick flip of her wrist and the blade sliced across the man’s throat. Barry gasped at the sight, blood pouring from his throat. He struggled a few moments more before his body came to a stop and he was still.

“So tell me now Barry, what will you do? Will you end up like this man, will you make your family end up like this, or will you keep your mouth shut?”

Barry looked at Esther and she finally saw the defiance drain from his eyes. “I won’t say anything Esther, please. Tell them, I’ll keep my mouth shut. I didn’t see nothing, I don’t know anything. Please, tell them.”

Esther smiled faintly, and nodded. “Good choice Barry. Now get this mess cleaned up, you have a store to open.” She stuck the knife in the now dead body and wiped her hands on his clothes before giving Barry one last look that made it clear he better stick to his words.

She turned and headed out of the store with a smile; she had to track down Husky and make sure he was aware that the job had been done.

Chapter Eight

New Opportunities Await

The one thing that Esther and Husky hadn’t discussed was how she would find him after she completed the job he’d given her. She returned to the bar after her adventure with the butcher, taking time to shower and change, before she gave thought to that challenge. She knew his name and she knew he was part of the criminal underground that roamed her part of Las Vegas.

The day went on as usual for her and she was in no particular rush to find Husky. Instead, she wanted word to reach him first that Barry had changed his tune with the police. Plus, she knew there were some burly looking men that tended to come late each night and if she remembered correctly they had often spoken of being bodyguards for a few important sounding men in Vegas. Perhaps they could point her in the right direction?

Hours passed and Esther realized she was more on edge than typical for her. It was the first time she had killed since coming to the United States and it had awakened some old thoughts and feelings. Things she thought she’d left behind when she fled here. Part of her wondered if she could handle this life again but another part of her yearned for it.

Carrying a round of drinks to the men she’d grown accustomed to seeing every night, Esther flashed a pretty smile. They were drunk and not nearly as observant as Husky so it was far easier to charm them than it was him.

“Finally gonna join us for a drink tonight Esther?” One of the men said, pulling Esther in by her waist. She laughed, playfully pushing away from him with a shake of her head.

“Not tonight fellas. But I am hoping you could help me with something. There's a gentleman who comes in here every so often, I believe he’s in uh…your line of work.” She smiled at them once more, a perfectly innocent, charming smile. “He left something and I’m just trying to track him down and return it. Husky Radhe, perhaps you’ve heard of him?”

The men all glanced at one another, frowning slightly. They had a code to follow and they were side men really, hired to keep their bosses safe while always turning a blind eye to what those same men were really doing. She could sense their hesitation and she flashed another charming smile. “Come on boys, it’s just me. What harm could it do?”

Finally, one of them caved. “There’s a little spot a few blocks from here. One of our own places, not like this. He hangs out there most nights, I’m sure you’ll find him.” She paid the man with a kiss on the cheek before heading off to finish cleaning up for the night.

The next night, Esther would let the old man know that she needed to leave early. She rarely asked for a night off so he easily agreed. She changed from her normal bar wear into a little black dress that was just casual enough to keep her from sticking out too much. By now, word would have spread that Barry had rescinded his story and was no longer planning to rat out to the cops.

Pushing open the door to the lounge that the guards had named, she stepped inside and took a moment to let her eyes adjust. Walking towards the bar, she swept the room with her gaze, looking for Husky and hoping she’d recognize him when she spotted him.

They came to rest, finding him sitting in a corner of the lounge with his legs up on the table as he lazily blew smoke rings towards the ceiling. Husky had hoped that things would be better now that he was in the Crew's own lounge but all he found were people making idle boasts about their recent bloody conquests. The higher ups were busy drinking their fancy wines upstairs, trading old war stories. Having recently joined, he still did not have access to all the facilities. Still, he had hoped there would be something intriguing enough to attract him but so far, he had been disappointed. With a sigh, he pulled his feet off the table as he prepared to leave.

Something caught his attention from the corner of his eye, and he peered closely. He saw the young barmaid he'd tasked with convincing the butcher to tighten his lips enter in a small black dress. Word of the butcher had of course reached him and he had been surprised by how quickly she had taken care of him. As she searched around for him, he whispered to one of his men, who nodded and walked up to her. His eyes briefly caught hers and he raised his glass in acknowledgement. When she started walking towards him he looked to the side trying to interest himself in a nearby argument about the best ways of dealing with stubborn judges.

Sensing her standing next to him, he continued to look towards the argument and said, "Who would've thought that a foreign barmaid skilled in bloody blade work would clean up so nice, eh Miss Esther?" As the argument intensified he frowned hoping this would not devolve into a physical altercation. He was in no mood to be a chaperone. With his brows creased as she sat down he said in a somber voice "My men tell me the butcher came in earlier today. Swearing to retract his testimony if we could help him get rid of a bloody stiff. Offered a pretty penny for it too. Personally, I'd have preferred it if there were no loose ends to get rid of in the first place. Still I can't deny your…" he paused to finally look at her. His eyes desperately searched for the secrets hidden within hers as he said with a sly smile “...unique ability to get results. I owe you one for taking care of this so quickly. While I have every intention of putting in a good word for you with Romance, I fear that doesn't quite cover it."

Stubbing his cigarette out he scratched his beard lazily as he asked "So, do you have any other unfulfilled desires I can help satiate?"

Esther stared at the man who sat across from her. Her mind answered his question silent. To go home. To find out what happened to her Uncle. To Amir. To stop living in a shitty back room of a tiny bar. But those were not the desires he was referring to and certainly nothing he would be able to help her with. Tilting her head slightly, Esther’s expression remained neutral as she responded. “I thought leaving him a mess to clean up might help him remember how serious a situation he had gotten himself into and would make him think twice about ever making such a mistake again.” In truth, Esther hadn’t really thought about the body until everything was over; in Persia, she'd had men to take care of that kind of work for her. But, she couldn’t admit such a mistake, so she bluffed and bluffing was something she was oh so good at, especially these days with so many new secrets she had to cover up.

His description of her caused her to pause – a foreign barmaid skilled in bloody blade work. It was accurate, technically, but something about it seemed almost haunting; as if she had no real history other then what was on display. She could never tell anyone about what she had left behind, at least not until she learned if she was being hunted or not. Would they be able to track her down here in America? Would they even want to?

She shook the thoughts away, pretending to instead be distracted by the intense argument that was happening near them. Bringing her eyes back to Husky, she smiled. “Who is Romance? And where would I find him?” She wanted to move on to the next step of her plan but she needed something more concrete from the man in front of her. “How will I know you’ve spoken to him and held up your end of the bargain?” Her tone wasn’t accusatory, far from it really. They were criminals and criminals lied, so it was only natural to try and ensure that Husky didn’t intend to screw her in the end.

Husky could tell his question had hit a nerve, but she had no reason to trust him and he had no reason to pry. Everyone held secrets in this life, skeletons in their closets, ghosts from their past they were running from. He was no different and neither, it seemed, was she.

"If you do not know who Romance is I might have to re-evaluate my opinion of you. It seems I may have over-estimated your abilities." He teased, knowing full well that with her resources and Romance's level of insulation from the streets, it would be surprising if she did know the guy. But when his men had told him earlier today that the butcher had been dealt with he had made sure to write a letter. Pulling the sealed envelope out he placed it on the table.

"Romance is someone much higher up the chain than me. That's what you wanted right?" Part of him was annoyed by the way her eyes lit up when she heard that, almost as if she was tired of dealing with him. With a sigh he pointed to the envelope and continued "Inside that you'll find the address to one of his favored haunts and a letter of introduction. That should let you past his bodyguards with minimal frisking. You'll be allowed a conversation with the man, whatever you make of this opportunity is up to you."

When she did not immediately pick it up he added "I can understand your trepidation. If someone tries to push their way past his bodyguards with a fake letter of introduction, they would suffer a fate so much worse than death. So, it is only natural for you to question the legitimacy of this letter. However, if you were expecting a more binding contract before you did the job, I'm afraid you're entering the wrong profession. "

He stood up and straightened his shirt before picking up his coat and finishing off his drink. "I hope I see you again Miss Esther. Our crew could use a feisty woman like yourself." He gave her a brief nod before he walked away.

Her eyes watched him as he left before they turned to the envelope. She picked it up gently, as if she could break it if she was too quick. This was pure opportunity and Esther didn’t want to do anything to screw it up. Slipping the envelope into her bag, she turned and headed out of the club, a smile plastered on her face. Tomorrow she’d talk to the old man and then she would track down this Romance fellow. She was well on her way to accomplishing her goal and nothing could stop her now.

Hopefully.

Chapter Nine

The Larry LongNeck Gang

Esther slipped through the throngs of bodyguards that seemed to be standing around. Really, there were hundreds of them. Why in the world would one person need so many men? It didn’t make much sense to her but she supposed it was some sort of display of force to others, like how a peacock spread his feathers to attract a mate. In this world it seemed the more bodyguards a man had, the more important he was. 

Over the past few days she had done some further research on the criminal element out in Vegas. She’d learned that Romance was right hand man to a leader named LarryLongNeck. He was a known womanizer and she figured that would work in her favor, once she got close to him at least. Husky had mentioned a spot in town that Romance liked to visit and so after learning everything she could about the crew and the men leading it, she decided to pay the place a visit. She had the letter Husky had given her in her handbag and she’d stuck to slacks and a blouse for the night, giving her more freedom of movement. At some point she would need to explain to the old man just what she was doing; she'd requested a lot of nights off recently and she knew he was starting to get suspicious. There seemed to be no point until she knew what the outcome was going to be; besides, she was doing all of this to help him.  

When she arrived, she spotted Larry first, his abnormally long neck giving him away. She figured where he was, Romance couldn’t be far behind. So she that’s the direction she headed, until she was finally stopped by what appeared to be one of the biggest bodyguards.

“And just where do you think you’re going pretty lady?” The man’s gruff voice was light but stern.

“I need to see Mr. LongNeck. I uh….well I’m here for a job.” She looked up at the man, nodding. He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused at the thought. “My name is Esther. I have a letter….a friend told me I could find work here.” She pulled Husky’s letter from her bag; it wasn’t meant for Larry but it couldn’t hurt either way, right? The bodyguard took the letter and read it, chuckling slightly as he approached Larry.

Esther’s dark eyes followed the man, watching him whisper in Larry’s ear. The two exchanged some words before the man returned to where she was standing. “Esther, you said it was? Well, I’m Romance, right hand to Mr. LongNeck over there. And I say we could always use another woman around the headquarters. Come by tomorrow and we can talk more about your future with us.”

Oh, so he wasn’t a bodyguard, that was good to know; he was instead the infamous Romance. Esther could see why he was so popular with the ladies. Still, no time to get distracted. She smiled broadly at the man, nodding at his statement. “I appreciate it sir, I promise you won’t regret it.” She turned and headed back home, a smile on her face the whole time. For once, everything seemed to be going in her favor. A part of her mind wondered how long it would last but why jinx herself now? Might as well ride it out and see how far she could get. 

Early the next morning, Esther arrived at the headquarters of the Larry Long Neck Gang. She knocked on the door and waited; it only took a few moments before another burly looking man opened the front door. After explaining why she was there, she was brought inside to see Romance. As Esther walked down the hallway, she knew this was the beginning of a new chapter in her life. Since fleeing to America, she'd been lost - no goals, no missions, no real idea of what she was doing or how to improve. This was an opportunity for her to use skills she'd thought useless in this new world and Esther planned to make the most of it. 

Chapter Ten

Where one story ends, another begins

The meeting with Romance had been a success. Esther had become an associate of the gang that same day and she’d broken the news to the old man later that night. He seemed shocked; he’d tried to warn her against it, to tell her she didn’t know what she was getting into. But she told him her plans to help him, to try and get the taxes lifted against his bar. On the one hand he seemed grateful, but on the other hand he was genuinely concerned.  Granted, he knew nothing about her life in Persia and he didn’t know her ability to protect herself so she could understand his trepidation. She assured him all would be well as she packed up her few belongings. In fact, she even offered to continue to come around as often as she could to help behind the bar until he could hire someone new.

Her first few days in the world of crime had been fascinating. She’d met many people and been given some easy jobs. Steal an old ladies purse, rob a post office, crack some safes – nothing too difficult or crazy. She’d been running drugs and had even obtained a new weapon, a gun of her own. She’d made a few trips to the range to better learn how to use the thing and even made some new friends. Romance had been a pleasure to work with, making sure to check in on her often to see that she was settling in, asking if she needed anything.

Esther learned how Las Vegas was the center of the crime world, with a man named Disorder who ruled over it all. She learned about ranks and buttons and omerta. She learned about how the police were paid off to look the other way and how you could even have your own corrupt agent to work directly with you. She wasn't really able to stop the taxes on the old man's bar, not directly. She wasn't anywhere near high enough on the food chain to make that kind of a difference, but she was making more money then she had seen in a long time. So, each week the old man would find that his taxes had already been paid. She even began to leave him a little extra, so he could make some repairs and hire more help. 

Today, Esther learned she would be moving. She hadn’t left the state of Nevada since arriving in the United States so the idea of moving well – it terrified her. Larry had announced that morning that they would be moving to Detroit, Michigan, where he would rule as the acting city head until he could take the role of Godfather. She was glad that her boss would have this opportunity, he had been a rather fair man since she had joined his crime organization. But to move across the country? That was a big step. Besides, she still hadn’t heard from Amir, what if he couldn’t find her after she moved?

She knew she had the option to stay behind; as an associate, she could ask to be transferred to another crew. But she’d only just started here and she’d worked so hard to get into this crew. She liked the people and the crew itself. She adored Romance and she’d even run into Husky now and then around the headquarters. There was a crazy man named FearlessJ and another named Nicky Mouth, a nice lady that went by Maddy and of course their leader, the man with the long neck. No, she would go to Detroit with the rest of her crew and see what came of it.

Little did Esther know that the move to Detroit would be followed by weeks of chaos. Larry, Romance, FearlessJ, they would all be dead. She’d find Amir but lose her home and she’d find another just for that man to die as well.

But she couldn’t possibly know that, not in that moment. It was unlikely that such knowledge would have changed her mind, as the chaos would hardly be localized to her city alone. No, the whole dynamic of the criminal world would shift in the coming days and weeks. New leaders would rise from the chaos and the world would keep going, as it always did. 

So, Esther finished packing once again, closing her bag and throwing it over her shoulder. She took one last look around their headquarters in Vegas before leaving the building and heading to the airport.

Today was the start of a new story and she couldn’t wait to see where it would bring her.

The End

Dedicated to the beloved Romance. We miss you!