Chapter Six

Chapter Six 

Two months later…

Loud music. Colored lights. Alcohol. Sex. Drugs. Weed. Strippers.

This wasn’t Elena's type of scene but she would have to manage for the rest of the evening. 

Her target—Thomas Barkley, a middle aged man—was seated at the bar, entertaining himself with a shot of vodka whilst watching the strippers grind on the poles. 

Elena strutted towards the bar, swaying her hips seductively as she went. Dressed in a small, two piece bikini and a pair of stilettos, she was hoping to catch his attention. 

She slid into a bar stool and waved over the bartender. “A double Martini." 

From the corner of her eye, she could see Thomas already checking her out. A small smirk played at her lips. Men like this were too easy.

The bartender returned with her order. "It's been paid for, miss.”

She feigned surprise. "By who?”

"That would be me,” Thomas said over the music and inched closer, his eyes dragging over body. He extended a hand. “I'm Thomas." 

Elena returned a smile. "I'm Liz. Thanks for the drinks, but I can handle it.”

"I just thought I'd buy a pretty lady, like yourself, a drink." 

She slipped her drink and pretended to watch the strippers grinding and dancing against the poles. 

“I'm guessing you work here?" He asked, leaning in. 

“Yes. Is there a problem, Thom?" She asked, seductively. 

" Well, I do have a problem that needs a little fixing,” he responded. The smell of alcohol heavy on his breath. " Money isn't a problem.”

" Oh really.”

" I'll be in the backroom waiting for you.”

Elena didn't leave with him immediately. She waited a couple seconds.

Ten.

Twenty.

Forty.

Then she followed him, crossing the club to find him. As she tailed him, she checked her hair for her knives. Sleek, thin and specially customized for her use. 

As she walked into the room, the music now muffled, she closed the door shut. Thomas had already gotten comfortable. The jacket he had had on was on the floor and now he was struggling to undo his belt. 

He stared at her with hungry, drunk eyes. “Are you good with your hands and mouth?" 

She fought to urge to scowl at him.

“Some would say I'm quite talented." 

Her response pleased him. 

Elena swayed to beat, seductively, running her hands over her body. Thomas stared on, hungrily. She straddled him and pushed him to recline back against the couch. 

She grabbed his neck tie and yanked it hard.

Thomas choked hard. “What the heck?" 

Two cold blades pressed against his neck. 

“Where are the drugs?" 

He shook his head and managed to cough out a reply. “I don't know what you're talking about." 

“Thomas Barkley, forty-five years old. Twenty years in finance, and five years working with the Romano family." She pressed the blade even harder. “Correct?" 

He nodded. 

“Where are the rest of the drugs?" She asked, loosening his neck tie by the slightest, just enough for him to talk.

“I don't have it," he replied. 

"Do you know who else loves being lied to?” She asked. " Your wife and son. They think you're working late, don't they?”

She scowled in disgust. 

Pathetic.

"And you’re here asking for a blowjob?” 

Elena moved one of the blades to his groin and pressed hard. 

“Okay, okay… I sold it." 

“To who?" 

“Chun Wu. He runs one of the biggest cartels in Asia." 

Elena pressed an intercom device behind her ear. “Victor, can you hear me?" 

“Loud and clear." 

“Chun Wu… Does it ring a bell?”

"Yes. Ask him what province of Asia.”

Elena glared at Thomas. "What province?”

Thomas frowned and began to stutter. " What?”

"Are you deaf?” She snapped.

"I don't kn—" 

This time, the blade sliced through his underwear and met flesh. Thomas let out a groan, muffled by the music. 

“I promise I'm not lying. I don't know what part of Asia he controls but that's your guy." 

Victor who had been listening in the entire time, gave one final instruction. “Get rid of him and make it quick." 

Elena moved swiftly. She dug the first blade into his groin and twisted it hard, then dragged the other across his neck. Thomas barely had any time to react before blood pooled in his mouth. 

She climbed off of him and left like nothing ever happened. 

By the time they'd find him in there, she’d be having dinner with Jane.

Outside, a black sedan awaited her. She jumped in and shut the door. 

“Did you get it?" 

Victor nodded. " Yes.”

He started the engine and drove away. Not long after they'd left the club did they begin to hear police sirens.

~

Jane stared at the night sky, her mind whirling with thoughts she couldn't seem to silence.

Below them, the Romano estate was quiet.

She rummaged through the pockets of her jacket and pulled out a box of cigarettes.

"Want one?"

Elena, who had just stepped onto the roof, glanced at the box. “Sure." 

She passed her one and lit her one before settling against the low wall.

Elena had never been much of a smoker—she still wasn't—but some days required a puff or two.

Tonight was one of those days.

She placed the cigarette between her lips and leaned against the wall beside Jane. For a while, neither of them spoke.

Elena stared out into the darkness and Jane watched her from the corner of her eye.

"Are you okay?" Elena turned to her.

Jane nodded, her lips pressed tightly together.

"Are you sure?" She asked. "You've been a little too quiet for the past couple of days. Did something happen?"

"I'm just worried, that's all."

Elena frowned.

Jane was never worried about anything.

Not for long, anyway.

She could panic for a few minutes, curse at the world and complain about everything but all that tantrum would only last a few minutes and she’s be back to her normal self. 

She had never been quiet like this for days.

"Worried about what?"

Jane turned to her.

"You."

Elena's eyes widened slightly.

"Me? What are you talking about?"

Jane took a drag from her cigarette and stared ahead.

"Do you know what I hate most about this place?"

Elena waited.

"It changes people." Jane exhaled slowly.

"From the inside out. The psychological damage it does..." She shook her head. "Sometimes, I don't think it's reversible."

"I don't understand. What does that have to—"

"You're changing, Elena."

The confusion on Elena's face was quick.

She took another slow drag from her cigarette.

"What do you mean, I'm changing?"

Jane looked at her. "See? You don't even notice it."

Elena frowned.

Jane looked back towards the sky and gave a humourless laugh.

"You remind me of myself years ago, back when I almost lost myself."

Jane shook her head.

"You're turning cold, Elena. And I don't want that for you."

Elena scoffed.

"I haven't changed, Jane. I'm fine."

"No, you're not."

Elena turned sharply towards her.

"Excuse me?"

"I saw what you did to that man tonight."

Elena went still but Jane continued. “Victor tapped into the security cameras. We saw everything." 

"So?"

Jane's expression hardened. "You don't hesitate anymore."

Elena stared at her.

The wind blew between them, ruffling their hairs.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then Elena looked away. "So what? You wanted me to hesitate?"

"That's not what I said."

"Well, that's exactly what it sounds like."

"Elena—"

"No, you wanted me to stand there and beg him until someone walked in on us." 

Jane sighed.

"That's not what I meant. I wanted you to remember that you're still human. You're letting these people change you."

Elena laughed.

It was a quiet, bitter sound.

"What?"

Jane looked at her.

"Is that what you think this place allows us to be?" Elena asked, her eyes narrowed.

"That's exactly my point."

Elena shook her head and took another drag.

"You didn't see what I saw two months ago."

Jane's face tightened.

"Elena—"

"No."

Elena held up a hand. "You saw me after."

Her voice became quieter.

"You saw me when I woke up. You saw me when they handed me a shovel and told me to bury my father."

Jane's expression softened.

Elena looked down at the cigarette burning between her fingers.

"You didn't hear Timothy screaming when he saw his mother in that bodybag."

Jane said nothing.

"You didn't watch Lily fall apart when she saw Adele."

Elena swallowed.

"And you didn't see Timothy put that gun to his head."

Jane's lips parted slightly.

"I know."

"No, you don't."

The words came out sharper than Elena intended.

Jane went quiet.

Elena immediately regretted them but she didn't take them back, instead, she looked away.

"I used to throw up when I saw blood," she said quietly.

Jane stared at her.

"Now look at me." Elena laughed again. This time there was no humour in it. “Now I can finally do my job without throwing up all over the place.”

"That's not something to be proud of."

"I didn't say I was proud."

"Then what are you?"

Elena's expression changed. For the first time, she didn't have an answer.

Jane watched her carefully.

"What happened to you, Elena?"

Elena stared ahead.

She could still see Thomas. His face when he saw his mother. The fear and disbelief in his eyes. The way his voice changed when he realized begging wouldn't save him.

The remembered the sound of the gun going off.

No shaking.

No crying.

"I don't know," Elena admitted.

Jane's face softened.

Elena dropped her cigarette and crushed it beneath her shoe.

"I did what I had to do when I buried them."

Jane nodded slowly.

"I know."

"Then why are you acting like I did something wrong?"

"Because I'm scared."

Elena looked at her.

Jane's eyes were glossy now.

"I know what happens next."

Elena frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"First, you tell yourself you're doing what you have to do and then you tell yourself that those people deserved it."

Elena remained silent.

"After that..." Jane swallowed. "You stop thinking about them at all."

Elena eyes shifted to her.

"And then one day, you wake up and realize you can't remember the last time you felt guilt.”

The words settled heavily between them.

Elena looked away.

Jane's voice became quieter.

"I don't want that to happen to you."

For a second, Elena's anger faded. She looked at her friend and she could completely understand her.

"Jane..."

Jane wiped quickly beneath one of her eyes and scoffed.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm not crying."

A small smile tugged at Elena's lips.

"Sure."

"I mean it."

"Of course you do."

Jane nudged her shoulder.

Elena smiled faintly.

But it disappeared almost immediately.

"Do you think I'm becoming like them?"

Jane didn't answer. And somehow, that silence hurt more than Elena expected. 

"Jane."

"I think you're trying to survive."

Elena waited.

Jane looked at her. "And I'm afraid you won't know when to stop."

Elena's chest tightened.

She looked away.

Far below them, somewhere inside the estate, a door slammed shut.

Both girls turned towards the sound. Then silence returned.

Elena stared out into the darkness and thought about her farher. The relationship she had had with him.

She thought about the person she had been before the Romanos came into the picture.

She tried to remember what it felt like to be that girl.

The one who believed killing was unforgivable.

The one who cried at the sight of blood.

The one who thought monsters looked like monsters but the truth was, after two months in this place, Elena had learned something. 

Sometimes monsters looked exactly like everyone else.

They could smile and cry like everyone else.

"I don't want to become like them," Elena whispered, as though it was a prayer.

Jane turned to her.

"Then don't."

Elena gave a small, humourless smile. "As if it's that easy."

"It's not." Jane responded and leaned her head back against the wall.

For a moment, they sat in silence and then Jane spoke again.

"Promise me something."

Elena looked at her. "What?"

"If you ever start liking it..."

Elena's brows creased together.

"Jane—"

"I'm serious, Elena." 

Elena studied her.

Jane's face had gone completely serious.

"If you ever start enjoying it. If you ever stop caring about the people you're hurting… Tell me"

Elena stared at her and asked, "Why?"

“Because someone needs to remind you who you were."