Skye Life: Taken

A bag of ice swinging on in her hand, Serena skipped past the first row of homes, past the alley where she found Vas and back to her place. She stood on her tip-toes first to see if Mathias was still passed out on the couch, just where she left him. The teen fished down her tee-shirt for the sole key on the thin piece of black leather that hung just above her navel, She’d just retrieved it when a hand covered her mouth, preventing her from screaming.

Serena’s eyes were wide with the shock, startled as someone grabbed the key and yanked the cord from around her neck.

The sound of the door being knocked on rouse a Mathias who has just barely edged back to sleep. The soft click of dishes and swish of water from the kitchen as Cyd cleaned.

“I got it …” Mathias said struggling to get on the couch. He shuffled to the door yawning. “ … what happened Serena did you forget you keys again?” Mathias chuckled as he opened the door.

He eyes widened seeing Arch and too goons, one of them holding Serena a hand over her mouth. “Hey Candy Cane.” Arch sneered.

Mathias snarled and reached for Mr. Wacky but one of the goons swung, a fist nailing Mathias in the ribs. His soul left his body as the pain from his side sucked every ounce of air from his lungs. He stumbled back hitting the floor hard struggling to take in a breath.

“So how business Candy Corn? Sommater? Cat got you tongue?” Arch saint in a snide tone kicking Mathias in the face.

Mathias jerked dazed and blinded in pain as he coughed and gasped, blood form his nose and cut lip dripping to the floor as he tried to move.

“The fuck?” Cyd yelled rushing out of her room, hearing all the noise only to see Serena being held hostage and Mathias on the floor, Arch pointing a cheap ‘Midnight Special’ at Cyd.

“Hey look we got the whole damned family here now!” Arch smirked ticking his head one fo the goons. Following the order, the goon grabbed Cyd’s arm and dragged her to the side. Cyd’s eyes frantically shot to her brother, then towards her sister, the scene instantly sobering the DJ.

“Do I have your attention now ‘Candyman’?” Arch said in a mocking tone as he bent to grab a fist full of red hair forcing the man’s head up. “What? Did you think you could peddle your small-time bullshit drugs forever?” He snapped, shaking Mathias by the hair for emphasis. “So now that we’re talking business. I was willing to share, cut you in, but you wanted to play tough guy, so now? No negotiating. The East side belongs to me. Are we clear?”

Mathias eyes burned with seething hatred. “Clear.” he choked out through clenched teeth.

“Sorry Red, couldn’t quite hear over your sobbing sisters what was that?” Arch ask pulling the hammer back on his gun.

“Clear!” Mathias yelped.

Arch laughed, letting go of Mathias and watching as he gasped for breath on the ground. “So here's the deal. You’re my bitch now, you keep doing what you’re doing, our take is 40%. You want to peddle on the side? I get 40% of that too, and you make enough shit for my boys to sell down in the south end. Zero negotiation. I’m not gonna have to worry about you holding out on me, am I?” Arch asked nudging the spot harshly with a foot where he had sucker punched Mathias.

Mathias let out another cry automatically trying to jerk away from the pressure.

“I asked you a question …” Arch mocked. “... I’m not gonna have to worry about you holding out on me, am I?”

Mathias sucked in a lung full of air. “No …” He wheezed.

Arch ticked his head at the goon who had been holding Cyd shoved her toward her brother as he stated to ransack the place. He helped himself to the contents of Mathias’ jacket, including the bulk of money he had made that night and not so gently rooting around for other stuff to loot. Serena’s laptop on the table was scooped up, Cyds equipment was haphazardly being rooted through.

“Good, then for now, til we reestablish the trust you broke alongside my kneecap, we’ll just keep little miss muffet here as an insurance policy. I catch a whiff of you fucking me over, I’ll start sending you pieces.” Arch warned as Serena whimpered. “You, darlin’ -” Arch said, waving his gun towards Cyd, “Keep throwin’ your parties, bringing in the cash, we’ll all make a tidy profit. You see, asshole? We could have been so civil about this. You could have had a piece of the southside, but no - you had to be the big man with a bat.” He nodded his head towards the door. “Take the kid.”

“No!” Mathis coughed trying to force himself back up. “Come one we can arrange something that makes everyone happy? Exclusivity? I can give you good faith here and now but Serena had to stay.” He said, his tone a little desperate.

“Now you want to arrange something?” Arch spat. “Now you wanna be my fucking friend? You shove your ‘good faith’ up your ass.”

“Leave her be - I’ll go,” Cyd said, holding both hands up. “I run the raves anyway - you can see the takes then - we’ll run ‘em 6 nights a week if you want, just leave her be --”

“Too easy to turn 100 jacked up ravers on us - so Pass. You two play ball, and Serena, is it?” He asked, tugging on one of her pigtails. “Serena comes home in one piece. Slide here will even promise you her virtue will be intact. See? Just like a proper, respectful goon.” Arch said, using Mathias’ words against him. “But word to the wise, asshole, next time someone comes to your fucking home to do a little business, you hear them out so shit like this doesn’t have to go down. Let’s go. Take the kid.”

Serena’s muffled voice called for her brother, making eye contact, her pulse pounding in her ears. Mathias would fix this - he knows what to do - he ALWAYS knows what to do, but her heart felt like it was going to beat itself up and out of her throat.

“Arch man … you want the gossling or the goose that lays the narcotic egg?” Mathis said louder, giving away his desperation, leaning heavily against his twin. “I go, zero worries about watching a kid or her virtue and shit. Me- a full grown man with recipes and skill. A personal devil in your pocket right? Ain’t that the most economical move?” He said, trying to appeal to the man's greed.

Arch sighed over dramatically. “Candyman, we’re not friends. You fucked that option up. This here gives me a two-fer, because as long as I have Baby Spice, Big Sis is gonna put together some pretty damn good raves, and Big Brother is gonna do anything I tell him to. And I kinda think she’s gonna be a lot easier to keep wrangled than you, she’s tiny. Slide can wear her like a necklace. Adorable. I wanted to talk business, negotiate civilly - but this here is on you, so now, you reap, you sow. When I feel like I can trust you, the gosling will come waddling on home.”

Thug three was still rummaging in the kitchen, looking for cash or anything valuable, when Arch whistled for him. The big man carrying Serena headed for the door. Arch waved the gun at Mathias. “Do the smart thing. Go make your drugs, wait for me to contact you with quotas, and I’ll make sure Serena sends you pics to let you know she’s okay. There’s the pitch. Be a good boy and play ball. Say bye-bye for now,” He mugged a sad face, grabbing Serena’s arm to wave before Slide carried her outside. “Douchebag doesn’t know who he’s dealing with.”