Be Gay Do Crime

One of the girls did everyone one better, setting up a new channel that had all the information they had gathered, including a rough recording of his damn voice.  Deep, nasally, and a strong north eastern accent that wasn’t something normally found in the local area.  That meant he was probably a snow bird, one of the assholes with money from up north that came to escape winter.  The Texas plates must have been meant to throw people off. 

Ashe nodded along as things were detailed, the girls getting ready to go on a retrieval mission to hopefully find their missing girl alive and well.  The odds were slim, but she was trying to remain optimistic.  She wasn’t doing a very good job of it.

“Her locator is still active,” Brie said. 

The preparation paused and Ashe hurried over to where Brie was pointing on a tablet screen.  The map was a fairly standard digital street map, and her icon was showing over a building about three miles away. 

“This is where her phone is?” Ashe asked, more for confirmation than anything.

Brie nodded.  “It is, which won’t help us if he thought to ditch the device.”  

“Honestly, I’m surprised it took this long for something like this to happen,” Caralina said, looking over their shoulders.  “Even the Viuda have to contend with something like this at least once a month.” 

“How do they usually respond?” Ashe asked. 

“Execution,” Keiko answered.  “They don’t tolerate this shit, and I would suggest informing Yessina of what we know regardless.  The Viuda don’t play around when it comes to girls being put at risk.” 

“We’re working off the assumption she’s dead?” Jessica asked.  “I was hoping for a bit more optimism here.” 

“We’re working off experience,” Brie said sharply.  “Girls like us don’t tend to return after something like this.” 

“Alright,” Jessica said, looking away.  “Doesn’t hurt to have hope though.” 

“You’re just setting yourself up for disappointment,” Keiko said, patting her on the back.  “Speaking of, we’re not heading into a fight, the bastard will be long gone and we’ll be walking into a crime scene.”  

Ashe paused, could she use that to her advantage?  Would she be able to point her parents at the problem without drawing more attention to herself?  Actually, she didn’t even need to be the one to do it, she could give their number to one of the girls and turn them into an ‘informant’.  Donna would be perfect for the role, given she already put her in contact with her parents. 

“Donna.  If this does end up being a murder case, would you be willing to contact the police?” 

“Mierda,” Brie said, blinking incredulously.  “I’m sorry, but is my English failing me, or did you actually suggest dragging the policia into this?” 

“Specifically the officers already helping Donna,” Ashe said, tapping her chin in thought.  “Knowing them, they will work with you, if for no other reason than to gain further insight within whatever they think you work for.” 

“You want me to play informant?” Donna asked, her voice trembling.  “I don’t know if I can do that…” 

Ashe crossed her arms.  “If Lily is dead, then I’m going to have to insist.  We have a face, a license number, and potentially a crime scene.  There’s no reason for us to not apply the additional pressure on the man.” 

“How about risk of linking us to the crime?” Caralina cut in.  “The police can’t be trusted to actually give a damn about us.  They always pretend to investigate, then mark it as unsolved and leave it to rot.” 

“Not this time,” Ashe said, her emotions coiling tightly within herself.  “This guy isn’t getting away, and I have no intention of anyone mistaking his body for anything other than a freshly executed murderer.” 

Crystal hummed, falling into step beside Ashe.  She reached out, grabbing her friend’s hand for a quick squeeze before letting go.  Ashe couldn’t see if she was smiling under her mask, the blue tide swirling around like a storm being hissed out by an ancient deity. 

“These sorts do tend to get labeled as a victim when killed,” Crystal mused aloud.  Brie, Keiko, and Jessica were following while Caralina went towards the lookout.  “Remember Richard Anderson?” 

“Who could forget,” Keiko answered.

That was a name Ashe hadn’t heard in a few years, but his murder had made national news.  Some influential businessman from the coast somewhere, found dead in an alley with his chest carved open.  It was brutal, and the police spared no expense trying to track down his killer, only to solve three murders in the process thanks to DNA evidence recovered from the man. 

His own killer was never caught following that, and plenty of justice reforms were promised, but never materialized after it became clear that he had a thing for choking out prostitutes to get his jollies.  Even his most vehement supporters started to distance themselves after that. 

“I’m surprised the killer was never named,” she said, then paused.  “Why do I get the feeling the Viuda were involved in that?” 

“Because you aren’t an idiot,” Crystal said with a bit of humor.  “Alejandro himself did the deed, and a few others made sure he would be linked to the girl he killed.  They covered it up until it wouldn’t cause as big of a stir, and released the news alongside that hurricane that flooded Miami.” 

“Lovely,” Ashe muttered, recalling the conversations around it when the news broke.  Her parents hadn’t been happy, but Mother was still just a lieutenant back then, and not privy to as much information as she tended to collect these days.  “On the plus side, we know my mother won’t play that game unless it’s someone important to her.” 

“Think she figured out you’re Inferno?” Crystal asked, her voice barely a whisper. 

Ashe paused mid step, Crystal coming to a stop just past her before turning back.  Her blue bandana went well with the mask, and the leather jacket was nothing like the one she usually wore when out on her bike.  There was enough there that identification would be difficult from eye witness accounts alone. 

Ashe’s outfit was much the same, just with more red and flame stylings.  Her parents shouldn’t know, but there was that chance that they had put the pieces together.  If they had, then the demand that she not tell them anything would make sense in a twisted way.  Speculation could be neatly ignored, but a known fact might require action should she cross a line. 

Right now, Ashe could still walk away and not be tied to her persona, Inferno could just fade into the background, either retired or lying in wait for when she was needed again.  Her parents were looking out for her despite that, or perhaps they really didn’t know.  She needed to operate on the assumption that they had figured it out. 

And wasn’t that a terrifying thought? 

“Whether she has, or hasn’t,” Ashe began, throat suddenly dry and scratchy.  “We had best tread carefully.” 

Because if they did know, and she went too far… 

Would she have to kill them?  Right now they don’t seem interested in figuring out what she is getting up to when she’s not at home, but how long would that last?  How many bodies was she allowed to pile up before they decided enough was enough?  They knew she had done something illegal that ended with her attackers all dead.  Did they know how far that stretched or was it speculation on their part? 

If they didn’t know and she let something slip while assuming they already knew, only to out herself by accident because that was the one clue that finally allowed them to fit all the clues together.  Something as simple as her initials tied to something she did early in her career. 

Wouldn’t that be a kick in the teeth?  

The girls all piled into a beat up van and made their way to where the locator said they would find Lily.  Ashe was already steeling herself for the worst, anticipating a gruesome scene of absolute butchery.  Something along the lines of the aftermath following one of her own slaughters. 

Brie had elected to drive, which meant that Ashe, Crystal, and Jessica were in the back.  That her former tormentor was coming with was surprising, but it would be good for her to see just how cruel the world could be.  Lily was one of their rescues, Jessica would have known her well enough just by virtue of shared experience.  That could have easily been her they were going to verify. 

Ashe drew her gun, checking the slide and magazine, it was damn near habit at that point for her to do so before walking into a potentially hostile situation.  She flicked the safety off and stowed it once more, her numb hand flexing and relaxing at her side.  There was a chance the bastard would still be there, either finishing things, or clearing the scene. 

She needed to be ready for whatever was waiting, even if that meant killing someone in cold blood.  It wouldn’t be the first time she had done so—watching someone convulse and seize was forever burned into her memory—and it wouldn’t be the last.  

Brie pulled onto the curb in front of a cheap hotel, one of those strips of rooms stacked on top of one another, two floors high with a cheap handrail to keep drunk and high dipshits from falling ten feet to the ground.  Yellow paint was peeling from the concrete, and the ‘va’ on the vacant sign was burned out.  Oddly fitting in a way. 

“Stay with the van,” Ashe said to Jessica and Brie. 

Brie just waved her off.  “Don’t have to tell me twice.  Go do your thing, we’ll be waiting.” 

Jessica nodded mutely, and it was only then that Ashe realized that she was gripping her pants in a white knuckled grip.  Her features were tight and face pale.  Lily hadn’t been taken on her watch, yet she was no doubt feeling responsible.  She would need to talk to her at some point about how shit sometimes just happens, not that she was much better when it came to dwelling on mistakes. 

Ashe hopped out, Crystal right beside her.  She had to suppress a grimace at the used needles at her feet, and the used condoms…  Well, there went her appetite, skipping dinner suddenly seemed rather appealing.  Shaking her head, Ashe did her best to steel her expression and strode towards the main office for the shitty hotel. 

Some drug addled girl stumbled out, dragging a man by the hand.  She carefully regarded them, but it was clear the girl wasn’t hers and the guy didn’t match her mark, so she pressed on.  They were so out of it that they didn’t even notice her passing.  

Ashe held the door for Crystal, which got a chuckle from her friend.  The guy working the desk had his nose in his phone and a joint on his lips.  Hardly a surprising sight, and she was thankful for the filter her mask provided. 

Even when she stopped at the counter, the attendant didn’t look up, whether they were content to ignore them, or too high to really notice, Ashe wasn’t sure.  She thought about attempting a polite interruption, but that wasn’t really the reputation that Inferno had now was it? 

So instead, Ashe reached into her jacket, and pulled her gun, leveling it on the stoner, but kept her finger off the trigger as she cleared her throat.  He still didn’t respond, which was just serving to piss her off more.  That’s when she caught the headphones in one of his ears.  A snarl came to her lips as her other hand lashed out and grabbed him by his unruly hair and pulled his face right into the barrel of the gun. 

“I do not appreciate being ignored,” she said, her voice carrying the barely restrained fury she felt bubbling just beneath the surface.  “I’m looking for someone, help me, and I’ll let you live.  Hinder me and I’ll make you beg for death’s embrace.  Choose.” 

The druggie sputtered incoherently, and Ashe was fairly certain he pissed himself in the process.  She shoved the gun into his flesh, pushing down on the bone beneath.  He still wasn’t answering, and Ashe was getting to the point she was almost tempted to just pull the damn trigger.

“FUCKING CHOOSE!” she yelled.

“They pay me not to notice,” he mewled.  “Lots of guys and girls come and go, they tend to blend together.” 

“Show him the pictures,” Ashe said.  Crystal pulled out her phone and brought up the clearest pic they had of the man, holding it out for the kid to see.  “Recognize him?” 

“Seen three like him today,” he answered. 

Crystal pulled her phone back, then swiped to a picture of Lily.  “What about her?” 

He looked closer, clearly taken in by the fact it was a bit of a glamor shot the girl had posted of herself.  She was fairly cute, which explained why she was so popular among her girls.  She told them not to employ girls that weren’t eighteen, but she had no way to confirm anything.  Most of them were in the country illegally and had no proof of identity.  Most of them used chosen names rather than given ones. 

They left their homes for a reason, and she wasn’t about to pressure them to reveal things they would rather not get out.  If any of them ever reached out, she would listen, but most of them spoke with Brie or Jessica, not her. 

“Yeah, she came in about an hour ago,” pissy jeans said.  “With a bald guy, I was kinda jealous of him but I don’t make the kind of cash he was flaunting.” 

That was an interesting tidbit, and if she wasn’t racing the clock, she might have pursued it further. 

“What room?” Ashe demanded.

“A-thirteen,” he said, now sobbing.  “Please don’t kill me.” 

Ashe shoved him back into his seat, but didn’t put her gun away.  “That depends on what I’m about to walk into.  Call the cops or the owners and I will fucking kill you.  I’ll be back once we’re done.” 

He nodded quickly, pushing back in his chair until it tipped over, toppling him as it did.  Ashe turned and stalked off, Crystal right on her heels.  Back outside, she looked left and right for which side it might be on.  There were no signs pointing her in the right direction so she turned left and hoped it was correct.  

They lucked out for once, finding the room near the end of the row of seven rooms.  Odd numbering scheme aside, there was nothing remarkable about it.  The door was locked and the sun faded green curtains were drawn closed. 

“You know we probably won’t like what we find,” Crystal whispered. 

“I know,” Ashe answered. 

Then she kicked the door open.

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