Rogue Angel - Footprints Part 80

He staggered back and Annja pressed her attack until he tripped and fell. Annja impaled him with the sword, running it into his chest and his heart. He stiffened and then dropped his gun and died.

Annja's reflexes took over and she jerked her body to the right, tucking into a tight ball as she rolled and came up, launching her sword at the last of the henchmen. He started to dodge but the blade hit him first, thrusting into his midsection. The momentum of the throw drove it all the way to the hilt. The man looked down and his eyes rolled back. He slipped to the ground on his own blood.

Annja pulled the sword free and finally turned to the last man standing in the parking lot, the man who had initially been in the truck with her.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Annja Creed."

He watched her for a moment. "Have we done something to you or to your family? Something that drove you to come after us like this? Because I can't remember leaving anyone alive who could take out my guys like this."

"You don't know me," Annja said. "But I know the disease you help spread. The pain and the heartache."

"A man's got to make a living."

"Not like this."

He smirked. "So, what, you're some do-gooder out on her own little mission to clean up the streets? Is that it?"

"What if it is?"

"It's a horrible cliche."

Annja shrugged. "I don't much care what it seems like. I've lost a close friend tonight because of the drugs you were going to buy from Tom and Sheila."

"Tonight? Your friend died tonight?"

"That's right."

"Because she got involved with Tom and Sheila?"

Annja nodded. "And she got seduced by the thought of all that money you were going to pay them."

The man smiled. "We weren't going to pay them a dime. We were going to kill them. The higher-ups don't like it when folks decide to retire early. Messes things up for the rest of us. What we worked so hard to get in place here. People are making money. They don't like when someone f.u.c.ks that up."

"I told them you'd kill them if they came down here," Annja said.

The man nodded. "Yeah, you got all the answers, huh? So where are they? They take the smack and run away? It's not going to help them. If they double-crossed us, the bosses will find them. Doesn't matter where they go. Everyone can be bought."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, even you, babe. I'll bet you've got a price. I name a number and if you like it, why don't you and me work something out? I'll even let you take over Tom and Sheila's route if you want. You can do good with it."

"I can't be bought," Annja said. "Because some things aren't worth any money at all."

"Yeah, yeah, okay. Whatever. So did Tom and Sheila think you could kill us and that would be it?"

"Tom and Sheila are dead."

He eyed her. "Anyone else told me that, I wouldn't believe them. But seeing what you just managed to do to my guys, I'm inclined to think otherwise." He spat a wad of b.l.o.o.d.y spit onto the ground. "You killed them?"

"Just Tom," Annja said.

"And Sheila? Who killed her?"

"My friend. The one who died tonight."

The man laughed. "Sounds like you guys had quite the party up in the sticks. Anyone left alive?"

"You mean Dave."

"You know about Dave, too, huh?"

"Yes."

"All right, is he still breathing?"

"Not after Tom used a shotgun on him."

The man whistled. "I always knew that guy had more than a few screws loose. Shotgun, huh? Messy."

"I had to clean it up."

He smiled. "Was that before or after you killed Tom?"

"Before."

"No s.h.i.+t."

He looked around. Six bodies were spread out near the car they'd driven up in. The stench of death hung in the air, a tension of violence still eager for one last victim to call its own.

"Just you and me now, huh?" the man said.

Annja nodded. "Not for much longer."

"That's some blade. How come I didn't see it when I got into the truck with you?"

"It was raining."

"So you gonna do me with that the way you did my guys? Stab me through the heart? Some sort of symbolic death?"

Annja shook her head. "Nope."

"You're not?"

Annja nodded at the truck. "I think I've got some stuff that belongs to you."

The man regarded her for a minute and then walked over to the Tahoe. Annja gripped the sword in her right hand and eased the back door open with her left. Inside, piles of bags filled with cocaine lay on the floor.