New York Vendetta

[Skylex499]

Sara Verillion, daughter of CEO of Verillion Enterprises was a local sensation in New York. With black hair parted to one side and ruby red lips with a radiant smile, she seemed to walk the streets like the world was at her feet. Bearing a regal aura and a delicate nose that seemed ever-so-slightly upturned, one could call her haughty at a glance. She was known for causing local stirs such as once publicly throwing the mayor's daughter under the bus for throwing doe-eyes at a love interest of hers.

Her father, Charles Verillion, owned one of the largest medical firms in the nation. Under his name, seventeen hospitals and five clinics opened in the northeast alone and they were rapidly expanding in the south. A former ethical doctor himself, he was committed to find cost-effective medications to the outrageous prices from the pharmaceutical companies. On television, he had recently announced that his lab had devised an alternative to fight a blood clotting disorder with a new drug called Rexina. The announcement had generated great public interest and he had become a hero of the common man.

Suddenly, a week before Rexina's release, without reason or sound, he had abruptly come on TV looking haggard and worn, reluctantly telling cameras that he had decided to not release the drug for monetary reasons. For the next week or so, he'd remained detained at his office not accepting any phone calls or media interviews. Right after the broadcast, he had been labeled as a greedy corporate hermit with interest in lining only his own pocket. The public lambasting was merciless. Many of Mr. Verillion's former employees upset at the distressingly negative coverage of their employer promptly left as his family was shaken. Only his most loyal bodyguard had received a note written rushed and scrawled.

To my closest friend,
If you've received this, then my carrier must be loyal. Listen, they have me locked at the office under the public guise of being "too sick with an infectious disease" to take any interviews or calls. My care-takers are actually from the pharmaceutical syndicate--they're dangerous and have eyes all over New York. They threatened to kill my darling Sara unless I made that god-awful announcement. Please, if you still have any goodwill for me, keep her safe and try to get Rexina released to the public. This drug can save thousands of lives from people that can't otherwise afford it. Going to the media is useless because they will kill her and my wife if exposed. If I die in the next week, know that I have been murdered. Please, my friend.
---

Life was no easier for poor Sara Verillion, daughter of the most hated man in New York. Outside of the private academy grounds, Sara wiped a stray drip of blood from the corner of her lips. One of the girls near the lockers called her father a greedy, corporate bastard to her face. Always one with a fiery temper, Sara has spit directly on her acne-spotted face right before the other girl back-handed her, pushing her back into the locker. It was the first time she had been struck and she stared dumbfounded.

"You'll regret it, you feeble-minded, ignorant little witch!" Before she could lunge forward, she felt a strong hand grip the back of her white school shirt collar.

 

[a_libertine]

Robert "Robbie" Dunham sat there a moment reading the scrawled message yet again:

To my closest friend,
If you've received this, then my carrier must be loyal. Listen, they have me locked at the office under the public guise of being "too sick with an infectious disease" to take any interviews or calls. My care-takers are actually from the pharmaceutical syndicate--they're dangerous and have eyes all over New York. They threatened to kill my darling Sara unless I made that god-awful announcement. Please, if you still have any goodwill for me, keep her safe and try to get Rexina released to the public. This drug can save thousands of lives from people that can't otherwise afford it. Going to the media is useless because they will kill her and my wife if exposed. If I die in the next week, know that I have been murdered. Please, my friend​

He barely could believe what he read. "His closest friend? " For the five years Robbie had worked for the man he never would have classified the relationship as anything other than business. "If I am your closest friend, you're fucked, dude."

Casting that aside he reread the main intent about the letter, note really. Protecting the piece of shit daughter and the only slightly less bitchy wife.

Robbie sighed and headed out the door. Standing an even 6'0 and weighing 185 pounds, , he was not physically imposing yet many people did not deny him what ever he asked.

Jumping into the old man's Rolls Royce, Robbie headed uptown to pick the brat up.

 

[Skylex499]

In the passenger's seat of her father's Rolls Royce, she fumed at her bodyguard, a man that was ex-FBI that her father had hired five years back. He had given her the creeps with that stare of his whenever she got into trouble (which was often). "Thanks for making me look like a wimp in front of them, Mr. D. I'll show them next time, I've start carrying a knife to school. Look, see?" She patted a secret thigh holster under her plaid skirt. Her mother would have had an absolute heart attack had she known.

Her eyes trying to read his determined face, she noticed that he was speeding, whizzing through traffic. Whipping her head back, she turned around, noticing a black hummer close on their trail making her uneasy. "Where are we going? Can we see mom?" She tugged on his arm when he was unresponsive, suddenly getting nervous. She had never seen him like this before.

"Hello? You know something about my father, I can see it in your eyes, tell me! Tell me or I'll open the door to this car!" The car continued to speed towards their upper Manhattan penthouse.

 

[a_libertine]

Robby glanced from the rear view mirror to Sara, "If you are going to open the door, make sure to unfasten your seat belt. Makes jumping to your death easier."

He turned a corner and could see the apartment building in the distance. A black oily smoke poured from the top floor of the building. He turned off and said, "New plan coming up."

He punched the gas again and began evasive maneuvers. "Hold on, Sara."

He zig zagged through Manhattan until they got to a particular subway. Smiling he looked at her and said, "When we get to that subway, we are getting out and going down. Understand? We can lose the tail down there."

 

[Skylex499]

Her shrewd eyes didn't miss the smoke coming from the top of the building as she pounded on the glass. "Mom is stuck in there! We have to save her!" She shook his shoulder from the backseat frantically. "Robbie Dunham, stop the car right now or my dad will have you arrested when he gets better!"

The car pulled over to a screeching stop near the Eighth Avenue subway stop, seamlessly parking near the meter. At his words, she gave him an icy look as he stopped but got down regardless onto the sidewalk where hundreds of pedestrians were pouring into the underground Subway line. 'What if he is attempting to kidnap me? He's acting so strange.' The dark thoughts flitted through her mind.

Pushing through the crowd of people, she held onto his sleeve to avoid getting lost in the commotion before the train arrived. Standing at the platform, she faced him, cheeks pink and feverish, as dark strands clung to her cheeks from the exertion of their hustled journey. "Why should I go anywhere with you when you're not telling me anything?" She cried, exasperated. "God, you're no help whatsoever." She pulled out her cell phone ready to call 911 to call the paramedics to come save her mother in the building now burning 5 blocks down.

 

[a_libertine]

Robbie grabbed the phone from Sara and leaned in. "If you want your father to stay alive then listen and obey me," he hissed.

The subway screamed to a stop and Robby was watching for their followers. He spotted them and pulled Sara into the subway train. He walked toward the car forward and held Sara's hand as he did.

"We are going to stand by the door. What ever they do, we will do the opposite."

He watched the two men and noticed they split up, one stayed behind and the other got on the train. Just before the doors closed, Robby yanked Sara out as he jumped out.

 

[Skylex499]

Getting in and out of the Subway was a blur as he pulled her in for scarcely three minutes before jumping out again. Then she knew. It was those men following them. Could they know where her father was hidden? Even if they were dangerous, perhaps they could...lead...her to them!

"Robbie, I have an idea, give me my Iphone back! I'm going to show them a picture of my dad." She tugged on his jacket sleeve insistently. The man dressed in black on the platform had spotted their antics and was calmly walking towards them but at least they were in a public place where hundreds of witnesses were watching. Giving the petite student an eerie smile like death, he whispers something in her bodyguard, Robert's ear. All she could hear was, "taking his wife...coming for you next."

The small knife on her leg garter suddenly felt like a good idea. She started to edge a hand up her thigh searching for it.

 

[a_libertine]

Robbie was beginning to get annoyed. Between Sara ' s antics, being chased through Manhattan, the fire at the apartment and Charles' kidnapping it was working to be one bitch of a day. Maybe one if the all time bad days.

And the dick breath had the balls to utter a threat?! It was the last damn straw. He saw Sara doing something, undoubtedly stupid, causing Robbie to react.

Violently.

His knee fired up, landing directly below the sternum. The force of the blow drove all of the air out of the man's lungs, and gave Robbie the opportunity to throat chop him. A gun clattered onto the subway platform as the man dropped like a brick.

Robbie kicked it off the platform and onto the tracks. He grabbed Sara ' s hand and ordered, "Come on."

Less than a minute later they were back on the street and walking calmly. He took Sara ' s phone from his pocket and took the battery out. The battery went into one rubbish bin the phone in two later, his battery filling the one in the middle.

 

[Skylex499]

Stepping back as the man hit the floor with a thud, she tried to stifle her panic. Yes, she was a punk back at school but this was an entirely new level. As he grabbed her hand and led her away, she couldn't tear her eyes off the man. This was too much!

"You killed him! Oh lord, you killed him! I can't believe it! I always thought you were kind of psycho when dad hired you but this takes the cake. We're going to be arrested," she whispered frantically, trying to look calm but internally a war was raging inside of her head. Robbie Dunham showed no intention of stopping on the side street to validate her fears and it was driving her insane. What was his plan?

When he tossed her battery, she groaned. "My pictures of my family and Sean!" Did the man seriously not realize that she was a going to college in a few months and needed a social life?

She stopped abruptly, his hand could have dragged her but she held her ground firmly. This was her last resort to attempt communication. "Hey Rob, sorry we got off on the wrong foot. How about you tell me what's going on and then...WE" She gestured at them both emphatically. "...will go check the penthouse and see if mother is alright. If we do that, I'll give you anything you want, look, I got tons of cash." She pulled out a bunch of hundreds on a rubber band from her white purse and tangled it in front of him, trying to read his expression.

 

[a_libertine]

Robbie whirled around. It was like dealing with a snot nosed brat that had never been spanked in her life.

Wait that was exactly what he was dealing with. He grimaced and pulled her toward an alley, "Not on the street."

At first she seemed reluctant and he said, "O am not telling you shit out in the open like this. You can fucking die alone if that is your choice. Not mine."

He stepped into the alley and a moment a white faced Sara stopped next to him. "Your father has been kidnapped and we..." He mimicked her early gesture, "both think she MAY have been home for the fire."

He grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to look at him. "I can save your life. Maybe your father's too; but, this childish damn behavior mist stop. I don't care you are 18 and the fifth wealthiest heiress in the world."

He cupped her chin driving home the point he hoped, "If you don't do what I say and when, you may not live to see your fortunes. Understand? "

 

[Skylex499]

The alley was dingy and not her cup of tea but it was better than being exposed--That much was clear. "I don't want to die alone--I just want to be safe and with my family."

She felt her back almost give way against the brick wall as her breathing intensified at the news. That couldn't be true--Father kidnapped? But it made sense given how he would never refuse to release a drug only for monetary reasons. That wasn't his character. Then she thought of her poor mother and the men behind her potential demise. A rush of anger and adrenaline seeped through her veins at the thought of a sweet revenge for those men.

Her hands trembled as she processed his words.

Wanting to look away, she reluctantly looked up, misty eyes meeting his. His hand was warm on her jaw. "It's crystal clear. You were trying to help all along. Fine, whatever. I agree, I'll stop being a liability because I want to help you save father and serve justice to the men behind this. Don't laugh, I can fight--I got a knife! I read a wiki-how article on how to use it too. Believe me! I have my purposes."

 

[a_libertine]

He smiled at Sara almost gently. "Unfortunately a wiki how does not exactly translate into muscle memory or strength."

He looked at the end of the alley and mused, "Guess it is time to get you some place safe."

He took hold of her arm just above the elbow and started toward the street after shattering his cell phone. He turned left at the street to double back the direction they had come feom. "I talked your father into spending a couple million for a series of houses to keep you and your Mom safe in case something like this ever happened. We are going to one of those now, but it will take a while, and it isn't exactly safe to get there from here."

He looked at how she was dressed and said, "First up clothes for us both. "

He found a second hand store a few blocks away and stepped inside. "Get three or four sets of clothes, comfortable and loose fitting. No skirts this time."

 

[Skylex499]

Dumbfounded, she could only muse over his smile just then. It might have even made him look handsome. Was he bipolar? One second his gaze was steely and the next, he seemed nearly tender.

As they stepped inside the second hand store, she could hardly believe it. Her friends would have a laughing fit had they known she would dress second-hand. Clothes wildly marked down in a disarray. How she wished she had her Iphone to snap pictures of her first time inside such a place. Then again, she realize that she had to behave like a normal girl and dress casually. But how?

She eyed the homely looking clerk and perused the racks finding some black running pants that clung to her legs and a red tank top.

Finding three similar outfits, she changed in the fitting room tying her hair in a messy bun. "Remember Sara. Average girl!" She repeated to herself over and over.

"He your boyfriend?" The teenaged boy at the cash register pointed a finger at the stoic man at the front. Sara shook her head vigorously before leaning in to whisper something in the clerk's ear before he discreetly passed her a plastic bag under the counter.

Hoping that her vigilant bodyguard didn't notice, she stepped to the front with shopping bags in hand as she twirled twice. "So, my noble bodyguard, how do I look? Like your basic, average gal out for a walk? I must admit...I'm anxious to see the property that you convinced my father to buy--Please do lead the way."

 

[a_libertine]

Robbie looked at her and said, "If you told him something that identifies you, people are likely to get hurt. Including him."

He turned and left the store without looking really at her clothes anything she bought there would stand out less than what she had been wearing. Turning right he headed uptown again, angling toward the west.

 

[Skylex499]

When they arrived at the bland grey Victorian house on the outskirts of Soho, she stopped are to stare at the door. "My new home!"

The house was lovely with a modest game room and two bedrooms upstairs along with the enormous master bedroom and kitchen on the first floor. Sara bounded through the home exploring the different hallways before turning decidedly to her brooding bodyguard.

"Robert, I'll be taking the Master bedroom, if you don't mind--of course. Perhaps after a little rest, we can discuss the game plan this evening."

He looked annoyed at her but she could hardly stop to ponder. Without waiting for an answer, she waltzed into the master bathrooom and undid her bun thinking about how nice a warm shower would be. Playing pop music loudly in the room, she opened her purse to find the plastic bag. A-Ha! But where was the lighter? Surely there had to be one in the house! Perhaps a smoke after her well-deserved shower. Stepping into the scalding water, she left the plastic bag on the bathroom counter.

 

[a_libertine]

Robbie grunted in annoyance at Sara. He could finally appreciate the power of love he supposed. If she were his kid, he would have to have spanked her for the spoiled little shit she was by now. It wasn't the master bedroom, had she asked he would have given it to her. It was the damned expectation that everything would be the way she wanted when she wanted. Maybe in her world that was the way it went.

Not in his.

Her way would get her and Charles both killed. "Me too," he muttered under his breath.

He heard the shower kick on and he went to the small tv and turned it on watching the news. The fire they were blaming on a gas leak, but no fatalities were being reported. That caused Robbie to wonder if she had been home that afternoon or not.

Snapping the TV off he moved to the kitchen and drank some water while taking stock of the food in the house. Enough to last for a couple weeks, most of which were non perishable, and likely not in Sara's preferred palate.

That brought a smile to his face

 

[Skylex499]

Pineapple cans, dried cereal, clearly nothing to satiate Sara's picky tastes. A gun clicked as he stood staring into the pantry. "Hands behind your head and turn around slow! No sudden movements or I'll shoot!" The command was a woman's voice.

Catalina Verillion stood staring down the barrel of her gun as he turned slowly. Recognizing him immediately, she dropped the gun with a loud clank and ran to him, embracing him deeply, ample bosom pressed to his chest, before pulling back, assessing his face with disbelief. Originally her personal bodyguard before being assigned to her daughter, she had always been exceptionally fond of him... even flirtatious.

Of old Spanish descent, with waist-length black hair, ivory skin, and a gorgeous ass that seemed squeezed into mid-length Versace, it was clear where Sara had inherited some looks without the warm, kind personality. Catalina seemed genuinely pleased to see him though a little blood trickled from a small cut on her forehead.

"God, Robbie darling, how wonderful it is to have a friend amongst us! Thank you so much for taking care of my daughter. I hope she has caused you no problems, has she? We are in a very dangerous predicament since they are coming after her. It was only by lucky fortune that I was out when the building caught fire. They are keeping my husband at headquarters and I'd like to go tomorrow to negotiate. Only, I'm asking that you keep my daughter safe! You will get an advanced cash bonus for your troubles since you've gone so out of your way." Her hands held onto his urgently as the door to the master bedroom creaked open.

 

[a_libertine]

Robbie looked at Catalina, and responded, "Not no, but hell fucking no. I am not allowing you or the brat to turn yourselves over to the people that have kidnapped Charles. It makes no damn sense at all for you to do so."

He watched as Sara came up and joined the two of them.

He looked from one to the other, and not for the first time, a prurient image flashed through his mind as he looked at the two of them side by side. Looking at Sara he said, "You have to stop making my job hard, and listen. If you want to fight, I will teach you how to fight, but that little snot picker you wave around is only going to get you killed."

He turned to Catalina, "I am glad you are alive, but I will tell you here and now, if you go to them tomorrow, I will leave you to whatever fate you put yourself into."

He stepped back and concluded, "No bodyguard in the world can protect their client if they are hell bent on disobedience. I will try to save Charles regardless of the choices the two of you make, but consider him and what your choices will do to him."

 

[Skylex499]

Save Charles. The words echoed through the kitchen. "I won't go," Cat piped up, not missing a beat. "You are right! It was foolish to think that they would let me leave the place alive. You must realize that I have no intentions to make your life difficult--You are more than capable."

Sara interjected, a little miffed at how quick her mother was to toss the plan at Mr. Dunham's advice. "What about father? He's going to die if we do nothing! When will we save him?! Seriously mam---"

"Enough!" Her mother snapped giving her a resolute look. "Robbie is the man of the house now and you'd do best following his counsel and obeying. No if, ands, or buts about it, young lady!"

In shock, the girl could only stare, reeling as if she had been slapped. Did her mother seriously think their bodyguard was suddenly her dad? "It's not fair!" she cried, bemoaning her ill-luck, storming into the living room.

Ignoring her antics, the woman turned to her bodyguard. "Please see to it that the little knife or 'snot picker' as you call it is taken away. She can only cause more harm than good with it."

 

[a_libertine]

Robbie threw his hands up palms out, "Hold on now! " he looked at the two women, "I am NOT the man of the house. That is Charles, and I will get him back. "

Shaking his head, "Catalina, you need to relax and have a seat. Sara, "I have every intention of getting your father bacj, but I can't do that if I can't trust you, and now your Mom, to stay put and out of sight."


He turned around and ran his fingers through his hair and sighed heavily. "Catalina, obviously Charles told you about this house. Who else did he tell?"

 

[Skylex499]

"No one, only the Realtor as far as I can tell and the previous owners." The clock ticked as she bit her lower lip nervously, sitting on the bar stool. Time was beginning to slow.

"So I can't help?" Sara inquired, seeming disappointed. "I overheard you saying that you would teach me how to fight! I'd...I'd like your help."

The girl stood up and threw the knife across the counter, towards him, a little begrudgingly.

Her mother sighed sadly, starting to get misty-eyed at all the depressing possibilities. "What if he's gone by now? I hope you have a plan."

 

[a_libertine]

He looked at the knife that Sara rattled across the counter at him. He weighed it in his hand and checked the balance. "The knife while large enough, especially for you, is weighted incorrectly, and more importantly, not nearly sharp enough.

He looked at her and his voice softened significantly, "Yes, I will teach you to fight, and to care for a blade, and how to take care of yourself, so that if any man holds dominion over you, it is because you want him to have that."

Hefting the knife again, he said, "I will get you a better pig sticker, this is the size that is comfortable in your hands?"

He looked at Catalina, I have had contingency plans in place for a couple years. The first part is securing the two of you. Once that is done, and I am comfortable with that security, I will go about the business of retrieving him from his captors."

He looked at the two of them collectively, "That means, cooperate with me, not fight against me, and it speeds things up."

He walked into the kitchen and opened the pantry, then opened a secret compartment with in it, and pulled out two pistols with holsters which he strapped on. Turning to the two women, "There are hair products upstairs, go dye each others hair, once that is done we will talk about the next step."

 

[Skylex499]

Sara mused over his words, lost on what he meant. Why would she choose for a man to have dominion over her anyway? Boys at school treated her timidly like frightened puppies. The thought seemed distasteful yet sensual. Then an even scarier thought. Maybe Mr. Dunham thought that she was weak enough to one day submit to a man. She would have to show him that she was strong!

"Yes, that's perfect, Mr. D, thank you. Though I wonder..." A tentative hand touched the blade. "If a knife is the only way to damage or restrain a target."

Catalina drummed her fingers, clearly thinking fast about the right course of action. "Alright, Robbie dear. We will stay out of your way in a secure way. Getting back my husband is most important." Going upstairs, the two ladies had quite the discussion the right hair color. It was well into the evening when the sky was dark that the two came down.

Catalina had dyed her hair a deep red, near burgundy while Sara's hair was much more drastic. The hair was platinum blonde to her mid-back. With this new hair, she seemed much more restrained and unsure. "Do you like it? I think it looks funny." She asked him hesitantly, reclining by him on the couch.

Pouring a glass of wine, the mother faced him in deep thought. "So the next step is hiding us away for a long time? We might even have to change names." She shuddered.

 

[a_libertine]

It was all Robbie could do to keep himself from whistling as Sara came down the stairs. Not only was the change drastic, but somehow, impossible, enhanced her beauty. There was a hitch in his voice as he responded to Sara, "Yeah, ahem, yes, it looks great, actually."

He turned to Catalina, "Yes, the next step is to get you out of the city, someplace safe. Sara stays with me, Charles' instructions and he was not willing to listen to reason on it."

He saw the looks on the two women's faces and continued, "Look, Charles and I argued about this point for hours on end, for months on end, as recently as two weeks ago. I understand his logic, and I can't explain it to you, he will have to, or events will have to dictate the exposure of the reasoning."

"I need to take photos of you to get documents ready for you. Everything is set, except the photos."

He began to head upstairs and stopped cold.

"Catalina, do you have your cell phone?"

 

[Skylex499]

Sara beamed brightly at her bodyguard, oddly glad that he appreciated the change. "Thank you, Robbie!"

At his words about Charles wishes that Catalina leave the city, Sara ran over to her mother and hugged her tight, squeezing her. "Oh baby, it's going to be alright, it's only for a little while." Her mother whispered to her as the girl started to tear up, as if suddenly realizing how serious the situation was.

At Robbie's question, the older woman stopped in her tracks, raising an eyebrow. "Yes, why?" Catalina asked, taking out her I-phone and showing it to him. "Perhaps you can take headshot pictures of us using it."

Perhaps the girl was starting to suddenly starting to read Robbie's mind but she gasped as she remembered the rough way that he had tossed her phone, essentially destroying it. "M-mom? You don't think they're tracking us, do you?" Trying to will her voice not to shake, she turned to the bodyguard, hoping beyond hope that is wasn't true. "If so, we could all end up dying before we save him."