“We made our way to the Wave District, a neon-lit, grunge-industrial center where all the EDM-loving, techno-music-needing, synth-wave-addled brains would go. The omnipresent rhythm and pounding of music from basement raves and rooftop study sessions followed us.

  “We entered a dimly lit club called Siren Echo on the outskirts of the area. The smell of sweat and lost lust filled my nose as we descended. The thumping bass of electronic music assaulted our ears, flashing lights matching the rhythmic beats, illuminating bodies only faintly visible from the floor's illumination.

  “I led Tea to the back of the room, away from the meandering crowd. In the back green room, several DJs queued up for their next chance at the spotlight. I found a younger DJ with neon green hair and thick square sunglasses.

  “‘Hello, Echo,’ I said jovially, hoping that the second time would be the charm.

  “Whipping his head around, his eyes peeked over the brim of his glasses as he looked me up and down. Then, just as swiftly, he pushed them up and held one of the biggest smiles I’d seen in a long time.

  ‘As I live and breathe, the big bad Wolf makes his way back into my humble abode.’ He stood to greet me, then paused, staring at Tea. ‘Now, crash my code, but Wolf, you gone steady?’ he said unashamedly.

  “Taking her hand, he kissed it gently and said, "A pleasure, madam," bowing slightly.

  “‘No, Echo, we're just here working a job, and I got something to sweeten the pot.’ I placed a flash drive in his hand. ‘This here is the first-ever recorded mixtape of the mayor’s favorite lyricist. I know it ain’t much, but I was thinking you could compose some pretty sick songs out of the rhythm schemes and lyrical tones.’

  “Echo stared at it and then back at me. ‘Damn, Wolf, you’re in that much trouble?’ Genuine concern showed on his face. Echo was one of the good ones, but like everyone else in the city, he wasn’t going to stick his neck out for free. Nodding, I gave a weak smile and continued.

  “‘Echo, we need information on the flash mob that the lesser gangs are planning. I know this is short notice, but we really need to make sure it doesn’t happen in the Iron Kitchen.’

  “‘You got out, Wolf. You sure you want back in?’ His voice was almost pleading. When I didn’t respond, he just shook his head and continued.

  “‘I’ve heard whispers about this flash mob. The person you’re looking for is one of the big leaders of the lesser gangs. They call themselves the Scarlet Joes, run by a guy called Blaze. They make most of their business shaking down high-level dockworkers and stealing high-value products from freight before it ships out. They hang out in the old warehouse districts near the docks, but be careful—they don’t negotiate and definitely don’t play well with others.’ I thanked Echo, and we headed out. On our way to the docks, Tea turned to me and asked me a question.

  “‘Wolf, why do all these guys keep talking about you in a way that makes you uncomfortable?’ Faltering in my steps, I quickly caught myself, definitely not almost face-planting, no, not me.

  “‘What do you mean by that, Tea?’ I asked as gently as I could.

  ‘Well, I know we all have a past, some more clear than others, but every time any of these people look at you, they keep asking you questions. Honestly, the questions themselves are harmless, but your reaction to them makes me believe they make you uncomfortable." She kept pace with my stumble, even helping me up.

  “‘This city is cruel, Tea. An even darker underbelly has shown itself since the mayor came into power. Not all arts are treated the same way, and many arts never get their chance to shine in the mayor's presence. How are those folks supposed to eat? I can tell you how: they don’t! Not by the hands of the city. They’re left out, high and dry, and with no means of getting what they need. How do I know? That’s what happened to me and my family. Our ‘talents’ didn’t even make it past the mayor's first stage. It was too nuanced and different, so we were never let in for another chance. So we found other, more creative ways to stay alive, outside the mayor’s jurisdiction.’ My voice grew colder, remembering those times with my father and younger brothers.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  “‘I think I understand you a bit more now. As I’ve understood it, you do bad things because it’s the only way to get what you need in this city. I believe you and I have a lot more in common than I realized.’ Her tone was so neutral that it gave nothing away, like most of the time she spoke. The shift was so jarring that I stopped and turned to her, eyebrow raised.

  ‘Oh, yeah? Which part?’ I questioned.

  “‘That doing something bad for the good of your family isn’t always easy to come to terms with. You want them to be happy, but you don’t want to hurt people in the process. So we shut ourselves off from the world, trying not to want anything at all, so we don’t fall for the trap of caring too much. Because when we do…’ She stopped to stare into my eyes. ‘We hurt people.’

  “The tone of her voice was clear. I felt all the heartbreak and anguish as she spoke. Her voice was so calm yet carried a weight of understanding that my art reached for it, almost involuntarily. Before I knew it, tears welled up in my eyes. She truly understood, not just trying to make this lone wolf feel some measure of comfort. She had truly suffered, so she truly understood.

  “‘Yeah, that sounds about right,’ I said, turning my head away from her eyes, unwilling to reveal my tears in front of her.

  “We walked a little further before she spoke again. ‘I think it’s a lie—that we have to, or else our loved ones suffer. The choice was so binary that it made us feel like there was no other option. But there always was; we were just too naive to find it. Wolf, let’s find it this time, okay?’ Her voice grew in confidence.

  “‘Yeah,’ I said with a lump in my throat. I cleared it away. ‘Let’s.’ It was just about all I could muster because it was almost too much. Today was getting to be too much, yet I knew what she was saying was true. God in heaven, all I could do to keep from crying like a dog was trudge along in agreement and try to rein in my art. It was starting to get tiresome.

  “‘Just think, Wolf, if we find what we’re seeking, other families like yours won’t have to go through what you did. Isn’t that thought alone worth the potential risks?’ I didn’t mean to, but I let out a little snicker. She was equal parts optimist and naive, and those were two things I hadn’t been in a long, long time.

  “As we neared the warehouse, the surrounding area seemed deserted, save for a few figures lurking in the shadows, just out of sight. The smell of the sea filled the air like the stillness of a crypt or graveyard. The acrid scent of decay from the old buildings left a foul aftertaste with every breath we took.

  “Approaching the building, I glanced over at Tea. ‘So, the plan is we are peacekeepers willing to go dirty in exchange for some extra pay. That way we can—' but my voice dried up as I saw her face. She was staring off to the side, her eyes fixed on the waterfront. The wind tangled her hair around her face, but her gaze never wavered from the sea.

  “‘No, no more lies,’ she whispered. Her voice was so soft, but it felt like the whole world held its breath. I was too afraid to breathe, lest I break the seal of silence. All my instincts screamed that breaking it would put my life in mortal peril. Whoever she was, I was starting to get the idea she wasn’t entirely human.

  “She must’ve noticed—finally—because she blinked and gave me a faint smile. With such a simple gesture, the world seemed to come back into tune—as if not a second had passed.

  “‘Why don’t we just tell them to stop and give them a better target?’ she said, speaking to me without any inkling of what just happened.

  “‘Uhh, sure. I don’t mind. I will say I don’t think it’s gonna work, but I’m fine with following your lead for a bit,’ I replied, still a little dumbstruck.

  “She nodded in approval and began walking herself down to the front of their hideout. In just a few minutes, we were at the front doors where a burly young man with strong forearms and red hair sat at the entrance. He had the look of a dockhand, and from the looks of it, he had done it since he was a child; he couldn’t have been older than sixteen. Unperturbed, Tea approached him with me following suit.

  “‘Excuse me, young man. I know Blaze is planning a flash mob, and I’d like to talk to him about the details. Would you mind letting us in? Or fetching him?’ Her voice was so sweet, so commanding, that I wondered if she was a mother with children waiting for her to remember.

  “‘Oh, hold on, be still and let me get that for you,’ she said, fussing over the boy. This poor boy probably never had a woman touch him so affectionately in his entire life. He never stood a chance. Clearly, the young man was left speechless, hit with the information of the flash mob being leaked and being so thoroughly mothered. Not many options left to him, he just nodded and began to grow more and more red in the face. Quickly backing behind the door, Tea looked over her shoulder, flashing me a rueful smile. All I could do was smile back. Who was this woman?

  is available on Amazon NOW!