Bitten (Book 1 - Book 4)

Natalia stepped out of the bushes to join her.

“You lost the kid,” Char said.

“The ladies have her. Hopefully, they made it to Viperia.”

“As long as they didn't take the limo.”

“No, they didn't."

“What a mess.”

“I can't imagine what the neighbors think.”

Char chuckled.

“So who were in the plow trucks?” Natalia said, following Char who moved closer to the mass of cars and trucks.

“Tia and Sophie.”

"Sophie has some amazing talents for a banker.”

“We're all multi-talented. Which is probably why we get some of these problems.”

Natalia looked over the scene.

“Problems like this?"

“Problems like Gussy. We put a lot of pressure on our youths to perform. Some of them can't take it. We have to learn that not every youth can be an all star.”

Natalia was amazed at the simple, yet mature view of things from Char.

“I'll bring that up before the Council.”

“I was hoping you would,” Char said.

They stepped around a car to find an Undent trapped.

"Help me,” he said.

"What were you doing here?” Char said.

“We... we were told to ..... They said he’s was baby killer. Killed thousands of babies.”

“Huh,” Char said. “You look like a baby lover. How does he do it?”

“Bl-blows them up.”

"A banker lives here. You think a banker... some guy in a suit used explosives to kill babies?” “That's what we were told.”

“What do you think, Nattie?”

“Well, that's my house, and I don’t see my husband handling explosives. I wouldn't trust him with a steak knife, thought.”

Char controlled a grin.

"Help me get out of here,” he said, pleading. “Police are ... I have to get home to my kids. They miss me."

“Yeah, right. It's not the police I'd worry about,” Nattie said.

“It's that other guy,” Char said.

The man grimaced.

“This sort of looks like Gussy's work. You hear of Gussy, Nattie?”

“He likes to bite.”

The man looked nervous.

"He bite you?” Char said.

The man's head bobbled as if he didn't know whether to shake his head in a yes or a no.

Char knelt down. Natalia saw her nostrils flare.

“I think he bit you. Or someone bit you,” she said. “You don't live long if you get bit.”

He was now trembling.

“Help me. I'll tell you anything. Give you anything.”

"Of course you would. That's what the poison does. However, whatever you can give us or tell us would be what you think we want to hear. Not the truth.”

“No, I'll tell the truth.”

"Psst. You'll tell us that Gussy's hanging at the Bruiser Bar or Hell?"

“No. No. He's not anywhere near Bruiser Bar. He's in the old church on the north side. The one where everyone thinks artists have taken over.”

“I can't believe that, either. So you'll tell me he’s at the old church, instead? Maybe he's in Hell.” “Yeah. Yeah, he's there. In Hell.”

Natalia looked at Char, feeling puzzled by the man’s answers.

“So he’s not at the old church or Bruiser Bar?”

“No. He's not at Hell or the church.”

He was now panting.

Char stood and stepped away.

The man seemed in a trance.

“What did that do?”

“The venom won't let him tell the truth, but since he’s trying to lie, it also causes some confusion. If you know the right way to ask, you get the answer. Gussy's hiding out at the Bruiser Bar. A very bad part of A'ppollo. I'd call it worse than Hell even when Hell was at it's worst.”

"How did you know to mention that bar?”

"We had some suspicious based on the Undent gang members we've seen with Gussy's crowd.” There was a gagging noise. Natalia looked over. The man wasn't breathing any more.

"So he was bitten?”

“Not by Gussy, I'm sure. He's been banned from Viperia so long, I'm sure he’s not getting any grubbie laced food. And probably doesn't even realize his venoms are weak.”

“I don't remember Uri telling me about a venom that does that.”

“It's a mix of the calm and the ovulating venoms.”

Char headed back to her car at a fast pace.

“Let's get out of here. I can hear the police cars.”

“Yeah, I can hear them, too.”

Natalia got into the passenger side. Char drove off slow. Natalia was about to suggest that Char pull over when she pulled into a laneway about a block away. She shut the car off, including the lights. A moment later two police cars zoomed by.

“Two more coming,” Natalia said.

Char nodded.

“So a male Viperian can use his five venoms in different combinations to get different results?” “Yes,” Char said. “Some know that. Some don’t. Depends on how much experimenting they do. We don't teach the boys about mixing venoms. Only the girls are taught.”

“I take it, however, you know all the combinations of the male Viperian.”

Char chuckled.

"With only five, there aren’t that many combinations, but more than you realize. And yes, we know what all the combinations do.”

“And the women?"

"We're still experimenting.”

“How many venoms do you have?”

“More than enough.”

Natalia nodded. It was the only answer she had ever gotten to that question.

The other two police cars passed. A minute later, Char started the car and pulled out.

“Call Mirren,’ Char said.

Her dash lit up as the call was placed.

“Where are you at?" Mirren said.

“Leaving Uri's place. I have Nattie."

“Her crew has arrived in Viperia safely. We're using Sherri's old house for our safe house.’

“Where's Uri? Natalia said.

“He's still racing around, but he's already lost his followers.’

'Gussy is hiding out at Bruiser Bar. I was able to interrogate one Undent before he died,” Char said. 'We were suspecting that place.’

"Yeah. It helps to have suspicions. We'll be there in fifteen minutes.’

The call ended.

Natalia noted that Char took back ways to Viperia. Still, there seemed to be a lot of traffic. “A'ppollo needs a bigger police force,’ Char said.

Two cars raced around her.

“High summer. The children have escaped.

Char stopped at a stop sign, but paused longer than normal. Slowly she pulled out, then stopped again.

“Damn.’

She made a right turn.

“We needed to go left.

“Road was blocked.’

Natalia turned around. Two trucks were parked crosswise on the street, totally blocking it.

Char tried a different way, but that too was blocked.

“Call Mirren.’

The call connected.

'Viperia is getting blocked off,’ Char said. “We can't get in.’

There was a pause.

“Change cars. Immediately.’

“We'll lose a few things.’

“Better than your life."

Char ended the call and pulled over.

“We walk.

They both got out. Char melted into some shadows. Natalia followed suit. A car drove slow down the street. It paused by Char's car, then drove on. Char moved farther down the street.

Up:

Natalia followed Char after she had jumped up onto the brick face of a house and climbed. Once on the roof, they positioned themselves behind a chimney and waited.

Another car came through, but it stopped before getting to Char's car. A man got out. He was cautious, sniffing the wind, then he dropped to his hands and knees like a dog. He was sniffing the ground.

“Gotta move. Sniffer.’ Char said.

They moved slow to the back of the house. The garage was a far leap from the house. Char backed up.

"You can do this,’ Char said, then she ran and leapt off the roof.

She landed with a light thud on the garage roof.

Natalia swallowed hard and ran without too much thought. She was surprised to find herself land right beside Char.

Char took off. She leapt from the garage to the ground, into another backyard. Natalia followed as fast as she could, finding she had to sprint all out to keep up while Char crossed a street and dodged around houses. On one block, they climbed back up onto the roof of a house and jumped from roof to roof until the distance was too great. Then they were stopped dead.

The street they needed to cross was wide. It was busy with just the people they wanted to avoid. “They're letting Undent cars go by, but going after the Viperian ones,’ Natalia said.

“Good catch. Let's go get an Undent car.’

Natalia's phone vibrated.

“Uri, she mouthed.

She sent him a text instead of answering his call.

Can't talk.

Where you at? He texted.

Rooftop. Twelve and Maple

What?

Where you at?

“We gotta move,” Char mouthed.

They crossed to another rooftop then down to the ground. They were now in an alley behind a row of shops.

I got an idea.’

Char moved down a few doors before she stopped. Due to the lateness of the hour, Natalia knew that everything along the street was closed. Char fiddled with the lock.

A light flashed by the door when she opened it.

“Silent alarm,’ Char said, “but we'll be long gone before the police get here.

The shop was full of wigs and dresses.

They both found wigs and stripped down, putting their clothes into gaudy handbags. Then they found the sexist outfits to slip on. It felt like only a few minutes had passed and they were out the door.

Char strut down the alley as if she was daring anyone to come bother her. She wore a red wig and a dress that hardly covered her body. Natalia had found a fluffy blond wig. She tried to imitate Char's bold walk. She wondered how she looked with her bloated baby fat body sticking out of her tight short dress. She found herself giggling at the thought.

Char led her out of the alley, right onto the street with everyone they wanted to avoid. In different circumstances, Natalia knew that every guy would notice them and want to chat them up. This time, they were barely giving an eye.

Char strut down the street, looking like she was using cars parked along the curb to keep her balance. It was after she bumped against the third car, that Natalia figured out she was testing the car doors. Char finally found one that wasn't locked. She opened the passenger side for Natalia then got into the driver's side.

Natalia had to pull the dress down, so she didn't expose herself. Char pulled the visor down.

“No key. Hot wire it is.’

She ducked down beneath the steering column. Natalia couldn't see what she was doing, but before long, the car started. Char rolled her window down just a crack and turned on the music loud. She pulled out. No one stopped them.

Natalia pulled her phone out and called Uri.

"Where are you?” she said.

“Where are you?”

“Char just hot wired a car. It's dangerous to be in a Viperian marked car.”

“I found that out,” he said. “I'm by the bank in an alley. The whole town has gone crazy.”

“Can we pick him up?” Natalia said to Char.

“Give me the cross streets,” Char said.

Uri told her the streets.

“We in a blue and white four door,” Natalia said. “I'll let you know when we're close.”

"Okay."

The call ended.

“There any smokes in the glove compartment?”

“Smokes?”

"Viperians don't smokes, so it's a great cover.”

“No, nothing in here.”

“Check the middle console. This car smells like a smoker's car.”

“Yeah, it does. Ah, here we go. Wanna cig?”

“You bet sweet heart,” Char said, laughing.

They both put cigs in their mouth.

"Here's a lighter. Just don't inhale.”

She lit them both.

“Crack your window,” Char said.

They pulled up to an intersection. Another car pulled up along side.

"Hey, ladies.”

They were Undents. Natalia didn't like the look of them. Both men in the car had a beer. They were covered in tattoos.

Char smiled big.

"Where ya going sweetheart?”

"Big party. Come with.”

“Where?”

“South side. Follow us.”

“I gotta pick up another gal. Tell me where.”

“Miller Square Park Road. You'll see once you're on the road.”

The light changed and the men peeled out in their car.

“That's Bruiser Bar area,” Char said.

They drove without further incident.

“Nearing the bank,” Char said.

“There he is.”

Uri was leaning against a car, looking like someone had roughed him up. His hair was mussed. His shirt wasn't tucked in his pants. He was holding a bottle of booze.

Natalia rolled down her window and giggled when they pulled up to him.

"Hey sweetheart. Looking for me?”

He smiled and swaggered to the back door of the car. The bottle he was carrying dropped to the ground. It shattered.

"Oh, baby. You're exactly what I'm looking for,” he said with a slur.

“We're all in character. So nice,” Char said.

“The only way to survive tonight,” Uri said, no longer slurring his speech. “Get rid of the cigs, though, please.”

"Gladly,” Natalia said, snubbing hers in the ashtray. Char tossed her cig out the window.

While Char drove on, Natalia took her phone out and called Mirren.

YESS

“We have Uri," she said. “We also have word about a party in the Bruiser Bar area.’

“Okay. Let me talk to Uri.’

“The phone is already on speaker. Go ahead.’

“Cities gone crazy,” Uri said. They're targeting everything Viperian.’

They passed a store that was being vandalized.

“Police aren't going to keep this down,” Uri said.

“We need to find Gussy and whoever the Undent gang leaders are.

“We're heading over to Moralis's house,’ Uri said

Char took the hint and headed that way.

“We can use the lake to get to some of the areas we need to get to without being on the streets.’ 'Viperia is being locked down. You won't have a full team,” Mirren said.

“Where are Tia and Sophie?’

“On foot somewhere. Let me get a location. Maybe you can pick them up.’

Char slowed down, then parked on a side street.

'l just got a text from Sophie. They're down by the Strip,” Mirren said.

“We're all dressed for there. I'll get a hold of Tia and let her know we're on our way,’ Uri said.

Char pulled out and, again, changed course.

“Thanks, Uri," Mirren said. "We have your ladies and Victoria here safe.’

“I will give you an update when we can.’

He ended the call and leaned back.

"Too bad that bottle I had was empty,” he said.

"You don't drink," Natalia said.

“After tonight, that might change. How's the house?’

“Still standing with a whole bunch of dead bodies and cars in the street.’

“We're ruining our home value. We'll get more people moving out.’

“More Viperians moving in, maybe, until they find out we're their neighbors. We won't have anyone living near us,’ Natalia said.

Char chuckled.

Despite the traffic, it didn't take them long to reach the strip.

Uri was texting Tia.

“Next right. Then left into the alley,” he directed

As soon as they made the left, Tia and Sophie were there, getting into the backseat.

“Sorry for the tight fit," Uri said.

“If I knew we were having company, I would have stolen a bigger car,’ Char said.

“Where are we headed?’ Tia said.

“Moralis's.’

“Mirren give you an update?’ he said.

"Yes. We're all gathering at Moralis’s. Mirren will be the only one not joining us since Viperia is being blockaded."

“Where's Grazie?

Tia checked her phone.

“He took all the kids to his mother’s place for the night. She lives in a secured apartment in A“ppollo with her sister. Her sister has a non-marked car that he borrowed. He's on his way to Moralis now.’ “Good.

Silence settled over the car while Char drove. The closer to the lake they got, the less traffic there was. Soon, they were the only car on the road. Natalia could tell that everyone was looking all around to make sure they weren't followed or falling into a trap.

Char pulled into Moralis's laneway, parking right in front of the garage doors. They started getting out of the car when two more cars pulled up.

“What the hell did we start, Uri? Mina said once she left her car. She no longer had Umi

"You didn’t start anything. This all started with Victoria's birth,” he said.

Grazie stepped from the other car. Tia brushed against him in greeting.

“Gussy caused all of this,’ Char said.

Moralis opened his front door.

“Get the hell in here.’

They all hurried into the house.

“Basement,’ he said, using a quiet voice. “Francie and the baby are upstairs sleeping.’

They settled in the recreation room since there were enough sofas and chairs. Natalia sat, trying to keep her skirt from edging up. Uri had a mischievous smile on his face He was ogling her.

"You look lovely, Char,” Moralis said.

“New look."

“Can I change?’ Natalia said. “I feel like I'm oozing out of this dress.’

However, she was feeling pretty good about her body based on how Uri was reacting

Moralis grinned and nodded toward the half bath.

When she rose, she knew Uri watched her go. However, she noticed glances from both Moralis and Grazie.

In the bathroom, she could still hear them talking. Uri summarized the events, starting with the cement truck, ending with the party mentioned in the area of Bruiser Bar.

Natalia rejoined them when he finished.

“Here's the plan,” Uri said.

Everyone leaned in.

“This is the team we have to work with. We need to get Gussy which hopefully will end the Viperian connection. Then we need to locate the Undent gang leaders.’

“Tall order,’ Mina said.

“One step at a time,” he said. “We can use the boat to cross the lake. This puts us in the park that's not far from Bruiser Bar. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they haven't taken over the park to some extent, at least near the bar. They want food, drink and party, not nature.’

There were nods.

“We need to find clothing to either fit in or disappear. Char's already got a great outfit. I'd like Natalia to be invisible like myself. We don’t want anyone recognizing us.’

Again, there were nods.

“We don't have much equipment...

“I have a few things in my trunk,’ Mina said.

“I have a trick up my sleeve,’ Moralis said with a big grin.

Everyone looked at him.

“We need reinforcements,’ he said. “What you just described, Uri, is a tall order even for an army of Viperians, so we need that army.’

'Viperia's been blockaded,” Char said.

Moralis smiled.

“I have a way in.’

“Oh, shit," Uri said, looking as if he caught on.

Grazie laughed.

“Oh, shit what?’ Natalia said, not liking the looks that Uri, Grazie, and Moralis were exchanging. She already had a bad feeling about things.