Interlude: the Heroine

Cindy was backed up against the wall, the people surrounding her and Hugo.

ABB. She hadn’t realized ABB was here, but there were a group. She’d just gone out for some milk for Mom and decided to take a short cut instead of sticking to the main streets. She’d done it before. But now there were four people surrounding her and her little brother. He was holding the milk.

“Got the toll, Wetback?” one asked.

Cindy, whose ancestors had lived in California since before it was a state, said nothing, just shook her head.

“Maybe she can pay us off with some fun?” Another ABB member said. “Or maybe we’ll just cut your little hermanito, you know, have fun… You’d like that, wouldn’t you… or like we said, you can give us some fun…

Cindy’s skin crawled. She stepped back, Hugo hanging on to her, but there were people behind her. “We just want to leave,” she said. “This is our neighborhoo—“ She closed her mouth on the words, but it was too late.

“Oh, it’s your neighborhood. You hear that everyone. Not the neighborhood Lung protects from the E88.” The big gangmember looked around. “That’s some real disrespect, unless you say you can fight Hookwolf.”

“No—I’m sorry!” Cindy swallowed, and blinked.

“I know!” One other said. “She’s ugly-ass and I wouldn’t kiss her for the world.”

Cindy bit her lip. They weren’t going to… but the laughter filled her ears and now Hugo was sniffling. Please don’t start crying, I don’t know what they’ll do if you start crying.

“But…” he said, dragging a boot through the filth of the alleyway. “I’ve got dirty boots. So why don’t you get down and lick ‘em clean, and that way you can pay Lung for all the hard work he’s done protecting you.”

“Hey, how about if she thanks us!” another said.

“Cool, yeah, get on your hands and knees and before you start cleaning my boots with your tongue, tell us all how thankful you are that you can help the ABB.”

“I—“ Cindy’s legs were frozen. “I—“

“Or maybe you want us to start with your little hermanito…” Now Hugo’s sniffles were getting louder.

Oh God, I want to—

Suddenly, one ganger squawked something like a white rope grabbing him and pulling him out of the alleyway.

“The fuck! Cape!”

Then a figure landed, paper fluttering around her. A gesture and the paper formed into a great tiger, that charged, and Cindy was struck that it seemed to be heavy, when it knocked the gangers away.

“You bitch, you know who we work for?” The biggest gang member said.

“Lung. As do I.” The girl, and she was shorter than Cindy, said, her face obscured. Her clothes were made out of paper, but Cindy got the feeling she was making more… more bits fluttering around.

“I was to be announced this weekend, but I was out for a night stroll, when I heard members of the ABB using Lung’s name.”

“Fuck, you say you’re with L—“ Suddenly the speaker was caught, spun around, mummified in paper, which had Asian symbols on it, and then he was slammed into a wall.

“I do not say. I am.” The short figure looked at the others and Cindy. Hugo was silent. “You have taken Lung’s name for your own. Named yourselves as his representatives, and victimize the neighborhood he protects. The Merchant pays Lung, out of gratitude, but will this child return to shop again after this? He makes less, and that means less for the ABB and that means…” A flurry of paper formed up and suddenly the rest of the gang was slammed against the wall, joining their companion. “You are stealing from Lung.”

She turned from them, and looked at Cindy. “What is your name?”

“I’m… I’m Cindy Gonzalez, and this is Hugo.”  The girl didn’t sound much older than Cindy, who was in eighth grade, but… She was a cape. And a scary one.

“Where is your home?”

“Down that way…” The figure shook its head. “Too far to safely walk, and I must escort these men to explain their failure to Lung in person.” There was something that sounded suspiciously like a whimper from the wall. “However I was out with someone, and he may escort your home, in safety.”  She whistled.

And a moment later, a cape that Cindy did know was standing in front of her and Hugo. A demon mask, Guns, knives… Oni Lee.

The girl spoke to him in Japanese, and he nodded.

“Oni Lee will not escort you to your doorstep. Your parents might be worried to see that. But he will escort you to your block and watch until you enter your home.” The figure frowned. “I will deal with the insult to you, and there may be… payment. But in the future…”

Cindy didn’t know how, but she felt like the armored figure was smiling. “Stay to the main streets, eh?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

And Cindy heard terrified murmurs, some in English. The gang members were whispering about how the cape had told Oni Lee  what to do.

They fell silent, as she turned and looked at them, the paper flying away. “Where is your car?”

“At… At the end of the alleyway.”

“Get it. Drive to the Golden Dragon and there we will meet Lung and you may explain yourselves. For your sake, make your regret convincing.”

Cindy nodded.”Thank you, Ma’am.”

“Kanshi, there is no need for Ma’am. I am not that old.”

Then Cindy was walking away, wondering if anyone would ever believe she had Oni Lee as a bodyguard? She almost didn’t.

*****

Reina waited until the gangmembers had left. She had time. She hadn’t expected this but it was…

Those under Lung’s protection should expect to be protected. The streets were deserted, stores closed early. It was a waste.  A neighborhood like this should be generating ten times the revenue it was. Enough that they could double the taxation and yet still let the businesses make a profit.

Too many didn’t realize that protection money only came if the stores could stay in business. Empty buildings paid nothing.

But that girl will remember what the men said to her. Reina thought. Just stopping this wouldn’t be enough, not with every story. She had to…

She would speak to Lung about it. If the challenge was enough, his power might assist her.

At the very least, she had to be there to explain her role in this fiasco and hopefully explain in a way that didn’t see the idiots killed. If Lung disagreed with her, his discipline would come later, in private, be it in words or blows. But in public? She was a new cape of the ABB and there would be no hint of discord. Lung commanded and all obeyed.

As was proper. And then Reina rose up, the papers swirling around her, some generated, from what source she did not know, some she had brought with her. It was time to meet the dragon.

Hopefully she would get home in time to read Jun’s bedtime story. He was engrossed in the new book, wondering if Bilbo would escape from the Misty Mountains, and it was unfair to make him wait longer.

And then the alleyway was empty.