Hitwoman

Chapter 13: Family Blood

(June)

June pounded her fist on the door. She was outside of the Crystal Meeting hall. Rain poured down on her, sticking her red curls to her neck. She wouldn't shiver. After a moment, the door opened and a gun was in June's face.

"Get out of my way, Peter," she shoved the door open more and pushed her brother aside. The meeting hall was a crypt like building in the heart of the Crystal Blade territory. To the west, was their more urban buildings.

The voices stopped as June entered. All 8 of her brothers were there. As well as her mother and father. Her father spoke first, "What's wrong June."

She clamped her hands together, "Are you in business with the Island?"

Her father tilted his head as if he were confused, "I'm in business with many people. Is this what you really came here for? It's in the middle of the night and it's raining."

Deitri passed her his jacket and she took it. The fur was warm. "Don't avoid the question."

Her mother stood up, "June we heard you were in a shoot out. I can't say I'm surprised Cairo doesn't have it all under control." She moved around the table and began pouring a glass of something.

June took a step forward, "What is that supposed to mean?"

Her father put his hands up, "Hey now June. She doesn't mean it that way. He's a young man and that's a lot of responsibility."

She crossed her arms, "He has me to help."

"Is that why you are here?" Zion asked. As children, they used to call Zion the weasel. He was the only child without red hair and he was always very conniving. "Are you just Cairo's messenger girl?"

Cardic creased his eyebrows, "Why do you choose to stay there sister? Live lavishly with us."

"I'm not a messenger girl!" June yelled. "Cairo doesn't even know I'm here. I'm trying to prove your innocence." This silenced the room. "Are you importing weapons from the Island."

She turned at Deitri first. Her younger brother had always been slightly easier to read. When he didn't make eye contact, she knew. "Why?" her voice threatened to crack. No one answered. "We have a peace treaty. Surely you know going behind Cairo's back like this is suspicious."

"We barely have a peace treaty," Zion slammed his fist on the table.

June stepped back. She could feel the wooden door behind her, "I'm barely a peace treaty? I'm not enough for you to not go to war? What did Cairo ever do?"

"It's naive to think this is personal," Cardic pointed out. June didn't care.

She reached for the door handle. Deitri grabbed her arm, "June, are you really going to choose him over family?" She could see the hurt in her little brother's eyes. Good. They hurt her.

"I love him," she declared before throwing the door open. She marched across the gravel and away from the meeting hall. Lightning struck above her, illuminating a person at the end of the drive. June grabbed her knife.

Leilani opened an umbrella up, "Let's be done with violence today."

June put away the knife and stood under the umbrella, "What are you doing here?" Her voice sounded sniffly. Leilani offered her a tissue. Had she been crying.

"I'm looking out for my dear friend," she patted June. A black car was driving toward them. June looked up at Leilani. She knew she was lying to her. Had she not trusted June? Or was she searching for something else?

They got into the backseat of the car and drove away. "June, when does my brother plan to have a funeral?"

"Why don't you ask him?" June said clippidly and then amended, "He's got a lot on his plate."

Leilani nodded, "That's why I came home. Cyprus left me in charge of the casinos Veolo. But I don't know where everything goes now that he's passed." She pressed her hands together in her lap. June cast her a side glance. Was that fear in her voice.

June put her hand on hers, "Your brother will treat you right, Leilani."

Leilani patted her hand, "Don't get sappy. I'll get all that I deserve. This question is what you are going to do about your family."

The subject changed quickly, but Leilani didn't stop, "The Crystal blade is known for its ferocity but your crazy brothers have drained its power. Cairo keeps his Bloody Hands manicured. But then of course, the blades are importing weapons."

June scooted down the bench, "We aren't going to war." She didn't like how quickly Leilani had begun to plan. "There are at least a hundred other things we can do before we start shooting and comparing our junk size."

Leilani laughed, "You're humor is crude. Whenever I forget, it reminds me you are Florentine's daughter."

"But what do you propose we do instead? Talk?" Leilani looked at her long silver nails, "What does talking get accomplished besides passing the time until you die? My father talked a lot." The early mourning sadness was no where to be seen in Leilani. She was bipolar. June shivered. She never knew how to understand Leilani.

June looked out the window to the familiar streets of the city, "We make out peace treaty stronger." An idea formed in her head. One slightly horrible idea.

When the car stopped outside of the Crimson building, June didn't wait for Leilani. I'm fact she needed distance. There was only one person she wished to talk to. She was too impatient to take the elevator and climbed four flights of stairs. When she reached Cairo's office, she was out of breath.

"Nolan, where is Cairo?" June asked as she looked around the room. Nolan was sitting down off to the side with his eyes closed.

He opened his eyes, taking in her nervous energy. "The garden."

She turned and ran out. The Crimson building didn't have a typical garden. But there was a place where they grew their poisons. June passed through the late milling crowd and climbed two more flights of stairs. Her legs were beginning to cramp up.

"Cairo," she yelled out as she stepped into the massive greenhouse on top of the building.

He turned from where he was standing looking out at the night sky, "What's wrong?" He moved to her quickly. "I wanted to apologize, June. I got angry but it wasn't supposed to be directed at you-"

She grabbed his hands. They were rough and big. His breathing hitched when he saw the look on her face. She parted her lips and whispered, "Will you marry me?"