White House Down

15

Janet Jackson

Our bodies were entangled with each other's as we laid under a blanket on my couch. The only light was coming from the fire of my fireplace. Other than that it was pitch dark but I liked it this way. It was only us.

"Apart of me wants to go through your stuff to get payback but I'm not gonna do it." She mumbled softly as she played with my hand.

I chuckled. "Well, I couldn't really be upset at that. I deserve it."

She stretched slightly. "What time is it?"

My eyes traveled across the room and I looked at my clock. Reading the hands of it, I replied. "3:24."

"Must not be going into work tomorrow."

"Who? Me? Watch I hop up bright and early." I told her.

She shook her head. "Do you ever sleep?"

"Mm. Not really."

Her fingers traced against my stomach. "Mind telling me why?"

"It's nothing major. I just—." A loud banging sounded from my front door and it caused both of us to jump. I got up and Kerry did as well as I put my robe on and walked to the door.

I looked out my peephole and saw a man with a cold expression on the other side. My face furrowed as I stepped back and allowed Kerry to look out of it. She turned back to me, and her face was lit up by the fireplace. I saw when she lifted her finger to her mouth instructing me to be quiet.

Nodding, I stayed where I was and the man banged again. This time harsher than the time before it. She whispered into my ear. "I'm going to open the door, go to your bedroom. I'll be there in a second."

Going to protest, I stopped when I caught wind of her look. It was one filled with plead. Nodding, I softly walked to my room. I didn't get in my bed though, instead I stood off to the side of my door and peaked towards the front.

She opened the door and spoke. "What are you doing here Kenny?"

The man made a face of humor. "Now, you my dear sister, you're a hard nut to crack. I followed you to the White House, but your car never moved. Still, you weren't my charge, the woman you seemed so intrigued with was. So I came to her address and here you are. In my face. Where is she?"

"She's sleeping." Kerry replied and I furrowed my face. I frowned, who was this man and what the hell was a charge? "And I'm telling you, not as Kerry, but as your sister. Do not pursue this charge."

"You know it's not that easy sis."

He stepped forward just for Kerry to push him back. "Make it that easy, brother. Not this one. Not her. Whoever she's made bad dealings with, let them know she'll slack off. Whose the orders coming from?"

"My head."

"Don't give me the B613 crap right now Kenneth. Whose the order coming from?" Kerry seemed to have weigh with the dark man.

"Some white man from the subs. He seemed to have genuine hate for the woman, so like I said before, it's my charge."

This man... Kerry's brother, he had come to kill me. A charge was a kill. It was all clicking together for me. What the hell? I mean I piss people off all the damn time, but this— this shit was above me.

"How much?"

The Kenneth man glared her down. "Kerry, don't worr—."

"How much? Tell me how much you're getting paid." She demanded an answer.

He sighed. "150."

"One hundred and fifty thousand dollars?" Kerry seemed surprised. "For one damn person?"

"She seemed high demand."

"Look at me," He refused to meet eye contact and she pulled his head into her direction. "Don't do this. Leave her be. Am I understood?"

Kenneth took a pause of thought before shrugging. "It's not that simple and you know it."

"You want your money? I'll give you your money but if I give you that money, you leave her alone. This isn't just anybody to me Kenny, I like this woman and I can't live knowing that you killed her. So as your sister, I'm begging you, leave her be. If you can't do it for the right reasons, then damn it do it for me."

Kerry was willing to pay him... That meant a lot to me. That she was actually this caring of me. I liked her too, way more than I'd expressed. Even though she seemed to be a book of secrets, she was still the puzzle pieces I wanted to put together.

Kenneth sighing brought me from my thoughts. "Fine. I'll leave her, you don't have to pay me but tell her to lay low for a while. I at least need to tell them I scared her half to death," He took a moment to look over the woman he was talking to. "You like her you say? How much like we talking?"

"Like enough for you to leave her alone."

He chuckled. "You have my word. I won't touch a hair on her head but do as I said. Hey, by the way, you look good little sis, never thought it'd be this long before we saw each other. Keep in touch."

He walked away and Kerry shook her head. "Yeah, if that was your way of saying I love you, then I love you too Kenny." She went to close the door and before my apartment went totally black, I went and sat on my bed.

Someone had put a hit out on me, and I wanted to know who. This caused me to turn my light on right when Kerry had entered the room. We almost ran into each other and she spoke. "Whoa, what's the rush?"

"Whose trying to get me killed is the rush. Whose the white man?"

"He— he didn't say." Kerry watched me as I began pulling out files. "You were ease dropping?"

I looked at her for a split second before opening the files. "When do I not?"

"Same here. What's the files?"

"A list of people I've pissed off and gotten death threats from." I answered as I struggled to lift the other files from the box.

Kerry's eyes widened when I looked at her. "Damn, woman what is your deal?"

"People are sensitive. What can I say? Can I get some help though?" I asked as I sent her a look.

She chuckled as she rushed over to help me. "Yeah. Yeah. Sorry."