Tagger

Chapter 26 -- Gone Awry

40

11:30 p.m. Friday night

Danni's nails dug into Kimo's arm. "Somebody I don't want to see just came in."

She turned her face away from the entrance.

"What's up, Danni? You're here with me."

"I know, Kimo, but you don't know this homeboy. I used to see him." She paused, tugging on his arm. "Can we go now, please?"

Kimo sensed someone bearing down on them and turned. A tightly muscled Latino, late teens, with slicked back hair and a tight, black moustache approached. He grabbed Danni's arm from Kimo and twisted her to face him.

"Why don't you pick up when I call, Danni? You know it's me. You can see my number on your phone."

Kimo stepped between them. "She's with me now, homes. You had your chance, and it's gone. Go find another girl."

"Who's this fool?" the gangster growled as Danni cringed and looked away.

"My name's Kimo!"

The thug eyeballed Kimo and grunted, "I say when it's over, and it's not. Go find yourself another woman!"

A commotion near the front door made two dozen partygoers stop and look at the entry. The girl collecting cover charges raised her voice, "I said it's ten bucks a head to get in."

One of the big goons slapped her hand aside and stepped into the room, followed by a twin oversized veterano in his mid-thirties. They were accompanied by three Posse guys Kimo and Danni knew from Chavez.

"You with them?" Kimo asked, turning to the gangster beside them.

"That's right, asshole."

"And that prick, Ces, is he with you, too?"

Boxer shoved him. "So, what if he is?"

"You know, birds of a feather . . ."

"What the hell you talking about, pendejo?"

Conversations dropped to whispers from the entry way. Kimo's attention swung to Rob's friend, Janie, who stepped into the path of the first big pachuco.

Boxer maneuvered himself in front of Kimo. "I said, what're you saying to me?"

Kimo said coldly. "Your guys are messing up a good party. Can't you see that?" gesturing toward the bully's friends.

At the point of entry, Janie was fearless, her voice carrying across the crowded room. "Though you insulted my friend, I guess we could give you and your bookend a senior citizens discount if that's what you're after. Your other three homies have to pay ten bucks apiece."

Nervous, but appreciative laughter, filled the room.

"Out of my way, bitch. You've said enough," he snarled.

She stepped in closer. "Pay up, asshole, or get out. We don't need troublemakers like you here."

The gang leader raised his beefy right hand and slapped Janie full force in the face, driving her backward into three young men, taking Rob and two others down with her. Janie's face reddened, and she bled from nose and lower lip, her right eye puffing from the blow.

Rob leapt to his feet, moving toward the Goliath. The big man turned his head and made a snide remark to his body double.

Rob threw a hard uppercut to his enemy's midsection, which surprised the man who doubled over from the blow. Rob snapped a hard left to his foe's head followed by a quick right. He clasped his hands together and came down hard on the back of the bully's neck. "You don't hit women, jerk! Now, get the hell out of here!" Rob shouted.