Serena Miles (Book One) by Robert Saldivar (best books to read TXT) 📕

The bar was completely dismantled. Bodies were scattered all around the room; more than likely dead. 

I did it. My name was, Serena Miles.

I sat at the bar with the only other person living, the bar tender. He looked at me with fear dancing around in his eyes. He hid it well on the outside, but when you looked into the eyes of someone, and really studied them; that's when you can tell how a person was really feeling. And he was scared senseless, because he knew what was coming to him. 

"Do you mind if I talk a little?" He asked. 

"It won't change anything. You were involved with Donte." 

"I know that. I just want to talk. It's funny though. I've never really been much of a talker," He laughed nervously.

"My wife can vouch for that. She was always tellin' me to speak my mind... to tell her what I'm feeling. It was annoying at times. But that was Amy. She's beautiful you know? Do you have a lover?"

"No." I wiped blood from my lips. I'm not superhuman, it was 6 against one. I shifted my eyes to the glass of whiskey that sat in front of me. I gulped the rest of it.

The bartender looked at it. He pulled up the bottle of whiskey and refilled my glass, but my eyes remained cautious.

"It's a wonderful thing," He continued. "Love is wonderful. But by now I assume you know that I'm a cheat. There's no hiding it, I guess. I don't know why I do it. I love Amy. I really do," He's deep in thought, clearly reminiscing. I saw that it pained him the more he talked about it. The sincerity seeped out with every word. There was words he would like to tell his wife, and the guilt tore him up. "I figured because of all the other vile things I've seen and done over the years — I guess I thought cheating was the less evil... It helped me sleep at night."

What about your daughter?" I asked. Does she know what her dad was up to? How many of her friends were sold into slavery? How old is she?"

"Twelve," He pulled out another empty cup and dangled it while asking, "May I?"

"Go ahead,"

He poured some whiskey into the glass. Screw sipping — he gulped the whole thing.

"I wish I can tell them I'm sorry," then with an innocent smile to himself, "Then again maybe I wouldn't feel like talking."

I studied him as he stared straight ahead blankly. Thousands of regrets hitting him like a freight train. At least he was accepting all the wrong he did.

"Do you have any regrets?" He asked. 

"Everyone does," I said.

"Killing isn't one of them? Don't get me wrong, I understand why you're doing this. I understand these men deserve it. I deserve it. But doesn't it bother you a little bit?"

I stared at him, but I wanted to look away as guilt buried deep inside me started to claw its way out. I didn't back down. I looked him straight in the eyes. I figured he got the point and realized he wasn't getting any where with me.

He continued, "I'm staring at death. But you know the more I talk, the more I realize there's worse ways to go in the business I'm surrounded by."

"That's one way to look at it," I said. 

"Thank you,"

"For?"

"Not having me on my knees begging for life. For allowing me to have this conversation,"

He looked at me for approval so I gave him a nod. He showed me that even the most evil of people have some morals. That even the ones that do the worse, sometimes do regret it all. As my heart raced and my hands tightened all I could do was look at him. He wasn't scared any more. He was at peace. But even with all that, he was still involved with Donte. He murdered many innocent people and sold many kids into slavery. He was a part of it all!

"I'm really am sor—" He started to say, but...

BANG!

He dropped dead behind the bar. It was done. 

I spun around on the bar stool and hopped off. I grabbed my heels and moved toward the exit. 

When I got to my hotel room, I closed the door behind me. I strolled pass the bed and dropped my heels on the floor, and continued to a mirror. I stared at myself. Was I any better than the people I killed? I asked myself that every time I finished a job and as much as I wanted to say no, as much as I wanted to say I was the same monster as them; I realized I became the monster because of them. They took everything I loved, and continued to do the same to innocent people every day. They deserved it.

I unzipped my dress, and it fell to the ground. My naked body was near perfect. Years of training and physical workouts made it that way. Everything was tight and fit; probably a body most girls longed for. If only they knew the hard work, blood, sweat and tears that went into my training. However, as good as I looked, I still felt unworthy of any thing. Because at the end of the day, I was still a monster. I was still a murderer.

I had no plans of changing who I was until I completed what I started. I wouldn't stop until Donte was caught with a bullet in his head. 

***

A car parked along side a curb outside of DANDIE'S CAFE. It idled for a few seconds before shutting down. The car door opened and Detective Andrew stepped out of the car. He quickly crossed the road with each step exploding with confidence. Traffic? So what; they could wait. 

He Entered, and stood at the door inside. He took off his shades scaned the cafe, instantly picking up on certain things like, how many people were there, who the people were and making sure who had weapons and who didn't. He did all it in a matter of seconds. 

A male voice erupts, "Detective, you made it."

Andrew turned his attention to the sound of the deep voice.

Sitting at the table was Donte in all his glory. Three men stood beside him, all holding machine guns at their side. Andrew once again, confidently struts to the table, pulled out a chair and sat. The two men share a look. Maybe they were sizing up each other or maybe not. They were both very good at their poker face. 

Donte cracks a smile, and said, "How you been Drew?"

"Probably better than you,"

"You ain't lying," He replied. "How's the family?"

"I ain't here to talk about my family. Say what you want to say or I'm out of here."

Donte smirks while gesturing for his men to calm down. They all gripped their guns a little too tight with the tone Andrew gave. No one talked to Donte like that. He had more power than the politicians, and in his head, more power than God. 

"I like you, detective. I really do, and I mean that with sincerity. I tell the guys all the time, 'you see this guy? If I was a stand up citizen, I would have voted for you to be Mayor.' Who wouldn't want a Ex- superhero to be Mayor of this city? But now look at you. Meeting up with a crime lord."

He studied Andrew, waiting for an emotional response. 

Andrew tightened his jaws. The subject was always a touchy one for him. He didn't choose to give up on his super hero days. His powers were taken from him. 

"I respect that though," Donte continued. "You know why?"

"No," Andrew replied.

"Because it goes to show, that even the most noble of people have a little dark side to them. At least you aren't afraid to show it."

"You called me. You're men are being blown to bits out there by a female vigilante,"

Donte almost broke his composure, but eased it with a deep breath. Then he gave another grin. "But you're coming to me for weapons to help bring her down."

"The police force is..."

"What was that?" asked Donte, "Couldn't really hear you,"

"I'm here for the police force,"

"Never forget that. I have everyone under my belt. That's how much power I got. If I tell the Mayor jump, then he jumps. It just so happens that both myself and the police force can benefit with this teaming up. This is the third vigilante case that you guys can't seem to get a grip on, and frankly this new one is putting a deep hole in my business. She's also killing all my men. They have families too, you know."

"So do the innocent people you kill every day for your business," Said Andrew. "You've been frank with me, so I'm gonna be frank with you Donte, I don't give a damn about you, your men or your business —"

Donte gestured for his men to close in on Andrew, but Andrew stands up ready to fight. "You're going to need more men Donte," He said. 

The first guy swings at Andrew but misses completely as Andrew ducked. He comes back up with a uppercut under the man's chin. Super powers or not, it was a hard punch that scattered some teeth. The other two men lunged forward to attack, and with ease Andrew deflects and dodges every blow. And for every hit he evaded; the more punishing hits the other men received. It wasn't soft either, they were bone crushing hits that laid the men out. 

Andrew turned his attention to Donte who had a gun pointed at him. 

"If you're going to shoot, you better hit me." Said Andrew. 

Andrew wasn't playing around. His eyes were vicious, his bloody knuckles tightened even more as his heart rate galloped at a hundred miles an hour. 

"I'm going to ruin your life," Said Donte. It could be because he was scared. Rumors went around that Andrew had lost his super powers, but it was only rumors from his point of view. "I ain't going to kill you. Ima turn you into a lesson on what happens when you mess with me. Your wife is too old to be sold, but she can be some use to my men. But your daughter — she'll sell for a fortune."

Anger boiled in Andrew. He looked straight into Donte's eyes and saw that he was serious, but he couldn't do anything. He wouldn't be any better than Donte if he was to kill him right now; no matter how bad he wanted to reach over and break his neck or punch that sly smirk off his face. Andrew released his fist, and turned around to the exit.

"You ain't going to have a job tomorrow!" Screamed Donte. "You hear me? You're done! You mess with me, you get my wrath!"

I sat at the edge of the building as my eyes scanned as far they could see. The city was vibrant for being one of the oldest cites in the Uncharted Lands. It always amazed me at what all they could do