I silently stare at the young girl that is sitting on her bed, staring blankly on the wall across her. She is Princess. One who taught me to read. I remember her as the smartest girl on the block. She actually still, until six months ago. After the tragedy she didn't return to school. She couldn't.
R*ping is not a rare crime, especially in this district. She is actually not the only r*pe victim, even in her school, or even in her class. The difference is, other girls just suck the tragedies in and pretend everything is fine. The other difference is, other girls may be r*ped by their relatives, or neighbor, or just ordinary people. But Princess was being raped by a celebrity.
Thus, of course the media's attention brought more pressure to this young girl. But she was strong. She didn't coward out and still testified against the well-known artist that hired ten lawyers for the case. Princess was prepared to be acknowledge as a r*pe victim.
What she didn't prepare was when Slim Joe's party brought out videos as evidence. The video was 20 hours long, but all people inside the court only needed to see in for merely five minutes to have the same conclusion, except of course for Mrs. Johnson and Jerome.
Based on Mrs. Johnson's story, the video started with Princess lied naked on a bed and she was touching herself. Then came Slim Joe with his friend. They then started to work on the young girl simultaneously. What surprised everyone was in the video, Princess clearly didn't look to be induced. She even repetitively asking, begging even to be fucked by them over and over again.
As if the blow didn't enough, some clips of the video were leaked to the internet, making Slim Joe's case a trending topic within couple of days. Of course some didn't believe a young girl could initiate and even force a powerful artist to have sex with her. But even more people believed it. They believed Slim Joe was innocent. And so were the juries of the trial. Thus, in an instant Princess was claimed to be the biggest slut.
That final blow tore down her sanity into pieces. She could only stare blankly onto the wall. The only person could approach her is Mrs. Johnson. Princess would rage uncontrollably when a male approaches her, even it is her father. Her family has no more money to bring her to psychiatrist.
Her father went to see Slim Joe with one silly intention, to kill him. Mrs. Johnson who finally knew about his intention, was trying to prevent him to do it. Thus, they met me.
"Let me help," I tell them after pulling my self away from Princess' room door.
"You mean, you can kill him for us ?" Jerome ask in mocking tone.
I sigh. "I could. But I won't," I say, extinguish the fire in Mrs. Johnson's eyes. She knows my capability. Although I never told anything to her, I guess she figured out when accidentally she dropped off my guitar case, one I used to store my long gun, when she cleaned my room. She didn't say a word back then, neither did I. But I moved and disappeared from her live a week later.
"I don't do it anymore," I say to Mrs. Johnson. She forces a smile onto her face while nodding.
"Good for you," She says.
"But I will make him pay what he did," I continue.
"How ? He is too powerful.. and we don't have any money left," Mrs. Johnson says in bitter.
"Don't worry. I will take care of it. I promise," I say to assure her.
----------
As I step in the hotel lobby, someone calls me. "Where have you been ? Slim Joe has been looking for you," The man says. He is one of Slim Joe's bodyguard.
"Is he in ?" I ask him instead, ignoring his question.
"Yeah, he's in his room," the man says. I just nod to him before taking my feet toward his room.
I'm about to ring his room bell for the third times when the door is opened by Slim Joe's P.A.
"It's him," O'Brien, the P.A informs to one inside the room.
"Let him in," I hear Slim Joe's voice speaks.
O'Brien opens the door wider as I step in the room. Slim Joe is laying on his couch side way with only bath robe covers his body.
"Did you get rid of them ?" Slim Joe asks me while waking up from his position.
"As your order," I tell him.
Slim Joe narrows his eyes. "You look calm," he doubts me.
"It's not my first time," I tell him, deliberately bring out my cold dominant demeanour to convince him.
"You made sure you left no trace ?" Slim Joe asked again.
"Why do you think I took this long ?" I ask him back. "I had people to clean the mess. I will charge the bill to you," I add.
Slim Joe nods, doesn't even bother about the extra bill that I will charge him.
"Why did you do it ?" He instead asks me.
"What do you mean ? Didn't you mean 'get rid' as to kill them ?" I ask acting dumb.
"But I didn't ask you to do it. You volunteered yourself," he says suspiciously. From how careful he is, I know he is far from innocent.
"I.."
Suddenly O'Brien grabs my jacket collar and pushes me backward. I intentionally let him does that. My hip hits cupboard behind me before my back crashes the wall.
"You only dog keeper," he hisses in front of my face. "Why did you meddle with it ?"
"I'm.. I'm sorry, sir.. I usually am a person's bodyguard, not dog's., It was just my instinct to protect my employee when they were in trouble," I say, deliberately in tremble. My hand gropes my pocket.
"Leave him, Tony," Slim Joe interrupts O'Brien's investigation.
O'Brien turns his head to Slim Joe. "But, Joe.." he's about to protest.
Slim Joe waves his hand to ignore his protest. Before O'Brien releases his hands over my neck, I manage to stick a micro eavesdropper behind the cupboard.
When O'Brien releases me, I cough a little to release his choke.
"The old woman seemed to know you," O'Brien says, still suspecting me.
I shrugs. "I lived in the same block with her years ago," I answer him. "She is an annoying bitch," I continue then turn my gaze to Slim Joe, "Do you still need me today ?"
Slim Joe stares at me for almost a minute before answering, "No. You may dismiss today."
I nod to him. Ignoring O'Brien's sharp glare at me, I let my self out of the rapper's penthouse.
"He is suspicious," O'Brien's voice is heard once I put the micro speaker behind my ear.
"Weren't you the one who picked him ?" Slim Joe's voice asks him instead.
"I know. And his background is clear. But still, his act is ..."
"It may only be a coincidence," Slim Joe cuts. "We only be here until Monday anyway. Meanwhile, let the boys keep an eye of him tomorrow, to make sure he won't do anything suspicious."
"Okay," O'Brien finally agrees.
I hear Slim Joe's loud yawn. "I need giiirls..." His words make my ears stand up. I slow down the speed of my motorcycle to concentrate more on their conversation.
"It is harder to get girls here now, thanks to that damn girl incident. You need to be careful," O'Brien says, more like rebukes Slim Joe.
Slim Joe groans in anger. "That little bitch!! Other girls didn't mind, even being proud to be able sleeping with me! How dare she sued against me!"
O'Brien just laughs.
"I don't care, Tony. Tell Malcom to provide us some girls. Make sure to be virgin or at least still tight. I must satisfy my self before back to that old loose woman," Slim Joe's words burst me into laughter.
His final words only are already able to bring him into trouble, at least in his career and financial support. Slim Joe is now having a relationship with a woman double his age that is the CEO of the label company he is at.