The sights of the city she had spent all her life in were a blur as she stared out the backseat window, her face blank and mind full of dark thoughts. The streets she had known and played in since she was a little girl now looked completely unfamiliar to her—eery and foreboding shadows cast by the back alleys and many dilapidated buildings in the early morning light making her feel even more unease. Her imagination was going into hyperdrive, countless scenarios bouncing around in her head while her body felt cold and unresponsive, like she was watching someone else live life in her stead. She so desperately wished that this was some kind of comically bad dream, and that she was going to wake up any second. Wishful thinking. Perhaps a coping mechanism? Whatever it was, it wasn't working in any way. She felt even more anxious now.
The men who accompanied her had barely spoken the entire ride. Vince, the only familiar face, sat in the passenger seat, his expression as anxious as she was feeling. Occasionally he'd glance at her and give her a faint smile that was probably supposed to comfort her. As much as she appreciated the gesture, it only succeeded in making her think about the fact Levi just sold her off and couldn't even be bothered to see her off in some form. He was perfectly content with just handing her off to one of his subordinates and hoping for the best.
She couldn't stop thinking about Levi and his endless pile of empty promises. "You'll see this was all a good thing" he had said, sounding so sincere she couldn't even think of doubting him. The last words he had spoken to her echoed in her mind, and the more they repeated themselves, the more they felt like lies. Part of Jazzlyn knew that Levi wholeheartedly believed he was doing what was best for their future and for Purgatory—but deep inside her heart she also knew he was wrong. She had always known he was wrong, and that one day he'd do something incredibly drastic. But she didn't act on time, didn't say what she really thought, and now she was the one paying the price.
The slender man driving the car exuded an unsettling lightheartedness, which she honestly didn't expect from someone sent by Taitanzu. Tanned skin, wild blonde hair and despite the scar across his left eyebrow, Jazzlyn had to admit that most girls would find him attractive. Unfortunately, the nature of her situation made it hard to appreciate such beauty. He lacked the general intensity typical of many gangsters, instead seeming more like that one laidback crackhead in the neighborhood that occasionally offered pearls of wisdom to those bothered enough to ask. Noah, as she had overheard him being called, hummed nonstop to the music blaring from the car radio, somehow able to sing along with every single song that was played. He was completely unbothered by the fact he had just disrupted the entire flow of someone's life. Jazzlyn's hands fidgeted in her coat pockets, her fingers balled into fists before opening again. The cold air from the half-open window stung her skin, doing nothing to ease the sinister feeling rising in her chest.
The car slowed as they approached Tallahassee's industrial district, a part of the city that no one in their right mind would come through even on the best of days. Countless people had been reported coming to this place and place and never returning, while those that were found were usually in horrific condition, their minds and bodies broken beyond repair. Levi and his gang, despite all their bravado, would never dare to even think of stepping foot in this area. Speaking about it wasn't encouraged either. One too many loose-lipped individuals had gotten their tongues cut off….or worse. Jazzlyn herself had only ever heard about this part of town in hushed whispers. Looking at it now, she could see why. Endless rows of factories and warehouses loomed ahead, their imposing frames silhouetted against the rising sun. This was Taitanzu territory—a place where the rules of the city didn't apply, where the law belonged to the syndicate.To someone in her position, it was like walking into the gates of hell itself.
As they pulled into a gated compound, Jazzlyn's pulse spiked astronomically while she waited for the gates to open. The intricately designed gates creaked open slowly, revealing several clusters of men and women walking about the compound. Everyone she saw wore black and red coats with the Taitanzu insignia printed on the back of it: an Omega symbol with guns acting as crossbones. Sleek black cars and motorcycles were parked like sentinels, an obvious showing of wealth from the gang members. The armed guards who stood at the entrance barely acknowledged her presence as the car rolled inside, though few of them exchanged knowing glances that made her skin crawl and her breathing labored.
The car stopped in front of a large building, a sprawling structure made of concrete and reinforced steel. Vince turned to face her, his expression softening slightly. "Stay quiet, don't make any trouble as you've always done and this will be over soon. Levi's going to get you out of this somehow.…just hold out". His voice was low as he spoke, like he was afraid of Noah overhearing.
Jazzlyn nodded numbly, not like she had another option. She had always felt some degree of powerlessness, but now the feeling was multiplied hundredfold.
Noah hopped out of the car first, ignoring their exchange of words and moving with a spring in his step that made Jazzlyn feel even more uncomfortable. Humming to the tune of another song, he opened her door, his posture polite but impersonal. "Come on now lil lady, I have a gym session in half an hour" he said with a small grin, gesturing for her to follow. He wasn't trying to hide it. Her suffering was extremely satisfying to him.
Jazzlyn stepped out, the cold air cutting deep into her skin and making her shudder. Instinctively, she hugged herself as she followed Noah into the building, avoiding eye contact with any of the other gangsters who roamed the compound. The interior of their headquarters was far colder than the outside, the walls devoid of any life and painted a metallic gray and red, lit by dull fluorescent bulbs that cast a dreary glow and created strange shadows. She swore they moved on their own. Her footsteps reverberated off the floors as Noah led her down an oppressively narrow hallway. At a certain point she noticed that the number of gangsters was reduced significantly. Where exactly was he taking her? What did he have planned? What kind of collateral ws she even supposed to be? There were too many questions that needed answering that she couldn't possibly begin to ask.
Noah glanced at her as they walked, his perpetual grin growing even wider as he watched her squirm "Poor thing. Your mind must be racing, trying to come up with answers. Be careful, I've watched one too many cute girls lose their minds within these walls…." he said before chuckling again.
Jazzlyn didn't respond. Her throat too tight, her head too cluttered. She didn't have time for his taunts.
"You should know that I'm not just a driver or a messenger. I'm one of Taitanzu's executives"
She choked on air, doubling over to cough a bit before looking up at him, her eyes wide. "You're...an executive? You're one of them?" she whispered, shocked to her core.
Taitnzu's executives were considered monsters by all, with some rumoring that a single member of the higher echelons was able to topple entire gangs by their lonesome. They were elusive and held unfathomable power in their grasp. A brush with one was like coming face to face with a god. Her body's temperature dropped faster than she could say her name.
Noah smiled, a faint, knowing smile that put his sparkling white teeth on display. "Indeed. Commander of the Narcotics Branch in fact. Nice ta meetcha! You'll be meeting the others soon enough"
Jazzlyn's thoughts spiraled. This man—this lackadaisical man who accompanied her like a butler the entire time—was one of Taitanzu's top brass? He could literally erase her, Levi and all of Purgatory from the map if he wanted and yet he was somehow so carefree. The reality of her situation sunk in and weighed heavier with each step.
They reached a heavy metal door at the end of the hallway. Noah didn't even bother knocking before pushing it open with a light shove. Inside was a room unlike anything Jazzlyn had seen before. Monitors lined the walls, each displaying different parts of the city. It was a surveillance system—an omnipresent eye watching everything and everyone. To be honest, she kind of expected that from the people who were basically the evil villain corporation of the city. What she didn't expect were the other objects that littered the room. A yoga mat, retro arcade games, a shelf for books and a set of gym weights—it was like walking into the miscellaneous section of the local thrift store. At the center of the room stood a long, oval table surrounded by seven figures. The weight of their eyes on her was impossible to ignore as soon as she stepped inside.
Noah stepped forward, gesturing to the people at the table with a friendly wave. "Heyoooooo!" He did a little spin before gesturing to the other executives like he was a performer at a fair. "Soooo Jazz-Hands, these are the other executives! LR, Triple A, Casey, Eliza, Boris, Clovis, and Crystal."
The first to acknowledge her was Boris, a man with a white mohawk, a nose ring and an eyepatch over his left eye. He stared at her, his eyes cold and calculating. "Welcome".
Next was a dark skinned man with pale green dreadlocks, a muscular build and a burning intensity in his eyes. "LR" he said gruffly.
A beanie wearing woman with red hair and an uninterested look followed suit. "Eliza" She muttered before puffing a cloud of cigarette smoke.
Beside her, an unnaturally tall man with multiple scars on his face waved to her, smiling faintly. He was likely nearly 7 ft tall. "Clovis."
Across from them sat a woman with long, silver and black hair tied in a bun. Her sharp green eyes met Jazzlyn's. "I'm Crystal. I hope Noah hasn't been much of a bother" she shot the smiling man a dirty look and he shrugged in response.
Two more sat at the far end of the table, both wearing matching looks that increased Jazzlyn's unease. The first, a pale man with a pompadour and an emotionless demeanor, spoke up. "Triple A"
"And I'm Casey" grunted the other, an irate expression on his face. Judging by his irritation, he probably didn't want to be here. That or he was always angry.
Jazzlyn felt a sinking sensation as she took in each of their faces. This was the heart of Taitanzu, and she was standing in the center of it.
"Take a seat," Boris said, gesturing to a chair opposite his.
She didn't need to be told twice. Moving swiftly, she sat down, not wanting to piss off the most powerful criminals in the city on her first day.
LR leaned forward slightly, eyes never leaving Jazzlyn's as he did so. "Your brother has made an arrangement with us, as I'm sure you're aware. In exchange for our backing in some situations and resources, he's offered…you…as collateral."
Jazzlyn nodded. She didn't need to be reminded.
Eliza spoke next, her words coming out in a slow drawl that made her sound extremely tired. "You'll stay here…supervised by…us obviously. If Levi fails to uphold his end of the deal, or does something which we disagree with….let's just say you're going to pay a heavy price"
Crystal leaned back in her chair, smiling in a way that was exactly like Noah's. "Don't worry though—Boris never makes bad calls! I'm certain there's a way for you to be of use!"
Boris grunted in agreement "You're here and we expect your cooperation. It's easier for all of us if you do what we wish, when we wish it"
Jazzlyn's mind reeled. She had known Levi had made his fair share of shady deals before, but she had never imagined it would go this far—her life given in exchange for protection.
Noah, who had been sitting cross-legged on the edge of the table near Crystal spoke up, his gaze softening slightly. "You'll get a chance to impress us Jazz-Hands!. We're not monsters. Most of the time"
"Think of it as an opportunity," Clovis added, doing his best to stifle a yawn "A chance to show us what you can do. No biggie"
Triple and Casey remained silent.
Jazzlyn clenched her fists in her lap, the overwhelming sense of helplessness crashing down on her. Typically she'd stay quiet until they were done, but to her own surprise, she found herself raising her hand to ask a question "And if I refuse?" her voice trembling. She could already see it. Her grave sitting pretty just outside city bounds.
Instantly the atmosphere in the room changed. All their eyes bore into hers. LR's eye twitched, like he was just barely stopping himself from jumping over the table and shooting her. Casey, who had been silent the entire time, spoke up, his tone dripping with venom. "You won't refuse," he said simply. The tone in which he said it made her blood run cold. One more question like that and she was dead.
Jazzlyn swallowed hard. She was trapped, surrounded by dangerous and probably insane people who held her life—and the life of everyone else she knew—in their hands. Was this what the expression "Into the lion's den" felt like?
Boris cleared his throat and stood, with the remaining executives following suit and bowing slightly at him. He was no doubt the leader of the entire organization. With the meeting evidently over, he turned his back to them all and began walking towards the door. "Noah will oversee your integration into Taitanzu goes smoothly" he said. "You'll learn quickly, or I'll let the rest of them have their fun with you. I assure you, it's a fate worse than death"
Boris exited the room and the rest except Noah followed suit, none of them sparing her a second glance. Noah nodded, his playful demeanor unchanged. "Come on then Jazzy, to your living quarters!" he announced theatrically to Jazzlyn, heading towards the open door.
"Your orientation begins now."