Chapter 170

Louis led the way to the elevator, Gladice and Savannah right behind him. The others followed, their faces grim.

“We’re all going?” Willa asked.

“Every one of us,” Louis said. “We will make them pay. Together.”

The elevator doors opened. Élise was inside.

“Your father asked me to bring you your pistol,” she said, presenting his M1911 and a holster.

“Thank you, Élise,” Louis said. He put the holster on and checked the magazine.

“You’re going to shoot someone?” Cherish asked, her eyes wide.

“I will if I have to,” Louis said.

“Good,” Maeve said.

“Should we be armed too?” Savannah asked.

“That won’t be necessary,” Louis said. “The Dominion has banned private gun ownership for a long time. And the public security system is very effective.”

“Tell that to the trolls,” Gladice said.

The elevator doors opened on the B3 floor. Élise nodded as the door closed behind them. The private garage was filled with luxury sports cars, classic convertibles, and high-end SUVs. A team of mechanics bowed as Louis and the women entered.

Louis gestured to the nearest black sports car.

“That’s the 2029 Ford Mustang Leviathan I talked about.”

Gladice’s eyes lit up. “That’s the one with the 2000-horsepower hybrid engine?”

“Yes.”

“I want to drive it,” she said.

“You can drive the Bugatti over there,” Louis said, pointing to a sleek black car next to the Mustang. “The one you asked for.”

“Deal,” Gladice said.

Cherish’s eyes widened as she looked around the garage. “Are these all yours?”

“Yes,” Louis said. “You can pick any one you like. Or just take a seat and enjoy the ride.”

“I’ll sit,” Cherish said.

Willa walked over to a white sports car with butterfly doors. “This must be the SLR McLaren you mentioned last night.”

“Yes,” Louis said. “You can drive it if you want.”

“Okay,” Willa said. “But I still don’t have a driving license, at least in the Dominion.”

“The First Family doesn’t need a license,” Louis said. “No police will stop you.”

Willa smiled. “That’s a change from Boston. I once got a ticket for parking too close to a fire hydrant.”

“Not anymore,” Louis said. “Just don’t crash it. I like that car.”

“I’ll be careful,” Willa said.

Maeve looked around the garage. “What about me?”

Louis clapped his hands. A mechanic in a blue jumpsuit ran up to them. “Yes, sir?”

“Bring the red Ducati 916 from the back,” Louis said.

“Right away, sir.”

The mechanic ran off.

“You are serious.” Maeve’s eyes widened.

“Yes,” Louis said. “It’s yours now. I hope you have experience with motorcycles.”

“I do. A lot. Both driving and fixing them.” Maeve smiled. “But most of them were old, rusty pieces of junk. Not like this.”

The mechanic returned, pushing a bright red Ducati motorcycle onto the garage floor. Maeve’s eyes sparkled.

“Damn,” she said. “She’s a beauty. Just like the poster.”

“I know,” Louis said. “She’s fast, too. You can keep up with us.” He turned to the mechanic. “Show her the dressing room. She needs a proper riding suit and a helmet.”

“Right this way, ma’am,” the mechanic said.

Maeve followed him. Louis turned to the others. “Willa, Gladice and I will drive. The rest of you, pick a car and get in. The Mustang has a rear seat. It’s small, but it works.”

The mechanics gave them the key fobs. Cherish climbed to the back of the Mustang. Savannah took the passenger seat. Angelique got into the Bugatti with Gladice. Donya got into the SLR McLaren with Willa. Louis activated the communication network built into the cars.

“Everyone online?” he asked.

“Yes,” Willa said.

“Copy,” Gladice said.

Maeve came back in a full red-and-black leather racing suit. She put on her helmet, mounted the Ducati, and revved the engine. The sound echoed through the garage.

“Ready when you are,” she said, her voice crackling through the helmet comms.

“Alright,” Louis said. “Let’s ride.”

A door at the far end of the garage opened, leading to a large elevator platform. The three cars and the motorcycle drove onto it. The platform ascended, then opened onto a service tunnel leading to the courtyard. The gate at the end slid open, and they drove out onto the quiet road in Beverly Hills. Two armored black SUVs joined them from behind the hedges, with the emergency lights on.

“Sir, I have the destination,” one of the Dominion Guard soldiers in the SUVs said over the network. “Synchronizing with your GPS.”

“Got it,” Louis said.

“The LAMP has secured a two-block perimeter,” the soldier said. “No media. No civilian vehicles. We are clear.”

“Good.”

Louis pushed the accelerator. The Mustang’s electric motors surged silently before the V16 engine roared to life. He merged onto Sunset Boulevard, the other cars and Maeve’s motorcycle falling into formation around him. He turned on the siren, and the traffic ahead of them parted. All traffic lights turned green. People on the sidewalks stopped and stared. Some took out their phones.

“Looks like we are going to be on the news anyway,” Willa said.

“Let them look,” Louis said. “Let them see what happens when you mess with the Collins.”

A police car flashed its lights twice and accelerated ahead of them, clearing the path. Louis glanced at the rearview mirror. Maeve was a flash of red between the two SUVs.

“How’s the ride, Maeve?”

“Fucking amazing,” she said. “This thing handles like a dream. The torque is incredible.”

“I’m glad you like it,” Louis said.

“I love it,” she said. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he said.

Angelique spoke over the comms. “What’s the plan, Louis?”

“We go to the address. Follow the Dominion Guard. Let them do their job. And we kick his ass, literally.”

“Sounds good to me,” Gladice said from the Bugatti’s comms.

“I’m not sure this is a good idea,” Donya said through the McLaren’s comms. “We are not police. We shouldn’t be involved in this.”

“I disagree,” Savannah said. “People need to be held accountable for their actions. Ain’t nobody above that.”

“Or below that,” Maeve added. “I’m in for some ass-kicking.”

Cherish sniffled in the back seat.

“You okay, Cherry?” Louis asked, looking at her through the rearview mirror.

“I’m scared,” she said. “What if he has a gun?”

“He won’t,” Louis said. “Guns are illegal here. And if he does, the Dominion Guard will shoot him dead.”

“I hope so,” Cherish said.

“And we will only enter once it’s safe,” Angelique said. “We won’t do anything stupid.”

“Define stupid,” Gladice said.

“We won’t kill him. Or torture him. We will just scare him. A little.”

“No promises,” Gladice said. “If he looks at me the wrong way, I’ll break his nose.”

Louis turned onto the highway. The Mustang’s engine roared as he pushed it faster. The other cars kept up with him. He glanced at the speedometer. It passed 150 miles per hour and kept climbing.

“Slow down, Louis,” Willa said. “You’re going to get us all killed.”

“Trust me,” Louis said. “I know what I’m doing.”

He turned up the siren and flashed the emergency lights. The cars ahead of him swerved to the side. He sped past them.

“Where are the police?” Donya asked.

“Clearing the way for us,” Louis said. “We are their boss.”

“You’re abusing your power,” Willa said.

“Call it whatever you want,” Louis said. “But don’t pretend you don’t enjoy it.”

“Of course we do, you madman!” Gladice shouted. “This is the best day of my life!”

Louis laughed. Willa sighed. “You are all crazy.”

“We are not crazy, Willa,” Savannah said. “We are just living our best lives.”

“I’d have eight tickets by now in Boston,” Willa said. “And a suspended license.”

“Welcome to the Dominion,” Louis said. “Where we make our own rules.”

He took the exit toward Santa Monica. The police had already blocked off the streets. The cars and motorcycle drove through the empty roads to a quiet residential area. The GPS on the dashboard showed the destination. A four-story apartment building with a palm tree in front. Several police cars were parked on the street, their lights flashing. A Dominion Guard SUV was already there. Two guards stood at the entrance.

Louis parked the Mustang in the middle of the road. The other cars parked around him. Maeve parked the Ducati behind the SUV, and took off her helmet, leaving it on the seat.

“Alright,” Louis said, getting out of the car. “Let’s go.”

A Dominion Guard officer met him at the entrance. “Sir. The suspect is in room 402. We have the building secured. All exits covered.”

“Good,” Louis said. “Lead the way.”

The officer led them into the building. The elevator was waiting for them. They got in. The officer pressed the button for the fourth floor. The elevator doors opened. Two more guards stood outside the apartment. They nodded at Louis.

The officer knocked on the door. “Dominion Guard. Open up!”

They heard a shuffling sound. Then a male voice, “What is this? I haven’t done anything.”

“Are you sure this is the guy?” Louis asked the officer.

“Yes, sir. The IP address is registered to this apartment. The name on the lease is Robert Anderson. Age 27. Single. A cashier at the Bank of the Pacific.”

“Open the door right now, Mr. Anderson,” the officer said. “Or we will open it for you.”

The door opened. A man stood in the doorway, wearing a stained T-shirt and shorts. He was tall and thin, with pale skin and acne scars. He had a terrified look on his face.

“What is this about?” he asked.

Louis stepped forward. “Are you Crusader_777?”

The man’s face turned white. “Mr. Collins?”

“Answer the question,” Louis said.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the man said.

Louis gestured to one of the guards. “Search him and take a look inside. Find his electronics.”

“Hey! You can’t do that! That’s my private property!” the man said.

“If you are innocent, I will pay you twenty thousand dollars for the inconvenience.” Louis looked at him. “If you are not, you will regret it for the rest of your life. Do you understand?”

The man looked from Louis to the guards. He looked like he was about to faint. “I think I need a lawyer.”

“That’s not a good answer,” Louis said. “Let’s try again. Did you send a message to a user named Cherish_nowak? With the text ‘You should have died in Dixie’?”

The man’s eyes darted around. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

A guard pushed him to the wall and searched him. He pulled out a phone from the man’s pocket.

“Here it is, sir.”

“Unlock it,” Louis said.

The guard put the phone in a small handheld device. A green light flashed. “Unlocked.”

The guard opened the Tengri app and scrolled through the messages.

“Found it, sir.”

The guard showed the phone to Louis. It was the exact same message.

“You see that, Robert?” Louis said, his voice calm. “That’s you.”

Robert Anderson looked at the phone, then at Louis. His legs gave out, and he slid down the wall. “Please. I didn’t mean it. I was just… angry.”

“Angry?” Savannah raised her voice. “Angry at what? At us? At a young woman who survived a nightmare? At us for telling our story? What gives you the right to be angry?”

“I… I don’t know,” Robert stammered. “I just… I don’t like what you’re doing. What you’re saying. It’s… it’s not right.”

“Not right?” Donya’s voice trembled with fury. “You send a message telling someone they should have died, and you talk about what’s not right?”

“I’m sorry,” Robert sobbed. “I’m so sorry.”

Louis took out his M1911 and pointed it at Robert’s head. The others gasped. The guards didn’t move.

“Please don’t kill me!” Robert screamed.

“Kneel,” Louis said.

Robert knelt on the floor, shaking.

“Look at her,” Louis said, raising his chin toward Cherish.

Robert looked at Cherish, who was standing behind Louis. Tears streamed down her face.

“Tell her you’re sorry,” Louis said.

“I’m sorry,” Robert said.

“Not good enough,” Louis said. “Look her in the eyes and tell her you are sorry for threatening her. Tell her you are sorry for being a hateful coward. Tell her you are sorry for being a stain on humanity.”

Robert looked at Cherish, his eyes full of tears. “I’m sorry for threatening you. I’m sorry for being a hateful coward. I’m sorry for being a stain on humanity.”

“Not good enough,” Louis said.

“I don’t know what else to say!” Robert cried.

“Say you are a worthless piece of shit who deserves to rot in jail for the rest of your life! Say you are a sad, lonely loser who gets off on bullying people online! Say you are a disgrace to the Dominion! Say it!” Louis’s voice rose.

“I am a worthless piece of shit who deserves to rot in jail for the rest of my life! I am a sad, lonely loser who gets off on bullying people online! I am a disgrace to the Dominion!” Robert said, sobbing.

Gladice spat on him. “Pathetic.”

Louis put his pistol away and kicked him in the groin. Robert doubled over, gasping.

“Take him away,” Louis said. “Do what you need to do.”

A guard pulled him to his feet. “Robert Anderson, you are arrested under the Emergency Security Act for making threats against the First Family.”

Robert looked at Cherish with pleading eyes. “Please. I’m sorry.”

Cherish shook her head. “I hope you get what you deserve.”

The guards dragged him away. Louis turned to the women.

“Are you okay, Cherry?”

Cherish nodded, wiping her tears. “Yes. I think so.”

He wrapped an arm around her. “Good.”

Savannah looked at Louis, her eyes burning. “Now what? We find the next one?”

“Yes,” Louis said. “We find them all.”

Willa shook her head. “This is insane.”

“I know,” Louis said. “But it’s necessary.”

“I’m not talking about the arrest. I’m talking about us. Doing this. Acting like this.” She looked at the gun at his waist. “Like we are above the law.”

“We are the law, Willa,” Louis said. “Or at least, we are the ones who enforce it now.”

“No, we are not,” Willa said. “We are a group of traumatized people with too much power and a thirst for revenge. This is not justice. This is vigilantism.”

“It’s both,” Angelique said. “And I’m okay with that.”

Willa looked at her, then at the others. She sighed. “I guess I’m outvoted.”

“Maybe vigilantism is what the world needs right now,” Angelique said. “A little bit of it.”

“A little bit of it?” Willa raised an eyebrow. “We just broke into a man’s apartment and pointed a gun at his head for sending a nasty message. That’s not a little bit of it. That’s a lot of it. That’s a huge step away from the kind of world I want to live in.”

“We’re not going to do this to everyone, Willa,” Louis said. “Just the ones who threaten us. The ones who think they can hide behind screens and say whatever they want. They need to learn that actions have consequences. Even if those actions are just words.”

“Words can hurt, Willa,” Donya said. “They can kill. I know. I’ve seen it.”

“I’m not saying words can’t hurt,” Willa said. “I’m saying we shouldn’t be the ones to decide who gets punished for them. That’s what courts are for. And laws. And due process.”

“And where were the courts when we were being hunted and abused in Dixie? Where were the laws when we were being sold and bought like cattle? Where was due process when we were being starved and beaten and raped?” Gladice’s voice rose. “Nowhere. We were on our own. And we survived. And we are not going back to being helpless. Not ever.”

“That’s not the same, and you know it,” Willa said. “We are in the Dominion now. Not in Dixie. The system works here. Mostly.”

Louis shook his head. “Then you should know here, the system works for us. Not the other way around.”

Willa stared at him. “Are you serious?”

“Yes,” Louis said. “We are not ordinary citizens. We are the First Family. And we have the power to shape the system. To make it work for us.”

Willa’s eyes narrowed. “Then what’s the difference between us and the people we are hunting? If we use the same methods, the same logic, the same violence? What makes us better?”

“Because we are not hurting innocent people,” Angelique said. “We are hurting people who hurt us.”

“Who sent a nasty message,” Willa said. “But I doubt he is the one who organized our kidnapping.”

“Probably not,” Louis admitted. “But because of people like him, they can build the Holy States of Dixie. Because they are full of hate and fear.”

“Maybe,” Willa said. “Or maybe he’s just a sad, lonely loser who doesn’t have a real life. And we just made his life worse.”

“He deserved it.” Gladice disappeared into the apartment.

“I’m not arguing that,” Willa said. “I’m just worried. About us. About what we are becoming.”

“Thank you for reminding us of the stakes, Willa,” Angelique said. “And I will remember it. But right now, I’m enjoying this.”

“As much as I hate to admit it,” Willa said, her lips twisting into a wry smile, “so am I.”

Louis wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. “Then stop fighting it. And let’s go find the next one.”

“Fine,” Willa said. “But I reserve the right to be critical of our methods and motives. And for the sake of my sanity, don’t point a gun at another guy’s head.”

“Unless he really deserves it.” Gladice came back with a can of soda from the fridge. “Which this one did.” She took a long drink. “Aaaah. That’s better. Now, where are we going?”

“Back to the cars,” Louis said. “And to the next address.”