Jose laughed, clapping him on the shoulder as he recounted the double-slide takedown Nikos and Kiki pulled off at the end.
“How often does she play?” he asked, his gaze moving from the doorway back to Jose.
“Once a month, maybe? She started over a year ago. Sometimes she comes in and takes on a dozen guys solo. It’s the first time she’s ever brought someone else.”
That, and the fact that she faced a dozen players, gave Nikos pause.
He looked past Jose, watching as Kiki disappeared outside through the side door. The four teen players, plus Pedro and Luis, were in the arena, laughing and wiping off pink and blue splatters like some twisted gender reveal party and comparing bruises like badges of honor.
She had moved like a phantom throughout the game—fearless… deadly. In fact, she moved like she had actual combat experience. Every shot she’d taken had landed with a precision that would have been challenging for most trained military personnel.
Jose spoke again, quieter this time. “This place wouldn’t even be here if not for her. She’s the one who helped us get the money through a contact of hers to finish this place.”
Nikos turned. “You mean the paintball business?”
Jose nodded, his mood sobering.
“This place used to be a chop shop. Right in the middle of turf wars between the Hammers and the Crees. I bought the place four years ago—after my youngest was killed in a drive-by. Retaliation for something he didn’t do. But I couldn’t give up. I started working with Keep Kids Alive, tried to build something better, something different.But it was still too dangerous here. Pedro and Luis helped when they could, but…”
The older man picked up the helmet Kiki had worn. His lips pursed, and the light in his eyes faded as he became lost in his memories. He shook his head and released a loud sigh.
“What changed it?” Nikos asked.
Jose hesitated, then gave a helpless shrug. “The only thing I can think of is it must have been Kiki.”
A chill slid down Nikos’s spine.
“We were working on the building one afternoon—just us three—when she walks in outta nowhere, says she wants to help. A few hours later, I went out to grab a pizza. When I came back, it was the strangest thing. A dozen gang members from the Hammer had shown up. They took Pedro and Luis’s phones and locked them in the office. Pedro said they had them surrounded. They were going to fight, give Kiki a chance to escape, but she said for them to do as they were told. At first, Pedro and Luis thought she might be part of the gang, but she’s older—and some stuff they were threatening to do to her just didn’t sound right. Luis said they planned on—they planned on hurting her… real bad. But… something happened.”
Nikos stiffened, his jaw locked as he remembered some of the things that had happened to women overseas.
“What?” he asked, barely getting the word out.
“Luis told me he had this weird feeling wash over him, like he was at peace and he knew that everything would be alright if he just did like Kiki said,” Jose said quietly. “Before they could react, the gang locked them in the office.”
Nikos’s vision narrowed to a pinpoint as horror clawed his throat.
“What happened after that?”
“That’s when things really got weird. When they finally got out, there’s Kiki, standing there like nothing happened, and she’s got those boysworking—painting walls, hauling junk. Two weeks later, even some Cree kids started showing up. The gangs pulled back. Declared this place neutral territory. We’ve even got tournaments now—Crees vs. Hammers. No one’s lifted a hand in a year.”
Nikos swallowed. “Did you ever ask her what happened?”
Jose laughed and nodded. “Multiple times. She just smiles and says she had a talk with them and everything is cool.”
“What the hell did they talk about?” he asked in an incredulous tone.
“About life. About the future.” Jose’s smile faded. “She’s tough as nails. Special, if you know what I mean. She doesn’t deserve to be hurt.”
Nikos nodded, his throat tight.Yeah, I think I’m beginning to get the message.
“Thank you for the game. I enjoyed myself today.”
“I’m glad. If you want to take her out, try Umberto’s. Playing can make you hungry, and I know she likes their pizza and subs,” Jose added with a sly smile.
Nikos chuckled and clapped Jose on the shoulder, collected his coat, and stepped outside. The late afternoon sun cast long golden shadows across the pavement. It was just after four. Far too early for goodbye.
His gaze landed on her instantly. She was talking to a small group of young men near the gate. She laughed at something one of them said, the sound light and musical.
