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The Gilded Cage	By : Aragem23 Category: Comics > The Darkness Views: 1385 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Haibane Renmei or the Darkness. Nor do I make money writing this fic.

Chapter List
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They stood at either side of the bed looking down at the man tied eagle spread with hands and ankles tied to each corner of the bed. His pants was gone and at his crotch was a plastic bag full of ice. The man was gratefully unconscious. Jackie wore surgical gloves and held a par of garden shears. The young man standing at the other side of the bed was also wearing surgical gloves, but he was holding a paper bag.
“So . . . how do you want to do this?” The young man asked. He was a few years younger than Jackie with unruly dark hair and a scar across his lips he attained from a knife fight.
“You hold it and I cut.” Jackie held up the shears and open and closed the blades. They hissed like angry snakes.
“Shit. The only dick I want to touch is my own.”
“Yeah, that's the only way you get off, scar face.”
The scar was thin, but each time he spoke it would stretch giving him a cleft lip. The young man glared venomously, “Fuck you, Estacado.”
“Are you going to stand there holding your dick or are we gonna get this shit started?”
* * *
The restaurant was filled with the sounds of patrons humming with conversation, the clinks of silverware on plates, and Tiffany talking. Tiffany always talked. She talked about her shopping, the presents her father sent her, how the hair stylist nearly ruined her hair, how some maniac scratched her car, and how she nearly chipped a nail while walking her dog. Basically, Tiffany talked about Tiffany.
Jackie had been with women like this before, whose favorite topic was themselves. He learned a trick to it which is zoning out and think of other things, but keeping up the appearance of paying attention. He would be facing her and occasionally nodding his head and make small generic comments, “I see, yes, I understand' as if he was intrigue with her discussion. His mind would be on other matters such as how much longer until the food came, was the money rounds coming up short because someone was lining their own pocket, or what family would be encroaching on their territory next month?
He tried to keep his thoughts away from sex. Tiffany wasn't making it easy. She was the type of woman he went after back in the days when he had sex freely. A blonde bombshell with large breasts and slim figure. She was an actress who starred in several tv dramas over the past few years and was hoping to land a starring role in film. Tiffany wasn't much for company, but she was nice to look at. He took her out whenever he visited his favorite restaurant to keep up appearances. Not everyone knew about the celibacy clause he lived under and if he didn't make an outing with some sort of arm candy then the rumor mill will start spinning and people within and outside of his organization may start questioning his sexuality. Tiffany was convenient as she had a crush on him and seemed determine to get him in the sack. She seductively toyed with the olive in her martini glass and leaned forward to reveal more of her cleavage for him.
Tonight, instead of listening to her, he thought about tomorrow. He would go out to hopefully bring home a Haibane, a female he could bed without dying. The money had already been wired to Edward's listed account and now he had to endure the gnawing hope and worry. It was possible by this time tomorrow night he could be in the arms of a winged lover and it caused a pleasant stirring in his pants.
“You're smiling.”
He blinked as he was broken out of his reverie. “Sorry?”
Tiffany flashed him a smile with perfect white teeth. “You were smiling. Did I say a joke? I don't think my loosing the part to a fatty was funny.”
To Tiffany, a fatty was anyone wearing anything above a size 3.
“I'm just looking forward to a trip I'm taking tomorrow with a couple of friends.” The friends being two hired men who would watch his back in the daylight hours. Samuel, a solidly build black man who worked for the family to pay off debt and Cristo, an enforcer Jackie trusted.
“Oh! A trip? Sounds exciting.” Tiffany perched her surgical sculpted chin on her manicure hand. “And it will just be the three of you?”
She was fishing for an invitation and she was going to be disappointed. Jackie ignored the bait and sipped his wine. “Yes. Just the three of us.”
Tiffany traced the brimmed of her wineglass with a long red nail. “You should call me an tell me about it.”
“Yeah, babe, I'll call.” Though he had no intention of doing such thing.
Then Vinnie appeared at his side. He gave Tiffany an appreciative smile and then whispered in Jackie's ear, “Boss, someone asking to see you outside.”
Jackie's dark eyebrows rose in surprised. It wasn't everyday that someone blatantly requested the attention of a Mafia Don. “Who is it?”
“Jacob Diego.”
Well that brought back memories of castrating a man tied to a bed for cheating Uncle Frankie at poker. “Shit, Jacob is out of jail?”
“Yeah, been out for about three months now.” Vinnie said after a careful moment of thought. “I think you and he did that job a few years back . . .”
“Yeah, yeah, that job.” Jackie quickly said as Tiffany was looking curiously at them. “Honey, there's an old friend outside I'm gonna go see. I'll be right back.”
He told two lies in that sentence alone. He had no intention of coming back as he was getting tired of Tiffany and Jacob was no friend of his. It was odd as both of them had a lot of common. Jacob was the son a whore impregnated by one of Uncle Frankie's enforcers. His mother died when he was young and he was raised by an aunt who already had too many kids to raise. He grew up close to the mob and had done money collection for the Family and had gone on that one certain job with Jackie to earn respect. Shortly after that event, Jacob was arrested for involuntary manslaughter and went to prison.
Jackie waved away his bodyguards as he stepped out of the restaurant. It was 8:32, the city was drench in darkness and in it he was at his most lethal. He recognized the man standing near the mouth of an alley. His hair was was no longer unruly, but neatly combed and slicked with hair gel. Across his lips was a thin line of a scar Jackie knew would stretch open as he spoke. He had grown a few inches, but he was the same guy who puked as soon as the shears began cutting the flesh.
He offered Jackie a huge smile which split his upper lip. “Jackie Estacado, holy shit! You are looking good.”
Well, that was the first smile he ever saw from the sullen young man from a few years ago. The scar stretched giving him a cleft lip showing off more of his smile and there was something off about his teeth. He recalled Jacob had a chipped front tooth caused by the knife which scarred his mouth.
“Can't really say the same for you, scar face.”
Jacob laughed and clasped Jackie's hand in a tight grip and kissed the air near his cheek. This Jacob was definitely different from what Jackie remembered and that put him on edge. From the corner of his eye, darklings hovered near a row of trash cans watching with gleaming, hungry eyes. One was even taking practice swings with a terrible looking meat cleaver.
“So, what brings you here?” Jackie decided to get the niceties out of the way .
“All business? Fine. I heard that you are going out of the city on a job. I want to come with.”
Jackie arched an eyebrow, “Sorry, I already got the guys I need.”
“Jackie, you know I can handle myself. I've made the rounds for Frankie back when he ran things and even helped you on that one job, remember?”
You puked all over the poor guy's shirt. “Yeah, I remember, but that was years ago and you been away.”
“Taking one for the Family.” Jacob stated. “Coulda flipped and got off, but I didn't.”
“So now I owe you one?” Jackie took out a cigarette and lit it. He put the pack away, not bothering to offer Jacob one.
“Look, I just want the chance to be part of the Family again. I never got to prove myself before I went into the slammer. Now I'm asking you, as the Don and as an old friend, to give me that chance.”
Jackie took a long drag on his cigarette. They had never been friends. Never.
* * *
“You tell anyone about this and I'll fucking kill you.” Jacob said from the passenger side of the Lamborghini, Jackie's 19^th birthday gift from Uncle Frankie. The job was done. Jackie had the paper bag with its grotesque contents in the back seat. Now they had to deliver it to Frankie and they could call it a night. It was still early, Jackie could go visit Jenny at Keysers and pick up a hot chick.
Jacob was wiping his watery eyes and Jackie was afraid he was going to puke again, but on the dash board. “Look, if you are going to blow chunks, do it out the window.”
“Fuck you. I mean it, don't you tell a soul about what happened in there.”
Jackie rolled his eyes, “I'm sure word is gonna get around once the guy sees the puke on his shirt.”
“Why is that?” Jacob looked up with fierce dark eyes.
“Because he's gonna see all the tacos in it.”
Then Jacob's face twisted with hatred. He was half Italian and half Latino and he hated himself for it as it kept him from being fully accepted by the Family. Most of all, he hated it whenever someone brought it up. He threw a punch towards Jackie who anticipated it; he grabbed the wrist and twisted it. Jacob hollered and then screamed when Jackie casually bent back two fingers.
“Sonuvbitch!” Jacob wailed as Jackie released him. He clutched his hand to his chest and spat foul oaths as if each wretched word would ease the pain. “You broke my fucking hand!”
“Keep your hands to yourself and bad things won't happen to 'em,” Jackie explained as matter of fact. “I'm dropping you off here, I'm sick of your loco chunt face!”
The Lamborghini screeched to a halt causing Jacob to clench his hand to keep it from being whacked against the glove compartment. “Jesus, we're supposed to bring it to him together.”
“No, we're not. Frankie never said anything like that. He said, 'Bring me his balls, Jackie-boy, oh, and take that chalupa with ya.'” Jackie unlocked the door from his side and looked pointedly at Jacob. “Step out. Now.”
“He. Did. Not. Say that.” Jacob growled through his teeth. His dark eyes were still watery from vomiting earlier, but Jackie could swear they were beginning to well up. “He didn't fucking say that!”
“Get out before I have to force the issue. Trust me, I'll do more than just break a few fingers if you don't get the fuck outta my car.” Jackie was more than able and willing to carry out such a threat. His dark eyes carried the threat home and he was satisfied when Jacob turned pale and fear crept into his eyes.
He got out of the car without a word, but he regained his courage enough to savagely kick the car door just as Jackie drove off. Jackie considered stopping and teaching the asshole a few lessons in respect, but decided it wasn't worth it keeping Frankie waiting.
That was the last Jackie saw of Jacob for years.
* * *
“We were never friends, Josh.” Jackie dropped his cigarette. It landed on the pavement and met its end at the bottom of Jackie's Italian shoe.
“No, but we coulda been. We coulda been brothers.”
“Yeah, right.” Jackie was ready to leave, he had enough of both Tiffany and Jacob for tonight.
“I want to be part of the Family again.”
“Then go see Marco down at the Green Olive. Tell him I sent ya and he'll put ya to work.” Jackie stepped onto the street and motioned for Vinnie to bring the limo around. “Start from the bottom and work your way up.”
Jacob's friendly demeanor shifted. His voice became hard and he spat, “You didn't start from the bottom, Estacado. You were living it up in Frankie's mansion since you were a kid.”
Jackie rounded on him. He seized the lapels of Jacob's jacket and shoved his back to the wall, nearly lifting him off his feet. “Listen up, asshat, I did collections for Frankie when I was ten and then delivered drugs when I was thirteen. When I turned sixteen, I did hits and jobs for him until I turned twenty-two. And then I kept that fucker Paulie from running the whole organization into the ground and disgracing the Family. So don't fuckin' tell me I didn't earn my place in this Family.”
He pulled him forward, kneeing him sharply in the stomach and then cracking his head back against the wall. Jackie dropped him and stormed toward the waiting limo and climbed inside and ordered his chauffeur to take him home. He felt his anger cool as he turned his mind towards tomorrow. He didn't need Jacob to ruin it for him.
“Hey, Boss, shoulda let us handle 'im.” Jackie glanced down at a very disappointed darkling who was fiddling with a meat cleaver. “We da made 'im sorrier than a cat in a bear trap.”
“Gotta handle some things on my own, boys.” Jackie reached into the mini-fridge and pulled out beer. The darklings were out in force. Some were crawling along the seats chattering at each other and others were at the windows making hideous faces at drivers and pedestrians. They cackled gleefully when the street filled with horrified screams, tires screeching, and horns honking.
Usually he would stop them from causing panic in the streets, but he didn't feel like reining them in tonight. No sense in keeping them from having their fun when he couldn't have any himself. Tomorrow night, it will be different. Tomorrow night, if everything panned out, there would be lots of fun to be had.
* * *
What the fuck?
He was driving up to an old airstrip that fell out of use by the public, but was still in operations by seedier parts of the government and mafia. It was early morning and he wore shades to block out the bright light while he drove. Yet he could see the men gathered at the edge of the strip. Vinnie was standing there wearing a suit which was too hot in the summer heat next to Samuel, Edward, and fucking Jacob.
What the fuck he doing here?
His hands tighten on the wheel and his teeth clenched. He was so very tempted to plow the vehicle right through Jacob where he stood. Vinnie started walking out towards him before he stopped the car next to the other vehicles. The man was almost trotting as if already knew Jackie's temptation for vehicular homicide. He grimaced as he walked through the disturbed dust in his suit, but was quick to be by the driver's side when Jackie open the door. “Hey, Boss.”
“What the fuck is he doing here? Where is Cristo?” Jackie stepped out, regretfully leaving the air conditioned car. It was almost sweltering wearing black tailored pants with a dark jacket over a white shirt. It wasn't appropriate in this heat, but he needed the attire to keep his weapons out of sight.
“About that . . . Cristo's old lady found out about this girl he had up Queens and she tried to take his head off his shoulders while he was asleep,” Vinnie explained, looking at Jackie apologetically.
“Shit, Nancy finally found out, eh?” He briefly met the heavy set woman with thick arms and square shape head and dyed red hair. “What happened?”
“Cristo needs stitches and Butcher Joyce is at his place flushing Nancy down the toilet.”
“That explains why Cristo ain't here and not why Jacob is,” Jackie shot a hard look towards Jacob who was chatting amiably with Edward. The blonde man was kneeling on the ground spreading a wide piece of paper on the ground and placing stones at four corners to keep it from blowing away.
“I knew his father,” Vinnie explained and scratched his nose avoiding Jackie's heated look. “Look, I know you don't like the guy, but he's eager to rise up in the organization. Samson is a good backup and so is blondie believe it or not. He's carrying his own piece and knows how to use it. He wants to get paid so he'll have your back.”
“Sonuvbitch, ya shoulda called me.”
“I found this shit out an hour ago. What was I gonna do? Let ya go off without any of our guys watching out for ya?”
Before Jackie could tell him what he should go do now, Edward was waving him over. Instead Jackie hissed, “If he fucks this up, it's on you.”
Vinnie stepped back and turned several shades of white. As Jackie stalked away, he drew a cloth from his pocket and wiped his sweaty brow. He hoped to God, for his sake, that Jacob didn't screw up this opportunity to impress Jackie.
Edward was leaning over a map of Texas and was reaching into the neck of his form fitting tank. Jackie noticed that his arms were thin, but muscular and there was a tattoo of a crescent moon on his upper arm. An odd choice for a tattoo. Most military men Jackie knew either had their lovers, platoon number or name, or country's symbol or flag. Edward drew a small glass container on a chain around his neck. He unscrewed the top and carefully, tenderly, drew a gray feather from it.
“Is that . . . a Haibane feather?” Jackie recognized the color as the same shade as the Haibane's wings from the photos.
Edward nodded, holding the feather gingerly between two fingers as he was going to write with it. It was small, not even half the length of his forefinger. Jackie bent down to get a closer look and then Edward held the feather above the map and let it go. The feather spun slowly as it drifted downward. Their eyes followed it until it touched down on the paper's surface, the tip of the thin shaft pointing at a spot miles outside of a little town called Jose. Edward took a marker tucked behind his ear and marked the spot and then tucked the feather away within the tube and dropped it down his shirt.
“It's here.” He pointed at the tiny X he marked. “It will have taken root by now and growing. It'll likely hatch sometime tonight.”
Excitement gnawed at Jackie's insides. Tonight. He could be having sex for the first time in three years if it all pans out. At this point, he didn't care if she was overweight or missing an arm as long as long as he got laid.
* * *
The red moon was her only witness, a single crimson eye watching from the sky. The stars hid themselves, finding what was happening on earth too terrible to bear. Her shoes crunched on the pebbled path. She didn't feel anything, only the chill of the night wind on her skin, tugging at her hair. Her feet strove to carry her away from the loss, the emptiness in her soul that threatened to engulf, but she could no more leave it behind as one would a shadow.
Something was coming.
Her eyes shot open her breath seized in her chest. She turned her face to the window and saw it was daylight and the sweltering heat was welcomed on her skin. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she sat up in the car seat.
“Are we there yet?”
There was no answer. She shouldn't have expected one from a Toga. The man or woman, the person being so fully covered in cloth she couldn't tell which, silently drove dusty SUV, paying no attention to Reki. Another Toga rode silently in the backseat face hidden away behind a hood and cloth across the mouth and nose.
“Sorry about that.” She wasn't allowed to talk to them. No one within the the town of Glie was to speak with the Toga save for the Communicator.
A week ago, she had received a summons from the Haibane Renmei temple. A cocoon seed had went off course and would be hatching outside of the walls for the first time in over a hundred years. She was given permission, for the first time in, well forever, to go beyond the wall to retrieve the newborn Haibane.
Reki suspected that she was given such an 'honor' because she was sin-bound, a Haibane who could remember her Cocoon Dream and born with black wings. She glanced back at her wings to check them. There was a small black spot right at the tip. Once they arrive, she'll give them a good coating from the medicine she kept in her bag.
The SUV's tires tumbled off the main road and onto a rocky path. She rocked with the motion and held onto the seat and door to keep from smacking the ceiling if they hit a hole. They haven't passed a town for hours, but then it was likely they were avoiding them. She was given strict orders by the Renmei. She was to avoid contact with anyone outside of the walls. Her wings and halo would be hidden beneath a backpack and hat like Hyoko if she had to be out where she could be seen. And she was forbidden from speaking about Haibane or Glie with anyone.
Then buildings rose into view. She leaned forward shielding her eyes from the setting sun. As they drew close, she saw it was an old western town like in the boots from the library. No people, abandoned. A proper place for a Haibane cocoon to appear. She drew a large duffle bag over her shoulder and scanned the buildings as they passed. There was the old saloon, a barbers, and several shops. The windows were broken likely from bored kids from the neighboring town. Leading up from the main path was a two story building which may have once been town hall or the mayor's home. The SUV pulled up to the front, parking on the slope at the corner of the porch.
“This is it, huh?” She opened the door and stepped out. Her feet kicked up dust as she walked towards the porch. The Toga stayed behind by the vehicle. This wasn't their purpose, this was hers.
The porch floor creaked under her shoes as stepped up. The door was hanging off the hinges and inside she could smell dust, old wood, and beer. She stepped over a pile of empty beer cans and noted the graffiti on the walls. This was definitely a hangout for kids to drink beer and have sex. She winced when she saw the used condom, dry and cracking, on the floor near the stairs.
The stairs protested at her weight and she stepped over a broken step. Upstairs was relatively untouched. Maybe the teens thought the stairs were dangerous and didn't want to risk them or the upstairs were haunted somehow. Who knows what teens outside of the walls thought?
She found a guest bedroom with only a bed frame and broken furniture. There was a washroom with a cracked mirror and stained sink. There was a small table with a jug and wash basin that was clean at least. Further down the wall was a master bedroom with a still intact bed, but the sheets were covered in dust. They would have to be aired out to of use. And in the last room she looked, in the nursery, was the cocoon.
Reki had seen cocoons before, but each time it took her breath away to see one. The silvery roots reached up into the ceiling and into the floor. The wood slowly splintered as they grew deeper. The orb was like a cross between a spider's nest and a plant. Round, soft, but firm to the touch with a gentle gray color.
She lowered the bag to the ground and approached it. Raising a hand, she knocked on the surface. It was like knocking on a bucket full of water, solid, but with a slight give. “Hello, can you hear me?”
There was no answer.
She brought her face close to cocoon. It felt smooth and warm against her cheek. “My name is Reki. I'm real excited to meet you. As a Haibane, you're not going to remember who you were, so maybe at first, you're going to feel scared and confused. Maybe even lonely, but don't worry about it. I'll be by your side to help and protect you.”
A black spot on her wing.
“You're my last hope.”
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The Gilded Cage