Chapter 34

             Homeboy and his new team wait in the kitchen. The gangsters who decided to help got their phones back, and used them to check in with the SOBs. They used their codes to communicate to the others that the mission was going as planned. The SOBs look to accept this without suspicion, and the time for the attack is still on for once the dinner is going, 7:30 PM. That only gives them half an hour to prepare.

            The helpful gangsters let Homeboy’s team know the plan of attack on 1PP.

            “The reason we’re posing as catering is to sneak them in through the back here,” one says. “This back alley works as both entrance and exit for the vans. They’ll come from all over, but they’ll come in through the same way we did, and exit straight out.”

            “Mikey, you stay upstairs as overwatch,” White Walls says.

            “Like, a lookout?” he asks.

            “Yes. You’ll let us know when they’re approaching so we can be ready to box them in.”

            “Okay. And, could you call me by a codename, too? I wanna be Agent Hoodrat.”

            White Walls and Whip Cream stare at him flatly, but then White Walls sighs.

            “Fine, you’ll be Agent Hoodrat. Now get upstairs and keep an eye out.”

            Mikey grins as he hurries up the stairs and finds an office with windows facing the alley. He watches very closely, with a walkie-talkie on standby.

            “Keep your men out of sight until the very moment the last Sons of Brooklyn vehicle is in that alley,” Whip Cream instructs the upper brass. “We can’t have them sensing something’s wrong and running away.”

            The tension mounts as the time creeps closer. Homeboy takes deep breaths to calm his heart. He’s fought the Sons of Brooklyn a lot these last two months, but this is likely going to be the biggest fight yet.

            “You ready?” White Walls asks him as they wait in the kitchen.

            “Yeah,” he says. “Just some nerves.”

            “I didn’t really take the time to say this earlier,” she says, “but thanks for that save. That was really risky for you to jump in the way, though.”

            “Well, I am the one wearing this fancy new armor,” he says with a grin. “I figured I’d be able to take those bullets better than you would.”

            “Yeah, but I didn’t even think that armor would be bulletproof,” White Walls says.

            A look of surprise suddenly appears on Homeboy’s face.

            “You didn’t know if this armor was bulletproof or not?” he says. “You let me go up against fools with guns with armor that might not’ve protected me?!”

            “Well I didn’t ask you to jump in front of bullets!” White Walls says.

            Homeboy’s heart is racing all over again, so he takes more deep breaths to calm down.

            More time passes, and the officers still have to go on with the event so as not to raise suspicion. The guests file into the dining hall and take their seats. Many of them, but especially the media representatives covering the event, are completely unaware of what’s to come.

            White Walls checks her watch to see it’s now 7:25.

            “What’s going on, Agent Hoodrat?” she says into a walkie talkie. “I don’t hear them pulling up yet.”

            “Hold on, I got G back at base checking video from security and traffic cameras in the area,” he replies. “I’ve got my phone in one ear and this walkie in the other.”

            “We really need ear pieces or something,” Homeboy says.

            “Okay, okay,” Hoodrat/Mikey says. “They’re just a few blocks away. Any minute now.”

            White Walls and Homeboy stay by the back door as they listen very closely to what’s outside beyond the walls.

            However, a commotion starts up from the entrance to the kitchen.

            “What’s going on?” White Walls asks as one of the reformed gang members hurries in, an officer trailing him.

            “I need to be the one to open the door,” he says. “They’re expecting us to still be working back here.”

            He shows them his phone and the text he just got.

            Yo be ready, we almost there

          “Okay,” White Walls says. “We’ll be right behind you.”

            The reformed gangster stays in front of the door with White Walls and Homeboy on either side of him.

            “They’re pulling up,” Hoodrat says from the walkie talkie. “Looks like two, no, three vehicles. I can’t see inside any of them, but that’s no less than a dozen guns.”

            White Walls and Homeboy can hear the SOBs pull up all the way to the door. Car doors open and people exit the vehicles, and start walking over. Someone bangs on the door, and White Walls nods to their reformed gangster. He opens the door, which hides Homeboy behind it. White Walls stays out of sight by pressing back against the wall right next to the doorway.

            “Hey, man,” the reformed gangster says.

            “The pigs eatin’ yet?” the SOB up front asks.

            “Y-Yeah. Just got started.”

            The SOB looks past him and into the kitchen.

            “Then where’s everybody else?” he asks, clearly suspicious. “And why doesn’t it smell like that fancy gourmet shit we sent you with?”

            The reformed SOB hesitates. No one thought of what to say to make the others think the mission was still on! And in that moment, the SOB realizes something’s up! White Walls sees the SOB draw his gun, but can’t react fast enough!

            *WHAM*! The door slams into the SOB, and the gun falls to the floor. Homeboy quickly opens the door again so that he and White Walls can rush out into the alley.

            “Now!” Whip Cream shouts.

            On both sides of the alley, police vehicles move in to block the way. The SOBs realize they’re boxed in, and see the officers filing in from around the squad cars. Some of the gangsters jump into the lead vehicle and start it up. They start driving forward, but the officers get out of the way, and the vehicle drives over spike strips! The tires pop, the vehicle is stuck, and the officers drag the gangsters out and onto the ground.

            More SOBs raise their guns, but Homeboy barrels the leader into the rest of them. One gun misfires and shatters a car window. Others come around but White Walls intercepts them. She uses her knives to clip and cut arms and legs to slow them down. Homeboy jump kicks one, then heel kicks the second, and hits the third with a big jumping knee!

            Officers end up in shoot outs with SOBs on the right side of the alley, so White Walls and Homeboy head that way. She comes up and knocks one into a car door from behind while Homeboy goes up the car hood and windshield to be on the roof. The SOBs look up just as he jumps off to land on them with his knees. The other SOB on the other side of the car door goes to shove the door closed but Homeboy holds it open with pure strength. Homeboy then gets out of the way and lets the door slam so hard that the SOB pushing it bounces his face off the window. Homeboy bounces the gangster’s head off the window again to knock him out.

            Whip Cream is also on the right side of the alley, and moves up from the police blockade. She uses her whip to clip an SOB in the knee and White Walls jumps on that same gangster to knock him into the SUV door. The SOB sits up and aims at White Walls but Whip Cream cracks her whip near his ear. The loud *POP* makes the SOB lose focus, and White Walls kicks him in the chest.

            The reformed gangster in the kitchen gets up and sees the gun that dropped. He grabs it and heads out into the alley. The SOB who tried to shoot him is still on the ground. The reformed gangster aims at the SOB as he sits up. They lock eyes, and the SOB is afraid while the reformed gangster is furious.

            “Don’t shoot him!” Homeboy says.

            The reformed gangster and SOB look over at Homeboy as he stands a few feet away.

            “There’s no need to shoot him,” Homeboy says. “We’ve already got them all beat.”

            The reformed gangster looks around as the SOBs are all cuffed and being brought to the door. He calms down and lowers his gun, but the SOB makes a rush for it! They struggle over the gun and everyone stays back, except for Homeboy. He gets his hands into the struggle for the gun, and uses his superior strength to push everyone’s hands down. The gun goes off but it shoots the ground. Homeboy then gets the reformed gangster out of the way with the push of an elbow, and he takes care of the SOB gangster with a headbutt. The SOB falls backward onto the ground, and an officer cuffs him.

            “Thanks,” the reformed gangster says to Homeboy while Homeboy hands the gun over to an officer.

            “No problem, man,” Homeboy says.

            Things calm down and the SOBs are put in vans to be taken to a different precinct for processing.

            “Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals,” Homeboy says to the SOBs chained together.

            Homeboy personally closes the doors and gives it a couple knocks. The police van then takes off down the road.

            “Nice Home Alone reference,” Hoodrat says with a grin.

            “Thanks,” Homeboy grins back as the two fist bump.

            “So what of the former members of the Sons of Brooklyn?” Hoodrat asks White Walls and Whip Cream. “I know you said Reciprocity can help, but not even y’all can protect all these families forever.”

            “We’ll work with each family to figure out the best course of action,” White Walls says. “But you’re right, we can’t keep agents stationed with them forever, nor can the police. The best case scenario would be relocations.”

            “Y’mean like WITSEC or whatever?”

            “More or less. Again, it’ll be about each family’s situation. But whether it’s to a new address in the city, the state or even in the country, it might be the best way to keep these guys and their families off of the SOB’s radar.”

            “That’s gonna make for a rough Christmas,” Hoodrat says.

            “Well, they wouldn’t be the only ones going through it,” Homeboy says. “Reciprocity relocated Catgirl, Kid Lightning and Fox pretty quickly, didn’t they?”

            “Yes, but she put the stipulations forward,” Whip Cream says. “Plus, she’s a priority, as are her cousins. We may not be able to find these families new homes while we’re in the middle of the holidays.”

            “Then what’re we supposed to do while these families are vulnerable?” Hoodrat asks them.

            “We keep the faith, man,” Homeboy says. “We keep the faith.”

 

            Back in California, it’s only after 5 as Simon’s family in San Leandro and Zoey’s family in Alameda each prepare for church.

            Christmas Eve service is obviously a special occasion, so Simon breaks out the black slacks and dress shoes. He pairs it with a red long sleeve tee so that it has some of the Christmas colors to it. He irons the shirt then puts it on, its warmth a great relief in the cold of the afternoon.

            Zoey, with her mother’s supervision, puts on a red skirt that goes to the knees, a white blouse and a black topper jacket. Zoey adds black thigh highs to keep her legs warm.

            Simon waits in the living room with his father and brothers for their mother to finish getting ready. She finishes up at 5:20, which still gives them plenty of time given the 20 minute drive from San Leandro to Alameda.

            Meanwhile, Zoey’s father waits on both her and Mrs. Mizaki. He passes the time by watching Scrooged starring Bill Murray on one of the cable movie channels.

            “Oh look, Frank,” the Ghost of Christmas Present, who looks more like a tooth fairy than a ghost, says. “It’s a toaster!”

            She takes the big four-slot metal toaster and uppercuts Bill Murray!

            Mr. Mizaki laughs heartily. Mrs. Mizaki and Zoey walk out and see the movie for themselves.

            “The bitch hit me with a toaster,” Bill Murray says as he gets up in a frozen cellar.

            “Really, honey?” Mrs. Mizaki says.

            “Uh, uh,” he sputters as he turns the television off. “It’s… It’s a funny movie.”

            Mrs. Mizaki rolls her eyes and hands him his bible. She leads the way out of the house and to the car.

            “Merry Christmas!” Zoey and her friends say as they meet just outside the sanctuary.

            “Oh, what a cute dress!” Zoey says, seeing Chloe’s white dress with cap sleeves and lacy hem.

            “Thank you,” Chloe smiles. “I like the ensemble.”

            “Thank you,” Zoey says with a slight roll of her eyes. “It’s 100 percent mother approved.”

            The two giggle.

            “Kari-chan, that’s so pretty,” Zoey says.

            Karina walks up with a proud smile as she essentially models her shimmering blue dress. Upon closer inspection, there are thin outlines in a lighter blue tracing a floral pattern.

            “That pattern…” Zoey says.

            “Yes, it’s very reminiscent of the pattern on a qipao,” Karina says. “So think of this as a pseudo qipao.”

            “That’s really cool,” Zoey says.

            “Thank you,” Karina smiles. “Nee-san has one, too.”

            Alicia walks up, having finished saying hello to her friends her age. Zoey sees that on her purple dress, there are the outlines of a similar pattern in black.

            “You explained the pseudo qipao thing?” she asks Karina.

            “Yep.”

            Marina is last to join the group, as she first helps her grandmother to her usual seat.

            “Sup,” she says as she walks up.

            “I keep forgetting you have dresses,” Chloe says as she looks at Marina’s straight and simple green dress.

            “I know, I look like a Christmas tree without ornaments or lights,” Marina grumbles.

            The friends share a laugh, and then Karina spots Zoey’s cousins through the window.

            “Nee-san, they’re here,” Karina says excitedly. “Do you have the gifts?”

            “Yes, just calm down,” Alicia says as Karina tugs her along. “I guess we’ll be right back.”

            Karina and Alicia meet Seth and Jeff right at the side door leading from courtyard into the main building.

            “Oh, hey,” Seth says.

            “Hi,” Karina says as her smile beams at Jeff.

            “Hey,” Alicia says with a shier smile.

            The two pairs of siblings stand there in the hallway while other church goers pass by around them.

            “This is quite the turnout,” Seth speaks up.

            “Oh, yeah,” Alicia says, snapping to attention. “I mean, it is the Christmas Eve service.”

            “Yeah, but more people have shown up these days,” Karina says. “I think it’s all the stuff with superpowers and aliens.”

            “Yeah, our dad thinks that’s what’s going on, at least,” Alicia says.

            “I would’ve thought aliens would turn people against religion,” Jeff says, which gets him a swat to the arm from Seth. “What?”

            Seth sighs.

            “But speaking of Christmas Eve,” Karina says.

            Alicia pulls out two gift cards from her purse.

            “We didn’t know what you guys did or didn’t have, so we got you these,” she says as she hands one each to Seth and Jeff.

            “No that totally makes sense,” Seth smiles. “Thanks, we’ll definitely use these.”

            Alicia smiles back, and shyly puts her hair behind her ear. But then she spots Zoey, Chloe and Marina peering around the corner and she blushes.

 

            Simon sits in the pews with his brothers and cousins while their parents talk with church friends.

            “Did you know The Spektrum?” Simon’s younger cousin, Danielle, asks.

            “No,” he says. “No one’s sure who he was.”

            “Did no one notice him disappear?” Simon’s older cousin, Matt, asks. “Like, the real guy?”

            “I dunno,” he shrugs. “Maybe someone did. I’m just not sure what any of us are going to do now.”

            Simon looks up at the simple cross on the wall behind the stage.

            Lord, help me figure myself out, he prays in his head.

            Then he looks around to see all the other people attending. It’s quite the turnout, even for Christmas Eve. This church has always been on the smaller side, but this is more people than he can remember seeing at one time. It seems a shame it’s only like this during the holidays, as well as a time of uncertainty what with Zorb’s arrival proving aliens are real, his own powers bringing the comic books right, and The Spektrum’s death also being a small tragedy to the country. Of course, he’s only praying to God now in his own little crisis, so he can’t be one to judge.

            Music begins playing, and everyone takes their seats. The Praise & Worship team takes their positions on stage and the director walks up to the pulpit.

            “Welcome, everyone, to tonight’s Christmas Eve service,” the director says. “Other people might say it’s quite the coincidence or phenomenon that Christmas lands on a Sunday tomorrow, but we know better, don’t we? This was God’s plan that we get to celebrate the birth of His son, Jesus, on the Lord’s Day. Can I get an ‘amen’?”

            “Amen!” the congregation replies.

            “Now, let’s raise our voices and give God the glory as we sing, ‘Angels We Have Heard on High’.”

            Everyone stands as lyrics project on a screen to the right of the cross. They wait for the Praise & Worship band to go through the introduction and for the director to count them in.

            “Angels we have heard on high~
            “Sweetly singing o'er the plain
            “And the mountains in reply
            “Echoing their joyous strains

            “Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
            “Gloria, in excelsis Deo…!

            “Shepherds, why this jubilee?

            “Why your joyous strains prolong?

            “What the gladsome tidings be?

            “Which inspire your heavenly songs?

            “Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

            “Gloria, in excelsis Deo!”

            Simon enjoys this song for the long and winding “O” in Gloria. It isn’t anything particular about it, other than moving his voice up and down the scale.

            Zoey enjoys this song for the long and winding “O” in Gloria. Moving her voice up and down the scale is just fun.

            “Come to Bethlehem and see

            “Him whose birth the angels sing;

            “Come, adore on bended knee,

            “Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

            “Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

            “Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

            “See Him in a manger laid,

            “Jesus, Lord of heaven and earth;

            “Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,

            “With us sing our Saviour's birth.

            “Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

            “Gloria, in excelsis Deo!”

            The song finishes, but the music transitions to the next song.

            “A very good start,” the director says. “Now we all know God is good.”

            “All the time!” the congregation replies.

            “And all the time,” the director says.

            “God is good,” the congregation finishes.

            “Amen,” the director says. “And because He is good, we know that no matter what happens in our lives, that no matter what these trying times bring, God does not just sit back and watch it happen. He is there with us, guiding us, carrying us through. God can give you the strength to endure anything, you just need to rely on him. So now, let us sing a song to tell him, ‘It is Well with My Soul’.”

            The band goes through the introduction again and the director counts everyone in.

            “When peace like a river, attendeth my way,

            “When sorrows like sea billows roll;

            “Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say

            “It is well, it is well, with my soul.

            “It is well, (it is well),

            “With my soul, (with my soul)

            “It is well, it is well, with my soul.”

            “Let’s take a moment to go around and greet each other,” the director says.

            The music continues but the congregation shake hands and say hello to those around them, and to those they didn’t have a chance to talk with before the service.

            Zoey greets familiar faces, but one face she doesn’t want to see starts making its way towards him.

            “Zoey,” Shaun says quickly as he walks up. “Please hear me out.”

            “No,” she says. “Merry Christmas, Shaun, my gift is that you’re single, so just leave me alone.”

            “But Zoey, you don’t understand,” he pleas.

            “Everyone please return to your seats as we continue singing,” the director says.

            “Just go,” Zoey says to Shaun, almost pleading back.

            Shaun reluctantly returns to sit with his family near the back. Zoey turns back to face the lyrics but her eyes are watering.

            “For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:

            “If Jordan above me shall roll,

            “No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life,

            “Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

            “It is well, (it is well),

            “With my soul, (with my soul)

            “It is well, it is well, with my soul.”

            Zoey barely makes it through the chorus as her throat starts to clench up. The tears fall from her eyes, and she can’t get them to stop. And it only gets worse the moment her mother realizes it and even starts to say something. Zoey quickly pushes past her parents to the side lane and exits the sanctuary.

            Simon, along with everyone else in the sanctuary, notices the girl in red and white exit during the middle of the song. From the back row, a young man hurries out after her.

            “Who was that?” Simon asks his cousins.

            “I think her name is Zoey,” Matt says. “She and her friends are pretty active on Wednesday nights for the youth group. And the guy who followed her is her boyfriend. I don’t know his name, though.”

            “Oh.”

            Simon, like the rest of the congregation, manages to return attention to the music. But Simon also has to put the feeling that he’s seen this Zoey girl somewhere else out of his mind.

         

            Zoey sniffs and sobs up the hall and to the stairs.

            “Zoey,” Shaun calls after. “Zoey!”

            “I told you to leave me alonya,” she says.

            “Alonya?”

            Zoey turns red and feels stupid for letting the cat tongue slip out.

            “Just go back into the sanctuary,” she says.

            “I can’t,” he says. “I’m too worried about you. Why did you storm out?”

            “Why? Isn’t it obvious? I can’t honestly sing that song because it’s not true. There’s nothing well with my soul about what’s happening these days. I don’t want to move away, I don’t want to go to The Spektrum’s school, I don’t want to be going through a break-up.”

            “We don’t have to break up,” Shaun says as he steps a little closer.

            “Of course you don’t,” she grumbles. “You don’t seem to understand the problem.”

            She takes one long sniffle before sitting down on the steps.

            “I do understand,” he says. “I was an idiot at the party. I shouldn’t have been part of that game after you said it bothered you.”

            “That wasn’t the problem, Shaun,” she says. “That was just a sign of it. The problem is that you shouldn’t have been okay with that on your own. You should’ve thought, ‘Oh, I don’t think I should be playing Rachel’s game since I’m not single.’ It’s as bad as you trying to force Second Base. I shouldn’t have to tell you ‘No’, you should just understand it’s not okay.”

            “What’s not okay about it?”

            Zoey gives him a stern, wide-eyed glare.

            “Really, Shaun? You’re going to act like lust is okay, while standing in a church, on Christmas Eve? I’m surprised you aren’t struck deaf and dumb.”

            “Lust is a strong word, Zoey.”

            “But it’s not wrong, is it? I know you’re a guy and that’s ‘just how guys are’, but that’s not an actual excuse.”

            “I know, and I’m sorry. But can’t you give me another chance?”

            Zoey looks into Shaun’s eyes, and she can see his sadness. It starts to make her tear up again, but she swallows her feelings down.

            “No, Shaun, I can’t,” she says. “Not right now.”

            “Why not?”

            “Because I’m moving away,” she says. “I know I wanted to try things long distance, but how can I trust you won’t go to another party and go along with everyone else again? What if I didn’t go to that party the other night? Would you have let Rachel and Thia kiss you under that mistletoe? Had that punch that was apparently spiked, according to Jeff and Karina?”

            Shaun stammers as he tries to talk and think of his counter argument at the same time.

            “See?” she says, cutting him off. “If you’re unsure of yourself, then that means I can’t trust you.”

            Shaun stammers more but Zoey keeps going.

            “I don’t want to break up with you,” Zoey says, starting to choke up. “I really, really don’t want to. It’s like the horrible cherry on top of the tragedy sundae this week turned out to be. But I have to. Because clearly, and to an almost stupid level, I was more into you than you were into me.”

            Shaun is caught off guard by that last sentence.

            “W-What do you mean?” he manages to ask.

            “I loved you, Shaun,” Zoey says. “Or what I thought was love, because I was only a kid. But now, I know better. And it’s all too late.”

            Zoey feels the tears returning and she takes a deep breath.

            “I’m sorry, Shaun,” she says. “But I mean it. We’re through.”

            Shaun looks into Zoey’s eyes and sees the sternness behind the forming tears. He doesn’t want to, but he accepts her decision by walking away. Zoey sniffles and wipes her eyes while sitting alone on the stairs.