As she took the stage, Kari had them cue up an old jazz song. She began to dance. As the song played, the patrons were anticipating seeing this little treasure undress. The crowd began to clamour a little as time kept moving. Kari hadn't taken anything off!

Demetrius seemed confused by this performance. He stood to address the crowd.

"What is wrong with the women in this place? I thought my instructions very clear. I brought my friends here for a classy show. Tony, do your women consider me to be a joke? What is sexy about this jazz song she's chosen? I thought it fair of me to leave it a jazz club most nights, but this is silly. What is your name young lady?"

Kari was white as a ghost. She was trying to find her voice as every set of eyes locked in on her.

"I'm …. Called…Kari, sir…".

"Do you think me a fool, Kari?"

"No.. Not at all…sir.."

"This answer confuses me. Due to the nature of the assignment. I'm not sure what to do with you."

Kari was starting to feel something besides fear. Anger. She was mad. She'd seen all this craziness tonight, and now she was going to have to be made a fool in front of everyone. She'd never been this upset about anything. A look of horror jumped on her face when she realized she was speaking out loud. The words had no thought to them. She was just reacting

"I understand completely! You want to parade us in front of these fine perverts and show us off like livestock! I didn't care about the assignment because I'm not property! I came to this ridiculous city to realize a dream. And that dream sure as hell wasn't to be some trinket for some idiot man on a power trip!!!"

The place went silent. Now everyone was watching Demetrius. No one ever knew how he'd react. Not one person in the place wanted his attention currently. A smile started to grow in his face.

"You see, men. When you don't make examples, people question you. This girl does not know me well enough, so I'll explain how this ends."

As if lightening struck, a man walked up behind Tony and shot him in the back of the head. He slumped immediately forward.

"Tony obviously didn't have the kind of drive I needed to run this place. Since I can't get the classy establishment that I hoped for, I'll get the next best thing. Steel here will now be in charge of the club. Thursday through Saturday will be adult entertainment, and Sunday through Wednesday we will have the best opium den every created. Take the remaining girls and start getting them strung out while I figure out what to do with this one."

Wanda was already in the kitchen so she was safe, but the remaining girls were all hearded into a back room. Kari just stood there. Still afraid to move. She knew she should try to escape but there seemed little point to that. She had loved this club so much. She decided to just start singing.

"I met a man, he was gonna show me the
world. But I'd been, a fool of a girl.
He only wanted to show me this hotel
room.
He approached me, my gun went boom!
I'm on the run.
From the mob and the law.
I'm on the run.
If it wasn't for bad luck, you know I
wouldn't have any luck at all."

Others were watching her sing. Her jazzy voice had gotten their attention.

"I met a man down in New Orleans.
Hoped he'd be, the one of my dreams
In the dark, he only wanted one thing.
So once again my gun made my ears ring.
I'm on the run.
From The mob and the law
I'm on the run.
If it wasn't for bad luck, you know I…."

The rest of the words never came out. Pain seared across Kari's face as an object struck her in the left eye. She crumpled to the floor, losing consciousness. Steel had come up behind her and swung a saxophone at her face. No one had seen it coming.

© The Moonlight Bard