Demetrius seemed disappointed.
"Steel that was poor form on your part. I agree she belongs to you now, but I never realized she had such a sweet voice. Well, it is your place now so I'll overlook it but show more decorum in the future. I hate to have wasted such a talent. Pop Tart! Could you please toss this body out as well?

Pop Tart hurried to follow orders. He picked up Kari's limp form and carried her to the back. One of Steel's men had followed.
"Boss told me to make sure she was finished off. Can't have loose ends. They walked to a back alley. There, on top of a trash bin, was Tiffany's lifeless form. They weren't even trying to hide the fact they were killing people.

Steel's man ordered Pop Tart to put Kari down. He laid her on the ground. The man started undoing Kari's clothing.

"Seems a shame to send her out without a bit of pleasure. I'll take it from here big guy. You go on back in."

Pop Tart turned to leave. As he neared the door he heard Steel's man chuckle.

"Well look at you. Starting to wake up, huh? That's fine with me I prefer a struggle."

Kari tried to fight, but she was severely injured. She couldn't even get her vision to focus. She didn't know what was going on but knew she was in danger. Steel's man started to undo his pants.

Kari heard a loud thud followed by a struggle. There were two gunshots and a man screamed out in pain, then went silent.
Kari was barely awake and struggling too hard through the shock and fear to make any kind of sense of the situation.
She felt big arms pick her up and she was moving. She had no clue where to.

"I'm so sorry, Miss Kari. I wish I'd not been so foolish."

She knew this voice. "Pop Tart? Is that you?"

The words weren't sounding right in her ears but he evidently understood.

"Yes ma'am, it's Pop Tart. I never dreamed any of you would be disrespected so completely. I couldn't stand back and watch that rat-faced son of a bitch take advantage of you. I have a safe house and an old friend that will help. He should be close."

As he rounded the next corner, he saw Del standing by his car. They made sure no one was watching and he put Kari in a sort of bed made in the trunk of Del's Lincoln Town Car.

"What have they done to this precious thing, Pop Tart?"

"Steel hit her in the face with a saxophone and then one of his minions was gonna take and kill her. I couldn't let that happen."

"Your know what this means though. They won't rest until they get you. They will have to know you spirited her away."

"It is fine. I've had a good life. Plus, I may take a few more with me. Just get her out of here."

He closed the trunk and got in his car.

"Good Luck, Pop Tart!"

"It's been a pleasure, Mr. Del!"

© The Moonlight Bard