Planning to expand into contested territory was something that Ashe hadn’t fully considered the dangers of, not until they were being spelled out for her in rather intricate detail by Caralina. From supply routes to dealing with aggression from anyone attempting to muscle them out of their soon to be territory.

Ashe was so far out of her depths, and even with the cursory understanding that she had from when her parents had gone over things, actually being the boots on the ground was a very different experience. So many moving pieces already, even with less than a dozen people working with her.

“How do people that had actual hundreds of minions ever manage?”

Caralina glanced up, and only then did Ashe realize that she spoke aloud. “They pick people they think can handle it and delegate.”

“And if that doesn’t work?” she asked.

Crystal chuckled. “Termination, usually of the fatal variety.”

Ashe swallowed, not wanting to think about having to kill someone in cold blood like that. She knew it was a distinct possibility that she would have to do so in the future, she’d known it ever since she decided to seek justice outside of the law. That hadn’t made it any easier when she did it in the alley, and it wouldn’t make it easier in the future either.

Worse, Ashe had a packed weekend before returning to school on Monday. A text had been waiting for her when she woke up reminding her of the Police Union picnic that afternoon, which she really wasn’t looking forward to attending. Nevermind that Senator Ellington was hosting a series of campaign rallies starting the following evening.

A headache was the least of her problems, and even after a week of healing, her leg still hurt like a bitch. She was forcing herself to only take over the counter painkillers, despite Crystal’s offer to source her something stronger. She didn’t want to get into the habit of taking illegal painkillers if she could help it.

Worse, her hand was acting up. Little sparks and jolts would shoot through her fingertips, more pain than anything resembling actual sensation. She kept trying to flex the numb joints, to work out the stiffness that she could feel within. In the two months since her injury, some of the feeling had returned, but it was an insignificant amount compared to what she could remember. That it was just a fading memory now was probably the part that bothered Ashe the most.

She was getting used to living with the injury, with her disability. It was her new normal and she didn’t like that. She wanted to make those responsible hurt just as much as she did, to leave them fundamentally broken in her wake. It was an entirely selfish thought process, Ashe understood that completely, she just didn’t care anymore.

“Setting up around the old docks could work,” Jessica said, pointing to the map. Ashe joined in looking at the satellite view on the tablet. “Sutton is currently a no man’s land between the Viuda and Patriots. It could work.”

“It would also be exceptionally dangerous,” Ashe said. “We’d be seen as Viuda aggression by the Patriots, and potential traitors by the Viuda themselves if we don’t work closer than we would like with them while setting it up.”

“Assuming they even notice before we are entrenched,” Crystal said. “Both groups tend to ignore the area aside from drug running and shootouts.”

Caralina nodded. “All the more reason to set roots there. Become a fixture of the community and removing you will be all but impossible.”

“Speaking from experience?” Ashe asked.

Expression darkening, Caralina looked away. “When the Cartels arrived in my home, they came offering money and goods, all in exchange for growing their coca. That all lasted until their first rival arrived, but from the way my grandfather told it, things started off with my people being treated respectfully.”

Ashe leaned back, closing her eyes. It was a sound approach, and was more or less what she wanted to do. Sutton was often considered the poorest region in the Jericho metropolitan area, mostly due to the fact that none of the big players had any stakes there and instead opted to use it to settle their differences.

Ashe could vividly recall several times her mom had complained about being called out there due to gang violence. She would be planting herself right in the middle of it all and planting a flag if she did this, and there was no getting around how her name would spread as a result.

Ashe took a heavy breath. “Is this all going to be worth it?”

Crystal smiled softly, resting a hand on Ashe’s shoulder that she couldn’t help but lean into. “You’re worried you’ll put in all the work and someone will come in and undermine everything you’ve done.”

Shaking her head, Ashe looked back at the map. “The area’s used to fighting, but I’m inviting so much more if we do this. How many people will die just because I decided to do this?”

“Too many,” Crystal said softly. “That’s the way it tends to work on the streets. We lose people we came to care for to some of the stupidest things. It’s part of this life, Ashe. Most don’t live to see thirty, and those that do usually manage it from inside a prison cell.”

“And not even all of them see it,” Ashe finished, thinking back to her attacker that was killed on his way back from the hospital.

“Up to you if you pursue this,” Caralina said. “You have heart, and this line of work tends to rob you of that.”

Ashe thought about that, how she was getting to be quicker to violence. Already she barely recognized herself, and it hadn’t been long since she first broke into her attacker’s home and robbed him. She had to accept that she would continue to change, that lines would shift as she justified further actions.

“Start making overtures to those that live there, see who’s willing to work with us,” Ashe said firmly. “Be discreet, we can still look into other areas if they aren’t receptive to a third party moving in.”

“My girls and I can be discreet,” Caralina said. “Give us a few days and you’ll have an answer.”

Ashe nodded, not wanting to risk saying something she would regret. She still hated that she would need to employ prostitutes in any way, but that was just part of the game. If she didn’t, someone would step in to fill the void. The same went for drugs. She didn’t like it, but that was just the nature of what she was getting herself into.

“Alright, just make sure you have some sort of panic button just to be safe,” Ashe said. “Riptide, any luck finding somewhere we can move the girls to? After all that shit I don’t feel safe leaving them here.”

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

“I’m checking out an apartment complex in Sutton this afternoon,” she answered. “Not many tenants, and the owner is looking to divest from the area. Should be an easy buy and give us what we need for the short term.”

Ashe smiled at some of the first good news she’d heard in days. “You’re the best.”

“You know it,” Crystal said, winking as they stepped away from the others. Once sure they wouldn’t be overheard, Crystal switched to a low whisper. “I’ll pick you up after I check it out. You’re still going to the picnic?”

Nodding, Ashe looked off to the side where the others were rejoining the group. “My parents want me to at least put in an appearance, if for no other reason than to piss a few people off at the reminder that I’m still here and queer.”

“A noble cause,” Crystal agreed. “Alright, we’ve got a game plan for the day. Let’s see it through.”

Jessica and Caralina nodded and stepped off to the side, calling the other girls to join them. They spent the next few moments speaking in rapid Spanish that Ashe only caught every third word of, but it sounded like they were being told to get dressed for work. Ashe’s stomach roiled at that, knowing what their work would entail, but she couldn’t shy away from what becoming a gang leader would entail.

Crystal then pulled her into a hug.

“You’ll be okay,” she whispered. “I’m sticking by you no matter what.”

Ashe returned the hug. “I know, I just wish Robbie hadn’t retired, and Keiko still hasn’t gotten back in touch yet.”

Robbie had dropped off their cut of the money and drugs just an hour after leaving his meeting with Alejandro, not speaking a single word the entire time. It hurt, knowing they’d lost his support, but there was nothing she could do about it. The man didn’t like to make waves, at least not of the sort that Ashe was positioning herself to make.

“You know I’ve tried,” Crystal said, choking up a bit. “I don’t think Keiko will ghost us like that, or sell us out for that matter, but she is Viuda through and through, she’s not going to work with us without some insurance.”

I know,” Ashe whispered. “We’ll just have to make do.”

“You know we will,” Crystal said.

“Jessica, keep in touch,” she said, grabbing her jacket off the wall. “I want check-ins every thirty minutes and to be notified immediately if something goes wrong.”

“You’re being paranoid,” Caralina said. “I know how to handle pushy men.”

All Ashe could do was nod as she stepped outside, wishing she had her own ride. They’d picked up a van for the girls to use to get around in, and worst come to worst, they could camp out in it for a night or two while waiting for Crystal to secure a base of operation. Ashe almost bought herself a vehicle, but Crystal insisted she hold off.

She didn’t know what her friend was up to, but she would wait it out.

The pair hopped on Crystal’s motorcycle and set off for downtown where the damn picnic was being held. The wind was cold on her bare legs, but the last thing she wanted was to be caught outside for hours in the heat while wearing pants. At least the shorts were knee length, and loose. Her injury wouldn’t show and the fabric wouldn’t rub too badly. Ashe didn’t want to deal with half of the assholes that would be at the picnic, but a promise was a promise.

Driving south took them through Sutton, her likely future territory if everything worked out. The place was run down, most of the buildings in various states of disrepair to the point of it likely being cheaper to just demolish them instead. She’d need to invest her early returns wisely if she was going to revitalize the area, because she refused to drain the people dry without offering something in return.

Comparatively, downtown was all splendor and carefully cared for streets and buildings, with main street looking exactly as it did back in the fifties. A blast from the past, complete with old school diners. She tended to avoid it because it was a Patriot hot spot. The park technically was too, but there was no avoiding it today as the festivities came into sight. Thankfully, not too many were there yet, not that Crystal was going to park.

“Alright, I’ll see you in a few hours,” Ashe said, hopping off the bike and packing her jacket into the storage compartment of the bike along with her helmet.

Crystal hopped off as well for a moment, taking the opportunity to stretch. Ashe pointedly looked away, more so to resist temptation to stare, or do something neither of them were ready for.

Crystal smiled, moving forward slightly before she paused, a complicated series of emotions passing over her face before she pulled back with a weak smile. “Stay safe and have fun, I’ll keep in touch.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll record any of the bigots having a meltdown,” she said, smirking.

“See that you do!” Crystal said, her smile wider now. “Welp, I’m off to see the skeevy landlord and see how much he wants for the trash heap.”

Ashe laughed. “See that you do!”

She then turned back to the unfolding party as Crystal’s motorcycle roared back to life behind her and took off. She pulled out her phone as she started walking and sent her parents a text, letting them know that she had arrived. The responding message came quickly and Ashe pocketed her phone and began to look for where they said they were.

Those in attendance were an eclectic mix of casual wear and uniformed officers. Ashe hated coming to the all too frequent events, but the recognition that came with being the daughter of two decorated officers helped more than it hurt, now more than ever. She didn’t need someone digging into something out of spite, especially now that she actually had crimes under her belt.

Trying to avoid that line of thought, Ashe squared her shoulders and made her way into the mess of officers, on duty and off. She might have taken off her jacket, but she still wore her shoulder holster with her Glock firmly in place. It was legal, and if anything, it was expected of her given the crowd. It also meant the scar on her arm was on full display, still an angry red that wasn’t quite all healed up.

A few eyes flicked to her open carry as she walked. One or two of them offered her a firm nod as she did. It was something she was learning, that if you acted like you knew what you were doing and did it with confidence, people would just assume you belonged. In this case she did, but that wouldn’t always be the case in the future.

Spotting Lieutenant Bibbs, she cheerfully waved to the man with a beaming smile. He scowled, but nodded back at her stiffly. He didn’t like her, or her parents for that matter, but he held a professional respect for her mother. Mom on the other hand had a running feud with the man that bordered on harassment. He apparently hadn’t appreciated the pressure caps on the toilet seat that detonated when he went to take a shit. Then again, her mom hadn’t been amused by the spring loaded plastic roaches that were in her desk drawer.

Mean spirited, but overall it was all harmless.

The food and drink station was thankfully vacant of a crowd, so she hit it up first, grabbing some soda and a pair of hot dogs. She knew better than to trust the potato salad, and the chips were right out due to the lack of seating. Worst came to worst, the dogs were an easy joke waiting to happen if someone annoyed her, though meatballs tended to work better for that.

It worked out well enough, as when she turned, she locked eyes with officer Reynolds who was wearing a colorful Hawaiian number. She raised one of the dogs in a mock salute, then bit the tip off. A grimace came to his face, but the others with him laughed and said something she couldn’t hear and descended into further laughter.

Shaking her head, Ashe continued to scan the crowd until she finally spotted her parents. She had to dodge a few others, but was soon stepping up beside them as they conversed with someone she didn’t recognize.

“I’m telling you, it’s too dangerous,” her mom said, shaking her head. “People get killed when departments try that shit.”

“It would be best left to the feds,” her mother agreed. “Oh, Ashe, I’m glad you could make it! Sergeant Dippenhower, I’d like you to meet our daughter.”

He extended a hand, and she had to look down at her two full ones. Her mom rolled her eyes and snatched the plate away, winking as she did. “Nice try, young lady.”

“Can’t blame a girl,” Ashe said sweetly, then accepted the handshake.

She could see the barely hidden derision on his face, which made it all the sweeter.