II. Jumpy Screams

Ivory silently grabbed her bag, ran up the staircase, and through the loud, bright, and noisy club. Ivory felt overwhelmed seeing the two Mafia sisters brawl. It was nothing Ivory had ever witnessed.

Ivory ran out the front door and joined a distressed Lily in the back seat.

"Oh no, Ivory, you'll be accompanying me in the front," Harley said.

Ivory went to exit, but Lily grabbed her arm. "Don't worry, Lily, I'll be fine," Ivory assured before climbing into the front passenger seat.

If Ivory said that the ride back was peaceful, that would be a lie. The sisters were at each other's throats, comments and insults interchanged between Spanish and English, and then Spanglish. Ivory was uncomfortable; her chest began hurting. Hearing the fighting was exhausting.

Then, the argument ended: "Please, I'd rather walk back to the base than be in the same car as you!" Lily screamed.

Harley pulled over near the woods and set the car in park, causing Ivory to jerk forward. Harley climbed out and used her car keys to turn on the child locks and then dragged her sister out of the car. Harley closed the door and threw her sister into the grass.

"Ow! Harley, what the hell are you doing?"

"You said you'd rather walk back than be in the car with me so you can walk back," Harley snarled.

Ivory tried unlocking all the doors, but none would budge. Ivory couldn't believe that Harley was leaving Lily stranded.

"You aren't serious," Lily cried.

"Oh, I am. Ivory and I will have a nice ride without you. Find your way back since I'm such a terrible sister!" Harley shouted.

Ivory pounded on the window, but her banging went unnoticed as Lily sat on the grass while Harley got back into the car. Ivory thought that Harley was heartless.

"Lily!" Ivory pounded on the window, "Lily!"

Lily ran back to the car to try and open the locked doors, "Harley, let me back in the car!"

Harley ignored her sister.

"Harley, please, let's be reasonable," Ivory negotiated.

The car's engine turned on, and Harley sped off with Lily holding onto the door, but she eventually lost her grip. There was a click. Ivory pushed her door, and it opened, but Harley reached over and shut the door. Lily was stranded in the dark by the woods, but her screams were loud. Ivory held her hoodie to her face, scared of everything that had just happened.

Ivory noticed that Harley was driving unusually fast and feared that they'd crash. Ivory was silent the entire ride back to the base. Ivory felt awkward reasoning with the aggressive driver, and she didn't want to anger Harley. Eventually, the two drove into a wooded area and through a path, and Ivory felt relieved knowing they were almost at the base. Harley drove into the garage, and Ivory followed her inside. Ivory then decided that she'd go to her room.

As Ivory went to go up the staircase, she heard Spike's voice.

"Harley and Ivory!"

Ivory scrunched her nose, knowing that Spike was beyond angry. Ivory climbed down the stairs as she heard Red and Blue a few stairwells above her. Ivory went into the hallway and saw Harley and Spike.

"Lily called me, Harley; what were you thinking?" Spike shouted.

"Don't defend her! She knew what she was doing."

"That isn't an excuse to leave an injured member stranded, Harley! She can hurt herself more, and a rival gang member could abduct her. I'm going to pick Lily up, take her to see Oak, and then you and I will discuss this later."

"I'm not discussing anything. As I told Birdie and Honor, I'll tell you: Stay. Out. Of. Family. Affairs."

Ivory felt nervous; she wasn't sure what Spike would do or say next. The older man made Ivory want to pee her pants. Ivory wasn't too sure why Spike made her feel that way. She guessed it was because she doesn't know him well enough, and that he carried violent energy.

Spike stepped closer to Harley, who didn't flinch. "When we have a stranded and wounded member, it is my business. Keep it up, Harley; you'll be drinking through a straw."

Ivory felt her heart pound. She was terrified of seeing another physical altercation occur.

Harley sneered but remained silent.

Ivory turned away as Spike looked down at her.

"Blue wants you upstairs."

Ivory nodded and went upstairs, bewildered, and adrenalized at what she had witnessed. Ivory didn't realize that Spike could be so dangerous. Ivory quickly made her way to the second floor and saw Red and Blue standing in the stairwell. The two men smiled at Ivory, who smiled back. Ivory felt better being away from Spike and Harley.

"What's going on down there, little one?" Red asked.

Ivory informed Red about the fight that the sisters had, Harley leaving her sister stranded, and how Spike wasn't very happy when Lily called him, explaining her situation.

Red narrowed his eyes. "Is that why Spike was yelling?" Ivory nodded. "There's always something," Red scoffed, lighting a cigarette. "Even with the brothers."

"The brothers?"

"Yes, Lucky and Hawks are brothers," Red answered.

"What? I never knew that. That's cool."

Blue handed Ivory a folder, "This is Swindle H's file; shred it for me. Then, you're finished for the day. I have to speak to Harley."

Then, Blue made his way down the stairs.

Ivory made her way to Blue's office and shredded around thirty pages of confidential information. When Ivory finished her task, she went to exit but heard a scream come from the vent. Ivory jumped and felt her heart pound so quickly she was sure she'd faint.

Ivory turned and peered into the vent, wondering what that was. She hoped it wasn't Harley.

Suddenly, Red entered the office and looked around, seeing Ivory peering into the vent.

She faced him. "Did you hear that, too?"

Red made a face. "Oh, Blue didn't tell you? Yeah, that will happen now and again."

Ivory narrowed her eyes. "Tell me what? Are you hiding someone?"

"If Blue didn't tell you, then I wouldn't worry. That scream was louder than I expected," Red shrugged, grabbed Ivory's hand, and led her out. "Go to your room and don't ask anyone about it. When Blue trusts you enough to tell you what's been happening, he will."

Ivory nodded and took note that Red seemed to be happy about the odd screeching. Ivory hoped it wasn't Swindle H, but then she remembered that Red, Blue, and Harley murdered Hannah. Ivory was tired of guessing because the guesses drove her crazy.

Ivory wasn't too sure why Red sent her that evil and devious look, but her heart was telling her that he, Blue, and Harley were responsible for the unexpected and murderous howl. Since Red wouldn't unmask or reveal anything, Ivory didn't care to ask because she knew Red wouldn't tell her.

Ivory went to her room, wondering who was screaming and from where it came.