AN: It's been ages o.O So much going on, so much f'ing with me… but I found time a few weeks ago to finally finish this damned chapter. I've discovered I hate writing 'canon' stuff that has to be just so, because I can't let myself get it wrong at all lol. So I stare at YouTube until I hate life trying to get it all just so… sighs. Anyway, I hope the wait was worth it :)

Ch 11 - Riding to the Rescue

I hadn't slept one bit when Dex arrived. Blinking away heavy eyes, I forced myself up to feet and slowly made my way to back office behind him. He sat down in chair on far end of large desk, but Julius and Aisha were already being there, Julius behind desk and Aisha staring numbly at candles. Maybe I had passed out for small bit, for what little good it had been doing me; I did not remember Eesh showing up at all.

"You think it'll work?" Aisha asked, arms crossed and worried, while Dex sat quietly.

"It has to," Julius told her soberly, motioning for empty seat. "Sit down, girl."

I took seat, and Julius was already talking more.

"We got a way to rescue Johnny."

I looked to Dex. He was always having plan.

"The shit Johnny said about Tanya and Warren really got to Tony," he said. "Now the only time she's allowed out of his sight is when she's checkin' on the rebuilding on the recording studio."

Julius pointed. "Every day that bitch gets driven to the construction site in a limo." He gestured dismissively. "Then sneaks off to get her freak on with Warren before she goes back home to Tony. While she's busy suckin' cock you deal with the chauffeur and take his place. When she's done wipin' her mouth, she'll have you drive her back. Once you're at Tony's… it's all up to you."

I stood up to leave. I knew when Julius was being done talking, and was time for me to be acting. Aisha walked over to me.

"Please bring Johnny back," she said gently. "Just… don't tell him I was worried."

I nodded once, then turned and left room.

I am coming, Johnny.

#

I closed door to Nelson, looking across street. Tanya was walking away from black Status Quo with yellow trim, and driver got back in, driving off.

"Ebat' i der'mo!" I growled. Fuck and shit. I got back into my Nelson and after rough start, sped onto street, engine coughing before finally accelerating hard.

I really needed to be getting that looked at.

Limo stopped at red light, and I was not going to be having better chance, so I pulled into alley and killed engine, grumbling. I would have to be coming back for car later. As I got out, I pulled my VICE 9 and racked slide, jacking round into chamber and jogging around to driver's side of limo. I tapped on window, pistol behind back.

"Um, yes, miss?" the driver asked, glancing ahead to see if light had changed.

"I am needing car," I told him, pulling gun around and aiming at his face. "Sorry, comrade."

"T-take it, no nee-…"

I squeezed off round, his head snapping back with spray of blood into insides of car. Poor interior, it would never be coming out. People started screaming all around, and I sighed. They always seemed to panick when I was doing things like this. Jerking door open, I let body fall out into street, tearing off his coat and little hat to slip them on before sitting on blood covered seat.

I cut wheel, guiding heavy car out into street and moving around stopped ones, deciding to circle block several times until that suka Tanya was ready. If Warren was being like most rutting pigs of men, he would not be keeping her long at all.

As prophesied, Tanya was walking out of building after only two passes. I stopped car, letting her get in on her own. Was being too risky for her to see me despite my clever disguise.

"Well, I some time to kill before Tony expects me back," she said as she closed door. "Might as well do a little shopping."

Oh for fuckings sake. I am taking her shopping, now? If Johnny is dead when I finally get to him…

Tanya made bitchy sounding chuckle as I pulled away from curb. "I can't believe Luz is still wearing last season's heels."

Who in fuck was Luz and why was I giving any shits about when she bought her shoes?

"So, Warren called me Aisha again today," Tanya whined. "Ugh, can you believe that?"

I rolled my eyes. I would certainly sooner fuck Aisha than this skank ho. I felt my cheeks color then, thinking of Lin, and swerved around a black Compton when I realized I was day dreaming, or possibly falling asleep at wheel. I was not sure, but what I was sure about was scraping alongside another vehicle.

I needed to be focusing.

"Are you tryin' to get me killed?" she cried.

Not yet, suka, I thought darkly. Not yet.

"King is still blaming me for losing Prawn Court," Tanya groaned. Is she never shitting up?

I chuckled inwardly. He should be blaming me for that. Sorry, suka. I turned corner, taking turn a little too fast and making her yelp.

"Anthony had better have killed Johnny by the time I get home," she growled.

Hands gripping wheel tight, I slammed on brakes until she cried out in pain, face having crashed into divider separating us. I chuckled darkly.

"Driver what the hell!"

"Er, uh, sorry Miss," I said, deepening voice and trying to sound more like man. I doubt she even knew his voice anyway. "Small child ran in front of car."

"Run 'em over next time you stupid fuck!"

"Yes, because putting on seatbelt is so hard," I shot back. "And we're being here."

While Tanya did her shopping, I calmed myself down, letting my thoughts drift to that kiss with Lin. She was pleasant to think about, though our only 'date' had been shooting up bunch of VKs. Good times, but maybe something more… traditional could be next.

Tanya flopped into backseat with armload of bags. "Stop by Friendly Fire. I'd like to pick something up for Tony…"

I turned corner, and already she started her ceaseless bleating. "King really should start listening to Warren."

I rolled my eyes, turning another corner, and she kept going. "Warren and Anthony are so clueless."

Does this woman never speak anything but random shit? It was like talking to video game.

Friendly Fire was blessedly ahead and I pulled up to curb, already seething again at having to listening to that prattling chicken head.

"I wonder if they gift wrap?" she asked idly, closing door and moving in side. No sooner had she disappeared that my phone rang. Sighing when I saw Julius' number, I answered.

'Hey playa. Got a problem. Some of Troy's crew didn't hear the plan and decided they were gonna hit Tanya when she was in her limo. These are our boys, and I don't want them gettin' hurt.'

"Then fucking be calling them off Jul-…" I began, but Julius had already hung up. "Čert voz'mi!" I spat, shoving phone in pocket as Tanya got into back seat with big chrome revolver. I swear, he is getting lazier as Saints are getting more power, always relying on me to be doing his shit.

"Take me back to 707 Springfield," she told me, and I almost killed her right then when I had address. Instead I pulled away, tense, waiting for Saints to be showing up and remembering these were not enemies to be killing. It took only moments before bullets started ringing off of car, and Tanya screamed. "It's the Saints!"

No shit. I swerved, avoiding first truck that tried slamming into us. As bullets rang off limo, I tensed, flinching. It was taking everything in my power to not start shooting back, to start killing again. Images danced in front of my eyes, of war and battles not-so-long ago, enemies dead and forgotten coming to haunt me. Swallowing, I cut wheel, turning onto another street as one Saint car careened off road behind me, huge spray of water reaching towards sky as they plowed over fire hydrant.

Tanya was screeching something, but I paid her no mind. Driver's side window shattered, glass flying, and gritting my teeth I use limo to ram Saint mudak into oncoming traffic. Amidst honking of horns I heard satisfying crunch of metal on metal as I sped away, cutting next corner sharply and running over curb. There was old man who wasn't fast enough, and he rolled up over hood, spiderwebbing windshield as he tumbled over top of car like raggedy doll and out of sight.

"Good job. Remind me to give you a tip…" bitch said snidely, and I rolled my eyes.

Dim part of my mind realized there was no more gunshots, and I slowed car, steadying my breathing. I glanced up at street sign, noting that through some stroke of blind luck we were being at Springfield already. I turned corner easily, slowing to a stop outside of Tony's condo. She got out without word, half-running for the door, and I waited, patient, like predator stalking prey. If I rushed, Johnny could be killed, and I liked Johnny. He was not caring about my issues, and treated me as just another Saint, and I felt as if he was kindred spirit. He was like me, though forged in different sort of crucible.

But if I waited too long, that .44 Shepherd might be used on Johnny. I got out of car, closing door quietly as I pulled my VICE 9 from small of back.

Let's be getting dangerous.

#

I crept carefully into building, shadowing suka Tanya. I crept carefully up stairs after her, silent as mouse, and when she was distracted with doorknob I stood up behind her and tapper her on shoulder.

She turned. "Don't you fuck-…"

I balled fist and punched her, hard and fast. She went down like sack of rotten potatoes, and I grinned down at her. It was feeling good after all of her bitching and rambling. I took her keys and quietly let myself in, looking around and seeing no one, yet. This was too fucking easy.

Inside, from doorway I heard voices. Apparently VKs were staying at each other's houses at all hours, just like Saints. It must be gang thing, always living at everyone else's place. I waited, listening and counting how many voices I was hearing. There were five assholes in there, possibly six if Tony was not being one of them.

I popped around doorway, lowering my pistol, and looking for target. Was nice, swanky place, with huge dining table, bar, and kitchen immediately in entrance.

Johnny was tied to chair, laying on his side, and not moving. I was too late.

Rage filled me, and I started firing at man across room, hitting him twice in chest, and he crumpled to ground, blood oozing from wounds.

"Let's take this bitch out!"

Bullets started coming back at me, and so I shot asshole next to him, bullets punching holes in his shoulder and throat, and he fell to floor gurgling and clawing at his neck as he died.

Woman in yellow stepped out from behind door, and I shot her down, finger working trigger as my VICE 9 barked In my hands. I felt alive, crouching and turning as man rushed from around corner, from kitchen, and I emptied rest of magazine into his chest until he fell to tiles.

I wished I had been bringing more firepower, but there was something serene about challenge of using pistol to be killing so many.

"I ain't scared of you!"

Searing pain lanced across my shoulder, and gritting my teeth I ducked behind bar, inspecting my wound. It was being superficial, luckily, only grazing me. I dropped empty magazine to floor and slammed fresh one home, working my way to other side of bar. Counting to three, I threw myself out onto ground and started shooting up into small group of Vice Kings, squeezing off several rounds into each of them until gun clicked empty again.

I heard Johnny shouting. "Don't worry about me, take that fucker out."

Relief washed over me, cool and refreshing. I swapped magazines once more, jogging into living around and moving around couch. I was having two choices, office on other side of wall with television, or bedroom room on left. Bedroom was feeling right, and so I headed towards it.

Plaster and wood exploded next to my head as I was passing office, and I turned to see Big Tony with very large pistol grip shotgun. He would not be missing twice, so I turned and started firing. He rocked back, blood spurting from wounds as bullets made holes in his body, and finally fell to his knees and screamed.

He fell over onto his face, half out of room, his back ragged mess of gore, chunks of bone, and tattered t-shirt.

I hooked my foot under his shotgun, hoisting it up into air and catching it with my free hand. I was needing shotty, and he would not be needing his anymore.

"Not to be pushy or nothin'," Johnny called from other room, and I started making my way over. "But how about you get me outta this fuckin' chair!"

Pushy pushy. I almost considered leaving his ungrateful ass there, but I had made promise, and he was probably just being angry from being shot and beat up. Instead, I tucked pistol into waistband and jogged over to him. Grunting, I lifted him upright, then was pulling out my boot knife to be cutting his ropes.

"Bout fuckin' time you got here," he grumbled, rubbing his wrists. As he tried to be standing, he cried out, staggering as his wounded leg collapsed under his weight, and I barely managed to be catching him. "Where's Green?"

I motioned with chin, pointing out body. Johnny grabbed my pistol and started firing into his corpse, emptying magazing before looking at my VICE 9 in disgust, and finally heaving it at dead man. I rolled my eyes, I was one who was going to be having to go pick that shit up.

"That's much better," he purred. "Now, I heard Green say that he's got some heavy shit in the back. I'll have some of our boys roll on over and bring the hardware back to the crib."

I shrugged. It was being his crew, but was good idea. If I was being right at what 'heavy shit' and 'hardware' were meaning, we were going to be having fun new toys to be playing with.

#

I dropped Johnny off at hospital, much to his protesting, and sent Aisha and Julius text message he was being okay. Now that fighting was over, weariness had set in with vengeance, and it was being all I could do to be keeping my eyes from falling closed as I drove. I think my phone was beeping back at me, but I could not remember which pocket it was being in.

I managed to make it to church, and groaned. Many cars were being there. I was probably being tired enough to be sleeping through world war three, and I trudged up steps already grumpy and ready to be yelling at someone to shut up.

"Hey Lin," I mumbled, walking right passed her and reaching for door. Then I stopped, slowly blinking and turning to be facing her.

"Hey yourself," she said, pushing off from wall and tossing me wad of cash. "Wanted to thank you in person for getting Johnny. You did good."

I fumbled with money, barely catching it. "Yeah…"

She narrowed her eyes. "Julius told me you ain't been sleepin' right. When's the last time you slept, Ivana?"

I shrugged. "Friday? I napped on pew for bit yesterday…"

"Jesus," she cried. "It's Tuesday night. Come on, you can ride my couch. How the hell are you even on your feet?"

I glanced over my shoulder at church with my little room in back. Even through outside door I could be hearing loud voices, laughter. Even with Johnny not there, they were celebrating his rescue. People would probably want to be bothering me, too, asking me questions, telling me how great I was…

I nodded. "Let's be getting fucking out of here."

#

Lin's apartment was in Saints Row, just like every other Saint. It was small, little run down, but cozy. Furniture was overstuffed and looked very comfortable. She moved towards back, calling over her shoulder.

"I'll get you a blanket and pillow, that couch is fuckin' comfortable," she told me. "Or you can have my bed and I'll take the couch. I ain't sharing a bed with you, won't get no sleep that way…"

I chuckled, feeling my cheeks warm. She was being bold, this one. "Couch is fine, all I am having at church is old mattress anyway."

"Why do you live at the church anyway?" she asked, returning with armload. "I just handed you a ton of money."

I shrugged. "I lost my little shit hole I had to crooked landlord, and all my stuff, but hey, it was giving me nudge to go to church Julius told me about."

She nodded. "I didn't ask that. You can afford a new place if you want it."

"Oh… that," I said. "Da, I am looking into it, especially after Johnny walked in on me at four in morning when I told him I was being fine after bad dream."

"You have those a lot?" she asked, almost warily.

Shit.

"Lin, I am tired…"

"Sorry," she admitted. "You're just a curious thing, nobody knows nothin' about you really. Word is Troy's real curious, maybe too curious if you listen to Dex."

I frowned. "Fuck that mudak, he is being on my shit list. I do not like him."

"He ain't so bad when he's not bein' a stupid douche bag," she chuckled. "Which means he's more often than not he's a… what'd you say? Mud rat?"

I laughed. "Mudak."

"Yeah that. Look, I'll quit pesterin' you and let you get some sleep, huh?"

I nodded. "Thank you, Lin. I am being grateful."

She was already heading towards her room. "Don't mention it, honey. And if you need anything, you just wake me up, okay?"

I chuckled lightly. "Da. Good night, Lin."

"Night Ivana."

Her door closed, and I arranged blanket and pillow, getting under cover and sighing. My mind was racing, and it frustrated me as it kept me awake despite powerful weariness. I was in Lin's apartment, alone, and sleeping on her couch. It seemed silly, but maybe she really was wanting me to be sleeping well tonight. That I talked more around her was also not being lost on me. After what was seeming like eternity, I finally got that feeling of drifting off, and felt myself grin.

There was always being tomorrow morning.