Viper

   “Boss, please! I-I’m begging you,” he cried. “Just give me four more months, I promise I’ll get you the money.” He was utterly pathetic. He had been dragged in by his arms, his knees scraping against the cold concrete floor before he had been thrown at the mercy of her. She was the woman who ran the netherworld of New York. She came across as a sweet, innocent angel but she was as cutthroat as a viper. She drew you in with a pretty smile and sparkling doe eyes, then she trapped you. How do I know? Because I am her right-hand man. I’ve been by her side since we were kids, so if anyone knows her, it’s me.

   “Why should I?” she commanded, leaning down towards him from her chair, her elbows resting on her knees. “I gave you more than enough time, wouldn't you agree?" She stood up, looking around at her men as they nodded in agreement.

   "B-Boss, I'm sorry! P-Please," he squirmed.

   "I believe I asked you a question, rat." She snapped, her voice bouncing dangerously off of the walls. She leant down so that she was at eye level with him, placing a leather-gloved finger under his chin, forcing him to look up at her. "Did I, or did I not, give you enough time to get me that money?"

   He was in danger, anyone could see that this was a trap. "I… I-.. U-Uhm…"

   "Hm? You what?” She asked. “C’mon now… use your words," she smiled, amusement written across her features.

   "Y-Yes, it was enough time, Boss." He stammered.

   “So why couldn’t you get me that money, Mr. Harrison?” She asked. “If you and I know that I gave you enough time - and everyone else in this room knows I gave you enough time - then why couldn’t you get me that money?”

   “Boss… I-...” He stammered.

   “Mr. Harrison,” She announced sternly. “Tell me where the rest of the money is. No excuses. I want the truth.”

   “I… I’m sorry Boss. My wife… She needed surgery and… We all know how expensive healthcare is. We don’t even have any insurance…”

   “Well… That is a shame.” She uttered disappointedly.

   She stood up, turning her back on him as she looked up at me. I knew exactly what she wanted from me. "Boss, don't you think that's a little harsh? He's only had a couple of months after all." I said, trying not to show any emotion.

   She locked her gaze on mine, practically snarling as she spoke. "You getting soft on me, Matt?” She tilted her head to the side, holding a hand out to me. “Do I need to remind you what I do to those who question my authority?" 

   "No, Boss," I looked down, taking the gun from the holster around my waist and handing it to her. 

   "Good. That's why you're my second-in-command." She smiled warmly, gently tapping the tip of my nose with her index finger. "Now for you," she said, turning around to face the sad-sack who had crossed her. She stood up straighter, a sense of confidence emanating from her being. It was terrifying how relaxed she was when she held a loaded weapon. "So, you were given 6 months to get me $100,000. Personally, I don't think that's too much to ask, especially when you consider that you were the one who said that 6 months would have been plenty of time." She pointed the gun at his head, taking a small step forward so that it was pressed firmly between his eyes. "You only got me $70,000, so now you are going to pay the rest with your life.” She smirked wickedly. “I hear eyes go for quite a bit on the black market nowadays."

   "Wait… No! PLE–!!" That was all that we heard before two gunshots were fired. I cringed at the sight laid out before me. My best friend of 15 years holding a gun at the corpse of a man laid out less than a foot away, blood pooling around his head and staining the concrete. 

   I took a step towards her, slowly sliding my hand along her wrist and gently taking the gun from her hand, placing it back into the holster on my waist. "Let this be a lesson to all of you," she looked up from the corpse and around the room to every one of her men, waiting for her next order. "If you fuck around… make empty promises… you get killed. And thats a promise.”