Tag Archives: kappa so

Three’s A Crowd

Time Line Main

It had been a wild night. Most nights were wild for Buddy Owen and his bros but in search of some extra spice they had decided to leave their Filton haven, depart the Chapter House and head on in to City Main.  

Buddy was excited. “We’re gonna fuck shit up!”  

His Kappa So Frat brother, Cooper, was already on his phone looking for the best spot.  

“What about the Diamond Lounge?” he suggested. “The casino?”  

Buddy grinned. He already had an idea of in his head of what they’re weekend was to bring. He was high on cocaine already and with a pocket full of singles the casino was a good start.  

“A lot of Loyalists go there,” Chad stated. “Let’s go make some new friends.”  

The loyalists of City Main were the support of Reginald Penn of the Penn Auction House. He called himself the King of Main and for that Buddy decided someone should put things in perspective for him. He and his weirdo triplet sons had long been a headache to the Owen family. A family heirloom falling into the Penn’s hands had caused a deeply rooted feud.  

“The Loyalists are all pussies, brah,” said Buddy.  

By the time the bros arrived at the Diamond Lounge they were euphoric with powder and alcohol. Buddy’s reddening eyes burned under the glare of the harsh lights.  

“I’m cleaning this place out” Buddy announced his arrival. “Get me some booze and bitches,” he requested at a casino worker.  Chad lowered the Brad Schroeder branded sunglasses he still wore even though they were now indoors.  

“Kappa So is in the house,” he exclaimed.  

The casino worker did not need to be told this. It was very much evident by their full-on attitude and the Kappa So jackets they wore. She left to fetch but it wasn’t bitches or booze.  

Buddy looked around. He wished they didn’t have to have such harsh lights. The racket from the slot machines was irritating where a line of geriatrics were feeding them with coins. It was quieter than it had been the last time Buddy and the bros had been in. Then again it was only four thirty in the afternoon. This didn’t ease Buddy’s disappointment though. Where were the girls clad in Diamonte bikinis the ads offered? Why were the craps tables crowded by coffin dodgers? And where the fuck was the bitches and booze so he could get his weekend started?  

Buddy and his bros always ready to fuck shit up.

“It looks like care home in here,” Buddy commented. “Are they playing bingo? What the fuck Coops?”  

Cooper shrugged. It wasn’t really living up to his last visit to the casino either, at least what he remembered of it. The ads claimed to be the hottest spot in City Main. Issac Bergman who ran the casino wasn’t living up to his end of the bargain. It wasn’t supposed to be the hottest spot for the pension patrol. Chad was already helping a giddy old woman to a seat at a vacant puggy.  

“Fuck it,” Buddy decided. “I’m winning something.”  

Barging his way into a roulette table he dropped his money down.  

“Chip me,” he demanded.  

The casino worker raised her finger to her ear. The cameras were watching. The advice she was receiving was to exchange the money for chips as she would for any other customer. The powers that be were watching closely though.  

“Red twelve,” Buddy threw some of the chips he was given down.  

The wheel was spun. The bet was not met.  

A little exasperated Buddy threw more chips down. “Red twelve,” he bet again.  

The wheel spun a second time. Black fifteen.  

Buddy scowled at the casino worker as she raked the chips away from him. He wasn’t giving in so easily so he took one last attempt. “Red twelve,” he requested again.  

The whir of the wheel and the click as it slowed again was almost as irritating as the damn coins dropping from the slot machine two living fossils wearing what looked like tea cosies on their heads were celebrating over.  

“Black thirty three.”  

Buddy raged. His disappointment peaked. He hated the lounge and he hated losing. The weekend of debauchery he had planned was starting to suck.  “You Jew mother fuckers!” Buddy raged. “This game is rigged.” 

No one had explained the laws of probability to the son of the Owen Inc. CEO. The racial slur was directed towards the Bergmans who owned the lounge. Issac should have known better. He was a Kappa So brother too.  

Clang. Clang. Clang.  

More coins started dropping from the slots.  

The bros carried on with getting their night in Main started. It was looking quite positive until they heard a grumpy old man yell, “Keep it down, arseholes.” 

The bros ignored it. If they paid attention to old people telling them to keep it down they’d never get anything done.  

Buddy cheered when he won a spin on the roulette wheel. His powder high made him extra exhuberant and he could swear the casino girl was giving him the ‘I need to bone you right now, eye.’ For the casino girl it was more of a, ‘just how much powder have you snorted?’ eye. The boning eye and the drug disapproval eye tended to get mix up for Buddy.  

“Keep it down,” an old man holding a single solitary chip barked at the excitable bros. 

Buddy groaned. As he turned to see the old man he started to laugh. “I’ll be damned! He looks like what would happen if a bull dog fucked a turtle. Look at the glasses!” He pulled the man’s glasses off and put them on. Glaring at him through the corrective lenses he said, “get outta ma face old timer. You’re weirding me out.”  

Cooper took note of how large the lenses made Buddy’s eyes when The Kappa So chapter leader turned to his bro. “Brah, you gotta try these. They’re better than pills.” Through the glasses he started to look around the casino at the odd shapes created by the tables and machines and the lighting caused by the bright colours.  

As Chad and Buddy tried on the glasses and glared as though they were tripping Cooper suggested, “Maybe we should go somewhere else, brah?” The amount of old folk in the casino was starting to make him think of a zombie movie. Ever since he watched a terrible B movie called The Dead Walk he had been weirded out by too many old people in the place at once.  

Buddy pushed the spectacles to the top of his head, shoving the old man away. “I’m not going anywhere. I got myself a fight with the Jews. They killed Jesus you know…”  

Whilst Buddy’s voice could be heard above all the machines and Chad was trying to start some kind of mosh pit with the bingo players, from the manager’s office he had seen the triplet sons of Reginald Penn emerge. There was Marcus, a bespectacled, menacing young man with a long fair pony tail. Beside him was his brother Simon, better known as Punchline Penn. He was a professional boxer and reputedly a very angry young man.  

“Must have a tiny cock,” Buddy had decided when he learned of this. “He’d only be that pissed off all the time if he had a tiny cock.”  

Finally there was Reggie. He was the youngest of the three by a few minutes. He was the most vibrant of them and he looked the least interested in whatever business had brought them to the casino. He was busy looking to his phone.  

“Well if it isn’t the whackos. What they doing here?” Buddy wondered. 

Hearing Buddy’s voice rise above the others it had been Simon Penn who noticed the old man reaching out to get his spectacles back. Buddy was enjoying the trip looking through the lenses was giving him.  

“You’ll get your turn, brah,” he told the old man waving his hands in front of his face and seeing his fingers grow really long. It was better than heether mushrooms. 

The Kappa So uniform suggested a more ridiculous confrontation than even a Stoker Circus jacket would hint. The blonde hair of Buddy’s and his square set jaw confirmed an Owen on site.  

“One of the mutants is causing a scene,” Simon said to Marcus. Marcus looked over and noted the old man trying to retrieve his glasses. He was now clutching at Cooper’s arm not really able to see properly. They decided to approach and intervene. No matter the location and no matter its owner, no hassle was allowed in City Main where the King reigned and his prince sons were around to keep order.  

Marcus approached. Simon followed. Still not looking up from his phone Reggie was at their backs.  

“I think the gentleman wants his glasses back,” said Marcus. “I give you only one warning.”  

Buddy hadn’t expected to be confronted by the triplets so eagerly within the casino setting. Without saying anything the casino worker had departed her table. The cameras were still watching. Buddy couldn’t let his chest deflate too much. His coke high was beginning to wear off.  He couldn’t help but take note of Marcus’ nostrils, just aching for a line. It was then he noticed all their nostrils were the same. Fucking weird. That meant they all must have tiny cocks.  

Buddy pulled the glasses back over his eyes. The distorted view of the triplets hadn’t been quite what he had expected. It reminded him of a really bad trip where he was plagued by talking trees.  

“We’re just playing, brah,” said Buddy. 

“Yeah!” Chad confirmed enthusiastically. “Just a game, brah.” 

Reggie had stored his phone away by this point. It was like they were deciding among themselves using some kind of triplet telepathic powers which one was going to have the joy of smacking the grin from Buddy Owen’s face. It turned out it was Reggie who won the coin toss. He pulled the glasses from Buddy, snatched his ear and with a sharp tug sent him falling to the floor. Marcus stepped on his chest. Before Cooper could intervene Simon had pushed him back with a shove to his solar plexus. Reggie gave the glasses back to the old man. He affixed them again and gave a swift kick at the bro.  

“Ya arsehole!” He barked before storming off.  

“Alright, let him up.” Finally someone had arrived on scene. A long featured, pale looking man wearing a black waistcoat with a diamond logo.  

Marcus stepped off of him.  

Casino owner Issac Bergman pulled Buddy to his feet.  

“This ain’t over,” said Chad. “We’re gonna raise some tiny dick awareness for you.”  

Reggie scowled. “Come at me and I’ll just drop you on your ass too, like.”  

“Get out. The whole lot of you.” Issac barked.  

Marcus nodded to his brothers. They had made their point. The bros? Well, they decided the party was better off taken elsewhere.  It seemed he had to take that matter into his own hands and deal with the triplet beeatches.  

The Penn triplets watch their Coldford City football team.

*** 

“Thrown out by a brother,” Buddy was reiterating their treatment by Isaac Bergman. “Got a good mind to fuck his shit up. You don’t turn your back on a bro.”  

Chad fell into excited planning mode. “We go in there, we wreck the casino and we piss all over the floor.”  

Buddy and Coops looked at him. They didn’t know why but pissing on the floor seemed to be the most important part of his plan. 

“There’s cameras everywhere,” Cooper reminded them.   

He didn’t have to complete the sentence. Buddy’s father could be a little sensitive about the fraternity. He was especially sensitive when it came to anything involving the Penns. If he found out that Buddy was responsible in any way for making his dealings with Reginald any more difficult, he wouldn’t be forgiving.  

“What if the Penns wreck it?” Chad continued his planning. “Then the elders are going to be pissed at them.” 

“How do we get them to do that?” Asked Buddy. He was liking the sound of it but he needed his bro to hand out some more of the details.  

“Duh!” Chad gasped. “We dress up to look like them.”  

The other two nodded like it was the most brilliantly obvious plan in the world.  

“You know Chad, you can be a bit of a genius sometimes. It’s like you’re a scientist or some shit.  Those damn misfits don’t know who they messing with.”  

Chad has experience in costuming.

*** 

Admiring his handy work in the mirror Buddy adjusted the cap over his feathery, blonde mass of hair that was supposed to give him the shaved head look of Simon Penn. In his black T-shirt and jeans – signature of the loyalists of Main – he would sure fool them.  

The door opened. Buddy turned.  

“No way!” He cried. Cooper had also adorned the cap to look like Simon. “You were supposed to be the spooky one!” Buddy complained. “Where’s the glasses and the rapey ponytail?” 

The door opened again. “You’ve gotta be kidding me. We can’t all be Simple Simon!”  

Chad too had opted to dress as the middle triplet.  

“Does it matter?” asked Chad.  

“Of course it matters,” insisted Buddy. “If we’re all the same one it’s going to look fucking stupid.” He looked to Cooper as though to ask, ‘can you believe this guy?’ 

Cooper was shaking his head as though to answer ‘no.’ 

“I’ll be the spooky one since I’m the leader. Madman Marcus or whateva’ he’s called. Coops you be simple simon because you’ve got the bod. I do too but I’m a bit out of swimming season.”  

Chad groaned. “Does that mean I need to be the retard?”  

“Yes, it does,” informed Buddy.  

With the blonde ponytail and glasses, the cap and the wild frizzy wig (that was just a Stoker clown wig sprayed yellow) the bros were dressed and ready for their great heist.  

They looked at each other. Buddy couldn’t help but laugh. The things they could do dressed as the triplets had his rather imaginative mind clambering for ideas. 

“Triplet powers activate!”  

They gave a leaping high five. 

*** 

Meanwhile, at the Penn Auction House, Reginald Penn was overlooking the damage accompanied by his sons.  

“Those Hill Billy cunts!” Reginald was growling.  

The previous night someone had tried to drive a four by four into the Auction House. Luckily the fortified structure of the building hadn’t let them get very far. The small army of loyalists who had been on hand to guard it had drove them off before any real trouble could start.  

“They were giving some trouble at ‘Diamond’,” explained Reggie. “They were thrown out and so were we.” 

Reginald thought about it. It was time to address the Cappy directly.  

“You will compensate for the damage your boys have caused,” Reginald insisted.  

Still in his office in the Great States, Charles ‘Chick’ Owen held the King of Main’s gaze. 

“You have no proof that my boys had anything to do with it. So might I suggest, sir, that you throw your accusations elsewhere.”  

No proof perhaps. All that was seen by Reginald’s own team were three grown men dressed as parody’s of the triplets. The one imitating Reggie throwing rubber rats at them. He knew, however, it was Buddy and his bros. The Cappy knew too but pride would prevent him from admitting it.  

“I suggest that if your boys come into my area I will cut their fucking balls off. If they come near my Auction House again I’ll send them back in boxes.” 

The Cappy glared. “I will warn them. However, you will offer the same courtesy and tell your progeny that if he ever touches my son or any of my brothers there will be consequences.”  

The call was ended. As predicted the long held feud escalated. Now the threats of violence were in the air.  

*** 

The following morning gave for a huge headache. As Buddy began to come around he realised he had fallen asleep on the Kappa So Chapter House lawn. Someone turned beside him and laid his arm across his chest.  

“Morning Bud,” Chad said sweetly.  

“Aaaaah!” Buddy screamed. “I can feel your morning wood against me.”  

He rolled over and he was offered a close up of Cooper’s face.  

“Morning Bud,” Cooper said.  

Buddy sat up. “What the fuck happened last night?” He finally thought to ask when he realised none of them were wearing trousers. Chad was wearing diving fins. Cooper’s feet were covered in cream. Buddy was wearing a pair of sneakers. That wasn’t so bad. Although when his eyes continued to adjust to sobriety he realised they were royal blue sneakers with black trimming. They had either been stolen from a Coldford City player or a Penn.  

“I think I’m being called home,” Cooper said.  

Buddy lay back on the grass. “Don’t listen to it Coops. Stay alive, brah.”  

“No I mean I think I can hear my phone.”  

Urging themselves to stand they could finally take in some of the debris left on the lawn from the last nights escapade. There was a Bobby’s lunch box sign, a whole collection of Kappa Si cheer leader uniforms one of them size XXXXL and a Cooper four by four which had left track marks on the lawn and was now totalled against the wall.  

‘Wait?’ Buddy thought. ‘Was that the sign from the Auction House?’ He couldn’t read it properly. Whatever he had been taking the night before was leaving him with some blurry vision. When the blurriness suddenly dropped away, he realised it was because he was wearing spectacles not prescribed to him.  

“What the fuck?”  

Cooper had followed the noise of his phone and he managed to find it among a cow pat.  

“Coops brah, you better check the bro cam.”  

With so many lost nights the bros had decided to fit themselves with pro cams. The footage automatically uploaded to Cooper’s phone and it made for some interesting memories.  

Wiping the bull shit away Cooper was happy to find his phone as good as new. He checked the bro cam. First there were the photos. A photo of Chad’s ‘Reggie’ fingering the backside of a rubber rat. A photo of Cooper’s Simon humping a donkey. A photo of Buddy’s Marcus with nipple tassels. Then there was the video footage.  

“Triplets assemble!” Called Buddy as Marcus. 

The other two leapt into frame. Cooper as Simon was scowling dramatically. Chad was still fingering the rat. 

The next alert was a message from The Cappy.  

HAVE BUDDY CALL ME IMMEDIATELY.  

Trouble is never far off with the bros.

The bros are certainly in trouble this time. It is the Hickes Agency, better known as the Good Gang that are on their tail. September 18th we’re off to the Great States on an adventure!

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Knock Knock: Episode 31: Smash and Grab

“I think a name change should be the first point of order,” suggested the bailiff Colette as she led The Cappy into his newly acquired auction house.  

“The name is already established. It might be a better idea to keep it as is,” suggested Ronnie Owen.  

Chick agreed with the bailiff. “It’s a well-known name but I want the people to know that this hall has well and truly fallen.”  

Ronnie had meant that it would be a better chance of a fresh start. It would keep already established clients of the auction house sweetened until they got used to the new management. His brother was determined to put his stamp on City Main, starting with the toppling of their king – figuratively and literally.  

“The archives list,” Jeremy passed the list of items the Auction House had available. Chick Owen couldn’t disguise his excitement. He had seen Captain Henry Owen’s compass once as a boy. His father had been so proud of it. He had been too. The compass had led Hen to making Coldford what it was. The people owed a lot to that compass, including the so-called King of Main. 

The Cappy sat down a box. It was a small, mahogany box that had housed the compass on that fateful expedition. The compass had been lost after the vicious divorce of Bobby from his second wife.  Chick kept the box, waiting for the day it would be returned. Ronnie had never seen his brother so giddy.  

Chick beamed. “Smile, Ron, you miserable son a bitch,” he cheered. “It’s a good day. When the compass is back in its box, we’ll have the reporters right down here.”  

Ronnie laughed. He too was pleased to have such an heirloom returned. Even if it took 4.5 million and the restructure of a Shady City institution to do it. He read the list.  

“The compass,” he began. He didn’t know how to break the news. “It was sold on.”  

Charles stopped wiping the interior velvet of the box. He closed the box lid over. Embossed in the mahogany was the image of Hen’s ship.  

The Cappy turned to Colette. “I apologise ma’am for what I’m about to say.”  

Colette frowned. She was a Coldford City Law Maker. She had heard curse words before.  

“Where is my compass?” he growled at Jeremy. “You, sir, better hope I get it back.” 

Ronnie laid his hand on his brother’s shoulder. Colette said nothing. Jeremy found himself edging towards the door.  

Ronnie read on, “It says here it was sold on to Ernest Beckingridge.”  

The Cappy looked to Jeremy. His facial expression showed fury but his vocal tone had calmed again. 

“It seems mighty impolite that this information was not disclosed prior to auction. Slipped your mind did it, sir?”  

“I’ll talk to Elizabeth,” Ronnie offered.  

The Cappy shook his head. “It’s no use,” he said. “She knew exactly what she was doing and she’s tougher than a two-dollar steak. I have mind to watch this place burn to the ground if it were not for the Penn mother. Elizabeth on the other hand, we’re not at auction anymore.” Again, he addressed Jeremy, “You are going nowhere until your little deception is put right.” 

*** 

Elizabeth had asked her driver to take a route home to Beckingridge Manor via Pettiwick. She wanted to look upon it. Hopefully it would spur some ideas on how she was going to get it back. The bidding war had left her exhausted. Maybe an exchange? She could return The Cappy’s precious compass if he agreed on the resale of the school. 

The limousine stopped. Elizabeth leaned forward and lowered her window into the driver’s seat.  

“What’s wrong, Thomas?” she asked. 

“The road’s blocked off miss,” he replied. “I can’t get any further. I have to turn around.”  

“Blocked off?” They had driven into the school’s drop off point. The area where she had waved goodbye to Gramps on many a morning and skipped off to her lessons. It should not have been blocked off.  

“Construction, miss,” explained the driver.  

“No!” Elizabeth barked. “Not happening.”  

She climbed out of the car to a bright and dry but frosty day. Just as the driver had said, fencing had been erected around the surrounding area.  

FULLERTON – BUILDING BRIDGES. DEMOLITION IN PROGRESS. 

“Building bridges, huh?” Elizabeth growled.  

Thomas was now by her side.  

“In the car, Thomas. I don’t plan on staying long.” Thomas obeyed.  

She could see a man through the fence. He must have been a site manager.  

“You!” Elizabeth called to him. “You there!”  

He either ignored her or couldn’t hear her over the site noise. She collected a stone and threw it over the fence. It hit his hard hat with a clunk. He looked up.  

“You!” Elizabeth uttered again.  

The manager approached the fence. “Can I help you?”  

Boards were up. She was unable to see what was behind them.  

“You can start by telling me what’s going on here?”  

The site manager was disinterested.  

“Demolition,” he said. “We’re busy so clear off.”  

Elizabeth scoffed. “Clear off?! You better tell me what you’re pulling down or I’m going to drag you through this fence by your testicles.”  

“The Beckingridge Wing.”  

Elizabeth shook her head. She thought so. Chick, you bastard.  

“You can’t do that,” Elizabeth protested.  

“What is it to you?” the site manager asked.  

“Because it’s my name that’s on the bloody building.”  

Ernest had donated the wing. 

“Pettiwick did us well, Liz,” he had said. “Gramps would have wanted it.”  

It was one of the best things Ernest had done during his tenure as head of the family. “I’m not here to speak to a minion. Send out whichever Fullerton fucker is heading this up.”  

The site manager shook his head.  

“Jenna!” he called. “Jenna, you had better come see to this.”  

Fullerton contracts were split between the Fullerton siblings. Caleb had gone off somewhere without notice and the eldest, Jake, was serving time in The Boss so it was up to the sisters to hold the fort. No bridges being built that day, they were being burned. 

Jenna had had to step up and take what would have been most of Caleb’s contracts.

“Elizabeth?” she sounded surprised. “I thought you lost out on the school.”  

Elizabeth clutched the fence. “You have no right to pull that building down.”  

Jenna looked to the boards. “I don’t, but the new owner does and he wants it down. It’s just fulfilling a contract, innit?” 

Elizabeth growled. “I’ll sue you. Not Owen, you personally. Pull that construction missy.”  

Jenna pursed her lips and folded her arms. “No can do, Liz. You know I have all the papers in place, right? I wouldn’t be here otherwise.”  

“Pull this construction now,” Elizabeth ordered.  

Jenna removed her hat. “Not a chance, Liz. We’ve already been paid and that building is coming down. Your name may have been on it but it was a gift to the school. It’s up to whoever owns the school what they want to do with it.”  

“What reason were you given for it to come down? It was a perfectly fine building. Ernest was good to you.”  

Jenna agreed. “Ernest was a sweetie, he was, but we’ve got a job to do and I’d tell him the very same thing. I do have something for you though. I kept it. I thought you might like it.”  

Elizabeth thought about Ernest’s memorial plaque. Maybe she could at least hang that in the manor until she got the school back. It had Gramps’ name on it too. Jenna nodded to her site manager. He ran to the office to fetch like a good puppy. When he re-emerged, he wasn’t carrying the plaque. He was carrying a newspaper – a Coldford Daily. He passed it through the fence to Elizabeth.  

“What’s this?” she asked. 

“This morning’s news. Open it to page 2.”  

The headline read: 

SMASHING TO SUCCESS. 

The story detailed The Cappy’s plan for what was going to be standing in place of the Beckingridge Wing. The image showed Chick Owen and Jenna Fullerton shaking hands in front of the building.  

“I thought you might like to keep it and remember the building as it was. You can frame it or something.”  

Elizabeth threw the paper down. “Don’t do me any favours,” she snapped.  

Jenna shook her head but she was smiling. “I’m just doing my job. It was Caleb who built it in the first place. I’m not happy about it either.”  

Jenna scoffed. Demolition was already set. There was no stopping it. Elizabeth could still elicit some damage of her own.  

*** 

When Elizabeth reached Chick, he had been hosting Buddy and his bros at Owen Estate.  

“Elizabeth,” Chick had been waiting for her. “I thought I’d be hearing from you.”  

Elizabeth smiled but her lips were drained of colour and her fire was now resting in her eyes. The video call gave a good clear view of her expression. Elizabeth could see Buddy and his bros standing behind him. Billy was out of frame.  

“I was passing Pettiwick this morning and you can imagine my disappointment when I was informed by Fullerton that my brother’s donated building was to be pulled down.”  

The Cappy continued to speak calmly but the icy temperatures of his words made Buddy shudder.  

“Imagine my disappointment when, after spending a generous amount on the Auction House, I find out you had my compass all along.”  

On screen Elizabeth had set a golden compass on the table.  

“You mean my compass? Bought and paid for fair and square.”  

Chick frowned. “It is mine and you know it. Those oddballs had no right to sell it in the first place. I am a reasonable man. I will offer you a fair price for it.”  

Elizabeth shook her head. “I like it. It’s a very nice piece.”  

“Tread carefully Liz,” The Cappy warned.  

Elizabeth brought a hammer onto her table.  

“You better back off bitch!” yelled Buddy when he saw what she was about to do.  

Elizabeth ignored him. “If you’re going to wreck property of mine then I guess I’ll do the same. How dare you pull down that wing.”  

“I don’t really need a compass after all. I’m quite good at finding my way about.”  

Elizabeth lifted the hammer. “Hen Owen, wasn’t it? There is an inscription.” She brought the hammer down as heavily as she could.  

CRACK. 

“Stop!” Buddy warned.  

The Cappy kept his focus on the screen saying nothing.  

CRACK. 

Elizabeth brought the hammer down again.  

CRACK.  

The Compass, despite its study build, was damaged beyond repair. Elizabeth stopped for a breath and smoothed her hair.  

“Are you finished?” The Cappy asked.  

Elizabeth smiled. “I’ll be in touch.”

  

The call ended. Buddy rested his hands on his head. “Holy Mary that fucked an angel!”  

“Charles,” Ronnie warned. “Don’t be rash.”  

The Cappy paid no attention to his brother. Instead, he turned to Billy.  

“Do you still have the rat boy?”  

Billy nodded. He too was quietened by what had just happened.  

“Yeah, Captain.”  

“Then it’s time for Reginald Penn to see what happens when someone toys with something that belongs to me.”  

Ronnie pleaded again. “Chick, please think this through.”  

“I have thought about it. I have thought about it long and hard. He murdered our father, he humiliated my boy, and now our heirloom is passed around like a common whore. My fucking compass is destroyed because he sold it away, property that did not belong to him.”  

Ronnie knew there was no use arguing with Chick. Heirlooms were precious to most. They were especially precious to Charles ‘Chick’ Owen, better known as The Cappy.  

*** 

Having made their presence felt in the Mid-West village, at a small Kappa So outpost used for registrations and the occasional meetings, they had skipped across the city to the Mid-East. 

Reginald was overlooking the area they had taken. They had been met with some resistance, more than they expected. The combined Fleet and Loyalist groups took a moment to catch their breath.  

“We’ve got them on the back foot,” Reginald was observing, speaking to Paddy Mack. 

Kieran Mack was busy scrubbing blood stains from his jacket.  

Paddy agreed, “We’ve been smooth so far but the resistance is getting heavier and heavier each time. We need to move back towards the south before one final push into City Main.”  

Reginald nodded in agreement. They had been so successful so far because their attacks didn’t follow any particular pattern, but Billy Owen had been manoeuvring CPD and success was becoming more and more difficult.   

“They have Junior, sir,” he said delicately.  

Immediately Reginald’s attention diverted. Emmerson passed him a phone. That’s when the screen showed the youngest triplet, Reggie, in pain, screaming and calling for the eldest triplet, Marcus.  

“Woooh boy! This whore here likes her ass pounded!” Cheering could be heard. “King Daddy ought to see this.”  

The screen showed Marcus held helpless. His support inside The Boss had been gunned down. Simon was flat on the ground with guns to his head.  

“Say goodbye to your brother boys. You ain’t ever going to see him again.”  

Kieran and Paddy shared a look. Reginald’s lip curled.  

“Reg…” Paddy warned. “Think about this.”  

Reginald shook his head. “Our next stop is City Main.”  

Paddy continued to plead, “That’s why they wanted you to see that. They hope you’ll do something fecking stupid.”  

Reginald was not to be consoled. “Those cunts have my boys!”  

Paddy, still trying to stay level headed, said, “If it were any of my family, I’d feel the same way but we’re so close, so fecking close Reg, you can’t lose it now. For all our sakes you need to stick to the plan.”  

Reginald’s fury was still throwing a tension on his facial expression and across his broad shoulders.  

“We’ll get Reggie back. We’ll get all of them to safety I promise ya, but we need to stick to the plan.”  

.  

Reginald trusted Paddy’s advice. He found his center. He found his calm. Junior’s screams and pleads would be the battle cry that spurred him on. But then the phone rang again. Reginald answered. 

“Rita?” he said.  

Kieran and Paddy shared another angst-ridden look.  

“Rita? My love you need to calm down.”  

“My baby!” was all she could cry.  

“I’m going for junior right now. I’m going to get him right now.”  

“Don’t let them kill him Reginald, please! You can’t let them hurt him anymore. He must be so scared!”  

It was then that Reginald heard a voice over a speaker. It was in French. Flight 10SS to Coldford City was now boarding. She was at the airport. 

“Rita! Rita do not come to Coldford. I’ll bring Reggie to you. I’ll bring your baby to you.”  

It was too late. The phone signal was lost. Rita Penn was to board a flight to Coldford. Coldford City airport, owned by Owen Inc.  

Paddy sighed. He leaned his head back. Kieran shook his head. “Feck,” he muttered. 

Reginald may have been able to use Junior’s cries to spur him into battle but Rita’s sobs for her baby? Those would signal the end for his enemies no matter the cost.  

“My wife has just had to see that,” said Reginald to Paddy.  

“I’m sorry,” said the Mack in charge. “But my point still stands.”  

Reginald addressed his loyalists.  

“We’re going to City Main. If any of the Fleet choose not to follow, then leave them behind.”

*** 

There was little I could do as events unfolded. I tried to get a statement from Elizabeth Beckingridge but she had locked herself in the Tower. The exchange continued to accumulate. There was still no word from the distillery. Its gates were firmly closed. It was now a race against time for Lydia and her agency team to find any evidence they could on Buddy Owen or once again he would walk away after committing the most horrific crimes.  

As I worked to leak the true information to the city, Rita Penn wandered toward danger. Her love for her children had blinded her to the Owen Inc. logos that were darted all over flight arrivals. The plane she had taken from Luen even stopped close to The Cappy’s own Boeing – Dynasty.  

“Welcome to Coldford City,” the attendant greeted. Her blue uniform and carefully made-up face was glamorous, inviting.  

“Thank you for choosing Luen Air. May I see your passport?” 

Rita was in a hurry. She fished into her bag and produced a passport. The check arrivals agent scanned the name Penn and she compared the photo.  

“Business or pleasure, Mrs Penn?”  

Rita was distracted. She knew Reginald was busy. She knew he had troubles so if she could talk to The Cappy, maybe they could reach an understanding. He had a son. She had a son. They could see eye to eye. Perhaps she could speak to Ida Owen. Surely they could speak mother to mother. Buddy was her baby just as Reggie was Rita’s. If the women could just talk a while, they could find a solution and maybe then the men would make sense. There had been so much harm done already. Reginald would be angry she had come to Coldford but she couldn’t sit at their estate in Luen when the next time she saw one of her boys it could be dressing him on The Tailor’s table.  

If Reggie managed to get to safety, he would want to come home. Someone had to be home. Mother would wait for him.  

“I live here. I’ve come home to stay for a while,” she told the arrivals agent. The agent smiled. Rita tapped her fingers nervously on the desk.  

“That’s lovely,” she said. “Well, you’re all set.”  

Rita took her passport and was sent to baggage claim.  

Reggie, poor Reggie. He was such a little boy at heart. It was bad enough with Marcus behind bars. Marcus was her big boy. He was ready to take his father’s place one day. He could take the heat. Simon was physically strong. He fought, he trained and he focused. Her boxer boy would be fine. But Reggie? He was sensitive, inquisitive, nothing without his brothers. They were a whole when they were together. Apart, Reggie was the most delicate piece. 

She saw her bag, an old-fashioned trunk she had packed in a hurry. She hadn’t even given security time to collect her and escort her. She just needed to be closer to her boys. She heaved her bag from the conveyor belt. The exit was so close. The transport to City Main would be waiting.  

She felt a hand on her shoulder.  

“Mrs Penn?” an airport staff member asked. “Come with me.”  

With that she was guided to safety by Agent Franklin.


Knock Knock: Episode 21: It ain’t over ’til it’s over

It was tough going. From the best seat at the Coldford Daily newspaper to packing up my make shift home at the Weir Hotel. A lot had happened in between then. I had witnessed murder, pleas of innocence and I had watched justice fall hard. Some would argue too hard but, in a city filled to the brim with murderers, thieves, rapists and drug addicts, what was too hard? 

I had seen the city quiet before on walks through the streets in the early hours but this was different. There was a chill in the air and not just because of the rapidly changing weather. Sure, summer had closed its door with a slam and cold winter opened its embrace, but the brittle air resonated from the discarded banners outside of the Court House. 

JUSTICE FOR TABITHA. 

FREE OUR QUEEN.  

The Boss Lady of the Knock Knock Club was gone, sentenced to death for her crimes. The club itself was now in the hands of the office of Law Makers and their Bailiffs.  

Justice was served swiftly but it wasn’t the justice the south of the city had wanted. Tabitha had fought for them. The blood she shed was for them.  

The CLOSED sign over the entrance of the Penn Auction House struck fear in City Main too. Two of the Penn triplets, Marcus and Simon, were resident of Coldford Correctional, better known as The Boss because of the way it loomed over the northern town of Bournton. The third triplet, Reggie, had slipped Law Maker custody and was currently missing. Their father, Reginald, was rumoured to have returned to Coldford. The man who many addressed as the King of City Main was set on retrieving his sons regardless of the consequences.  

Fear in the city was but a prelude to the fear felt in the western town of Bellfield when the gates of the Mack and Sons Distillery closed. This was something that hadn’t been known since the days of the Great Wars of previous generations. Second eldest Mack son, Paddy, had also escaped CPD leaving behind several dead officers including Detective Hickes, a good man caught in the middle of a deadly face off.  

Then there was Tawny, the old Baroness of the Knock Knock Club and Tabitha’s beloved aunt. She had been a resident of the Harbour House rehabilitation clinic after an attack on the club caused a complete mental breakdown. Being treated for trauma she had been safe within the clinic until Tabitha’s trial. As the Law Makers moved in to take her into custody she was gone. Owner of the facility, Dr Winslow, refused to give statement until he had placed himself in the good graces of the Law Makers. Beckingridge Financial Firm had funded a campaign which sent missing person’s reports all around the city and displayed on the screen at Beckingridge Tower, in the hopes of shaking whoever had her or knew of her whereabouts. Thanks to the financial muscle there was not a corner of Coldford that didn’t show an image of Tawny’s smiling face, as all those who knew her and loved her would remember her.  

I wasn’t sure what Elizabeth Beckingridge’s thinking had been behind this. At the helm of the financial giant it would have been her decision, but Tabitha had caused the death of 59 of her clients and staff at an event known as the Free Fall Massacre. Elizabeth had no reason, nor loyalties to Tawny. I could only surmise until her part of the story became more apparent.  

I spoke with a fellow resident of Harbour House, drug addicted artist David Finn. Time in the clinic for his addiction seemed to have done him well. He had been close to Tawny, was fearful for her safety and adamant that the Owen family where responsible for taking her due a long held grudge they had with her. He was willing to tell me all she had ever told him about the Owens and the club but the word of a recovering addict was little for me to go on.  

The room at the Weir was comfortable enough. The red and gold décor matched the hotel colours. I had been housed there ever since Tabitha was taken into custody and my own home became a crime scene. I couldn’t feel safe there though, locked in the centre of City Main. I would much rather have returned to my home in the sleepy suburban spot of Jameston. But the story still lay in the Shady City and I wasn’t quite ready to abandon it when there was still so much to be told.  

My phone rang in a video call. Answering it brought me the pretty, warm and friendly face of Agent Lydia Lowe. She had been by my side and taken great personal risk to keep me safe throughout. It comforted me that she rarely allowed voice calls. She always requested video, forcing me to open up to her.  

“Hey roomie,” she smiled. “I just wanted to check on you and see how you were doing.”  

“Good,” I said. I tried to hold the camera steady offering her nothing but unflattering angles and a view of the roof. “Just packing up now.”  

Lydia giggled as I tried to hold the phone steady. 

“I’ll be back by the time you get here. I’m just wrapping things up with Kim at CPD.”  

Kim was the leader of Lydia’s agency team sent in to bring down the Knock Knock Club and its Boss Lady. She had kindly offered me sanctuary at her City Main home, giving me time and space to clear my own where the perfume of my dead wife, Theresa, still resonated.  

“We’ll get a pizza, a cold beer and figure out our next move. How does that sound?”  

I grinned. It sounded much better than another night alone at the Weir.  

“Sure,” I agreed. “I’ll be there soon.”  

“See ya!” was her cheery sign off.  

I took one last look at my room. I wasn’t sad to leave it.  

I pulled my suitcase into the old-fashioned styled elevator. Bell Boy, Ralph, was on duty wearing the gold and red uniform.  

“Allow me,” he offered, taking the burden of my case. “You might want to get checked out quickly. Things are getting a bit crazy downstairs.”  

Before I had the chance to ask him what he meant the lift doors opened again.  

The main foyer had been swamped by Kappa So brothers, a fraternity based at the University of Filton and founded by the Owen family. It was accusations against this brotherhood and its founding members that caused the city to be split in two in the first place.  

An excitable Kappa So brother leaping around bumped into me, almost knocking me from my feet.  

“Watch out the way, brah!” he yelled in a strong Great States accent even though he was the one who had fallen into me.

He must not have liked the scowl I gave him in return because he shoved me with a scowl of his own. Luckily one of his brothers screamed over to him and motioned for him to join them in the bar where more of his brothers were harassing a bar maid. Glasses had been smashed and cheers rang out. Chairs were over turned in the foyer. The receptionist looked terrified.  

“We are Kappa So!” chanted another group just arriving from a bus that had pulled up outside.  

Rodney Weir himself was filtering among them. He was wearing his Kappa So blazer to show he too was a brother, but was trying to bring some order to the chaos.  

“Checking out.”  

I handed my key to the receptionist. She was a heavy set girl, mid-twenties with a sweet face but completely out of her depth when it came to dealing with the chaos that was coming her way. She accepted the key gratefully but before she could say anything a jeer erupted in the foyer where one of the brothers had climbed on a sofa and knocked it over. He was now lying on the ground. His brothers fell into peals of laughter around him. A storm hit the hotel that day and I was caught in the middle of it. Trying to speak to the receptionist was difficult through the noise.  

“What’s the name?” she asked.  

I hadn’t heard her at first. I was hit on the head with an inflatable penis, the kind one may find in a hen party. One of the brothers, without apologising, grabbed it and waved it as though it was his own penis. He launched it back across the foyer like he was pitching a baseball. The group that had just alighted from the bus were now pushing into the reception desk. The one who had tipped the couch hadn’t gotten back up. A drug cocktail, it seemed, was keeping him down. One of them kicked him. The rest of them sauntered to the bar.  

“What’s the name?” the receptionist asked again.  

“Sam Crusow,” I explained. “Room 415.”  

She started to check the computer. Her manicured nails tap, tap, tapped on the keys. There was a scream from the bar. On a dare, one of the brothers was trying to french kiss eighty-year-old Mrs Riley. He was pushing into her with his tongue protruding and his hands reaching out for her breasts.  

“Thank you, Mr Crusow,” the receptionist said having checked there was no cost left on my room. “I hope you enjoyed your stay.”  

“Hey fatty boom boom we need a room room,” said one of the new arrivals.  

“Excuse me?” she replied. It would have been much easier if she had just given them the rooms.  

“No drama,” a bro cheered. “Can’t smell it.”  

The other bros laughed.  

“Just give us our damn room,” groaned another, more irate brother. He was high on cocaine, or powder as it was known in the Shady City.  

“I’m just finishing with this gentleman,” she said.  

“It’s fine,” I assured her. “I’m done.” 

“Don’t piss her off, brah. She gonna eat ya,” said another, also high on powder.  

“Mr Weir?!” the receptionist called to Rodney.  

The hotelier’s attention was caught. It didn’t take much explanation for him to deduce what was happening.  

“It’s fine, darling,” he said. “Open up the fifth floor.”  

I checked out. I left the bedlam behind. I could still hear the screams as I stepped onto the streets of City Main. The anarchy and all the new arrivals were because Robert ‘Bobby’ Owen was touring the Kappa So Chapter Houses and his next stop was to be Coldford.  

I am reporter, Sam Crusow and my story is far from over.  

*** 

“Listen up bitches. My Pops is comin’ so this place better be ready to receive!” yelled Buddy Owen to his Kappa So brothers who were busy getting the celebrations started at the Coldford Chapter House located on the Filton University Campus.  

The excitement of meeting Bobby Owen wasn’t just Buddy blowing hot air. Despite Buddy’s father, Charles ‘Chick’ Owen – or The Cappy as he was respectfully titled – being the current CEO of Owen Inc, the grandfather was still seen as a deity among the Kappa So brothers. His portrait hung prominently in the main lounge of the house. His reputation as a founder and pioneer spread throughout all the Chapters across the world.  

“I’ve been buzzing all day,” stated Chad, one of Buddy’s closest bros at the top of the Kappa So chain. He wasn’t the only one.  

Buddy went on to address the others. “We’re talking about the Commander in Chief himself coming to visit ya’ll! The great, the legendary, the much admired Bobby fuckin’ Owen. My pops. They sing songs about him in the Great States you know. He’s going to be walking in here any minute and the place smells like a vagina factory!”  

He addressed the lesser bros, ”Ya’ll better recognise just how lucky you are to have him even want to look at ya. The world out there has gone to shit. Our brotherhood survives because the monumental Bobby Owen said it was so. He gifted us our Chapter so we could follow tradition. He set foot in this shitty city so that the people here would see our yellow and black and know it meant something.”  

“We are here so that we can remind people of tradition. Thanks to the awesome and spectacular Bobby Owen we will let the Shady City know that there is an order in life and we are top of that order. We take our place at the top of that order before things get out of hand and we can’t say fuck noodle without offending some vegan, cross-dressing, feminist asshole who identifies as a fuckin’ tree. I am sick and tired of people telling me my words offend them. They should be offended. I got shit to say that people ain’t gonna like. The incomparable Bobby Owen didn’t make this brotherhood what it was so we would have to care about other people. Am I right my brothers?” 

A cheer rang out from the fraternity. Buddy grinned. His cocaine high buzzing even harder as he absorbed his brothers’ excitement.  

“The man in charge himself, my pops, will knock all ya’ll bitches into line. You better be ready to bow because the man is royalty. He is a God here at Kappa So and you should be thanking your mamma she had the good sense to open her legs in time for ya’ll to be here to witness this marvellous…fucking awesome occasion. And don’t forget, contained within his God balls is the essence that created me, your other God.”  

Here Buddy gave a raspy laugh and the other brothers cheered some more.  

“Those are great balls, Buddy,” Chad said, caught up in the excitement.  

Buddy stopped.  

”Thanks Chad,” he said. 

”Got your back, bro,” Chad replied.  

On his right side, Dale Cooper, son of the legendary racing family, Cooper Garages, folded his arms across his chest and waited for Buddy to continue.  

Cheryl, a Kappa So cheerleader, honours student in the first year at Filton, now scraping by, was brought forth. She was so high on powder she could barely walk. She grinned as she was ushered forward and kneeled before Buddy.  

“Go forth,” he ordered, “and let all the whores know that there will be rich old cock to be sucked tonight.” He reached his hand out to Chad to summon him. “Chad?” he called. “Fetch me the golden cock!” 

Chad leapt excitedly. “I’ll get your cock, Buddy.”  

He turned his focus back to Cheryl. The aptly titled ‘coke whore’ was swaying. Her eyes were burning red with the blood vessels bursting through the whites. 

Chad returned and placed a penis made of gold into Buddy’s hand. It was generously proportioned and as anatomically correct as could be found gilded from precious metal.  

A sombre silence fell over the Kappa So hall as Buddy held the golden cock out.  

“With this cock you will summon the best whores,” he said as though a priest delivering mass.  

Cheryl bowed her head. “I will, Buddy,” she agreed.  

“You will treat it with the appropriate respect,” he said. 

“I will Buddy,” she replied again dutifully.  

He passed it into her outstretched hands as though she was accepting communion.  

Buddy pointed to the door.  

“Now go forth. Your task has been assigned.” 

Cheryl climbed onto her feet. Her drug addled stupor made it a bit of a task. She certainly wasn’t as agile then as she was on the cheerleading squads of the university. When she finally did get onto her feet she skipped off, taking the golden cock to the Kappa Si house. The sorority would see the penis etched in gold and the sisters would know that there was a sugar daddy available to please.  

The fresh air as she stepped outside hit her so hard she almost stumbled but the powder pushed her forward. She ran excitedly.  

Harsh headlights came charging towards her like a bull.  

WHAM! 

Cheryl collided with a black van. The van continued on its charge.  

SMASH!  

Kappa So Chapter House received a blow to its west side as the van crashed through.  

*** 

Before they could react – most of them too drunk or drugged to do much anyway – the brothers of Kappa So were swarmed by thugs from the Coldford City football team. They called themselves the loyalists and they descended upon the brothers under the leadership of Reginald Penn, head of the Penn dynasty and the one they hailed as King of City Main.   The Fleet from the Bellfield team had joined them.

Paddy Mack and his brother Kieran were among them.  

“Get the feckers together,” Kieran was calling. “They got some explaining to do.”  

A struggle, violence, bloodshed ensued. Buddy and his brothers were taken to the lawns of the Chapter House. On their knees, beaten badly and sobering fast the brothers looked about themselves, still trying to comprehend what had just happened.  

The loyalists were wrecking the house, whilst the Macks and their Fleet held the brothers to account. The air was tense. Buddy could only hear the noise of the search and the screams of some of the brothers they had found hiding upstairs faintly from the outside. He was in a dream like state and only taking things in in small captions.  

“The king!” cried out a City Main voice.  

“Yer fecked now,” Kieran Mack cheered.  

Buddy tried to focus through his powder high. Through the sea of bodies emerged a commanding presence. Tall, greying fair hair and with an Olympian magnetism, Reginald Penn’s patience was wearing thin. Buddy Owen and his brothers were a pestilence in his way.  

“I will speak to the one in charge,” Reginald said.  

The Kappa So brothers, including Chad and Cooper looked to Buddy. Buddy stared straight ahead and said nothing. Reginald took note of Buddy’s particular discomfort. 

“I’m here because rumour has it you took a friend of mine from Harbour House. A good woman. They call her the Baroness. If she is here we will find her so you might as well make it easier on yourself.”  

Still no brother saw fit to respond. Chad kept looking between Reginald and Buddy. Buddy still made no move.  

A Loyalist brought a thick chain to his king. Reginald accepted it.  

“I call this Belta,’” he said. Some of the loyalists were giddy with excitement. Paddy Mack was expressionless. “She’s going to bash in the brains of every last fucking one of you until you tell me where Tawny is.”  

“Bud, bro,” Chad whimpered, trying to urge Buddy to speak up for them.  

Reginald circled in on Buddy. He pointed Belta at him. She hissed through her coils.  

“You must be an Owen,” he said. “You’ve got that inbred look.” 

The Loyalists chuckled. Buddy still said nothing. “Where is Tawny?” Reginald snarled.  

He raised Belta. Buddy’s sordid life flashed before his eyes. The drugs, the whores, the chaos.  

“I believe, sir, your quarrel is with me.”  

Robert ‘Bobby’ Owen arrived on scene, fresh from the Filton University spa. He had come as a matter of urgency. His shirt still hung open.  

“Leave the boys alone,” he ordered.  

Buddy had never been so glad to see his pops. 

“Bobby Owen,” the elder introduced. “This is my Chapter House you are trespassing upon and I do not care for the intrusion.”  

Reginald remained stationed. Buddy watched Belta swing from his hand like a hypnotist’s time piece.  

“If you are saying you are in charge then we have a problem,” Reginald warned.  

Bobby shook his head. “Your hooligans will not find what they seek here.”  

The elder Owen was surrounded by Loyalists. They took him into custody but Bobby didn’t resist. 

“He’s an old man,” Paddy protested but it did little good. With two of his boys contained within The Boss, another missing and now word spreading that the Owens had taken a good friend of his, the Penn father was intent on blood.  

Bobby Owen was pushed to his knees before the king.  

“Your maniac children belong behind bars. It isn’t afore long. You will join them soon enough. Your friend? I have no idea where she is and I care not. She and her lying whore of a niece are a stain on this city that needed to be wiped clean,” said Bobby.   

Reginald growled. Paddy clutched his arm. 

“Reg …” he warned but Reginald shook it off.  

Reginald took a deep breath.  

WHACK!  

The first blow of the chain sent Bobby Owen onto the grass. Loyalists lifted him back onto his knees. Already his consciousness was waning.  

WHACK! WHACK!  

Some of the brothers cried out seeing the skull of the God among them reduced quickly to a bloody mess. None of them saw fit to try and help. Paddy Mack turned away. Kieran laid a hand on his brother’s shoulder. 

Reginald gasped, catching his breath again.  

WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! 

The highly respected Bobby Owen, the one the people of the Great States sang songs of, was dead. His blood dripped from Belta’s fangs.  

“You are an Owen, ain’t ya,” Reginald hissed at Buddy. “What’s your name?”  

“Buddy,” the Chapter leader replied, trying not to look at the body of his dead grandfather.  

“He’s the son of The Cappy,” Kieran Mack confirmed.  

Reginald swung Belta as he gave it some thought.  

“Get me a phone.”  

One of the loyalists, named Emmerson passed a phone to their king who in turn threw it to Buddy. The KSO brother didn’t make a move to catch it. It bounced off his chest and onto the grass.  

“Pick it up,” ordered Reginald Penn.  

Buddy obeyed. He clasped the phone in a trembling hand.  

“Get your father on the phone. We need to talk,” the king proclaimed.

 

*** 

“Mr Owen’s office. How may I direct your call?” the secretary’s light voice answered.  

“Put me through to The Cappy right away,” said Buddy, still on his knees, still with a wary eye on Belta clasped tightly in Reginald Penn’s hand.  

“May I ask who is calling?” the secretary asked. She seemed distracted by something that was going on in her office.  

“It’s Buddy, you dumb bitch. Get The Cappy on the phone now.”  

“Oh Bernard. I’m so sorry. I didn’t recognise your voice. You sound a little different. Is everything okay?”  

Buddy was losing breath and losing patience. “Tell my father I’m in a bind. It was a phrase Buddy had been taught as a youngster. It would let his father know immediately he was being coerced.  

The secretary fell silent. Reginald scowled at Buddy.  

The secretary rang off. Within seconds the phone screamed a reply in the form of a video call directly from Chick Owen.  

“Answer it,” Reginald ordered.  

The screen opened to show the face of Charles ‘Chick’ Owen. He was in his office in the Great States and aggrieved at the disturbance. Buddy’s words to his secretary had placed him on alert.  

“Buddy?” he asked initially. “Are you hurt?” 

“No,” Buddy replied. “Pops!” The screen was turned to the battered and bloody corpse of Bobby. Reginald snatched the phone from Buddy and addressed Chick directly. The Cappy’s gaze burned through the screen. 

“I was wondering how long it would be before you reached out, Mr Penn.”  

“The old man didn’t have to die. My hand was forced. All I ask is that you hand over Tawny.”  

Cappy raised an eyebrow. “Who?”  

Reginald snarled. “You know who she is and word has it you know where she is.”  

Chick Owen remained calm. “If you are referring to the bar clown who owned the Knock Knock Club then I am somewhat familiar but as for where she is…her current location alludes me.”  

“You talk shite!” Kieran spoke up. Reginald turned to him with a warning stare. Kieran stepped back.  

“You have her and if you hurt her it’s going to be the last thing you ever do,” Reginald warned.

 

The corner of Chick’s upper lip raised. “You take the word of some junked up artist? I thought you were much smarter than that. I heard the rumours too but I challenge you to find any foul play in my Chapter House.”  

“If I find you are lying more of your blood will be shed.” 

Here Chick smiled but it was icy. “You realise we do not recognise any monarchy here in the Great States, self proclaimed or otherwise.”  

Reginald gripped Belta tighter. “This isn’t the Great States. Welcome to fucking Coldford. Have I made my point?”  

The Cappy raised his chin. “Loud and clear.” He reached over and closed the call. The screen fell to darkness.  

*** 

The night chill was setting in. It was sobering. The high Buddy had felt earlier was but a memory. He believed he had never felt so sober. The city was behind him. As they headed north they must have taken a wrong turn on the way to Owen Estate. The true north they called it. It was an expanse of farmlands and empty space. His feet were cold and wet as he and his bros skipped across open fields. None of them had the energy to complain anymore, except Buddy whose irritability was driving him on.  

“That son ‘a’ bitch is gonna pay,” he growled. “Him and his three stooge sons. Fuckin’ triplets. That’s fuckin’ weird.”  

Cooper stopped him.  

“We’ve taken a wrong turn, Bud. Where’s the estate?”  

“How should I know?” Buddy returned with a groan. “C’mon Coops, I’m freezing my balls off just as much as the rest of ya.” 

“I saw a barn about a mile back,” Chad stated. “Maybe we can rest up there and find out where we are.”  

Suddenly beaming lights spotted on them with a booming noise as though the Lord himself was laying down judgement. A voice echoed through the blinding shine.  

“You are trespassing,” it said. It was a deep voice, a man’s voice. It had the bounce of a Bournton accent.  

How far north had they come, Buddy wondered. 

“In these parts we have permission to shoot.”  

Buddy made a move to step forward. The crack of a gunshot warned him to stay where he was.  

Buddy reached his arm up to shield his eyes from the beams.  

“My name is Buddy Owen,” the Kappa So leader spoke up. He was at the end of his tether by then. “I’m having a really shitty night, brah,” he sobbed. “My pops died. One of our whores is in pieces in the street. We had to walk here all the way from City Main.” He was almost sobbing then. “I lost my golden cock!”  

Cooper laid a comforting hand on Buddy’s shoulder.  

Silence fell. Two men walked towards them; their frames silhouetted in the bright light. One was a large burly man with swept back blonde hair. The other was shorter, dark hair and a long face. The both wore shirts with a Harvesters logo.  

The smaller one looked to his companion.  

“Did he just say he had a golden cock?”  

*** 

“I’m Glenn,” the blonde one explained. “You are on Harvester Farm.”  

Buddy whined, “I just want to go home, bro. I was trying to get to Owen Estate. It’s my family’s place.” 

Glenn still didn’t seem so sure.  

It was Cooper who made their plea next. “Dude,” he said. “We gotta get some help. We gotta get some clothes man. We’re freezing our asses off.”  

Buddy turned to Chad. “Will you stop flicking your dick? I can hear you tap, tap, tapping away.”  

Chad lowered his head. “Sorry, Bud.”  

“What do you say, man? Give a bro a break here.”  

“What the fuck was that about a golden cock?” asked the other farm hand.  

Glenn scowled at him. “Leave it, Curtis.”  

The one named Curtis shrugged.  

Glenn sighed. “Follow us up to the east acre. I’ll see what I can do.”  

Grateful for the sanctuary Buddy and his bros followed the truck deeper into Harvester Farm. Curtis spun the wheels throwing mud onto the the already distressed brothers.  

Glenn laughed and punched his arm.  

“Leave them,” he said. “They’ve been through a lot. He said his grandad died.”  

Curtis shook his head. “The spoiled little cunt seemed more upset at losing his golden cock, whatever the fuck that was.”  

Glenn laughed again. “Let it go.”  

The brothers skipped across the gravelled pathway, yelping at the pain in their feet but they were presented with a large farm house. A light was on in the lower floor.  

Buddy beamed as he made his way towards the house. Glenn pulled him back.  

“Oh no you don’t,” he said. “None of you go anywhere near that house. Do you hear?’ 

“Yeah I hear you, bro,” Buddy relented. ”I need a phone,” he pleaded. “I need to call my dad. Maybe you’ve heard of him. Chick Owen? They call him the Cappy.”  

Glenn shook his head, not really listening. “I can’t say we’ve met.” He pointed towards a barn. “Take your brothers to the milking sheds. It will be warm enough in there. I’ll get some blankets and clothes to you.” 

Buddy’s powder high was well and truly gone by then and every pain in his body was magnified. The stench of the farm was already giving him a headache.  

Holding himself up on the fence, Buddy led his brothers to the milking sheds. Curtis was waiting on them, holding the door open.  

“MAAAH!”  

A scream ripped through the night breaking the solemn silence of the brothers.  

WHAM! 

Buddy had a blow to the side as he was knocked away from the fence he was trying to hold himself up on.  

“What the fuck is that!?” He yelped with despair.  

Sharp horns and small, glowing eyes charged at the fence again.  

WHAM! 

The fence rattled.  

“What the fuck is that!?” Buddy asked again, almost in tears.  

“It’s a goat,” Chad explained calmly taking a look over the fence at the animal beyond. “A Pygmy of an old Hathfield breed by the looks of it. Genus Caspar aegugrus.”  

The brothers were now staring at Chad, perplexed.  

Chad Perry was the heir to the Perry Zoo chain. Despite that, being a frat brother, it could be assumed his university degrees had come from special treatment. However, Chad had actually learned quite a bit about his field of zoology. 

“MAAAH!”  

WHAM! 

“Well do you know how to shut that god damn thing up?”  

“MAAAH!”  

“Fuck you, brah,” Buddy screamed at the animal. He stuck his leg through the fence to try and kick it but it skipped away. “You son ‘a’ bitch. You better run!” He yelled but this leg was caught. He tried to pull himself free again but fell into the mud. 

“Aaaah!” He screamed in frustration. “This night sucks dead dong!”  

Cooper helped Buddy up.  

“C’mon bro. They’re watching us.” 

As Glenn had said there was a warmth to the milking sheds. Having grown up on Owen Ranch the bros looked to Buddy as their authority on what to do next. All their leader could do though was kick over a bucket. Forgetting he was bare footed the pain rang through his toes.  

“Medic!” he bawled.  

A short while later the shed door opened and a woman came to them carrying a bundle of blankets in her arms. Buddy’s eyes lit like the beams from the trucks. A beautiful woman, firm bodied, healthy. Her brunette hair was tied back, serving to highlight her shining blue eyes and soft, naturally rosy lips.  

“Welcome to Harvester Farm, boys,” she said. “I’m Julia Harvester.”  


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Character profile: Chad Perry

“Damnit Chad!”

Name: Chad Perry aka

Occupation: Kappa So Frat bro!

Features in: KNOCK KNOCK ; HARBOUR HOUSE ; PURPLE RIBBON ; THE BOSS ; GOOD GANG: GREAT STATES

The son of Austin and Amy Perry of Perry Zoo, Chad is heir to a global zoo dynasty. Unlike most of his bros who don’t have enough of daddy’s attention or mummy’s affection Chad actually hails from a surprisingly loving family. He is especially close to Grandma Perry who was an alligator wrestler in her younger days!

Chad’s attraction to the Kappa So Chapter House comes mostly from his love of his bros, especially Chapter Leader Buddy Owen. A dedicated follower, Chad is willing to support his bros no matter what. He is a caring spirit really but when you are surrounded by chaos it’s hard for that to shine through. Chad is also wild one, the source of a lot of the trouble the bros find themselves in. They say he cannot be tamed!

What will become of Chad Perry? Who knows? But no matter what happens it is almost a certainty his bros will be there right along with him.


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Character Profile: Dale Cooper

Name: Dale Cooper

Occupation: KAPPA SO Bro

Features in: KNOCK KNOCK ; HARBOUR HOUSE ; ERROR 65 ; PURPLE RIBBON ; GOOD GANG: GREAT STATES

Like the rest of his fraternity brothers Cooper is from a long standing, wealthy family. They own Cooper Garage in FILTON, specialists in luxury vehicles such as Belle driven by Captain Charles ‘Chick’ Owen and Dales own Citrus.

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Cooper can always be rest assured Buddy Owen is about to do something ridiculous.

Cooper is best friend and second in command to Bernard ‘BERNARD‘ Owen, whose family founded the Kappa So brotherhood. They are essentially over grown man children with too much wealth and too little responsibility. The Chapter House always plays host to wild parties and Cooper is always in the thick of them.

Kappa So!!!! Cooper, Buddy and Chad seem like overgrown children.


As far as the brothers are concerned Cooper is considered the level head. Raised by a father who is constantly barking like a mad dog Cooper has little to say. Among his bros though he is in his safe space.

His good looks, chick magnet bod and the flashy empire he has coming his way makes him a hot commodity and fills him with potential. Let’s just hope he can put the frat boy nonsense aside to achieve that potential.


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Character Profile: Micky Doyle

“I’ll deliver the city; You deliver the justice.”

The Doyle family have a reputation in the Shady City and cousin Micky has his eyes set on the position of City Mayor.  He will be given the opportunity to do what he can to make sure order reaches every part of the city from the comfort of City Hall.

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Micky makes plans to run for mayor.

If the KNOCK KNOCK CLUB is responsible for Mayor Feltz going missing Micky can’t be too mad. It has left a spot open for him. Micky is ambitious, so when the door of the Mayor’s office opens he sees opportunity. Why shouldn’t he? He can play a round of politics better than most. Will he improve matters in the Shady City though? He does have some skeletons he can’t let escape his closet.

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Micky discusses future plans with his cousin.

His powerful friends need his particular charm. Whilst his cousin rules with fear from the HIGH COURT, the LAW MAKERS need someone who can win over a city. Micky Doyle is the wild card of the Doyle family. He is the happy face they put on in times of trouble.

Complete season 1 of the Knock Knock graphic novel series is free to read HERE.

Or click HERE to download for Kindle.

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Character Profile: Captain Charles ‘Chick’ Owen

“You make me madder than a wet hen.”

Name: Charles ‘Chick’ Owen

Occupation: CEO of Owen Inc.

Features in: KNOCK KNOCK ; PURPLE RIBBON ; HARBOUR HOUSE

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The patriarch of the Owen family. They call him The Captain (Cappy among friends).

He is a true captain of industry, head of the Owen family and holder of the family skeletons. He has the money to buy just about anything. How does a whole city sound? Going cheap.

Accusations against his family left him with no choice but to react harshly.

“It doesn’t matter if he did it or not. He’s one of our own,” said Chick.

A KAPPA SO brother for life, the Cappy is no stranger to cover ups. Not a shred of verifiable evidence was found. The clean up crew did a good job.

When noise from the KNOCK KNOCK CLUB starts interrupting business again it’s time for Chick to flex some muscle.

As difficult an enemy he can be to make he prides himself on reasoning. It just so happens that his reasoning can prove too much for some. He refuses to be backed into a corner. An Owen never misses.

Being the head of such a powerful family Chick takes great pride in his family name as such protects it fiercely. He speaks fondly of his ancestry who were explorers and pioneers. From discovering new lands and opportunities to the founding of the Kappa So fraternity he uses the impact the Owens have had in the past to prepare them for global reach in the future.


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Knock Knock: Episode 14: Laying Down the Law

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In the largest office of the Law Makers, adjacent to the COURT HOUSE, dwelled a figurehead that loomed over the city like a great vengeful deity. JUDGE KARYN DOYLE. She began her career as the youngest district court judge in Coldford history and the first woman to sit on the Children’s Services Committee. She was a pioneer in a lot of ways. Justice was always her objective but what did that mean? On the face of it, that meant wrongdoers were put behind bars. People like TABITHA and the HEADLINERS wouldn’t be tolerated in her city and she would stop at nothing until satisfactory justice had been served. Justice is a set of scales though. They had to weigh up and balance. Therefore, justice was also seeing families made homeless because of unpaid rent. Justice was tearing families apart because fathers didn’t have work permits. Justice was punishing someone for fighting to protect him or herself. Justice was having a young girl’s underwear on display because some depraved rapist took advantage of her. Justice could see a rich, powerful family using their influence to protect them from slander. After everything I’ve seen in the Shady City, nothing surprised me. Justice, however, was supposed to be blind. Cold facts and evidence were supposed to be the deciding factors. Tabitha had committed some horrendous crimes and she would pay for them, but how would those scales of justice weigh up against her? Would justice even listen to the truth or would the sight of the red dress and an unrelenting attitude blind them? Tabitha wouldn’t break easily. What worried me was the extent the LAW MAKERS, who had her in their grasp, would go to in order to make sure that she did. Justice loved breaking down those who would not follow her laws. She fed on it. Tabitha deserved punishment but who else would come to harm in the process? For the time being she still had two well-polished fingers held up at them and she taunted. “You know where to find me. Come and get me.” There was nothing they could do. There were rules to follow and what was justice without rules? But as AGENT LYDIA, relieved of her under cover duties at the KNOCK KNOCK CLUB and her supervising partner AGENT KIM climbed the steps of the Law Makers office the rules were about to change.

The agents stood before the large desk. The Law Maker symbols on the pillar behind her felt like the eyes of Gods watching. Judge Doyle remained silent until Buddy had cleared the room.

“Congratulations on your success,” the Judge broke the heavy silence. “I hear she is now in custody.” She referred to Tabitha, Boss Lady of the Knock Knock Club.

Kim responded, “Yes, Your Honour. We have also taken the Penn triplets into custody.”

“A job well done then,” stated Doyle coldly. The mother of the triplets, Rita Penn, didn’t take much to do with the running of things ever since the father of the triplets, Reginald, left them the Auction House. It was their chance to bring order to both the Shanties, home of the Knock Knock Club, and City Main, the area that housed the Penn Empire.

“Agent Lowe,” the judge turned her attention to Lydia. “I will expect a full report by tomorrow. We need to move things along quickly whilst we can.”

Lydia nodded in agreement. “Yes, ma’am.” Lydia knew better than most how much of a slippery fish Tabitha could be so time was of the essence.

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“The Bailiffs will take it from here but I do have a specific request for you, agent.”

Lydia looked to Kim first then back at the Judge to wait for her instructions. “I have issued a gagging order on the reporter, Sam Crusow. I can’t have him talking to anyone about what happened until trial is fixed. Am I correct in saying you formed something of a bond with him? You were the first to recover him from the club and you testified to his innocence in the death of his colleague, MADELINE LOWER.”

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“I had a little chance to talk to him. Getting him on the inside is the thing that gave us what we needed to bring Tabitha in. She pitted his colleague against him and he defended himself. He’s a good man.” Lydia spoke warmly on my behalf.
Doyle pursed his lips. “Good man or not, reporters are dangerous. There will be enough fuss to shut out from the press because of this and I can’t have someone with his insight at large. He is a key witness and as such I want you to stay close to him. For his own protection of course and to make sure he does not under any circumstances violate my order. You have a rapport with him. Keep him calm and keep him safe.”

Lydia agreed, “Yes ma’am.”

So the agent was tasked with being by my side. As trial was set and events continued to spill out I would be glad to have her close by me.

As they stepped outside the Court House into the warm afternoon air Lydia felt ill at ease.

Lydia expressed her concern to her mentor.

“Something is a bit off about this,” she said. Her instincts were telling her something was wrong but until more motives revealed themselves she couldn’t quite put her finger on what that was.

Kim agreed. “I know, pet. Just keep your eyes open.”

“Tabitha will use any trick she has to get away,” added Lydia. She had seen some of the extents the Boss Lady had been willing to go to to get her way.

Kim shook her head. “Then let’s hope we’ve delivered her to the one person in the city who can put her away for a very long time.”

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Judge Doyle was already aware of the questions that were formulating in my head. For example, where did this bad blood between the Boss Lady and The Judge first begin?

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***

“Case file 03300347,” announced the clerk.
The room was almost empty. A woman sat at the back holding two boys close to her. Tabitha watched them. One of the boys looked up and managed a small smile. Tabitha returned with a similar gesture. None of the family looked like they had slept much in days. Their black skins were lack lustre and the mum’s eyes were blood shot.

“Case file 03300347. McInney. Step forward,” the clerk ordered.

Aunt Tee patted Tabitha’s arm. “Alright honey, it’s now or never.” She shuffled from the pew they were sat in, a few rows in front of the family. Tabitha waited patiently. A cold draught blew around her with her aunt’s curvy frame removed. She had been staying at the Knock Knock Club for the past few weeks. Her parents were of course furious, but they didn’t care enough to retrieve her. TAWNY, the old Baroness of the club swore to her that she didn’t have to go anywhere. Not at least until they had had their day in court.
Tawny saw that her niece was nervous that morning so she tried to fill her with confidence.

“It’s all about creating a good impression,” said the aunt. She held a pair of old spectacles to her face. “Business woman,” she pulled them away. “Gal on the go.” She put the glasses to her face again. “Business woman.” She pulled them away. “Party girl!”
Tabitha had giggled. Her smile calmed Tawny’s own nerves.
Before she faced the Judge she flashed her niece a confident smile. Tabitha could see the fear behind her eyes. There was so much at stake.
“Good morning, ma’am,” greeted Tawny keenly.
Judge Doyle offered an emotionless stare from behind her desk. She motioned for Tawny to come closer.
“I see you have raised a petition for custody,” began the Judge. “The child in question is your niece. Is that correct?”

Tawny answered smoothly. “Yes ma’am. That is correct.” She gave a fleeting glance back at Tabitha as though she was checking she was still there.
“Both of her natural parents are still living?”

Tawny agreed. “Yes, ma’am. They reside in FILTON.”

“I see,” Doyle mused. She flicked through some pages of notes that lay on her bench. “You do realise it is never the intention of this court to remove a child from their parents unless there are extenuating circumstances.”

Tawny remained cool but the emotion in her voice wavered a little. “There are circumstances, ma’am, really dire ones.”

Doyle pushed the notes aside. She wanted to address the petitioners directly. She leaned forward a little and fixed her gaze on the Baroness. Her eye and her neck were fine in those days. Her scars non-existent.

“Then why don’t you explain it to me.”

Tawny took a deep breath. She hadn’t wanted to discuss what had happened in such a public forum for Tabitha’s sake but she was left with no choice.

“My brother and my sister-in-law accepted money in exchange for the prostitution of my niece.”

Judge Doyle’s expressionless deportment fell into a severe frown. She reached for her notes and again flicked through them.

“That is a pretty damning accusation,” stated the Judge.

Tawny fidgeted with the blazer she wore in an attempt to seem official. “I was appalled when I heard ma’am. She’s just a little girl.”

The judge gave no clue to her thinking in her expression. “I see no police report here.”
Tawny had to admit. “It wasn’t reported.”

As the Judge rested back in her chair to observe Tawny clearer, a shadow cast across her eyes.

“Why ever not? Surely if you found out such a thing it would be your first course of action? A crime of that magnitude against the child should have been reported?”

“My brother has some pretty powerful friends. It wouldn’t have helped. That’s why I wanted to appeal to you directly, ma’am. I was worried it wouldn’t reach the right ears.”

“And you were there? You saw this exchange take place?”

“No,” Tawny had to admit. “But Tabitha told me about it. My sister-in-law’s family have been drivers for the Owen family for years. They were having a party one night and made Tabitha their center focus like she was some kind of prize. Reverend Jerry Owen was the one who organised it. He was the one that gave them the money.”

“I know Reverend Owen personally. He is a very well-respected member of the community, a charitable man. Are you saying he raped her?”

Tawny shook her head. “He didn’t get the chance to. She fought him off like a champ and ran to me.”

“So he never actually touched her?”

Tawny frowned, “What difference does that make?”

Judge Doyle waved for her to be quiet. “Suppose I accept your story and this is true. Are you fully prepared to accept responsibility for your niece?”

Tawny beamed, thinking she was finally getting through the icy exterior. “Of course.”

“Where would she be schooled?” asked the Judge.

“I … errr …” Tawny hesitated. “In the city I guess.”

The Judge leaned over and whispered something to the clerk. He took note.

“And what is it you do?” The Judge asked her.

“I’m a performer. I own a club in the city. The Knock Knock Club.”

Without looking at Tawny, Judge Doyle began taking notes. “I’ve heard of the Knock Knock club. It has quite the reputation. A night club isn’t exactly the appropriate place for a child.”

Tawny replied, “Maybe not ma’am but she has had more love and support there than she ever did at home. Ye have no idea what they’ve put that girl through!” As she became more desperate her Hathfield Bay accent started to creep in.

The judge read from the notes. “I see you have a partner.”

“Yes, a loving woman. Agnes.”

Judge Doyle looked up. Her focus locked on Tawny again. “I notice that she isn’t here with you. Is she also willing to accept responsibility for the child?”

Tawny tried to mask her frustration but it spilled into her words. “She loves Tabitha just as much as I do.”

Judge Doyle abandoned her notes and crossed her arms in front of her.
“Tell me something. Is your niece happy at home?”

Tawny frowned – an alien expression on her round, pleasant face. “Of course, she isn’t. Her parents are monsters.”

Judge Doyle returned to her notes once again. A silence washed over them as she read more. Footsteps in the corridor outside broke it. The woman at the back began sobbing silently on the shoulder of her eldest son, still wrapped up in her own drama.

Judge Doyle addressed Aunt Tee again. “I see here you had a mental breakdown – acute anxiety disorder. Is that correct?”

Tawny shook her head. She hadn’t prepared for that coming up. “That was a long time ago,” she explained. “I was overworked, setting things up with the club. I just want to protect my FUCKING NIECE! …” She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry ma’am. I just want to protect my niece. She’s just a little girl.”

The gaze of the judge narrowed. “I understand that emotions are running high but you will conduct yourself properly in my court or I will dismiss your case immediately. It is admirable that you want to protect her but let’s not forget that this is a troubled young girl. I see she has been in Jefferson Hall no less than five times. Assault and battery, mostly.”

Jefferson Hall was the juvenile detention center in Coldford for wayward children who were too young to be sent to the Monte Fort or Coldford Correctional.

Tabitha stood up. “You don’t know me!” She screamed, startling the family in the back. “You can’t say that.”

Tawny turned and tried to usher her to sit down. “Tabby, honey,” she said. “It’s fine. Just sit. It’s okay.”

Tabitha clamped her hands on her hips and scowled. “That cunt thinks because she’s sat behind the big desk in her big fucking chair she knows me! Because of a few bits written on a piece of paper.”

Aunt Tee tried again. “Tabby, please just calm down.”

Judge Doyle gathered the notes she had authoritatively tapped together on her desk. Her lip curled and her nostrils flared.

“Young lady, approach my bench,” she spat with venom. Tabitha obliged but she was still furious. When she stood before her The Judge said, “this court will not tolerate that kind of behaviour and for that I am dismissing your case indefinitely.”

“No!” Tawny lost her composure. “You can’t! Please just give us a chance.”

“From what I see, you are not fit to be a guardian.”

Tawny stepped forward. “I’m begging you, ma’am, please. She is not safe in that house. Please just let her come with me.”

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Judge Doyle kept an icy stare on the aunt. She passed her notes to her clerk. “I’ve made my decision,” stated she.

Tawny started to sob. “She’s a good girl really. She has had her problems but she’s a good girl. They tried to buy her so she could be passed around society perverts. They stripped her down and put her on display. Please don’t send her back to that. Let her stay with me where she will be safe.”

Doyle’s arm dropped. She looked at Tabitha. The mother at the back pulled her boys closer.

“Given these accusations I have no choice but to raise it with my colleagues at the Child Services Committee. They will investigate. You are to return her to her parents within the next 24 hours until this investigation is complete. If you fail to comply, I will revoke the licence of your club and you will find yourself under charges. Do you understand?”

Tawny pulled Tabitha closer to her.

“This isn’t over,” Tabitha growled.

#amreading the #thriller #graphicnovel #knockknock by @VivikaWidow


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What’s the Rush? part 2

The rattle of a phone on the bedside table brought BUDDY OWEN‘s headache back with thundering fury.

A bottle of MACK AND SONS lay beside the bed. Buddy reached over and finished the dregs at the bottom. He caught the phone just before it fell to the floor.

“Yeah, what?” he answered.

“Please hold for Mr Owen,” Buddy’s father’s secretary said calmly. Buddy liked her voice. It’s sultry sound made him want to ask what she was wearing. The delicious description would be satisfying. She probably looked like a syphilitic weasel in real life, he wouldn’t know, he had never actually met her. Charles ‘Chick’ Owen, better known as The Captain or Cappy to his friends had a circulation of secretaries he used. He didn’t trust anyone without his family name to be close to his business for too long.

“Yeah, whatever,” Buddy replied as he laid back and rubbed his head with his free hand. The secretary’s voice disappeared. Probably just as well. Buddy didn’t have the energy for a reach beneath the sheets anyway.

“You had better be sitting up and listening to what I have to say to you,” Chick’s harsher voice came through.

Buddy raised an eyebrow. “Good morning, dad. And how are you?” asked the Cappy’s only son.

“Don’t fucking ‘good morning’ me,” Chick spat down the phone. “Do you have any idea what I have been dealing with this morning because of you?”

Buddy wanted to say, ‘same bullshit; different day?’ but thought better of it. “How am I supposed to know? I’m just back from my morning swim,” he lied.

“Weirs,” Chick explained.

Buddy rolled over onto his side and started fumbling along the floor in search of another bottle. “You’re gonna have to be more specific.”

“He had his boy at General this morning. Stitches. He claims he was raped at the CHAPTER HOUSE and Rodney is furious. Now he’s being a pain in the ass.”

Buddy couldn’t hide his frustration. “Why should ah care?”

Chick’s voice went white hot. “Because it is your Chapter House, boy. I gave it to you in good faith. We’re looking to take over more of the Weir chain and if Rodney backs out because of what happened to his faggy son I’m holding you responsible.”

Buddy’s lip curled. “I have better things to think about than some Sissy who can’t handle a bit of heat.”

Chick was unmoved. “I’m warning you, Bud. If I have another morning like the one I’m having I’m shipping you back to your God Damned Mother! Do you hear me?”

“Yessir,” Buddy relented.

“Sort your shit out,” Chick barked before hanging up.

Buddy slid to a seating position at the edge of the bed. His father’s call left him annoyed and now his headache was turning into a migraine.

“Stupid fucking faggot,” he growled. “Couldn’t keep his mouth shut.”

He opened the drawer of the bedside table and retrieved a large clear bag of cocaine and a razor blade. He poured himself a generous helping and used the blade to split the powder into lines. As he leaned over to snort the first up his left nostril he felt a hand draw softly across his bare back.

“Good morning, Buddy,” greeted a soft, feminine voice. “Problems?”

“None ah ya business,” he growled.

The powder was taking effect quickly. It was easing his headache a little and giving him energy. His bed mate drew herself up and closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her chin on his shoulder.

“Cut me a line,” she requested. Her frizzy, mousey brown hair tickled his neck.

“I’m not wasting premium gear on a second rate blow job,”

The bed mate pursed her lips. “Fuck you,” she snarled.

Buddy was buzzing now. He felt invincible. “Already did that. That was second rate too,” he gave a hearty laugh.

“You’re a piece of shit,” she snarled at him.

“Get the fuck out, you skanky whore,” he replied.

The girl climbed out of the bed and retrieved her clothes from the floor in a fluster. She snarled at him again.

“Creep,” she said as she departed.

Carly – now he remembered. She was part of the university cheer leading team, or was it gymnastics? Either way she didn’t look half as bad last night when he met her as she did then. Normally he enjoyed having a coke whore to play with but that morning he had bigger fish to fry.

He contemplated one more line but he decided to leave it as his reward for later. He lifted his phone again and dialled the main office of the WEIR HOTEL.

“I need to speak to Mr Weir,” he told the office of the hotel minion that answered.

“May I ask who’s calling?” the overly posh voice caused Buddy’s teeth to grit.

“Bernard Owen. He’s gonna wanna to speak to me.”

“Hold please and I’ll check his availability.”

***

‘That twisted little shit!’ Rodney growled to himself as he rang off from Buddy.

He had urged his son Daniel to pledge KAPPA SO but he had never expected what happened to him. He was still tired from having to listen to his wife, Wendy, balling all night about how hurt her precious boy was. The stupid woman didn’t realise that coddling the boy too much was the reason he was unable to stand up for himself.

“I am shocked and appalled that such behaviour would happen in my Chapter House,” Buddy had tried at first in a sweetened tone but Rodney was no fool. He too had been Kappa So in his younger days and was locked in business with the Owen family.

When Rodney threatened Buddy with consequences the chapter leader laughed and his sweetened tones soured.

“You listen to me you son ‘a’ bitch,” he said to the hotel owner. “He fucking loved it and I have videos to prove it. We could make your son a star.”

“You wouldn’t dare …” Rodney barked back.

“Try me old man. I got nothin’ on ma schedule and a long day ahead. You keep your mouth shut and we say nothin’ more of it.”

Rodney pulled out his desk drawer and picked one of his cigars. He clenched it between his teeth and bit down hard.

Wendy wanted those responsible for hurting Daniel to be punished but what damage had been done really? He was a little shook up and he needed some stitches but maybe the incident would finally make him see what his father was trying to show him about the world.

He had been at the hospital earlier that morning but Daniel had nothing to say to him. Having to discuss what happened in detail with doctors and nurses had left him shell shocked. Wendy wanted the police involved but most of COLDFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT was on the Owen pay role anyway. Rodney told his wife that he would deal with it.

The Cappy had offered to speak to his son but clearly that had no real affect. Buddy has his own way of doing things, probably learned from the Owen boardroom.

The choice was simple. Keep quiet.

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What’s the Rush? Part 1

What’s the Rush? part 2

What’s the Rush? Part 3

Daniel should never have gone to the Chapter House. His ordeal is spilling over. The Weir Hotel chain reaches far and wide. Now everyone will know what happened.

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The boys of Kappa So have a bone to pick with the Knock Knock Boss Lady in volume 2. In the meantime Volume 1 is free to read on Vivika Widow Online or download for Kindle by clicking HERE.

KNOCK, KNOCK: Episode 1: Welcome to the Club

Knock, Knock: Episode 2: Don’t Come Knockin’

Knock, Knock: Episode 3: Sleep Tight Sam

Knock, Knock: Episode 4: Take A Bow

Knock, Knock: Episode 5: A Room With A View

Knock, Knock: Episode 6: Picking Up Strange Women

Knock, Knock: Episode 7: No Kids Allowed

Knock, Knock: Episode 8: Kids These Days

Knock, Knock: Episode 9: Shootin’ The Breeze

Knock, Knock: Episode 10: Calling Last Orders

Knock Knock: Episode 11: Shady City Blues

Knock Knock: Episode 12: Going Down

Knock Knock: Episode 13: Got the Fever

Knock Knock: Episode 14: Laying Down the Law

Knock Knock: Episode 15: Still I Stand

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What’s the Rush? Part 1

“No dad. I won’t do it,” Daniel Weir groaned.

His father, Rodney, owner of the largest luxury HOTEL CHAIN in the Shady City, removed the cigar that was clenched between his teeth and dropped it into the crystal ash tray that sat on his mahogany desk.

“You will do what I tell you,” Rodney warned. “It’s bad enough you want to waste your life taking pictures like some pansy. If you pledge KAPPA SO at least you will have something to fall back on. I was Kappa So and so was your Grandad.”

“It’s not a waste of time. Photography is art, dad,” insisted Daniel. This only made Rodney more determined.

“That’s always been your problem. You are too fucking artsy.”

There were rumours on the campus of FILTON UNIVERSITY of the brutal pledging rituals of Kappa So. It seemed only extreme dedication could ensure a brother would be protected for life – no matter what.

“You need this Danny Boy,” stated the father. “It’ll make a man out of you.”

Daniel shook his head. “I’ll not do it,” he insisted.

“You will or I won’t waste any more money funding your so-called course.” Rodney’s face had become almost as red as his hair. “Photography,” he scoffed.

Daniel pulled on a black beanie hat, covering his own red hair. He knew it would be useless to argue.

“If it means so much to you then I’ll pledge,” he relented. He wanted nothing more than to be a photographer. He was good at it and with some teaching he could be great. Without the funding he would have to leave the university and leave VINCENT.

He had tried to plead against Kappa So already.

“Have you heard what they do to the pledges?” he had said to both his mother and father.

Rodney had scoffed then too. “Don’t exaggerate, Danny Boy,” he said. “It’s just silly games. If you are so sensitive this world is going to eat you alive. Maybe you should fucking join the girls instead …”

And so it was that Daniel Weir – one of the rightful elite in COLDFORD – opted to pledge. He could still feel Vincent’s gentle good luck kiss on his lips as he stood outside the CHAPTER HOUSE. The large, intimidating building bore down on him like a great monster. The windows like eyes, scanning him for suitability for entry. Loud, thumping music played inside. Screams, cries and laughter from excitable young men were barely audible through it. Empty bottles of beer, used condoms and streamers littered the lawn.

Another nervous pledge stepped beside him. He was a polite youth with neatly combed brown hair and wearing a pin stripe shirt.

“You ready for this?” he asked.

Daniel shook his head. “Not really. My boyfriend thinks I’m mad but my dad insisted.”

The fellow pledge reached his hand out. “Lewis Salinger,” he introduced.

It was a name Daniel recognised. The Salinger family had ran Filton’s premier private school, PETTIWICK, for generations. It was the school Daniel had attended. Only the elite would do for Kappa So.

“Dan,” replied the photography student. “Errr, Daniel Weir.”

Lewis beamed. “Oh the hotel heir?” he reached for the door. “Shall we?”

Daniel took a deep breath.

***

Being on the inside of the Chapter House didn’t’ seem so bad at first. Everyone was too busy partying, drinking and filling their bodies with drugs to take notice of Daniel so he spent most of the night in the corner chatting to a girl named Alicia from the University. She was interested in photography too and they hit it off right away.

“I’ll have to show you some of my shots,” Daniel offered.

They had a bottle of beer each and appeared to be an oasis of calm amidst the chaos. Daniel even started to consider himself having a good time. That was until ten pm and Chapter Leader, BUDDY OWEN, turned up. He came charging through like a great bull, tackling one of the brothers roughly onto a beer stained sofa. He brushed back his blonde hair and tightened his broad shoulders that carried an athletic frame. The Kappa So members cheered at the sight of their man in charge.

Buddy had the strong chin that was prominent in the Owen family. The Owen’s founded Kappa So generations before. They brought it to COLDFORD from the Great States so there was always one of them in authority. Rumour told that Buddy was the worst.

“So who’s my new bitches!?” he cried over the crowd. The party quietened to listen to the wisdom of their ruler. Buddy’s eyes were wide with the effects of the powder he had only recently snorted. Current brothers pointed out Daniel, Lewis and a few others. “Stop looking at me like I’ve got tits. Front and centre bitches.”

Lewis and the others obeyed. Daniel’s heart was skipping beats as he followed. Lewis had been consuming as much alcohol as he could from the moment he arrived so he was a little unsteady on his feet.

Buddy observed them like he was a Sergeant Major. “Never before have I seen such a pathetic bunch of pussies. So you want to pledge Kappa So?”

“Yes, sir,” agreed Lewis and the others with some enthusiasm.

Having remained silent Buddy circled his attention on Daniel. “You look like a faggot,” he said.

Daniel raised his eyebrows. “Excuse me?”

Buddy erupted into peals of laughter. He gave a bad imitation. “Excuse me?” He turned to his brothers. “Listen to this one.” The brothers laughed and cheered. “Listen up ginger pubes, you tell me if you are a queer or not.”

Daniel wished he had never came. When he hesitated Lewis spoke for him.

“He is,” he confirmed. “He has a boyfriend and everything.”

Buddy’s nose wrinkled. “That’s fucking gross.”

The other boys laughed, encouraging their leader. From the corner of his eye Daniel could see Alicia being led upstairs by one of the brothers.

“We don’t like faggots in Kappa So,” Buddy stated. “Is that what you are?”

Daniel considered his options. He considered lying to the Kappa So leader but to what end? To be accepted by a group that would otherwise outwardly reject him because of who he was? The thought of denying Vincent was the deciding factor.

“I’m gay if that’s what you mean,” he said. He could feel his body start to tremble.

Buddy swayed a little with the effects of the powder. His grin stretched.

“There’s only one use for fags in Kappa So and that’s when all the pussies in the place have been pounded and the boys are still aching for a hole.” The brothers cheered. Relishing their adoration Buddy continued. “If you pledge your ass belongs to us. Are you a giver or a taker?” The brothers responded with more cheers and laughter. “What do you say boys? Will we keep this one for those nights when you just need a hole and any hole will do?”

Some were sneering at Daniel now. Lewis laughed though. Buddy circled on him like a vulture on a carcass.

“This one is pissing me off,” he said. He reached his hand out and without saying anything one of the bothers handed him an empty beer bottle. Buddy smashed the bottle over Lewis’ head. The private school heir fell to the floor crying out in pain. Blood poured from the wound the glass shards had torn in his freckled forehead.

“This little bitch can’t handle her beer!” Buddy cried. He kicked him over. Lewis was still clutching his head. Buddy called to one of the brothers sat on the tatty sofa with his arm around a girl who’s vest top had been pulled so low her lacy, purple bra was showing. She was high on something, Daniel deduced. Her eyes were rolling and her head kept slumping.

“You’re a doctor, ain’t ya?” Buddy challenged the brother. “Stitch him up.”

Like Buddy, the student doctor was ploughed with powder but with the help of some of the others they managed to pull Lewis towards the kitchens.

“I’m not staying,” Daniel stupidly announced. He turned to make his way to the door but Buddy called after him.

“Not so fast, sissy boy,” he said.

Daniel was pulled back by a firm grip on the collar of the emerald shirt he wore and the waist band of his trousers.

***

It was around midnight when the buzzer of Daniel’s student apartment sounded. Vincent had been reading a thriller novel whilst he waited. As the noise of Daniel’s return filtered through the words the sluggishness he had been feeling fell away.

‘He said he was only staying until ten,’ he thought to himself. ‘He must have had a better time with his new brothers than he expected.’

The buzzer rang again impatiently. Daniel should have let himself in. Vincent dropped the book on the night stand and followed the noise to the main entrance. When he opened the heavy security door Daniel fell into his arms. He had come home without his jacket and the seat of his jeans were soaked through with blood.

“They’re fucking animals!” Daniel cried. The curse word so unlike him.

His arm trembled with weakness as Vincent wrapped it around his neck to help him upstairs. When they got to Daniel’s apartment he stumbled towards the bed. He winced in pain as he sat down. Stepping into the light Vincent could see his face was bruised a little but the pain was obviously more concentrated on his body. Daniel started to pull off his shirt, ripping it instead of handling the buttons. It was too painful so Vincent helped him. He gasped when he saw his torso. It was beaten badly, probably a few broken ribs too. The words KAPPA SO 4 LIFE had been written across his chest in permanent marker.

“Lie back,” Vincent instructed. “I’m going to clean you up.”

He gently pushed Daniel back but he cried out in pain. His full lips tightened. He refused to sob but a tear was forming in his eyes.

“You need to go to the police,” Vincent said, conscious of the blood staining the clean grey sheets on the bed. “You need to go to a hospital.”

“No,” Daniel insisted quite stubbornly. He gripped Vincent’s arm and tried to pull himself back onto his feet. “I just need to shower. I just need to wash them off of me.”

“Make sure you finish,” Buddy had instructed the pledges.

There had been ten of them. They were tentative at first but as the highs kicked in and the crowd mentality took over it became worse. Daniel tried to escape. That was when they used the shards of from the broken bottle.

We did warn you the pledging for Kappa So was brutal. The story is not over yet.

What’s the Rush? Part 1

What’s the Rush? part 2

What’s the Rush? Part 3

Daniel should never have gone to the Chapter House. His ordeal is spilling over. The Weir Hotel chain reaches far and wide. Now everyone will know what happened.

KNOCKKNOCK_timetopledge

 

850FF2AD-B4C6-4879-8F91-C09212C65053

The boys of Kappa So have a bone to pick with the Knock Knock Boss Lady in volume 2. In the meantime Volume 1 is free to read on Vivika Widow Online or download for Kindle by clicking HERE.

KNOCK, KNOCK: Episode 1: Welcome to the Club

Knock, Knock: Episode 2: Don’t Come Knockin’

Knock, Knock: Episode 3: Sleep Tight Sam

Knock, Knock: Episode 4: Take A Bow

Knock, Knock: Episode 5: A Room With A View

Knock, Knock: Episode 6: Picking Up Strange Women

Knock, Knock: Episode 7: No Kids Allowed

Knock, Knock: Episode 8: Kids These Days

Knock, Knock: Episode 9: Shootin’ The Breeze

Knock, Knock: Episode 10: Calling Last Orders

Knock Knock: Episode 11: Shady City Blues

Knock Knock: Episode 12: Going Down

Knock Knock: Episode 13: Got the Fever

Knock Knock: Episode 14: Laying Down the Law

Knock Knock: Episode 15: Still I Stand

KNOCKKNOCK_buddyeffigy2_vivikawidow_withlogo