“Olives are fruit.”
“Well that’s just as good,” I say. Liz rolls her eyes at me. She’s getting pretty brash for a right-hand man, but I take that as a good sign. She’s getting comfortable. We’re bonding even. When I leave the house she still gets grouchy, even though I’ve given her a long leash so she can swim in the pool and I bring her sushi a bunch more times – even though she knows I hate it – but she’s still all ‘why do I need a leash this,’ and ‘why can’t we leave the house that’. If she wasn’t the brains of my operation and my only friend I probably would have launched her off the patio and onto the rocks long ago. But she is, and so I don’t.
It takes less than a week to locate a crew worthy of me and my big ideas. I find one that has lots of henchmen. Most of them dissatisfied with management, making it ripe for takeover. It’s funny, but the new crew I’ve picked out kind of look like my Vegas crew, bigger, tougher, and there’s way more of them, but all the same elements are in place. It’s easy to see who’s in charge, who the guy in charge trusts, who the heavies are, and even the fall guys and bag men. Apparently, crime is all about the same wherever you go.
I watch them from the rafters of their ‘hide-out’ for two nights before deciding to introduce myself.
Liz is nervous, as she is anytime I leave her cuffed and gagged for an extended period of time.
“Do we really have to do the gag, Lola, I thought we were beyond that?”
“Sorry Liz, but I don’t know how long I’ll be gone.”
“But Lola, you said, you said I’m supposed to be your right-hand man, and your friend even, how is that supposed to happen if you can’t start trusting me?” she asks. She has a point. I lay the gag down on the dresser.
“All right,” I say, “But understand me. This is a test. You betray me Liz and I won’t be satisfied with just killing you – no matter where you run. Understand?”
“Yes,” Liz says seriously. “I understand.” I smile at her, happy that we’re finally evolving. I spin around showing off the cat suit.
“How do I look?”
“Smashing,” she replies sarcastically.
“Be nice,” I warn, looking for my black gloves.
“Are you going to take anything?” she asks.
“What do you mean? Like a nice bottle of wine? It’s not a housewarming party, Liz.”
“Of course. I meant more like a donation of some kind. Something to show them what you bring to the table.”
“You seriously want me to give them something? Other than the opportunity to be my henchmen?”
“I just think you’ll have an easier time convincing them that you’re their best bet if you show them what you have to offer them. The superpowers are impressive, of course, but guys like this, I think they’re probably not too interested in a woman boss – superpowers or no. If you can show them what you can bring to them – riches, power, whatever – I just think you’ll have an easier time.” She shrugs. I stand with my hands on my hips considering her idea. She is, of course, the brains. I pull four big duffels out of the closet, two filled with cash and two filled with jewelry and loose stones, mostly diamonds.
“Cash or jewels?” I ask Liz, surveying the bags, hands on my hips. Liz’s eyes bug out at the overflowing bags.
“Jesus,” she breathes. “I suppose the jewelry has more visual impact.”
“Jewels it is,” I say, kicking three of the bags back into the closet. I zip up the duffel and turn to Liz. “That it?” I ask.
“I suppose,” she says shrugging noncommittally. I pull the strap over my shoulder and check my watch.
“Okay, see you in a few hours.”
“Good luck,” Liz offers. I turn in the doorway.
“You mean that?” I ask.
Liz pauses and then looks me in the eye. “I do.”
“Hmph,” I grunt.
I take off from the patio, anxious to be done with this next phase of Lola’s World Domination. Less than ten minutes later, I’m climbing in through the skylight while the men below me laugh and joke. I set myself and my bag of goodies on the rafters above the main table they’re all congregating around. I nearly fall asleep waiting for Mr. Head Honcho to arrive, and when he does, there’s little change in the attitude around the table. I’ll definitely have to whip this group into shape. I let them go on for what feels like forever before I finally lose patience. I put the bag strap across my body and drop from the rafters to the far end of the table. To their credit, several of them have guns drawn on me by the time I launch myself off the table and behind the boss. I put my hands on either side of boss man’s head and snap his neck. He slides impotently out of his chair. I look at the rest of the table.