Chapter 3: The Base Violence Necessary for Change

Vi is sitting on a stool inside Benzo's shop. She notices some figures approaching the shop and she stands up and as the door opens her eyes widen.

Inside walks Vander and Benzo.

"Vander?" Vi questions.

Vander sighs. "We don't have much time." He walks over to Vi.

"How did you find me?"

Vander puts his hands on Vi's shoulders. "I'm proud of you. Always have been." He cups Vi's head.

Vi puts a hand on top of Vander's hand. "I'm sorry, I... This is the only way to protect the others."

A dark barks in the distance.

"Vander." Benzo calls out.

Vander looks to Benzo then back at Vi. "You've got a good heart. Don't ever lose it. No matter how the world tries to break you. Protect the family."

"What are you---" Vi then grunts as Vander pushes her back and opens a door to the basement and Vander pushes her down there. "No." She grumbles as Vander shuts the door and locks it.

Vander rests his head against the door as Vi tries to open the door.

"Vander." Vi calls out from the other side of the door. "Let me out. This isn't right." Vi bangs against the door.

"I'm guessing that's for me." Grayson, the Enforcer sheriff, says from the entrance of the shop. Vander looks over to her.

Grayson nods to Marcus and he walks into the shop and towards the door, but Vander meets him halfway.

Marcus sighs. "You gonna let us make the arrest or not?"

"You'll oblige a doomed man one last smoke." Vander says as he lights a match with his thumb and holds up his pipe to his mouth as he lights it. Vander takes a puff from his pipe. "Won't you?"

Grayson walks forward and pulls Marcus a few steps back and she stands in front of Vander.

"I'm not putting you away, Vander." Grayson informs him.

"The Council needs its pound of flesh." Vander takes a puff from his pipe.

"Without you down here, it all falls apart."

"Benzo will handle things. He may not have my devilish charm, but he runs a tight ship."

"Vander, no." Vi's yells from the other side of the door. "You can't do this."

"What about your Nephew?" Grayson asks.

Vander closes his eyes and releases a heavy sigh. "He's got the others to help him."

"You won't be coming back for a long time."

Vander walks past Grayson and holds his hands out to Marcus. "I know."

Vi grunts as she struggles against the door. Marcus handcuffs Vander.

"Why?" Grayson asks.

"It's the only way."

They head towards the door.

"Benzo, open the damn door!" Vi yells as she bangs against the door.

Vi grunts as she struggles to open the door, but she stops when she hears someone scream from outside. Vi looks towards the window. "What's happening?" A few shadows pass the window and Vi runs over to it.

"Hey, stop right there!" Grayson yells and Vi shes her points her gun at something.

Suddenly something hits Grayson and her blood splatters against the window.

Outside there dead Enforcers outside the shop.

"What the devil..." Benzo is horrified and he picks up a pipe.

Vander looks down the street. "No."

Silco approaches the group and he stops once he's in view.

"Silco?" Benzo questions. "You animal. Go crawl back into whatever hole you came out of." Benzo walks towards Silco.

"Benzo, stay back." Vander warns him.

"You never did know when to walk away." Silco says.

"Wait." Vander calls out as Benzo goes to strike Silco.

Something slams into Benzo before he can get close to Silco.

"No!" Vander yells.

Blood splatters on the ground as Benzo's body hits the ground. Vander falls to his knees.

"Hmm." Silco hums. "Stubborn to the end."

Shimmered up Deckard snarls.

"What the hell have you done?" Marcus asks Silco as he takes a few steps forward. "This wasn't the deal!"

Silco walks towards Marcus. "Deal's changed." He tosses a pouch of coins to Marcus and he catches it and some coins fall to the ground and land in the blood below Marcus.

"No." Vi says as she watches from the window.

Silco motions to Vander and Shimmered Deckard squeals as he walks towards him.

"No!" Vi slams her fist against the wall.

Vander looks up to Deckard and Deckard punches Vander across the face.

Vi begins to yell and punch the wall and she slowly slides down it. Silco stares at Vander then he walks away as Deckard begins to drag Vander and follow after Silco.

Marcus throws the punch of coins to the ground and hunches over in defeat.

---

Vi is slummed over against the wall and the door is unlocked and opened.

Vi looks up and wipes her eyes as she sees Ekko, with wide eyes, walk into the room. Vi stands up and walks over to him.

Ekko begins to sob and Vi hugs him.

"I saw everything." Ekko cries. "Be... Benzo. They..."

"What about Vander?" Vi asks.

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"They took him." Ekko stammers.

"Where?"

Ekko sobs.

---

Inside the hideout at The Last Drop Papi is sitting beside his and Power's bed. Papi is biting his lip in nervousness as he looks up at the ceiling. Powder is laying down on the bed, staring at the stuffed bunny she's holding with a sad look on her face.

Mylo and Claggor are looking at some weapons on the table.

"Well, if the enforcers hit tonight, we'll be ready..." Mylo states. "I think."

"Dibs on the bat." Claggor says.

"No, no, no, no. I found it."

"But I called it."

"But I found it." Mylo states.

"Respect the dibs." Claggor says. "I called it already."

"Respect the..."

"Stop being such a big baby."

"The door to the room quickly opens and closes. Papi looks and sees Vi quickly run down the stairs.

"Vi?" Claggor questions.

"Where's the--" Vi starts.

"Oh, you're back!" Powder runs over to Vi and hugs her.

Papi walks over and joins in on the hug, but he looks up to see the scared look on Vi's face

"Vi?" Papi questions. "Where's Uncle Vander?"

Vi releases a shaky breath and doesn't say anything as she walks past Powder and Papi and reaches for Vander's cast irons.

Mylo grabs Vi's hand before she can touch the cast irons. "Hey. Those are Vander's. Slow down. What's going on?"

Mylo lets go of Vi's hand and she takes a few breathes.

"Benzo's dead." Vi informs.

"Dead?" Claggor questions.

"They took Vander."

Papi becomes scared and start to tear up.

"Who took Vander?" Mylo asks.

"I don't know. But I need to help him."

"We're going with you."

"Whatever killed Benzo... was like nothing I've ever seen." Vi states as she clenches her fists. "It tore him apart." She starts to sob.

Claggor and Mylo puts their hand on Vi's shoulders to comfort her.

"You're not doing this alone, Vi." Claggor states.

"He's our father too." Mylo adds.

Papi starts to breath heavily.

He's gonna die. It's all your fault.

Powder tugs on Papi's shirt and snaps him out of his trance. Papi looks to Powder and she motions to their bed. Papi nods and they both run over to the bed and gather some gear.

"Do we know where they took him?" Mylo asks.

"Ekko followed them." Vi states as she puts Vander's weapons and a flare in her bag. "The old cannery next to the docks. He said..." Vi notices that Powder and Papi have gather a few things.

Vi sighs as she looks at them. "I need you two to sit this one out."

"What?" Both Papi and Powder are confused.

Vi walks over to them.

"You two are not coming." Vi says to them.

"I'm not afraid." Powder states.

"And Papi wants to save his uncle." Papi says.

"It's too dangerous." Vi states.

"But families stick together." Powder says. "You said it yourself."

"I know what I said..."

"We want to fight." Papi says. "Papi and Powder can help."

"You're not ready." Vi shuts them down.

Powder's eyes widen and a few angry tears run down Papi's face.

"You two are all I have left." Vi states and she puts a hand on the sides of their faces. "I can't lose you two." Papi leans into the touch, before Vi removes her hands. "Here." Vi hands Powder the flare.

"If they come for you two, take this and run." Vi informs the two. "Wherever you two are, light it up, and I'll find you. I promise."

Vi puts a hand on the back of their heads and brings their heads together. Then Vi walks off with Claggor and Mylo.

---

Papi is sitting by himself at the bar with his chin resting on the table. A song starts to play on the jukebox.