Chapter 27

Calvin Monroe was disturbed. Although at sixteen, he was now a full member of the Black Avengers, Ahmed's behavior was increasingly troubling. Dealing crack was one thing. Robbery, extortion ... These were just ways of getting money, ways that were certainly easier than working. But it was something else. While most of the gang members were young — under sixteen, down to twelve — Ahmed, the leader, was in his twenties. And he was becoming more violent, in Calvin's view, just for the sake of violence. Ahmed explained it as retribution, but Calvin wondered, Retribution for what? Sure, blacks had been enslaved. But neither he nor any other gang member could even calculate how many generations back that had been.

The Black Avengers was a gang formed some years earlier. Its first members had long since graduated to full-bore careers — mostly in crime. There was a competition of sorts among several gangs to see which was the "baddest" of them all. Right now, I guess it's us, Calvin thought.

Although they usually all wore their black jackets with "Black Avengers" emblazoned across the back and a particular model of black Nike's, being a warm late-April afternoon, today they just wore white t-shirts, similarly marked. Calvin realized he had become increasingly uncomfortable in the gang, although he didn't let on. He could have been in the leadership if he wanted to be, but had managed to avoid it while still remaining in good standing. When he was younger, the visible fear on the faces of people they passed on the street made him feel like a man, although he was only twelve at the time.

Now at sixteen, he was already six feet three and weighed 185. He figured he was about as tall as he would ever be, although he would put on some weight as he filled out. He realized that he didn't want to be feared, only respected, and the activities of the Black Avengers were not focused on gaining true respect from anyone.

But this afternoon, Ahmed had announced that they were going to roam Central Park to see what sort of fun they might have. Calvin wasn't at all sure he shared Ahmed's ideas of fun. By now the dozen gang members — the entire present membership — had spent over an hour roaming through the park. Calvin used to get a perverse sense of pride noticing the fear visible in the eyes and in the behavior of the people —black and white — that they encountered, but now it bothered him. And their fear is well-founded, Monroe thought. Our gang is a bunch of predators. And there are twelve of us and only a few of them.

Coming over a small knoll he saw a small group of white children playing with a couple of small animals. Calvin's brows knitted as he looked at the animals from a distance, trying to figure out what they were. They were the size of fair-sized dogs, but they didn't look like dogs. On the other hand, they were certainly playful enough. Even at this distance he could occasionally hear the sound of laughter coming from the group.

While Monroe was studying the animals, Ahmed and his three senior lieutenants were studying the people. Ahmed had been immediately attracted to the dark-haired girl who looked to be about ten, but particularly to the very young golden blonde. While every gang member was armed, the senior four were the only ones with firearms. Ahmed had a 9 mm automatic, while the other three had police .38s.

"I think we're really going to have some fun," Ahmed commented. "Have you ever wanted to rape a little blonde girl? I'll bet she'll bleed wonderfully." Turning to his companions, he ordered, "Let's do it!"

Moving down the knoll, the gang was only about thirty feet away from the playful group when they were first noticed. While Ken Carlson, Kris Clifford and Johnny Taylor were rolling on the grass with the cubs, Sheila and Caitie were talking together with Caitie teasing Sheila unmercifully about Dan Murphy. The girl was amused at the way Sheila blushed so easily at the mention of his name.

When Caitie saw the approaching gang she said, "Uh, oh! Here's trouble I'm afraid."

By now the group was only ten feet away. Ahmed looked the girls over and mused, "I wonder what it would be like to fuck a woman who's bleeding from gunshot wounds. Well, there's one way to find out..." With that he pulled the automatic from his pocket and fired twice at the unsuspecting Sheila. His first bullet hit her in the right shoulder, while the second hit her in the side, waist high. The force of the bullets fired at close range spun her around and knocked her down.

At the first shot, the other three gun-toting gang members moved ahead of Ahmed, drawing their own weapons. It proved to be a very dangerous place for them to be. They still had not recognized the two animals for what they were.

Meanwhile, Calvin's eyes widened as he realized what Ahmed had done. This dude is losing it! he thought. Good heavens! He may be around the bend. With that he stopped and let the gang move ahead of him so he was now in the rear.

Duke and Duchess had been rolling in the grass acting like kittens as the kids tickled them. Their first warning that something was wrong was Ahmed's first shot. Instantly, they were on their feet looking toward the sound of the shots. Realizing that Sheila, one of the humans they had been charged to protect, was down, the two launched themselves in the direction of the attackers.

In just two bounds they leaped to attack the three leaders with guns who were now in front. The men instantly started firing at the two furry attackers. Duke was hit in the chest while Duchess was struck in the shoulder. Nevertheless, roaring in fury and with their claws unleashed, they launched themselves, raking the faces of the two men with their razor-sharp claws.

Now moving on blind instinct, they went for the jugular. In a flash, both men were dying with their throats ripped out. Ahmed, recovering, began firing at the two animals, hitting Duke twice more and Duchess once.

On the hill above, Prince and Princess were napping. At the sound of the first shots the two great animals were instantly alert. Hearing their cubs' cries of rage, the two were off as if they had been shot from cannons. They had just cleared the crest of the hill when they saw the cubs attacking. Without any communication between them the two bounded down the slope instinctively knowing what to do. They were approaching from an angle from the rear of the group and from directly behind Ahmed who now had his back to them since he was facing towards the left.

While not as fast as a cheetah, an adult tiger can easily maintain a speed of 35 miles per hour and can reach 50. While the assailants started to relax, having put down the two attacking animals, before they could make a move to check the condition of their two fallen associates, they froze in fear as they heard the scream of the furious tigers who had just seen their beloved cubs shot. Princess launched herself at Ahmed's back with her huge claws extended. When she raked his back with her enormous paw, it ripped five enormous gouges in his back extending from his shoulders to well below his waist.

At the same time, the fourth armed man wheeled in the direction of the frightening sound. Seeing Prince as he gathered himself to leap, the man was frozen. An instant later the furious tiger had raked him with his claws, tearing his face and his chest. Falling over backwards with Prince on top, in an instant his throat had been torn out by the tiger's huge teeth.

"Prince! Stop!" Caitlin shouted. The girl, stunned by the incredible series of events that had taken place in just a matter of a few seconds, was functioning again. "The rest of you!" she shouted to the shaken gang members. "Down on your faces with your arms outstretched. Now!"

Responding instantly, Calvin dropped face down on the ground and stretched his arms out. With his face down he had very limited vision, but two friends whom he could see were doing the same thing.

"Princess," Caitie commanded, "we need something to bandage your cubs and Sheila. Why don't you remove a few of their shirts?"

Because he was on the perimeter of the group, Calvin was one of the first selected. He cringed as he heard the sound of the great cat's breathing and then felt her warm breath on the back of his neck. The next thing he felt was something at the back of his neck that he guessed was one of her claws. He closed his eyes and breathed a silent prayer, the first prayer he had said since he was a very small boy. Then he felt an amazingly fast motion down his spine and then could feel the tigress trying to remove the remains of his t-shirt that she had just sliced open from collar to hem. Sensing what she was trying to do, he raised his torso from the dirt and in an instant could feel the remains pulled from his body.

When Princess brought the first shirt to Caitie, the girl used it to try to plug the ugly wound in Sheila's side, while Johnny and Kenny Carlson began to work on the two cubs. Meanwhile, Prince was dividing his attention between what the children were doing with the wounded and the eight remaining gang members who were all stretched out flat on the ground.

When she had done all she felt she was able to do and could see that the cubs had been treated as well as the boys' abilities permitted, Caitlin stood up and addressed the prone gang members. "Okay, guys, now here's what's going to happen: First, I'm asking Prince and Princess to look carefully at each of you and learn your characteristic scents. To make life easier for yourselves, when they come to you, get your face off the dirt so they can each get a really good look."