Free Extraction by Xyla Turner Page A

we stop people who do. We can be hired and Guardians get paid for the work they do. We also train our members in various forms of combat because of the type of work we do, it may be necessary. We don't go looking for shit but we’ll end it.” All heads nodded around the table. “Just so you know what I'm telling you now is what it is. There's no secrets among us, these are my right hand men and I trust them. What you also need to know is that when we’re on a job, we’ll do whatever it takes to make sure no harm is done. However, if we need to settle a threat then that will be done by any means necessary. Some call us vigilantes but we’ll argue self-defense. In the history of my tenure, we’ve only had one instance of that and it was a life or death situation.”
    He banged on the table and said, “That's us! Now who are you?”
    “Fuck, right now I'm just a patron at a bar trying to clear my head from some shit I fucked up.”
    All the men laughed.
    What was so goddamn funny? That shit reminded me of Phoebe. Everything was fucking funny.
    “Well, you've come to the right place. This is The Guardians bar and you're welcome any time. If you want to talk about membership, you can always find a Guardian here.”
    “Is everything legit?” I asked.
    Razor looked at me in the eye and said, “Abso-fucking-lutely. I don't deal in illegal shit. We can't afford it. My old lady’s about to have my second child and they are trying to make one. My members have businesses, professional careers, real estate, stocks and shit that need to be maintained. We’re about building capital the right way. We have no need to fuck with illegal shit and frankly, that's not us. We’re protectors and we do it well.”
    I nodded my head and asked, “It's sounds good. Recruits? Are they hazed?”
    “To a certain degree. We’re not dealing with kid recruits, so no hazing of that sort, but there's a process,” he answered.
    “You don't have to kill someone to get in but a recruit would probably take over my mailbox runs, if that gives you any idea,” Bronx told me.
    “Yeah, that helps,” I nodded towards the man.
    “Well, what shit did you fuck up?” Razor asked.
    Apollo laughed and said, “Yeah, these men know all about fucking up.”
    Bronx turned towards Apollo and said, “Yeah, you would know too if you'd own that shit?”
    “Fuck you, man. I'm working on it.” Apollo snapped back.
    “Since when?” Bronx challenged him.
    “Since talking to my man, Goliath, here.”
    All eyes turned to me and I shrugged my shoulders. “I feel like I missed a story.”
    “Oh, that story is on its way. Believe me!” Razor smiled.
    “Fucking, right!” Bronx joined him.
    Apollo simply looked hopeful which seemed to please his brothers.
    All of whom seemed to be pretty cool guys.
    We talked for another two hours and then Bronx’s lady came over, whispered in his ear and he wished us farewell. The woman was pretty and her curves were in all the right areas, that was for sure.
    Next the singer came back over, sat in Razor’s lap and his hands started roaming around her belly and once they got higher than that, she dragged him out of there. Apollo and I exchanged numbers and I left as well. Watching those guys and their women reminded me that there was a life outside the one I was living and Phoebe taught me it was attainable.

    * * *
    F or once in a long time , I woke up alone.
    I didn't like that.
    Instead of going to Phoebes, I knocked on my neighbor’s door for the first time since I moved in. He was an older man, lived below Phoebe and she loved him. She saw him every day and sometimes would stay there for hours.
    The woman was really doing the work of a public servant and this notion that she'd been an CEO was almost absurd. I found it so hard imagining her as that person.
    “Hello Mr. Neighbor who I've never met. Nice of you to stop by after a year.”
    The side of my lip turned up in a smirk as I nodded at the old man’s