Page 137 of Dragon 7

A yellow lamp was on a folding table. The plaster walls had cracks. A map was spread flat under a coffee cup holding one corner down.

Deja and Nika leaned over the map. Deja’s braids were pulled back tight, and she had on all black. Nika stood by her in a black bonnet, black hoodie, and ripped jeans.

Coiled rope lay on the table by the map.

Betty Boop sat next to the rope.

Deja tapped a building on the map with one finger. “So. . .we go in this way—”

"Girl, I don’t know.”

“What do you mean, you don’t know?”

Nika placed her hands in her pocket. “We should just call the cops."

"Girl, no cops are coming to save those little Black girls."

"Who the fuck do you think you are, cuz?” Nika frowned. “The Black Spider-Woman or something?"

"You wasn't complaining when I saved you from getting your ass beat."

Nika frowned. "That's low."

"Sorry."

Nika reached down and pulled up a Dora the Explorer backpack from the floor. The bright cartoon face on the worn fabric looked crazy in the context of this moment.

“Like damn, bitch. I’m just saying. You don’t have to be bringing up my business like that.” Nika unzipped the bag and pulled out two clown masks. "Anyway, I brought these masks to hide our faces."

"Bitch, we're not about to rob a bank!"

"Eh, just in case the cameras pick us up."

"That pimp don't have any fucking security cameras. Jaiden told me."

“Man, I don’t know Jaiden.” Nika tried to hand Deja one of the masks.

“First of all, where did you get those masks because I know you didn’t spend no money to get them?”

“Hell no. I pulled the masks out the dumpster behind that costume shop on—”

“Girl, if you don’t get those dirty ass masks out of my face.”

“I cleaned them.”

“I’m not wearing that.”

“Fine, then you go to jail.” Nika put the masks up.

“Alright.” Deja tapped the map again. "Look. We go in there with the gun pointed, and we say, 'Let Vicky and the other girls go, or we're putting bullets in your asses.'"

Nika swallowed. "What if they shoot first?"

Even as she asked, her hands were checking the small revolver in her hoodie pocket. Scared and steady at the same time.

"Then we have to shoot first.” Deja shrugged. “Soon as you see someone go to their gun just pull the trigger—"

"Girl, this is not Fast and Furious."