~ Gang Relations ~
by Willowluvyr


Copyright Disclaimers: Xena and Gabrielle are the property of MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures. The story is purely for entertainment purposes. The author does not benefit fanatically in any way from this story.

Violence Warning/Disclaimer: This story depicts scenes of violence and/or their aftermath. Readers who are disturbed by or sensitive to this type of depiction may wish to read something other than this story.

Sexual Violence Warning/Disclaimer: This story depicts scenes of sexual violence and/or their aftermath. Some readers may be disturbed by this type of depiction and anyone who is sensitive to this particular issue may wish to read something other than this story.

Love/Sex Warning/Disclaimer: There are blatant discussions, references and description of sexual relations between consenting adults. You must be over the age of 18 and it must not be a crime to read material of this nature at your present location. Some of the scenes depicted are explicit. If this bothers you, you should find other reading material.

Language Warning: The language is representative of street language. Therefore is quite vulgar. You must be over the age of 18 and it must not be a crime to read material of this nature at your present location. If this bothers you, you should find other reading material.

A special thanks to beta reader archaeo bard.

willowluvyr@yahoo.com


Part 1

Two young boys, neither older than fourteen, were trying to break into a new black Lexus, when they were spotted by the car's owner. The strawberry blonde yelled at the two young teenagers to stop. However, two older boys came out of the shadows to intercept her.

Her piercing green eyes showed no fear as she continued toward her car. The two boys separated in a move to circle her. The short woman looked to be an easy target, until she surprised the larger of the two boys with a stinging round house kick.

"Tony's down!" The other boy cried out in alarm.

It started to look bad for the spunky golden-haired social worker as more of the gang arrived. However, the gang stopped moving forward when a tall dark haired beauty appeared. She was wearing black leather pants and black T-shirt that was covered by a black leather jacket with the word 'WARRIORS' embroidered on the back.

She walked toward the smaller woman with the grace of a jungle cat, stopping barely a foot from the woman and their eyes locked. Deep blue eyes gazed into probing green eyes. "Let's go guys," the dark youth said.

"Why you want us to back off? Her car and money would go a long way. And I want a piece of her action," one of the older boys replied.

The tall brunette invaded the shorter boy's space. "Youse calling me out, Chucky," she asked quietly.

The young man held up his hands and muttered, "No, Zan, I ain't calling nobody out. No I ain't."

"Then I says she goes. Anybody want to call me on this," she asked as no-one came forward.

Zan walked up to the older woman and took her purse before she could react. The green-eyed blonde jumped to a defensive position, causing Zan to give her a half grin. Then Zan snapped her fingers and walked away with her gang following her.

****************************************

The frightened woman breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to her car. She realized that her keys were in her purse. The woman went to get the hidden set of keys behind the rear bumper.

As the small blonde approached the driver's door she ran into the tall brunette, who looked deep into her soul with those haunting blue eyes. The blonde felt the attraction and the desire. The tall teenager grabbed the green-eyed woman about the face with a hand on each cheek and kissed her passionately on the lips. The shocked woman responded by opening her mouth, which Zan took advantage of to explore with her tongue.

Suddenly, the brunette broke the kiss and started to walk away. The dark teenager moved a few feet from the blonde, then stopped. She snapped her fingers and jogged back to the still shaken woman and handed the stunned blonde her purse. "Here, ah, Brittany, ah, see ya?" she said apprehensively.

Then the younger woman turned and ran off toward the rest of the gang. The stunned woman stared after the teenager for minutes once she left. 'What the hell was that all about? Where did these feelings come from? HOW THE HELL DID SHE KNOW MY NAME!' The young blonde thought, desperately.

Brittany Cainteoir opened her car door and got in sinking comfortably into the plush bucket seat. She looked in the direction of where the teen vanished, spotting her in the shadows. They exchanged smiles, then the teenager was gone.

****************************************

Zan watched the Lexus pull away. She hadn't wanted the woman to go. She didn't know why, but she felt empty now that she had left. Zan looked longingly at the driver's license of Brittany Cainteoir. She liked the name, Cainteoir. It was Gaelic for speaker.

That reddish hair and green eyes showed a bit of the Irish. Her father had been Irish. He had tried so hard to teach his troubled daughter the Gaelic, but she didn't remember all of it. Zan had no idea why she had saved the young woman. The tall teen had just had an overwhelming urge to protect her.

She looked down at the license again and wondered how long it would take the woman to realize it was missing, along with $237, with which she had appeased the gang. She had taken the purse to find the woman address. She didn't know why, except she wanted to see the petite blonde again.

For the umpteenth time she wondered, 'Why was a woman wearing a $500 suit, driving a Lexus with $237 was walking around this neighbor hood. I looked in her eyes. There was desire there, but no drugs.' Zan would put out some feelers and find out what that kind of woman was doing in this neighborhood.

****************************************

Brittany was well on her way to breaking the speed record for getting from her volunteer job in Brooklyn to her penthouse in Manhattan, when she slowed down as she crossed the River using the Expressway to Park Avenue.

She opened the gate to her building's parking lot with her remote, and drove into her designated space. She practically ran to the elevator to use her express key to get to the safety of her room.

She dove into her apartment and used every lock her door had. She went to her refrigerator and pulled out a quart of Dove Dutch Chocolate ice cream and ate her comfort food. She went to her bathroom and ran a hot bath with her lilac bath salts.

She stripped out of her clothes and took off her light make up. As she got into the tub, the visit of the dark teenager came into her mind. The emotions she felt were nearly overwhelming. Her fear was more from her feelings than from the robbery. She sank into the tub and allowed the warm to soothe her. Several spoonfuls of ice cream later she was almost normal.

She put down the ice cream and relaxed in the warm water. She closed her eyes and a vision of blue eyes invaded her dreams. She pictured the teenager in her mind. 'Goddess, she is so beautiful and so wild,' she thought, knowing who would be in her fantasies from now on.

****************************************

Zan went into her room with the music blaring downstairs from the party paid for from the money they got out of Brittany's purse. Zan felt guilty about taking that money, but she had to have an excuse for taking the woman's purse other than she wanted her address. Her guys just wouldn't understand.

Zan took the small locked box from the loose board in her floor and opened it. She counted out $237 and put the box back. She got her bike keys and drove to Manhattan.

****************************************

Brittany was brushing her hair to get ready for bed, when she heard the doorman ring her penthouse. "Miss Brie, someone just delivered a package for you. She said it was important," he said.

Brie sighed as she wondered who would be delivering a package this time of night, "Ralph bring it up. Would you?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

She retrieved her wallet to get her a five for a tip and found it empty. She had been robbed. Her credit cards were there, but her driver's license was missing. 'Damn,' she thought, 'Now, I'm going to have to waste a whole day replacing that license. Why take the license and not the credit cards? It doesn't make sense.'

The doorman handed her a box wrapped in plain brown paper. "Ralph, take my ATM card and have Robbie get me a hundred from across the street. I'm out of cash. Also have him pick me up me up a cheeseburger and fries from the deli. And keep a five a piece," she said.

"Sure, Miss Brie," Ralph really liked the young woman, she wasn't cheap like the other rich bitches in this building.

Brie opened the package, trying to figure out who would be sending her something at 9:30 on a Wednesday. She opened the box and found $237 and her driver's license.

****************************************

When Brie went to work with a mission. She was going to find out something about the teenager who haunted her dreams last night. All she had was a description, a gang name and her tag, Zan.

She went straight to her office. She was the Assistant Director of Urban Affairs for the State of New York. She got the appointment two months ago after graduating with a Master's Degree in Sociology from Columbia at the age of 22. It helped that her father was one of the top lawyers in New York and was a personal friend of the Mayor and the Governor.

She didn't mind using her father's connections. 'At least he was good for something,' she thought, 'He certainly sucked as a father.'

She didn't need him for money. Her mother had left her eighty million dollars. It was eighty-four million when she gained control of the money on her 21st birthday. Her father had squealed that day. Now, sixteen months later, she had ninety-six million.

She checked her accounts on the Internet and made a few minor adjustments. Then she called in Marge, her administrative assistant. She was the blackest woman she had ever met. It was a running joke with them, because Marge said she was the whitest woman she ever met.

Marge was a little heavy for Brie's tastes, but Marge told her that her husband liked some meat on her bones. Marge was her roommate in college when Brie was an undergrad. Marge had to drop out after only 3 semesters to work. So when, Brie got this job she called her old roommate.

"Good morning, Brie," Marge said.

"Good morning, Marge. I want you to get Julio on the phone and ask him to find out everything he can about a gang called the 'Warriors'. It probably has territory in Brooklyn.

I particularly want to find out something about their leader tagged Zan. She's around six foot and weighs about one seventy. She was well developed, so she may work out somewhere. She had black hair and blue eyes. She's a classic beauty. So she might be modeling somewhere."

"Any reason why you want this Brie?"

"Yeah, Marge, she saved my ass last night. I was being mugged on my way to my car after I left the reading class last night. She did the knight in shining leather routine. Her gang took my cash. Last night, I get a package with the money inside. I owe her. I pay my debts, you know that."

"I'll get right on it."

****************************************

Zan was dressed in black sweats running down Cumberland toward Fort Greene Park. She did eight miles every morning. This morning she was distracted by memories of a strawberry blonde. 'What made me give up hard cash? From the look of her place, she'd never miss that scratch. Now, I'm $237 further away from her bar. I'm going have to make that money up. I'll go to Guy's place and see if there are any pigeons.'

****************************************

Brie was eating a cheeseburger and fries, when Julio came into her office. Julio was her top investigator. He was retired NYPD. He was only thirty-nine when he retired on medical grounds. He had been with the agency for twelve years now. He was perfect for the agency, because he knew the streets.

"Brie, what the fuck do you want with Black Zan?"

"She saved my ass last night."

"The Warriors are a biker gang, Brie. They're into robbing and burglary. They have a strict code. No raping, no drug deals and no fucking with Black Zan."

"What do you know about her?"

"No record, no arrests. Though she is the prime suspect in the Bond St. Massacre. There are no school records or juvy records. There is no gang leader this clean. Something is fishy with this girl. You say she saved your ass?"

Brie explained what happened, minus the driver's license thing. She hadn't figure out what that was about, so she kept it to herself. So she said, "Julio, I what to speak to her."

"Shit, Brie, I'll see what I can do."

****************************************

Zan was counting her winnings from the poker game as she left Guy's place. It cost her $200 to buy in and a 5% skim for Guy, but she had cleared $690. It was the best run of luck she had in a while. 'Another six-k and she'd have enough.'

Skinny Laura, a junky whore, stopped Zan as the raven-haired teen passed her. Zan handed her a $20, figuring she needed a fix. Zan owed this woman big time so she could always count on Zan for a touch. "No, Zan, I don't need your cash," she handed it back to Zan, "A cop was asking about you."

Zan handed her two twenties this time and asked, "What did he want?"

"Zan, you insult me. I don't take cash from friends for info."

"I know Laura, but I hit it lucky at Guy's and don't mind sharin' the wealth. You know."

"Okay, Zan, I can use it. He was a Mex, about six-three and two-twenty. I'd say he was fifty. He called himself Julio. He didn't show a badge, but he smelled porky. He asked where you stayed. He said he needed to talk to you about some money somebody owed you. Like I would fall for that one."

"If you see him again ask for id, okay?"

"Sure Zan and thanks for the cash."

'Man, and I thought my luck had changed,' Zan thought.

****************************************

Julio watched from the shadows the exchange between Black Zan and Skinny Laura. When Zan left and rounded the corner, Julio stepped out in front of her and said, "Hi, Zan."

"Sergeant Martinez, long time no see. So it was you asking about me. I ain't done nuttin'."

"I'm not NYPD anymore, Zan. You've grown up. I'm sorry about your dad. I tried to find you after I heard, but I retired twelve years ago and didn't hear about him until two years after it happened. You disappeared for a while."

"Well, I needed some time alone. Is that why you been asking for me? Hell, that was four years ago. I'm long over it."

"Yeah, I know. No, I'm here on business, my boss asked to see you. She says you saved her ass last night and she wants to thank you."

"Well, you can tell her for me that she's welcome."

"She wants to help you, Zan. You should go see her," he said as he handed her a business card, "She told me to give you that. Her home phone is on it. Call her, she can help you out."

He walked back toward his car. Zan looked at the card and the handwriting on the back. She went back to catch Skinny Laura.

****************************************

Brie threw her keys onto the kitchen counter and went to get an orange juice from the refrigerator. She was startled when she heard a silky voice say, "I'll take a juice, too."

She spun around to see Zan sitting on her love seat. "How did you get in here," she stuttered.

"I used the elevator," the teen replied with a small grin.

"How... never mind," Brie stammered as she shook her head, "What are you doing here?"

"You said you wanted to talk to me," Zan said as she held up the business card.

"I was hoping you'd call first," she joked with a grin.

Zan shot back, "Don't have a phone."

"Orange or apple," asked Brie lightly?

"Huh," Zan questioned with confusion?

"Your juice. Orange or Apple," the strawberry blonde asked with a small smirk.

"Orange," responded the teenager with a returned smile.

As Brie handed the teenager her orange juice, she asked, "Hungry?"

Zan replied with a shrug, "I could eat."

So Brie went to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator and got out two steaks, a couple of potatoes and a couple of ears of corn. She called out, "How do you like you steak?"

"Medium."

So Brie put the steaks in the broiler and set it to three-fifty. Then she wrapped the potatoes in wet paper towels and set the microwave to ten minutes and started it. Lastly, she put the corn into the steamer and set it for fast cook.

****************************************

Zan looked at the two-inch New York cut with baked potato and corn and said, "You got any doggie bags?"

Brie almost choked from her giggle with food in her mouth. Zan was just starting and she was half through her steak. She replied, "Save room for dessert. We have Dutch Chocolate, Cherry Vanilla, Butter Pecan, Black Walnut and Banana Split."

"You own a dairy or sumtin'," asked Zan with a chuckle.

"No, I just eat a lot of ice cream. It's my favorite comfort food," Brie responded with an apologetic shrug.

A apprehensive silence dominated the room. So, Zan decided to take the first step and asked, "Oh, thanks for dinner and all, but why you wanna see me?"

Brie didn't want to reveal too much. She felt very vulnerable and tentatively said, "Well, you helped me out. So, I want to help you out."

Zan looked at her with apprehension and quipped, "Lady, I robbed ya."

"You gave me my property back," Brie retorted as she ignored the quip.

Zan was at a loss as to where to go from here, "Well..."

"I know your gang is not in the habit of returning stolen property," Brie desperate to keep the conversation going.

Zan didn't want this woman to get the wrong impression, so she said, "Well they're not really my gang. They crash in my place. So, if they don't listen out they go. Gives me a lot of clout."

"Oh, you have your own place," Brie questioned cheerfully?

Zan replied quickly, "Yeah, my dad left me a tenement on 3rd in South Brooklyn. He used to run a restaurant/bar in the basement, but when he died, it died. I'm been trying to get the capitol to open it back up."

Brie put down her fork and put her elbows on the table and her hands under her chin and queried, "That's interesting, why don't you borrow the money from a bank."

Zan laughed and responded lightly, "Right a bank is goin' to lend money to a nineteen year old gang banger."

Brie retrieved her fork and defended her suggestion by saying, "Well, you're not really a gang member and someone could cosign your loan for you."

Zan blushed and shyly replied, "I don't know nobody who do that."

Brie whole-heartedly said, "I could. I would give you the money if you asked, but you don't strike me as the asking type."

Zan was shocked. This woman barely knew her. She agreed, "You're right."

Zan had to ask, "So, why would you cosign me a loan?"

Brie parried, "I said I owed you. Why did you save me last night?"

Zan didn't know, but said honestly, "Because I had to protect you."

The response surprised the young woman, so she asked "Why?"

Zan looked at her plate and played with her potato using the fork and answered, "It was sumtin inside that screamed save her and so I did."

"Why did you kiss me," Brie asked without thinking, silently cursing herself for the lapse.

"I had to," Zan went with honestly again.

Brie decided to push and asked, "Again, why?"

"I dunno," Zan replied as she drop her fork onto the plate with a sigh.

"Why did you take my driver's license," Brie questioned further as she liked where this conversation was going.

"To find out where you lived," Zan bent her head in resignation.

Brie gave herself a mental high five and said with a huge smile, "Finish your dinner. We'll have ice cream in the living room. Then we'll talk some more."

****************************************

Zan sat in the living room with a quart of Butter Pecan and a tablespoon. Brie had Banana Split. Zan really didn't know what to do she wondered, 'Am I supposed to eat a quart of ice cream on top of that huge dinner?'

She looked at Brie, who was on her fourth spoonful. So, Zan dug in.

Brie broke the silence, "Zan, are you gay?"

The young blonde could kick herself as she thought 'It's too soon. You're going to scare her.'

Zan dropped her spoon and her mouth flew opened. Again she decided on honesty, "Yes, you?"

Another high five as she replied, "Yes."

Zam decided since directness was the route of the day, she would try a direct question and quietly asked, "Brittany, you like me?"

Brie reached over and took the teen's hand and said with all the candor she could muster and rejoined, "Zan, my friends call me Brie and yes, I like you. Yes, I'm interested. I am not involved right now. What I am not interested in is a one night stand."

Zan sighed in relief and anticipation and said, "Brie, I'm not either. I can have those any time I want. I'm lonely. And when I looked into your eyes, I felt at home. Do you know what I mean?"

Brie was drowning now. She had not intended to take this where it was going. She was way out of control here. They really didn't know each other that well. They needed to explore each other a bit. Brie had to do something to put the brakes on a bit. She started this. She had to do something. So she decided on honesty, "Yes, I do. I felt it, too. I want to take this slow. This is all happening too fast."

Zan was taken back. Brie had asked the questions, she had to get out of here to think, so she said, "I understand. I better be goin'. It's almost midnight."

Brie could see the hurt. The teen thought she was being rejected. Brie got desperate again and said, "You can stay the night. I got a spare room."

Zan brightened and responded, "Maybe some other time. Where you serious about cosignin' for me?"

Brie saw the change and smiled, "Yes, I was."

"Thanks. I'll do it on my own, but it's nice to know that you would," she said as she got up to leave.

****************************************

Brie started to kick herself as soon as the woman left. She had made so many mistakes. If this was going to work she would have to do better. First she rushed and pushed. Then she slowed down. The young social worker knew she was sending mixed signals.

"Damn," she exclaimed as she hit her forehead. I didn't even get her number

****************************************

Zan realized she hadn't even given Brie a way to contact her. 'What a dope,' she thought, 'I've got to do better than this. I really need this.'

****************************************

That night two young women sleep miles and worlds apart, but they only thought of each other.

****************************************

Continued in Part 2.



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