Barbie gasped, then the darkness that had consumed her mind vanished. She blinked away the blurriness and saw a dark-skinned woman in front of her. She wore a red long-sleeve shirt, brown trousers and suspenders, and a flat gray cap.

"Babe, are ya all right?"

"Billie." Barbie glanced sideways, seeing rows and columns of prescription drugs. "How did ah get here?" The last thing she remembered was jumping out of Mr. Repairman's window before blacking out.

Billie crossed her arms and tilted her head to the side. The skin between her brows creased from concern. If it were any other day, Barbie would have made fun of Billie for dressing like a paperboy. She never understood the cashier's love for boys' clothing. But today wasn't that day. She couldn't remember how she got to the drugstore, and the one with the answers stared at her without saying a word.

"Billie, please. Ah need to know." Tears gathered in Barbie's eyes. There was a gap in her mind, and she needed help to close it.

Billie removed her flat cap and placed it on the counter between them. Her green eyes stared at Barbie, worry glinting in them. "Babe, ya don't remember?"

"No." Barbie rubbed off the tears in her eyes. She feared the unknown more than anything. The possibility she may have done something terrible and didn't remember scared her. "Did ah... Did ah do something..."

Billie chuckled. "None of that." She leaned close and noticed Barbie's dilated pupils. "John told me the withdrawal was worse on ya. Ah didn't believe him, but he was right. Where is he, babe?"

"Last time ah saw him, he was heading to Virtue City. He hadn't returned when ah left my apartment this morning. Hopefully, he'll be back soon."

"Good." Billie slid her hand over her short strawberry-blonde hair. "Babe, ya came to my store in a carriage. Ya got out and rushed in, demanding a pack of Pew Pew."

"Then what happened?"

"Ah told ya ah was out of Pew Pew. Ah had sold the last pack this morning, babe."

Barbie clenched her jaw and hands. There wasn't another choice for her. She had to take Pew Pew; her life depended on it. She couldn't live another second, minute, hour, or day without it. And Pills and Potion was the only drugstore in Sin City that sold it.

"Who's ya supplier? Ah will buy from them. Whatever tha cost." She wasn't letting anyone or anything stop her from getting a new pack.

"Why do ya need them so much, babe? Ah know the withdrawals are a pain. But with ya, there seems to be a deeper reason for taking them."

Barbie wanted to tell her, but the truth refused to leave her lips. Only John and Sky knew. But where would she begin? From when Sky had rescued her from her abuser, Erik? Or that after he had abused her for ten years, she became deaf in her left ear and blind in her left eye? Pew Pew made her body function at one hundred percent.

"Ah am an addict; that's all." She gave a reassuring smile. "Please, tell me who ya supplier is."

"Have ya heard of La Familia?"

Barbie nodded.

"They make and supply Pew Pew. If ya want a packet, ya have to go to them."

Barbie glanced at the clock behind Billie. She had little time left. Soon, her left ear and eye would shut off. "Where can ah find–?"

"They'll ask ya to do things for Pew Pew."

"Ah don't care. Please, tell me where La Familia are."

"No need." Billie walked away from the counter. "Follow me, ah will take ya to them."

o-o-o-o

La Familia had murdered thousands of aristocrats under the guise of feminism. They were the first group brave enough to carry out such a movement. Gigi Rush, their leader, had advocated for women's rights on the ground of the equal treatment of the sexes.

"More blood will drop if there is no equality between men and women," Gigi had declared.

"Equality in what?" the aristocrats had asked.

"Everything. And if you do not give it to us through peace, then we will take it through war."

Gigi was a woman of her word. Since those in power had shown contempt, she murdered the former Duke of Sin City and Virtue City. She had then promised to murder the male candidates unless they added a woman.

The aristocrats had listened.

Hence, Lady Camilla.

Now at fifty-five years of age, Gigi still had a lot to do. She had fought countless wars and barely brought significant change. The woman she had vouched for to be the duchess became what she feared most: one of the men.

Gigi had almost disbanded La Familia. But then, she got some exciting news that brought a new life to her cause. Many years ago, King Solomon had an affair with one of his servants. He then sent her away after finding out she was pregnant. The servant gave birth a girl–King's Solomon's firstborn–and named her Barbie.

Not only that, but Gigi had discovered Barbie was a Pew Pew addict. Billie–one of her followers–sold the drug to the woman. Gigi had ordered Billie not to sell Pew Pew to Barbie in hopes the woman would seek them out. And she did. Billie had contacted her recently, informing her she was heading to their hideout with Barbie.

While waiting for the two to arrive, Gigi stood on stage, looking down at the recruits dressed in black cloaks. Beside her was a concrete table, and on it was a small bowl full of blood. She grabbed it, then drank the blood in one sip. She then wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"My fellow women," she began, her arms spread, "today you join La Familia seeking refuge. I will give it to you. But in return, I will ask to do things for me. You will feel uncomfortable doing them. But trust me when I say this, it is all in the name of feminism. For as long as I can remember, men have gotten away with treating us like animals. But I say no more!"

"No more!" the hundreds of women shouted.

"If I ask you to steal, will you do it?"

"Yes!"

"Kidnap?"

"Yes!"

"Murder?"

"Yes!"

Gigi smiled. "You may drink now." She watched them drink the goat's blood from their wooden cups. La Familia was home for abused and lost women who had nowhere else to go. It was where they would discover their true selves and flourish like butterflies.

"You may go back to your tents," she said, and the recruits left.

When the room cleared, she went to the edge of the stage. She sat down and took a deep breath. Age had caught up to her body, and she wasn't able to deliver speeches the way she used to. Even standing for over twenty minutes had become a problem.

Pew Pew had kept the pain away. But recently, her body had rejected the drug. She had run out of time and options. The remaining card she had left was Barbie. And if she played it right, La Familia would rule Hervana.

Footsteps filled the room, getting Gigi's attention. She saw Billie and who she assumed to be Barbie.

"Queen Mother," Billie had said before bowing. Barbie did the same.

"Billie, welcome back." She said, then turned to Barbie. "Barbie, it is good to meet you finally." Gigi wanted to go to them, but she was too tired to move. Her body needed at least fifteen minutes to reenergize.

Barbie pointed at herself. "Ya... Ya know me?"

"Yes." Gigi reached inside her cloak's pocket and pulled out a pill of Pew Pew. She threw it at Barbie, and the woman caught it. "You seem to be in dire need. Take it, and then we can have a conversation."

Barbie smiled, then swallowed the pill. It worked fast on the girl. Her drained face and lips gained their color back, and she stopped leaning on Billie for support. She stood on her own, looking lively as one would expect for someone her age.

"Better?" Gigi asked.

Barbie nodded.

If only she knew who her father was. But that wasn't the only thing Gigi knew about Barbie. She had eyes and ears all over Sin City, and Barbie had done something that she didn't want anyone to know. "A bird told me you and John murdered your best friend's sister. Is that true?"

"No, we–"

"Don't lie to me, Barbie. I am not here to judge you. I want the truth."

Barbie chewed the inside of her cheeks. "It's true," she said.

"See, that wasn't hard." Gigi smiled. "I know you want a packet of Pew Pew, and we have an endless supply. I can give you as much as you need if you do something for me."

Barbie's eyes sparked with life. "Ah'll do anything."

"I want you to join La Familia."

The world didn't view La Familia in a pleasant light. The aristocrats controlled the media. So they portrayed La Familia as a group of demonic women who wanted to burn the world.

"All right," Barbie answered, catching Gigi and Billie by surprise.

Gigi had expected Barbie to ask for time to think about it. But she was glad the woman had accepted fast. Now, she could work on the next phase of her plan.

"Before we can accept you as an official member, do something for us," Gigi said.

"What is it?"

"I have tasked Billie with retrieving a boy. He is important, and I trust you can assist her in the mission."

"Yes, ah can." Barbie nodded with a smile. Gigi could tell the only thing on the woman's mind was Pew Pew. She would do anything as long as she got an endless supply. And that worked in Gigi's favor.

"Great. Now go, time is of the essence."

"Mother Queen." Billie bowed. Barbie did too. Then, they left.

Gigi remained in the room alone, smiling. King Solomon should have killed the servant before she gave birth to Barbie. Now, she will bring him down.