Jenny’s Got a Gun
By Keiko Tanaka

Jenny shivered as the cold night air hit her when she walked out of the building. She had just finished her laps at the local YMCA pool and though she had run the hair dryer on her hair, apparently she had missed a spot.
The young blonde fumbled on her small purse for her car keys as she walked to her car. She was feeling good about her preparedness for her next swim meet. Those other girls would eat her dust this weekend.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a wolf whistle. She cringed, knowing what was coming.

“Hey, Jenny, looking good,” a familiar, yet unwelcome voice said.
Jenny quickened her pace toward her car. “I have to get home, Tommy,” she stated. She put her key in the lock but an arm leaned against the car door.
“What’s your hurry?” Tommy asked with a sneer.

“It’s late, and a school night?” Jenny replied sarcastically.

Tommy looked at her with undisguised lust. “What’s your problem? Don’t you want to be friendly?”

“Not the way you want to be friendly.”

Tommy pressed against her, pushing her back against the car with his body. “Too bad.”

“Can’t you take a hint?” Jenny snapped, exasperated. “I’m not interested.”
Tommy leered at her. “Like I said, too bad.”

“I think you should take the hint,” a slightly accented voice said from behind them.

A tall, Japanese girl stood nearby, dressed in a black leather jacket and jeans. Her long black hair was tied in a ponytail. Tammy had seen her around school and the Y a few times recently. She was quite frankly, a gorgeous girl with a fit, curvy body. Probably quite memorable to the boys she met.

“This is none of your business,” Tommy snapped.

The girl’s eyes narrowed. “I’m making it my business.”

Tommy turned and smiled at her. “Looks like I’m going to have a double feature.”

“You still have time to walk away,” the girl said bluntly.
Tommy laughed. “You little stuck up bitch.” He stomped up to her angrily and before he knew what happened, he was thrown back against a car, his right shoulder hurting like hell.

Now he was angry. Tommy pulled a switchblade out of his pocket, flipped it open. To his surprise, the girl didn’t flinch.
“I’m going to enjoy this,” he snarled.

Tommy lunged at the girl, who stepped slightly aside and into the thrust, then broke his wrist over her knee, causing him to drop the knife and howl in pain. He rose up with a growl and the girl struck him in the nose with her open hand. The crunch of his nose breaking before he fell back against the car again seemed to echo for several seconds.

“Walk away,” the girl ordered.
Holding his wrist, lying on the ground, his nose shattered, he decided to cut his losses. Tommy stumbled to his feet and ran.

“That was incredible!” Jenny told the girl. “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t come along.”

“You would probably have been raped,” the girl replied flatly. “You were really stupid. He’s been harassing you for weeks, and you walk out here alone. You were just asking for him to hurt you.”

“Now wait just a minute! Who the hell are you to talk to me like that?”
The girl just looked at her. “The one who just saved your ass.”
Jenny sighed. “You got me there.” She stuck out her hand. “I’m Jenny.”
The girl shook her hand. “I know.”
“And you are?”

The girl took a gold cigarette case and lighter out of her jacket pocket. “Akiko. Akiko Sugimoto.”

Jenny saw the colorful dragon design on the case. “That’s beautiful.”
Akiko nodded as she plucked a long white Salem 100 cigarette from the case. “It belonged to my mother.” She held out the case to Jenny. “Want one?”
Jenny shook her head. “Those things will kill you.”

Akiko smiled around the cigarette in her mouth. “So will teenage boys with rampaging hormones and knives.”
Jenny smiled back. “Point taken.”

Akiko lit her cigarette and put the case and lighter back in her pocket. She took a long pull off the cigarette as Jenny watched.
Jenny broke the silence. “What happened to your mother, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“My parents were killed two months ago,” Akiko told her. “I moved here to live with my grandfather.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Jenny said.

“Karma,” Akiko replied, after exhaling a cloud of smoke. “But I do miss them.”
“I’m sure,” Jenny said. “I couldn’t imagine losing my parents any time, but especially not now.”

“I hope you don’t have to,” Akiko replied.
Jenny got the feeling there was more to her parents’ death than Akiko was saying, but she didn’t press for the details.

“Well, I need to get home,” Jenny said. “Thank you for helping me. Maybe I can buy you lunch at school some time.”

Akiko gave her a slight bow. “I would like that.”
Jenny unlocked her car. “Can I drop you somewhere?”
Akiko shook her head. “No, thanks. I like to walk.”
“I’m sure nobody bothers you,” Jenny said with a smile.
“Not anymore,” Akiko said enigmatically.
“OK,” Jenny said after a moment. “Thanks again. I’ll see you around.”
“Take care of yourself,” Akiko told her.
“I will,” Jenny said before climbing into the car. She started it up and when Jenny looked back to back up, Akiko was nowhere to be seen. Where did she go so fast? Jenny pulled away, thinking once again how lucky she was that Akiko had been around tonight.

The next day, Jenny was at her locker when Tommy walked up to her. She barely restrained the smile when he saw his wrist in a cast and his nose taped.
“You got lucky,” he sneered. “If that kung fu girl hadn’t come along, you’d be mine.”

Jenny slammed the locker door shut. “Quit while you’re ahead.”
“She won’t be around every time,” Tommy said as she walked away.
Jenny kept walking but inwardly she shivered.

Jenny saw Akiko at lunch, sitting alone as usual. She guessed Akiko hadn’t had the chance to make friends here yet. Jenny went over and stood in front of her.
“Mind if I sit here?” she asked.
Akiko, her mouth full of rice, gestured toward the seat beside her.
“Thanks.”

Jenny sat, and then turned to Akiko.
“Tommy visited me this morning,” she whispered. “He said you wouldn’t be there the next time.”
Akiko sighed. “Get a restraining order.”
Jenny shook her head. “It wouldn’t matter. If you breaking his bones won’t stop him, nothing will.”
Akiko looked straight ahead. “I’m not a bodyguard.”
“Then teach me how to do that stuff you did.”
Akiko looked at Jenny as if she were a small child. “I started learning ‘that stuff’ when I was 3. I would be willing to teach you karate and aikido, Jenny, but it will take many years of training until you are proficient.”

“What are you, some black belt or something?”
Akiko looked at Jenny blankly. “Third degree.”
“Jesus!” Jenny exclaimed. “And you’re what, 17? You could kick Jackie Chan’s ass!”

“Probably,” Akiko said matter of factly. “Though his discipline is different than mine. And keep your voice down, please.”
“Why? Aren’t you proud of it?”

Akiko gave her that look again. “Jenny, I didn’t learn these things to go around and boast that I could kick everyone’s ass. In Japan, boys learn the martial arts like boys here learn baseball.”
“What about girls?”

“Girls are supposed to be interested in other things.”
Jenny smiled. “I knew you were a rebel.”
“My grandfather was a master of the martial arts,” Akiko explained. “He was a man ahead of his time, and was honored to pass his knowledge to me.”
“Master of which one?”

Akiko actually smiled. “All of them.”
Jenny’s eyebrows rose almost into her hair. “Damn! He should have made movies.”

“He choreographed fight scenes in many films.”
“But he could have been the Japanese Chuck Norris,” Jenny said.
Akiko sighed. “In Japan, there are thousands of Chuck Norrises.”
“How long did you live there?”
“Until I was 14,” Akiko replied. “Then my father was transferred here to America with his company.”

“Wow,” Jenny said. “I bet you miss it.”
“Every day.”
“Why didn’t you go back?” Jenny asked.
“My grandfather lives here.”

Jenny smiled. “You always do that. Just tell me enough, not any more.”
Akiko looked at her. “I am still Japanese,” she said. “Privacy is a very important thing.” She smiled wanly. “Unless you want to go get drunk.”
“After last night, I wanted to,” Jenny replied.
Akiko didn’t say any more. Obviously Jenny didn’t understand the offer of friendship she just made.

“Why do you want to go get drunk?” Jenny suddenly asked.
Akiko paused a moment before answering. “Jenny, a Japanese drunk is an offer of friendship,” she explained slowly. “It is thought that under intoxication people will bear their souls to each other in a way they would never do sober. Two people sharing that experience will be forever joined in friendship.”
Jenny’s eyes glistened. “Oh, God, Akiko, I’m sorry. You must have thought I was so rotten…”

Akiko put her hand on Jenny’s. “There is nothing to forgive. You didn’t know.”
Jenny put her hand on Akiko’s. “I would love to get drunk with you sometime.”
Akiko gave her a warm smile. Jenny thought that smile could light up a room. Too bad Akiko didn’t do it often.

“Come to my house this weekend,” Akiko said. “You can meet my grandfather and we’ll have a sleep over.”
“Great,” Jenny said. “But what about Tommy?”
Akiko nodded. “I will protect you.”
Jenny bowed her head. “Domo arigato,” she said, exhausting her Japanese vocabulary with those two words.

Akiko aimed her stainless steel Beretta 9mm pistol at the target almost effortlessly, a burning cigarette dangling from her lips, and fired the entire clip into the target. She pushed the switch to bring the target forward, and Jenny was amazed to see every round was through the head of the silhouette target.
“See how easy it is?” Akiko asked. “Now you try.”
Jenny shook her head. “Oh no…”

Akiko ejected the empty clip and shoved a full magazine in the butt of the Beretta.
“Now, this is the safety.” Akiko turned it on and then squeezed the trigger. “See? It won’t fire when the safety is on. Now you have to chamber a round before you can shoot.” Akiko pulled back the slide to demonstrate. “Now, take the gun, get a feel of it in your hand.”

Jenny gingerly took the gun from Akiko, wrapped her hand around it, and then she tested the weight in her hand. It was heavier than she thought. She had never handled a gun before, never even thought of it. Akiko stabbed out her cigarette in an ashtray on the counter beside her open cigarette case and lighter. She stepped behind Jenny.

“Now, take off the safety and aim at the target.”
Jenny flicked off the safety and aimed one handed at the target, her eyes closed. She was scared as hell. My God, I’m holding a loaded gun! she thought.
“You can’t see anything with your eyes closed!” Akiko snapped. “Use two hands to aim when you’re learning.”

Jenny opened her eyes and grasped the butt with both hands.
“Now, aim at the target,” Akiko prodded, her hands on Jenny’s hips. Her hands moved to steady Jenny’s grip on the gun. “Look down those sights and center it on the chest.”
Jenny held her breath.
“Relax.”
Jenny started breathing again.

“Now, when you think you’ve got it, squeeze the trigger gently,” Akiko continued. Jenny could feel Akiko’s breasts pressed against her back, her harsh, nicotine laced breath in her ear. She tried not to let it distract her. “Don’t yank it or you’ll spoil your aim.”

Jenny pulled the trigger and gave a squeal at the recoil of the big gun.
“Holy shit!” she said, smiling.
Akiko patted her on the shoulder. “That’s good. Try again.”
Jenny fired another round, then another. As she became more comfortable, she decided she liked this. She also liked Akiko nearby. Akiko was opening a whole new world up to her. One she liked. Very much.
When they finished shooting several empty magazines later, Jenny handed the gun back to Akiko. Akiko swapped the empty magazine for a full one and chambered a round. Akiko handed the gun back to a surprised Jenny.
“You keep it,” Akiko said. “Put it in your purse.”
“You want me to carry a loaded gun?” Jenny squealed in disbelief.
“It may save your life,” Akiko said. She put her hands on Jenny’s shoulders. “I won’t always be there 24 hours a day, Jenny. Promise me you’ll use it if you have to.”

Jenny looked down and nodded. “Hai. I promise.” She looked up. “Domo arigato, Akiko-chan,” she said with a small bow.
Akiko suddenly hugged her. When Akiko released her, tears were in her eyes. She looked at Jenny with such love, it almost broke her heart.
Like two magnets attracting, they slowly leaned toward each other. Their lips slowly met. Their mouths opened, their tongues exploring each others mouths. Jenny felt Akiko’s arms around her, pulling her against her with extreme passion. Then she lost all conscious thought, carried away in her passions.

Jenny was still thinking about what happened with Akiko during their sleepover the next day on the way to her car. She should have been paying more attention.
“I knew I’d catch you when that Jap bitch wasn’t around,” Tommy said, stepping out of the shadows.
“You better leave, Tommy, I’m warning you,” Jenny said, opening her purse.
Tommy shrugged his shoulders and spread his hands wide. “Why?” He walked toward her. “Who’s to stop me?”
Jenny pulled the Beretta from her purse and flicked off the safety. “Me,” she said, raising the gun.

Tommy laughed. “Oh, big girl with a gun,” he mocked her. “What do you think you’re going to do with that?”
“Get out of here,” Jenny said simply, her voice shaking. But the aim of the gun she had trained on Tommy never wavered.
Tommy sneered at her. “You don’t have the guts.”
Tommy moved forward and Jenny pulled the trigger. The bullet hit Tommy center in the chest. He staggered backward on the impact of the bullet, then sat heavily flat of his ass.

“I warned you,” Jenny said.
Tommy coughed. “Damn. You really shot me, you fucking bitch!”
“I didn’t want to hurt you, Tommy, but you gave me no choice.”
Tommy coughed again and spat out blood. “You’ll pay for this.”
Akiko walked out of the shadows behind Jenny, a Glock held at her side in a black gloved hand. Jenny should have known she was nearby when she needed her, she always was nowadays. “Finish him,” she ordered.
Jenny just stared at her. “What?”

“It’s the only way you’ll stop him,” Akiko stated flatly.
Jenny looked at Tommy, who was trying to get up. “You’re right,” she said finally, making her decision. Jenny raised the aim of her gun at Tommy’s head as he looked at her in disbelief. Then she pulled the trigger and his world went dark.
After the bullet destroyed Tommy’s brain, Jenny turned away and gagged at the sight of what remained of him. Akiko walked up and put a hand on her back.
“Pick up the cartridges,” Akiko snapped. “Now. We need to get out of here.”
Jenny looked at her stupidly for a second, and then it suddenly dawned on her what Akiko wanted her to do. She bent down and picked up the two spent cartridges in a dazed manner then faced Akiko.

“Give them to me, and the gun,” Akiko said. “I’ll get rid of them.” She put her hand on Jenny’s face lovingly. “It’s OK. I told you I’ll protect you.”
Akiko put the spent bullets in her pocket and shoved the gun Jenny returned to her in her waistband. “Let’s move,” she hissed.
The next thing Jenny remembered, she was in Akiko’s red Mitsubishi 3000 GT sports car, leaning her head on Akiko’s shoulder as Akiko drove her home.
“I killed someone,” Jenny suddenly said as if she suddenly realized what she had done.

“You did the right thing,” Akiko reassured her.
Jenny straightened and looked at Akiko. “I know, but something scared me.”
Akiko glanced at her. “What was that?”
Jenny looked away as if she was embarrassed. “I enjoyed it.”
She never saw the smile that briefly crossed Akiko’s face.
Akiko knew Jenny was now hooked on the thrill of the kill.
What Jenny didn’t know is that Akiko had been grooming her to be her partner. In more ways than one.

Akiko would take her beautiful blonde girlfriend home to bed. Then she would talk to Jenny about joining her very profitable business.