A bodega banquet. Power bars, Gatorade and bottled water. Some lunch meat and bread for sandwiches, along with little jars of mayo and mustard. Some snacks. On consideration, I pick up a six-pack of Heineken and a bottle of... that's a question. Dus…
I check to make sure the mini-fridge is operational. "I'll bring back enough food for a day or two. Once I leave, stay in the room until you hear from me. Unless I haven't checked in by tomorrow afternoon. In that case, assume the worst."
I shake my head. "I take you to my apartment, then go see Madame L'Infer and it doesn't go well. Where's the first place she's gonna look for you, Dustin? You stay here and keep your head down."
"Dustin. Just... don't talk, alright?" I smile, pleased with the reaction I anticipate when I show him his new temporary digs. The Viking Motel doesn't charge by the hour, but it's not far off... "When we get there, stay in the car and I'll get you …
I return the kiss. I'd really rather hang out here with shepherd's pie than deal with Dustin and Madame L'Infer, but them's the breaks. "Is cool. Thanks, Sash." I disengage and head to the door. "Tell Tank hey for me. Catch you tomorrow."
She's not looking, so I sneak a peek in the fridge, find some old powdered "parmesan" to sprinkle over top of the mashed potatoes that overlay the casserole dish. Actually wish I could stick around to eat, but it's time for me to move D-bag Dustin t…
Thing is... talking about it? Kinda does. But not enough to upset Sasha. She's good people. "Nah. I don't feel trapped, Sash. Like you said, casual." I give her a kiss, not a searing one, but a decent one. Like a five-and-a-half on a 1-to-10 scale. …
Since the point of this interlude is supposedly to regain my sweats and t-shirt after they've been washed and dried, I hang out long enough for that to happen. 45 minutes, since they're the only things in the machine? "Hey, I can help if you want, S…
Well, that's an interesting question. Nine times out of ten, food is just... fuel to me. But on that tenth time? "Well... I kinda eat to live, instead of living to eat, but... if I'm going for favorite, I have to go spicy. It's either lamb vindaloo …
I shake my head. "Can't... I have a side gig for one of my clients." That's what we call the people we train, and what I call the people I "help." Sometimes. When I'm not just hunting. F me, why did I get involved with Dustin's stuff in the first pl…
They have an Atari 2600. Well, actually, a Sears Tele-Game Rev. B (Tank told me that). The only two games I've played are Adventure and Pitfall. I could play Pitfall for hours... "Who'd you bribe to get a washer/dryer in your apartment, anyway?"
I park the truck and get out before I answer, setting the alarm. "No, you got the point. If... it made sense, it really wouldn't be a problem." I smile, as I always do, at the little garden the tenants of her building have managed to put together re…
Oh, the list of demons. I'll pick a metaphorical one instead of saying "That Calabim bitch I just whacked in the head." There's one thing that's true in all areas of my life though. "I'm addicted to independence. I... the idea of someone..." or some…
There are so many ways I could answer that. Everything I could say is, as the old saw goes, "partly true, partly false, and partly meaningless." "Sasha, there's shit in my life... you don't need to know some of it, I promise. And I don't know if you…
"That's cool, Sash. Hey, you mind if I ask you a question? Ambrose... well, I've seen your ink, so I know he's got to have seen you naked. Is he really your cousin, or is that just one of those 'grew up together' things?"
This is why I can't have nice things. "I can take you home if you want, Sasha... and I'm... I'm sorry. I'm still up with the adrenaline. If you really want, I'll talk about it sometime."
My usual station is Faction with Jason Ellis. Right now, Rise Against is on. "Prayer of the Refugee." This question Sasha asked... it's not easy to answer. I got thrown in the deep end, fighting demons on Devil's Night... just doesn't really cut it.…
I turn the ignition and start up the truck, then carefully pull out into traffic. "Yeah, well... sudden violence turns out to be one of my many talents." I half-shrug. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Sasha, but I had to step in."
I nod. "Sasha, let's hit it!" I move toward my truck, pushing my baton into my thigh to retract it. Pretty sure there's phone video of what just went down, but it's just a brief street fight, nothing for the cops to really dig into. I feel the bruis…
I don't waste my breath on banter. This is too public for me to break out The Preacher and carve this Calabim like a Thanksgiving turkey, so I'm just hoping to back her off. I can finish it another time. That said, though, I'm not pulling any punche…
The baton inflicts 2-harm, and since I'm assuming I was something of a surprise, I'm choosing to take the initiative away from blonde dude, giving him pause.
"I work hard at being skinny. And..." I flick my wrist to extend the baton. "...at being a bitch." It's blessed, but it's been a few weeks since the Padre touched that up. Should be enough to let the Calabim know I'm serious, though.
Since she's n…
I shake my head. "Don't call yet, Sasha." Then I start towards the scuffle, hand reaching for the baton tucked under my jacket. "Let's all chill out, okay? Make art, not war, you know?"
"Then we let him work it out, right?" But I'm looking for the need to intervene. Some might say "hoping" for it, but that's BS, really. Really. Do any of those antagonists seem... unnatural?
I take the vape. "I do like the cherry thing... and I'm glad I made it, too. Sunshine, art, making Ambrose uncomfortable... it's a good combination." After a puff, I ask, "So how was your shift? Any problems with the big order?" I hand back the vapo…