Outside the diner the birds sounded like screaming.
Marsh looked up, surveying his crew. Sonny with his dead fish eyes cleaning his knife. Carlos making up for Sonny not talking. Tornado leaning against the black Impala explaining the finer points of Motorhead to Sasquatch and Mind Flayer. Slayer, the Aussie Samurai, running his comb through his pompadour and mutton chops for the tenth time in the hour. Finally Marsh settled his eyes on Enforcer, the kid who wasn’t like the others.
Mind Flayer’s deep monotone voice echoed in Marsh’s mind ‘They are en route. Svetlana is being transferred in an hour.’ Time to get this done…Marsh thought , using the thought ‘fucking psychics’ to drown out Mind Flayer’s inevitable response in his head.
“Come here, Gingerbread” Marsh beckoned. Enforcer, no small man himself, looked tiny compared to Marsh, who had been often described as ‘a Viking in a suit’.
“Warren thanks for inviting…”
“How stupid are you and how stupid do you think I am?” Marsh pulled out a cigar.
Enforcer blinked. The wind was the only sound for a moment along with the birds. Even Carlos shut up. Tornado opened a beer.
Marsh shook his head. “That crew you hang out with, at the Bar Sinister, you guys always in the private room right? How often you there and how often you see us there? Simple question so I expect you can answer “
“We …they are there every night. I don’t see you all that often but I don’t…”
“You don’t see us often because we do jobs. You guys are there every night because despite your claims to being the contrary, no one wants to hire your phoney asses to sweep the floors let alone to do mercenary work.” Match struck, cigar lit.
Enforcer opened his mouth as if to speak but Carlos’ tongue moved faster “How much you make last year man? Make it to six figures? “ Enforcer’s face turned as red as his hair. Carlos chuckled “Thought so man. Sonny and me did that without any super powers, man.”
“And I heard, now just a rumour, that Warren here considers you a friend.” Sasquatch’s gentle tones barely heard above the birds. “And Tornado here can vouch that is a hell of a thing to achieve. And that isn’t a rumour.”
Tornado nodded, his shaky past with Warren well known even to the dregs of the Bar Sinister. “Warren’s support is more financially rewarding than false promises of pussy. With him you could pay for the real thing.” drawled the western Canadian. “And no offence, but it looks like you would need to pay a lot more than me” Wide grin.
Marsh stroked his beard. “So I guess the answer is, you are so fucking stupid that you thought that you could talk shit about me in a room that Sonny bugged himself” Enforcer met Marsh’s eyes, then frantically glanced over at quiet Sonny. Marsh blew cigar smoke. “Chuckles and I go back before he even tried to learn how to play pool. And you just tossed away my kindness, it is like you guys are trying to see who can get away with being my enemy. Is it some kind of game or sport to you?” The voice rougher, meaner now.
Enforcer’s mind raced. Seeing where everyone was, Sonny, Carlos in front of him, Sasquatch, Tornado beside him now and Mind Flayer…looking him straight in the eyes…..fuck forgetting someone and those damn birds, is that wood swinging in the air?
”If it is a game, Gingerbread”…… A pause to draw on the cigar…“You lost, just like you lost track of someone didn’t you? “ A savage gleam filled Marsh’s eyes as Enforcer slammed face first to the ground, Slayer’s foot on his back. He barely got a chance to yell for help before the Aussie slammed a pike into the prone man’s lower back and heaved, lifting him up like a flag, arms and legs fluttering and not because of the wind.
Mind Flayer’s lips barely moved. “Turned off the centers of the brain that will make him pass out from pain, but he will still feel it quite satisfactory.”
“Good. Because flag boy here has a few things he needs done to him. And I would like him to recall it for the rest of his life, as short as it may be” Marsh produced his cell phone. “Do gather around boys. This does deserve a photo.”
Outside the diner the screaming sounded like birds.
