Waving the flag (supervillian short story)

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. 

Crime Fiction : Hardcore Part 1

“All of this I’m ok with but him. Tornado, I think he’s a fake.”

Miles ran his fingers through his steel grey hair. “Warren he is legit, as hardcore as you.”

Warren pulled the cigar out of his mouth. “Don’t sell me that.  I read the police reports and any idiot can figure out he’s making a rep on a damn accident. You are smarter than this Miles.” He sat back and pulled deep on the cigar.

Warren Marsh. If you had to describe his look, the best would be “Viking in a suit”  The wild blonde hair and beard,  the stocky built and the eyes…

Piercing blue that shone constantly with maniac glee and fury.  Except when they turned color. But at that point that might be the last thing you see, so who knows what the color is…

The attitude fit as well. Plundering the world for anyone who paid him. Nothing he owned was his originally. His car, his house, even his name…

Miles Steele. Self made man. Earned every cent, how he did it isn’t important. Looks the perfect gentlemen, oozes distinguished down to that perfect steel grey hair.  Everything in perfect place….

Except his hands. The scars where a projectile went straight through them. He still can’t clench his fists all the way…

Steele leaned forward trying to close those same hands on Marsh’s arm. “Warren, I vouch for him. Not the company, I do personally. And if my word doesn’t mean anything to you” he held open his arms “why are we here?”

“Never talk that metaphysics crap with me. If you are talking about our meeting, its money. Never…..” leaning forward…

“Never assume this is ever meaning we are friends. You are a conduit to cash. “ Grabbing Steele by the ears like a dog. “A….means…to…an…end.”

The club began to notice the odd sight of one of its prominent members being treated like LBJ’s dog. With a smile and a slap Warren sent Miles back into his chair.

“Ok your word is fine with me. Until such time as it proves to be worthless. Then Mr. Steele you best hope it proves very fatal to me.”

The Maitre’d arrived with two waiters in tow. Warren barely paid them any mind outside of:

“There was a time when you would have asked me if I wanted to have my way with a waitress in the kitchen or if I preferred the cloakroom.” A sip of water.

The Maire’d eyes widened. Marsh seemed to take notice of him.

“In fact back in the back when you were doing their jobs” pointing at the waiters, “I do recall you holding down a few less than cooperative ones for my father. Now don’t tell your name….” he stood up and whispered into the man’s trembling ear:

“Because I bet you don’t want that known, just like I want you to know I am Warren Marsh and that’s what you tell everyone else who asks you that very question are we clear man whose name I don’t recall?”

A gulp “Of course Mr. Marsh.”

“Miles..I think we are done here and you will be paying for lunch. I gotta check on some renovations.”

“The fuck is this?” Warren looked at the gaping carpeted hole in her living room.

“It’s a pit for combative activities. Sonny and Carlos are doing the wiring for it, remember?”

“Yeah, so it is..you fight other woman in here Meg? That’s…nostalgic.” He sat on the ledge.

“Nostalgic? Do you even know what that means?”

“Look at them go son. Cooks  vs. maids.” Fingers ran through his long blonde hair. Rings worth thousands, A watch that could have fed a family for a year. The smell of wet earth. His father’s cologne. Screams as someone took a hard shot to the head.

“When do we stop them dad?”

Suppressed laughter “Damn…damned if..I know HA HA HA!”

He joined the laughter. That was quite funny even now.

“Son….you know why I do what I do and don’t answer this is one of those setups for an answer rather than an expectation of one..”

“Rhetorical question”

That sounds so intellectual bullshit that I can’t talk that way anyways, its because if I don’t put people in a pit or hunt the homeless or set a random person on fire..do you know how I would release that energy? On the job.”

“that would be quite awkward. Dad.”

“Exactly. I know scale..perspective. Better the servants than say two countries.  Better to burn a fast food employee than an economy.  This is the most important lesson I can ever teach you son:

It is the right of the powerful to release their unholy urges so they can guide humanity with purity, but it is their responsibility to confine that release to a small scale. It’s a delicate balance….I think someone died in that pit…hmmmm”

“Warren..you’re smiling. That’s an eerie sight “ Meg snapped her fingers.

He shook his head. “Whoa, that was a trip…Meg, may I tell you a favor you are going to do for me?”

“Why Warren, what could I do for you? If its sex I know to hit you on your head to regain your memory.”

“No it’s a sentimental thing, let me watch the fights you have here. Reminds me of home. Don’t ask just do it.”

He stood up. “Got to go see a man tomorrow. See if we have something in common.”

“What would that be?”

“Killed a kid.”