‘Out!’ Malcolm drags the guy who is full on laughing now by the collar like the good little lapdog he is, desperately trying to ignore my comment.
It’s an absolute mystery why anyone listens to Malcom. From what Ruaridh said, the guy can’t fight, hasn’t got a sense of humour, and his sister has all the brains for both of them. So how the fuck is he the one in charge?
‘You Skulls are as dumb as you look,’ Malcom leers. A singular strand of greasy hair falling into his eyes.
Bah, he’s also an ugly fucker.
I lean back in the metal chair, kicking my boots up onto the seat opposite me.
‘You have something I want.’
‘And you have something I want,’ Malcolm grins.
‘Yeh no shit,’ fucking idiot. ‘That’s how deals work.’
Nothing between the ears this one. I bet if I were to look into his ear, I’d see straight out the other one his brain a speck of dust floating around his empty skull.
I glance down the carriageway but have no luck in spotting anyone else. For being underground, it looks surprisingly clean up there where the light is a lot brighter.
Malcolm slams his fist on the seat opposite me, making my boots vibrate a little.
Well, that was cute.
‘I want your leader.’
Oh how original. How could someone seriously think I’d make the journey all the way down here and not for a second consider — knowing the beef he has with Ruaridh — that he would be interested in some payback.
Luckily for him, I couldn’t give a shit.
‘After I get what I need.’
That surprises the idiot. He doesn’t even try to hide it on his expression as his thin eyebrows hike up and his mouth pops open slightly.
As always my trusty mask hides my cockiness as I watch the fool fall right where I want him.
‘Where is your sister?’
His shock hardens as he looks up the carriages. ‘You’re not getting my sister.’
Seriously? What does he fucking take me for?
‘I don’t want a person,’ unlike you fucker. My teeth grind. ‘I want a piece of equipment. One I want her to get me.’
Ruaridh had spoken with his sister once when making a deal. It was back when Pam had just arrived and she’d taken ill. We had tried everything but she was half frozen when she turned up with little Elsa. I’ll never forget how cold she was, letting all of her body heat go to the granddaughter that she was protecting. Ruaridh had decided to come down here after hearing a rumour that there was a medical group hidden in the subway tunnels.
He'd somehow found Malcolm’s sister first who had quickly given him some medicine to try for Pam. That stuff had savedher life, she had saved her life. But before Ru could say anything else, Malcolm turned up, and it all went to shit.
Ruaridh had insulted him. The fucker can be a cocky dickhead sometimes. Which, for some people, isn’t taken very well.
Most of the other groups we’ve come across hate Ruaridh. He’s half of the reason we have such a bad reputation, but I can’t criticise him. Afterall, he’s the reason we’re all alive, sleeping safe and sound at night. Hiding behind the big scary walls that he and we other Skulls built.
‘I’ll get you what you need.’ Malcolm states.
Not a fucking chance am I letting this twat even guess which is the right equipment. Even if he found me what I want I’d be half inclined to think it was broken or him touching it would infect it somehow.
‘No.’
Malcolm scowls, shifting from foot to foot as if he is weighing up his options.
