Fuck! Okay, play it cool, Carter.
“What do you mean? That’s his default mood,” I reply as I head to Rage’s office.
“You’ll see it yourself, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Viking takes a few steps back from me. “Tell you what, if I’m right, you owe me a beer.”
“Sure thing, V. By the way, did anybody mention your hair looks girly?”
“Only all the time,” he replies, and we both laugh.
This day keeps getting better and better, right?
Boy, I hope Viking read him wrong.
I Knock at the door.
“Who the fuck is it now?” Rage roars from inside.
Looks like I owe Viking a beer.
“As charming as ever,” I say, opening the door. I look at him. “You look like shit.” I offer him a big smile. “What happened?”
Rage’s eyes are swollen and red. “You’re here earlier than I expected. What happened with ‘I have some shit to take care of’. Don’t you have a life?” He doesn’t look at me.
“Funny of you to ask. I had the most interesting meeting ever over there at the oldBucket of Blood,” I say nonchalantly.
“Hmm. Why do I care?” Rage signs some papers. Eyes down, still not looking at me.
“Well, they gave me a picture that might interest you.” I pull the pic from my pocket and slide it to him on the table face down. Rage reluctantly picks the picture, looks at it, arches an eyebrow and finally looks at me. “Curious yet?” I ask, smiling.
Rage leans forward on the desk, and his chair squeaks. He contemplates the picture some more then calmly adds, “Not particularly. Who did you meet?”
“Oh, well, thank you very much for playing along. He said very little, but at the same time gave away a lot of information. If I had to guess, he’s a common friend of ours, but now that I think about it, he might well beformerfriend of yours through his bosses.”
“Cut the crap. Who did you meet?” He’s still calm. I thought he was going to lose it after looking at the picture.
“Does the name Matt Nakamura ring any bells?” This game is fascinating.
“Should it?”
“It seemed like it would. He was very specific about you, and when someone is that specific about someone, almost always, they know each other.”
“Well not this time, pretty boy.”
I snap my fingers. “Oh wait, I know! I gave you hishumanname. Let me try with hisscumbagone… You ready?” I prepare myself for his reaction. “Daremo.” And there it is, Rage’s attention. His black eyes focus on me. His face is white, and his jaw clenches while his breathing quickens.
“Why were you meeting with the Yakuzas?”
“I needed the distraction, you know, feel useful again. You’ve kinda taken that away from me lately.” It’s true. Since Sarah’s taken over my life, nothing has really happened, and I need things to happen. Otherwise I will get bored, and bored only means bad news.
“Did you take whatever job they give you?” he asks coldly.
“Huh… it’s the Yakuzas. You can’t say no to the fuckers.” I scratch my face.
“Then I guess this is it.”
“I guess so— Wait, what? No—” I start but Rage stands up, pointing a gun at me.
“Hold on, hold on, easy boy,” I say as I put my hands up in surrender. “Let’s play it cool a little and settle down. I would very much like you not using that hand cannon on me because… you know, I like breathing.”
