“Is this a joke?” he scoffs, feigning nonchalance, but he isn’t fooling anyone. He’s scared shitless.
“His call log and text messages are clean, but—”
“See, nothing to hide,” Brick gloats triumphantly.
“I wasn’t done talking, pencil dick. As I was sayin’, his call history and deleted texts are easily retrievable.” Snake aims a taunting smile at him. “You gotta love technology.”
And abracadabra, Brick’s exuberance disappears in a flash.
“Did you think it’d be that easy, you rat fuck?” Cricket crows, bouncing around like a goddamn lunatic. “Snake is a tech genius, motherfucker.”
“Here’s the thing, Brick,” I announce, pausing to study my fingernails for several beats. “We know you sold us out to the Disciples.”
“I didn’t—”
“Listen, tell the truth and I’ll convince Zeus to spare your life.” I aim the gun at his protruding midsection, which is weirdly disproportionate to his thin frame. The sleazy scumbag is skinnier than a two-dollar crack whore. “Lie and kiss your ass goodbye.”
“Okay, okay,” he concedes, threading a hand through his mousy-brown hair. “I set it up, but Buffalo was in on everything.”
“You lying motherfucker!” Buffalo shouts, charging forward. He punches his cousin in the mouth before Snake manages to haul him back.
Brick spits blood onto the worn carpet. “Why am I not surprised you skipped the part about your involvement, little cousin?”
“Don’t believe this piece of shit,” Buffalo sneers, jabbing a finger at him. His voice is too loud. Too panicked.
“I brought him on for twenty grand, but later he switched up and demanded more money. I refused and he got pissed,” Brick explains, pinning his narrow gaze on Buffalo. “Thought I’d be killed right away, no questions asked, huh? Too bad for you.”
Buffalo pales, guilt written all over his face. “H-he’s l-lying—”
I raise the gun and fire once, silencing him forever. His lifeless body crumples to the floor, blood oozing from the gaping hole in his skull.
“Thanks a lot,” Snake grumbles, wiping blood and brain matter off his face with the hem of his shirt. “Some got in my eye too.”
“My bad,” I say to him before giving my full attention to the disloyal fucker cowering on the sofa. “Any last words?”
“Wait a minute,” he shrieks. “You said you would talk to Zeus.”
“Oh, about that,” I drawl, scratching an imaginary itch on my neck. “I lied.”
Crocodile tears gleam in his eyes. “Honest to God, no one was supposed to get hurt.”
“But they did.” Two bullets enter his chest, and his eyelids stretch in terror.
Twin red spots bloom on his white tank, saturating the cotton in seconds.
I blow him a kiss. “See you in Hell.”
Undoubtedly, Lucifer is eagerly awaiting my arrival.
His breathing grows shallow, then his journey on Earth comes to an abrupt end.
“Get the burner from the car and call the cleaner.” I issue the directive to Cricket. “Tell him to get here ASAP.”
“On it,” he says and leaves the house.
“You shouldn’t have killed Buffalo without the okay from Zeus first,” Snake remarks, shaking his head at me. “He’s going to bust a vein.”
“Fuck his bureaucratic bullshit.” I dismiss my brother’s warning and stand, dropping my sidearm back in its holster. “Help me find something to wrap the bodies in.”
