“So, Payne, what the fuck is wrong with your president? Why’s he such an asshole?”
Payne looked up at me in the rearview mirror as he drove. He narrowed his eyes as though he were working out a puzzle. He’d never fucking figure it out though. No one had. Sure, they might think Stocks was crazy, but at least it wasn’t me.
“I’m curious about the answer to that question myself,” Eros said as he stared out the window. I couldn’t get a read on him. He was quiet, but not in a brooding, cranky kind of way. Not like Stocks. God, he was so fucking serious all the fucking time.
I can hear you, asshole.
I know. That’s the point. Maybe you’ll take the hint.
“So?” I pushed. “Any insights?”
“Nope.”
Eros turned to look at Payne. “Just nope?”
Payne glanced at Eros and nodded.
These two weren’t any more fun than Stocks. I twisted in my seat and started digging through the shit in the back. If they didn’t want to talk, I’d get started putting shit together.
By the time we pulled up close enough to the clubhouse without being seen, Payne had shut down the lights, and we got out and grabbed our packs. Everything I needed was in my rucksack.
“I get the barn. You two take care of the trailers.”
I took off at a run before either of them could stop me. I was at least a decade younger than both of them. I’d probably have the barn wired before they were even halfway through the trailers.
Slow down. Take your time.
Get in, get out. That was my motto in life. Yeah, that meant women too. Stocks and me, we weren’t built for a woman. Our mama told us that our whole life. She made sure we understood there wasn’t a woman crazy enough to handle us.
Of course, she always said him. She didn’t acknowledge me unless she was talking to the fucking shrinks. Then she tried to get rid of me, so we had to adapt. We learned to adjust and when she pissed me off, maybe I played with her a little.
You terrorized her!
She was a bitch.
She didn’t understand. She tried her best.
You always fucking defend her. Leave me alone, I have shit to do.
I made it to the barn without being seen. My whole childhood, I’d learned to make myself small. Then, when I met Jingles, he taught me some tricks. He said it would come in handy when I did my thing, and it sure fucking did.
Thirty minutes later, and I had the place rigged. I went looking for Felix and Oscar.
Who the fuck is Felix and Oscar?
Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, the odd couple? Seriously, bro, watch more TV.
I found Payne and Eros finishing up the last trailer, and together we walked back toward the SUV.
“What the fuck is that?” Payne asked, looking at my hand.
I looked down at the wheel of wire and said, “What? Were we trying to keep this low key? ’Cause King didn’t say anything about that.” Looking around I pointed out, “The earth is as flat as Minnie Keller’s chest in middle school. Everyone in this town is going to see the fucking explosion.” I smiled at the two men. “Probably going to feel it too.”
Payne stared at me with his mouth hanging open, and Eros shook his head. Stocks was surprisingly quiet, and I bit my lip and looked back at the barn. Suddenly I was having second thoughts.
“Let’s get this shit done and get the hell out of here.” Payne sighed.
“Hang on, something doesn’t feel right.”
