904 A Losing Choice

They laughed at Michael. 

Laughed because they clearly weren't threatened by it. Laughed as if they knew he didn't mean it. Or perhaps they did - the way their mockery rang aloud and above the storm. 

"Go ahead, call 'em," The tall man said, still chuckling inaudibly behind a taunting smirk. "Hear that, Rudy? We're gonna go now. Gonna leave here soaking, pissed, and most importantly, empty-handed. If that's just fine with you, then…"

They began turning around, swinging backward with a lingering leer, but they took their time, biding it, making only two steps of progress out the exit before it finally happened. 

"No, no, no, w-wait, wait!" 

Rudy rushed past Michael. The impulsive, frantic movement of an individual pushed far past the brink, willingly yet unwittingly ready to go to any lengths in an attempt to fix everything.