CHAPTER 64
My drive takes me to the shop but it looks closed and there's nobody inside even as I kick the door open a little with my boot and look around. Sure enough nobody's here and I drop off the package on the desk before hopping on my bike across the street. I stop and check my phone a couple messages from the girls asking me how I'm doing, I tell them I'm okay and they let me know that Jackie is doing fine. Apparently Loretta joined up with the girls and they're all having a better time than one would expect. I'm about to put my helmet on when I'm knocked off my bike. My ears are ringing and I'm dazed as I look up and see the shop I was just in on fire. The doors are blown off and what little people there were on the street are staring in awe. I get up and right my bike as I realize that I'm bleeding from my head and my right arm. I get my helmet on and fly away from the scene.
I don't know what compelled me to drive over to the tattoo shop. I pull up and see more than a few of the Devil's Best sitting around and Sid is there talking with the Old Man and they're having a laugh as I walk up and pull my helmet off and people see my blood dried on my face. Everyone looks at me with concern as I drop the bag in front of Sid and turn to the Old Man. I rip the Pariah patch off my jacket and see his face go slack.
"We're done," I tell him dropping it and walking away.
"Kid what the hell happened to you," the Old Man calls after me as I get to my bike.
"Hey Guy are you okay," Vicki says rushing out to see me before stopping in her tracks as the sight of my bloodied face.
I just stare her down before turning my gaze back to the Old Man who is staring between Sid and me. The Old Man is confused then pissed off and it's not in my direction.
"You fucking told me that it wasn't anything important, I let you use one of my free hands," I figure that's my work title as the Old Man is chewing out Sid," And now he's bleeding all over himself and I'm out good help and a solid prospect."
"Hey I told him in two hours, he should have had enough time to drop shit off and get out. And besides you were never going to take care of that old building anyway so I just did you a favor," Sid says remarkably cool.
"Out, you get off my property now. Till further notice Devil's Best are not welcome on Union territory," the Old Man barks picking up my patch and heading inside the Tattoo shop.
"Are you fucking serious Jim!? I needed to get this done and you said the kid could handle tough shit. He walks then fuck him he's not cut out for man's work anyway," Sid says as Vicki stops me from getting on my bike.
"Guy come inside and let me patch you up," Vicki says concerned.
"No, stick with Mark but your family can stay the hell away from me," I tell her as I see Smitty come out the shop and over to me with a speed I'm not used to seeing on the big man.
"Guy my Dad wants you to come inside and talk with him," Smitty says as he pulls Vicki back from me a little.
"And I don't give a fuck what your Dad wants," I retort fuming mad.
"Please, just let me fix you up while Grandpa talks. When I'm done go," Vicki says quietly leading me inside the shop.
I can see a few artists are staring at the blood and once in the back office Vicki helps me out of my coat and starts to assess the damage. Somehow I have a gash on my upper right bicep and checking my coat see that the leather is torn open. I'm almost as pissed about my leather jacket than the fact that I nearly got blown up. Vicki starts going to work as the Old Man comes in and sits down in his office chair.
"Kid I'm sorry you got mixed up in this, Sid said it was a couple of small things that needed an outside hand," the Old Man says as I cut him off.
"Twice now, you and your people keep me in the dark. Twice I find out the hard way that I've got a fucking bull's eye on my back and this time I nearly become a fucking stain on the pavement. Explain to me how 'Sorry' is a fucking explanation for your god damned incompetence," I growl at him.
"I went off of what I knew and the first time we settled between us," he says as Vicki starts to realize she's out of the information loop.
"So then another thing happens, then another thing. You seem to think of me as expendable," I tell him as Vicki hits my head gash with antiseptic.
"Not expendable kid, dependable and I can trust you to not turn on me or the Union," he says quietly," All I've got for you is my word that I'll fix this and make it up to you."
I sit there and think as I hear Smitty starting to argue with what sounds like Sid at the front of the shop. He wants to speak to the Old Man and Smitty is telling him to get out. I reach past the Old Man to his desk and open a few drawers before finding his big revolver. Vicki is petrified as I walk out barely bandaged and carrying the fucking cannon in my left hand, my dominant hand. Sid see's me and then the cannon as I level it at him. His hands go up and the whole place freezes.
"Kid you need to calm down, killing me starts a problem between the Union and the Devil's Best," Sid says trying to talk me down.
"No it doesn't, I'm not Union. I'm unaffiliated and I'm without fucking compensation for damages received in the line of work. Also you are trespassing and that is a crime which in the state of Texas means that the offended and his occupants can defend themselves as they see fit," I tell him in a cold passionless tone.
"So you shoot me and then what, call the police," Sid asks almost mocking me.
"Yes, I have a few friends and a we're close enough that I could probably not see the inside of a jail considering the high priced lawyer I have for a Step Father that makes your friend that I delivered the package too look a little underpaid. Now you will fucking walk away and when you figure out some form of apology and compensation for me you can contact the Old Man and he'll decide whether it's enough or not," I say backing him out of the door.
I turn and walk back to the office to see Vicki and the Old Man staring at me, she's in shock and the Old Man is just smiling and shaking his head. I get seated and let Vicki finish her job when the Old Man hands me back my jacket, he put the damn 'Pariah' patch back on and I see some fishing line stitching on the gash in the sleeve. I put my coat back on and slowly head out of the shop and back to my bike. I don't care what anyone has to say as I see more than a few of the Devil's Best still hanging around as I hop on my bike and head back towards the crappy motel I've got set up for Jackie. I get in and send a text message to the girls telling them where I'm at and that I'm resting after a day of bullshit. Sure enough instead of quiet my phone starts going psycho with text messages and I have to shut the volume off to rest.
I'm not down an hour when the door comes busting in and my girls along with Jackie and Loretta. I'm barely able to sit up when they see my bandages and Kori is the first one to get to me as Katy grabs my jacket and sees the damage.
"Did you wreck," Katy asks concerned.
"No I was asked to help someone that I thought had my health and well being in mind and they didn't," I say as Kori checks my arm then my scalp.
"Why am I seeing splinters and glass," Kori asks with an angry look.