Part 30 (1/2)
Drove there?
He drove across the f.u.c.king country in two days?
Im-f.u.c.kin'-possible! Stickman's mind shrieked in rage. Not even if Levin had a jet engine strapped to his a.s.s!
”I want to help you find this man,” Pain told him. ”I want you... and I to find him together.”
”OK!” Stickman blurted out. He was ready to agree to anything. His G.o.dd.a.m.n arm!
”You're going to drive me to BC. It won't take long. I'll make a phone call.”
”BC?”
”No, no,” Pain said slowly, enjoying the time he took speaking, knowing it was torture to the Mundane. ”To a friend who owes me a favour. Well, he's going to owe me a favour because he's doing things that I don't think are fair. But maybe you don't understand? Let me explain...”
”NO!” Stickman retched through bared teeth and a red face.
At that time, the door creaked open. An Irving man stuck his head inthe cas.h.i.+er from out front. ”Everything okay in here?” he asked timidly, not knowing and probably not wanting to know what was going on.
Stickman did not see what happened next. He heard a voice growl, ”Get the f.u.c.k out of here.”
Stickman heard the door quickly close, and he closed his eyes in defeat when he did.
”Now,” the voice went on very close to his ear. He felt the groin press up against his rump. ”You were about to agree to help me help you, right?”
”YES!”
The voice paused. ”Y'know, I don't believe you. In your position, I guess I'd say just about anything to get out of the predicament I was in. Just about anything.”
”JESUS H. CHRIST!” the Stickman blurted out in agony. He did not see the face behind him close its eyes in pleasure.
”Yes, just about anything.” Pain went on smiling. ”So you won't mind if I ask a few questions to, uh, satisfy my suspicious nature.”
”YES!” Stick's eyes widened in sudden fright at what he'd just said might be taken as defiance. ”NO! NO!”
”Good. So, you'll give me your word that you'll do as I say from here on in?”
”YES!”
”My every command?”
”YESYES!”
”Everything?”
”YESSWEETMARYf.u.c.kYES!”
There was a laugh of someone who had two great lungfuls of phlegm. Even in Stickman's agony, the sound of that b.u.t.tery rattle made his tongue curl.
”I guess that's enough,” the voice chuckled. Then, it became lethal sounding. ”But remember this. I took you easy. I can do it again.”
The pressure on Stickman's arm and shoulder was released, and he snapped around like a coiled spring. For a moment, he considering tackling the b.a.s.t.a.r.d and thrusting his thumbs into his p.i.s.s-hole eyes. He considered it. He considered his arm. It was still on fire. He sighed, ”Y'know Badger?”
”From way back.”
”Why didn't ye say so den?”
The man shrugged. ”I had to domesticate your a.s.s first.”
That made Stickman hold his tongue. He didn't like to be talked to like that all.
”Listen,” the other said, smile disappearing. ”I apologize. I overreacted. One reason why I don't work for Badger anymore is that he sent me away. But I remember things he did for me. I heard you were looking for the guy that put him in the hospital.”
Stickman held up his good hand. ”You 'eard dat? Where from?”
Pain smiled. ”Around.”
”Yeah, where?”
”The same place I heard where Levin is heading.”
”Y'know where 'ee's goin'?”
”I do.”
”And ye wants I to go wit ye?”
Pain nodded. ”He has company with him. You'll even up the odds.”
”Two's better, eh?”
”Maybe,” and a skull smile.
A frown formed on Stickman's features. He sure as h.e.l.l didn't trust this d.i.c.k, but if he knew where Levin was, then a partners.h.i.+p would be a smart thing. ”Alright,” he said, ma.s.saging his shoulder. For a while anyway.
Pain smiled at him. His eyes were no more than blots of tar.
”So what's yer name?” Stickman asked.
The grin got wider.
Chapter 36.
Paradise.
Paradise was sinking.