Nikita: pt 2

 Of course, I’d have felt more comfortable without the barrel of a pistol digging into my ribs, but I guessed that wasn’t an option.

“You know,” Nikita said, breathing in sharply through his slightly yellow teeth, “You and your questions have been causing me…what’s that word, Paulie?”

“Concern, Boss,” Paulie said, digging the hard barrel further into my ribs just to remind me that, whatever caused Nikita concern, was an immediate concern to me, as well.


“Yeah, that’s it, concern. I’m real concerned about these questions,” Nikita said. “I’m even more concerned about who asked you to look into my biz-zi-ness.” The way he sounded out all three syllables made the simple word chilling.


“What?” I answered, playing dumb for as long as I could get away with it. “I’m just wondering. Big, healthy guy like Kid Lemon collapses in the ring, it just seems odd.” Nikita looked at me, a hard, sharp look that could bore through granite, if you gave it enough time. I looked back at him, my face composed in lines of innocence, I hoped.


“Maybe he took one too many shots to the head,” Nikita said, carefully. “You know, boxing can be dangerous like that.” I nodded.


“But the coroner said it was his heart,” I said. Nikita didn’t look happy, and Pauli’s gun continued to grind its way between my ribs.


--30--

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

It's a Wonderful Life: 2024

  The beauty of the sunset was obscured by the forest of industrial cranes. The sky blue was washed out by the orange haze of photochemical smog. Henry Potter the Third stood on the banks of what had been, in his childhood, a salmon stream where clear water danced over pretty pebbles. Now he watched as the green, slimy, water oozed by with an oily sheen. He breathed deeply and savoured his success in bringing progress to Bedford Falls. How his grandfather would have envied him. -- 30 --
Read more

The Trojan

  Cassie had dreams and visions, but no one ever believed. Girls at school laughed when she foresaw their boyfriends cheating; her family shook their heads if she saw cars crashes, or homes burning down. Cornell might love Cassandra but he never believed her, either. “There you go,” Cassie tucked her silk handkerchief into the breast pocket of Cornell’s suit. “Now you’re ready for anything.” It was a lie, but she’d warned him before, and he’d just laughed it off. Instead of fighting, she kissed Cornell’s lips and let him muss her auburn hair one last time. “I’ll be home for dinner,” he said, getting into his Tesla. ”We’ll have pork chops.” Cassie blinked away tears from her grey eyes, smiled and waved as he left. It was hard watching Cornell leave forever. It was much harder than everyone thinking she was crazy. Once the taillights had disappeared Cassie went out into the garage where her reliable, old Jeep was ready, loaded with supplies, full of fuel, and serviced. The reinforced...
Read more

Cheering Garcia

“ ¡Gar-ci-a! ¡Gar-ci-a! ” twenty-thousand voices cheered Monte Rico’s president, as he started to climb up the steps to the podium. Every eye was on their hero; no-one was likely to look at the high window where I was hidden.  Garcia had made enemies among the multinationals. He’d nationalised some holdings, forced the big boys to declare their interests, but his real crime was refusing to grant permits for oil exploration and mining. The corporations leaned on the President, and she leaned on the Company; then they sent me to deal with Garcia. I wondered if he guessed his fate was sealed. Graves – head of operations – assured me it would be a simple job, when I was briefed. He seemed right; the security arrangements were laughably bad. But a professional cuts no corners, even on an easy job. Garcia’s head was lined up through the telescopic sight. It was a good one, and the rifle was the excellent Tikka T3, in .308. There was nothing military on this mission, and nothing American,...
Read more