Bili Rubin

“So you got that?” He said, right in my face, bending over me with his hands on the arms of the chair. He wasn't all that scary, I mean he was, but not really. Scariest thing about him was his breath, boy that stunk!
I didn't say anything, I let out one of those breaths you do, when you're somewhere between annoyed and can't-be-bothered. I never let out a second one though, the bald headed goon over my shoulder damn near knocked my head off as soon as I let it out. I'm not a big guy, and his fist was almost the size of my whole head.
Still, as soon as I could, I sat up nice and straight. So his point hit its mark!
“You got that now?” The boss man was over me again quick smart. Something was buried in his moustache, it looked like a piece of chicken skin, it didn't look good whatever it was.
“I got it, I got it.” I said to him, pulling my head back, an eye lifting to the goon, hoping he was standing just as dumb as he had been most of the time. Thankfully he was.
Then the big man went back behind his desk, putting his feet up on his table as he leaned back in his chair. Lighting a cigarette, he took his gun out and tossed it lazily up by his feet, stretching his back and taking a big suck on the smoke. He looked me right in the eyes, boring down into mine, and he damn well got to me. I looked away.
“It's the curse of my life you know,” He said, talking now like I was one of his hopeless busts, or one of his damn cops, right down his nose, “It's only a matter of time when one of you second raters blows into town that you wind up in front of me. I don't know what I did to deserve it!” The last bit he said in that voice that told me he'd been practising that one for awhile, and was just waiting for the chance.
And damn me, I couldn't keep my mouth shut, “Yeah,” I said, shaking my head like I understood his problem, “I imagine everyone out here failed in the big time!” Dammit, dammit, dammit.
I was sprawled over the chair arm before I knew what hit me, and this time I was seeing stars. The guy behind me may have been a big bruiser, but that cop had a good right on him.
The head cop was on his feet too, his face was almost as red as the cigarette tip. He walked around to stand in front of me again. This time I was scared. Here was a man in trouble, he knew it, big trouble, and his best bet wasn't cooperating one little bit. But, when I thought he was gonna take a shot at me himself, he propped me back in the chair.
He took a long drag of his cigarette, and talking through a lungful of smoke, “You heard of a man called Kite?”
I just shook my head, I didn't think any words would sound too good right then.
He nodded, “How about Grimwald?”
I shook my head again, trying to sink into the chair and disappear.
“Didn't think so,” He said, moving back to sit on the front of his desk, his eyes hard on mine. He was a thug, but he was good at his job. A police chief must deal with some hard cases. “Grimwald runs a gang here in town, and he wants me dead. Payback is always rough, and I make sure of that, guess he can't take it. Kite is the man he's paid to do it.”
It was my turn to nod. This wasn't good. I knew where he was going, he wasn't hard to read. This was bad, I just wanted to get my stash and run. Live quiet and spend well.
“I want you to kill Kite!” He said flatly, “And that means you want to kill Kite, because if you don't, you're going to be the one to get killed!”
This had me stunned, I'll tell you that now, he got me. Kite? It was Grimwald paying, why the Hell kill Kite? Maybe I would make it to my payday, if this is the limit of the brains here.
“And then?” I asked him, my head already pounding.
“Then, you're history here. Got that. History. You never return, ever!” He was up and leaning over me for that one too, his voice slow and menacing. This one didn't rattle me though, too controlled and rehearsed, and damn what a cliché. It got a laugh from officer dumbo beside me though.
“Where do I find him?” I asked. If he wanted to waste time on the wrong man I didn’t care, it's not my head the bounty is on.
“Oh don't worry,” He laughed aloud, a cough breaking it off as he choked on cigarette smoke. The goon was laughing just as loud, till the choking stopped him quick too, “He'll find you. He knows you're here already. Where do you think these bounty hunters get their information!”
What an idiot!
What a moron!
“The man trying to kill you has insiders in your own force!” I was amazed, stunned. Is there a word for both?
He just looked at me, and scooped up his pistol again. His friend was a statue.
“The Seven Sins,” He said when he got his voice, a few large breaths on his smoke later, “A club here.”
“I need some things from my ship, I've got-” I started, but didn't get far.
“Go near your ship and both you and it are dead.” He said outright, and this was one of those times I knew he meant it. He'd know ways to make someone disappear. “Got it?”
I nodded, and I still can't believe it, but my eyes were on the floor while I did. “I do need some things.”
Here is where he showed he wasn't a complete halfwit. He went around to his desk and pulled out a laze pistol and tossed it to me. Followed quickly by two more power cells. I looked at it, all the numbers ground off, surprise surprise, but the regulator was also removed. I was curious, but decided against asking where it came from. Whoever it came from may have been able to set me up with everything I'd need, but the pistol would do.
My knives I could get anywhere!
“You've got two days!” He said, seating himself and lighting another smoke, no feet up this time. Guess his little sales pitch was done.
“Sounds to me as if I've got as long as you're still alive!” I said, on my feet by that time and stuffing the barrel of the pistol down the back of my belt. The power cells went in my pocket.
He didn't answer, didn't expect him to. The chances of him being alive in two days were next to nothing, and he knew it. Even officer dumbo knew that. I crossed to the door, giving the two a final look as I closed it behind me.
I heard the door lock and looked about the office. Twenty something cops all looking dead at me, like frozen statues. Damn my head hurt. My stash was looking good, what could this Kite guy have on offer if he's stuck in this town? And these cops were nothing to worry about. Not like the doc.
I was about to take a step when he came into mind. Just thinking about the doc nearly had me face planting right there. These guys weren't him though, and he didn't know I was there. My stash was looking real good.