Unlikely Partners
Matthew Ryan Fischer
Kay watched as two men ran Bagus down on the street and tackled him
into the mud. She watched, but she did nothing. It wasn’t her fight. Bagus was
a punk, always shaking down vendors for free food or demanding spare Rupiah. She
pitied him. Maybe the vendors did too. It wasn’t intimidating and he had never gotten
physical when someone failed to provide his demands. He was just a punk and it
didn’t shock her to see someone stand up to him.
Later of course she learned that those had been police who grabbed
Bagus, which again came as no surprise, but in the moment, it just seemed like
another day on the street. Bagus had fallen in with a crew, but his benefactor
wasn’t there that day, and these were the sorts of things that could befall a
person.
Everyone on the street knew who Kay was, but she never demanded
anything and always paid for her food and drinks. Plenty of the men there owed
Ruel money, but she didn’t see the benefit in taking advantage. Better they
save their profits and pay Ruel back all the faster. Some of the older men
nodded their approval when she passed. Ruel wasn’t all bad, despite the names come
called him. He lent money to those that they banks wouldn’t touch. He gave strangers
a chance. They had to be smart and they had to pay him back, but he built more
lives than he destroyed. That had to count for something.
Rendy was eating when Kay arrived back at the restaurant. Always
eating. Rendy picked on the cooks and never tipped. His outfits were nice, but
he was oily and sweat through his shirts. His skin glistened and he leered at
waitresses. A long time ago, before he knew better, he had propositioned Kay. She
told him she’d kick his teeth down his throat before she went out with him. The
way he smiled made her sick. He thought she was a challenge he could master. She
was well aware he earned too much for Ruel to be disposed of, but the day was
coming where they would be at odds and Kay wasn’t going to back down to him. If
that ended her relationship with Ruel as well, so be it. But Rendy was the type
to keep pushing and eventually she would have to put an end to it.
“No Ruel?”
“Nope.”
That wasn’t good. He hadn’t been around last night either. It wasn’t
like him to be gone for a day with no word.
“Nobody’s seen him?”
“Nope.”
Rendy when back to his food.
“Do you know anything? And if you give me another one-word answer,
I swear--”
“I haven’t seen him. He didn’t tell me anything yesterday. Just business
as usual. Except he didn’t come home. He’s probably hung over in some hotel
somewhere.”
Ruel didn’t do that, she wanted to scream, but she knew it had
happened before.
“Rendy, what do you think about this new guy?”
“Arch?”
“Yeah. You have eyes all over. Is he trouble?”
“He’s well-funded. His operation is ten times ours and it’s been growing
ever since he first came here. He’s got a boss, just like everybody. The kids
have seen them meet, but I don’t know who he is.”
“We need to find out what they want. It’s one thing to make more money,
but we have no idea what these guys want with us or what they’re getting us involved
in. If we step out against one of the families, we all die. Arch and his crew just
disappear back into the shadows.”
“Why Kay, you actually sound a little scared.”
“I’m angry. You should be too. I’ve never seen Ruel try to expand
like this. Never. We should both be scared.”
“Are you suggesting we team up?”
“I want you to stop being an ass and think about what’s in all of
our best interests. You don’t get to sit this out. Ruel’s missing and we have
no idea what he’s gotten into. Someone comes crashing through that door, we
both get hit. Arch is bad for business, bad for all of us. So yeah, let’s team
up for once and stay alive.”
“You always are practical.” Rendy pushed his food away and got up
from the table. “Okay, deal. My boys will hit the streets and we’ll find
everything there is to know about Arch and see what’s been done with our dear
beloved leader.”
Rendy extended his hand, and Kay shook it. It was just as sweaty
and oily as Kay had thought it would be.
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