“What kind of work?” red cap asks.
“We need someone taking care of,” I say, narrowing my eyes as I take in my surroundings.
The one with the chewing tobacco has a gun in his waistband. The two standing on the opposite side of the fire look unarmed and also stoned. Red cap seems to be in charge.
“You seem like you’re capable of taking care of people yourself,” Tobacco snarls.
“Yeah, but you did such a good job on that guy in Rocky’s the other night.”
That makes them bristle in suspicion and they stand glaring at us.
“Fuck. I don’t have time for this,” I sigh.
“Jacksonville?” Alejandro says.
“Yeah. Take out Tobacco first.”
While the four men stare at me, wondering who I am and whether I’m fishing for information or genuinely looking to hire their services, Alejandro takes his gun and pops a bullet straight into tobacco guy’s neck. He clutches his throat as blood pours through his fingers before he falls face first into the fire.
The two who appeared stoned suddenly wake from their trance, the adrenaline pumping into their veins as they realize they’re in danger. They start to look around like frightened animals.
“What the fuck?” Red cap shrieks as he looks at his fallen comrade currently roasting on the bonfire.
Alejandro points his gun at him. “Shut the fuck up,” he snarls and Red cap closes his mouth and glares at us instead.
“Come here,” I say to one of the frightened ones.
He blinks at me.
“You want to end up like your friend there?” I nod to the guy in flames.
He shakes his head.
“Then come the fuck here.”
He walks over to me, his legs shaking. These guys aren’t professionals by any stretch. Just a group of bullies who prey on people weaker than them. When he reaches me, I spin him around to face his buddies. “Only one of you is walking out of this house. You got me?”
“Y-yeah,” he stammers.
“How are you going to make sure that it’s you?”
“I-I don’t know. W-what d-do you want?”
“Fuck, he’s pissing himself,” Alejandro snarls.
I look down at the crotch of his jeans to see the light denim turning dark blue. “Jesus, maybe it won’t be you after all?”
“Don’t tell them nuffin, Caleb,” Red cap hisses.
“Oh, he’s not going to tell me. You are,” I snarl at him.
“The fuck I am,” he snarls back. “Not if you’re killing me anyway.”
I frown at him. “Oh, I won’t be killing you.” I push his buddy, pressing my palm between his shoulder blades and making him stumble forward. “He will.”
I press the barrel of my gun against the back of Caleb’s head, making him whimper. “Take this,” Alejandro says, handing him his gun.
Caleb takes it with a trembling hand while his two buddies look on.