I choose to have dinner with Mikka

After your shift with the dancers, you return to the hotel and have an hour of free time. You spend it in your room, hoping Scarlet would might pop in and catch up with you, or maybe even, or perhaps Kenji. Instead, you’re left to your own thoughts, not doing a lot… Just dwelling in your room until it’s time for dinner.

You grab a tray and then find a table where you’re only alone for a hand full of minutes. Akiko takes a route so she ends up to sit beside you. You make eye contact and she grins down at you, holding her tray. “Still good for tonight?” She whispers.

Knowing you’re doing whatever Mikka has for you, you grimace and shake your head. “Sorry. Something came up, and I’m not sure if I’ll be back around our original meet up time”

Akiko does an excellent job of hiding her frown. She blinks and shakes her head slightly, like she’s dismissing any of the negativity. “You’re busy. Perhaps busier than me when it comes down to it,” she winks, looking around. “I’m expected elsewhere. See you around, Warren.”

You smile and tilt your head in farewell, but inside you’re aching. It had been far too long since you’ve felt this way about anyone. You didn’t want to accept these feelings for Akiko, but now that you were having to pick and choose your priorities, you realized how much weight she carried carries. Maybe Delilah had opened a door in you that you didn’t notice, and now that she was gone, you needed that space filled.

You dwell on Tiny’s Tavern while eating slowly. The mashed potatoes, steamed veggies, and grilled chicken are all halfway through by the time someone else drops into your booth. You’re so far in your own mind that you mistake Mikka for Scarlet, and Zuprik as a shadow. Luckily, you don’t say any names, and your expression shifts to the dull contractor side that almost everyone knows. You feign boredom through your eyes, and plaster a kind of “hardness” that contractors always carry.

Mikka slides you an envelope; at a glance you think it’s it’s clearly money. When you lift it up, you know it’s cash. You funnel the envelope into your jacket’s pocket and shrug. “Alright. So what’s the job, Mikka?”

Mikka’s crocodile grin flashes, eyes darting to Zuprik, then you. “Visser, you dog,” he says, voice low. “I got a delivery coming in tonight, and I need you to handle it. It’s just some specialty pills—supposed to be energy pills– real stuff, you know? However, the The product has… well, let’s say it has other effects that I’m more interested in. I’ve got some plans that involve it, and I need it.”

“Alright,” you murmur, glancing at your tray, realizing then how much you’ve. “So, what’s the catch?”

“I need you to kill the delivery guy and hide his body somewhere. I can’t have anyone really knowing I’m doing this. Zuprik will be your wingman.”

“Sounds like easy ****. You plan to make me the fall guy?” You fork some chicken into your mouth, staring daggers at both of the them.

“Fuck no,” he laughs somewhat, glancing around. “I looked at your record, and I know you could be—you’re useful. I mean… fuck… You helped that little cutie Scarlet and that **** machine Kenji. I want you on my team!”

You lift an eyebrow. He laughs a bit more, pushing his glasses up to his nose and brushes a hand over his scalp. “Look. I need you. Want more money? I can get you more money tomorrow. Easy as that.”

“You throw around money like you’re racking it in still. What gives?” You question with a mouth full of chewed chicken.

Zuprik pipes in up. “None of your concern.”

You glare at Zuprik. “I’m not talking to you.”

Mikka waves his hands out. “Everyone, relax. We… are a team now, alight? I’ll tell you more on this later. I just need this to work out for now.”

Your gut twists, but you play hard, face blank. “I’ll do it, but if you’re going to subcontract me under your employers nose, I want more details. Got it?”

Mikka chuckles, sharp, swirling his drink before taking a swallowing. “I got it. I got it. You’ll retire with the amount of money I’ll be making once I get things kicking into gear. However, I must admit I won’t be raking in the cheddar until it warms up again. It is the long-haul to spring. It’s a long haul.”

You glance over. No one’s watching, but the hair in the back of your neck says otherwise. Kenji? Scarlet? Maybe just paranoia… You nod and continue eating eat. “Count me in then. I’ll do it for a cut. Sounds good.”

Contractors never really “retired,” they typically died because they got old, or they’d get killed when they tried because of loose ends that invited **** to their door.

“Where am I meeting this guy?”

“Zuprik knows,” Mikka nods at his friend. “Meet outside around 10. Make sure you aren’t followed, okay? Especially Kenji—that guy been on me since we took the girls out that night.”

Mikka says and then makes a face, quickly changes the subject, hoping you don’t backpedal or bring up the fact this isn’t the first time he’s offered you blatantly dirty money. You’re glad you didn’t lead Akiko on with the original plot for the night. “Around 10 it is. No shadows. Anything else?”

“Ditch the uniform. Bring a gun. The delivery guy’s sure to have some help, and I’m afraid you’ll be mostly alone. If the odds aren’t your favor, let him go. But, I’ll add a little throw in a bonus if you smoke ’em them all,” Mikka says.

You internally exhale , feeling the weight of the job starting to press down on your shoulders quietly. This is when it gets real… and the thrill of contracting returns. And to think McKinley once said this job was going to be easy.