And he would have no idea. Because in a flash he was blacked out.
THUD.
He woke up later. Not sure what time it was. He could tell it was a basement. But the windows were completely blacked out. There was no way to sense whether it was day or night.
"You're awake," the baritone voice said. Dave sized the man up. He was big. Not the muscular kind of big earned at the gym. But big like gifted by God himself. Wrists the size of a normal man's forearms. Forearms the size of a normal man's biceps. And shoulders that spanned wider than three college ectomorphs.
This foiled Dave's plans. With his training and experience he could take even men much larger than him. Even with a half healed bullet wound from just a few weeks ago. But this man. He was less a man and more a beast. There would be no taking him. And it seemed that the two were in agreement. Because there was nothing binding Dave's hands or feet.
If he wanted to he could strike the man now. Only that striking such a large skull would not do anything. Might break his hand more. Funny, Dave thought, he wasn't even considering whether the big man had a gun or a knife.
"Seems like it. Am I your guest?"
The big man snickered to the left then looked back into his eyes. This man was from his era. An era when
men
looked each other in the eye and spoke fewer words. Younger men, if you could call them that, preferred to dart their gaze in 360 degrees, preferring to speak big ideas through words instead.
"You're no guest of mine. Just a day's work is all," the man said. "You're name's Dave ain't it?"
"Yes. You must be from... they must've hired you. The Blue--"
"I don't know who hired me. All I know is your name's Dave Wachowski. And you're a dead man."
"Is that so." he said it not as a question. Said it just to say something. Why not he thought. If he was going to go why not say some last few words. Scream even? Or take a lunge and try to gouge this mother fucker's eyes out or something.
"I'm Joe," he reached his hand out for a shake. Unexpected. Maybe a trick? Dave wondered. But shaking the hand seemed a better idea than trying to start a fight right now. If it was a trick then he'd hope that Joe would kill him quickly and painlessly.
They shook hands. His hands were callused and hard.
"I think you and I are in the same business," Joe said.
"Social media mar--"
"Cut the crap. Now tell me. What happened between you and your previous client?"
Dave explained briefly. Joe asked more details. He filled them in.
"That's a bullet wound. Right?" Joe asked.
Dave nodded.
"So you got shot. On the job?"
"No. Well I wasn't at the
Seaside Rest
for work that day, see. I was... I needed a break. Was AWOL actually."
"Mm."
Big Joe
took out a cigarette and lit it. Then handed it over to Dave. Dave took it and Big Joe took out another cigarette. "I don't like it. When bosses turn on employees."
Dave thought he was technically not an employee. He took a puff of his cigarette and kept his mouth shut.
"I know technically you were contractor. But I get a sense that the company that hired you. Well they considered you an employee. Am i right?"
Dave nodded. Kept sucking on his cigarette like a good little kid.
"Well that just don't sit right with me," Joe said. And he blew out what looked like four cigarettes worth of smoke. "So you're a dead man. As far as your former employer's concerned. But only as long as you stay dead. That means you are never going to see your family again. Never going to any of the places you ever lived. You are going to stay a ghost."
Dave nodded. Was this even better than dying?
"Where am I going to go?"
"Well that's what I was hoping you'd convince me on. You have five minutes to make me believe you. That you got a plan. Cause if you don't. Then you will literally be dead." he exhaled another cloud of smoke with his eyes closed. The man had no fear of Dave. Was playing with him the way a snake plays with a live mouse.
All that training and experience. What had it been for? To be toyed with by this
redneck
in a basement. Was this it? Was this it? his mind kept thinking. He opened his eyes and saw Big Joe staring him down.
"Four minutes." he said without changing his face.
Dave then snapped into thinking about something other than 'is this it?'. Began thinking of an idea. Of a plan. Something plausible. He needed cash. How could he get it? He'd need at least half a mil. He had more than that. But how to get it. And then what about a location? Maybe this man could help him find one.
"Say, I have some cash. That's not a problem. I just need help getting it and I was wondering if you had knew of anyone who reloc--"