Switchblade

Chapter 59: Drake

Killian walked into the lounge of the office building.

He lit a cigarette on his way in.

"Afternoon, boss." said Silas before he aimed his cue stick.
The rest greeted behind him.
"Hey." said Killian.
"Doc said you can plan to attack Segal back. He's comfortable enough."
"But how do you plan to do that? Usually we do the same thing back twice as hard but you can't kill a bunch of guys in two warehouses. It's too much attention isn't it?"
Killian removed his cigarette from his lips and exhaled. "No we're not gonna touch a warehouse." he stated.
The men stood there waiting for a plan while Killian went to find a seat.

He pulled out a chair in front of an ashtray and sat down.

"We're gonna gut the asshole that led them in there." he stated and took another puff of his cigarette. "His best man."
"I thought you killed the best man already...?" Kanan questioned.
"No, I killed his best weapon. Isn't that funny?" he chuckled creepily.
They stared at him while he inhaled his tobacco again.
"His best man's name is Drake. I'm sure you've heard of him. Most mobs around here have. I think I'm last to hear about him. There's something about his name and the fact he used to be a marine that makes me want to pull his teeth. I want one, two, three, however many of you to find where he is at the end of the day. Tail him and tell me by 11 tonight."
The first three to stand up were the ones who left to carry it out. Niko, Dominic, and Soren.

The rest of the men figured Killian was done with his instructions and continued their previous conversations or restarted a game of pool.

Kolson got up and walked over to his boss.

"Hey." he said and took a seat.
Killian didn't respond, he just knocked off his ashes.
"Late again." Kolson mentioned and watched the other guys.
Killian looked at him. "Yea."
"You alright? It ain't like you."
Killian looked at the table and smoked his cigarette.
"It about the girl again?"
"We slept together again last night."
"Talk of the room when you two left." Kolson scoffed.
"You assholes are freaks." Killian stated.
"I'm not the one that said anything. What happened with the girl?"
"I was about to leave and she asked me where I was going. Either tired out of her mind or still tipsy but it made me feel like shit so I laid down with her after showering. Fell asleep. Couldn't get up at seven to workout."
"Why?"
Killian stared down at his cigarette.
"Why not?" Kolson restated.
Killian smoked.
Kolson leaned back in his seat. "You didn't want her to wake up to you gone like the last time."
Killian didn't agree but he also didn't deny it.
"Told you if you wanna date her just do it."
"I don't know what I want."
"Mm. How you feel?"
"Are you my therapist?"
"Well you ain't gonna talk to anybody else about it. The rest of 'em gonna think you're losin' your mind. This isn't a decision you got the mentality to answer on your own."
Killian pressed his cigarette into the ashtray. "I don't know."
"Mm."

"I've never felt the urge to date somebody. Don't know what that feels like." he stated.
Kolson just sat and listened.
"You got a daughter so you dated somebody."
"Yea."
"How'd you know?" He took out his cigarette carton and pulled out a stick. Then offered the carton to Kolson who took one.
"I don't know. Worked this crazy gig under your uncle since I was 19, you see a lot of shit. It's why you're so fucked up."
Killian was offended but didn't disagree while he lit both of their cigarettes. The two took a puff while Kolson thought of what to say next.
"When she was the only thing that made me smile when I got home. Was like 'well shit. Guess I'm in this for the long run'. Were together without me even thinkin' about it."
"Mm." Killian exhaled.
"Crazy that havin' a good woman can solve a lot of your problems. Let me tell you somethin', I ain't scared of shit. But I'm scared of her."
Killian scoffed.

They both sat there in silence. Killian stared at the table while Kolson watched the guys joke around.

"I don't think any sane woman would be with somebody she thinks kidnapped her." Killian spoke up.
"Maybe she's crazy." Kolson argued. "Fucked you didn't she?"
Killian stayed quiet in thought.
"Consensually I would hope." Kolson looked at him.
Killian looked back. "Yes, motherfucker."
"Alright then."
Killian scratched through his hair.
"Maybe don't make her feel like she's kidnapped. Ain't like you're beatin' her. Just keepin' her away from her mother."
"Yea. She knows that."
"Never seen you not go after somethin' you want before." Kolson scoffed.
"I just don't know how to do that shit."
"Ain't as hard as they say it is. Just don't be a dick. Simple as that."
Killian sighed.
"They lie when they say it's hard work. No it ain't. Everything got somethin' about it that you might not like. Nothin' is gonna be 100% perfect. That don't make it hard either. Shit ain't hard. Killin' somebody ain't hard. Bein' happy ain't hard. Showin' somebody kindness ain't hard. Lovin' somebody ain't hard. You can make it hard. But why would you do that?"
Killian just stared at the far wall while he listened.