The Deadly Seven

Intermission #2 - Jim and Greyson

Jim straightened his suit and cleaned his front teeth with a thorough passing of the tongue without opening his mouth.  He cracked his neck and went up behind Greyson.   Seeing the boy fumble with his cigarette lighter, Jim took out his and flipped it in the air.  Upon catching it, Greyson turned around with his hand cupped around his unlit cigarette.  “Here you go.”

“Thanks,” Greyson said, taking the lighter.  Handing it back to Jim, Greyson said remorsefully, “Kind of wish I had listened to Finn when he gave tips to Kale.  Finn had invited me over to his place to play cards and become a good player.  But, I don’t know, wasn’t motivated.”

“But now you wish you were?”  Jim asked as his mind began navigating the conversation in his planned direction.  “You can be a good player tonight.  I can help.”

Greyson coughed on some smoke and waved Jim off.  “Yeah, right.  You wouldn’t want to do that.  We’re playing against each other.”

“Well, I want to see Finn lose.  You can do that.  It’s more fun seeing some else make him suffer.  I like watching.”  Jim lit his own cigarette and gave Greyson a questioning raise of the eyebrow.  His cheeks hollowed for a moment as he inhaled the nicotine. 

“How will you do it?”

“I’ll trade you my hand.  I’ve rigged the next deck.”

Greyson gasped and his eyes widened in disbelief at what he was hearing.  “What?  How?  Did you sneak it in Winston’s bag before he pulled the fresh deck out?”

Jim smiled proudly and motioned a finger at Greyson’s head and then at his own, congratulating the boy for being on the same track as he was.  “Yep.  But here’s the catch, I’ve got two cards on me.  I’ll give them to you.  You slip the dealt cards into your opposite sleeve and bring out the new.  Think you can do that?”

Greyson began doubting himself.  “I don’t know.  If Finn catches me—,”

“He won’t.  Just listen to me and you’ll know the cue.  Got that?”  Jim laid a heavy hand on Greyson’s shoulder, almost physically pushing him into answering.

“Yeah, yeah, I got it.”

“Thanks, sport.  And besides, you’ll win everything.”  Jim gave him a friendly wink and then returned back inside.  He tapped his white stick, sprinkling ashes onto Rory’s porch.  Upon entering The Cobra, he went over to the landline in the corner and dialed a memorized phone number—a phone number he had countlessly whispered in his sleep.  The line hummed and then opened.

“Lydia Greene.”

“Lydia,” Jim said breathlessly as his hands clutched the receiver, “don’t hang up.  But I think—no, I know I’ve got this next hand.  I’ll win everything back and more.  Now, will you come with me tonight?”

“You’re crazy.  I’m not going anywhere with you.”

Jim’s softness disappeared and began a snarling mongrel.  “You listen here.  I’m doing this all for you.  That’s more than my uncle does for you.  I am risking everything, you got that?  Now, pack up your things, lie to your husband, and come with me.  I promise: it’ll be the best for both of us.”  Before he let Lydia reply, he hung up and walked directly to the bar.   On his way, Finn intervened.

Whispering loudly, Finn threatened, “You better not do anything on this next round.  I’m watching you.”

Jim’s face remained emotionless.  “Is the money that important to you?”

“It’s not about the money this time, James.  You’re cheating—,”

“Well, why don’t you call me out?”  Jim said sarcastically, sweeping his hand in a half circle.  “Rory’s right over there.  Or are you too afraid to do that?”  Leaning in, Jim smirked, “I got you figured, Finn Hoyt.  I know everything and every reason you do the things you do in life.”

“Really?  Well I know you better than you think.  You’re a selfish piece of trash that will never get what he wants—,”

Interrupting him again, Jim grabbed Finn firmly by the shoulders and looked around the other guests.  They weren’t watching.  In frantic motions, he ushered Finn through a nearby hallway and then into a darkened room.  Finn stumbled inside and the door was shut.  Jim felt around for a light switch and once he found it, he flipped it on.  The room lit up, revealing a bed and a video camera set up on a tri-pod.  There was one portrait on the wall and a fluffy carpet on the floor. 

Finn pushed himself off the floor and smiled uncomfortably.  He looked around the room and then back at Jim, who obviously looked just as surprised.   “What do you think this is?”

Jim walked up to the video camera and clicked the power button on.  In a mysterious voice, he reminded Finn of something Rory had said.  “Rory did say he brought two broads to his place to have some fun.  Guess he’s making a home video.”

Snorting, Finn clarified through a reddening face.  “What?  You mean he made a porn film?”

Jim shrugged and aimed the camera lens at Finn.  In a deep voice, much like a newscaster’s, Jim said, “This is Finn Hoyt.  He’s twenty-something and a virgin.”

“Turn the camera off,” Finn demanded.

“No, I’m not done.  Now, not only that, but he’s also reserved and somewhat intelligent.  He’s the kid that his brother says was always ‘in the way’ and wanted to be that ‘somebody’ in the family.  And your brother, Thomas, is such a better man than you.  You know how many lives he’s saved in the courtroom?  What have you done?”  Jim looked out from behind the camera and added, “You’ve done nothing.”

Finn charged the camera but Jim dodged him and kicked him in the hip, sending him to the floor.  Jim aimed the focus point on him and resumed pretending to film him.

“If Rory finds out, he will murder us both.  Put the camera away and let’s get out of here.”  Finn scrambled for the door before Jim shouted the words Finn had been hiding from ever since his childhood. 

“Your mother will always be ashamed of you, Finn.”

Turning slowly, his eyes dark and breath hitched, Finn fastened his eyes on Jim’s smiling face.  “You don’t know what you’re saying.”

Putting the camera back on the stand and shutting it off, he sauntered over to Finn.  Using his overall presence to force Finn against the wall, Jim stopped in front of him and stared him in the eyes.  In a low voice, he said, “I know your motives at the table, Finn, and they won’t change anything.  I’m going to win, okay?  I always get what I want.”

“Except your father’s praise and Lydia’s love—sounds like the two most important things in your life don’t exist.”

Without a warning, Jim fisted Finn in the abdomen and then pounded him hard on the shoulders.  Finn crumbled to the ground, not knowing how to react.  Jim snatched Finn by the ear and yanked him to his feet, holding him still, Jim struck him in the chest and then threw him against the wall.  Growling, he backed away from Finn and said breathlessly, “I get what I want.  You understand?  I get what I want.”  Leaving Finn to recuperate, Jim rushed to the door and vanished. 

Finn sat coughing and wheezing.  His chest was throbbing and his head was swimming.  Blinking, Finn dragged himself to his feet and turned the light off.  He slipped out the door and staggered down the hall.  Before entering the main room, Kale appeared. 

“Hey, what happened?”  Kale asked, stopping Finn from passing him.  “Your cheeks busted and Jim just came in all flustered.  What happened?”

Panting, Finn said, “I’m done playing here.  I want you to go to my car, get my jacket in the backseat.”

Searching his friend’s hazy eyes, Kale asked innocently, “Why?  What’s in the jacket?”

“A gun.  Bring it.  Jim’s cheating.  And I’m calling him out.”  He shoved Kale aside and disappeared around the corner. 

Kale stood where he was, looking at the ground in thought.  He had fired a gun before, but he had never killed someone.  He didn’t know Jim as well as Finn did, but he trusted Finn, and he obeyed Finn.