[TAG] [lgang] 'Cane in the offing

[Mike Orr]

    Rakkim sees the son of his cop friend steal a wallet, and chases him.
    "What are you *doing*, Rakkim?"  Anthony Jr squirmed.  "Don't touch me."
    "Bad boy."  Rakkim rapped him onthe nose with the wallet the kid
had lifted.  "If the cops arrest you, it's your father who's
disgraced.  The Black Robes snatch you, you lose a hand."
    Anthony Jr had his father's pugnacious jaw.  "I want my money."
    Rakkim grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and threw him toward
the exit.  The security guard was already there.  Rakkim held out the
wallet.  "The young brother found this and didn't know where to return
it.  Perhaps you could turn it in for him"
    "I saw him find the wallet.  It had fallen into a merchant's pocket."
    "The young brother must have good eyes to have seen it there," said Rakkim.
    The security guard took the wallet.  "Go with God, Fedayeen."
    "What other choice do we have?"

    Redbeard sends two State Security agents to bring Rakkim from the
Blue Moon bar.  He does not go quietly.
    "Uncle," Rakkim fell to one knee.
    "Don't call me that... and get up, you're not fooling anyone."
Redbeard looked him over.  "You appear healthy.  Wasting your life
evidently agrees with you."
    Rakkim stood, waiting.
    "Two of my agents were limping when they escorted you inside."
    "Perhaps their shoes were too tight."
    "Steven  has a broken nose.  Was his *face* too tight?"
    "I refrained from killing them, but I couldn't go quietly.  I
didn't want to disappoint you."
    "Too late for that."


-- 
Mike Orr <sluggoster at gmail.com>