Chapter 35 #2
Tiri enjoyed the way the bookie's temple pulsed with frustration. Though with how the two goons behind him tensed, she was worried this was going to get physical.
"Because I invited you to do just that. You've got free money. There's no risk." He frowned.
Brick shrugged. "It's a slippery slope, so don't even start. That’s what recovery says. It's not like you want a recovering addict to slip on said slope, is it?"
“Oh, I see it. You seem to think that I'm here to make your life harder." The bookie tapped his cigar out on a tray. "No, I'm just trying to do you a favor.”
He gestured, and something about the lit cigar caught Brick’s attention and made him miss the sadistic glee in the man’s eyes.
The bookie wanted to re-hook a client and was willing to throw out 50,000 feds just to bait the hook.
Tiri felt sick to her stomach. She was a merchant, but at least she had morals.
The bookie growled under his breath, and Brick stood his ground.
"We know it's illegal to try and push gambling advertising, especially on a grogax.
You should know that. Our own people were the ones to push that legislation through the federation.
It was quite the news, and I guarantee it's in every grogax textbook.
It's lauded as an example of civil duty, where they gave up considerable advantages that might have favored some of the businessmen behind our politicians in favor of protecting the people.
Oh wait," Brick said, tapping his chin, "something like that probably isn't a positive to someone like you. "
"You act like I'm some monster." The bookie put a hand to his chest. "I'm just a businessman trying to make his buck. This is providing something to someone for a cost."
"To me, it just looks like you take from people," Brick replied.
"It's as old as our people. Grogax and the caloops fruit tree.
It's a part of our history. All I'm doing is allowing people to connect with a piece of history.
Yes, averages aren't great, and people tend to lose money, but it's not my fault they don't stop.
It's up to each person to ensure they only gamble with money they can afford to lose.
" Perez blew a ring of smoke into the air and gave a helpless shrug of his shoulders.
"Because they will get addicted," Brick finished for him.
"Well, if it's so wrong, why is no one coming to stop me?" the bookie pressed.
"Oh, please," Brick spat. "Just because you've found a corner of the universe that's going to let you maliciously abuse people, that doesn't mean it's right. That was a cheap argument to hide behind, and we both know it."
"Yeah, I don't need to hide behind anything, though." The bookie stood up, and Brick matched him.
From what Tiri knew about their race, Brick was no slouch when it came to size amongst the grogax, but Perez was big.
He probably had an extra hundred pounds on him over Brick, and a good amount of that was in the gut, though that was unsurprising, seeing the bookie seemed to be near-constantly eating.
The two grogax stared each other down, and Tiri nearly closed her eyes, unable to watch if they came to blows. Yet before any fists could be thrown, there was a big horn on the field that distracted them enough that Tiri pulled out her tablet.
She glanced over at Brick, who she knew was doing his best to distract Perez while the captain and his group were doing whatever it was that they wanted at Perez's home.
If Tiri was honest, she was at least marginally bitter that Brick was putting himself in harm's way.
It wasn't as if Perez's presence would have done anything to stop Lily or Violet.
The two of them were forces of nature, yet she also understood Brick's desire to participate in taking down their foe. And he certainly had some personal trauma tied up in Perez’s establishment.
Part of this could also be him wanting to prove something to himself.
Tiri was there to support Brick, but she did not have to be idle while he fought.
Tapping away on her tablet, she sent a message to Violet. Brick is distracting Perez, who brought us to a mugball game to try and get him to gamble.
The reply came instantly. We just finished up. Do you need help?
Tiri's fingers had never moved faster. I don't think Perez is going to let us leave without a fight. He's got us in the penthouse, and Brick is refusing to gamble.
Violet shot a quick thumbs-up. On our way.
Tiri looked up from her tablet. "Brick, our friends are thinking about coming and stopping by."
Perez perked up at that statement. "Oh? Does that include the divine?"
"Shut your filthy mouth, and don't talk as if you know her." Tiri turned to him, using her anger to hide her surprise.
Perez looked Tiri up and down. "You've got spunk, but trust me when I say you meet one divine and you've met them all.
Nothing good will ever come from associating with them.
" A sneer crossed his face. "They're all the same.
Evil creatures that will treat the rest of us like cattle to be raised.
Don't let them fool you into thinking that you and they are friends. Honestly, if I were you, I would run as far and fast as I can and escape the divine before it kills you. Free advice.”
Tiri shook her head. "I'm so sorry that you've suffered to the point you can't see good, but don't lump me in with you." Tiri sniffed. "I think it's about time we left." She turned to Brick, who nodded and stood.
"That's okay, this game was turning out to be pretty boring anyways." Brick nodded.
The bookie stood and blocked Brick from leaving. "Well, if you're gonna come use my ticket but not bet a dime, then you owe me." The big grogax held out a hand expectantly.
Brick turned to Tiri. "Did you offer to pay?"
"I didn't," she answered.
He tilted his head curiously at Perez.
"It was in the fine print," the bookie said. "Disappointing you don't at least understand that." The bookie slapped his palm as if expecting Brick to lay his wealth down right then and there.
"Maybe next time." Brick patted Perez on the shoulder and tried to walk by.
Tiri was so proud of him, except for the fact that even she knew not to look away from someone, certainly not in a moment this tense.
The second Brick's eyes were off the bookie, his lips peeled back into a vicious snarl.
The other grogax leapt for Brick, and at this range, Brick had no time to react before the bigger grogax was on him, all four arms finding cloth and fur as he grappled Brick and tried to pull him down to the ground.
Two other thugs who had been in the penthouse peeled away from their spots to help.
Tiri had no intention of letting them keep Brick down. A beam saber slid into her hands. It was a small one; she remembered her friend had squealed and called it cute when they'd seen it for sale. However, it could be quite useful. It was relatively easy to hide under any dress.
Tiri flicked the weapon on and held it out to stop the two thugs from tackling Brick, who was already taking Perez to the ground, rolling with him.
The fight had looked uncoordinated at first when Perez first tackled Brick, but Tiri had seen enough people with practiced martial arts to realize Brick had at least some training.
His uncoordinated roll transformed, and two of his arms gave him leverage to sweep Perez's feet and flip the tables on the larger grogax.
Tiri almost cheered when Brick flipped Perez onto his back, and two of his four fists cocked back and hammered into the bookie with enough force to drive the wind from his lungs.
While it seemed Brick had some training, it was immediately clear that Perez had none, because the second the wind was knocked out of him, he scrambled and lost all sense of composure, allowing Brick to swing his arm back, cocked and ready for another blow.
This one was going to be even rougher than the first.
Perez tried to get his forearms up to defend, but Brick had him on the ropes.
Brick’s other two fists weren't idle, slipping in hits into Perez’s undefended side and giving him the type of sharp jabs that would force Perez to defend, and then the two fists held like a hammer came crashing down, ringing the bookie's bell, as he immediately looked dizzy, his eyes unfocused and wandering the room.
"What are you doing? Get them!" Perez slurred, and Tiri waved her saber at the two men to remind them of the threat.
"Do you know that in kikai culture you must always leave a gift, especially with such a discourteous departure?" She pointed her saber at the thugs' arms. "And if you don't, I'll take one myself."
Both of them paled, and whatever Perez was paying them, it was clearly not enough to risk their lives. They took a quick step back, their eyes fixed decidedly on Tiri's little beam saber. They apparently were not aware that the cell in the thing could only power it for about ten minutes.
Tiri smirked at that thought, and it seemed her smile came off far more dangerous for them, as seeing her smile made them take another nervous step back.
"Boss," one of them said, trying to explain the situation with that single word.
Tiri did her best to appear menacing, but she had no idea if she was pulling off the look. They were certainly still assessing her, and she hoped her skill was not fully put to the test.
Any further standoff was broken as a purple meteor blew through the door and flashed behind both of the thugs in a blink before it resolved into Violet, her tail swishing back and forth.
"Sorry." She grinned. "We had a small hold up."
"Is everything okay?" Tiri asked.
Violet grimaced. "Yeah. Just a duel with the divine and some personal issues. Regardless, we’ve got a shuttle to take us back." Violet hooked a thumb, and Tiri was certainly happy to escape. She had no reason to stay here any longer.
"What do we do with him?" Tiri asked, pointing over to Perez, who was still being contained by Brick.