Chapter Twelve.
Magic
“Dude, I’m coming with you,” Onyx stated as he and Venom stepped up.
“Salisbury said to come alone.”
“Salisbury won’t care if we tag along. Trust me,” Onyx replied.
“Why the fuck does he have Lars? What shit has the kid got into?” I worried and then headed towards the door.
“Are you armed?” Onyx demanded as we reached our bikes.
“Yeah.”
“Magic. Salisbury wouldn’t have given you the address unless he was pretty sure he could leave intact and the winner. Don’t take any weapons in. You might get Lars killed,” Onyx warned.
Growling, I stalked back into the bar and opened the safe. Onyx didn’t say a word as two handguns, five knives, four grenades, three knuckledusters, a flick knife, nunchucks, a blackjack and a miniature push dagger were placed inside. Venom’s eyes grew slightly rounder.
“If anything happens to me, get Lars out.”
“If Salisbury called you, he’s not planning to hurt Lars. Otherwise, Lars would have disappeared without a trace,” Onyx said.
“Let’s ride,” I growled, and they nodded.
◆◆◆
The warehouse stood alone. I recognised it.
It had once been a food factory, but it went bust a decade ago.
There were no signs of life when we rode up, and I wondered if Salisbury was messing with me.
If he were, or if something had happened to Lars, he’d learn exactly how crazy I was.
We parked at the front, and a guy opened a side door and waited.
As we approached, his face remained expressionless.
“Trouble following orders?” he inquired.
“You didn’t think I’d come alone when you’ve got my kid?”
“As Salisbury would say, interesting. The boy calls you a sperm donor, but you’ve no problem calling him son.”
“Vaughn, we here to chit-chat?” Onyx asked, and Vaughn smiled coldly.
“Assume the position,” Vaughn ordered. Angrily, I placed my hands on the wall and let Vaughn pat me down. He was thorough and careful, and Onyx’s call had been the right one. Any weapon I’d have tried hiding, Vaughn would have found.
Vaughn repeated his actions on Venom and Onyx before stepping back. “So, it’s only certain orders you ignore. Come.”
Vaughn led us through the warehouse and to a set of rooms. In one Salisbury sat, with another guard.
“Guessed you’d be here, Sebastian,” Onyx said.
“A pleasure, Onyx, Venom,” Sebastian replied. He nodded and then left the room.
Unafraid, I held Salisbury’s gaze, searching for anything, but he was tightly locked down.
“Where’s my son?” I demanded, having had enough of being nice.
“This was an interesting day. I’ve been hunting for a dealer who stiffed me on ten thousand dollars…” Salisbury began.
“Why the fuck is that Lars’s problem?” I blew up.
Salisbury cocked an eyebrow. “Magic, I can’t abide rudeness. If you shut your mouth, you’d find out.”
Audibly, I ground my teeth together. If Salisbury thought I wasn’t armed, he was solely mistaken. My fists were weapons in their own right.
“As I was saying. Benny, the dealer, owed me ten k, not a huge amount in my world, but if I let Benny escape justice, then others might attempt the same. Imagine my surprise that when we discovered Benny, he was with a teenager, albeit he was attempting to stab him.”
“What the fuck! Is Lars injured?” I demanded. Screw rudeness. My fists clenched and unclenched.
Salisbury once more stopped speaking and raised an eyebrow.
When he was satisfied, I’d stay quiet, he continued.
The fuckin’ douche. “Benny was attacking your son. When we questioned him, Benny claimed the boy had taken ten thousand dollars’ worth of stock from him.
Then Benny insisted the kid had refused to pay and therefore the debt was your son’s. ”
“Lars doesn’t do drugs,” I stated. In fact, I didn’t know that. Shit, was Lars involved in this mess? If Lars were buying and selling drugs, Jody would break.
“I’m aware.” Salisbury’s words put me at ease. “Lars hasn’t been seen around the area before today. Now I could’ve released Lars, but Benny had offered him for the debt.”
Angrily, I went to speak. The fuck I was paying the ten thousand.
“A debt that didn’t rightfully belong to Lars. If I were his father, I’d want to beat the shit out of the person who set my child up,” Salisbury continued.
“I’d also want someone to scare the hell out of him and ensure he keeps on the straight and narrow,” I said, my mind turning evil. Lars was a good kid, but he’d been in a rough part of town. Jody would have been devastated if something awful had happened to him.
◆◆◆
Lars
The door to the room opened, and Salisbury entered, carrying a chair. He set it down and sat, staring.
“How old are you?”
“Why’s that important?”
Salisbury leaned forward. “You get one pass. Lars, I can’t abide rudeness. Next time you’re rude, I shall respond accordingly. Now we’ll try this again. Your age.”
“Sixteen and a half,” I responded begrudgingly.
“Old enough.” Salisbury fell quiet.
After a few awkward moments, I squirmed. “For what?”
“Whatever the hell I want. See, I’m owed ten thousand dollars. Benny told me you took the drugs and refused to pay.”
“But I didn’t take them! I don’t do drugs!” I shouted.
Salisbury got to his feet and walked towards me. Fear raced through me as I cringed away. His hand swept out and slapped me. “Remember what I said about rudeness?”
I nodded as I blinked back tears. “Sorry.”
Salisbury returned to the chair. “As I was saying. I’m owed ten k.
Whether or not you owe it, you’re a gift horse I’d be a fool to overlook.
Obviously, I can contact your sperm donor, as you quaintly called Magic.
But I can’t be sure he’ll pay. In fact, if Magic feels the same as you, I can guarantee he won’t.
Which means I’ve got you and a drug addict.
The junkie won’t give me my money. But you… now, you offer possibilities.”
Salisbury smiled coldly.
“Min Mor will pay,” I begged.
“But I can make a lot more than ten thou on you. Lars, there’s the underground fighting circuit, send you to the whorehouse or put you up for sale. Looking at your build, the fighting ring is a strong possibility,” Salisbury said as my blood ran cold.
“Salisbury, you can’t! I’m only sixteen,” I exclaimed. Did this man own a good side?
“And? That means you’re younger, fitter, and stronger than some of those washed-up fucks who fight.
After a few beatdowns, you’ll soon learn to fight.
Your sperm donor was a fighter, did you know that?
Magic was legendary before he quit for your mom.
You’ve got Magic’s genes, I reckon we can bulk you up. ”
“No, I won’t fight,” I promised, shaking.
“No? Then you’ll die.” Salisbury looked me over.
“Then again, you’re pretty, strong, and women will adore you.
Those fifty-year-old cougars who need young blood will go fuckin’ nuts over you.
I can make an easy hundred k on your virginity alone.
Those rich sixty-year-olds who can’t get a stud anymore, yeah, they’ll love you. ”
Scared, I pressed back into the corner. Bide your time, Dad whispered in my head.
Salisbury stood up and stared. “Today, you messed up, Lars. Those are three of the easier options. It’s a good job your sperm-donor is who he is.”
The door opened, and Magic filled it. I let out a sob and scrambled to my feet. Fuck, now showing weakness. I raced across the floor and flung myself at him. Magic’s hand curled around my head.
“Whatever you want, I’ll do. I promise,” I babbled.
“Then stay out of the rough part of town. You’re lucky my name carries weight.” Magic squeezed me before releasing me. “We done?” he asked Salisbury.
“Yes.” Salisbury stepped to one side, and Magic ushered me through.
“Owe you a marker,” Magic offered begrudgingly. “Nothing illegal.”
“I’ll take it. Have a good day,” Salisbury said, and I stared in disbelief.
“You’re an asshole,” I stated, emboldened by Magic’s presence.
“Yeah, Lars, I am, and yet you’re still lucky it was me who found you.
Others wouldn’t have given a shit you’re Magic’s son.
Make no mistake, sooner or later, you’d have come to my attention, and I’d have recovered you.
But you would’ve returned gravely changed.
Those three options, they were the soft ones.
Snuff films are very fuckin’ popular nowadays.
You’d have been a beautiful star in one,” Salisbury retorted.
“All that virgin flesh? Those assholes would have loved carving you up until they killed you.”
Magic pushed me, and I headed outside to his bike. Two other men were waiting. “Are you going to let him talk to me like that?” I demanded. Some hero he was.
“Learn something right now. That was Clive Salisbury. He’s also known as The Ruler.
Salisbury runs the entire underworld in South Dakota.
Nothing happens without his say-so. And if it does, Salisbury retaliates quickly.
Sebastian and Vaughn run sectors for him and are his personal bodyguards.
Sebastian holds the title The Planner, while Vaughn is called The Wraith.
“That was the king him-fucking-self and don’t ever forget it.
And two of his princes. No one can override Salisbury.
Nobody. Go to war with him, and he’ll destroy South Dakota.
It will be a far worse battle than the one we just fought.
Be grateful Salisbury respected me enough to call,” Magic stated.
“Get on the back of my bike, Lars, we need to tell your mother something that won’t freak her the fuck out. ”
◆◆◆
Jody