CHAPTER TEN
“Are you guys ready?” asked Luke staring at their friendly spirits.
They’d changed their clothes, now walking around in twenty-first century athleisure. It struck Luke how absolutely absurd it was, and yet, it also was a huge advantage to them all.
“We’ll be fine, Luke,” smiled Archie. “What can they do? Kill us?”
“That’s not funny,” he frowned. He then looked up at them all with a sad expression. “Can they? Can they re-kill you?”
“No,” laughed Tony. “That’s what we’ve been trying to tell you. He can’t harm us and we can harm him. Let us do this. I’m super stoked.”
“Stoked? Great,” muttered Cam. They turned to see Bull and Rory walking toward them. “Gentlemen. Should I ask?”
“Not unless you want an answer you won’t like. We’ve applied for jobs as personal trainers in his gym. Ex-military, former ballers, retired and looking for some ass to kick,” smirked Bull. “I’m bored.”
“Bored?” frowned Luke. “Isn’t that what retirement is supposed to be?”
“Don’t be a smartass or I’ll kick your ass,” growled Bull. They heard a dog barking and then the massive hairy beast lumbering toward them.
“Seriously? You’re taking Chaos?” asked Cam.
“Yep. He’s become one of the best drug dogs that Sniff has ever trained. He’s going to hang with us a therapy dog. If we can get close enough to this shit, he’ll be able to find it for us.”
“I like how everyone jumps in on our case,” grinned Hex.
“Do you want our help or not junior?” said Rory.
“Yes. Yes, we’d welcome your help,” laughed Luke. “Not that you need to be reminded of this but no killing anyone without just cause. At least not until we get our answers.”
“Why do you always think we’ll kill someone?” growled Bull. “I’m old not senile!”
“Chaos! Come,” said Rory. The massive dog leaped to his side, licking his hand as they walked toward the SUV.
“Wait,” said Cam frowning. “You’re all going to the city together?”
“They’re going to drop us off a few blocks away. We can do a lot of cool things,” smirked Tony, “but we can’t drive a car. Strange, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. Strange,” repeated Cam. As the car pulled away, he turned to the others and shook his head. “I think I’m losing my mind.”
“If you are, we all are,” said Hex. “Listen, you all know this but it’s important we find out where he’s getting this shit and what he’s putting into it. It seems like a big operation for just one man. We all feel like there has to be someone else involved in this.”
“We understand,” nodded Bull. “Remember, I did this long before you were born.”
“We know, Bull,” said Cam. “We don’t mean to sound ungrateful.”
“It’s gonna be just fine, kid. See you soon.”
Luke and the others watched as their ghostly friends disappeared with Rory and Bull. They knew that they would be okay but they also had a gut feeling that something else was happening.
“We’ll meet you back here later tonight,” said Tony.
“What will you do after your lessons with him? I mean, you could just, uh, reappear at Belle Fleur, right?” asked Rory.
“We could but we’re going to wander around like anyone else. We’re hoping to hear something from the others that attend the gym but they also might be tight-lipped about it all.”
“Just be careful,” said Bull. He stared at them and nodded, slapping his own chest. “I know. Dead and not dead. We are the ones that should be careful.”
Bull and Rory parked near the gym and walked inside, waiting patiently at the reception desk for Butch Williams to appear. They heard him before they saw him.
“When I tell you to fucking lift more I mean it! If you can’t keep up find another coach that will treat you like the princess you think you are.” The young man he was screaming at just nodded, turning to the others around the weight bench. Rory leaned toward Bull.
“I want to fucking kill him now,” he murmured.
“Not yet,” said Bull through clenched teeth.
“Hey. Are you guys the new trainers?” asked Butch staring them up and down.
“We are,” said Rory.
“Your resumes were damn impressive. But impressive doesn’t do it for me. I need to know that you’ll follow my criteria, my code in this gym.”
“And what would that code be?” asked Rory folding his arms over his chest. Even Butch was smart enough to take a half-step back. He looked at Chaos and then back at the two men.
“Is that a service dog?” he asked with a sneer.
“That’s right,” said Bull. “Law says we’re allowed to have service dogs anywhere. You got a problem with that?”
“Nope. And don’t push your anger toward me. Not in my business. You want to be angry and get rid of some frustration, take it out on these pussy fucking kids with parents that have too much money.”
“So, that’s your game? Money from the rich parents?” asked Rory. Butch stared at him, then back at the dozens of young men and women in the gym.
“Listen, a business has to make money and I need to make money. But, no. It’s not all about the rich parents. Do you have any idea how much money is in it for you if you coach a kid to a top tier school or better yet, to the pros?”
“You obviously didn’t read our resume thoroughly. We coached Trevon Marks before his injuries ended his career,” said Bull.
“Impressive,” nodded Butch. “There are some talented kids in here but not all of them are willing to do everything they need to do, to become winners.”
“They look as if they’re working out hard to me,” said Rory.
“Working out hard and doing all you need to do to be successful are two different things. I sell a complete line of supplements, protein powders and bars, things like that.” He had a strange look on his face as he looked up at both the men in front of him.
“We get it. Everybody needs a little boost,” said Rory, clenching his fists as he spoke. Butch smiled, nodding at the two men.
“Yeah. Yeah, exactly. A little boost. All of this is my own creation,” he said waving an arm toward the massive displays. “I’ve perfected it over the years and now I know it will ensure that whoever uses it will be a winner.”
“Okay. Where do we start?” asked Bull.
“Over there. Those four kids at the bench are my team for the powerlifting competition next week. I need them to win. All of them. They’re in different weight classes, so I should sweep this fucking thing,” he grinned. “Once we win that, we’ll focus on the upcoming college tryouts.” Bull nodded.
“Let’s get started.”