Chapter 6

Christina reminds Lilly to get her mind back on her job. She has three contracts to finish. Her first one is a state highway patrolman. He is running security for a drug dealer out of Texas. The drug dealer's shipments kept getting hit in Missouri on the way to Saint Louis and Chicago. He bought insurance in Sergeant Don Hoyt. Hoyt reported the location of officers on duty and escorted the shipments to Saint Louis. She has his work schedule and decides to take him out on the job. She rents a car in Kansas City. She goes south to a little town called Joplin. She rents a motel room on the south side of town. According to Hoyt's schedule he is suppose to be at the truck scale house at exit four on interstate forty-four at the end of his day at eight the next evening. She decides to check out the little town. She wanders around and ends up in a bar on the north side of town. While she is sitting there sipping her drink, Hoyt walks in. He walks up to the bartender and says something under his breath. The bartender is visibly upset. He gets on the phone. Hoyt sits down in front of him. The bartender continues doing his job, but continues to keep his eye on Hoyt. A few minutes later, a large barrel-chested man enters the bar. The bartender motions towards Hoyt. The man acknowledges him and walks towards him.

He says loudly, "I hear you want my friend here to pay you some protection money."

Hoyt turns and looks at the big man, "It isn't any of your business."

"I am afraid it is. I am his protection."

"Listen fat man, I said it isn't any of your business. I run this state. When I say jump you had better jump."

The big man does not hesitate. He hits Hoyt on the side of the jaw. Hoyt bounces off the bar and the big man clotheslines him. As soon as he hits the floor, the big man stomps his ankle breaking it instantly. He continues stomping him until Hoyt quits moving. The bartender rushes to the front door and locks it. He rushes back to the bar.

He asks the big man, "Now what?" he said he was highway patrolman."

"I wouldn't worry about it. He will know better than to come around here again."

"What about her she saw the whole thing?"

"I will take care of that."

Lilly moves sideways in the chair so she has access to her Ruger P-ninety four. He walks over to her table. He sits down in front of her and tells the bartender to bring him a diet coke.

He asks her, "What are you drinking?"

"A diet coke sounds good."

He motions to the bartender to bring two of them. He waits until the bartender goes back behind the bar.

Then he asks her, "I am hoping you aren't going to say anything."

She laughs, "I wouldn't worry about it. I actually came to your tiny town to take care of that gentleman. There is a problem though."

"What would that be?"

"You didn't kill him. You see I need him dead."

"Why? What did he do to you?"

"That is none of your business. I will however, let you in on a little secret. I have never met him before. I am being paid to make him nonexistent."

"I'm sorry, I don't kill unless absolutely necessary."

The conversation is ended abruptly by the bartenders shouting. Hoyt had raised himself off the floor and pulled out his pistol. He was trying to point it at the big man. The big man rushes over and hits Hoyt in the throat. He takes the weapon out of the dead man's hand. He hands it to the bartender.

Lilly walks over to where the big man is standing and laughs, "If you would have done that the first time, you wouldn't have needed to waste any more energy."

"Ha, ha, very funny, I like a woman who has spunk. Now then back to our conversation, is this going any further. If it is you won't be walking out of here."

"This isn't going any further." She reaches in her jacket and pulls out Hoyt's picture. "You see I wasn't lying to you when I said I came to kill him."

He takes the picture from her. He notices she drew a bull's-eye on his forehead.

He laughs, "Well I guess I saved you the trouble."

"Yes you did. What are you going to do with the body?"

"I will take it to this old mine shaft I know about and he will disappear for ever."

"I have a couple more jobs in the region. Would you like to make a little money?"

"I am all about making money. Where and what do you have in mind?"

"If you will let me out to my car, I will show you."

He goes and opens the door. He is not sure whether to trust her or not. He stands at the door watching her. She grabs some things out of her car and returns to the bar. He locks the door and joins her. She pulls out a wad of cash and throws it to the bartender.

"Get lost, the less you know the better." The bartender takes the money and counts it. "Go away little man before you end up like Mr. Hoyt."

The bartender takes off running out of the back of the bar. She spreads papers all over the bar.

"Ok, I need to get rid of this piece of shit first." She hands the big man a picture of a man he knows too well. "He is a child molester. I hear he runs several of the casinos on the Indian reservations in Oklahoma."

"Yeah he does. This isn't going to be easy. He is usually surrounded by four or five big fucking Indians."

"That is where you come in. Do you know of anyone that can help us?"

"I only have one friend I would trust."

"Who is he?"

"He is my son's martial arts instructor. We both have the same problem. We need money."

"Is he any good?"

"I haven't tried him yet. The only reason I haven't is that he likes using his feet too much. He likes to fight but is a little slow. I watched him and his cousin box one time. His cousin wore him out. For every one of his punches his cousin hit him five."

"What good is he going to be to us?"

"He is tough and quiet. He has skills no one else has."

"Ok, when do I get to meet him?"

"He will be here this evening to teach class. You can meet him then."

"What time will he be there? Will I get a chance to go after him?"

"He will be there around six. I don't think he will mind if you fight him."

"Ok, let's go get something to eat. Where do you suggest we go?"

"Well, do you like Chinese food? There is a nice restaurant up the street about three blocks."

"I love Chinese food."

They go to dinner and discuss everything but the problem at hand. Lilly likes the big brutish Mick. Mick calls his friend and asks him what time he will make it to Joplin.

He hangs up, "That crazy fucker is at the school already. Do you want go watch him?"

"Sure, let's go. Maybe, by the time we get there this food will have settled. Where does he have to come from to teach?"

"Springfield, it is down interstate forty-four about seventy miles."

"Your kidding right he drives all the way down here to teach. Why does it he do it in Springfield?"

"I would kill him if he didn't come down here. I wouldn't know what to do without him. Him and a girl started this school down here. The girl quit and the people he opened it for quit helping him. He kept coming down. It was his loyalty to me I think is why. My kids have a learned a lot from him. Over the last four years, he has taught close to seventy people. Many of those people quit because of the people for whom he opened the school. When we went out on our own, the people started staying around. There are about thirty solid students now. We have a new senior instructor and he doesn't have to be here all the time. Because he doesn't have to be here, he gets lazy and I have to kick him in the ass to get him moving. I wish I could make him be here all the time."

"So he is your best friend?"

"I wouldn't say that, but his pink purse makes me laugh."

"He carries a pink purse."

"Not really, but I tell everyone he does."

He opens the door to the school. She enters and nearly faints. He grabs her before she falls.

"Lane get over here." The man runs over to Mick and Lilly.

"Mick what the fuck over?"

"I don't know ask her. She saw you and nearly fainted."

"Ma'am are you ok?"

"Nick, I saw you die."

"Ma'am, I ain't Nick. Nick was my brother. Who are you?"

"I'm Lilly. Nick was my lover."

"That doesn't tell me anything. Nick has had many lovers over the years. Now, who are you? I suggest you tell me quickly before I kill you."

"My name is Lilly Rose. I work for the Organization. Nick was my team leader. He died in my arms."

"You're a fucking liar. There is no one in the world that could kill Nick."

"He was trying to save me and a man named Jimmy killed him."

"That mother fucker. I told Nick not to trust him. Now spill it lady. I want to know everything."

At that moment, several children in parents enter the school.

He whispers, "After my class is over you are going to tell me everything. Mick do me a favor make sure she doesn't leave." He turns to the parents and kids with a smile on his face, "Hi guys how are all of you this evening?"

He goes through class quicker than normal. He tries to slow class down a little. When he gets to the sparring portion of class. He hits some of the adults a little harder than normal. He apologizes to them and dismisses class twenty minutes early. He smiles and tells his students good-bye. Then he turns his attention on the woman who entered his life without permission. He pulls out a pack of cigarettes and lights one. She stares at him wondering in to what she has got herself. She noticed that Lane is not as muscular as Nick. She also could tell that he was probably a little younger than Nick. However, he has Nick's facial features and mannerisms.

"Now you have a few minutes to live, start talking."

She tells him everything. She tells him of meeting Nick for the first time and how his life ended. The only things she leaves out is their sexual escapades. Lane stares at her for a few minutes and walks outside. Mick follows him outside.

"Lane do you think she is lying?"

"No I don't. What is she doing here?"

Mick tells him what happened at the bar and that she needs some help.

"Ok, I will help and then she is going to take me with her when she leaves. I want to know who killed my brother. I met this Jimmy slash Spike fellow a few years ago. I know what he looks like."

"I can get the kid's mom to watch them for a few weeks. I will go with you."

"Nah, bubba you need to stay here and make sure everything runs smooth. If I need you, I will holler at you. Go lock up and tell that stupid bitch to come here."

Mick ushers Lilly outside. He goes back inside and locks up.

"Did you hear what we were discussing?" She nods her head. "Good, then I don't have to repeat myself. Nick is my older brother by eight years. We both joined the military. He went to Korea and I went in to the Special Forces. I hurt myself really bad and turned in to a bum. He couldn't understand how I could give up. He kept fighting. I didn't give up. I figured it was better to train a new generation of kids. I try to change them before they become the scum of the earth. He always tried to get rid of the problem, instead of stopping it before it became a problem. Now, I haven't talked this much in as many years. I am not as rounded as Nick. I figure if you don't want to hear what I have to say, then don't come around me. Who are these assholes you are trying to rid the world of?"

She makes a sudden move towards her car. He jumps on her back putting her in a chokehold quicker than any man she had ever seen move.

He whispers, "Moving suddenly around me will get you killed. Where do you think you are going?"

She gasps, "My car, I have the files in the trunk."

He releases her, "Slowly, I still don't trust you."

She breathes a little easier.

"I see you are a lot faster than your friend says you are."

"I was also a hundred pounds heavier the last time he saw me fight. Now get your stuff and put it on the hood."

She turns back to the car and opens the trunk. She does not hear him move. He slips around the other side of her car. She reaches in to the trunk and grabs her pistol from her gear. Quickly, he snatches it out of her hands.

"I told you I didn't trust you. I can rid this earth of you and no one will ever know you have gone. Do I make myself clear?"

She stands staring at him in shock. She thought Nick was the most dangerous man she had ever met. Now she knows she was wrong. Mick walks over to them scaring her again. She wonders if she made a pact with the devil.

"Get your files. Mick will get your stuff and make sure the car is returned."

She grabs the files quickly and follows him to his car.

He hollers at Mick, "We will meet you at your house."

He climbs in his car and unlocks the passenger door. Lilly just stares at the interior a minute. Cigarette butts in the cup holders. Martial arts gear in the backseat and fast food bags in the floorboard. What a slob she thinks to herself. He snaps his finger impatiently at her. She finally climbs in to the car. He does not wait for her to get her seatbelt on. He starts the car and whips out in to traffic. He takes several back streets and turns. Thoroughly losing her in this supposedly small town. He drives off the highway and parks the car in front of a river.