Chapter 95: Passing the Time

For my part of the agreement with Lucas, I agreed not to speak badly of his company. I further agreed not to enter into any competitive business for that same five year period. I signed immediately after Lucas and we even shook hands.

Once Lucas was gone Jen asked, "Have you ever heard of Blackswamp Security company?"

"Of course, no one who ever served in Iraq or even Afghanistan could have avoided hearing of them." I replied.

"So what is your opinion of them." Jen asked.

"It's complicated." I replied. Jen just kept staring at me until I went on. "I think that they are sometimes cowboys. I also think that they do a job, we don't want to do. I would stand on the line beside most of the ones I met, but I don't think I'd get drunk with any of them." I waited for her to go on, when she didn't I asked. "So why the questions?"

"The new ownership is branching out. They want to contact you about working for them." She could tell immediately from my head shaking that it wasn't going to happen. "Hold on now, it is not out of country stuff."

"You are kidding they aren't putting together a private army here?" I asked.

"You have seen what happens in Mexico?" Jen asked.

"And that is what happens when people have their own army," I suggested.

"It isn't like that," she insisted.

"Why are you shilling for Swamp Thing?" I asked.

"I'm not shilling for anyone. A friend called and ask me to approach you about listing with an agency." she replied.

"What the fuck are you talking about Jen?" I asked.

"Try to follow this Max." she seemed irritated. "A former employee of Black Swamp started a new business to operate here. They are going to specialize in high risk assignments. High risk, high pay assignments," she corrected herself. "Very low profile workers for high profile clients."

"I don't get it," I admitted.

"This is the example he gave me." Jen suggested. "Gangster Rap star is going on tour. There are creditable threats against his life. This bad ass rap star wants to stay alive, so he is out looking for hard core security that doesn't scream, I'm really a chicken shit."

"Well hardcore 'Swamp Thing' can manage, but with those guys standing around everybody is going to know that he isn't scared. They all have thousand mile stares. You don't mistake them for thugs." I replied.

"Yeah, my friend isn't stupid. What they are looking for are people with a proven record. Names they can put in their file cabinet for the day when they need a middle aged lady, who can, and more important, will pull the trigger."

"So he is opening an employment agency for assassins?" I asked.

"Not assassins, I would never allow you into that. But jobs like the one you did for the guy in the kidnap situation. Even something like the rescue of your own people." she said.

"Jen on a job by job basis, I will discuss it with them, not as a standing job offer," I replied.

"I know, you are retired," she said with a laugh.

"You laugh, but I plan to really be retired. I have banged around over a year without really being retired, now I'm going to be."

"Right and when you get bored enough you will be on the phone to me trying to find something to do." she said honestly.

"Yeah there is some truth in that," I admitted.

"Some you know it's the truth. You can't stand being bored. Now that Davenport is off the radar, soon you will be climbing the walls until another super villain comes along."

"Bullshit, none of our villains are super. They are mostly just thugs." I said.

"Don't tell Reverend Archer that. He sees Davenport as a super villain, since he stole his idea and used it for evil."

"Ah, he took the plan to the dark side, shame on him." I replied. "So is that all Jen."

"Your contracts and applications are ready, Girl Friday has them all ready for you. Did you want me to contact the housing authority?"

"No thanks, I might take vouchers, but I don't want them having a veto vote. If it's my money in the game, I get to make the rules not them."

"Then be careful taking their vouchers. They come with with all kinds of hidden strings." Jen said.

"True, I never knew anything the Fed got into that didn't have more rules than needed, by a factor of ten." I suggested.

When I got back home, I sat at my keyboard and wrote the house rules. In addition to those in the contract. The additional rules were about conduct and behavior. The rules in the contract were more about cost and expenses involved in being a tenant, and what you got for your money. Of course there were rules in the contract about what you got, if you didn't pay your rent. Mostly it was bullshit, but I figured it was necessary bullshit.

I called Amos realty and Insurance company. Fred Amos and I went to high school together. I didn't know what the deal was with him at that moment, but he had been a class a womanizer back in the day. "Amos Realty," the young female voice said.

"Hello, this is Maxine Stone, I would like to speak with Fred Amos please."

"Regarding what," she asked.

"Regarding herpes the bastard gave me," I replied indignantly.

The bitch didn't even answer, she just put me on hold. "I heard you were back in town. My God Maxine, did you have to traumatize my receptionist. I have a hard enough time keeping one as it is."

"You should tell her not to ask women why they wish to speak to men," I said with a laugh. "Fred how you been?"

"I have been married and divorced four times, how about you?" he asked.

"Two divorces, and I buried one. It looks like life has not been good to either of us." I explained.