Unholy Ghosts - Stacia Kane 11 стр.

Through the gaps around his body in the doorway she saw a few others, their arms folded neatly in front of them. No chance at overpowering him and escaping, then. Of course, even if hed been alone she probably couldnt have accomplished it, not in her state. Not in any state, if the rumors about this crew could be believed.

Why the face, tulip girl? You look moanworthy indeed. His voice was deeper than she would have expected, and not accented like street no matter what the words were.

She bit her lip and turned her face away, hanging it forward so her dark hair could cover it. Not much choice except to look and act as docile as possible so theyd let her go. At least until she knew what they wanted.

From outside the doorway he produced a chair and sat down in it a few feet away from her, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. Im Lex.

She glared at him.

Dont feel like making the speech? Okay by me. Only maybe I got something might loosen your tongue. He reached into his jacket. Chess tensed. She didnt have her knife, didnt have any weapons at all, but if she had to, she could probably at least get him with her fingernails or a good solid kick in the balls.

He didnt pull out a weapon. Or rather, not a weapon that could hurt her. But nothing could have controlled her as effectively. Just as Bump had done, Lex produced a Baggie full of pills. Unlike Bump, he held it in his fingers, dangling it in front of his face. Her mouth watered.

What you think, tulip girl? Maybe you want to talk, I let you have one? He reached into the bag and pulled out a Cept, gleaming white between his burnished fingers. Maybe two?

The pill loomed in front of her, shining like a diamond. Her stomach was starting to cramp, her legs to feel weak. If she didnt manage to get something soon

I got all night. My guess is you dont. He leaned forward a little more, his voice dropping to a caressing whisper, an insinuating one. His black eyes never left her. You feeling that pinch, hmm? Them itches? They get right in, dont they? Like youll never stop itching. And the belly gets all fratchy there, those long legs turn rubber

She wanted to sink into the wall and disappear. She should have let the psychopomp take her. She knew it was a mistake to stay alive.

Aint gonna get better with time, tulip. He tossed the Cept into the air, caught it. Tossed it again, missed. It hit the stone floor with a small ticking noise.

Chess dove forward, but she was too late. His boot snapped down over the pill and ground it into powder. That was okay. If he would just leaveIt wouldnt be pretty, but the floor seemed reasonably clean, right? She didnt know if theyd taken her cash as well as her knife. She could roll that bill up just fine, even with her stiff and aching hand. If he would leave, if he would please just leave.

No such luck. He produced a bottle of water. Jarkman.

The door opened, admitting another, smaller man. Aye?

Fetch us some towels. I made a spill.

Lex uncapped the water bottle, lifted his foot, and slowly, deliberately, poured liquid over the crushed pill. Chess bit her lip so hard she drew blood.

Jarkman was back in a moment with a roll of paper towels. He wiped up the mess in silence and left.

Want to try that one again? I got a whole bag here, it dont mind me if I crush them all. Jarkman needs the exercise.

He plucked another pill from the bag. You know the worst part, aye? You been there? When the belly gets mad. Starts turning upside out. Methinks nothing in this world so bad as

Stop. The word came out before she realized it. Just stop, okay?

He blinked. And thats four words, aint they nice. Here you go, tulip. You have that.

He tossed the pill to her like a bread crust to a duck. Not picking it up was the hardest thing shed ever done.

Aw, you think we give you poison? She might have appreciated the smile he gave her if she hadnt been about to burst into tears. He wrapped his fingers around the top of the bag, shook it up, and plucked a pill out of it. She watched it disappear into his mouth, watched him wash it down. No poison. True thing, tulip. Take it.

She wanted to be cool, but coolness was impossible in the face of her screaming, throbbing body. The words were barely out of his mouth before she snatched the pill up from the folds of the quilt and gobbled it, grinding it between her teeth, turning it into a slick, bitter paste on her tongue.

Without a word he passed her the water, and she gulped it down. Some of the tightness in her chest eased.

Ready to talk now? He held out his hand, flat and open. Another Cept rested in the middle of his palm.

She took it, crunched it, washed it down. Depends on what you want to talk about.

What you suppose I want to talk about?

You think you have a ghost?

His thin lips stretched into a smile. Not bad, tulip, not bad. Tougher than you look.

Why do you keep calling me tulip?

Aint that the tattoo?

No, these areyou asshole.

She did have a tulip tattoo. Low on her stomach, just above the juncture of thigh and groin. Which her pants covered.

He shrugged. Some dames hide weapons, aye?

So you had to strip-search me to make sure I wasnt?

I dont strip you, nay. Not me. Not the men. My sister Blue, she done the job.

Somehow she couldnt bring herself to thank him.

The knock at the door startled her. Lex turned. Aye?

Seven.

Right. He looked back at her. Hungry?

What? The shakes were only just starting to fade, how could she be hungry?

I gotta be somewhere, have a talk to someone. Jarkman show you the bathroom, got a good strong waterfall. Then we talk.

What the hell is going on? Those goons kidnapped me and threw me in here, then you show up and taunt me, now you want me to have a nice hot shower and some food? Are you insane? Seriously.

He shrugged. Dont suppose so, nay. You stay here if you like it. But you dont leave this house until we talk. Your choice.

Chapter Eight

The shower was good, she had to admit. By the time she got out she felt almost normal again.

Obviously they hadnt brought her here to kill her, unless this was part of some ritual she didnt understand. But why they would want to talk to herwhat possible reason Slobag or any of his men would have for bringing her hereshe had no idea.

The Asians hated the Church and anything or anyone who worked for it, as a rule. Since so much of their old religions were based on venerating the spirits of their ancestorsdespite the fact that those same ancestors rose from the grave and killed them, just as they had everywhere else in the worldshe couldnt really blame them, but it did mean that when she emerged from the bathroom and put her clothes back on, her hands shook a little. The clothes werent clean, but it was better than not having showered at all.

The room adjoining the bathroom was undecorated, almost ware house like in its barrenness. A small, hard bed hugged one wall, covered with a plain blue blanket. A cold TV sat on the floor opposite. Its blank screen watched her like an unblinking eye as she crossed to the window and looked out at the city. Shed never spent much time down here, so close to where Downside gave way to the Metro District. Farther beyond that the suburbs glinted like fools gold as the hills rose to the misty darkening sky.

She assumed it was Sunday eveningJarkman had said Seven through the door, and it clearly wasnt getting any lighter. Which meant shed missed going out to Chester with Terrible that afternoon, which was not good. Hed be looking for her. All of Bumps men would be looking for her. Being found here would probably be the last thing she ever did.

Chess didnt have any specific loyalty to Bump aside from his dominance in her neighborhood, at least not when it came to buying her drugs. But given the investigations shed just been extorted into doing for him, the inside information she now had about his plansno, being found with Slobags men could definitely be hazardous to her health.

Something clicked behind her. She turned to see Lex framed by the doorway.

Something clicked behind her. She turned to see Lex framed by the doorway.

Cmon. I got food.

Not the most delightful invitation shed ever received, but her stomach didnt care. Had she eaten the day before? Probably not, with all that speed. No wonder shed slept for so long.

She followed him down a blank gray hallway, their feet echoing on the dark wood floor planks. As they moved farther down the hall the doors they passed grew more ornate, heavy red wood carved with dragons and pagodas. The contrast between them and the bare walls made Chess wonder what was hiding in those rooms.

Finally the hall ended in a large, wide room. Gold dragons and tigers fought in murals along the entire length of the walls, and the furniture was carved the same as the doors had been. It was like stepping into an elaborate set for a martial arts film, but at least it wasnt in quite as bad taste as Bumps place had been. Whatever genitalia the illustrated beasts possessed was mercifully hidden.

Lex gestured to a long polished table. Sit you down, tulip. Got food for you. No poison there, neither.

Why are you doing this?

He shrugged. Im hungry. Not polite to eat in fronts of people, aye?

So why not just say what you need to say and then eat when I leave?

You gonna sit? Only Im tired of standing here.

She sat. Up close she could see the fine grains in the table. It looked like real wood, a solid slab of it. She didnt think shed ever seen a piece of wood so large.

They sat in silence while an elderly man brought in a tray and placed two white china bowls in front of them, along with accompanying silverware. Beggar soupthat favorite dish of the Downsidebut an especially elegant version loaded with meatballs and chicken and herbs. She could never afford to have both meats. Of course, she spent most of her money on other things. Most Debunkers lived much better than Chess did. Life was all about trade-offs.