“Damn, Nick… this is incredible. Al-Saud will be invaluable within my cloistered group of terrorist advisors.”
Nick gestured at the now arrogant looking Al-Saud. “He thinks this is picnic time where he can remain quiet while waiting for special treatment, halal meals, prayer rugs, and servants to wipe his ass. This is what happens when there’s no instant training. He was on his way to meet someone when I nabbed him. Rabi didn’t want to tell me who and we didn’t have time to play together in the sand. I have no dog in the hunt because I don’t think he knows much about whatever I’d be interested in. I figured everyone can share in the fortunes he’s stashed away. He’s all yours.”
Denny grinned. “I brought along the cure for his reluctance, just in case there’s something near on the horizon.”
Lynn Montoya Dostiene walked out of the hatch at the side of the island with a big smile and her three minions alongside. “Nick! You look good after your sandbox excursion.”
Surprised, Nick hugged her and shook hands with the minions: Sylvio Ruelas, Gus Denova, and Quays Tannous. “It’s great seeing you all. I’ll leave my buddy, Rabiah in your capable hands. I’m a little tired of his company.”
Lynn pinched the red-faced Al-Saud’s cheek. “We’re going to have such fun!”
Nick patted Al-Saud on the back as the minions took charge of him. “Sucks to be you.”
The End
Future Nick and Jean Bonus Story IV
Connecting Threads
Benny watched the approaching gangbangers near his high school’s front gate with regret. He understood everything within his new world of family, friends, education, love, caring, and best of all: hope. Benny also remembered what put him in a crack-house as a young teenaged victim. He knew the young men approaching him shared his similar origins and race, but they shared nothing else within his soul. Benny felt empathy for doomed souls as he had experience with hopelessness. He had been practically raised in a crack-house before his new family plucked him out of it. The reason he fit so well with his new family drew from many deep wells, but lack of fear topped the list. Beaten, starved, used as a sex slave, Benny had done everything requested for his own survival. When rescued from his putrid former life with matter-of-fact extreme violence, kindness, and people he could count on, the life changing event allowed the real soul of Benny to surface. Like his new Dad told him when he adopted Benny – ‘I offer you only a chance at a life with honor but you’ll have to work for it, Benny’. Benny remembered smiling at Nick McCarty, the most dangerous living entity he had ever met, with hope and saying, ‘I will do anything for such a chance, Sir’. Nick had shook his hand with firm promise, ‘welcome to the family, kid’.
Benny waited for the ‘bangers because he knew this would have to be taken care of. Otherwise, kids at his high school, and innocent future victims of these vicious young thugs would be part of an unending list stretching into the future. Benny waited for them with relaxed patience as his new Dad had taught him. He knew the punks approaching couldn’t hurt him worse than he had been hurt in the past without killing him. He smiled and waved as they stopped in front of him.
“Hi, guys.”
Benny’s greeting, met with the clichéd derision of young male predators without guidance, honor, respect, or more importantly human compassion or empathy. It went on for a few moments of snickering laughs and hand gestures of dismissal. Benny waited with patience and awareness as taught by his Dad. He watched for disappearing hands or sudden motions with relaxed watchfulness.
The leader of the underwear showing crew pranced from side to side towards Benny with shoulder popping smoothness, making condescending hand gestures at Benny. “I get it… I get it. You too stupid to know not to face up with us, Benny. We don’t make exceptions for retards. Your sissy ass ours now! I warned you!”
Benny decided instantly there would be no avoiding of this interaction. “I have a tag name like you do now, Squiggy.”
Hearing the laughs at his expense from his own crew, Squiggy denied and deflected as imagined. “Man… I ain’t no Squiggy, you cheap ass ‘ho! Shut the fuck up! I plan to make you scream, pussy!”
Benny smiled without moving as the aforementioned Squiggy jived in front of him with arm, hand, and finger gestures gone wild. Benny held up his hands in a placating fashion. “Calm down. What is it you guys want anyway? I know you hate my guts for some reason. Let’s negotiate. I want to go to school and do well. If you let me, we can all just get along.”
“See!” Squiggy stabbed Benny with a forefinger. “We told you to find another school, B! We don’t want your ‘stick up the ass’ shit in our school! You feel me, rocket?!”