Criminal Venture, part 3: the interview

Abe led them through the sidewinding alleys and incomprehensible architecture through to the maze that was the Old City. There were old people here, people who'd held on to these buildings with tight fists in the hope the property might be valudiable one day - or simply because they were too stubborn to move. Like their very souls had been mortared into place by the original brick-work of these buildings.

"And someone around here has that kinda money?" Shimko said, doubtful. "You better not be shining me on, or you might have another size 11 leather dinner."

"Take a look yourself," said Abe. He led them down one alleyway so old, it actually had moss on it's cobblestoned path. They came into an inner courtyard. "There it is," Abe said. He walked over to a dark corner, and opened an old wooden gate. "Come on in," said Abe.

"How about you go first?" said Stinky. he would never admit it, but the place was starting to get to him. He'd never been this deep in the Old City before. Never seemed to be any percentage in it. He was just starting to realize how much he didn't even realize he didn't know.

"Scared?" said Abe, smiling.

"You wanna find out?" said Stinky. He pushed his suit sleave back, to reveal a tensed up arm with a fist at the end.

"Fine, fine," said Abe. He went inside. Stinky took a breath and took stock of himself. There was no way he couldn't go in, now, no matter what was on the other end of that door. "You bring up the rear, Bull, and watch out for any nonsense," he said. He readjusted his collar and stepped forward.

In the doorway, he suddenly was in a garden. He looked around, bewildered. The walls had been brick before he stepped in; but now, on the other side of them, they were glass. He could see the alleyway that he had stepped in. Ahread there was a checkerboard marble tiled floor, that led to a carved wooden stairway which split to left and right at the top. The left and right sections led through more old, old, very classy and certainly very expensive hallways which led past shelves of books, sculptures and curiosities.

Stinky looked back at the walls, bewildered.

"Holographs," explained a pert female voice. He looked around and saw a cute young red-headed girl, probably like 19. Too cute. With a large golden bracelet taking up most of her right forearm. It kind of set off her red hair, too. Shimko didn't like that. That's because Shimko liked girls, a little too much. He avoided them as much as he could, while still being a tough guy. he knew inside that for the right woman, he would do anything he wanted.

"It's ok, for a cheap trick," Stinky Shimko responded. Never let them know you're impressed. The girl laughed, tho. "Oh yes, it only costs a million a year to maintain. I'm sure you spend that just on coffee."

"Don't get wise, chickee," said Stinky. "let's cut to the chase. Where's the money man? We're looking for investors."

She frowned. "How do you know I'm not an investor?"

"Same way you know I ain't a ballerina. 'Cause I ain't."

She turned to Abe. "Uncle Abe, are you sure these are the kind of men my grandfather should see?"

Abe turned to her. "Yes, my dear. Strange as it may seem, these are just the sort of men we need."

She looked doubtful. "Well I'll be in my office."

"Perhaps we'll chat later. This way, Mr. Shimo and Mr. Durham?"

"Why, certainly, Mr. Deadbeat This-better-not-be-baloney," said Shimko. "Later, doll. Watch out who you talk to."

"If I may return some advice, watch out how you talk, Mr. Shimko," she said. She started toying with her large golden bracelet. "As you can see from the walls of this house, what looks one way can be suddenly surprising."

Bull and Stinky followed Abe up the stairs, and on down the hallway. Stinky felt a need for a shot of stim or a grass cig. He suppressed it.

"'Uncle Abe'?" Stinky said. "You been holding out on me. You're related to this kind of money, and you didn't pay me back right away?"

"If I had this kinda money, I wouldn't've had to borrow from you in the first place, now would I?th" said Abe.

"Watch the tone deadbeat," said Stinky. Bull grunted affirmation.

"This is my sister's family. They didn't like me. Now that I got this deal to go to them with, I can get in though. this can set me up, if it's done right. Now that I gotta do it with you-"

"Damn right you do," Shimko stuck in.

"-We need to do this as smoothly as possible. Got it?"

"Oh, I got it," said Stinky. "Just you better get my money and then some. Where's the cat with the cash?"

"Right behind this door," said Abe. "Now, stay calm."

"Sure I can stay calm." said Stinky.

"Good. Right through here-" Abe pointed down a hallway. "You first," said Stinky. Abe sighed, and started down the hallway.

They were barely 3 strides in when a hole opened, and Stinky and Bull sunk straight down into a sticky net.

"Stay right there," said Abe. "He'll be with you in a minute." And then he laughed. It was a kind of crazy, unnerving cackle that Stinky didn't really feel like hearing right now.

"You're dead, you know that?"

"Sshhh!" said Abe. "He doesn't like loud sounds. They make him irritable." Stinky looked off into the distance.

A spider with a human head was coming near him. As it got closer to the light coming through the hole in the seeing, Stinky saw another couple of heads. A couple seemed dead; they had newer heads growing from them, kind of like mushrooms growing from the side of a rotting tree.

"Helllooo," said one of the heads. "We understand you're offering a startup investment. We are....starving for such an opportunity."

All the heads gave forth a similar sort of hissing laugh. They barely had enough lung capacity, stinky guessed. Ah well. Maybe he should offer the ma cigarette so they'd run out and choke.

(to be continued)