City, Sister, Silver, page 24
I guess it’s her, I said to myself.
Yes, said She-Dog.
Before I could notice whether Černá had moved her lips, she slumped sideways, still holding onto the grille but leaning on me now, I felt her cheekbones against my face, her hot breath on my neck, wrapped my arms around her, she would’ve fallen.
I need a man … now … a guy I can lean on, she said drunkenly, but … she hiccuped … I shoved him, he fell. You … flag me a cab. I wanna go home.
Very cautiously and very gently I pushed her back, peeled her hand off the bars, gripped her by the shoulders, and propped her up against the grille.
I took off her hood. She drifted off into relieved microslumber, but there was a dream, her eyelids were quivering. Her hair color swept off the wings of a black bird. Couple silver ones … face pale an fragile, a sharp wrinkle or two at the corners of her mouth, hair curled around her ears. She-Dog never told me when I met her she might need to lean on me, it took me by surprise, maybe what was left of my power was there to protect someone …
What’re you doin? Quit screwin around, I told you you can come over. She stood there, legs spread, eyes open, looking off over my shoulder … I gave her a shake.
I’m tellin you, it won’t work. It hurts! Flag a cab. Please, she whimpered.
So I did. Holding her up with one arm and waving with the other.
Take off my jacket, she said after a while. I think I’m wasted.
What for … it’s not warm.
But she insisted.
One guy stopped, but then got a look at us in that tent of green light and drove off again. Not the next one. I took her cold hand in mine and led her to the cab, spread-legged and teetering, it probably looked hilarious, but there was a strong emotion in my heart. Tilting drunkenly, she tossed her jacket on the back seat, sat down on it, and slammed the door. Just then I noticed drops of blood on the sidewalk, leading from the spot where she’d been standing, it had soaked right through her pants.
If you don’t mind, boss, I’ll take the cash in advance, said the cabbie.
Wait. The address, Černá, the address!
She said it. The man rolled down his window. I gave him something.
Then I walked through the city to the home of the tribe, through the labyrinth of my world, where I live, and in my heart was peace. Because now I knew I’d found her, I gave She-Dog thanks and my power grew, I think. Just a few matters to settle an I can forget the spooks … tell my tribe see ya, the byznys path has been great an all, friends, but my motion diverts me … an on my frequent visits I’ll watch as Micka glows an Sharky gnashes his teeth an Bohler meditates an David … we were five … hope David’s thumbs’re healin up … it didn’t even cross my mind that Černá might not want me.
I walked down our street past the burned-out Laotian temple, it was already boarded up, the boys hadn’t been idle. Now that I knew I was so close to a Zone … and that it didn’t work on me … there was plenty of time to get used to it. I walked into the building and into Bohler’s place and there they all sat. Bohler’s head was wrapped in bandages. My pseudodroogs were very abnormally quiet and downcast, I sensed it right away. Both the flat and the building had been cleaned up since the battle, but whatever it was I’d sensed in the air on Liberation Avenue was back again.
What’s up?
Take a seat, Potok, said Bohler. We know bout your thing, that guy Rudolf was here. An we know we’re in a Zone, that’ll be dealt with later. An we also know bout the Martian.
What’s up?
Better take a seat, pal, he nodded, I’ve already explained to those present that the end of the Organization’s gonna bother you least of all anyway.
Heh, so, what’s up? I pointed my chin at David. He lay there, head propped on the table, bandaged thumbs dangling down at the end of his arms. Bohler walked over to him and put them up on the table. His arms seemed unnaturally long for his frame, but it was probably just the gauze. He didn’t move.
He’s in bad shape, said Sharky. It took a lot out of him.
Sharky was on the pale side too, gnawing his nails in the chink of his razor-sharp face.
Micka! Buddy, pseudodroog, you look awful!
The helmsman had aged. His glow was gone. He smiled wearily.
I’ll run through it one more time for Potok’s sake, least it’ll gimme a chance to get used to it.
First of all, the hitlers destroyed all our papers, apart from what we’ve got in the safe-deposit box at Early Bird Megabank … but they made off with all the cash, that means operations, salaries, bonuses, miscellaneous … a couple m., fine, that’s my fault …
Aw baloney, said Sharky.
Nonsense, said Bohler.
I shook my head.
All right, it’s not … but Early Bird was a front for Salman Brothers, an those guys went under, our rating from the computer samurai was quite unparalleled, you see. The bank flopped worldwide. Bad luck, maybe I should’ve looked into em more …
Did what cha could, pseudodroog, no one doubts it, said Sharky, the foreign minister.
Bog giveth, Bog taketh away, I accept it in peace, said Bohler.
Yes, I said. What’s up with David, has Hradil seen him?
Just wait, we’ll get to that, said Micka.
Where’re the girls? I asked.
They left for the Laosters’, they can wait till the Zone’s cleaned out, but …
The Laosters’re all gone?
No, Hunter’s around, that’s on the agenda, but wait … basically, Potok, we’re wiped out! Micka roared.
I didn’t realize, you know? An today I met … my sister …
You’ve got a sis? someone asked.
Yeah! Yeah, but apologies.
There’s money scattered around various banks, except that as you know most of it’s in receivables, the big invoices can wait, you know how it is, but we’re swimmin in little ones, yep, of course then there’s bonds an principals …
I didn’t understand a word, and Bohler was nodding but I could tell his mind was elsewhere. Sharky was probably the only one who had a clue.
… so it’ll take all the gold we have to keep the fabrics in motion, an not for long. So that 5 m.’s actually all there is, an that’s goin to the Zone, an Rudolf knows it, so we can take our pick. Bust, or jail, or both, or bust.
What jail? I perked up a little.
Goldie tricked us. Micka said gloomily. It was real simple. Bought off customs an probly also had a deal with Rudolf, I’m just guessin on that. Those gadgets weren’t clean.
Yeah, they never were, I said.
Micka raised his eyes to the sky. He doesn’t get it. You’re out of it. Nothin we did was totally clean, but the way that Goldie breached the contract it put us in breach too, there’s nothin we can do. That’s the way it is. The stuff didn’t come here in the gadgets from Thailand, we were watchin for that, it went from here over there!
The era is overtaking us, Bohler said thoughtfully.
That’s intense! I had to say something.
That Goldie’s a real scumbag, said Sharky.
In other words warpath, I said, but I felt fatigue.
No. First of all, he’s gone, Micka continued, disappeared as soon as he got us, an second, it already happened. We’re defenseless against him.
I was surprised but relieved.
But now comes the main thing, Micka said. We dissolved the contract.
No way, my throat constricted.
Micka went on: Me an Sharky made a move with that water mill you were working as the interpreter on with Lady Laos …
But I always said it was a power plant!
Same difference, said Micka, it’s an outstanding government liability … it sat in the Sudan for years, they had a war there, as I’m sure you know, an the new government refused to pay the debt … it was available for two … Micka got up. Go on, Sharky, I can’t, I don’t wanna.
Where’s the Fiery? I asked.
Right in front of you, someone answered.
We put everything we had into it, almost everything, said Sharky … funny thing was, the government backed out … there was no way to negotiate directly with the Sudan, it went through various middlemen, Mozambique, Argentina, the cash is laid away, that’s all right, it was IOUs, careful now, we didn’t lose a thing, only, Sharky sped up, it was an old bolshevik front an now the rockets’re in Libya.
Rockets? I didn’t get it.
Yeah, plus equipment. They were Russian, actually ours an the Soviets’, belonged to the Warsaw Pact but they were Czechoslovak, Czech after the split, I guess … no one knows.
So how’d they get there? Libya’s a long way.
Well, they just shipped it in off the books with the Organization’s velvet reputation as the guarantee, I mean not entirely, again it all went through somebody else, but we were the ones that cleared it an everyone else was hands off … almost everyone, couple a Swiss are in on it … An the Poles an the French … but that’s not for sure, added Micka. Tell him the rest, Sharky.
Some stayed in Libya an some’s … Sharky lowered his voice an said almost too softly to hear … in Iraq. An the Palestinians got some an, gentlemen and brothers, I’m going home. We’ve gone bust an it’s been nice, up to now, but I gotta be on my way.
It’s too fast for me, I said.
Everything’s fast, Bohler noted.
Where’ll you go, Cassock, I asked.
Out to the Gobs’, I guess. To the Rock.
I still don’t get it, I’m sorry, but you know that transnational byznys stuff never was my … we sold rockets to Libya … an some other places … an they can pin it on us?
Can now, said Micka. If they wanna.
How could we screw up like that?
It happens, said Sharky, these fronts stay underwater for years sometimes. There’s just one consolation for me in all this: that we got caught on an old anchor.
An the Zone, don’t forget, said Bohler.
Get it now? someone asked me.
Yeah. But I was lying. I might’ve got that we were broke, that we were wiped out byznys-wise, and that … we’d violated the contract and were a bad tribe, and I knew what we had to do now, and what I ought to do too, I shook my silver ornaments an stroked my hair … but what I didn’t get was we were splittin up, that Sharky was takin off, so was Bohler, an probly everyone else too … I still didn’t get that the tribe had fallen apart, that we’d be without protection … I looked around at the others, they were thinking the same. What’s up with David?
I went over to him and lifted his head, it was … a mask of a face, it frightened me, that gourd look, it was spooky …
Well, said Bohler, Hradil thinks that David … that he’s gone insane.
What? I recalled our recent encounter in the warehouse, the weird way David had rattled on, confusing me with Novák.
Today he’s just … I donno, said Micka, scratching his head, not talkin at all … Helena was with him the whole time, an she wanted to take him away, but we figured since there was a briefing …
… the custom oughta be preserved to the end, Bohler added.
Maybe he’ll get over it, I said, maybe he caught some pain in the neck or whatever from the hitlers …
Hradil … look, there’s just too much today, said Micka.
Hradil said to leave him alone, that it’s shock, temporary paralysis …
Damn it, tell him the truth, Sharky snapped, I mean we all know it.
Hradil said he’ll probly … that it’s probly for good.
No, I said, and I could tell that even though the others knew it was true, it was still too much for them to digest.
Maybe Hradil made a mistake!
He doesn’t make mistakes, you know that.
We were all tired, but we couldn’t scatter through the building and leave David there by himself … it didn’t occur to us to call up one of our pseudodrooginas … maybe it’ll ease up when Helena gets back. Those two spent a lot of time together.
There’s one more thing, Bohler said, clearing his throat. It’s about Hunter. I was waiting for Potok.
I froze stiff.
It’s about that attack today … those two Laotians that got killed … an that’s not all … I guess you noticed the lawn out back is trampled, totally ruined …
Yeah, I nodded, the others too.
There’s this thing Lady Laos told me … when the hitlers came bustin in, slashin an bashin, I was out in the street, as you know, Bohler ran a hand over his bandaged head with a bit of a smile, a proud one I think, the thing is, when it started, what tenants we had left came tearin outta the buildings, but then they saw the hitlers were only goin after the Laotians … an yours truly … so they turned around an went out back an stood there clappin an eggin em on, they stomped down all the grass back there an showed em how to get into the shop, not only did our tenants not call the cops or the firemen … they applauded … the Laotian women took their kids an hid in the cellars, an when they smelled the smoke an saw the flames they figured the stalingos had set the place on fire … so they start passin the kids out the bars to the neighbors, those brutes had all the exits blocked so they couldn’t escape … the neighbors didn’t give a damn though, an Kučera from number three, he was crocked as usual … an he goes up to the window … an just stands there lookin while the women’re stretchin their arms through the bars to pass the kids out to him … an he whips out his dick an pisses through the bars all over those kids in the cellar … an Lady Laos told me the Laotians’ opinion is that won’t do, an Hunter’s here waiting.
I don’t know which of us screamed, but it was a mighty scream.
Well, maybe Kučera’s not so dumb he didn’t split, someone said.
Unfortunately the idiot’s still here, said Bohler. Vasil’s guarding him in case the Laotians … in case of anything rash. But they said it’s up to us.
We didn’t have to nod our heads and jingle our silver for long.
It’s obvious, said Micka.
Sharky just gave the sign.
Aright, I said, what else can we do.
I’ll take responsibility too, said Bohler.
But Hunter wants you to go with him, Potok.
I remembered the photo of Hunter looking like a computer samurai or a perfect agent, which can be confused … and the way he used to walk around the buildings in that rag of his, with his tattooed face and that shark-tooth necklace … I didn’t relish the idea … and it showed.
Lady Laos told me Hunter was extremely depressed an embarrassed that he stabbed you, an it’s a great honor that he wants to take you along, she said any one of his people would be thrilled to be chosen … when honor’s at stake.
Yeah, aright, I’m honored.
Hunter smiled when he saw me walk into the courtyard, bonjour, he said. I looked around, we were alone.
You needn’t bother, I know you know my language.
Excusez-moi?
Aright then: Je sais que vous parlez tchèque.
Non, excusez-moi, je parle français, pas beaucoup.
Have it your way, I’m tellin you though, the ess-tee-bee’s after you, I mean the cops … no wait, not cops … underground cops … komunisten banditen, vous connaissez?
Non.
Fine, fine. On y va.
And we went.
Vasil stood outside the door. Bot iz dere hiz voomin, he said. I come heer, I bek him, I say him, run fest! He no unnerstant notink, durak!
His business. Get outta here, Vasil … but don’t go to the cellar, go to the priest, harasho?
Da.
I’d barely knocked when the door swung open. There was his voomin, they made a cute couple. Both were big drinkers and he had a slightly criminal past, none of that bothered us. My memory of Kučera, a shard: typical Czech guy, in his fifties, the type you see hangin around the trash cans on your street from time to time. Carrying out the garbage in his undershirt. Sweating. Likes soccer, TV, meat, porno, his money, his memories, his car, doesn’t love anything. Coexists with his wife. Beats her every now and then, or she beats him, their business. They had a son. He took off. Wouldn’t surprise me if he’d taken up with the scamps. Wouldn’t’ve hesitated if I were him.
When we first took over the buildings, it was an extreme shock for some of our tenants. Instead of their people from the old national committees, suddenly they were required to consult our amulets and hardware. Kučera had a problem with it, but Bohler persuaded him. And they all discovered there were certain benefits to having us as bosses. We didn’t always bother to collect rent, for instance. We’d just forget, plus I think Bohler, whose job it was … felt sorry for many of our lodgers.
Please, ma’am, I think it would be better if …
I’m not goin anywhere, mister.
Listen, there’s been an incident …
The place smelled like somethin was burning … an cabbage … her face was red, eyes puffy from booze, or maybe tears, or both … tousled hair … she held on to the door.
I stuck my foot in. Hunter stood quietly behind me. She saw him.
I’m not goin anywhere, if he dies, I … it’d be the music of paradise for me … go ahead, mister, squash the louse, you donno the life I’ve had … you donno shit! she flung open the door … Hunter slipped inside.
Don’t be silly, ma’am … go on, leave …
Don’t you try to run me out … mister … she followed Hunter in, I couldn’t stop her. Kučera stood at the window, on the table a bottle of beer and a newspaper, staring at us in disbelief. Hunter stepped in front of him and turned to me.
Il connais rien. Vous parlez pourquoi …
Oui. Yes, I’ll tell him.
Hey, get cher ass outta my flat an take that gook wit cha. Mařena, call the cops …
You brought it on yourself, Pepa.
Mr. Kučera, not only did you not help, but …
I looked at Hunter, he didn’t have anything on him, but then I looked at his hands and it was obvious he didn’t need anything else.
Goddammit, you can’t do this, we got laws ya know, get cher ass outta here!
Unfortunately, Mr. Kučera, you’ve just violated every law there is. And I told him how.
Mařena, no, you can’t … you wouldn’t.
But she did. I turned to Hunter: Il connais, maintenant, je pense, and I followed her out.
Yes, said She-Dog.
Before I could notice whether Černá had moved her lips, she slumped sideways, still holding onto the grille but leaning on me now, I felt her cheekbones against my face, her hot breath on my neck, wrapped my arms around her, she would’ve fallen.
I need a man … now … a guy I can lean on, she said drunkenly, but … she hiccuped … I shoved him, he fell. You … flag me a cab. I wanna go home.
Very cautiously and very gently I pushed her back, peeled her hand off the bars, gripped her by the shoulders, and propped her up against the grille.
I took off her hood. She drifted off into relieved microslumber, but there was a dream, her eyelids were quivering. Her hair color swept off the wings of a black bird. Couple silver ones … face pale an fragile, a sharp wrinkle or two at the corners of her mouth, hair curled around her ears. She-Dog never told me when I met her she might need to lean on me, it took me by surprise, maybe what was left of my power was there to protect someone …
What’re you doin? Quit screwin around, I told you you can come over. She stood there, legs spread, eyes open, looking off over my shoulder … I gave her a shake.
I’m tellin you, it won’t work. It hurts! Flag a cab. Please, she whimpered.
So I did. Holding her up with one arm and waving with the other.
Take off my jacket, she said after a while. I think I’m wasted.
What for … it’s not warm.
But she insisted.
One guy stopped, but then got a look at us in that tent of green light and drove off again. Not the next one. I took her cold hand in mine and led her to the cab, spread-legged and teetering, it probably looked hilarious, but there was a strong emotion in my heart. Tilting drunkenly, she tossed her jacket on the back seat, sat down on it, and slammed the door. Just then I noticed drops of blood on the sidewalk, leading from the spot where she’d been standing, it had soaked right through her pants.
If you don’t mind, boss, I’ll take the cash in advance, said the cabbie.
Wait. The address, Černá, the address!
She said it. The man rolled down his window. I gave him something.
Then I walked through the city to the home of the tribe, through the labyrinth of my world, where I live, and in my heart was peace. Because now I knew I’d found her, I gave She-Dog thanks and my power grew, I think. Just a few matters to settle an I can forget the spooks … tell my tribe see ya, the byznys path has been great an all, friends, but my motion diverts me … an on my frequent visits I’ll watch as Micka glows an Sharky gnashes his teeth an Bohler meditates an David … we were five … hope David’s thumbs’re healin up … it didn’t even cross my mind that Černá might not want me.
I walked down our street past the burned-out Laotian temple, it was already boarded up, the boys hadn’t been idle. Now that I knew I was so close to a Zone … and that it didn’t work on me … there was plenty of time to get used to it. I walked into the building and into Bohler’s place and there they all sat. Bohler’s head was wrapped in bandages. My pseudodroogs were very abnormally quiet and downcast, I sensed it right away. Both the flat and the building had been cleaned up since the battle, but whatever it was I’d sensed in the air on Liberation Avenue was back again.
What’s up?
Take a seat, Potok, said Bohler. We know bout your thing, that guy Rudolf was here. An we know we’re in a Zone, that’ll be dealt with later. An we also know bout the Martian.
What’s up?
Better take a seat, pal, he nodded, I’ve already explained to those present that the end of the Organization’s gonna bother you least of all anyway.
Heh, so, what’s up? I pointed my chin at David. He lay there, head propped on the table, bandaged thumbs dangling down at the end of his arms. Bohler walked over to him and put them up on the table. His arms seemed unnaturally long for his frame, but it was probably just the gauze. He didn’t move.
He’s in bad shape, said Sharky. It took a lot out of him.
Sharky was on the pale side too, gnawing his nails in the chink of his razor-sharp face.
Micka! Buddy, pseudodroog, you look awful!
The helmsman had aged. His glow was gone. He smiled wearily.
I’ll run through it one more time for Potok’s sake, least it’ll gimme a chance to get used to it.
First of all, the hitlers destroyed all our papers, apart from what we’ve got in the safe-deposit box at Early Bird Megabank … but they made off with all the cash, that means operations, salaries, bonuses, miscellaneous … a couple m., fine, that’s my fault …
Aw baloney, said Sharky.
Nonsense, said Bohler.
I shook my head.
All right, it’s not … but Early Bird was a front for Salman Brothers, an those guys went under, our rating from the computer samurai was quite unparalleled, you see. The bank flopped worldwide. Bad luck, maybe I should’ve looked into em more …
Did what cha could, pseudodroog, no one doubts it, said Sharky, the foreign minister.
Bog giveth, Bog taketh away, I accept it in peace, said Bohler.
Yes, I said. What’s up with David, has Hradil seen him?
Just wait, we’ll get to that, said Micka.
Where’re the girls? I asked.
They left for the Laosters’, they can wait till the Zone’s cleaned out, but …
The Laosters’re all gone?
No, Hunter’s around, that’s on the agenda, but wait … basically, Potok, we’re wiped out! Micka roared.
I didn’t realize, you know? An today I met … my sister …
You’ve got a sis? someone asked.
Yeah! Yeah, but apologies.
There’s money scattered around various banks, except that as you know most of it’s in receivables, the big invoices can wait, you know how it is, but we’re swimmin in little ones, yep, of course then there’s bonds an principals …
I didn’t understand a word, and Bohler was nodding but I could tell his mind was elsewhere. Sharky was probably the only one who had a clue.
… so it’ll take all the gold we have to keep the fabrics in motion, an not for long. So that 5 m.’s actually all there is, an that’s goin to the Zone, an Rudolf knows it, so we can take our pick. Bust, or jail, or both, or bust.
What jail? I perked up a little.
Goldie tricked us. Micka said gloomily. It was real simple. Bought off customs an probly also had a deal with Rudolf, I’m just guessin on that. Those gadgets weren’t clean.
Yeah, they never were, I said.
Micka raised his eyes to the sky. He doesn’t get it. You’re out of it. Nothin we did was totally clean, but the way that Goldie breached the contract it put us in breach too, there’s nothin we can do. That’s the way it is. The stuff didn’t come here in the gadgets from Thailand, we were watchin for that, it went from here over there!
The era is overtaking us, Bohler said thoughtfully.
That’s intense! I had to say something.
That Goldie’s a real scumbag, said Sharky.
In other words warpath, I said, but I felt fatigue.
No. First of all, he’s gone, Micka continued, disappeared as soon as he got us, an second, it already happened. We’re defenseless against him.
I was surprised but relieved.
But now comes the main thing, Micka said. We dissolved the contract.
No way, my throat constricted.
Micka went on: Me an Sharky made a move with that water mill you were working as the interpreter on with Lady Laos …
But I always said it was a power plant!
Same difference, said Micka, it’s an outstanding government liability … it sat in the Sudan for years, they had a war there, as I’m sure you know, an the new government refused to pay the debt … it was available for two … Micka got up. Go on, Sharky, I can’t, I don’t wanna.
Where’s the Fiery? I asked.
Right in front of you, someone answered.
We put everything we had into it, almost everything, said Sharky … funny thing was, the government backed out … there was no way to negotiate directly with the Sudan, it went through various middlemen, Mozambique, Argentina, the cash is laid away, that’s all right, it was IOUs, careful now, we didn’t lose a thing, only, Sharky sped up, it was an old bolshevik front an now the rockets’re in Libya.
Rockets? I didn’t get it.
Yeah, plus equipment. They were Russian, actually ours an the Soviets’, belonged to the Warsaw Pact but they were Czechoslovak, Czech after the split, I guess … no one knows.
So how’d they get there? Libya’s a long way.
Well, they just shipped it in off the books with the Organization’s velvet reputation as the guarantee, I mean not entirely, again it all went through somebody else, but we were the ones that cleared it an everyone else was hands off … almost everyone, couple a Swiss are in on it … An the Poles an the French … but that’s not for sure, added Micka. Tell him the rest, Sharky.
Some stayed in Libya an some’s … Sharky lowered his voice an said almost too softly to hear … in Iraq. An the Palestinians got some an, gentlemen and brothers, I’m going home. We’ve gone bust an it’s been nice, up to now, but I gotta be on my way.
It’s too fast for me, I said.
Everything’s fast, Bohler noted.
Where’ll you go, Cassock, I asked.
Out to the Gobs’, I guess. To the Rock.
I still don’t get it, I’m sorry, but you know that transnational byznys stuff never was my … we sold rockets to Libya … an some other places … an they can pin it on us?
Can now, said Micka. If they wanna.
How could we screw up like that?
It happens, said Sharky, these fronts stay underwater for years sometimes. There’s just one consolation for me in all this: that we got caught on an old anchor.
An the Zone, don’t forget, said Bohler.
Get it now? someone asked me.
Yeah. But I was lying. I might’ve got that we were broke, that we were wiped out byznys-wise, and that … we’d violated the contract and were a bad tribe, and I knew what we had to do now, and what I ought to do too, I shook my silver ornaments an stroked my hair … but what I didn’t get was we were splittin up, that Sharky was takin off, so was Bohler, an probly everyone else too … I still didn’t get that the tribe had fallen apart, that we’d be without protection … I looked around at the others, they were thinking the same. What’s up with David?
I went over to him and lifted his head, it was … a mask of a face, it frightened me, that gourd look, it was spooky …
Well, said Bohler, Hradil thinks that David … that he’s gone insane.
What? I recalled our recent encounter in the warehouse, the weird way David had rattled on, confusing me with Novák.
Today he’s just … I donno, said Micka, scratching his head, not talkin at all … Helena was with him the whole time, an she wanted to take him away, but we figured since there was a briefing …
… the custom oughta be preserved to the end, Bohler added.
Maybe he’ll get over it, I said, maybe he caught some pain in the neck or whatever from the hitlers …
Hradil … look, there’s just too much today, said Micka.
Hradil said to leave him alone, that it’s shock, temporary paralysis …
Damn it, tell him the truth, Sharky snapped, I mean we all know it.
Hradil said he’ll probly … that it’s probly for good.
No, I said, and I could tell that even though the others knew it was true, it was still too much for them to digest.
Maybe Hradil made a mistake!
He doesn’t make mistakes, you know that.
We were all tired, but we couldn’t scatter through the building and leave David there by himself … it didn’t occur to us to call up one of our pseudodrooginas … maybe it’ll ease up when Helena gets back. Those two spent a lot of time together.
There’s one more thing, Bohler said, clearing his throat. It’s about Hunter. I was waiting for Potok.
I froze stiff.
It’s about that attack today … those two Laotians that got killed … an that’s not all … I guess you noticed the lawn out back is trampled, totally ruined …
Yeah, I nodded, the others too.
There’s this thing Lady Laos told me … when the hitlers came bustin in, slashin an bashin, I was out in the street, as you know, Bohler ran a hand over his bandaged head with a bit of a smile, a proud one I think, the thing is, when it started, what tenants we had left came tearin outta the buildings, but then they saw the hitlers were only goin after the Laotians … an yours truly … so they turned around an went out back an stood there clappin an eggin em on, they stomped down all the grass back there an showed em how to get into the shop, not only did our tenants not call the cops or the firemen … they applauded … the Laotian women took their kids an hid in the cellars, an when they smelled the smoke an saw the flames they figured the stalingos had set the place on fire … so they start passin the kids out the bars to the neighbors, those brutes had all the exits blocked so they couldn’t escape … the neighbors didn’t give a damn though, an Kučera from number three, he was crocked as usual … an he goes up to the window … an just stands there lookin while the women’re stretchin their arms through the bars to pass the kids out to him … an he whips out his dick an pisses through the bars all over those kids in the cellar … an Lady Laos told me the Laotians’ opinion is that won’t do, an Hunter’s here waiting.
I don’t know which of us screamed, but it was a mighty scream.
Well, maybe Kučera’s not so dumb he didn’t split, someone said.
Unfortunately the idiot’s still here, said Bohler. Vasil’s guarding him in case the Laotians … in case of anything rash. But they said it’s up to us.
We didn’t have to nod our heads and jingle our silver for long.
It’s obvious, said Micka.
Sharky just gave the sign.
Aright, I said, what else can we do.
I’ll take responsibility too, said Bohler.
But Hunter wants you to go with him, Potok.
I remembered the photo of Hunter looking like a computer samurai or a perfect agent, which can be confused … and the way he used to walk around the buildings in that rag of his, with his tattooed face and that shark-tooth necklace … I didn’t relish the idea … and it showed.
Lady Laos told me Hunter was extremely depressed an embarrassed that he stabbed you, an it’s a great honor that he wants to take you along, she said any one of his people would be thrilled to be chosen … when honor’s at stake.
Yeah, aright, I’m honored.
Hunter smiled when he saw me walk into the courtyard, bonjour, he said. I looked around, we were alone.
You needn’t bother, I know you know my language.
Excusez-moi?
Aright then: Je sais que vous parlez tchèque.
Non, excusez-moi, je parle français, pas beaucoup.
Have it your way, I’m tellin you though, the ess-tee-bee’s after you, I mean the cops … no wait, not cops … underground cops … komunisten banditen, vous connaissez?
Non.
Fine, fine. On y va.
And we went.
Vasil stood outside the door. Bot iz dere hiz voomin, he said. I come heer, I bek him, I say him, run fest! He no unnerstant notink, durak!
His business. Get outta here, Vasil … but don’t go to the cellar, go to the priest, harasho?
Da.
I’d barely knocked when the door swung open. There was his voomin, they made a cute couple. Both were big drinkers and he had a slightly criminal past, none of that bothered us. My memory of Kučera, a shard: typical Czech guy, in his fifties, the type you see hangin around the trash cans on your street from time to time. Carrying out the garbage in his undershirt. Sweating. Likes soccer, TV, meat, porno, his money, his memories, his car, doesn’t love anything. Coexists with his wife. Beats her every now and then, or she beats him, their business. They had a son. He took off. Wouldn’t surprise me if he’d taken up with the scamps. Wouldn’t’ve hesitated if I were him.
When we first took over the buildings, it was an extreme shock for some of our tenants. Instead of their people from the old national committees, suddenly they were required to consult our amulets and hardware. Kučera had a problem with it, but Bohler persuaded him. And they all discovered there were certain benefits to having us as bosses. We didn’t always bother to collect rent, for instance. We’d just forget, plus I think Bohler, whose job it was … felt sorry for many of our lodgers.
Please, ma’am, I think it would be better if …
I’m not goin anywhere, mister.
Listen, there’s been an incident …
The place smelled like somethin was burning … an cabbage … her face was red, eyes puffy from booze, or maybe tears, or both … tousled hair … she held on to the door.
I stuck my foot in. Hunter stood quietly behind me. She saw him.
I’m not goin anywhere, if he dies, I … it’d be the music of paradise for me … go ahead, mister, squash the louse, you donno the life I’ve had … you donno shit! she flung open the door … Hunter slipped inside.
Don’t be silly, ma’am … go on, leave …
Don’t you try to run me out … mister … she followed Hunter in, I couldn’t stop her. Kučera stood at the window, on the table a bottle of beer and a newspaper, staring at us in disbelief. Hunter stepped in front of him and turned to me.
Il connais rien. Vous parlez pourquoi …
Oui. Yes, I’ll tell him.
Hey, get cher ass outta my flat an take that gook wit cha. Mařena, call the cops …
You brought it on yourself, Pepa.
Mr. Kučera, not only did you not help, but …
I looked at Hunter, he didn’t have anything on him, but then I looked at his hands and it was obvious he didn’t need anything else.
Goddammit, you can’t do this, we got laws ya know, get cher ass outta here!
Unfortunately, Mr. Kučera, you’ve just violated every law there is. And I told him how.
Mařena, no, you can’t … you wouldn’t.
But she did. I turned to Hunter: Il connais, maintenant, je pense, and I followed her out.
