[hr][hr]

[center][h2]The [color=violet]House[/color][/h2][/center]

[hr][hr]

“Not an offer? Fuck me, that’s a shame.” He chuckled weakly, forcing little pulses of blood up through the padding around his stomach wound. “Real shame.”

As Siobhan entered the room he looked up, and gave her a foul grimace and a grunt of pain - the closest thing to a grin he could muster.

“I… uh, Niki, Niki an’ I were in the army together for about ten, fifteen years. She was always a pistol. Pretty intense woman, honestly, but like, my best mate. Very moral. This operation wasn’t exactly her idea, but I couldn’t just let ‘er do it alone.”

“I always wondered if things would’a worked out between us, but I don’t think she was made for marriage, you know what I mean?” He coughed weakly, and then gave a little chuckle, laughing at something he’d thought of. “I mean,” he closed his eyes for a moment, before forcing them back open, “she tried it about three times. Bless her, three weddings, two divorces, one bloke just disappearin’.”

“Michael. Me an’ Niki knew Michael from the pub. Bit of a strange guy honestly, but that’s the sort of person Niki just seems to attract. Eccentric is a better word for Michael actually. It was always like, if you- if you need somethin’, maybe don’t know where to get it? You can ask Michael, he’ll probably know where to get it.”

He went silent for a moment, still and quiet. 

“He, uh, it was his idea, all this. I dunno if he knew someone who was a mage, or anything like that, but he seemed to know people, and when he pitched it to Niki she liked the sound of it.

“Well, are ya here to join the threesome, beautifu-[i][b]uuuuuuck![/i][/b]” He gave a tortured scream, stifled by clenched teeth, as he tried and failed to raise himself to a sitting position to get a better look at Siobhan.

He gave up on sitting, and eased himself back down to lie flat on the floor, letting his head roll to the side. He stared at the other body numbly, and swallowed hard.

“Alex… Alex was Niki’s son. Good kid. Good fuckin’ kid. Real eager. Cool head on his shoulders. I- I don’t think smuggling was enough for him. He was plannin’ to ask if he could go back with you guys. To join in proper, be more direct about things. He…” he trailed off, mouth open, words caught up in his throat.
“Fuck. It’s all gone to shit. Look, I don’t care what happens to me now, you gotta get the coolbox if nothing else. There’s- there’s shit in there, needs to be kept chill, and it won’t last once the sun comes up proper and it starts gettin’ hot. You understand?”

[hr][hr]